"Why didn't Governor Hardy do something?"

"I can't explain that," said Logan. "When we were forced to pay for our
food on the way out, we signed a petition and sent it to the governor.
But we never heard anything about it. Of course Vidac could have
intercepted it."

"Well, thank you, Mr. Logan," said Strong, getting up.

"Won't you stay for supper, Captain?" asked Jane.

"Yeah, please stay, sir," pleaded Billy. "I'd like to hear about your
trip out here all by yourself."

Strong laughed. "Some other time, Billy." He ruffled the lad's hair. "I
have to get back and see if the cadets are all right."

A few moments later Strong was speeding along the superhighway back
toward the city. There was only one thing on his mind--to get the cadets
out of the trap they were in. But it would be a hard job. Vidac had
witnesses against them. He mentally probed the situation further. Why
would Vidac abduct Professor Sykes? Surely not to frame the cadets. He
must have wanted to be rid of Sykes too. Sykes must have known
something. But what? Strong suddenly thought of the professor's
investigation of the landing disturbance. It could only have been the
result of radioactivity in a large mass. So the professor must have
discovered a large deposit of uranium. Strong's mind raced on. Sykes
would have taken the report to Vidac or Hardy, or both, and--