don't think you can, Manning," replied the angry cadet.

Tom stepped between them quickly. "Listen, fellows, we don't want any
trouble. Here are the spools." He held them out.

"That's what I mean, Corbett," said McAvoy sarcastically. "Manning gets
you in trouble and then you and the big boy have to bail him out."

"We've apologized," retorted Astro angrily. "You're getting the spools
back. So no more cracks about Roger."

"I can take care of myself, Astro," said Roger.

"Here, take the spools and get back to your dorm," growled Tom. He
handed the pile of spools over, but as Tony extended his hands, one of
the spools dropped to the grass. No one made a move to pick it up.

"There are the spools," said Tom icily. "Now beat it."

"Let's go," said Davison, leaning over to pick up the spool. "The air is
beginning to stink around here."

Red-faced, Roger stepped forward and put his foot on the spool just as
Davison reached for it. "That's enough, Davison," he snarled.

"Why, you dirty space crawler--" Davison straightened up and swung
wildly. Roger ducked the blow easily, then spun the heavy-set cadet
around and pushed him back into the bushes.

Tony Richards stepped forward and Astro turned to him threateningly, but
Tom quickly shoved them aside and faced Richards.

"Listen, Tony," he said. "We're all out after hours, and if a watch
officer spots us, we've had it. We don't want any trouble." He glanced
at Davison, who was being restrained by McAvoy. "We apologize. Now get
out of here before we're all logged."

Richards nodded and started to turn to his unit mates when suddenly
Davison jerked free and lunged at Roger. The blond-haired cadet was not
caught unawares. He stepped aside and threw a quick jolting right
straight to the _Capella_ cadet's jaw. Davison staggered back and fell
to the ground. He shook his head, jumped to his feet again, and charged
back with a roar.

Both Tom and Astro and Tony Richards and McAvoy grabbed at their
respective unit mates and tried to restrain them. In the struggle to
keep Roger and Davison apart, Astro accidentally pushed Richards to one
side.

"What in blazes--!" yelled Richards. He suddenly released Davison and
gave Astro a shove that sent the big cadet sprawling. And then, without
warning, McAvoy swung at Tom. The curly-haired cadet saw the blow coming
a fraction of a second too late and caught it on the side of his head.
He fell back into the bushes.

Roger yelled i