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"The major said it was a mistake anyone could make." "Yeah," flared Roger, "but have you seen the way he just talks?" "Talks?" asked Astro blankly. "Yeah, talks," said Roger. "No yelling, or blasting off, or handing out demerits like they were candy. Nothing! Why he hasn't even chewed Alfie out since we left Junior. He just sits in his quarters."
Connel, Tom, and Alfie were busy reducing the readings of the tests into recognizable copper ton estimates per square mile. Finally Connel turned around, wiped his brow, 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.
The escape time, combining orbital speeds of Tara and Junior, are completed, and we have six hours and fifty-five minutes before blast-off!" He turned and rumpled Alfie's hair. "Alfie and I have completed the communications unit and have tested it. Junior is ready to get his big kick in the pants!" Connel stood up. He was speechless. It was almost too much to believe.
"I believe," said Alfie emphatically, "that you're joshing me, Manning." "Now, whatever gave you that idea?" asked Roger in a hurt tone. "This is a serious situation, isn't it?" asked Alfie, looking at Astro. "It sure is, Alfie," said Astro soberly, "and I'm the first one to say I'm a little scared!" Alfie smiled.
"We'll be entering the atmosphere in a minute, Alfie," yelled Tom into the intercom. "Stand by to give range for touchdown." "Radar deck, aye," reported Alfie. "Range at present five hundred miles." "Power deck, check in!" yelled Tom. "Power deck, aye," returned Astro. "All set below?" asked Tom. "All set," said Astro. "Reduce thrust to minimum!" shouted Tom.
And as the train stopped, they two hurried into the compartment where O'Hara sat alone. "You, my friend?" said O'Hara to Frankl. "Large as life", replied Frankl: "I and the boy have already made it up between us for a third each: you a third, I a third, Alfie a third: that's fair; I keep the police off the backs of the pair of you, and you pay me a third. What's the figure?"
And soon Susan's little salary came to be depended upon by the family; it was not much, but it did pay a gas or a laundry bill, it could be "borrowed" for the slippers Georgie must have in a hurry, or the ticket that should carry Alfie to Sacramento or Stockton for his new job.
But Major Connel wasn't himself unless he had given every ounce of energy he had left, or the energy left in those around him. He patted Roger on the shoulder and spoke softly. "Roger, did I ever tell you that I think you have one of the finest brains for electronics I've ever seen? And that Alfie is sure to have a brilliant future in astrophysics?" Roger stammered. "Why ah thank you, sir "
Alfie sat back and waited, hands clasped around one knee. "In the first place," began Astro, "hyperdrive was developed by Joan Dale back at the Academy. And it's so blasted simple, I get mad at myself for not thinking of it first!" "Uhhh," snorted Alfie. "I respect your great talent on the power deck, Astro, but I would hardly compare myself with Dale!" "Shut up!" barked Astro.
"To the Space Devil," said the others together. "And whatever trouble she brings," added Roger softly. "Cadet Higgins!" Major Connel's voice roared over the ship's intercom as the giant rocket cruiser Polaris blasted smoothly through space. "Yes, sir," squeaked Alfie in reply. "Cadet Higgins," said Connel, "I thought I had requested a sight on the sun star Regulus at fifteen hundred hours!"
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