It would have made everything much easier. But with all the air escaping at once, it was like being shot from a gun. In a twinkling Sprockets was blown nearly a mile. His first thought was for Rivets. “Jump!” he called over his radio. “The saucer will pick us up.” He couldn’t hear his voice except for a tinny ringing inside his head, for there was no air to carry sound. How would it affect his radio? He was greatly relieved when he heard Rivets answer: “I’ve alweddy jumped—but I can’t thee a fing. I’m tangled in the theet and tumbling in thpace.” “Oh, dear, you must be over on the other side of the spaceship. I can’t see you on this side. Are you all right?” “I’m all wight ’thept for my looth thkwew. Can I turn off my wadio? It tickles.” “Oh, no! Don’t you dare turn it off, or Ilium won’t be able to find you. Don’t you realize that we are flying away from each other, and that soon we’ll be miles and miles and miles apart?” “Weally? Then I’ll keep it tickling.
