The Marvelous Mechanical Man: Book One of The Conn-Mann Chronicles by Rie Sheridan Rose

Author:Rie Sheridan Rose
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2016-04-30T06:00:00+00:00

Tobias owned the mining supply store now that his pa had passed on, and he provided prospecting kit for everyone—shovels, gloves, even helmet lights so they wouldn’t have to juggle awkward torches or candles while trying to dig.

Looking down at the mound of equipment, Kate threw her arms around his neck.

“Tobias Murphy, I could just kiss you!” she cried.

“So what’s stopping you?”

-- Garrett Goldthwaite -- Calico Kate and the River of Gold

Chapter 14

“Now I understand why you were worried about the weight,” muttered Herbert, inching forward to study Phaeton without getting too close. “What does he weigh?”

“I think the combined weight of all his parts is somewhere between fifteen hundred and two thousand pounds. It’s hard to be precise. It isn’t as if I can take him out to Coney Island and have someone guess his weight. I can’t even get an accurate weight at the docks. I’ve thought of all the possibilities…but there just isn’t anywhere I can take him to weigh.”

“A ton? He weighs a ton? How much carrying capacity do you think oak laths have, my friend?”

“Well, can we take out the furniture? A fancy sitting room isn’t necessary to the Pearl’s operation, is it? It must weigh several hundred pounds. If we left it behind, perhaps...”

“Are you insane? Do you know how far it is from here to California? Do you want to sit on the floor all the way across the country?”

He did have a point. I, for one, would vote for comfort over expediency every time.

“Professor, perhaps we should consider the train after all.”

“I didn’t say it couldn’t be done,” Herbert protested, holding up a staying hand. “We just need to be sure the floor will hold him before we get out over the open plains.”

“Do you recall Doctor Anderson’s steam experiments?” Alistair asked. “I’ve been tinkering with an engine based on his principles. I believe that, with a little bit of rigging, I can run your furnace heat through it and perhaps double the speed of the Pearl, as I mentioned before. Do you think it will help the lift?”

“Perhaps. But it won’t solve the weight problem. Can you remove any of his mass?”

“Don’t be ridiculous! Perhaps if we…”

Soon, they were deeply engrossed in discussions of lighter-than-air gases, and heat-to-capacity ratios, as well as arguing about Phaeton’s weight to the point of obsession. Herbert drew diagrams on a tablecloth he spread out on the kitchen table. I didn’t expect Vanessa to be terribly pleased to see his calculations.

As for me, it was clear they needed no input from an assistant whose entire list of duties to date had been straightening the laboratory and finding her missing cat. Besides, they were boring me silly. I decided to look for Mrs. Estes. Perhaps she could use some company...

I wandered into the main part of the house, looking for someone to talk to. Vanessa was in the dining room, polishing silver and humming under her breath.

“Made it back from Master Herbert’s alive, I see,” she said with a wink.

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