"But what?" asked Jeff.

"It's the way Vidac has suddenly--well, taken over around here. We're
supposed to be under the direct orders of Governor Hardy."

"Well, Vidac is Hardy's executive officer," said Jeff.

"Yeah," muttered Roger. "We're finding that out, the hard way."

"I still can't understand why Governor Hardy would make him lieutenant
governor, with his background," mused Tom.

Jeff grinned. "You three guys have been jockeying with so many space
crawlers since you came to the Academy, you're suspicious of everyone
you meet. I'm surprised you haven't decided that I'm an arch space
criminal myself!"

The three cadets smiled. Jeff Marshall was so gentle and mild, his
manner so quietly humorous, it was impossible to picture him as any kind
of a criminal.

During the few minutes they had left, they casually discussed the
chances of the senior space cadets against the enlisted guardsmen in a
forthcoming mercuryball game, and then went up to the forward
compartment of the _Polaris_, which served as a temporary observatory
for Professor Sykes.

The Chief Astrophysicist of Space Academy, Professor Barnard Sykes, was
a man of great talent and even greater temper. Referred to as Barney by
the cadet corps, he was held in high regard and downright fear. There