Voorhees’ smile faded abruptly. “I’m afraid that remains to be seen.
Incidentally, I would prefer not to be called Hal. It’s a nickname I’ve never cared for.”
To smooth over the awkward moment, Tom suggested that they have lunch immediately, then visit the Swift Construction Company plant for a look at the nearly completed blasters.
“This one,” he announced later that afternoon, as they examined the huge machines, “is the model I plan to use for digging the tunnel. Unlike the other one which you just saw, this will operate me-96 TOM SWIFT AND HIS ATOMIC BLASTER
chanically rather than by smelting and vaporizing the rock.”
Voorhees was scrutinizing the section in which the small atomic pile would later be installed.
“I can tell you right now that you’re way off the beam on this part,” he scoffed.
“The thickness of these heat-transfer walls is entirely inadequate. Of course the correct design depends on certain ther-modynamic formulas with which you probably aren’t familiar.”
“Are these the ones you mean?” asked Tom quietly, pulling out a notebook and rapidly jotting down a number of formulas.
With a startled look, Voorhees glanced at them and admitted grudgingly that they were indeed the ones he had been referring to.
“Perhaps we’d better check them right now,” suggested Tom. “If I have made a mistake, I certainly want to clear it up as soon as possible.”
Using pocket slide rules and a handbook of tables borrowed from one of the company engineers, Tom and Voorhees proceeded to work out the formulas.
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