small for the massed flight of spaceships to maneuver safely. Now after
the many hours of concentration the boys were tired and more than
willing to return to the fleet.

"Time's up," Tom finally announced. "Plot a course back to the
_Polaris_, Roger. Stand by for a course change, Astro. We're heading
home!"

Tom's remark about heading "home" went unnoticed, since the three cadets
had long since thought of the giant rocket cruiser as being their home,
more than Space Academy or their real homes with their families.

After making contact with the _Polaris_, Roger quickly plotted an
intersecting course that would put them alongside the command ship of
the fleet in a few hours. Then, safely out of the dangerous cluster of
flying meteors and asteroids, the three cadets gathered on the control
deck and relaxed for the first time since the beginning of their
scouting trip. They discussed their chances of contacting Space Academy
with the communications set they had left hidden in the storeroom.

"How far did you get with the tube, Astro?" asked Roger.

"You'll be able to send out a message four hours after we get back,"
replied Astro between bites of sandwich.

"Too bad we don't have the tube with us," said Tom. "Now that we're
alone we could vacuumize it without worrying about Vidac."

"I've already tried to make another one here," said Astro. "But these
scouts don't have any kind of tools or equipment. We'll have to wait