Stand by for Mars!, Carey Rockwell [early readers .TXT] 📗

said Tom. “Now we’ve got to dig through and find out how deep that stuff is. And spacemen, between you and me, I hope it doesn’t prove too deep!”

“I’ve been thinking, Tom,” said Roger, “suppose it’s as high as the upper decks outside? All we have to do is keep digging it out and spreading it around the power deck here until we can get through.”

“Only one thing wrong with that idea, Roger,” said Tom. “If the whole upper part of the ship is flooded with that stuff, we won’t have enough room to spread it around.”

“We could always open the reaction chamber and fill that,” suggested Astro, indicating the hatch in the floor of the power deck that lead to the reactant chamber.

“I’d just as soon take my chances with sand,” said Roger, “as risk opening that hatch. The chamber is still hot from the wildcatting reaction mass we had to dump back in space.”

“Well, then, let’s start digging,” said Tom. He picked up an empty grease bucket and began filling it with sand.

“You two get busy loading them, and I’ll dump,” said Astro.

“OK,” replied Tom and continued digging into the sand with his hands.

“Here, use this, Tom,” said Roger, offering an empty Martian water container.

Slowly, the three cadets worked their way through the pile on the deck in front of the hatch opening and then started on the main pile in the opening itself. But as soon as they made a little progress on the main pile, the sand would fall right in again from the open hatch, and after two hours of steady work, the sand in front of the hatch still filled the entire opening. Their work had been all for nothing. They sat down for a rest.

“Let’s try it a little higher up, Tom,” suggested Roger. “Maybe this stuff isn’t as deep as we think.”

Tom nodded and stepped up, feeling around the top of the opening. He began clawing at the sand overhead. The sand still came pouring through the opening.

“See anything?” asked Astro.

“I⁠—don’t⁠—know⁠—” spluttered Tom as the sand slid down burying him to his waist.

“Better back up, Tom,” warned Roger. “Might be a cave-in and you’ll get buried.”

“Wait a minute!” shouted Tom. “I think I see something!”

“A light?” asked Astro eagerly.

“Careful, Tom,” warned Roger again.

Tom clawed at the top of the pile, ignoring the sand that was heaped around him.

“I’ve got it,” shouted Tom, struggling back into the power deck just in time to avoid being buried under a sudden avalanche. “There’s another hatch up there, just behind the ladder that leads into the passenger lounge. That’s the side facing the storm! And as soon as we dig a little, the sand falls from that pile. But the opposite side, leading to the jet-boat deck, is free and clear!”

“Then all we have to do is force our way through to the top,” said Astro.

“That’s all,” said Tom. “We’d be here until doomsday digging our way clear.”

“I get it!” said Roger. “The storm filled up the side of the ship facing that way, and that is where the passenger lounge is. I remember now. I left the hatch open when we came down here to the power deck, so the sand just kept pouring in.” He smiled sheepishly. “I guess it’s all my fault.”

“Never mind that now!” said Tom. “Take this hose and stick it in your mouth, Astro. Breath through your mouth and plug up your nose so you won’t get it all stopped up with sand while you pull your way through.”

“I’ll take this rope with me too,” said Astro. “That way I can help pull you guys up after me.”

“Good idea,” said Roger.

“As soon as you get outside the hatch here,” said Tom, “turn back this way. Keep your face up against the bulkhead until you get to the top. Right above you is the ladder. You can grab it to pull yourself up.”

“OK,” said Astro and took the length of hose and put it in his mouth. Then, taking a piece of waste cotton, he stopped up his nose and tested the hose.

“Can you breathe OK?” asked Tom.

Astro signaled that he could and stepped through the hatch. He turned, and facing backward, began clawing his way upward.

“Keep that hose clear, Roger!” ordered Tom. “There’s about five feet of sand that he has to dig through and if any of it gets into the hose⁠—well⁠—”

“Don’t worry, Tom,” interrupted Roger. “I’ve got the end of the hose right next to the oxygen bottle. He’s getting pure stuff!”

Soon the big cadet was lost to view. Only the slow movement of the hose and rope indicated that Astro was all right. Finally the hose and rope stopped moving.

Tom and Roger looked at each other, worried.

“You think something might be wrong?” asked Tom.

“I don’t know⁠—” Roger caught himself. “Say, look⁠—the rope! It’s jerking⁠—Astro’s signaling!”

“He made it!” cried Tom.

“I wonder if⁠—” Roger suddenly picked up the end of the hose and spoke into it. “Astro? Hey, Astro, can you hear me?”

“Sure I can.” Astro’s voice came back through the hose. “Don’t shout so loud! I’m not on Earth, you know. I’m just ten feet above you!”

Roger and Tom clapped each other on the shoulders in glee.

“All set down there?” called Astro, through the hose.

“OK.” replied Tom.

“Listen,” said Astro, “when you get outside the hatch, you’ll find a pipe running along the bulkhead right over your head. Grab that and pull yourself up. Tie the rope around your shoulder, but leave enough of it so the next guy can come up. We don’t have any way of getting it back down there!” he warned. “Who’s coming up first?”

Tom looked at Roger.

“You’re stronger, Tom,” said Roger. “You go up now and then you can give Astro a hand pulling me through.”

“All right,” agreed Tom. He began pulling the hose back through the sand. He took the end, cleared it out with a few blasts from the oxygen bottle and put it in his mouth. Then, after Roger had helped