"Yes I do. I mean just that. I have found it. It's the wonder of
wonders. And it works--even better than I hoped."
Dr. Alton straightened up and smiled--a smile of surprise and pleasure.
Cyrus returned the smile. At the same time his drowsy eyes became less
drowsy and in his voice was a mild excitement. "And so simple! Why, I
feel like laughing when I think of it. The only wonder is that hundreds
of people have never discovered it."
"What is it?" said Luther.
Cyrus hesitated a moment, as if to be sure of his words. "It's a simple
and inexpensive device for concentrating in a space about the size of
your two hands any quantity of electrical force."
"When you say any quantity, do you mean enough to run a typewriter--or
an automobile?"
"I mean enough to run a railroad train or an ocean steamer; or to lift
this house--or any other building."
Luther smiled the smile of doubt. "And the thing is no bigger than your
two hands?"
"It resembles two metal soup plates back to back."
Luther whistled--a short whistle signifying a deficiency of belief.
"That sounds kind of--kind of--as if somebody had wheels in his head.
How does the miracle get its power?"
"From the atmosphere around it."
"With no dynamo, nor motor, nor transformer?"
"All that is between the metal dinner plates. Why manufacture power
when the whole universe is vibrating with it? It is like manufacturing
air to breathe."
Luther leaned forward, excitement in his face. "Why it doesn't seem
possible. And you have really done it, Drowsy?"
Cyrus nodded.
"But it will revolutionize everything!"
"Yes--it will."
"Is it some new form of electricity you discovered?"
"No, merely a new way of applying our old knowledge. You see, it has
been known for some time that air is energy. Dancing about us, in the
atmosphere, is plenty of power waiting to be harnessed; power enough to
toss mountains into space if we could only direct it. You may have read
about the tremendous force in the vibrations of atoms."
"No; not a word."
"Well, every atom is a center of energy. And every atom is composed
of millions of electrons. Do you happen to be interested in electro
kinetics?"
"Don't even know what it means."
"It relates to the properties of electric currents. My discovery is
merely the concentration and directing of those currents. The apparatus
is about the size of an apple pie, and so simple that I laugh when I
think of it."
"But, Drowsy, you can't get so much power in such a little mechanism.
That thing could never start a locomotive or an ocean steamship."
"Start it! A dozen of these little things fastened to an ocean
steamer could lift it in the air to any height, crew, passengers and
cargo, and drive it at any rate of speed and for any distance. And at
no cost."
[Illustration: "COULD LIFT IT IN THE AIR TO ANY HEIGHT, CREW,
PASSENGERS, AND CARGO"--_Page 155_]