like monkeys out of their cages?"

Tom laughed and shook hands with the elderly spaceman. "Yes, sir," he
said. "But you could hardly call Astro a monkey!"

"More along the lines of a Venusian gorilla, if you ask me!" snorted
McKenny. The short, squat spaceman's eyes twinkled. "I've been hearing
some mighty fine things about you three space bongos, Tommy. It's a
wonder the Solar Guard didn't give you a unit citation for aiding in the
capture of Coxine, the pirate!"

"Thanks, Mike. Coming from you that compliment really means something!"

"Just be sure you keep those two space lunatics in their proper cages,"
said Mike, indicating Roger and Astro, who at the moment were racing
back and forth along the slidewalk bumping passengers left and right,
"and you'll all be heroes someday."

"Yes, sir," said Tom. He glanced up, and noticing that he was in front
of the Tower building, hopped to the walkway, waving a cheery good-by to
Mike. "Blast over to our mess and have dinner with us some night, Mike!"
he yelled to the departing figure.

"And interrupt the happiest hours in Astro's life?" bawled Mike. "No
thank you!"

Tom laughed and turned to the huge open doorway of the Tower where Roger
and Astro waited for him impatiently. In a few moments the three were
being carried to the upper floors of the crystal structure by a
spiraling band of moving plastic that stretched from the top of the