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She had "asked" all her life long; for patience, for truthfulness, for "final perseverance," for help for Virginia's eyes and Auntie's business and Alfie's intemperance, for the protection of this widow, the conversion of that friend, "the speedy recovery or happy death" of some person dangerously ill.
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.
Of Alfie the report was equally discouraging: "Alfie's wife is perfectly awful," his sister said, "and their friends, Sue, barbers and butchers! However, Ma's asked 'em here for Christmas dinner, and then you'll see them!" Virginia was still at the institution, but of late some hope of eventual restoration of her sight had been given her.
Tom and Astro, who could hear the conversation over the intercom, were finding it very difficult to keep from laughing out loud at the innocence of Alfie and the outraged wrath of Major Connel. Tom, particularly, had discovered that Alfie's innocent refusal to be bullied by Connel had made the time pass more quickly on the long haul through deep space.
"And," said Connel, shaking a finger in Alfie's face, "and if there is one more just one more brazen, flagrant disregard of my specific orders, then, Cadet Higgins, I promise you the most miserable trip back to Earth you will ever know in your entire career! I promise you I'll make you sweat! I'll I'll " Connel stopped short and shuddered. Alfie's owl-eyed look of innocence seemed to unnerve him.
A hatch clanked behind them, and Alfie stepped into the control deck to snap to his version of attention. "Cadet Higgins reporting, sir," he said quietly. Connel stepped in front of him, placed his hands on his hips, and bent slightly, pushing his face almost into Alfie's.
"Alfie's busy with a special scanner, sir, one that's especially sensitive to copper. Since the sun is composed mostly of gas, with this filter only Junior will show up on the screen." "By the rings of Saturn," exclaimed Connel, "you mean to tell me that Alfie Higgins is building a new radar scanner, just like that?" "Why, yes, sir," answered Roger innocently. "Is there something wrong with that?"
How much they realized of Alfie's deficiencies, how important the matter seemed to them, even Susan could not guess Mrs. Lancaster majestically forbade any discussion of Alfie. "Many a boy has his little weakness in early youth," she said, "Alfie will come out all right!" She had the same visionary optimism in regarding her daughters' futures.
Roger grunted in appreciation of the way Astro had treated Alfie's fears and turned back to the loading of the fuel. Major Connel walked over and watched them transfer the last of the fuel into the tanks. "How much have you got there, Astro?" he asked. "I'd say enough to sustain flight for about three hours, sir. Considering we'll have such a big load." "Ummmmh," mused Connel.
If you opened one of those boxes, you'd be fried immediately by the radiation!" "Alfie's right," said Connel. "There's nothing to do but wait." Major Connel turned his face up as far as he could in the huge fish-bowl helmet to stare at the sky. His eyes wandered from star cluster to star cluster, from glowing Regulus, to bright and powerful Sirius. He stifled a sigh.
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