sely about the
arrangement of the baffling around one of the firing chambers. The
power-deck officer, Shilo Speed, heard Astro's questions, agreed with
the cadet, and made the rocketman rearrange the baffling. Then, on the
control deck, the pilot had been careless in maintaining his position
with the other ships in the fleet. Tom mentioned it to Winters, and
Winters immediately ordered the man off the bridge, and replaced him.
Such action for the safety of the colonists had made the cadets wonder
about Vidac's ability.

After inspecting the ship from radar mast to jet exhausts, the three
cadets started back for the jet-boat deck. As they retraced their steps,
they passed through the library and encountered Hyram Logan and his son
Billy.

"Hello, Mr. Logan," greeted Tom with a big smile.

"Well, hello, Corbett," Logan replied. "Didn't know you were aboard
Number Twelve."

"We're not assigned to her, sir," replied Tom. "We're just making an
inspection for the lieutenant governor. How do you like the way she's
being run?"

Logan's endorsement was immediate. "Just fine, Corbett. This ship is
almost a colony in itself."

"Yeah, including school," chimed in Billy sourly. The three cadets
laughed. Then the boy grinned and stuck a finger gently into Roger's
stomach. "She ain't here, Cadet Manning. My sister is teaching
kindergarten right now."

"Be quiet, Billy!" barked his father.

Roger's face turned a slow red while Tom and Astro grinned. After a few
more words, the three cadets again headed for the jet-boat deck.

"That Billy will make a fine radarman someday," drawled Astro.

"How do you figure that, Astro?" asked Tom.

"Did you see the way he spotted Roger's roving eye looking for his
pretty sister? Why, in ten years, he'll be picking up asteroids the same
way."

Back in their jet boat a few minutes later, blasting through space on
the rest of their tour, Tom turned to his unit mates, a troubled look on
his face.

"Did you notice anything aboard Number Twelve that looked--well,
suspicious?" he asked.

Astro and Roger shook their heads.

"Me neither," said Tom. "Maybe we've got Vidac pegged wrong. Maybe--"

"I thought of that, Tom," interrupted Roger. "But there's one thing that
doesn't seem right."

"What's that?" asked Tom.

"Your report to Captain Strong," Roger replied. "You sent it to him ten
days ago. You should have had an answer by now."

"He's out on Pluto," said Astro. "Space Academy mi