the control deck. After preparing a hasty cup of tea, they sat about the
table silently, each thinking about the long trip ahead of them and the
difficulties they were sure to encounter with Vidac. They all three
jumped when Jeff Marshall, Professor Sykes's aide, entered and boomed a
cheerful greeting.

"Hi, fellas!"

"Hiya," muttered Tom. Astro and Roger merely nodded.

"Say!" cried Jeff, his usually cheerful face showing concern. "What's
the matter with you three guys? You look as though someone told you
there isn't any Moon!"

"Worse than that," said Roger. "Vidac just assigned us to work with
Professor Sykes on charting the new space regions."

Jeff smiled. "Nothing wrong with that. The old professor isn't so bad.
He sounds worse than he really is."

"Listen," growled Astro, "you don't have to tell me what Professor Sykes
is like. I had a class with him at the Academy. That guy is so sour,
vinegar is sweet by comparison."

Astro's outburst was said with such fierce conviction that Tom, Roger,
and Jeff burst out laughing.

"It isn't that we mind working with Professor Sykes," said Tom. "He's a
real brain and we could learn a lot from him, but--"