nusport in person. I only
hope he's left the rockets and atomic motors alone."

"How about using the teleceiver in the house?" asked the foreman,
climbing up to the control deck.

"Can't take a chance," said Tom. "This is top secret. They might have
the teleceiver tapped."

"Do you know how to handle this ship alone?" asked George, glancing
around at the great control board. "I don't know anything about a ship
this size."

"I can handle it," said Tom. "Get Mrs. Hill aboard!"

"Here I am, Tommy," said Mrs. Hill, climbing up into the control deck.
"I have some bandages and salve for your wrists."

"There's no time, Mrs. Hill," said Tom. "We've got to--"

"Nonsense!" she interrupted firmly. "You just give me your hands. It'll
take only a minute!"

Tom reluctantly held out his wrists and Mrs. Hill expertly applied the
salve and bandaged the cadet's raw wrists. Admittedly feeling better,
Tom turned to the master switch and found it missing. For a second panic
seized him, until he remembered that Major Connel had hidden it. He felt
under the pilot's chair and breathed easier, pulling out the vital
instrument.

"Better get into acceleration chairs," said Tom, strapping himself into
his seat. "This might be a rough take-off."

"Watch yourself, Tom," cautioned George. "We aren't afraid for
ourselves, but you've got to get to Venusport!"

"If he's left the power deck alone, everything will be O.K."

The young cadet stretched out a trembling hand and switched on the
automatic firing control. Then, crossing his fingers, he flipped on the
main generator and breathed easier as the steady hum surged through the
ship. He thought briefly of Astro and Roger, wishing his two unit mates
were at their stations, and then switched on the power feed to the
energizing pumps. There was a second's wait as the pressure began to
build, and he watched the indicator over his head on the control panel
carefully. When it had reached the proper level, he switched in the
reactant feed, giving it full D-12 rate. He glanced at the astral
chronometer over his head automatically and noted the time.

"Stand by!" he called. "Blast off minus five--four--three--two--one
--_zero_!"

He threw the master switch and a roaring burst of power poured into
the main tubes. The ship bucked slightly, raised itself from the
ground slowly, and then suddenly shot upward. In less than a minute
the _Polaris_ had cleared atmosphere and Tom turned on the
artifi