Free The Secret of Saturn’s Rings by Donald A. Wollheim Page B

own power to Saturn. We figure that since we have already acquired Hidalgo’s own speed and orbital direction by riding on it, we only need to speed up and move ahead on Hidalgo’s own orbit. We have the fuel, though it will leave us very dangerously limited after we reach Saturn. Our only hope of return, if we do this, will be to catch Hidalgo when it arrives near Saturn—at the very point where we had originally intended to leave it. If we delay on Saturn too long, we will miss that call and never return to Earth. I will ask you two to decide. The odds are long. Shall we do it? Shall we go on to Saturn days ahead of Hidalgo by our own power?”
    Arpad was silent. Bruce hesitated. He wanted to say yes, but he felt that as Dr. Rhodes’ son, that would have been expected of him. He’d rather Arpad made the decision. He turned, looked at Arpad. The other’s eyes caught his. They had a merry twinkle, then Arpad’s face broke into a smile.
    “What are we waiting for?” Arpad said. “Let’s get going!”

Chapter 8  Mimas
    They abandoned Jennings on Hidalgo. This was not as deadly as it seemed. They unloaded and set up on the level plain outside their meteor crater hideout an airtight transparent tent, the type used by asteroid miners for short stays. They installed a small atomic-fueled heater and a spare oxygen purifier from their space-suit stores. Enough food for a couple of days was also placed in the tent.
    Just before they left Hidalgo, they radioed the whereabouts of Jennings to the Terraluna station on Achilles, told them to pick him up. As soon as their call had been received and they knew that it had been noted, they signed off.
    Bruce spoke with Jennings just before they abandoned him, as the task of setting up his tent had been given to him. The pilot was gloomy, but insisted he was right.
    “Really, Bruce, in spite of your faith in your father’s ideas, they are wrong. I tell you that Terraluna’s research staff has proven positively that there would be no danger in their new mining project. I saw the figures myself—that’s what convinced me that this trip to Saturn is very foolhardy, and that you’re taking unnecessary dangers with good men for nothing.”
    Bruce shrugged, went on with his work. Finally he said, “If you felt that way, you had no right to come with us. If it’s our lives that are to be lost, let us take that chance. Even if Terraluna is right—and I don’t believe it—our own discoveries on Saturn’s rings would be the final proof. If were wrong, we’ll find it out and say so. But no one, not even a powerful outfit, has any right to take a chance with all humanity while there’s the slightest possibility of my dad being right.” Jennings looked at him. “I’ll be sorry to see a smart young fellow like yourself get killed so early in life. Even if your father is right, he can’t prove it by this trip. This ship isn’t big enough to make the trip and get back. You haven’t the fuel, and nobody can survive in the rings anyway. I’d have gone along with you if I felt that you had even a fair chance of success. But I don’t. I’m an expert space pioneer—you know my record—believe me, I am sincere.”
    Bruce gritted his teeth but said no more. He felt that Jennings was giving his true views, and he had to respect the pilot’s record. Yet he wouldn’t let himself dwell on the possibility of failure. He refused to discuss any more. Besides, they had no time.
    When they blasted off, Bruce caught a final glimpse of the little bubble of transparent plastic that imprisoned Jennings. He wondered whether he would be rescued in time.
    They were edging just beyond the orbit of Jupiter at the moment of leaving Hidalgo. They blasted along at full tilt for several hours, gaining tremendous acceleration. Garcia had adjusted their direction so that they were taking full advantage of Hidalgo’s momentum, yet directing their ship at