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289
Astounding Stories of Super-Science, August 1930
·
Various
108
"Well,
I
figure
we
have
fallen
about
a
thousand
feet
so
far,"
came
the
reply,
"and
my
guess
is
that
we
are
about
one
third
of
the
way
down."
"Then
this
shaft
is
over
a
half-mile
deep,
you
think?"
"Yes,
at
least
a
thousand
yards,
I
should
say.
And
I
hope
his
gravity
neutralizing
machinery
doesn't
quit
all
of
a
sudden
and
let
us
down."
"Me,
too,"
called
Tommy,
who
had
not
thought
of
that
possibility.
This
was
no
joke,
this
falling
into
an
unknown
region
so
far
beneath
the
surface
of
good
old
mother
earth,
thought
Tommy.
And
how
they
would
ever
return
was
another
thing
that
was
not
so
funny.
Frank
was
always
rushing
into
things
like
this
without
counting
the
possible
cost
and--well--this
might
be
the
last
time.
Gradually
the
mysterious
light
became
stronger
and
soon
they
could
make
out
the
conformation
of
the
rock
walls
they
were
passing
at
such
a
snail's
pace.
Layers
of
vari-colored
rock
showed
here
and
there,
and,
at
one
point
there
was
a
stratum
of
gold-bearing
or
mica-filled
rock
that
glistened
with
a
million
reflections
and
re-reflections.
The
air
grew
warmer
and
more
humid
as
they
neared
the
mysterious
light
source.
They
moved
steadily,
without
acceleration,
and
Frank
estimated
the
rate
at
about
forty
feet
a
minute.
Then,
with
blinding
suddenness,
the
light
was
immediately
below
and
they
drifted
into
a
tremendous
cavern
that
was
illuminated
by
its
glow.
Directly
beneath
the
lower
end
of
the
shaft
through
which
they
had
passed,
there
was
a
glowing
disc
of
metal
about
fifteen
feet
in
diameter.
They
drifted
to
its
surface
and
sprawled
awkwardly
where
they
fell.
Scrambling
to
gain
a
footing,
they
bounced
and
floated
about
like
toy
balloons
before
realizing
that
it
would
be
necessary
to
creep
slowly
from
the
influence
of
that
repelling
force
which
had
made
the
long
drop
possible
without
injury.
Gravity
met
them
at
the
disc's
edge
with
what
seemed
to
be
unusual
violence.
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