er?"

"Yeah, the space between the rocket tubes and the hull of the ship. It
was when we were putting in the new tube. So what?"

"So this!" said Tom. "When they converted this tub, they had standard
exhausts, so it must have the same layout as the _Polaris_. Suppose I
climb in the main exhaust, between the tube and the outer hull, and cut
away the cleats that hold the tube to the ship?"

"Why, then everything would come out in one piece!" Astro's face lit up.
"Reactant mass, tube, control box--the works!"

"Say, what are you two guys talking about?" asked Roger.

"Saving a ship, Roger," said Tom. "Dumping the whole assembly of the
number-three rocket!"

"Ah--you're space happy!"

"Maybe," said Tom, "but I think it's worth trying. How about it, Astro?"

"O.K. by me, Tom," replied Astro.

"Good. You get the cutting torches rigged, Astro. Roger, you give him a
hand and keep your eye on the counter. Then feed the torches to me when
I get inside the tube. I'm going outside to get rid of a bad rocket and
save a five-million-credit spaceship!"

Before Astro or Roger could protest, Tom opened the hatch and began to
climb out on the steel hull toward the rocket tubes, main exhaust.

His magnetic-soled shoes gripping the smooth steel hull, the cadet made
his way aft to the stern of the ship and began the climb down around the
huge firing tubes and into the tubes themselves.

"Hey, Astro," he yelled into the spacephone, "I'm inside the tubes. How
about those torches?" The cadets had adjusted the wave length so that
all could hear what was said.

"Take it easy, spaceboy," said Roger, "I'm leaving the hatch now. You
and your fatheaded friend from Venus are so hopped up for getting a
Solar Medal--"

"Knock it off, Manning!" said Astro from inside the ship. "And for your
information, I don't want a medal. I don't want anything except for you
to stop griping!"

Roger reached the end of the ship and began to climb down inside the
tube where Tom was waiting for him.

"O.K., spaceboy," said Roger, "here're your cutting torches." He started
moving back. "I'll see you around. I don't mind being a little hero for
saving people and all that stuff. But not for any ship. And the odds
against a big hero staying alive are too big!"

"Roger, wait," shouted Tom. "I'll need...." And then the curly-headed
cadet clamped his teeth together and turned back to the task at hand.

He made adjustments on the nozzle of the cutting torc