"They don't act as though there's anyone around but themselves," said
Roger. "But I don't know--"

"I thought I saw a curtain move at that window on the left a while ago,"
commented Astro, "and all three of them were outside."

"Probably a breeze," said Tom. "You cut over to the right, Astro. I'll
go straight in, and you take the left, Roger. That way, if anything
goes wrong, one or two of us might get away."

"All set?" asked Roger.

"Ready," nodded Astro.

"Let's go."

The three boys separated, and a moment later, when his unit mates were
in position, Tom stood up and walked across the clearing, exposing
himself to the house. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Astro and
Roger moving in on the left and right. Billy was working in the front
yard with his father, mixing chemicals. Jane was standing by the doorway
of the house digging in a bed of flowers. Tom continued to walk right
through the front yard and was only ten feet away from Billy before the
youngster looked up.

"Tom!"

Logan turned and saw the cadet walking toward him. He stared. After a
night scrambling around the hills, Tom looked as if he had been
shoveling coal.