William Johnston - Max Smart and the Perilous Pellets

“Marvelous, Max!”

Max plugged the electrical power unit into the battery pack, then plugged the electric saw into the electrical power unit. The motor whirred. But Max simply stared at the saw.

“Max… what is it?” 99 asked.

“99… you know how the gadgets that R amp; D dreams up are not always what they appear to be?”

“Yes, Max…”

“It isn’t a saw, 99. It’s an electric toothbrush.”

“Oh.”

“Well, still, it’ll come in handy,” Max said. “As I recall, we didn’t brush after lunch.”

Max went back to the bag. He held up a tiny metal box. “Now, here’s something for the man who has everything,” he said. “A six-ounce container of superactivated rust.”

“Rust, Max?”

“Yes, you know-the stuff that eats away iron bars.”

“Max, if it eats away iron bars, why couldn’t we-”

“Just a second, 99. I think I’ve just had an idea that may save our lives. If rust eats away iron bars, why can’t we apply this rust to those iron bars? The rust will eat away the iron bars, and we’ll be free!”

“Max, that’s wonderful! Try it.”

“I will. Just let me read the instructions. ‘Apply rust to bars. Within a period of three to six years the rust will completely destroy the iron…’ 99, I think I better keep looking.”

“No, Max, read on,” 99 said, looking over his shoulder.

“All right. ‘In cases of emergency, the rusting process can be hurried by the use of heat. Note: friction creates heat.’ ”

“Max! We’re saved!”

“We are?”

“Max, apply the rust to the bars, then brush the bars with the electric toothbrush. The brushing will cause friction, which will create heat.”

Max thought a second, then replied, “99, I think I’ve got an idea. Why not apply this rust to the bars, then brush the bars with the electric toothbrush?”

“How will that help, Max?”

“Don’t be a needler, 99,” Max replied sourly. “Nobody likes a needler.”

“Sorry about that, Max.”

Max applied the rust to the bars, then switched on the electric toothbrush and began brushing the bars. Within minutes the bars had rusted away.

Max put all the items back into the black bag, then he and 99 stepped from the cell.

“What now, Max?” 99 asked.

“To the laboratory,” Max replied. “We still have to plant the explosive.”

They moved quietly along the corridor until they came to Dr. Gill’s plant laboratory. Then, entering, they made their way along a row.

“Ah-here’s what I want!” Max said.

“Max, that’s a tomato plant.”

Max opened the black bag. “As of now, it is,” he said. “In about a second it will be a cross-breed-a peamato plant.” He straightened, holding a tube. “In this tube,” he explained, “I have cement. I’ll simply glue this pellet-which looks like a pea-to the tomato plant, and when Dr. Gill sees it, he’ll think he has a peamato.”

“Good thinking, Max. And, of course, he’ll take special care of it.”

“Yes, until the whole thing blows up in his face,” Max smiled.

Max glued the pellet to the tomato plant, then put the cement back into the bag, and closed the bag. “Now, to escape from the installation,” he said, leading the way out of the laboratory.

“How, Max?”

“Don’t ask questions, 99. I have a theory. But if it were questioned too closely, I’m afraid I might find out that it won’t work.”

“I won’t say a thing, Max.”

Stealthily, they made their way along the corridor. Soon they reashed the room that housed the ventilating system.

“Now, when I say ‘now’,” Max said, “you and I will hold onto the end of this pipe.”

“This pipe where the air comes out?”

“Exactly.”

“I don’t see-”

“Please, 99, no questions.”

“All right, Max.”

Max reached up and turned a small wheel. “Now!” he said.

He and 99 grabbed hold of the pipe.

“Max-”

“That little wheel controls the air pressure,” Max explained. “As you can see, air is now rushing into the tank-right?”

“Yes, I see, Max. But-”

“And what happens when you blow a lot of air into a bubble?” Max said.

“Well… it gets larger.”

“You will note that the bubbles in the tank are growing larger. They are growing so large, in fact, that the tank cannot hold them. So, what will happen?”

“They’ll burst.”

Max shook his head. “Soap bubbles would burst,” he said. “But these are plastic bubbles.”

“Then they’ll-”

“Right. The bubbles will be pushed out this pipe. When that happens- Ah-here comes one now. You’ll see what will happen.”

A film of plastic slowly emerged from the end of the pipe. As it did, it enveloped Max and 99, forming a gigantic bubble that enclosed them.

“Max!” 99 squeaked. “We’re inside the bubble.”

Max nodded smugly. “That’s my theory,” he said.

“But, Max-”

“Please! Don’t question it!”

The bubble suddenly broke loose from the pipe. And, carried by the air flow, it floated toward the doorway.

“Now I understand!” 99 said. “We’ll be carried out through the exhaust system in the bubble.”

“Exactly.”

“But, Max, there’s one thing I don’t under-”

“99, no! No, not yet!”

“All right, Max.”

As the gigantic bubble floated toward the exhaust system, Dr. Gill suddenly rushed out of his office. He shouted at Max and 99, shaking his fist savagely. But, closed off by the plastic film, they couldn’t hear him.

Raging, Dr. Gill punched the button on his gadget.

“Max! Air!” 99 gasped.

“There’s no need for that, 99,” Max replied calmly. “We have an air supply inside this bubble. Dr. Gill’s control has no effect on it.”

“Oh,” 99 replied, free of panic.

“Wave goodbye to Dr. Gill,” Max smiled.

99 waved.

Dr. Gill shook his fist again.

Then the bubble entered the exhaust system, emerged from the installation, and rose toward the surface.

“Max, that was brilliant,” 99 gushed. “We’re free.”

“Not quite,” Max pointed out. “We’re still inside the bubble.”

“Can’t we puncture it?”

“I’m afraid not, 99. It’s very thick, very durable plastic.”

The bubble popped to the surface and floated. Overhead Max and 99 could see the helicopter hovering.

“Max, we’re trapped!” 99 cried.

“I have one more theory, 99,” Max replied. “Now-ask your question.”

“My question?”

“Remember-when I told you my first theory, you had a question about it?”

“Oh… yes. Max, since we’re heavier than the bubble, how will it float in the air? Won’t our weight-”

The instant the question was out, the bubble burst, dropping Max and 99 into the water.

“Max! What happened!” 99 cried, floundering in the ocean.

“Well, my second theory was that my first theory wouldn’t actually work,” Max explained. “You see, that’s what happens when a man has a theory, and his theory is questioned. It’s proved to be wrong-and his bubble bursts.”

99 shuddered. “Max… suppose your first theory had been right!” she said.

“Don’t even think about it,” Max replied. “In that case, we’d still be trapped down there in the installation. And, worse yet, we’d be having seaweed for dinner!”

The helicopter was hovering directly over them now.

“I’m throwin’ down the ladder!” Lance Chalfont called.

“Throw away!” Max replied.

Lance Chalfont tossed a ladder out the open doorway. It hit the water and immediately sank.

“There’s a joke on me!” Lance Chalfont hooted. “I shoulda held on to the other end!”