he cadets knew he had worked all night to revise and resubmit his
specification sheet to Strong.

[Illustration]

"'Morning, sir," said Tom.

"I'd like to have you O.K. this gear unit. I made it last night."

Astro took the gear and examined it closely.

"Looks fine to me," he said finally, handing it back. "Part of your main
pumps?"

"Why, yes," replied Kit, surprised. "Say, you seem to know your
business."

"Only the best rocket buster in space, sir," chimed in Tom. "He eats,
sleeps, and dreams about machinery on a power deck."

"Is that for your new reactor, sir?" asked Astro.

"Yes. Want to come over and take a look at it?"

"Want to!" exclaimed Roger. "You couldn't keep him away with a ray gun,
Captain Barnard."

"Fine," said Kit. "Incidentally, I'm not in the Solar Guard any more;
don't even hold a reserve commission, so you don't have to 'sir' me. I'd
prefer just plain Kit. O.K.?"

The three boys grinned. "O.K., Kit," said Tom.

Astro began to fidget and Tom nudged Roger. "Think we can spare the
Venusian for a little while?"

"Might as well let him go," grunted Roger. "He'd only sneak off later,
anyway."

Astro grinned sheepishly. "If anyone wants me to check anything, I'll be
over at Kit's. Where is your ship?" he asked the veteran spaceman.

"Hangar Fourteen. Opposite the main entrance gate."

"Fine, that's where I'll be, fellows. See you later."

With Astro bending over slightly to hear what Kit was saying, the two
men walked away. Roger shook his head. "You know, I still can't get used
to that guy. He acts like a piece of machinery was a good-looking space
doll!"

"I've seen you look the same way at your radarscope, Roger."

"Yeah, but it's different with me."

"Is it?" said Tom, turning away so that Roger would not see him
laughing. And as he did, he saw something that made him pause. In front
of the hangar, Captain Strong was talking to Quent Miles. There was no
mistaking the tall spaceman in his severe black clothes.

"Here comes more work," muttered Tom. Quent had turned away from Strong
and was walking toward them.

"Strong said I had to get you to O.K. this scope," said Quent with a
sneer. "Hurry it up! I haven't got all day."

He handed them a radarscope that was common equipment on small pleasure
yachts, and was considerably lighter in weight than the type used on
larger freight vessels.

"What's the gross weight of your ship?" asked Roger after a quick glance
at the