Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 43 — page 141: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

AUTHENTIC SCIENCE FICTION Dave grinned. “‘Thanks— sir.” They started to try to re- pair the damage. Knowledge of the enormous weight of rock stretching above them oppressed Martel. So did the knowledge that Dave was in danger. After sixteen hours of almost unbroken labour the store of spares was almost empty, but the huge machine was again in workable order. **We’ll take six hours rest,” he decided. Hedgerley and McGilligan exchanged glances; Dave said nothing, and Martel returned to his control chair, where he fiddled with the controls - uneasily. The silence op- pressed him. It was so like that first time, when he had ‘been buried under tons of debris. The hours had grown slowly into days, hope of rescue completely aban- doned—— He paced the floor, unable to sleep. His boots rang on the metal, leaving deep silence when he stopped. Once he 140 heard voices below. He re- turned to his seat and cal- culated the depth to which they had penetrated. The figure stunned him. Already two miles of rock extended above. Suppose the tunnel cracked, he thought, and the debris thundered down upon them? That would be worse than the first time. He mopped his face, heard a sound, and looked at the door. Dave stood there. He came in slowly. “Dad, what’s wrong?” Steve Martel grinned crookedly. “Too good a memory, son. Stay and talk.” Dave shook his head. “I came to tell you that Hedgerley and McGilligan are up to something ¥ Martel remembered the voices, whispering. He fol- lowed Dave down the ladder. A light showed, and a voice came from the deck below. McGilligan was on his knees, clawing at the fused rock below the machine, a torch in his hand. He looked up, comichooks.conn ~ 5