d Tom.

"Never mind," said Astro. "Come on. Let's grab a bite while we have the
chance."

They headed for the restaurant in the control building of the spaceport,
but were recognized by the reporter of the stereo company who badgered
them into stepping before the camera and making statements about the
race. He tried to get the boys to commit themselves as to who they hoped
would win, and to offer an opinion on what had happened to the _Space
Knight_. But neither Tom nor Astro said anything but that the best man
would win. There were the usual eager spectators too, thousands from the
large cities on Mars who had taken the ferry rocket up to the spaceport
to see the ships come in for refueling. As soon as Tom and Astro could
tear away from the stereo reporter, they were mobbed by the onlookers
who clamored for autographs. Finally the two cadets had to forego their
meal and return to their respective ships to escape the wild
demonstration.

Seated in his acceleration chair on the control deck of the _Space
Lance_, waiting for Bill Sticoon to come aboard, Tom found his concern
for Roger overriding his enthusiasm for the race. When Sticoon appeared
and began to prepare the ship for blast-off, Tom went through the
motions mechanically. The _Space Lance_ was scheduled to leave first,
with Kit Barnard following at the exact time interval of their arrivals.
The Deimos tower operator's voice droned over the loud-speaker on the
control deck of the _Space Lance_ " ... minus five, four, three, two,
one"--then the breath-taking pause before the climactic--"_zero!_"

[Illustration]

The ship shot spaceward, rockets roaring loudly in the thin atmosphere
of the small satellite. The next moment, before the horrified eyes of
thousands of people, the _Space Lance_ exploded a few miles above the
ground.

Astro stood frozen at the viewport of the _Good Company_, his eyes
glazed with shock as he watched the Martian ship disintegrate far above
him. All he could do was mutter brokenly, "Tom ... Tom ..."

[Illustration]

CHAPTER 9

"Blast off!"

Without any preliminaries, Kit Barnard's order sent the _Good Company_
hurtling spaceward. Astro had just enough time to throw himself into an
acceleration chair before the ship shot away from the Deimos spaceport
toward the wreckage of the _Space Lance_.

"Braking rockets!" roared Kit. "Hit them hard, Sid."

The ship bucked under the force of the counter-acceleration, and the
ve