uess that means you ride with Wild Bill Sticoon."

"That's all right with me, sir," the young cadet said excitedly. "This
is something I'll be able to tell my grandchildren--riding with the
hottest spaceman in the hottest race through space."

* * * * *

Quent Miles spun around, his paralo-ray gun leveled. He saw a figure
enter through the hatch, but when light revealed the face he relaxed.

"Oh, it's you!" he grumbled. "I thought you were setting things up back
at Atom City."

"You fumble-fisted, space-gassing jerk!" snarled Charley Brett. "Depend
on you to get things messed up! That Barnard guy is all set to roll with
his reactor!"

"Then why didn't Ross take care of him on the Moon?" asked Miles.

"He didn't land," replied Brett. "He kept going and made the whole trip
without refueling that new unit of his. It's so good that he got back
here still carrying half a tank of reactant."

"Well, you haven't any kick with me," asserted Miles. "I dumped that
stuff in his tanks."

"Then how come he made it so fast?" growled Brett. "How come he made it
at all?"

"How should I know?" snapped Quent. "Listen, Charley, lay off me. You
might be able to order Ross around, but you don't scare me. And I don't
think you have Ross fooled either."

"Never mind that now!" said Brett irritably. "We've got to line things
up for the race. Listen! Ross left Luna City this morning for the
hide-out. Here's what I want you to do. After you blast off--" Brett's
voice dropped to a whisper and Quent's eyes opened with understanding,
and then his rugged features broke out into a grin as Brett continued
talking.

Finally Brett straightened up. "I'm going on out to Titan now to see if
things are O.K. You got everything clear?"

"Everything's clear," said Quent. "And you know something, Charley? You
have a nasty way about you, but you certainly know how to figure the
angles. This is perfect. We can't miss."

"I love you too, sweetheart," said Brett sourly. He turned and hurried
out of the ship. Just before he stepped on the slidewalk that would take
him to the monorail station, he saw the three members of the _Polaris_
unit leaving Kit Barnard's installation. He grinned and made a mocking
salute to them in the darkness.

"So long suckers!" he called softly.

CHAPTER 7

"What!"

Quent Miles looked at Strong and then back at Roger. "You mean this
jerk's going to ride with me?"

Roger Mannin