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To any of a hundred hostesses he would have been a joy, to share with as many friends as he would consent to meet; for in the last week he had eaten "hog and hominy," and sipped corn-meal coffee, in lofty colloquy with Sidney Johnston and his "big generals"; had talked confidentially with Polk, so lately his own bishop; had ridden through the miry streets of Corinth with all the New Orleans commanders of division or brigade Gibson, Trudeau, Ruggles, Brodnax; out on the parapets, between the guns, had chatted with Hilary and his loved lieutenants; down among the tents and mess-fires had given his pale hand, with Spartan injunctions and all the home news, to George Gregory, Ned Ferry, Dick Smith, and others of Harper's cavalry, and circled round by Charlie Valcour, Sam Gibbs, Maxime, and scores of their comrades in Kincaid's Battery had seen once more their silken flag, so faded! and touched its sacred stains and tatters.
The enlisted Planeteers knew as well as he what that meant. There were whistles of astonishment. Koa slapped his big thigh. "By Gemini! What do we do about it, sir?" "We capture it," Rip said. "We blast it loose from its orbit and ride it back to earth." He sat back and watched their reactions. At first they were stunned. Trudeau, the Frenchman, muttered to himself in French.
He yelled, "Frenchy! Watch out!" Then he put both hands before him to protect his helmet. His hands caught the French Planeteer between the shoulders. Visitors! Trudeau held tight to the launcher, but the rocket racks opened and spilled attack rockets into space. They flew in a dozen different directions. Trudeau gave vent to his feelings in colorful French.
For the second sighting star he chose Beta Pyxis as being closest to the line he wanted, made the slight adjustments necessary to set the line of sight, since Pyxis wasn't exactly on it, then directed Trudeau into position as he had Koa. Nunez took position behind the instrument, and Rip had his cross fix.
Take a small step to the right. That's good ... just a few inches more ... hold it. You're right in position. Stand where you are." "Yessir." Rip turned to Santos. "Stand here, Corporal. Take a sight at Koa to get your bearings, then hold position." Santos did so. Now the two lights gave Rip one of the lines he needed. He called for two more men, and Trudeau and Nunez joined him.
"We’d better get to the dark side ourselves," Koa warned. He was right, Rip knew. The Connies didn’t have far to search before reaching the sun side. "Koa, you take Trudeau and Kemp. I’ll take Dowst and Dominico. Nunez and Bradshaw stay here to guard the cave. If they arrive in twos, let them get into the cave before you jump them. Bradshaw, how do you feel?" "I’m all right, Lieutenant."
Kemp’s torch already was slicing into the metal. Rip asked, "Can you weld with that thing, Kemp?" "Just show me what you want, sir." "Good." Rip motioned to Trudeau. "Frenchy, we’ll need a strong rod at least eight feet long." The French Planeteer hurried off. Rip consulted his chronometer. Less than ten minutes had passed since the call from Terra base. He went over his plan again.
Trudeau arrived with a long pole he had made by lashing two crate sticks together. Rip gave directions as they formed a cylinder of nuclite. Kemp spot-welded it, and they pushed it into the hole, forming a lining. Nunez found a small piece of material in one of the earlier craters. It would provide some neutrons to start the chain reaction.
The Frenchman swung, his hammer noiseless as it drove the tough spike in. A few inches into the metal was enough. Bradshaw took a wrench from his belt, put it on the head of the spike and turned it. Below the surface, teeth on the spike bit into the metal. It would hold. The rest was easy. The spike was used to anchor Trudeau while he drove another, at his longest reach.
They had counted upon the Indians all being attracted in to the island, by this time; but they had counted too soon. About eight o'clock, while they were crossing a high rolling prairie, Scout Trudeau suddenly dropped. Scout Stillwell imitated did not hesitate an instant. "Don't move! Don't breathe! Look yonder!"
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