“If Harlan survived the takeoff, I’ll send him directions on what to do,” Tom said.
“What will they be?” Jones asked.
“As soon as we reach Harlan, I’ll tell him to cut off the alcohol line to choke the motors of the first three stages, then to dump the liquid oxygen for them.”
“Can he do that?” Jones asked.
“Yes, easily,” Tom replied. “In that way he won’t go up more than a few hundred miles. At least he won’t get lost in space!”
A shout sounded in the radio shack. “Tom, Tom! We’ve reached Ames!” As the young inventor rushed into the shack, Billing added, “He’s in bad shape.”
Tom spoke into the transmitter. Giving Ames words of encouragement, he asked him to listen carefully for instructions on how to get back.
122 TOM SWIFT AND HIS ROCKET SHIP
“Can you hear me?”
“Yes,” came a weak reply.
“Can you move your arms?”
“Yes, a little. Thank heavens your anti-G invention is working. But I think I’m going to black out.”
“Hold on for a minute,” Tom pleaded, “and you’ll be okay.”
He then told Ames what buttons to press to cut off the motors and jettison the first three stages.
“Watch your altitude,” Tom concluded, “and when the last stage is gone, race the flight tape to the mark for that height on the return trip. It’s in green. Roger.”
Tom, as well as the others, stood tense and silent. There was a deathlike stillness everywhere in the launching area. Then the receiver crackled three faint words:
“Base stage gone!”
“Thank goodness.” Tom breathed a little easier.
Again utter silence. Finally, the welcome announcement was heard that the second stage was dropping through the air with its parachute.
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