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It caromed off at a crazy angle, wobbling in its flight as the mercury within rolled from side to side. Swift, of the Arcturus crew, reached the ball first and sent it sailing at an angle over Tom's head to bounce thirty feet away. Seeing Astro charge the ball, Tom threw a block on Allen to knock him out of the play.

The three boys entered the one-room building cautiously. The floor was covered with sand, and sand was piled in heaping drifts in front of the open windows and door. "Nothing not a thing," said Roger disgustedly. "This place must be at least a hundred and fifty years old." "Probably built by a miner," commented Tom. "What do you mean 'nothing'?" said Astro. "Look!"

"That's as tight as I can get it," he said, breathing heavily. "Or anyone else," said Tom. "All the valve connections broken?" asked Astro. "Yep," replied Roger. "We're sealed tight." "That's it, then," said Tom. "Let's get to the control deck and start blasting!" Astro turned to the power-deck control board and checked the gauges for the last time.

Astro turned around slowly, looking at each of the men individually. "I promise you," he said slowly, "the first man who lays a whip on me will die." "And who, pray, will do the killing?" snorted a short, stout figure in the darkest of the green uniforms. "You? Hardly!" "If it isn't me" Astro turned to face the man "it will be any one of a thousand Space Cadets."

It couldn't last much longer, thought Astro, as he called time for the beginning of the thirteenth round. Roger quickened his pace, dancing in and out, trying to move in under Tom's lefts, but suddenly Tom caught him with a right hand that was cocked and ready. It staggered him and he fell back, covering up. Tom pressed his advantage, showering rights and lefts everywhere he could find an opening.

"Well," said Walters, turning to Hardy, "no sense in beginning without Steve. Only have to repeat yourself." He turned to Astro but not before he saw a grimace of annoyance cloud the governor's face. "How are you making out with your classroom studies, Astro?" "Uh ah " stammered the giant Venusian, "I'm doing all right, sir," he managed finally. Walters suppressed a smile and turned to Hardy.

"There's only one thing that bothers me now." "What's that?" asked Astro. "Professor Sykes," he said. "We've been so worried about our own necks, we've forgotten about him." "Well," said Astro, "what about him?" "What really happened to him," mused Roger, "and why?" "I wish I knew," said Tom. "But I'll bet Vidac knows." "Sure," agreed Roger. "But I still say why and what?"

"Let's move it back about a foot and a half," said Tom. "That'll give us plenty of room to get through and see what's on the other side." Astro and Roger nodded in agreement. Once more the three boys exerted their strength against the pipe and applied pressure to the hatch. Slowly, grudgingly it moved back, until there was an eighteen-inch opening, exposing a solid wall of the desert sand.

"Only because Tom took over when he got cold feet," chimed in Astro. "Yeah," agreed Roger. "But the others couldn't do it. They just splashed in." "And there hasn't been any explanation of why the instruments went out?" "I haven't heard any, sir," said Astro. "Professor Sykes started out right after we landed to investigate the satellite, but I never heard anything more about it.

"How much time do we have, Roger?" "Get set down there. Only another ten seconds and Devers will be right on our bow." "On the ball, Tom!" ordered Connel. "Ready, sir." The seconds ticked by slowly. One two three four Beads of sweat appeared on Connel's brow. Astro clenched and unclenched his fists. Hemmingwell closed his eyes calmly and waited.