conditions could have been reported
by teleceiver. But they were glad to get away from Vidac and Professor
Sykes if only for a little while.

Holding the small vessel at full throttle, Tom settled back and pointed
out several of the large star clusters in the clear airless void of
space around them. Andromeda Galaxy whirled above them like a
Fourth-of-July pin wheel. And the sun stars of Regulus, Sirius, and the
Seven Sisters sparkled like diamonds on black velvet.

"Think we'll ever reach those babies?" mused Tom in a quiet voice.

"We're on the first step right now with this expedition," replied Astro.

"A short step," commented Roger. "To us Wolf 359 is a long way off, but
when you stack it up against the distance to Regulus, for instance, it's
just an inch."

"I'd sure like to go to Regulus," said Astro.

"So would I," snorted Roger. "But we'd probably wind up with a space
crawler like Vidac for a skipper. That you can have!"

Nearing the first stop in their tour, Tom signaled ahead to Number
Twelve to be taken aboard. He waited for the outer portal of the ship's
air lock to be opened and then sent his tiny spacecraft into a shallow
dive, applying his braking jets expertly to bring it to a dead stop
inside the jet-boat deck of the converted space liner. The outer portal
slid closed and a moment later the air pressure on the deck had been
built up enough for them to remove their space helmets.

As they climbed out of the jet boat, the inner air-lock portal slid open
and Tad Winters, the civilian captain of the liner, appeared. There was
a scowl on his face and he made no attempt to hide his annoyance.

"Whose idea was this to come snooping around while we're in flight?" he
snarled.

Astro bristled and stepped forward, towering over the smaller spaceman.
"If we had anything to say about it, Mr. Winters, your company would be
the last we'd want!"

Winters glanced at Tom and Roger who stood to one side silently, their
faces grim.

Tom stepped forward. "Vidac sent us, Winters. We're here to check the
departments and see that everything is in order."

"Vidac, eh?" sneered Winters. "What's the matter? Can't he do it
himself, instead of sending a bunch of space squirts?"

[Illustration]

"The lieutenant governor is busy," said Roger sarcastically. "Very busy,
in fact."

"Doing what?" asked Winters.

"Trying to keep the rest of his space rats in line!" snapped Roger.

"Listen, you!" growled Winters, ta