"Come on," said Tom. "We've got to get to the _Polaris!_"

The three boys turned away and hurried from the farm. In a few minutes,
after scrambling to the top of the nearest hill, they turned back to
look down on the farmhouse and saw Jeff escorting Jane to his car.

"So far so good," said Tom. "Let's go."

They walked off and were soon lost in the tangle of scrub grass and dry
gullies, their destination the _Polaris_ and the solution to the mystery
of Professor Sykes's disappearance.




CHAPTER 19


Strong's plan to follow Vidac in order to locate Hardy had paid off.
While Vidac and Bush were rounding up citizens of Roald City and sending
them out to search for the Space Cadets, the Solar Guard captain had
checked the frequency setting on the communicator in the lieutenant
governor's jet car. Then hiding in Professor Sykes's laboratory, Strong
tuned the lab communicator to the same frequency and waited. He knew he
was taking a chance. Vidac might not contact the governor on that
setting if he contacted the governor at all, but there was no other way
at the moment. Strong waited three hours before hearing the click of
Vidac's communicator on the laboratory speaker.

"Able One to Able Two. Can you hear me, Able Two? Come in, Able Two!"