joy ride. I expect you to find a way through that cluster. You have
enough time to explore the greater part of it."

"But you said forty-one hours, sir," retorted Tom.

"That's plenty of time if you travel at full space speed."

"Full thrust!" exploded Roger. "In an unknown asteroid cluster? Why, the
odds are better than a thousand to one that we'll be ripped open by a
space rock. The best we can do is one-quarter space speed."

"You'll open those jets wide or you'll spend the rest of the trip to
Roald in the brig and I'll send a report back to the Academy on your
cowardice!" Vidac paused, then added quietly, "Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, sir," said Tom, tight-lipped. "You make yourself perfectly
clear!"




CHAPTER 9


"Do you think it will be safe there?" asked Roger, as he watched Tom and
Astro push the half-completed communications set under a workbench
behind several large cartons.

"As safe as any place," replied Tom. "If Vidac has any idea we're
building it, we could hide it any place and he'd find it. So, as the