e said casually.
"The professor lost his notes on the meteor dust we passed through the
other day."

"Sure," said the pilot. He tossed the dog-eared book to the sergeant.
Jeff flipped through the pages and found the day Tom's report was to
have been sent. He checked carefully, continuing through the entries for
the succeeding days, ending with the last entry made just an hour
before. There was no mention of Tom's report. Jeff turned to give the
logbook to the pilot when Vidac and Professor Sykes stepped through the
hatch. Seeing Jeff with the log in his hands, Vidac frowned.

"What are you doing here, Marshall?" he snapped.

Jeff was trapped. He came to attention and remained silent. Vidac walked
across the control deck and stood in front of him.

"Well, Marshall?" he barked. "Answer me!"

"I needed some information about the meteor dust we passed through
recently, sir," said Jeff.

Vidac turned to the professor. "Did you send him up here?"

Sykes merely shook his head.

"I lost the professor's notes and needed the information in the logbook,
sir," said Jeff.

"What are you talking about?" growled Sykes. "The notes are still in my
work journal. You put them there yourself!"

"What have you got to say to that?" demanded Vidac.

"I repeat, sir," said Jeff, "that was my reason for looking in the log."

Vidac paused, and when he spoke, his voice was cold. "The control-deck
logbook contains classified information, Marshall. You know that. I
won't say you're lying about reasons for looking at it, but that does
not excuse the fact that you _did_ look at it without my permission. I'm
confining you to the brig for ten days."

Jeff didn't bat an eyelash. The fact that he had found no entry of Tom's
report to Captain Strong in the log, and the unreasonable annoyance
Vidac expressed over his having looked into the logbook, convinced him
that the cadets were not wrong in their suspicions concerning the
lieutenant governor.

Vidac dismissed him and the enlisted sergeant was escorted to the
_Polaris_' brig by two hastily summoned crewmen.

When the cadets learned of Jeff's punishment they immediately went to
Vidac's quarters and requested permission to speak with him. After
making them wait for nearly three hours, Vidac finally received them.

"Well, what now?" demanded Vidac.

"We would like to ask a question, sir," said Tom.

"Speak up!" snorted Vidac impatiently.

"It's about Sergeant Marshall, sir," said To