Part 12 (1/2)
”Dry ice,” Rick said
CHAPTER IX
The Splitting Atoiven way to a fine drizzle of rain byRick stared out theat the drenched land and considered the angles he had been turning over in his mind
The dry-ice theory wasn't conclusive, he knew, but it was a strong indication It didn't explain the Blue Ghost himself, but it could explain the mist
Dry ice is sias at normal temperatures It becomes a solid at low temperatures, and because it is hars cold, as in the case of ice-creaeration
When the temperature is raised, dry ice passes directly froaseous state When dropped into water it seems to boil, as the coas, and it creates a fine white mist
Rick was reasonably sure the Blue Ghost appeared in a carbon-dioxide cloud, and he was beginning to have an inkling of how this was accomplished--in principle, if not in specific terms There were, after all, he reasoned, only a feays of creating a visible ih the list of possibilities, eli them one by one
If the Frostola hostly appearances, it was only necessary to keep track of that tall individual This was Rick's plan, necessarily postponed because of the storet a weather report”
Scotty grinned sympathetically He knew that Rick was i to be done
”We really should have a battery radio,” Dr Miller said ”Power here is not very dependable in storh that won't help now”
”What we need is a radio that doesn't depend on power,” Jan Miller said
”Then it would always be ready”
Rick stared at the girl, not really seeing her A radio without power
He re talk with Dr John Gordon of the Spindrift staff about the principles of radio Dr Gordon had sketched a circuit that needed no power, and then had told Rick of how Aenuity had produced what soldiers called a ”foxhole radio”
”I saw an old transformer in the woodshed,” he said suddenly ”May I have it, Dr Miller?” At the scientist's nod, he addressed Jan ”I'll bet you can find me a cardboard tube Then, if I can have an old razor blade and permission to take the receiver off the telephone for a while, I can irls, and Scotty looked at hione off his rocker at last,” Scotty muttered ”How can anyone make a radio out of junk?”
”I'll need a pencil stub, a few screws, and a piece of board,” Rick added ”A safety pin would help, too”
”Rick Brant, you're being silly,” Barby said firmly ”This is no time for practical jokes!”
Dr Miller held up his hand ”Peace, Barbara Rick isn't joking I believe I see what he has in mind Rick, I've never heard of this, but I assume the oxide on the razor blade is to act as a rectifier?”
”That's right, sir John Gordon told me about it”
The scientist rose ”Then it ork Co Let's build a radio out of junk”
With many hands to help, the ent quickly Under Dr Miller's direction, Scotty took the transfor the quantities of wire from its coils
Rick found a razor blade and anchored it to a rectangular piece of plywood he found in the woodshed It was a double-edged blade, and one small screw from Dr Miller's junk box served to hold it He wrapped a short piece of insulated wire, one of the transforhtened it He sharpened the lead pencil with his jackknife, uncoiled the safety pin, and pushed the sharp end into the exposed lead at the upper end of the pencil, which was a stub only two inches long