“And the faster it goes, the greater its mass?” Bud asked.
“Right. In my experimental rig, the results only show up as a slight increase of mass on this platinum screen that I’m using as a target. But I’m building a new model which I hope will produce enough matter so that I can actually weigh it.”
“Wonderful, professor!” Bud exclaimed, slapping his pal on the back. “But what’s this machine for-a scientific magic show?”
“No,” Tom replied. “It’s to help us explore space-perhaps colonize the moon.”
Bud’s eyes grew round with excitement. “Now
4 SPACE SOLARTRON
you’re talking my language, skipper! Give me the low-down!”
“Well, on the moon, or when we’re traveling through space,” Tom explained, “we’ll be cut off from our source of supplies. If this machine could produce oxygen, water, maybe even fuel and food, then we could exist away from the earth as long as we wanted to stay.”
“Wow!” Bud bounced off his lab stool. “That means we could really explore space, Tom-even visit the farthest planets!”
The young inventor nodded, grinning. “Exactly. But don’t get your hopes up too soon, pal. My machine isn’t perfected yet, and I’ll need a lot more power to carry out my experiments.”
Tom was interrupted by a third voice. “Wai, brand my buckshot, next time try an’ carry ‘em without blowin’ all the ee-lec-tricity on this here spread!”
The boys looked up with broad smiles as a chunky, bowlegged, weather-beaten figure came into the laboratory. Chow Winkler, the Enterprises cook, wearing a white chef’s hat and high-heeled cowboy boots, was pushing a lunch cart in front of his ample midriff.