Chapter 9 — Prospecting Begins

           Weceasedtogaze.Weturnedtoeachother,thesamethought,thesamequestioninoureyes.Fortheseplantstogrow,theremustbesomeair,howeverattenuated,airthatwealsoshouldbeabletobreathe.

           “Themanhole?”Isaid.

           “Yes!”saidCavor,“ifitisairwesee!”

           “Inalittlewhile,”Isaid,“theseplantswillbeashighasweare.Suppose—supposeafterall—Isitcertain?Howdoyouknowthatstuffisair?Itmaybenitrogen—itmaybecarbonicacideven!”

           “That’seasy,”hesaid,andsetaboutprovingit.Heproducedabigpieceofcrumpledpaperfromthebale,litit,andthrustithastilythroughtheman-holevalve.Ibentforwardandpeereddownthroughthethickglassforitsappearanceoutside,thatlittleflameonwhoseevidencedependedsomuch!

           Isawthepaperdropoutandlielightlyuponthesnow.Thepinkflameofitsburningvanished.Foraninstantitseemedtobeextinguished.AndthenIsawalittlebluetongueupontheedgeofitthattrembled,andcrept,andspread!

           Quietlythewholesheet,savewhereitlayinimmediatecontactwiththesnow,charredandshrivelledandsentupaquiveringthreadofsmoke.Therewasnodoubtlefttome;theatmosphereofthemoonwaseitherpureoxygenorair,andcapabletherefore—unlessitstenuitywasexcessive—ofsupportingouralienlife.Wemightemerge—andlive!

           Isatdownwithmylegsoneithersideofthemanholeandpreparedtounscrewit,butCavorstoppedme.“Thereisfirstalittleprecaution,”hesaid.