diff options
| -rw-r--r-- | 43041-0.txt (renamed from 43041.txt) | 393 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 43041-8.txt | 1348 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 43041-8.zip | bin | 26076 -> 0 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 43041-h.zip | bin | 247820 -> 0 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 43041-h/43041-h.htm | 419 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 43041.zip | bin | 26060 -> 0 bytes |
6 files changed, 7 insertions, 2153 deletions
@@ -1,36 +1,4 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Double or Nothing, by Jack Sharkey - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - -Title: Double or Nothing - -Author: Jack Sharkey - -Release Date: June 26, 2013 [EBook #43041] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DOUBLE OR NOTHING *** - - - - -Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - - - +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 43041 *** DOUBLE or NOTHING @@ -729,7 +697,7 @@ have to drive someplace where there's a phone!" We ran out of the lab, dodged a few flying shards of pottery that sprayed out after us from load-eleven-total-sixty-six, and roared off down the road in Artie's roadster. He did the driving, I kept my eyes on -my watch, timing the arrivals of each new load. (Formula: _n x 20 = lag +my watch, timing the arrivals of each new load. (Formula: _n × 20 = lag between loads in seconds_.) By the time Artie discovered we were out of gas in the middle of a @@ -990,359 +958,4 @@ THE END End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Double or Nothing, by Jack Sharkey -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DOUBLE OR NOTHING *** - -***** This file should be named 43041.txt or 43041.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/3/0/4/43041/ - -Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, -set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to -copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to -protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project -Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you -charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you -do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the -rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose -such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and -research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do -practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is -subject to the trademark license, especially commercial -redistribution. - - - -*** START: FULL LICENSE *** - -THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE -PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK - -To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free -distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work -(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project -Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project -Gutenberg-tm License available with this file or online at - www.gutenberg.org/license. - - -Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works - -1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to -and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property -(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all -the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy -all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. -If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the -terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or -entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. - -1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be -used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who -agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few -things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works -even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See -paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement -and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic -works. See paragraph 1.E below. - -1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" -or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the -collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an -individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are -located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from -copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative -works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg -are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project -Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by -freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of -this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with -the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by -keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project -Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. - -1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern -what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in -a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check -the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement -before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or -creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project -Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning -the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United -States. - -1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: - -1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate -access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently -whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the -phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project -Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, -copied or distributed: - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - -1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived -from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is -posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied -and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees -or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work -with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the -work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 -through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the -Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or -1.E.9. - -1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted -with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution -must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional -terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked -to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the -permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. - -1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm -License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this -work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. - -1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this -electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without -prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with -active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project -Gutenberg-tm License. - -1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, -compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any -word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or -distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than -"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version -posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), -you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a -copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon -request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other -form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm -License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. - -1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, -performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works -unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. - -1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing -access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided -that - -- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from - the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method - you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is - owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he - has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the - Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments - must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you - prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax - returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and - sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the - address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to - the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." - -- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies - you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he - does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm - License. You must require such a user to return or - destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium - and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of - Project Gutenberg-tm works. - -- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any - money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the - electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days - of receipt of the work. - -- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free - distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. - -1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set -forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from -both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael -Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the -Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. - -1.F. - -1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable -effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread -public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm -collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic -works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain -"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or -corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual -property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a -computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by -your equipment. - -1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right -of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project -Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all -liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal -fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT -LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE -PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE -TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE -LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR -INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH -DAMAGE. - -1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a -defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can -receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a -written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you -received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with -your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with -the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a -refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity -providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to -receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy -is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further -opportunities to fix the problem. - -1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth -in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO OTHER -WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO -WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. - -1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied -warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. -If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the -law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be -interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by -the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any -provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. - -1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the -trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone -providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance -with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, -promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, -harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, -that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do -or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm -work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any -Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. - - -Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm - -Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of -electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers -including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists -because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from -people in all walks of life. - -Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the -assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's -goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will -remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure -and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. -To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation -and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 -and the Foundation information page at www.gutenberg.org - - -Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive -Foundation - -The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit -501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the -state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal -Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification -number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg -Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent -permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. - -The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. -Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered -throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at 809 -North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email -contact links and up to date contact information can be found at the -Foundation's web site and official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact - -For additional contact information: - Dr. Gregory B. Newby - Chief Executive and Director - gbnewby@pglaf.org - -Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg -Literary Archive Foundation - -Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide -spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of -increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be -freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest -array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations -($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt -status with the IRS. - -The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating -charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United -States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a -considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up -with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations -where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To -SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any -particular state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate - -While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we -have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition -against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who -approach us with offers to donate. - -International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make -any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from -outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. - -Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation -methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other -ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. -To donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate - - -Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic -works. - -Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm -concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared -with anyone. For forty years, he produced and distributed Project -Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. - -Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed -editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. -unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily -keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. - -Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: - - www.gutenberg.org - -This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, -including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to -subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 43041 *** diff --git a/43041-8.txt b/43041-8.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 0d1622e..0000000 --- a/43041-8.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,1348 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Double or Nothing, by Jack Sharkey - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - -Title: Double or Nothing - -Author: Jack Sharkey - -Release Date: June 26, 2013 [EBook #43041] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DOUBLE OR NOTHING *** - - - - -Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - - - - - DOUBLE or NOTHING - - By JACK SHARKEY - - [Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from Fantastic Stories - of Imagination May 1962. Extensive research did not uncover any - evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] - - - - - _The mind quails before certain contemplations?_ - - _The existence of infinity, for instance._ - - _Or finity, for that matter._ - - _Or 50,000 batches of cornflakes dumped from the sky._ - - -I don't know why I listen to Artie Lindstrom. Maybe it's because at -times (though certainly not--I hope--on as permanent a basis as Artie) -I'm as screwy as he is. At least, I keep letting myself get sucked into -his plans, every time he's discovered the "invention that will change -the world". He discovers it quite a bit; something new every time. -And, Artie having a natural mechanical aptitude that would probably -rate as point-nine-nine-ad-infinitum on a scale where one-point-oh was -perfection, all his inventions work. Except-- - -Well, take the last thing we worked on. (He usually includes me in his -plans because, while he's the better cooker-upper of these gadgets, -I've got the knack for building them. Artie can't seem to slip a radio -tube into its socket without shattering the glass, twist a screwdriver -without gouging pieces out of his thumb, nor even solder an electrical -connection without needing skin-grafts for the hole he usually burns in -his hand.) - -So we're a team, Artie and me. He does the planning, I do the -constructing. Like, as I mentioned, the last thing we worked on. He -invented it; I built it. A cap-remover (like for jars and ketchup -bottles). But not just a clamp-plus-handle, like most of the same -gadgets. Nope, this was electronic, worked on a tight-beam radio-wave, -plus something to do with the expansion coefficients of the metals -making up the caps, so that, from anyplace in line-of-sight of her home, -the housewife could shove a stud, and come home to find all the caps -unscrewed on her kitchen shelves, and the contents ready for getting at. -It did, I'll admit, have a nice name: The Teletwist. - -Except, where's the point in unscrewing caps unless you're physically -present to make use of the contents of the jars? I mentioned this to -Artie when I was building the thing, but he said, "Wait and see. It'll -be a novelty, like hula hoops a couple of decades back. Novelties always -catch on." - - * * * * * - -Well, he was wrong. When we finally found a manufacturer softheaded -enough to mass-produce a few thousand of the gadgets, total sales for -the entire country amounted to seventeen. Of course, the price was kind -of prohibitive: Thirteen-fifty per Teletwist. Why would a housewife -lay that kind of money on the line when she'd already, for a two-buck -license, gotten a husband who could be relied upon (well, most of the -time) to do the same thing for her? - -Not, of course, that we didn't finally make money on the thing. It was -just about that time, you'll remember, that the Imperial Martian Fleet -decided that the third planet from Sol was getting a bit too powerful, -and they started orbiting our planet with ultimatums. And while they -were waiting for our answer, our government quietly purchased Artie's -patent, made a few little adjustments on his cap-twister, and the _next_ -thing the Martians knew, all their airlocks were busily unscrewing -themselves with nothing outside them except hungry vacuum. It was also -the _last_ thing the Martians knew. - -So Artie's ideas seem to have their uses, all right. Only, for some -reason, Artie never thinks of the proper application for his latest -newfound principle. That neat little disintegrator pistol carried by the -footsoldiers in the Three Day War (with Venus; remember Venus?) was a -variation on a cute little battery-powered device of Artie's, of which -the original function had been to rid one's house of roaches. - -At any rate--at a damned _good_ rate, in fact--the government always -ended up paying Artie (and me, as his partner-confederate-cohort) an -anything-but-modest fee for his patents. We weren't in the millionaire -class, yet, but neither were we very far out of it. And we were much -better off than any millionaires, since Artie had persuaded the -government to let us, in lieu of payment for another patent of his -(for his Nixsal; the thing that was supposed to convert sea-water into -something drinkable, and did: Gin.), be tax-free for the rest of our -lives. - -(It was quite a concession for the government to make. But then, the -government-produced "George Washington Gin" is quite a concession in -itself.) - -So I guess you could say I keep listening to Artie Lindstrom because -of the financial rewards. I must admit they're nice. And it's kind of -adventurous, when I'm working on Artie's latest brainstorm, to let -myself wonder what--since I generally scrap Artie's prognosis for the -gadget's future--the damned thing will _actually_ be used for. - -Or, at least, it _was_ kind of adventurous, until Artie started in on -his scheme of three weeks ago: a workable anti-gravity machine. And now, -I'm feeling my first tremors of regret that I ever hooked up with the -guy. Because--Well, it happened like this: - - * * * * * - -"It looks great," I said, lifting my face from the blueprint, and -nodding across the workbench at Artie. "But what the hell does it do?" - -Artie shoved a shock of dust-colored hair back off his broad, dull pink -forehead, and jabbed excitedly with a grimy forefinger at the diagram. -"Can't you _tell_, Burt? What does _this_ look like!" - -My eyes returned to the conglomeration of sketchy cones beneath his -flailing finger, and I said, as truthfully as possible, "A pine forest -on a lumpy hill." - -"Those," he said, his tone hurt as it always was when I inadvertently -belittled his draftmanship, "are flywheels." - -"Cone-shaped flywheels?" I said. "Why, for pete's sake?" - -"Only," he said, with specious casualness, "in order to develop a -centrifugal thrust that runs in a _straight line_!" - -"A centr--" I said, then sat back from the drawings, blinking. "That's -impossible, Artie." - -"And why should it be?" he persisted. "Picture an umbrella, with the -fabric removed. Now twirl the handle on its axis. What do the ribs do?" - -"I suppose they splay out into a circle?" - -"Right," he exulted. "And if they _impeded_ from splaying out? If, -instead of separate ribs, we have a hollow, bottomless cone of metal? -Where does the force go?" - -I thought it over, then said, with deliberation, "In _all_ directions, -Artie. One part shoving up-to-the-right, one part up-to-the-left, like -that." - -"Sure," he said, his face failing to fight a mischievous grin. "And -since none of them move, where does the _resultant_ force go?" - -I shrugged, "Straight up, I guess--" Then my ears tuned in belatedly on -what I'd said, and a moment later I squeaked, "Artie! Straight _up_!" - - * * * * * - -He nodded eagerly. "Or, of course, straight east, straight west, or -whichever way the ferrule of this here theoretical umbrella was pointed -at the time the twirling began. The point is, we can generate pure force -in _any_ direction. What do you think? Can you build it?" - -"It'd be child's play. In fact, Artie, it's _too_ damned simple to be -believed! What's the hitch? Why hasn't anyone tried it before _now_?" - -"Who knows?" he said, his blue eyes dancing. "Maybe no one ever thought -of it before. You could sit down and twist a paper clip out of a hunk -of soft wire, couldn't you? Easy as pie. But someone had to invent the -thing, first. All the great inventions have been simple. Look at the -wheel." - -"Okay, okay," I said, since I'd been sold on his gadget the moment -I pictured that umbrella moving ferruleward like a whirling arrow. -"Still, it looks like you're getting something for nothing. A kind of -by-your-own-bootstraps maneuver...." - -"An inventor," said Artie, quoting his favorite self-coined aphorism, -"must never think like a scientist!" - -"But"--I said, more to stem the tide I expected than to really make a -coherent objection. - -"An inventor," he went dreamily onward, "is essentially a dreamer; a -scientist is an observer. An inventor tries to make a result he wants -happen; a scientist tries to tell the inventor that the result cannot be -achieved." - -"Please. Artie. Don't tell me about the bee again." - -But Artie told me about the bumblebee, and how there were still some -scientists who insisted, according to the principles of aerodynamics, -that it was not constructed properly to enable it to fly. And about -how men of this short-sighted ilk were still scoffing at the ancient -alchemist's talk of the Philosopher's Stone for transmuting metals, even -though transmutation of metals was being done every day in atomic piles. -And how he'd theorized that there _was_ once a genuine Philosopher's -Stone, probably a hunk of pure U-235, that someone had managed to make, -which might explain why so many alchemists (lacking, unfortunately, any -knowledge of heavy radiations or Geiger counters) sort of died off in -their quest for the stone. - - * * * * * - -It was nearly lunchtime when he finished his spiel, and I was kicking -myself in my short-memoried brain for having let him get onto the -subject, when abruptly the joyous glow behind his eyes damped its -sparkle a bit. - -"There _is_ one little hitch--" - -"I thought it looked too easy," I sighed, waiting for the clinker. -"Don't tell me it has to be made out of pure Gallium, which has the -regrettable tendency to liquiefy at about thirty degrees centigrade? Or -perhaps of the most elusive of its eleven isotopes?" - -"No, no, nothing like that," he murmured almost distractedly. "It's the -force-per-gram part that's weak." - -"Don't tell me," I said unhappily, "that this thing'll only generate -enough force to lift itself?" - -A feeble ghost of his erstwhile grin rode briefly across his lips. -"That's the way it works out on paper," he said. - -"Which means," I realized aloud, "that it's commercially useless, -because what's the good of an anti-gravity machine that can't lift -anything except _itself_! It falls into the class of lifeboats that -float up to the gunwales in the water while still _empty_. Fun to watch, -but impossible to use. Hell, Artie, if that's the setup, then this -thing wouldn't be any more help to a space-aiming government than an -aborigine's boomerang; it flies beautifully, but not if the aborigine -tries to go _with_ it." - -"However," he said, a bit more brightly, "I've been wrong on paper -before. Remember the bumblebee, Burt! _That_ theory still holds up on -paper. But the bee still flies." - -He had me, there. "So you want I should build it anyhow, just on the -off-chance that it _won't_ follow the rules of physical logic, and will -decide to generate a force above and beyond its own gravitic drag?" - -"That's it," he said happily. "And even if it only manages to negate -its own weight, we'll have an easier time ironing the bugs out of a -model than we would out of a diagram. After all, who'd have figured that -beyond _Mach I_, all the lift-surfaces on a plane work in _reverse_?" - -It wasn't, I had to admit, anything that an inventor could have -reasonably theorized at the outset.... So I locked myself in the lab for -a week, and built his gadget, while he spent his time pacing through his -fourteen-room mansion across the way from the lab building (the "way" -being the flat grassy region on Artie's estate that housed his swimming -pool, private heliport, and movie theatre), trying to coin a nifty name -for the thing. We both finished in a dead heat. - - * * * * * - -I unlocked the door of the lab, blinked hard against the sting of warm -yellow sunlight after a week of cool blue fluorescents, and just as I -wheezed, "Got it," Artie was counterpointing with, "We'll call it The -_Uuaa_!" (He made four syllables out of it.) - -"The Oo-oo-_ah_-ah?" I glottaled. "In honor of the fiftieth state, or -what? I know 'aa' is a type of lava, but what the hell's 'uu', besides -the noise a man makes getting into an overheated bath?" - -Artie pouted. "'Uuaa' is initials. For 'Up, up, and away!' I thought it -was pretty good." - -I shook my head. "Why feed free fodder to the telecomics? I can hear -them now, doing monologues about people getting beri-beri flying from -Walla Walla to Pago Pago on their Uuaas...." - -"So what would _you_ call it!" he grunted. - -"A bust," I sighed, left-thumbing over my shoulder at the lab. "It sits -and twirls and whistles a little, but that's about the size of it, -Artie." - -He spanieled with his eyes, basset-hounded with his mouth, and -orangutaned with his cheeks, then said, with dim hope, "Did you weigh -it? Maybe if you weighed it--" - -"Oh, it lost, all right," I admitted. "When I connected the batteries, -the needle on the scale dropped down to zero, and stopped there. And I -found that I could lift the machine into the air, and it'd stay where it -was put, just whistling and whirling its cones. But then it started to -settle." I beckoned him back inside. - -"Settle? Why?" Artie asked. - -"Dust," I said. "There's always a little dust settling out of the air. -It doesn't weigh _much_, but it made the machine weigh at least what the -dust-weight equalled, and down it went. Slow and easy, but down." - -Artie looked at the gadget, sitting and whistling on the floor of the -lab, then turned a bleak-but-still-hopeful glance my way. "Maybe--If we -could make a _guy_ take on a cone-shape, and whirled him--" - -"Sure," I muttered. "Bend over, grab his ankles, and fly anywhere in -the world, with his torso and legs pivoting wildly around his peaked -behind." I shook my head. "Besides the manifestly undignified posturing -involved, we have to consider the other effects; like having his -eyeballs fly out." - -"If--If we had a bunch of men lie in a circle around a kind of -Maypole-thing, each guy clutching the ankles of the next one...." - -"Maybe they'd be weightless, but they _still_ wouldn't go _up_," I -said. "Unless they could be towed, somehow. And by the time they -landed, they'd be too nauseous to be of any use for at least three -days. Always assuming, of course, that the weak-wristed member of the -sick circlet didn't lose his grip, and have them end up playing mid-air -crack-the-whip before they fell." - -"So all right, it's got a couple of bugs!" said Artie. "But the -principle's sound, right?" - -"Well--Yeah, there you got me, Artie. The thing _cancels_ weight, -anyhow...." - -"Swell. So we work from there," He rubbed his hands together joyously. -"And who knows what we'll come up with." - -"_We_ never do, that's for sure," I mumbled. - -But Artie just shrugged. "I like surprises," he said. - - * * * * * - -The end of the day--me working, Artie inventing--found us with some -new embellishments for the machine. Where it was originally a sort -of humped metal box (the engine went inside the hump) studded with -toothbrush-bristle rows of counter-revolving cones (lest elementary -torque send the machine swinging the other way, and thus destroy the -thrust-effect of the cones), it now had an additional feature: A helical -flange around each cone. - -"You see," Artie explained, while I was torching them to order from -plate metal, "the helices will provide _lift_ as the cones revolve." - -"Only in the atmosphere of the planet," I said. - -"Sure, I know. But by the time the outer limits of the air are reached, -the machine, with the same mass-thrust, will have less gravity-drag -to fight, being that much farther from the Earth. The effect will be -cumulative. The higher it gets, the more outward thrust it'll generate. -Then nothing'll stop it!" - -"You could be right," I admitted, hammering out helix after helix on an -electric anvil (another gadget of Artie's; the self-heating anvil--The -Thermovil--had begun life as a small inspiration in Artie's mind for a -portable toaster). - -It was just after sunset when we figured the welds were cool enough so -we could test it. Onto the scale it went again, I flicked the toggle, -and we stood back to watch the needle as the cones picked up speed. -Along with the original whistling sound made by the cones we began to -detect a shriller noise, one which abruptly became a genuine pain in the -ear. As Artie and I became somewhat busy with screaming (the only thing -we could think of on the spur of the moment to counteract the terrible -waves of noise assaulting our tympana), it was all at once much easier -to see the needle of the scale dropping toward zero, as the glass disc -facing the dial dissolved into gritty powder, along with the glass panes -in every window in the lab, the house, the heliport, and the movie -theatre. (Not to mention those of a few farmhouses a couple of miles -down the highway, but we didn't find that out till their lawyers showed -up with bills for damages.) - -Sure enough, though, the thing lifted. Up it bobbed, like a metal -dirigible with agonizing gas pains, shrieking louder by the second. -When the plaster started to trickle and flake from the walls, and the -fillings in my teeth rose to a temperature just short of incandescence, -I decided it was time to cancel this phase of the experiment, and, with -very little regret, I flung a blanket-like canvas tarpaulin up and over -the ascending machine before it started using its helices to screw into -the ceiling. The cones bit into the tarpaulin, tangled, jammed, and the -machine--mercifully noiseless, now--crashed back onto the scale, and -lost a lot of symmetry and a couple of rivets. - -"What's Plan C?" I said to Artie. - -"_Quiet!_" he said, either because I'd interrupted his thinking or -because that was our next goal. - - * * * * * - -The next four days were spent in the arduous and quite tricky business -of reaming acoustically spaced holes along the flanges. Artie's theory -was that if we simply ("simply" was his word, not mine) fixed it so -that the sound made by each flange (anything whirly with a hole or two -in it is bound to make a calculated noise) was of the proper number of -vibrations to intermesh with the compression/rarefaction phases of the -sounds made by the other flanges, a veritable sphere of silence would be -thereby created, since there'd be no room for any sound waves to pass -through the already crowded atmosphere about the machine. - -"It'll make less noise than a mouse in sneakers drooling on a blotter!" -enthused Artie, when I had it rigged again, and ready to go. - -"Still," I said uncertainly, "whether we _hear_ it or not, all that -soundwave-energy has to do _something_, Artie. If it turns ultrasonic, -we may suddenly find ourselves in a showerbath of free electrons and -even _worse_ subatomic particles from disrupted air molecules. Or the -lab might turn molten on us. Or--" - -"Oh, turn it _on_, Burt!" said Artie. "That's just a chance we have to -take." - -"Don't see why we _have_ to take it...." I groused, but I'm as curious -as the next man, so I turned it on. (I could have arranged to do it by -remote control, except for two pressing deterrents: One--At a remote -point of control, I wouldn't be able to watch what, if anything, -the machine did, and Two--Who knows where the _safe_ spot is where -soundwaves are concerned? With some sonic forces, you're safer the -_nearer_ you get to the source.) So, like I said, I turned it on. - -Silence. Beautiful, blissful, silence. There before us twirled the rows -of shiny cones, lifting slowly into the air, and there was nothing -to hear at all. Beside me, Artie's lips moved, but I couldn't catch -a syllable. This time around, we'd looped a rope through a few metal -grommets in the base of the machine, and as it rose, Artie slipped the -trailing ends under his arms from behind, and proceeded to lash it -across his chest, to test the thing's lift-power. As he fumbled with the -knot, I shouted at him, "Use a firm hitch!" - - * * * * * - -Nothing came out, but Artie wasn't a bad lip-reader. He scowled, and -his lips made a "_What?!_" motion, so I repeated my caution. Next thing -I knew, he was taking a poke at me, and I, to fend him off, ended up -wrestling on the floor with him, while the untended machine burred its -way into the ceiling, until the engine overheated and burned away the -electrical insulation on the wires, and the machine, plus a good two -feet square of lab-ceiling, once more descended to demolish the scale. - -"--your language!" Artie was snarling, as sound returned. - -"All I said was 'Use a firm hitch!'" I pleaded, trying to shove his -shins off my floor-pinned biceps. - -Artie stared at me, then rocked off my prostrate body, convulsed in -a fit of laughter. "Say it silently in front of a mirror, sometime," -he choked out. Before I had time to see what he was talking about, -I smelled smoke, above and beyond that engendered by the scorched -insulation. - -I ran to the door, and opened it to observe the last glowing, -crackling timbers of the house, the theatre, and the heliport vanish -into hot orange sparks, in the grip of a dandy ring of fire that--in -a seventy-yard path--had burned up everything in a sixty-five to -hundred-thirty-five yard radius of the lab. - -"I told you those soundwaves had to do something," I said. "Ready to -give up?" - -But Artie was already staring at the debris around the scale and making -swift notes on a memo pad.... - - * * * * * - -"It looks awfully damned complex--" I hedged, eight days later, -looking at the repaired, refurbished, and amended gadget on the table. -"Remember, Artie, the more parts to an invention, the more things can go -wrong with it. In geometric progression...." - -"Unh-uh," he shook his head. "Not the more parts, Burt. The more -_moving_ parts. All we've done is added a parabolic sound-reflector, to -force all the waves the cones make down through a tube in the middle of -the machine. And we've insulated the tube to keep extraneous vibration -from shattering it with super-induced metal fatigue." - -"Yeah," I said, "but about that _insulation_, Artie--" - -"You got a _better_ idea?" he snapped. "We tried rubber; it charred -and flaked away. We tried plastics; they bubbled, melted, extruded, -or burned. We tried metal and mineral honeycombs; they distorted, -incandesced, fused or vaporized. Ceramic materials shattered. Fabrics -tore, or petrified and cracked. All the regular things failed us. So -what's wrong with trying something new?" - -"Nothing, Artie, nothing. But--_Cornflakes_?" - -"Well, we sogged 'em down good with water, right? And they've still got -enough interstices between the particles to act as sound-baffles, right? -And by the time they get good and hot and dry, they'll cook onto the -metal, right? (Ask anyone who ever tried to clean a pot after scorching -cereal just how hard they'll stick!) And even when most of them flake -away, the random distribution of char will circumvent any chance the -soundwaves have of setting up the regular pulse-beat necessary to -fatigue the metal in the tube, okay?" - -"Yeah, sure, Artie, it's okay, but--_Cornflakes_?" - -"I take it your objections are less scientific than they are esthetic?" -he inquired. - -"Well, something like that," I admitted. "I mean, aw--For pete's sake, -Artie! The patent office'll laugh at us. They'll start referring us to -the copyright people, as inventors of cookbooks!" - -"Maybe not," he said philosophically. "The thing _still_ may not _work_, -you know." - -"Well, _there's_ one bright spot, anyhow!" I agreed, fiddling with the -starting switch. "So okay, I'm game if you are." - -"Let 'er rip," he pontificated, and I flicked the switch. - - * * * * * - -It worked beautifully. Not even a faint hum. The only way we could tell -it was working was from the needle on the--rebuilt again--scale, as it -dropped lazily down to the zero mark. Our ears didn't sting, no glass -went dusting into crystalline powder, and a quick peek through the door -showed no ring of fire surrounding the lab. - -"We may just have _done_ it!" I said, hopefully, as the silver-nosed -machine began to float upward (We hadn't _had_ to mount the parabolic -reflector in the position of a nose-cone, but it made the thing look -neater, somehow.) - -It seemed a little torpid in its ascent, but that could be credited to -the extra weight of the reflector and cornflakes, not to mention the -fact that the helices had to suck all their air in under the lip of the -silvery nose-cone before they could thrust properly. But its rise was -steady. Six inches, ten inches-- - -Then, at precisely one foot in height, something unexpected happened. -Under the base of the machine, where the sound-heated air was at its -most torrid, a shimmering disc-like thing began to materialize, and -warp, and hollow out slightly, and beside it, a glinting metal rod-thing -flattened at one end, then the flat end went concave in the center and -kind of oval about the perimeter, and something brownish and shreddy -plopped and hissed into the now-very-concave disc-like thing. - -"Artie--!" I said, uneasily, but by then, he, too, had recognized the -objects for what they were. - -"Burt--" he said excitedly. "Do you realize what we've done? We've -invented a _syntheticizer_!" - -Even as he was saying it, the objects completed their mid-air -materialization (time: five seconds, start to finish), and clattered -and clinked onto the scale. We stood and looked down at them: A bowl of -cornflakes and a silver spoon. - -"How--?" I said, but Artie was already figuring it out, aloud. - -"It's the soundwaves," he said. "At ultrasonic, molecule-disrupting -vibrations, they're doing just what that Philosopher's Stone was -supposed to: Transmuting. Somehow, we didn't clean out the reflector -sufficiently, and some of the traces of our other trial insulations -remained inside. The ceramics formed the bowl, the metals formed the -spoon, the cornflakes formed the cornflakes!" - -"But," I said logically (or as logically as could be expected under the -circumstances), "what about the rubber, or the fabrics?" - - * * * * * - -Artie's face lit up, and he nodded toward the machine, still hovering at -one foot above the scale. In its wake, amid the distorting turbulence of -the sound-tortured air, two more objects were materializing: a neatly -folded damask napkin, and a small rubber toothpick. As they dropped down -to join their predecessors, the machine gave a satisfied shake, and -rose steadily to the two-foot level. I was scribbling frantically in my -notebook: _Bowl + cereal + spoon: 5 seconds. Lag: 10 seconds. Napkin + -toothpick: 3 seconds. Total synthesizing time: 18 seconds. Allowance for -rise of machine per foot: 2 seconds._ - -"Burt--!" Artie yelled joyously, just as I completed the last item, -"Look at that, will you?!" - -I looked, and had my first presentiment of disaster. At two feet, the -machine was busily fabricating--out of the air molecules themselves, for -all I knew--_two_ bowls, _two_ spoons, and _two_ bowlfuls of cereal. - -"Hey, Artie--" I began, but he was too busy figuring out this latest -development. - -"It's the altimeter," he said. "We had it gauged by the foot, but it's -taking the numerical calibrations as a kind of output-quota, instead!" - -"Look, Artie," I interrupted, as twin napkins and toothpicks dropped -down beside the new bowls on the table where the scale lay. "We're going -to have a little problem--" - -"You're telling _me_!" he sighed, unhappily. "All those damned _random_ -factors! How many times did the machine have to be repaired after each -faulty test! What thickness of ceramics, or fabric, or rubber, or metal -remained! What was the precise distribution and dampness of each of -those soggy cornflakes! Hell, Burt, we may be _forever_ trying to make a -duplicate of this!" - -"Artie--" I said, as three toothpick-napkin combinations joined the -shattered remains of triple bowl-cereal-spoon disasters from the -one-yard mark over the scale, "that is _not_ the problem I had in mind." - -"Oh?" he said, as four shimmering discs began to coalesce and shape -themselves. "What, then?" - -"It's not that I don't appreciate the side-effect benefits of free -cornflake dinners," I said, speaking carefully and somberly, to hold -his attention. "But isn't it going to put a crimp in our anti-gravity -machine sales? Even at a mere mile in height, it means that the spot -beneath it is due for a deluge of five-thousand-two-hundred-eighty bowls -of cornflakes. Not to mention all those toothpicks, napkins and spoons!" - -Artie's face went grave. "Not to mention the -five-thousand-two-hundred-seventy-nine of the same that the spot beneath -would get from the gadget when it was just one foot _short_ of the mile!" - -"Of course," I said, calculating rapidly as the five-foot mark produced -a neat quintet of everything, a quintet which crashed noisily onto the -ten lookalikes below it as the machine bobbed silently to the six-foot -mark, "we have one interesting thing in our favor: the time element." - -"How so?" said Artie, craning over my shoulder to try and read my lousy -calligraphics on the pad. - - * * * * * - -"Well," I said, pointing to each notation in turn, "the first batch, -bowl-to-toothpick, took twenty seconds, if we include the time-lapse -while the machine was ascending to the one-foot mark." - -"Uh-huh," he nodded. "I see. So?" - -"So the second batch took double. Forty seconds. Not only did it require -thirty-six seconds for the formation of the stuff, it took the machine -twice as many seconds to reach the two-foot mark." - -"I get it," he said. "So I suppose it took three times the base number -for the third batch?" - -"Right. A full minute. And the materialization of the objects is--Boy, -that's noisy!" I interrupted myself as batch number six came smashing -down. "--always at a point where the objects fit into a theoretical -conical section below the machine." - -"How's that again?" said Artie. - -"Well, bowl number one formed just below the exhaust vent of the central -cylinder. Bowls two and three, or--if you prefer--bowl-batch two, -formed about six inches lower, edge to edge, at the cross-section of an -imaginary cone (whose rather truncated apex is the exhaust vent) that -seems to form a vertical angle of thirty degrees." - -"In other words," said Artie, "each new formation comes in a spot -beneath this cone where it's possible for the new formations to -materialize side-by-side, right?" When I nodded, he said, "Fine. But so -what?" - -"It means that each new materialization occurs at a steadily increasing -height, but one which--" I calculated briefly on the pad "--is never -greater than two-thirds the height of the machine itself." - -Artie looked blank. "Thank you very kindly for the math lesson," he said -finally, "but I still don't see what you are driving at, Burt. How does -this present a problem?" - -I pointed toward the un-repaired hole in the lab ceiling, where the -machine, after dutifully disgorging the number-seven load, was slowly -heading. "It means that unless we grab that thing before it gets too -much higher, the whole damn planet'll be up to its ears in cornflakes. -And the one-third machine-height gap between artifacts and machine means -that we can't even use the mounding products to climb on and get it. -We'd always be too low, and an _increasing_ too-low at that!" - -"Are you trying to say, in your roundabout mathematical way, let's grab -that thing, fast?" - -"Right," I said, glad I had gotten through to him. "I would've said as -much sooner, only you never listen until somebody supplies you with all -the pertinent data on a crisis first." - - * * * * * - -Load number nine banged and splintered down into the lab, bringing the -cumulative total of bowl-cereal-spoon-napkin-toothpick debris up to -forty-five. - -"Come on, Burt," said Artie. "We'll have to get to the roof of the lab. -There's a ladder up at the--" - -He'd been going to say "house", but realized that there wasn't a house -anymore. "Quick!" he rasped, anxiously. "We can still get there by--" He -stopped before saying "helicopter", for similar reasons. - -"Burt--" he said, after a pause that allowed the total to rise to -fifty-five with a crash. "What'll we _do_?" - -"As usual with your inventions," I said, "we get on the phone and alert -the government." - -"The phone," said Burt, his face grey, "was in the house." - -I felt the hue of my face match his, then. "The car," I blurted. "We'll -have to drive someplace where there's a phone!" - -We ran out of the lab, dodged a few flying shards of pottery that -sprayed out after us from load-eleven-total-sixty-six, and roared off -down the road in Artie's roadster. He did the driving, I kept my eyes on -my watch, timing the arrivals of each new load. (Formula: _n × 20 = lag -between loads in seconds_.) - -By the time Artie discovered we were out of gas in the middle of a -deserted country road, load number twenty had fallen. - -By the time we arrived on foot at the nearest farmhouse, and were -ordered off the property by the irate farmer who still had bare boards -on his windowless house, and a shotgun in his gnarled brown hands, load -twenty-five had fallen. - -By the time we hitchhiked into town and got on the phone in time to find -all the governmental agencies had closed their offices for the day, load -thirty had fallen. - -By the time we finally convinced the Washington Operator that this -was a national emergency that could _not_ (though she kept suggesting -it) be handled by the ordinary Civil Defense members (the town had a -population of two hundred, and a one-percent enrollment in CD. Those -two guys wouldn't be any more help than we were, ourselves.), and were -able to locate Artie's congressional contact (he was out at a movie), -load fifty had dropped, and I was bone-tired, and it was (since load -fifty took a thousand seconds to form, load one had taken twenty, and -their total--one thousand twenty seconds--divided by two made an -average formulation-time of five hundred ten seconds per formulation) -over seven hours since that first bowl had started to appear, and my -mind, whether I wanted it to or not, gave me the distressing information -that by now Artie's estate was cluttered with a numbing totality of -one-thousand-two-hundred-seventy-five bowl-cereal-spoon-napkin-toothpick -sets. And fifty-one more due in seventeen minutes. - - * * * * * - -"What's he say?" I asked Artie, leaning into the phone booth. - -"He thinks I'm drunk!" Artie groaned, slamming down the receiver. "I -only wish I were!" - -I gave a stoical shrug, and pointed to the bright red neon lure across -the street. "Don't just stand there wishing. Join me?" I started across -toward the bar. - -"But Burt--" Artie babbled, hurrying along beside me. "We can't just -_forget_ about it...." - -"We did our bit," I said. "You told your contact, right? Well, by -tomorrow morning, when the total is up to over three thousand (I -calculated five-thousand-fifty sets by the time the machine reaches the -hundred-foot mark, a little better than twenty-eight hours from the -starting time), somebody's sure to notice all the birds in the region, -if only an ornithologist, and--" - -"Birds?" - -"Eating the cornflakes," I said, and when he nodded in comprehension, -went on, "--pretty soon the word'll get to the government." - -"Or," said Artie, hopefully, "the batteries and engine'll wear out.... -Won't they?" - -"It's a radium-powered motor," I said, as we slipped into the coolness -of a booth at the rear of the bar. "The power-source will deplete itself -by half in about six hundred years, maybe. Meantime, what'll we do with -all those cornflakes?" - -The waiter came by and we ordered two beers. - -"Wait--" said Artie, gripping my sleeve. "As the machine reaches the -upper atmosphere, the soundwaves'll thin out, weaken, as the medium -grows scarce." - -"Sure," I said, prying my cuff free of his fingers, "so we only get -bombarded with _badly made_ artifacts by the time the thing gets ten -miles up. But that's about fifty-thousand artifacts per foot rise, -Artie, at that height! No, I take that back. Fifty thousand _sets_! And -at five items per set (if we don't count the precise number of flakes -per batch of cereal), we have twenty-five thousand items per foot per -batch, merely a _rough_ estimate!" - -The beers came, and we ordered two more, the orders to keep coming until -we said whoa. - - * * * * * - -"You know," said Artie, after draining half the bottle, "I just had a -horrible thought--" - -"Horrible above and beyond the _present_ horrors?" I said, horrified. - -He nodded, thoughtfully. "What happens to anything that gets sucked into -the machine under the lip of the reflector? Does the machine just use it -as more raw material ... Or does it start duplicating _that_?" - -"Holy hell!" I choked. "As if there weren't too many pigeons already!" - -"There's no room for a pigeon to fit under that lip," said Artie, -patting the back of my hand as though he thought it was soothing me (it -wasn't), "or any other bird, for that matter. What I was thinking of was -stuff like nits and gnats and mosquitoes and--" - -"Stop!" I shuddered, reaching for my beer and finding the bottle empty. -I looked for the waiter, but he was at the front window, watching -a crowd that was gathering in the street. They were looking in the -direction of the lab. It was a few miles away, of course, but that -machine was--if on time, and why shouldn't it be?--due to deliver -fifty-two sets just about now, and even a few miles away, fifty-two -bowl-spoon-napkin-toothpick-cereal combinations, shimmering in the air -as they took form, would be hard to miss if you were looking in the -right direction. I said as much to Artie, but he shook his head. - -"It's ten o'clock of a moonless night, Burt. They couldn't see a damned -thing, unless there were some kind of illumination--" I saw by his face -that he'd thought of a possible source. - -"What?" I said. - -"Fireflies?" he hypothesized weakly. - - * * * * * - -We got out of the booth and joined our waiter as he hurried out into the -street. And there, in the distant blackness of the skies, was a sight -like a Fourth of July celebration gone berserk. From the number of those -fireflies, I figure the first one got sucked in at about the fifteen -mark, and possibly a few of his pals with him. - -"Despite everything--" said Artie, softly, "it sure is beautiful." - -"A gorgeous sight," I had to agree. "But--What the hell is that thing in -the air under the fireflies? You can just make it out in the reflected -flashes. It kind of looks like the--the _lab_...." - -Artie's fingers sank into my forearm. "But. It _is_ the lab! Not _the_ -lab, but another like it! With all those falling bowls and things, -enough plaster-dust and wood-splinters and glass-spicules must've been -sucked in to let the machine make a dupl--_There it goes!_" - -A one-story building dropping from a height of around thirty feet onto -another one-story building covered over with spoons, crunchy cereal, -and broken pottery makes much more racket than can be absorbed by the -cushioning effect of thousands of napkins and rubber toothpicks. We were -a few miles off, so the sound--when it finally got to us--was muted by -distance, but it was still a lulu. - -"And to think," Artie murmured, "that this is happening because we tried -to make it _noiseless_!" - -"What I'm worried about," I said sickly, "is that new cloud of dust -rising from the latest debris. There are crumbs of _two_ smashed -buildings in it, Artie. And in roughly twenty minutes the process is -going to repeat, and there'll be crumbs from _four_ labs in the air; two -labs that'll be the second duplicate of the original, and two that'll be -the first duplicate of the original-plus-first-duplicate!" - -Artie shook his head sadly. "Crumbs from _six_, Burt. Remember, when -those four new labs fall in twenty minutes, they're going to raise dust -from the wreckage of the two _already_ on the ground!" - -"Maybe," I said, less lackadaisically than I'd spoken when we left the -phone booth for the bar, "you'd better get your man in Washington, -again." - -"He'll never believe I'm sober, _now_!" Artie complained. - -"Oops--Never mind, Artie," I said, resignedly, looking at the latest -development in the distant sky. "He'll get the word indirectly, from the -forest rangers." - -"Huh?" said Artie, and looked toward the machine. - - * * * * * - -Amid the sparking cloud of fireflies, fluttering cornflakes, glinting -spoons, and a foursome of hazy, still-processing new labs, there was a -newcomer to the chaos. Something in one of the plunging artifacts must -have rubbed something else the wrong way, made a spark, and--Well, the -machine was complacently sucking in raw blazing energy, now, tongue upon -tongue of orange flame and black, spiralling smoke that rose from the -pyre of shattered synthetics. It was the first geometrically cone-shaped -blaze I'd ever seen in my life, but that suction was going pretty good, -now. And all that glaring heat was going to be suddenly re-created going -in the _other_ direction in about twenty minutes. But-- - -"Flames go _up_," said Artie, his thought-processes apparently running -parallel to mine. "So the new fires...." - -"Will be sucked in with the next batch," I finished. "And come out -double-strength next time around." - -"Burt--" said Artie, "What's the temperature at which water breaks down -into free hydrogen and oxygen again?" - -"A little less than the melting point of iron," I said. "Figure about -fifteen hundred degrees Centigrade. Why?" - -"I just wondered if perhaps the machine might not only double the amount -of the fire, but its temperature as well...." - -I didn't _want_ to theorize about _that_. It was summer, and the air -was pretty humid, and that meant an awful lot of free hydrogen and -oxygen, all at once, ready to re-combine explosively in the heat from -the flames that had separated them in the first place, thence to become -disrupted again, thence to explode again.... The mind refuses certain -contemplations. I turned away from the chaotic display in the distant -skies, and said to Artie, "How's chances of the _machine_ getting melted -down?" - -He shook his head with great sadness. "We made it out of damn near -heat-proof metals, remember? So it wouldn't burn up at entry speeds from -outer space?" - -"Oh, yeah," I said. "So what'll we do, now?" - -He glanced at the increasing holocaust on the horizon. "Pray for rain?" - - * * * * * - -Well, that was yesterday. Today, as I write this, the government has -finally gotten wind of the thing, and the area is under martial law. Not -that all those uniformed men standing just out of heat-range about the -ever-increasing perimeter are going to be of much help. Maybe to keep -the crowds back, they'd help, except no one in his right mind is heading -any direction but away from the mound. A few trees went up in smoke -during the blaze, too, and now, every _n_-times-twenty seconds, a whole -uprooted forest is joining the crash. - -No one knows quite what to do about it. The best weapon we possess is -Artie's inadvertent disintegrator pistol (remember Venus?), and ever -since the Three Day War, they've been banned. There's a proposition up -before Congress to un-ban the things and blast the machine, of course, -but the opposition keeps putting the kibosh on things by simply asking, -"What if the machine doesn't vanish? And what if, during the attempted -shooting, it starts duplicating disintegrator-beams?" - -The vote was negative. - -We figure it'll take quite a few years before the machine gets -beyond the point where the atmosphere stops acting as a medium for -the soundwaves. And that, of course, is only if the machine isn't -duplicating the atmosphere, too. And why couldn't it be? - -In the meantime, the avian population in the region is on the increase, -thanks to all those cornflakes-and-firefly dinners. Not to mention the -birds the machine has started to produce since a few foolish sparrows -got incinerated in the blaze. - -Artie figures that if enough snow falls on the machine, it may weight -it down and stop the process. So far, that's the only hope we have. -Meantime, it's still the middle of June. - -It looks like a long summer. - - -THE END - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Double or Nothing, by Jack Sharkey - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DOUBLE OR NOTHING *** - -***** This file should be named 43041-8.txt or 43041-8.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/3/0/4/43041/ - -Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, -set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to -copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to -protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project -Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you -charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you -do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the -rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose -such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and -research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do -practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is -subject to the trademark license, especially commercial -redistribution. - - - -*** START: FULL LICENSE *** - -THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE -PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK - -To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free -distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work -(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project -Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project -Gutenberg-tm License available with this file or online at - www.gutenberg.org/license. - - -Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works - -1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to -and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property -(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all -the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy -all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. -If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the -terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or -entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. - -1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be -used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who -agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few -things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works -even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See -paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement -and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic -works. See paragraph 1.E below. - -1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" -or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the -collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an -individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are -located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from -copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative -works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg -are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project -Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by -freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of -this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with -the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by -keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project -Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. - -1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern -what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in -a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check -the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement -before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or -creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project -Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning -the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United -States. - -1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: - -1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate -access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently -whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the -phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project -Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, -copied or distributed: - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - -1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived -from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is -posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied -and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees -or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work -with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the -work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 -through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the -Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or -1.E.9. - -1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted -with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution -must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional -terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked -to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the -permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. - -1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm -License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this -work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. - -1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this -electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without -prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with -active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project -Gutenberg-tm License. - -1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, -compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any -word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or -distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than -"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version -posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), -you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a -copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon -request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other -form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm -License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. - -1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, -performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works -unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. - -1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing -access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided -that - -- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from - the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method - you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is - owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he - has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the - Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments - must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you - prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax - returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and - sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the - address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to - the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." - -- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies - you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he - does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm - License. You must require such a user to return or - destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium - and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of - Project Gutenberg-tm works. - -- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any - money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the - electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days - of receipt of the work. - -- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free - distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. - -1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set -forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from -both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael -Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the -Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. - -1.F. - -1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable -effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread -public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm -collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic -works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain -"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or -corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual -property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a -computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by -your equipment. - -1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right -of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project -Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all -liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal -fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT -LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE -PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE -TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE -LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR -INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH -DAMAGE. - -1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a -defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can -receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a -written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you -received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with -your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with -the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a -refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity -providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to -receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy -is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further -opportunities to fix the problem. - -1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth -in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO OTHER -WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO -WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. - -1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied -warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. -If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the -law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be -interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by -the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any -provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. - -1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the -trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone -providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance -with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, -promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, -harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, -that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do -or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm -work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any -Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. - - -Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm - -Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of -electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers -including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists -because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from -people in all walks of life. - -Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the -assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's -goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will -remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure -and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. -To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation -and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 -and the Foundation information page at www.gutenberg.org - - -Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive -Foundation - -The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit -501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the -state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal -Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification -number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg -Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent -permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. - -The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. -Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered -throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at 809 -North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email -contact links and up to date contact information can be found at the -Foundation's web site and official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact - -For additional contact information: - Dr. Gregory B. Newby - Chief Executive and Director - gbnewby@pglaf.org - -Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg -Literary Archive Foundation - -Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide -spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of -increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be -freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest -array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations -($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt -status with the IRS. - -The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating -charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United -States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a -considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up -with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations -where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To -SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any -particular state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate - -While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we -have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition -against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who -approach us with offers to donate. - -International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make -any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from -outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. - -Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation -methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other -ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. -To donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate - - -Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic -works. - -Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm -concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared -with anyone. For forty years, he produced and distributed Project -Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. - -Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed -editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. -unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily -keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. - -Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: - - www.gutenberg.org - -This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, -including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to -subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. diff --git a/43041-8.zip b/43041-8.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 4c52454..0000000 --- a/43041-8.zip +++ /dev/null diff --git a/43041-h.zip b/43041-h.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index ecec053..0000000 --- a/43041-h.zip +++ /dev/null diff --git a/43041-h/43041-h.htm b/43041-h/43041-h.htm index abebeae..13f510a 100644 --- a/43041-h/43041-h.htm +++ b/43041-h/43041-h.htm @@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> <head> - <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=UTF-8" /> <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> <title> The Project Gutenberg eBook of Double Or Nothing, by Jack Sharkey. @@ -172,44 +172,7 @@ table { </style> </head> <body> - - -<pre> - -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Double or Nothing, by Jack Sharkey - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - -Title: Double or Nothing - -Author: Jack Sharkey - -Release Date: June 26, 2013 [EBook #43041] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DOUBLE OR NOTHING *** - - - - -Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - -</pre> - - +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 43041 ***</div> <div class="figcenter"> <img src="images/cover.jpg" alt=""/> @@ -918,7 +881,7 @@ have to drive someplace where there's a phone!"</p> <p>We ran out of the lab, dodged a few flying shards of pottery that sprayed out after us from load-eleven-total-sixty-six, and roared off down the road in Artie's roadster. He did the driving, I kept my eyes on -my watch, timing the arrivals of each new load. (Formula: <i>n × 20 = lag +my watch, timing the arrivals of each new load. (Formula: <i>n × 20 = lag between loads in seconds</i>.)</p> <p>By the time Artie discovered we were out of gas in the middle of a @@ -1173,380 +1136,6 @@ Meantime, it's still the middle of June.</p> <h3>THE END</h3> - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Double or Nothing, by Jack Sharkey - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DOUBLE OR NOTHING *** - -***** This file should be named 43041-h.htm or 43041-h.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/3/0/4/43041/ - -Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, -set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to -copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to -protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project -Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you -charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you -do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the -rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose -such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and -research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do -practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is -subject to the trademark license, especially commercial -redistribution. - - - -*** START: FULL LICENSE *** - -THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE -PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK - -To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free -distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work -(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project -Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project -Gutenberg-tm License available with this file or online at - www.gutenberg.org/license. - - -Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works - -1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to -and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property -(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all -the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy -all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. -If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the -terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or -entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. - -1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be -used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who -agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few -things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works -even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See -paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement -and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic -works. See paragraph 1.E below. - -1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" -or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the -collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an -individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are -located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from -copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative -works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg -are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project -Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by -freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of -this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with -the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by -keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project -Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. - -1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern -what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in -a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check -the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement -before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or -creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project -Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning -the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United -States. - -1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: - -1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate -access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently -whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the -phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project -Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, -copied or distributed: - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - -1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived -from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is -posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied -and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees -or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work -with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the -work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 -through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the -Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or -1.E.9. - -1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted -with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution -must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional -terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked -to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the -permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. - -1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm -License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this -work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. - -1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this -electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without -prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with -active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project -Gutenberg-tm License. - -1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, -compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any -word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or -distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than -"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version -posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), -you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a -copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon -request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other -form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm -License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. - -1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, -performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works -unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. - -1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing -access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided -that - -- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from - the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method - you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is - owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he - has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the - Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments - must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you - prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax - returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and - sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the - address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to - the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." - -- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies - you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he - does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm - License. You must require such a user to return or - destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium - and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of - Project Gutenberg-tm works. - -- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any - money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the - electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days - of receipt of the work. - -- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free - distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. - -1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set -forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from -both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael -Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the -Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. - -1.F. - -1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable -effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread -public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm -collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic -works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain -"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or -corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual -property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a -computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by -your equipment. - -1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right -of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project -Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all -liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal -fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT -LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE -PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE -TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE -LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR -INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH -DAMAGE. - -1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a -defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can -receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a -written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you -received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with -your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with -the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a -refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity -providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to -receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy -is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further -opportunities to fix the problem. - -1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth -in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO OTHER -WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO -WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. - -1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied -warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. -If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the -law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be -interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by -the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any -provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. - -1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the -trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone -providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance -with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, -promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, -harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, -that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do -or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm -work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any -Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. - - -Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm - -Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of -electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers -including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists -because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from -people in all walks of life. - -Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the -assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's -goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will -remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure -and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. -To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation -and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 -and the Foundation information page at www.gutenberg.org - - -Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive -Foundation - -The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit -501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the -state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal -Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification -number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg -Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent -permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. - -The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. -Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered -throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at 809 -North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email -contact links and up to date contact information can be found at the -Foundation's web site and official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact - -For additional contact information: - Dr. Gregory B. Newby - Chief Executive and Director - gbnewby@pglaf.org - -Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg -Literary Archive Foundation - -Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide -spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of -increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be -freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest -array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations -($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt -status with the IRS. - -The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating -charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United -States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a -considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up -with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations -where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To -SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any -particular state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate - -While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we -have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition -against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who -approach us with offers to donate. - -International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make -any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from -outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. - -Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation -methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other -ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. -To donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate - - -Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic -works. - -Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm -concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared -with anyone. For forty years, he produced and distributed Project -Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. - -Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed -editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. -unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily -keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. - -Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: - - www.gutenberg.org - -This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, -including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to -subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. - - -</pre> - +<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 43041 ***</div> </body> </html> diff --git a/43041.zip b/43041.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 92bb068..0000000 --- a/43041.zip +++ /dev/null |