When she spoke that way, he took warning; that quiet evenness was not to be misinterpreted. "That crazy lunatic that landed on our golf-course? Bosh!" "They say he is a very wonderful man," she commented. Bentham turned round and faced her, for he was now on safer ground. "Look here," he said impressively: "Take it from me, there's nothing in it--even if Rhoda says so! I saw Seabury at the Cosmos Club last night, and he said none of the big fellows took any stock in this Hooker at all. Stands to reason, it's just--buncombe! Flying Ring! Oh, my!" "You know Rhoda is awful thick with that fellow just the same," suggested his wife, a little nervously. "I wouldn't be a bit surprised if she tried to get him to take her along." "What!" exploded Bentham, scattering molecules of fish-ball over the table-cloth in front of him. "Rhoda go with him? Who ever heard of such a thing! An unmarried woman! What would everybody say?" "She hasn't admitted it in so many words," his wife answered, "but I can tell by the way she acts. She thinks he's the most extraordinary man that ever lived. Talks about the 'wonderful opportunity' of flying about in space--and all that!" "Flying fiddlesticks!" he retorted. "If she goes off with that fellow, I'll never have her in the house again--never!" "Maybe there won't be any house," commented Mrs. Tassifer grimly. "Don't say that!" he expostulated. "Don't!" "I _knew_ you were afraid," she thrust at him. "I'm not," he answered defiantly. "I don't believe a word of it. As for getting passage for Europe, it's impossible--I asked at the War Department this morning. I couldn't even get standing-room on one of those open scow-tows the cruisers are taking over. The millionaires have bought up every berth on the liners and tugs. Twenty-five thousand dollars apiece they're asking! What chance has a poor man got, anyway, in this world?" Tears stood in his eyes. "All the same," she answered, "I'm not going to give up hope. And, what's more, I believe Professor Hooker will be able to do something. I'd like to see the inside of that Ring, too. Rhoda says she can arrange it. Will you go with me?" "Y-e-e-s," admitted Mr. Tassifer. II While it was quite true that the "big fellows" at the Cosmos Club and elsewhere took little stock in Hooker, and the public at large were openly incredulous, it was nevertheless the fact that the announcement of his proposed attempt to destroy the asteroid created an extraordinary amount of interest. For Professor Hooker's plan had at last received the approval and cooperation of the government, and he was now almost ready to undertake his flight. His crew was to consist of Atterbury and Burke, who had been in daily consultation with him for weeks, and little remained to be done except to verify some of their more important calculations and install a new dynamo and their uranium turbine.