ports-men as well as scientists; but
they were just human enough to anticipate the plaudits of the world
which would be showered without stint upon the fliers who succeeded.

[Illustration: _The warship simply vanished into the night sky._]

"At least, Tema," said Jeter quietly, "we can look his ship over and see
if there is anything about it that will suggest something to us. Of
course, whether he succeeds or fails, we shall make the attempt as soon
as we are ready."

"Indeed, yes," replied Eyer. "For no man will ever fly so high that
another may not fly even higher. Once planes are constructed of
unlimited flying radius ... well, the universe is large and there should
be no end of space fights for a long time."

Eyer, the elder of the two partner scientists, was given sometimes to
quiet biting sarcasm that almost took the hide off. Jeter never minded
greatly, for he knew Eyer thoroughly and liked him immensely. Besides
they were complements to each other. The brain of each received from the
other exactly that which he needed to supplement his own knowledge of
science.

They had one other thing in common. They had been "child prodigies," but
contrary to the usual rule, they had both fulfilled their early promise.
Their early precocious wisdom had not vanished with the passing of
childhood. Each possessed a name with which to conjure in the world of
science. And each possessed that name by right of having made it famous.
And yet--they were under forty.

Jeter was a slender athletic chap with deep blue eyes and brown hair.
His forehead was high and unnaturally white. There was always a still
sort of tenseness about him when his mind was working with some idea
that set him apart from the rest of the world. You felt then that you
couldn't have broken his preoccupation in any manner at all--but that if
by some miracle you did, he would wither you with his wrath.

Tema Eyer was the good nature of the partnership, with a brain no less
agile and profound. He was a swart fellow, straight as an arrow, black
of eyes--the sort which caused both men and women to turn and look after
him on the street. Children took to both men on sight.

The crowd which had come out to watch the take-off of Franz Kress was a
huge one--huge and restless. There had been much publicity attendant on
this flight, none of it welcome to Kress. Oh, later, if he succeeded, he
would welcome publicity, but publicity in advance rather nettled him.

Je