w, and faced the others.

"This is one of the greatest discoveries for Earthmen since they learned
how to blast off!" The big officer paused and then held up the results
of the tests. "This satellite is _really_ three-quarters solid copper!"

There was a loud mumble as everyone began talking at once.

"How are we going to get it back home, sir?" asked Tom. "Wouldn't
hauling it back in spaceships cost too much?"

"Yes, it would, Corbett," answered Connel, "but I've got an idea how we
can lick that problem."

"Can't see how you can lick it," snorted Shinny, "unless you take the
whole blasted satellite back!"

"That's exactly what I'm going to do!" answered Connel.

"What?" exclaimed Roger, momentarily forgetting he was addressing a
senior officer. "How in blazes are you going to do that?"

Connel turned to the chart-screen projector and switched it on.
Immediately an image of Earth and its Moon, and much farther away the
sun, was visible. Connel stepped to the screen and pointed to Moon.

"The Moon is a captive satellite of Earth, revolving around Earth the
same way Earth revolves around the sun. It's the same situation we have
here. This satellite is a captive of Tara, and Tara is a captive of
Alpha Centauri. The difference is that the satellite is a peanut
compared in size to the Moon, being only about fifteen miles in
diameter. I'm not sure, but I think I can get enough reactant energy out
of the _Space Devil's_ fuel supply to blast the satellite out of Tara's
grip and send it back to our solar system in one piece!"

"You mean, sir," asked Tom, perplexed, "you'll tear the satellite out of
Tara's gravitational pull?"

"That's right, Tom," replied Connel, "using the same principle to clear
gravity that we use on the _Polaris_ or any spaceship. Enough power from
the rockets will blast the _Polaris_ off Tara. Well, if you can get
enough power, you can blast this satellite out of Tara's grip also,
since the only thing holding it here is the gravity of Tara--the same
thing that holds the Moon in orbit around Earth!"

Astro's eyes bulged. He looked at Connel blankly. "Why, sir," he
stammered, "it'd take--take--a _ton_ of reactant fuel to pull something
that size away from Tara. The _Polaris_ is a kiddy car in comparison!"

"You're right, Astro," said Connel, "but there's one thing you've
forgotten. The copper of the satellite itself. That's going to be the
main source of power. The reactant fuel from the _Space