Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 43 — page 76: what you’re looking at

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

ERRAND OF MERCY a bucket on a length of rope. He lowered it into the river and brought it up, brimming. Then he carried it off for examination. Hacking took another look round, and said: “‘This is a pretty dull area. I’m going for a spin in Jenny. Help me fix her up.” Lewes nodded. Together they unloaded Jenny from the ship and began to assemble her. She was a _ cunning creature of collapsible parts. Only the engine was in one piece. Jenny was very nearly in her final form as a flimsy, but effective, helicopter when Raikes came out, nodded at her approvingly, and then said: ““Much as we thought. NH,OH plus free oxygen— somehow—and a sprinkling of animalcule. If that’s all they have to live on, those big fish are ruddy Spartans.” He gave a hand to com- plete Jenny, then went back into the ship to net onto the -helicopter’s comparatively short-range radio. He re- 75 turned to report: “Can hear you perfectly. Pity we can’t answer. Never mind—you’ll be able to send us a running commentary. You won’t get over the mountains that way. I suggest you go down-river a couple of hundred miles. Plenty of daylight left yet.” “Right ’”’ said Hacking. He inserted his slim frame care- fully into the machine. He switched on, and the vanes overhead began to revolve. Lewes pulled out the tether- ing pegs which had held the helicopter firm against the gale. “Good luck!” he shouted. “‘What is to be, will be,” replied Hacking, indistinctly but piously, through the win- dow. Jenny soared up and carried him off on the wind’s wings. They watched her become a speck against the sky. Then Raikes dropped his gaze to the river. He scru- tinised the far-off monsters. “T think they’re just a little nearer,” he said. “They'll bear watching. I'll keep an eye on ’em—you keep in COMmicSoOoks.COm