Air Wonder Stories, May 1930 — page 59: what you’re looking at

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

> tn | ‘9 « 4 wes \ any other craft, plane or ship, in the world, and at once ap- peared to establish the United States as foremost in the field of aviation. Now with the sun at its zenith sending down warm, brilliant rays, the Sky Urchin was ready to take the air, The passengers had gone within to sit in the control room to watch Professor Markleson and his crew of five choice men take the ship upward, Strange to say, Dr. Jorgstedt was not among them, and the scientist, at first, had displayed disappointment at the failure of his friend to appear: in time for this epoch-making event,. Then he concluded that-some unforseen obstacle had arisen to prevent the famous astronomer from appearing on the scene. He finally dismissed his disappoinment with.a shrug and centered his at- tention tipon preparations: for the take-off. There came an ominous hush over the huge ship as Professor Markleson took up a position atthe controls. Outside, camera- men were grinding out reel after reel. Press camera-men raced hither-and yon to gain advantageous points to “shoot'the glis- tening air cruiser from every conceivable angle. It was the scientist’s intention eventually to permit-the world to know also what the interior of his-ship looked like, but not quite yet—not until after the maiden flight had taken place, and all the-details had been safely placed in the archives ‘of the United States patent offices, Then the cainera-men. would be allowed to go through the Sky Urchin—perhaps! Professor *Markleson peered at the-dials in front of him and glanced through the transparent band. From his position on the control bridge high up toward-the forward curving that brought the ship’s nose to a pike-like point; the scientist could see scurrying figures darting here and there along the ground. He pulled on a cord and a high-sounding siren shrieked for. field clearance. At once he noticed the armed-guards running away from the ship’s polished sides to take up positions with the camera-men near the walls. of the hangar. The passengers, seated upon comfortable, stationary benches well away from the controls, seemed numbed into quietness. They watched each single movement of. the scientist as his hands touched the various controls, They watched him pulling gradually upon a throttle scarcely larger than the grip of a man’s hand. Then they became aware of an increasing drone stitging through the ship’s hull, The edges of the central sec- tion of the hulk along the transparent band seem to glow with a purple luminosity. The guest scientists watched it with puz- zled interest and the various newspaper editors began -jotting notes upon whatever papers they could find in their pockets. Contrary. to popular conception, newspapermen do not carry notebooks ready for instant use but rely on memory, which under ordinary conditions, serves the purpose adequately. There-were-a score of stunned pesonalities on board the Shy Urchin when it was discovered that the craft had already left the earth! Professor Markleson grinned with amusement at the sudden astonishment on the faces of his guests. He glanced around at them, his eyes aglow with excitement. Thus far the Sky Urchin was a success! Strange Forebodings ITH scarcely a tremor it had risen: from its resting place on the surface. Markleson had merely manipulated certain instruments and the great craft had responded to the touch of his capable hands. Now it floated two. miles above the field, its nose pointed westward, as steady and rigid as if it lay at rest within its hangar. Superb, a thing of glistening beauty, the monster hovered in the sky. “Take a look, gentlemen!” Professor Markleson invited. “The field below appears no larger than a square emerald set- ting ina man’s ring! Rather a pleasant take-off, ch?” Blue sky ‘stretched beyond. Below lay the earth, criss-crossed with ribbon-like thoroughfares, squared with checkerboard patches of green and brown, ihterspersed here and there with THE SKY RULER conical spires that seemed like infinitesimal needle points in comparison with the vastness of the visible terrain. The pas- sengers peered in all directions, plainly hypnotized by the sudden, unexpected rise andthe glory of the scenes on all sides, The — realization that here at last was a-revolutionary step in derial transportation stunned even Professor. Markleson himself, and it was with keen delight that he listened to the praise that was at once heaped upon him by those who appreciated his -as- tounding achievements, He turned presently to the controls and ordered-his picked crew. to various stations within the cabin. The Sky Urchin seemed to heel earthward as the propulsion units went into ac- tion, yellow jets of flame spitting rearward from:the exhausts between the stabilizers-at the tail, The exhausts began a gradual roar that soon gave way to a pleasant, Iulling hiss, As the craft's nose dipped. earthward under the recoil of the driving exhausts, Professor Markleson swung the aileron con- trols slightly upward by turning’a small wheel within a Jarger one, Instantly the Sky Urchin’s nose lifted skyward. The passengers, suddenly tensed by the unexpected plunge, breathed in relief, "J don't believe the recoil can be overcome, gentlemen,” the scientist said; “There’s bound. to he some reaction upon the’ ship when the propulsion exhausts are thrown open. I found it difficult'to change the recoil to a slight downward plunge rather than the straight ahead: jerk that would ordinarily happen. Yet it was more gentle than I had anticipated!” The great scientists strode.over close to the transparent band and looked out. Far below, the terrain was slipping past in a brown: blur,- Scarcely an object was recognizable atthe terrific velocity under which the Sky Urchin was speeding through the air before the constant explosions from its propulsion exhausts. The passengers stared: at one another, their eyes twinkling with satisfied lights, At last science had conquered gravity and speed as well, for the craft had risen by neutralizing and repelling the earth’s gravitational attraction, and here it was, scudding through the heavens like a projectile hurled from some huge, powerful rifle! S it raced across the arched dome of blue at an altitude.of five miles, the Sky Urchin was subject to scarcely a bump. The air seemed much smoother here than in the heavier atmos- phere below. As confident as a captain standing at the controls of some great ocean liner, Professor Markleson watched the dials in front of him and smiled as he made occasional readings of velocity, altitude, gravitational pull, resistance and internal oxygen pressure, Then, somehow, the scientist.experienced a vague premonition of something untoward. What it was he could not define, He felt certain that the perfect functioning of the ship would ‘not cease and thereby crash it to earth. He tried to shake off the feeling, but try as he might, he could not shun it, It was as though a-sixth sense warned him that danger lurked near, He had-a strange sensation of being watched from ‘some invisible source. Yet despite the foreboding that was marring an other- wise perfect‘ flight, he smiled and did not allow his anxiety to reach those who depended upon him for their very lives, He glanced arotnd to read the faces that were arranged within the cabin. Perhaps here he would find the eyes that penetrated his being and caused him to shudder inwardly, But no—the faces were smiling; none were looking at him directly. Each man was either engaged at jotting notes or conversing softly with his nearest neighbor. The government men were looking out through the band, and. talking earnestly. The five men, all students of physical aviation and well-cnown. to the. scientist, were attending to their own business at their posts. Strangely the feeling persisted tpon him and as the Sky Urchin plunged through a mass of fleecy clouds, it grew gradually to certainty. Someone was watching him intently, no trying to avoid realiza-