Page:The Works of H G Wells Volume 6.pdf/59

 "Surely! For example! One might go to the moon."

"And when one got there! What would you find?"

"We should see—! Oh! Consider the new knowledge!"

"Is there air there?"

"There may be."

I shook my head. "It's a fine idea," I said, "but it strikes me as a large order all the same. The moon! I'd much rather try some smaller things first."

"They're out of the question—because of the air difficulty."

"Why not apply that idea of spring blinds—Cavorite blinds in strong steel cases—to lifting weights?"

"It wouldn't work," he insisted. "After all to go into outer space is not so much worse, if at all, than a polar expedition. Men go on polar expeditions."

"Not business men. Besides they get paid for polar expeditions. And if anything goes wrong there are relief parties. But this—it's just firing ourselves off the world for nothing."

"Call it prospecting."

"You'll have to call it that One might make a book of it perhaps."

"I have no doubt there will be minerals," said Cavor.

"For example?"

"Oh! sulphur, ores, gold perhaps; possibly new elements."

"Cost of carriage," I said; "you know you're