They hiked to the recreation hall and got cokes from the automatic
dispenser. Rick set his thoughts in order.

"I'm not so sure about Mac and Pancho. They were at Careless Mesa this
morning. At least I'm certain Mac was, because I heard his voice when he
checked in by radio. And probably Pancho was, too, because it takes two
men to handle a radar unit. One of them might have been able to sabotage
a rocket, although I doubt it, but how could they take advantage of the
confusion to steal the transistors when they're not even on the base?"

Scotty finished his coke and banged the bottle on the table for
emphasis. "Okay. They couldn't. But why are you so sure they couldn't
sabotage a rocket?"

"I'm not sure," Rick replied. "But now that I've seen how the base
works, it seems to me that only someone who works on the rockets could
sabotage one."

"Careful," Scotty said with a groan. "You're dumping the only suspects
we have."

Rick grinned ruefully. "I know it. Anyway, we have to keep moving, even
if it means starting all over again. So let's start at Steamboat."

"Okay. And just for the fun of it, I'll check the vehicle board. It
won't hurt to know how much time Mac and Pancho have spent off the base
in their truck. Suppose I gas up the jeep and meet you at the barracks?"

"I'll check out with Pegasus. Will you have any trouble?"

"No. Everything just about closes down the day of a shoot. I'll be there
in ten minutes."

The boys parted at the door of the recreation hall and Rick started back
to the barracks. As he passed the main administrative building, John
Gordon fell in step.

"If I knew you two, I'd be mighty proud of both of you," the scientist
said whimsically. "You for the job you did with Gee-Gee last night, and
Scotty for pulling that fireman out this morning."

Rick smiled his thanks. "Anything new?"

"Not so far. Tom Preston is having the warehouses checked, just in case.
But it's a terrific job going through an inventory item by item."

"Can you find out if the clerks leave the warehouses during a shoot?"
Rick asked.

"Tom has already gone to work on that. I'll find a way to let you know.
Keep in touch, Rick."

Rick continued on to the barracks, mind churning with confused thoughts.
If only they had a few hard facts to work on! There wasn't a single
definite clue to anyone. And, after last night, how could he suspect any
of the dedicated, hard-working rocketeers? Impossible to imagine that