HENRY HORN'S X-RAY EYE GLASSES
by DWIGHT V. SWAIN
[Transcriber Note: This etext was produced from Amazing Stories December1942. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S.copyright on this publication was renewed.]
"Look!" said Henry Horn with a gasp. "Here, you look atthe camp through the glasses!"
"It's not enough to have a nudist colony move in next door!" fumedProfessor Paulsen. "No, indeed! That wouldn't disrupt things enough.Now, in addition, every ne'er-do-well in the county comes prowling overour farm in order to spy on the naked numbskulls!"
Scowling ferociously, the gaunt scientist stamped violently back acrossthe meadow's lush verdure toward the little country home he shared withhis partner, Henry Horn. Beside him, matching his own long strides, camethe savant's old friend, Major Ray Coggleston of Army Intelligence.
"None of us can hope for a bed of roses all the time, Joe," Cogglestonremarked, grinning at the professor's outburst. "'Into each life somerain must fall,' you know. You've got trespassers to bother you. Me, I'mresponsible for protecting one of the biggest explosives laboratories inthe country against Axis espionage and sabotage."
Instinctively, as he spoke, the officer's eyes sought out the long, lowOrdnance experiment station, barely a mile away. Professor Paulsen,following the glance, nodded.
"You're right," he agreed. "And when you come right down to it, myworries over the nudist camp back there"—he jerked his head toward thehigh board fence which marked the boundary—"aren't very important. Notwith a war in progress."
By now the two were in the yard and rounding the corner of the house.
The next instant they stopped dead in their tracks.
There, in the shade of the building, stood a slight, familiar figure. Afigure which, at the moment, was the center of attention for a littleknot of interested spectators.
"Oh, yes, gentlemen, it certainly does work!" cried Henry Hornenthusiastically, his scraggly goatee jerking spasmodically with eachnod of emphasis. He waved the battered pair of binoculars he clutched inhis right hand. "Yes, it's a marvelous invention. You can see everythingyou want to, just like you were right inside that camp. And only adollar for a minute's look!"
The professor's face jumped to beet red, then apoplectic purple. Hisfists clenched, and the sound he made as he sucked in his breath closelyresembled that of a cow pulling her foot out of a mudhole. He startedforward.
Major Coggleston choked off an incipient frame-racking spasm of mirthbarely in time. He caught the tall scientist's arm.
"See you later, Joe!" he snickered. "I've got to get back on duty.There's a new super-explosive being tested, and I'm supposed to be onhand."
"All right. Later." Professor Paulsen grated the words through clenchedteeth, but it is doubtful that he was even conscious of speaking. Hiseyes were focussed straight at Henry in a horrible glare, and the smokeof indignation hovered about him in clouds.
"Only a dollar, gentlemen!" cried Henry, oblivious to all this newattention. "It's just like going inside the camp. Really it is!"
"He's right, boys!" broke in a burly,