"Hello, Mr. Logan," greeted Tom with a big smile.

"Well, hello, Corbett," Logan replied. "Didn't know you were aboard
Number Twelve."

"We're not assigned to her, sir," replied Tom. "We're just making an
inspection for the lieutenant governor. How do you like the way she's
being run?"

Logan's endorsement was immediate. "Just fine, Corbett. This ship is
almost a colony in itself."

"Yeah, including school," chimed in Billy sourly. The three cadets
laughed. Then the boy grinned and stuck a finger gently into Roger's
stomach. "She ain't here, Cadet Manning. My sister is teaching
kindergarten right now."

"Be quiet, Billy!" barked his father.

Roger's face turned a slow red while Tom and Astro grinned. After a few
more words, the three cadets again headed for the jet-boat deck.

"That Billy will make a fine radarman someday," drawled Astro.

"How do you figure that, Astro?" asked Tom.

"Did you see the way he spotted Roger's roving eye looking for his
pretty sister? Why, in ten years, he'll be picking up asteroids the same
way."