you about giving them a two-weeks' leave, and it
completely slipped my mind!"

"It's a good thing it did," said Walters. "I've had these boys doing
some important work and I'll have even more need for them now. Come
here, boys. I want you to look at something." He waved them around his
desk and pointed to the blueprint on his desk. Tom, Roger, and Astro
gasped. It was the plan for a large city.

"That will be the first settlement on Roald," said Walters. "You boys
will be remembered for a long time to come." He looked up at the
governor and winked.

"How is that, sir?" asked Tom.

Walters placed his finger on the many intersecting lines in the
blueprint that designated streets. "Each of these streets, avenues,
roads, and expressways will be named after a member of the first
colonial expedition to Roald. Your names will be among them."

"Ours!" exclaimed Tom. "Does that mean that--"

"I've been talking to Governor Hardy," Walters continued casually. "He
tells me you've done a fine job. I think a tour of duty as cadet
observers on Roald will just about round out your training."

The three boys looked at each other, eyes wide with surprise and
pleasure.

"We'll actually go with the colonists?" asked Astro.

"That's right, Cadet Astro," said Walters. "And I'm sorry that I can't
give you more than a twenty-four-hour pass. But time is very short."

"Twenty-four hours will be fine, sir," said Tom. "And we appreciate your
giving us the opportunity to go to Roald."

"It won't be easy, Corbett," cautioned Walters. "You'll have to work
harder than you've worked before. You'll have to maintain your studies
and I'll expect you to send back a report every month." He turned to
Governor Hardy. "Do you have anything to add, sir?"

"Not a thing, Commander," replied Hardy. "I've worked with these boys
for weeks and I know what to expect of them. I know I can depend on them
to take orders."

"All right," said Walters, turning to the cadets. "Go to Atom City and
have yourself a good time. Report back to the Academy tomorrow at
eighteen hundred hours. Unit dismissed!"

The three cadets saluted and left the room. In the corridor they slumped
against the wall.

"That," announced Roger, "is as close as I ever want to come to getting
a rocket shell in the side of the head."

"You can say that again, spaceboy," sighed Astro.

"Just think what would have happened if we'd opened our mouths about
Vidac!"

"Come on," said Tom.