CHAPTER 5Earmar kept the radio in action, since it was reasonably certain that fresh instructions would soon be coming forth. They did, about ten minutes later, giving precise directions to the unknown who was evidently in control of the magnetic beam. Earmar listened for a moment or two, and then switched on the magnetic detector on the control board, an essential instrument on all space-machines. At first only the sun influenced the needle in its vacuum case, then, as Earmar hair-fined the detection, the solar field became less obtrusive and the lesser magnetism gave a faint but detectable reading.
“I’ve got it, Van!” Earmar exclaimed. “Now let’s see. Where exactly does that centre us on Venus’ surface?”
To compute the source of the magnetic attraction from the very faint reading given
