t-streaked and vastly
calm, to announce that others could be turned out in quantity.

"These guys have got the stuff," he said steadily. "Instead o' castin'
their stuff, they shoot it on a core in a melted spray. They ain't got
steel, an' copper's scarce, but they got some alloys that are good an'
tough. One's part tungsten or I'm crazy."

Tommy nodded.

"Turn out all the guns you can," he said. "I look for fighting."

"Yeah," said Smithers. "Miss Evelyn's still all right?"

"Up to three hours ago," said Tommy grimly. "Every three hours one of
our ships lands in Rahn and reports. We give the Rahnians their stuff
at our own city gates. I've warned Jacaro that we've mounted
thermit-throwers on our food stores. If he manages to gas us by
surprise, nevertheless our foodstuffs can't be captured. They've got
to turn over Evelyn and cart off their food before they dare to fight,
else they'll starve."

"But--uh--there're other cities they could stick up, ain't there?"

"We've warned them," said Tommy curtly. "They've got thermit-throwers
mounted on their food supplies, too. And they're desperate enough to
keep Rahn off. They're willing enough to let Yugna do the fighting,
but they know what Rahn's winning will mean."

Smithers turned away, then turned back.

"Uh--Mr. Reames," he said heavily, "these fellas've gone near crazy
about governors an' reducing valves an' such. They're inventin' ways
to use 'em on machines I don't make head or tail of. We got three-four
hundred men loose from machines already, an' they're turnin' out these
steam guns as soon as you check up. There'll be more loose by night. I
had 'em spray some castin's for another Tube, too. Workin' like they
do, an' with the tools they got, they make speed."

Tommy responded impatiently: "There's no steel, no iron for magnets."

"I know," admitted Smithers. "I'm tryin' steam cylinders
to--uh--energize the castin's, instead o' coils. It'll be ready by
mornin'. I wish you'd look it over, Mr. Reames. If Miss Evelyn gets
safe into the city, we could send her down the Tube to Earth until the
fightin's over."

"I'll try to see it," said Tommy impatiently. "I'll try!"

* * * * *

He turned back to the set-up steam gun. A flexible pipe from a heavily
insulated cylinder ran to it. A hopper dropped metallic balls down
into a bored-out barrel, where they were sucked into the blast of
superheated steam from the storage cylinder. At