did not see this ship right
away. First, he was introduced to all the other members of the crew, and
given a mass of papers to study which outlined the basic means of the
new space drive, and which detailed the opinions and suggestions of
various experts as to methods of procedure and courses of action. He was
subjected to various space medical tests to determine his reactions
under differing pressures and gravities. Although it proved a strenuous
and exhausting routine, he emerged from the tests with flying colors.

The expedition was commanded, as he had known, by Colonel Lockhart who
would also act as chief pilot. The famous military flier proved to be a
forceful personality with a great skill at handling people. He knew how
to get the most out of each man.

Russell Clyde was the chief astrogator and astronomical expert.
Assisting him was the rather pedantic and sober Samuel Oberfield, a
mathematical wizard and astrophysicist, on leave from an assistant
professorship at one of the great universities. Clyde and Oberfield
would also act as copilots relieving Lockhart.

Harvey Caton, blond Jurgen Detmar, and the jovial Frank Shea were the
three-man engineering crew. Completing the members of the expedition was
another trio chosen to act as general crew, medical and commissary men
while in flight, and as a trained explorer-fighter unit while on
planetside. Roy Haines, of whose exploits in Africa and the jungles of
South America Burl Denning had heard, was the first of these, a rugged,
weather-beaten, but astonishingly alert explorer. Captain Edgar Boulton,
on leave from the United States Marines, was the second--a man who had
made an impressive record in various combat actions in his country's
service. The Antarctic explorer, Leon Ferrati, completed the listing.
Ferrati was an expert on getting along in conditions of extreme
frigidity and hostile climates. Of these men, only Lockhart, Clyde,
Detmar and Ferrati had had space experience in the platforms and in
Moon-rocketry.

It was still, thought Burl, a large crew for a spaceship. No rocket
built to date had ever been able to carry such a load. But by then he
had realized that the strict weight limitation imposed by rocket fuels
no longer applied to this new method of space flight. Burl found himself
more and more anxious to see this wonderful craft.

It was not until the morning of the second day that Burl's chance came.
He had fallen asleep on the stiff army cot i