e at intervals of six feet.

The boat settled to the asteroid, and a new voice called over the helmet
circuit, "Where's Foster? Show an exhaust! We're in a rush."

"Yes, sir."

He hurried to the boat and stood there, bewildered. He didn't know how to
get in.

"Up here," the voice called. He looked up and saw a hatch. He jumped, and
a space-suited figure pulled him inside. The door shut, and the boat
blasted off. Acceleration shoved him backward, but the spaceman snapped a
line to his belt, then motioned him to a seat. Rip pulled himself up the
line and got into the seat, snapping the harness in place.

"I'm Hawkins, senior space officer," the spaceman said. "Welcome, Foster.
We've been losing weight wondering if we'd get here in time."

"I was never so glad to see spacemen in my life," Rip said truthfully.
"What kind of craft is this, sir?"

"Experimental," the space officer answered. "It has a number, but we call
it the ball-bat because it's shaped like a ball and goes like a bat. We
were about to take off for some test runs around the space platform when
we got a hurry call to come here. The _Aquila_ has two of these. If they
prove out, they'll replace the snapper-boats. More power, greater
maneuverability, heavier weapons, and they carry more men."

Rip looked out through the port and saw the two Federation cruisers
closing in on the Connie. Apparently the Connie commander had agreed
to let the cruisers come alongside.

The ball-bat blasted to the _Aquila_, paused at an open port, then slid
inside. The valve was shut before Rip could unbuckle his harness. Air
flooded into the chamber, and the lights flicked on. The space officer
gave Rip a hand out of the harness, and the young Planeteer went through
the hatch to the deck.

The inner valve opened, and a lean, sandy-haired officer in space blue,
with the insignia of a commander, stepped through. Grinning, he hurried
to Rip's side and twisted his bubble, lifting it off.

"Hurry, lad," he greeted Rip. "I'm MacFife. Get out of that suit quick,
because ye don't want to miss what's aboot to happen." With his own hands
he unlocked the complicated belt with its gadgets and equipment.

Rip slipped the upper part over his head and stepped out of the bottom.
"Thanks, Commander. I'm one grateful Planeteer, believe me!"

"Come on. We'll hurry right across ship to the opposite valve. Lad,
I've a son in the Planeteers, and he's just about your own age. He's
on Ganyme