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Fifteen minutes later the two men were inside the big air-cruiser, alone except for a few cleaners, who were finishing the usual work of preparing the ship for its next cruise. But Reblong could not know that Fort had carefully made sure of this fact beforehand.
Do you know that there's ten servants, on an average, to every family of the rich? Servants who do nothing but make life still easier for people who already hog it all!" "Well, suppose they did all go to work; who would run our government for us, my friend?" "Who! Why if we can do the work, I guess we can certainly do the governing, Reblong." Reblong turned away, plainly bewildered.
Reblong said nothing so far, such was his chagrin and wonder. But now he evidently considered seriously what Fort had said. "I see you mean it, Mr. Fort. And you ought to know that once you've cleared the landing-dock, you'll have a hard time to keep her level unless you're up on the bridge. That is, while you're shifting the wing-angle.
"All I need to do is to set these dials" indicating the pilot's instruments "to 'ascend, and the engine-room would do the rest automatically. Is that it?" Reblong said this was practically true, and led the way back to the engine-room. The place was full of a gurgling sound, now, due to the fuel being run into the tanks. Reblong glanced at the indicating tube.
Say, Reblong; no offense, but I think we are fools to put up with what we are given!" Smith's man complacently seated himself in front of the instruments. "Personally, I think we are mighty lucky, instead of foolish." "Lucky!" The other man snorted. "I wish Ernol could hear you say that! He'd have a fit!" Reblong was not at all disturbed. "By the way, what's become of the chap?
Shouts, muffled and faint because of the ship's double windows, sounded from outside. Reblong saw the sheds sinking rapidly below him. In thirty seconds the vessel was free of the dock. "First gear ahead," came the signal; and again Reblong obeyed. Practically he had no choice. Another man, of nobler training, might have preferred to be loyal at all costs.
Reblong's manner, by its very emphasis, had the effect of making the other man suddenly quite cool. "Correct; I admit them all. And at the same time I want to show you that the commission has accomplished all this, not primarily for our benefit, but in the interests of the owners. "They gave us prohibition because drinking was bad for business; no other reason, Reblong!
The other man was ready to go. He hesitated, studying the floor; then said, regretfully: "The worst part of it is, Reblong, everybody I talk to is as bad as you are. They all admit that things are not what they should be but nobody cares!" He went to the door, and Reblong heard him say, under his breath, as he turned the knob: "Great Heavens! What's come over the world anyhow?
Don't fool yourself into thinking that the commission has done all this for your benefit! Not much!" "Maybe you're right," conceded Reblong. "As for myself, I don't care a rap what the commission's reasons were. I'm satisfied!" The other man looked disgusted. "Satisfied! Just because you're guaranteed your dollar an hour, and your pension at sixty!
Even when Fort told Reblong what he had learned about Powart's trickery leaving out all details about Mona, of course the engineer would not listen to any hint of revolution. "I don't like to question your word, Mr. Fort" Reblong was very uncomfortable "but I have such confidence in the commission that well, you understand."
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