The whistle blew for the next goal, and again the three boys moved
forward to meet the onrushing _Capella_ unit.

Richards blocked Astro with a twist of his body, and without stopping
his forward motion, kicked the ball squarely toward the goal. It stopped
ten feet short, took a dizzying spin and rolled away from the goal line.
In a flash, the six boys were around the ball, blocking, shoving, and
yelling instructions to each other while at the same time kicking at the
unsteady ball. With each grazing kick, the ball went into even more
maddening spins and gyrations.

At last Richards caught it with the side of his foot, flipped it to
McAvoy who dropped back, and with twenty feet between him and the
nearest _Polaris_ member, calmly booted it over the goal. The whistle
blew ending the first period, and the _Capella_ unit led two to one.

During the next three periods, the _Capella_ unit worked like a
well-oiled machine. Richards passed to Davison or McAvoy, and when they
were too well guarded, played brilliantly alone. The _Polaris_ unit, on
the other hand, appeared to be hopelessly outclassed. Tom and Astro
fought like demons but Roger's lack of interest gave the _Capella_ unit
the edge in play. At the end of the fourth period, the _Capella_ team
led by three points, seven to four.

While the boys rested before the fifth and final period, Captain Strong,
having watched the play with keen interest, realized that Roger was not
playing up to his fullest capabilities. Suddenly he summoned a near-by
Earthworm cadet, scribbled a message on a slip of paper and instructed
the cadet to take it directly to Roger.

"Orders from the coach on the side lines?" asked Wolcheck as he noticed
Strong's action.

"You might call it that, Charlie," answered Steve blandly.

On the field, the cadet messenger handed Roger the slip of paper, not
mentioning that it was from Strong, and hurried back to the stands.

"Getting fan mail already?" asked Astro.

Roger ignored the comment and opened the slip of paper to read:

" ... It might interest you to know that the winning team of the
mercuryball finals is to be awarded a first prize of three days' liberty
in Atom City...." There was no signature.

Roger stared up into the stands and searched vainly for some indication
of the person who might have sent him the note. The crowd hushed as
McKenny stepped forward for the starting of the last period.

"What was in the note, Roger?" asked Tom.