he ship, and
still traveling quite fast, Strong gave the second order to break his
speed. Tom opened the valve again and felt the tug of the jets braking
his acceleration. He drifted slower and slower, and realizing that he
was close to the hull of the ship, he stretched his legs, striving to
make contact. Seconds later he felt a heavy thump at the soles of his
feet, and within the ship there was the muffled clank of metal boot
weights hitting the metal skin of the hull.

"_Time!_" roared Strong and glanced at the astral chronometer over his
head. The boys crowded around as the Solar Guard captain quickly
computed Tom's score. "Nine minutes, fifty-one seconds, and two
corrections," he announced, unable to keep the pride out of his voice.

"We win! We win!" roared Roger. "Term honors go to the _Polaris_!"

Roger turned around and began pounding Astro on the chest, and the giant
Venusian picked him up and waltzed him around the deck. The three
members of the _Arcturus_ unit waited until the first flush of victory
died away and then crowded around the two boys to congratulate them.

"Don't forget the cadet who did it," commented Strong dryly, and the
five cadets rushed below to the jet-boat deck to wait for Tom.

When Tom emerged from the air lock a few moments later, Roger and Astro
swarmed all over him, and another wild dance began. Finally, shaking
free of his well-meaning but violent unit mates, he grinned and gasped,
"Well, from that reception, I guess I did it."

"Spaceboy"--Roger smiled--"you made the _Arcturus_ unit look like three
old men in a washtub counting toes!"

"Congratulations, Corbett," said Tony Richards of the _Arcturus_ crew,
offering his hand. "That was really fast maneuvering out there."

"Thanks, Tony." Tom grinned, running his hand through his brown curly
hair. "But I have to admit I was a little scared. Wow! What a creepy
feeling to know you're out in space alone and not able to see anything."

Their excitement was interrupted by Strong's voice over the ship's
intercom. "Stand by, all stations!"

"Here we go!" shouted Roger. "Back to the Academy--and leave!"

"_Yeeeeooooow!_" Astro's bull-like roar echoed through the ship as the
cadets hurried to their flight stations.

As command cadet of the _Polaris_, Tom climbed up to the control deck,
and strapping himself into the command pilot's seat, prepared to get
under way. Astro, the power-deck cadet who could "take apart a rocket
engine a