the
sputter cones. "Look!" he said.

Below them was the crater of the Pit and in its center a smooth
bluish-black hemisphere protruded from the crater floor. It would have
passed unnoticed by the casual eye--nearly concealed by two gigantic
blocks of pumice.

"The God-Egg!" Copper exclaimed.

"Egg--ha! that's a spacer! I thought it would be. I'd recognize durilium
anywhere. Let's go down and look this over, but first we want a couple
of pictures." He pointed a camera at the crater and snapped the shutter.
"There--now let's have a closer look at our baby."

"Do you expect me to get into that thing?" Copper said distastefully as
she prodded the shapeless green coveralls with a bare toe. She eyed the
helmet, gloves and boots with equal distaste. "I'd suffocate."

"If you want to come with me, you'll wear it," Kennon said. "Otherwise
you won't come near that pit. Try it and I'll chain you to the jeep."

"You wouldn't!"

"Just try me."

"Oh--all fight. I'll wear the thing--but I won't be comfortable.''

"Who cares about that? You'll be protected."

"All right--show me how to put it on. I'd rather be with you than worry
about what you are doing."

The suit was several sizes too large but it covered her adequately.
Too adequately, Kennon decided. She looked like a pile of wrinkles with
legs. He chuckled.

She glared. "So I'm funny," she said. "Let me tell you something else
that's funny. I'm hot. I'm sweating. I itch. Now--laugh!"

"I don't feel like laughing," Kennon said. "I feel the same way."

They approached the edge of the Pit carefully. Kennon kept checking
the radiation counter. The needle slowly rose and steadied at one-half
roentgen per hour as he thrust the probe over the rim of the depression.
"It's fine, so far," he said encouragingly. "We could take this much
for quite a while even without suits." He lowered himself over the edge,
sliding down the gentle slope.

"How is it down there?" Copper called. The intercom crackled in his ear.

"Fine--barely over one roentgen per hour. With these suits we could
stay here indefinitely." The sigh of relief was music in her ears. "This
place is barely lukewarm."

"That's what you think," Copper said.

"I mean radiation warm," Kennon said. "Stay up there and watch me. I may
need some things."

"All right." Copper squirmed inside the hot suit. The thing was an oven.
She hoped that Kennon didn't plan to work in the daytime. It would be
impossible.

Ke