“I am going to see this thing to a finish, Robert,” he was saying. “But if we are to take advantage of the next favorable apposition of Mars just eight months from now, we must make some radical improvement in our program. Not till fifteen years later will it again approach so close to the earth. Have you any new plans to suggest?” “This,” replied Robert. “We might have the crushing and the crude processes done elsewhere. By concentrating upon the finer processes alone, we should be able to increase our production of mythonite considerably. But we should have to replace the crushing apparatus with additional equipment for the final processes. We must take advantage of every available bit of space and every man’s time.” “Our total expenditures to date are what?” “Approximately $33,000. But, the sales of excess platinum have reduced that to about $32,000.” “Not so bad,” mused the professor. “However, it is clear that we can not reach our goal without a vastly greater rate of production.” He knit his brows, pondering silently for a little while. “Robert,” he broke out suddenly, “we’ve got to take a big gamble! We will not only follow out your suggestion, but we will double the present size of our plant.” Robert gasped. He thought of the professor’s dwindling resources, wondering if he were suddenly gone mad. “Why, that would bring the total cost round $60,000!” he cried. “Quite so,” replied Professor Palmer, calmly; “but a four or five year program would be far more expensive--to say nothing of its impracticability. It’s win all or lose all, Robert.” So the Palmer laboratories were enlarged and arrangements successfully made for the crushing and partial separating with a near-by rock plant. The little force of experts was augmented to thirty, and work began in earnest. The next month resulted in a production of forty-one ingots of mythonite! The following month a minor improvement discovered in the process increased that month’s production to fifty ingots. Even this production was bettered somewhat during the following months. At the end of the sixth month after the enlargement of the plant the total production of mythonite had reached more than three hundred ingots--all that were required! A month remained in which to prepare for the great venture into the unknown. * * * * * It was with a feeling of overwhelming elation that Robert and the professor gazed upon the little stack of dull, silver-gray bars in the dusk of an early July twilight. Winter and spring had come and gone while they labored. These three hundred tiny ingots were the result. Not entirely, though; for in addition to a sufficient quantity of platinum reserved for their own requirements, the Palmer laboratories had produced and sold enough platinum to defray all expenses incurred. Little wonder that they felt elated. Professor Palmer put his arm across Robert’s broad shoulders with fatherly tenderness.