t to Astro direct on the
intercom, 'Give me an upshot on the ecliptic!' or 'Give me a starboard
shot!' and Astro would come through because he knows I always know what
I'm talking about."

"Not always, hot-shot!" growled Astro. "How about the time we went out
to Tara and snatched that hot copper asteroid out of Alpha Centauri's
mouth? _You_ said the time on that reactor blast should be set at--"

"Is that so?" snapped Roger. "Listen, you big overgrown hunk of Venusian
space gas--" Roger got no further. Astro grabbed him by the shirt front,
held him at arm's length, and began tickling him in the ribs. The three
freshmen cadets backed out of the way, glancing fearfully at the giant
Venusian. Astro's strength was awesome when seen for the first time.

"Lemme go, you blasted space ape!" bellowed Roger, between fits of
laughter.

"Say uncle, Manning!" roared Astro. "Promise you won't call me names
again, or by the stars, I'll tickle you until you shake yourself apart!"

"All right--un-un-uncle!" managed Roger.

Astro dropped his unit mate on a bunk like a rag doll and turned back to
Tom with a shrug of his shoulders. "He'll never learn, will he?"

Tom grinned at Duke. "Astro's like a big overgrown puppy."

"Someone ought to put him on a leash," growled Roger, crawling out of
the bunk and rubbing his ribs. "Blast it, Astro, the next time you want
to show off, go play with an elephant and leave me alone."

Astro ignored him, turning to Coglin. "As much as I gas Roger," the
giant cadet said seriously, "I'd rather ride a thrust bucket with him on
the radar deck than Commander Walters. He's the best."

Tom smiled. "That's what I mean, Duke. Astro believes in Roger, and
Roger believes in Astro. I believe in them, and they in me. We've got
to, or we wouldn't last long out there in space."

The three fledgling spacemen were silent, watching and listening with
awe and envy as the _Polaris_ crew continued their indoctrination. They
considered themselves lucky to have been drawn by these famous cadets
for their hazing. The names of Corbett, Manning, and Astro were becoming
synonymous with great adventure in space. But, with all their
hairbreadth escapes, the _Polaris_ unit was still just learning its job.
The boys were still working off demerits, arguing with instructors on
theory, listening to endless study spools, learning the latest advanced
methods of astrogation, communication, and reactor-unit operation. They
were wor