oners before, real rocket blasters, but refusing to answer a call from
Strong--" He shook his head.

The audioceiver suddenly crackled into life. "_Space Knight_ to _Space
Lance_, check in!" Quent Miles' voice was harsh and clear.

Tom jumped back to the microphone. "_Space Lance_, Cadet Corbett here!"
he shouted eagerly. "Go ahead, _Space Knight_! Where's Manning?"

"Still asleep!" replied Miles. "Just wanted to tell you boys good-by.
I'm not stopping to refuel at Deimos! I'm going right on through to
Ganymede! End transmission!"

Only static filled the control deck of the _Space Lance_ as Tom clutched
the microphone and pleaded desperately for Quent Miles to answer him.
"Come in, Miles! This is Corbett on the _Space Lance_ to Quent Miles on
the _Space Knight_! Come in, Miles! Come in!"

Bill Sticoon shook his head. "Miles must be nuts trying to get to
Ganymede without refueling," he muttered. "Traveling at emergency space
speed, he'll eat up his fuel before he gets one third of the way to
Jupiter!"

Tom looked at Sticoon. "And Roger's with him."

Sticoon nodded grimly. "They'll wind up drifting around in space halfway
between Mars and Jupiter. Finding them will be about as easy as looking
for a pebble in the Martian desert."

* * * * *

"Have you found the _Space Lance_ yet, Astro?" asked Kit Barnard,
glancing over his shoulder at the giant Venusian, standing at the
radarscope.

"I think I'm getting it now," said Astro. "Either that or I've picked up
an asteroid."

"Not likely," said Kit. "We're too far from the belt to have anything
that big drifting around without being charted. It must be Sticoon."

"Boy!" chuckled Astro. "This reactor really packs a load of power!"

"How are we doing on fuel, Sid?" Kit called into the intercom.

"We lost a lot trying to prime the pumps," replied the young crew chief.
"We have to touch down on Deimos and refuel."

"That's all right," replied Kit with a smile. "We're gaining on Sticoon
fast. We should make Deimos about the same time. I wonder where Quent
Miles is by now."

"Probably wishing he had stopped for fuel!" interjected Astro with a
sour look on his face.

"See if you can pick up Sticoon on the audioceiver, Astro," said Kit.
"Ask him for an estimated time of arrival on Deimos. One of us will
have to come in first."

Astro flipped the switch on the panel and began his call "_Good Company_
to _Space Lance_, come in!"

"Ri