of tests given to cadets.
Cadet candidates might possibly hide dangerous flaws from Academy
officials but never from boys near their own ages.

"Major," said Astro, "those fellows came close to blasting off right
here in these chairs. They really thought they were out in _space!_"

"Fine!" said Connel. "Glad to hear it. I've singled them out as my
personal unit for instruction."

"Poor fellows," muttered Roger under his breath.

"What was that, Manning?" bellowed Connel.

"I said lucky fellows, sir," replied Roger innocently.

Connel glared at him. "I'll bet my last rocket that's what you said,
Manning."

"Yes, sir."

Connel turned to the door and then spun around quickly to catch Roger
grinning at Astro.

"'Poor fellows,' wasn't it?" said Connel with a grin. Roger reddened
and his unit mates laughed. "Oh, yes," continued Connel, "I almost
forgot. Report to Commander Walters on the double. You're getting
special assignments. I recommended you for this job, so see that you
behave yourselves. Especially you, Manning."

He turned and disappeared through the doorway, leaving the three cadets
staring at each other.

"Wowie!" yelled Astro. "And I thought we were going to get chewed up for
keeping those Earthworms too long!"

"Same here," said Roger.

"Wonder what the assignment is?" said Tom, grabbing his tunic and racing
for the door. Neither Roger nor Astro answered as they followed on his
heels. When they reached the slidestairs, a moving belt of plastic that
spiraled upward to an overhead slidewalk bridge connecting the dormitory
to the Tower of Galileo, Tom's eyes were bright and shiny. "Whatever it
is," he said, "if Major Connel suggested us for it, you can bet your
last reactor it'll be a rocket buster."

As the boys stepped on the slidestairs that would take them to Commander
Walters' office, each of them was very much aware that this was the
first step to a new adventure in space. And though the three realized
that they could expect danger, the special assignment meant that they
were going to hit the high, wide, and deep again. And that was all they
asked of life. To be in space, a spaceman's only real home!

CHAPTER 2

"Gentlemen, please!"

Commander Walters, the commandant of Space Academy, stood behind his
desk and slammed his fist down sharply on its plastic top. "I must
insist that you control your tempers and refrain from these repeated
outbursts," he growled.

The angry voices