d Connel, eying the
blond-headed cadet speculatively, "is a very serious offense."

"I just happened to hear my name mentioned, sir," replied Roger with a
smile.

Connel turned back to Tom. "Go over that again, Tom."

"Well, sir," said Tom, "Junior's falling into the sun at a speed of
twenty-two miles a second right now. But we could still land a jet boat
on Junior, set up more nuclear explosions to blast him out of the sun's
grip, and send him on his way to our solar system. We wouldn't get as
much speed as before, but we'd still save the copper."

By this time, Astro and Shinny had joined the group and were standing
outside the door in the passageway, listening silently.

Connel tugged at his chin. "Let's see," he said, "if we could get back
to Tara in three days ..." He looked up at Astro. "Do you think you
could get us back in three days, Astro?"

"Major Connel, for another crack at Junior," roared the big Venusian,
"I'd get you back in a day and a half!"

"All right," said Connel. "That's one problem. But there are others."

"What, sir?" asked Tom.

"We have to prepare reactant fuses and we have to build new reactor
units. If we could do that--"

"If Astro can get us back," said Shinny, "and Roger and this smart young
feller here, Alfie, can make up some fuses, I'll build them there
units. After all, Astro showed me how once. I guess I can follow his
orders!"

"Good!" said Connel. "Now there is the element of time. How much time
would we need on Junior?" He looked at Tom.

"Let me answer this way, sir," said Tom. "We'd only have two hours to
plant the reaction charges and trigger them, but that should be enough."

"Why so close, Tom?" asked Roger.

"It has to be," answered Tom. "We know what the pull of the sun is, and
the power of the jet boat. When the sun's pull becomes greater than the
escape speed of the jet boat, the boat would never clear. It would keep
falling into the sun. I've based this figure on reaching Junior at the
last possible moment."

"It'd take at least five men to set up the five explosions we need,"
mused Connel. "That means one of us will have to stay on the _Polaris_."

There was an immediate and loud chorus of "Not me!" from everyone.

"All right," said Connel, "we'll draw numbers. One, two, three, four,
five, and six. The man who draws number six will stay with the
_Polaris_. All right?"

"Yes, sir," said Tom, glancing around. "We agree to that."

Connel went to his