history of the planet, and had won. A period of wild celebration
greeted the first human beings to cross each direction below the sea.

Did the volume of water increase that was carried daily out of the Tube
and dumped from the two stations? If it did, the incident was ignored by
the press. Instead, the fact that some "cranks" persisted in calling
man's latest toy unsafe, only attracted more travel. The Undersea Tube
functioned on regular schedule for three years, became the usual method
of ocean transit.

* * * * *

This was the state of matters, when on the fourth of March last, our
textile company ordered me to France to straighten out some orders with
the France house, the situation being such that they preferred to send a
man. Why they did not use radio-vision I do not care to state, as this
is my company's business.

Therefore, upon entering my apartment, I was in the midst of packing
when the television phone called me. The jovial features of "Dutch"
Higgins, my one-time college room-mate and now one of the much-maligned
engineers of the Undersea Tube, smiled back at me from the disk.

"Where are you? I thought we had a sort of dinner engagement at my
apartment, Bob."

"By gollies I forgot, Dutch. I'll be right over--before it gets cold."

Then immediately I turned the knob to the Municipal Aerial-car yards,
and ordered my motor, as I grabbed my hat and hurried to the roof. In
due time, of course, I sprang the big surprise of the evening, adding:

"And, of course, I'm going by the Tube, I feel sort of a
half-partnership in it because you were one of the designers."

A curious half-pained look crossed his face. We had finished our meal,
and were smoking with pushed-back chairs. He finished filling his pipe,
and scowled.

"Well? Why don't you say something? Thought you'd be--well, sort of
pleased."

He struck his automatic lighter and drew in a long puff of smoke before
answering.

"Wish you'd take another route, Bob."

"Take another route?"

"Yes. If you want it straight, the Tube is not safe."

"You are joking."

But as I looked into his cold, thoughtful blue eyes, I knew he had never
been more serious.

"I wish that you would go by the Trans-Atlantic Air Liners. They are
just as fast."

"But you used to be so enthusiastic about the Tube, Dutch! Why I
remember when it was being drilled that you would call me up at all
kinds of wild hours to tell me the lates