"Take it easier this time and we'll fan the various leads," said Barney. "There's something tricky about the lead placement." "Half power," announced Barney. "Now, let's get that sixty cycles." The light dimmed slightly and a sheet of metal placed in front of the tube became slightly warm to the touch. The plate stopped the output of the tube, for the wallpaper did not scorch. Jim began to take supply line after supply line from the bundle of wiring. About halfway through the mess he hit the critical lead, and immediately the light went out completely, and the plate grew quite hot. "Stop her!" yelled Barney. "Why?" "How do we know what we're overloading this time?" "Do we care?" "Sure. Let's point this thing away from that light. Then we can hop it up again and try it at full power." "What do you want to try?" "This energy-absorption thing." "Wanna burn out my motor?" "Not completely. This dingbat will stop a completely mechanical gadget like a clock. It seems to draw power from electric lights. It stops electromechanical power. I wonder just how far it will go toward absorbing power. And also I want to know where the power goes." The tube was made to stop the clock again. The motor groaned under the load put upon it by the tube. Apparently the action of the tube was similar to a heavy load being placed on whatever its end happened to point to. Barney picked up a small metal block and dropped it over the table. "Want to see if it absorbs the energy of a falling object--Look at that!" The block fell until it came inside of the influence of the tube. Then it slowed in its fall and approached the table slowly. It did not hit the table, it touched and came to rest. "What happens if we wind up a spring and tie it?" asked Jim. They tried it. Nothing happened. "Works on kinetic energy, not potential energy," said Barney. He picked up a heavy hammer and tried to hit the table. "Like swinging a club through a tub of water," he said. "Be a useful gadget for saving the lives of people who are falling," said Jim thoughtfully. "Oh, sure. Put it on a truck and rush it out to the scene of the suicide." "No. How about people jumping out of windows on account of fires? How about having one of the things around during a flier-training course? Think of letting a safe down on one of these beams, or taking a piano from the fifth floor of an apartment building." "The whole apartment full of furniture could be pitched out of a window," said Barney. "Mine looks that way now," said Jim, "and we've only moved a couple of times. No, Barney, don't give 'em any ideas." * * * * * Jim picked up the hammer and tried to hit the table. Then, idly, he swung the hammer in the direction of the tube's end.