ll the way through, and you have
_{7}O_{3}N_{5}H_{7}C. In that particular case, it wouldn't even make
sense. But when our red-headed spy said he was a chemist and hadn't had
any trouble compounding this new explosive, I figured the formula must
be one that would be at least half-way logical, no matter which way you
wrote it. Only the odds were a million to one that one way it would
equal an explosive; the other, nothing at all. So I didn't hesitate to
attack him."

"Joe," said Major Coggleston admiringly, "that's a lot faster thinking
than I've ever done. And I don't need to tell you how grateful the Army
will be."

"Really, Joseph, it was awfully clever!" Henry chimed in. "I'd never
have thought of it--"

And then, changing thought in mid-sentence:

"Look! There's that pretty blonde girl with the--"

"Henry!" exploded Professor Paulsen. "You're old enough to behave like a
grown man, not an inspectionistic schoolboy!" His hand shot out to grip
his little partner's goatee and jerk his eyes from the luscious creature
now parading her charms before them.

"Ouch!" squealed Henry, his face screwing up with pain. "Joseph, you're
hurting!"

"Then will you be good? Will you behave yourself?"

"Of course, Joseph. Just let me go!" Then, sulkily, as the tall
scientist released him: "Though I still think you're mighty finicky,
Joseph Paulsen. After all, what's wrong with my liking the cute way that
girl wears the bangs across her forehead?"

* * * * *

[Footnote 1: The Piltdown Man was a species of prehistoric being
(_Eoanthropus dawsoni_), long since extinct, with a retreating, apelike
chin and thick cranial bones, but a human-type cranium.--Ed.]

[Footnote 2: See "Henry Horn's Blitz Bomb," Amazing Stories, June,
'42.--Ed.]

[Footnote 3: See "Henry Horn's Super-Solvent," _Fantastic Adventures_,
November, '41.--Ed.]

End of Project Gutenberg's Henry Horn's X-Ray Eye Glasses, by Dwight V. Swain

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