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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..239ff0f --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #53456 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/53456) diff --git a/old/53456-0.txt b/old/53456-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 1ac57c0..0000000 --- a/old/53456-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,3830 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Young Readers Science Fiction Stories, by -Richard Mace Elam - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: Young Readers Science Fiction Stories - -Author: Richard Mace Elam - -Illustrator: Victor Prezio - -Release Date: November 5, 2016 [EBook #53456] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK YOUNG READERS SCIENCE FICTION *** - - - - -Produced by Stephen Hutcheson, MFR and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - - - - - YOUNG READERS - Science Fiction Stories - - - By RICHARD M. ELAM - - ILLUSTRATED BY - VICTOR PREZIO - - _Publishers_ GROSSET & DUNLAP, INC. _New York_ - - © 1957 by - LANTERN PRESS, INC. - By arrangement with Lantern Press, Inc. - - PUBLISHED SIMULTANEOUSLY IN CANADA BY - GEORGE J. MC LEOD, LIMITED, TORONTO, ONTARIO - MANUFACTURED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - - - TO - THE YOUNG TRAVELERS - OF TOMORROW - - - - - _CONTENTS_ - - - _Beth and the Twilight Star_ 13 - _Gib Takes a Space Test_ 28 - _The Space Mail Run_ 39 - _All Aboard for Space_ 55 - _Wheel in the Sky_ 69 - _Danger on the Ice Canal_ 83 - _Cargo for Callisto_ 95 - _The Big Show on Titan_ 107 - _Adventure on the Sun’s Doorstep_ 119 - _The Flying Mountain_ 132 - _Castaways in Space_ 144 - _The Big Space Ball Game_ 158 - _Paper Treasure for Mars_ 171 - - - - - _ILLUSTRATIONS_ - - - She saw a strange land unfolding before her eyes 22 - Everyone was told to buckle himself to the rail by a short - length of cord 62 - The tornado bomb was on its way, speeding hundreds of miles a - second Earthward 81 - He saw her flinging her arms and legs about like a drowning - swimmer 128 - Benasco was seated on the floor like a child with a new - scrapbook 187 - - - - - YOUNG READERS - Science Fiction Stories - - - - - _BETH AND THE TWILIGHT STAR_ - - -Beth Harrison and her father had driven into the desert to look for dead -branches of “jumping cactus,” which were used in making lamps for Mr. -Harrison’s tourist shop in Tucson. He and Beth had just gotten out of -the station wagon and were gazing up a slope of bristly cacti. - -“This looks like a good place, Daddy,” Beth said. - -Mr. Harrison nodded. “We’ll have to hurry, though. It’s getting late.” - -They started up the sandy slope carrying straw market bags that would -hold their gleanings. - -“Maybe we’ll see some Flying Saucers,” Beth said half-jokingly. “Someone -thought he saw one out here the other day.” - -Her father grinned. “Flying Saucers indeed! You and that lively -imagination of yours, Beth!” - -They set to work searching for dead branches. They found a few good -specimens. But they were not enough to suit Beth and she decided to -broaden the search. She went over the slope and up and down another, and -before long her roaming carried her out of sight of her father. - -Amidst the stunning colors of the sunset, Beth could make out a lone -star—Sirius—the brightest true star in all the sky. It reminded her of a -pearl glowing in the heavens. - -Presently Beth had a bag full of cactus wood for the lamp shop. She was -about to return to her father when suddenly she saw something ahead that -she had not noticed before. Almost hidden within a dense thicket of -smoky green _paloverde_ was a shiny surface that reflected the dying -sun’s rays. Her imagination stirred, Beth decided to investigate. - -She put down her bag and made her way into the thicket. As she moved -carefully through the thorns, she found some of the branches pushed -aside as if someone had used this path before. She was almost through -when she tripped and fell head-first. Her forehead bumped against an -unyielding branch, causing her to see more than one star this time. - -She didn’t know how long she lay on the ground half-stunned before she -got to her feet. There was a painful bruise on her forehead, but her -curiosity was still strong and she went on. The shiny surface turned out -to be a wall as smooth and glossy as steel. - -“Jeepers!” Beth thought. “What can it be?” - -She reached out to touch the wall. Before she could do so, a door opened -in the wall. - -The first thing she noticed beyond was a soft yellow light filling a -handsome room. Feeling like Alice on the threshold of Wonderland, she -stepped inside, more thrilled than afraid. - -She heard a sighing behind her and saw the door closing shut. Only then -did she become frightened. She beat against the wall, wishing that she -had not been so rash as to venture into such a strange place. - -She heard a voice say, “That will not help.” - -Beth turned and saw a girl of about her own age standing on a -richly-carpeted platform across the room. The odd unearthliness of the -girl struck Beth immediately. She was pretty and her skin was milky -white. Her costume seemed to be of a blue phosphorescent material, as -did her shoes. Her short hair was almost as red as glowing coals. - -“Wh—who are you?” Beth stammered. - -“I am Linnia,” the girl replied in a voice that sounded almost as if she -were singing. “You are Beth.” - -“Yes,” Beth replied in amazement, “but how did you—?” - -“I can read your mind.” - -Beth gulped. “You can?” - -“Come over and sit down,” Linnia said. “We shall talk.” - -She sat in a nearby chair that seemed to be made of steel matchsticks, -it looked so frail. Beth sat in the chair opposite and found that it was -very sturdy. - -“You are thinking that I look very strange to you,” Linnia said. “You -seem strange to me too, but that is because we are of different worlds.” - -Beth gulped again. “D—different worlds?” - -Suddenly the yellow light in the room changed to a pulsing orange. -Linnia straightened up quickly. “That is the signal,” she spoke. “I did -not expect it so soon. We must hurry and prepare ourselves!” - -Beth started asking questions, but Linnia said not now. Beth found -herself following the girl across the room to a row of couches. Beth lay -down on one and somehow knew exactly what she was to do. She guessed -that Linnia was putting the thoughts into her head. She lifted the -straps that hung at the sides and buckled them across her body. - -The couch was soft as a cloud and Beth was thinking how much she would -like to have a bed like this when all at once she felt herself sinking -deeply into the cushion as if a great hand were thrusting her down. For -several moments she was as giddy as if she were riding the -roller-coaster at the carnival. Then finally her breath came back and -she felt herself rise to the top of the cushion again. - -“We can get up,” she heard Linnia say. “We’re coasting now.” - -They unbuckled their straps and rose to their feet. Linnia walked over -to the wall, pressed a button, and a blind rolled back, revealing a long -window. - -“Look,” Linnia said. - -Beth joined her and looked out the window. Her heart fairly rose into -her throat. She was up in the sky, far up in the sky! Through a veil of -clouds beneath she could see the curve of the earth itself! - -Beth seized Linnia by the arm. “Jeepers, what’s going on! Where are you -taking me?” - -Linnia pointed to the white beacon of Sirius in the blue-black sky. - -“You’re from Sirius?” Beth asked in amazement. - -“Yes, from Tata Moori, one of its planets. Our work on earth is through -for right now and my father and I are returning home to make a report.” - -Linnia went on to say that her father’s space ship was only one of many -which were studying the earth to see how the people here lived. Her -father’s assignment had been to make an analysis of the soil. The -visitors intended no harm and in time they planned to meet the people of -earth face to face. - -“Well, I have already met you,” Beth said boldly, “and I’m ready to go -back!” - -Linnia shook her flame-topped head. “We tried to keep our ship hidden, -but you found it, Beth, and so there is nothing to do but take you back -with us for awhile. When you came close, the electric eye opened the -door and let you inside before it was time for any earth person to see -one of our ships.” - -“But my father and mother,” Beth said desperately, “and my friends! -They’ll be worried to death! You must not take me, Linnia! Please, isn’t -there something you can do?” - -Linnia studied Beth’s pleading face. Then she replied, “I’ll talk to my -father. He’s busy running the ship, but I’ll do what I can for you. -While I’m gone, you can see what it’s like on our world by pushing the -button on that cabinet against the wall. Father and I look at the film -sometimes to keep from getting homesick.” - -Beth was in no mood for looking at pictures. She was feeling worse by -the minute as she considered what it would be like to be parted from her -family and friends. As she sat in the chair, dreading and wondering, -suddenly it became too much for her and she began to cry. - -“Jeepers, why did I ever wander off from Daddy?” she moaned. - -The tears made her feel better and presently she was calm enough to go -over to the cabinet and turn it on. A large screen brightened and she -saw a strange land unfolding before her eyes. - -There were winding highways raised into the sky and skyscrapers like -tall crystal columns. She saw motorcars of tear-drop design and -helicopters filling the air. The people looked much like Linnia, with -phosphorescent clothing, and all had hair as flaming red as Linnia’s -own. - -[Illustration: _She saw a strange land unfolding before her eyes_] - -Yes, Tata Moori looked like an exciting place to visit, but it was not a -visit Beth would want to make without another person from her own -planet. As she thought about her predicament, she began to be scared -again and the tears filled her eyes once more. Why, Sirius was -_trillions_ of miles from Earth! - -She went to the window. The dwindling earth was becoming a green ball -against the black deeps of space. The stars were dazzling and seemed as -countless as the sands of the seashore. The view made Beth terribly -homesick. - -Finally Linnia returned. - -Beth looked at her anxiously, trying to read her fate in the foreign -girl’s eyes. - -“What did your father say?” Beth asked, with fluttering heart. “Did he -say he’d take me back? Please tell me he did!” - -Linnia smiled. “Yes, Beth. He said that we are not supposed to take -younger persons to Tata Moori. He was angry with me for not telling him -you were aboard, but I told him you came in just before we blasted off.” - -“Gee, I’m so relieved!” Beth said happily. “I don’t mean I wouldn’t like -your company, Linnia, but you know how it is.” - -“Yes, I know,” Linnia replied wistfully. “I have missed my mother and -friends too. I had to take my brother’s place on this trip when he -became sick. You see, everyone on Tata Moori learns science when they -are very young.” - -“I’ve been wondering how it is that you speak English, Linnia.” - -“We keep tuned in on your radio and television,” Linnia answered. -“That’s how we learned your language and so many other things about -you.” - -“You people seem to be ahead of us in progress,” Beth said. “I believe -there is much we can learn from you.” - -“We can learn much from you too,” Linnia spoke. “I hope the people of -our planets are permitted to meet very soon.” - -The girls had to belt down on their couches again because of the -mounting speed at which they were returning to earth. Beth felt herself -sinking deeply into her cushion once more and she grew breathless again. -Minutes later, the ship stopped moving. - -Beth hurriedly unbuckled and ran over to the window. Through a break in -the _paloverde_ thicket she could see her father’s station wagon parked -at the roadside. She was back at the same place she had started from. - -“Thank goodness!” she breathed. - -Linnia walked with her to the outer door. - -“My father said he’d like to have met you,” Linnia said, “but he is too -busy preparing for our blast off again. We must hurry because we are -behind schedule. Before you leave, Beth, Father has said that you must -promise never to speak a word about all this to anyone. I have searched -your mind and I know you to be honest.” - -Beth was disappointed that she could not make known her fabulous -journey, but she promised that she would never tell. - -Linnia waved her hand at the door and the electric eye opened it. - -“Goodbye, Beth,” Linnia said. - -“Goodbye, Linnia.” - -Beth heard the sighing of the door as it closed behind her. - -Suddenly her head began aching and she remembered the fall she had taken -earlier. As she made her way out of the thicket, she began to have a -queer feeling about her adventure. It made her wonder if perhaps she -might not have been unconscious and imagined the whole thing. - -When she reached the car, her father said with some concern, “You were -gone so long I started to come for you, Beth. What happened to your -forehead?” - -She told him about her fall but did not mention the space ship. - -“Did you see something land a few minutes ago, Daddy?” Beth asked. - -Mr. Harrison grinned. “You mean, maybe, a Flying Saucer? No, I’m afraid -I didn’t. Are you sure your imagination isn’t working overtime again, -Beth?” - -As they were about to get into the car, Beth saw a dark object in the -distance rise from the ground and move off into the deepening twilight. -She was certain she did not imagine this. - -“You saw that, didn’t you, Daddy?” Beth asked. - -Mr. Harrison nodded. “Probably a hawk. Hmm, it looks like it’s heading -right for the Evening Star, doesn’t it?” - -Beth gazed at the brilliant light of Sirius, gorgeously bright now with -darkness closing in. - -“I wish I knew if it really was,” Beth murmured. - - - - - _GIB TAKES A SPACE TEST_ - - -Gib Bromfield was nine, and the thing he wanted to do most was to make a -flight into space. A colony on the Moon had already been started for -scientific research, and a huge man-made space platform circled the -Earth once every twenty-four hours. - -“I want to go back to the Moon with you, Father,” Gib would plead every -time Mr. Bromfield came home on a furlough. - -“I’m afraid you’re still a little young, Gib,” his father would reply. -“Some day you will be able to go out into space with me, but not yet.” - -Mr. Bromfield was a construction engineer, and he was helping to build a -big spaceport on the Moon. He came home to see his family every six -months. Each time he returned, Gib couldn’t wait to meet him at the -front door of their prefabricated home. - -Gib would shake hands with him like a man and take his bags from him. -Then he would step back and admire the tall, handsome man in the glossy -black boots and gray uniform of the Space Service. By this time, Mother -usually came running up, followed by Sandra, Gib’s little sister. - -On Mr. Bromfield’s latest visit, Gib waited until the usual family talk -had subsided before he started asking his father about his recent -adventures. After Father had brought him up to date, Gib asked the same -question he always asked: - -“Father, my I go back with you this time for a short visit—just a short -one?” - -Mr. Bromfield smiled and rumpled Gib’s blond hair. “It’s not the time -element, Gib,” he said patiently. “It’s the rigors of space itself, -which are much rougher than Captain Rocket on TV would have us believe.” - -Gib’s face fell. He had hoped that this time his father would give in -and let him go back. Mr. Bromfield could see that his son was -disappointed. He stared at Gib thoughtfully for a moment, then spoke -again. - -“All right, Gib, I’ll put you through S.Q.T. If you pass it and still -want to go spaceward, I’ll take you.” - -“Gee, do you mean that?” Gib burst out. - -He was so excited he didn’t know what to do. Gib had never had any doubt -that he would pass the S.Q.T.—the Space Qualification Test—that all -those who go spaceward must take. - -Mr. Bromfield went immediately to the video-phone and put through a call -to S.Q.T., having them place Gib’s name on the space test list. - -“Thanks, Father!” Gib said excitedly. “At last I’ll be going spaceward!” - -“We’ll see,” Mr. Bromfield replied soberly. - -Gib spent the next afternoon on the first part of the test, which was a -complete physical examination. - -“It didn’t hurt the tiniest bit,” Gib joked with his father that night. -“If all the parts of the test are as easy as this first one, I won’t -have any trouble.” - -Mr. Bromfield did not say anything, but he smiled to himself as though -he knew something that Gib did not know. - -Gib and his father took the elevated expressway to the S.Q.T. center -early the next morning in their atom-powered Johnson Superjet. The final -portions of Gib’s test would be covered today. - -The first part was familiarity with the space suit. In company with -about fifty other candidates, Gib was given a supply of clothing. Then -everyone was shown how to zip up their thickly insulated suits in front. -Next, an attendant snapped metal cylinders to their shoulders and -screwed the flexible tubing into valves on their suits. Last to be put -on were helmets of light metal that had a darkened glass in front so -that the wearer could look out. - -“Now, all of you turn the little black knob on your chests,” the tester -said. His voice sounded muffled to Gib because of the helmet he wore. - -Gib turned his knob and felt his suit blowing up like a balloon as air -flowed in from the oxygen tanks. - -“This is how you would be dressed for a walk on the Moon,” the tester -told them. “Now I want all of you to walk into the next room.” - -As Gib went into the room with the others, he was thinking how easy the -test had been up until now. And what fun it was taking the very tests -that Captain Rocket himself must have taken at one time! He thought his -father was surely mistaken for having doubted his ability to pass the -S.Q.T. - -The tester left the room and shut the door. In a few moments Gib began -to have a strange sensation. He was feeling lighter and lighter, and the -others with him were beginning to float right off the floor! - -Gib struggled frantically as he felt himself go off balance. Each -movement he made, however, shot him off at swift, crazy angles. He felt -himself sweating with fear, and for the first time he was believing that -maybe the S.Q.T. wasn’t going to be so easy after all. - -It seemed as if he had the strength of a Samson, but it was a strength -he could not control. A simple kick sent him hurtling across the room -toward the wall! He tried to brake himself, but nothing he did would -stop him. He crashed headlong into the wall. It shook him up a little, -but he was not hurt. He saw that the wall was thickly padded. - -After about fifteen minutes of helplessness, Gib felt himself getting -heavier again and saw his companions drop to the floor in normal -position. The tester came in with some doctors. The doctors looked over -each candidate and asked many questions. Gib was still dazed and wasn’t -sure of the answers he gave. - -When the doctors were through, the tester explained what had happened: -“This room was de-gravitized, which means the Earth’s gravity in here -was cut off by mechanical means. It’s the same condition you will find -in a space ship when the gravity plates are turned off. From the looks -of some of you, this experience was something of a shock. But the final -test will be even rougher. Anybody who wants to drop out now may do so.” - -Gib saw that about a third of the candidates had had enough. Gib was -still giddy himself and started to join them. He was disappointed in the -harshness of “zero-gravity.” It had always looked so simple to him the -way that Captain Rocket “swam” about in his rocket flyer. - -Gib did not want his father to think him a quitter, though, and decided -to stick out the test to the end. When his turn came, he was led into a -huge room by himself and up to a queer-looking machine. It resembled one -of the thrill rides at a carnival, the one that whirls you round and -round like a ball on the end of a string. Gib entered a tiny cabin at -the end of the large swinging arm and sat down in a thick foam-rubber -reclining chair. - -As he was strapped down, the tester said to him, “This is called the -‘Centrifuge,’ son, and it simulates the blast-off from Earth in a rocket -ship. You appear to be a little young to be taking it, so if you’ve had -enough just yank that lever in front of you and we’ll stop the machine.” - -“I—I will,” Gib replied, getting scared already. - -He got more scared as all sorts of instruments were strapped to him. The -tester explained that these were to record his reactions. As the door -was closed on him. Gib had a trapped feeling. Then he composed himself -and waited for the worst, telling himself that a spaceman must be brave. - -Presently he felt the cabin begin to move, slowly at first. This much -was fun, Gib thought, just like the carnival ride. As the cabin picked -up speed, it was even more thrilling. But then as the speed increased -still more, Gib began to lose his enjoyment. - -Faster and faster he went, and Gib was crushed deeply into the chair -cushion. He felt his cheeks draw back from his teeth, the corners of his -eyes making him squint. There was heavy pressure on his chest, as if an -elephant were standing on him. His breath hung in his throat and he saw -strange colors and darting forms before his eyes. - -He stood the agonizing effect as long as he could, and then his -frightfully heavy hand crept unsteadily toward the lever in front of him -and jerked it. - -The cabin began losing speed and finally stopped. Gib saw a blurred -image open the door and offer his hand. As he stumbled out, his head -feeling big as a watermelon, Gib vaguely remembered hearing the tester -say: - -“You needn’t feel badly about this, son. You almost lasted it out. Come -back in another year or two and then I think you’ll be able to pass.” - -Gib still wasn’t quite himself as he met his father in the waiting room. -He was quivering all over, and his dad wouldn’t quite come into focus. - -“I flunked the test, Father,” Gib told him. - -“It sounds to me as if you’re glad you did,” Mr. Bromfield replied, with -a chuckle. “I was afraid it might be too rough for you, son, but I knew -there was no other way to show you that space travel isn’t as easy as -the comic books make out.” - -“I’ll try again next year,” Gib said, “or the year after that, anyway. -That’s what the tester told me.” - -“I’m sure you’ll be ready then,” Mr. Bromfield replied. “Now, what do -you say we go home? Captain Rocket is almost due on TV.” - - - - - _THE SPACE MAIL RUN_ - - -The way he felt now, Jerry Welsh was almost sorry he had left Earth. The -Moonship landing seemed to be crushing the very life out of him, -although he lay flat on a couch to ease the strain. - -Jerry turned his head toward his father, who was strapped down like -himself, and suffering too. The craft was under its own control, for no -human could withstand the rocket’s present speed and still be able to -steer in for a landing. - -Capt. Welsh was on his bi-weekly mail run to Luna, the Moon, and for the -first time in ten years of service he had a passenger—his own -twelve-year-old son. - -At last Jerry felt a hard jolt under him. He knew the rocket’s tail fins -had finally touched ground. Jerry unstrapped himself with rubbery -fingers and sat up. Then he tried to stand, but flopped down again. - -“Wow, I feel giddy!” he groaned. - -His father laughed. “You’ll get your bearings presently, Son.” - -How long Jerry had waited to make this space mail run with his father! -Then finally last year, Capt. Welsh had said that Jerry could go with -him when he became twelve, as he was especially husky and strong for his -age. - -But now that the great moment had come at last, Jerry wasn’t sure he was -enjoying it as he had expected, for he had found space so vast, so dark, -and so frightening. - -“Do you still want to be a spaceman, Jerry?” his dad asked suddenly, as -though Jerry had spoken his thoughts aloud. - -“I—I think so, Dad,” he replied hesitantly. - -“I see you’re doubtful, Jerry,” Capt. Welsh said. “I won’t put you on -the spot so early.” - -They climbed into space gear—electrically-heated suits and clear plastic -helmets fitted with radios. Lastly they donned oxygen tanks and flooded -their suits with the life-sustaining gas. - -They gathered up the mail sacks and climbed down the ladder to the -ground, heading for the largest of a group of buildings which made up -Moonhaven, center of Earthmen’s activity on the airless planet. - -The stars burned fantastically bright overhead. Traces of frost topped -the distant Lunar Alps. It was incredibly cold out here, for the Moon -was in its two-week period of night. - -Capt. Welsh got a receipt for the largest mail bag, and then he and -Jerry went out a rear door of the building carrying the rest. An -atom-powered mail car awaited them. It had an open top and huge wheels -that looked like saw-toothed gears. - -“Climb aboard the Moon jeep, Jerry,” his father said. “We’ve got ten -mail deliveries to make.” - -Inside, Capt. Welsh pulled down a section of the dash panel revealing a -map. “Here’s a map of our route. There aren’t many mail stops on the -Moon yet, but they are all important.” - -“And the mail must go through!” Jerry added. - -Capt. Welsh nodded soberly. “That’s the first law, Jerry.” - -As they moved off Jerry saw the big friendly globe of Earth hanging like -a green jewel halfway up the jet black sky. He wondered what his mother -and baby sister were doing this moment a quarter of a million miles -away. - -Capt. Welsh showed Jerry how to run the jeep. Jerry found this easy for -he had already had a course in mechanics in preparation for his future -career as a space man. But sometime later their peaceful ride was -interrupted when Capt. Welsh suddenly leaned over and grabbed the wheel. - -Jerry was thrown to the side as the car swerved. The vehicle -straightened out and slammed to a halt as his father controlled the -wheel and applied the brakes. - -“What happened?” Jerry breathed, his heart pounding. - -His father pointed behind them. “Look.” - -Jerry turned and saw the edge of a treacherous ditch running right -across the roadway where they would have passed over. The gorge was -several feet wide. - -“I didn’t even see it,” Jerry murmured, sick with fear at what might -have happened. - -This wasn’t the first time he’d been shaken on this journey. It made him -wonder as he had once before if he had what it took to be a space man, -or if this adventure would make him decide never to leave the atmosphere -of Earth again. - -“Scared?” his father asked. Jerry nodded. - -“Don’t worry. I was too for a moment.” - -“You were?” Jerry asked with surprise. - -“Fear was given to man, so he could save himself from danger, Jerry,” -Capt. Welsh said. “Don’t be ashamed of it. Fear is nothing to be ashamed -of unless you let it get the best of you. Never forget that.” - -They arrived at their first delivery point, an engineering project on a -plateau surrounded by mountains. There were the foundations of great -buildings to come, constructed of hard Lunar granite. - -The space-suited figures came running when they recognized Capt. Welsh -and his mail car. Jerry marveled how the formerly stern expressions of -the workmen brightened when the foreman handed mail out to them. - -“It must be fun bringing mail to men who are so far from their homes and -families,” Jerry said when they were on their way again. - -“I guess that’s why I’ve put up with the lonely hours of seeing nothing -but stardust for the past ten years,” Capt. Welsh answered. “But I love -it, Son, and I wouldn’t trade jobs with any man.” - -Their next delivery site was a cavern where men were prospecting for -uranium. They too were overjoyed at receiving messages from home. The -jeep rolled on from there to a huge plain which was being prepared for a -future spaceport. Capt. Welsh and his helper dropped off another mail -sack and then were on their way again. Some hours later, all but two -deliveries had been made. - -“Next stop is the astronomy observatory,” Capt. Welsh told Jerry. - -They crawled over sandy hills that taxed the gripping power of their -spiked wheels, wound in and out of towering buttresses of black basalt, -and bored through natural tunnels like a pair of human moles. Then the -observatory came into view. - -A smiling little scientist with thick glasses signed for the mail at the -door. He invited Jerry to come back and visit the place before he -returned to Earth. - -“You haven’t seen anything until you look through their great -telescope,” Capt. Welsh told Jerry as they drove off. - -“What’s our last stop?” Jerry wanted to know. - -“A geology camp where some scientists are digging into ancient rocks,” -his father said. “It’s only about seven miles away, but the going will -be a little rough before we get there. It’s a good thing it’s our last -stop because we don’t have any too much oxygen left in our shoulder -tanks. I usually don’t take this long on a mail run.” - -The roadway carried them through a narrow pass with a high hill of loose -rock on one side and a sloping embankment on the other. Jerry’s first -warning of trouble came when he was flung suddenly forward. He heard the -sickening drag of the wheels as his father’s boot hit the brakes. Just -ahead of them he saw a cascade of rocks sliding down the hill. - -The next moment Jerry felt an even harder blow as the jeep was grazed by -one of the large boulders. The small car was swept out of the roadway -like a toy and rammed against a pillar at the cliff edge. - -Jerry screamed in fear as he felt himself being thrown out of the car. -He struck the ground hard and began rolling head over heels down the -precipice. - -When the numbing shock of his fall had worn off, Jerry climbed dazedly -to his feet and looked up the slope down which he had been thrown. - -“Dad!” he cried. He slipped and scrambled up the incline in reckless -haste. He found Capt. Welsh sprawled unconscious just below the upper -brink of the precipice. Jerry knelt and looked into his face through the -clear plastic helmet. His father’s eyes were closed and there was an -ugly bruise on his forehead where it must have struck the helmet in his -fall. - -“What am I going to do?” Jerry groaned aloud. - -He himself would have to make the decisions and carry them through if -the two of them were to survive. It was a shocking thought. Then it came -to him what his father had said about fear: a person need never be -ashamed of fear so long as it was not permitted to get the upper hand. - -Jerry pulled his father up onto the roadway and tried to bring him -around, but without result. Jerry examined the jeep. One side was badly -smashed, but the engine still appeared sound. The car was tipped over -against the rock column. Jerry was thankful that the jeep was only -one-sixth of its Earth-weight on the moon. It was a tremendous effort -but he finally righted the car and got it back on the road. - -He jumped into the front seat and started the engine. It sputtered, then -hummed into activity! Jerry studied the map on the panel. He located -their present position by the giant crater, Plato, at his distant right. -Then he traced the winding route leading to the geology camp. He was -closer to the camp than the observatory, but ahead lay a rugged route, -one with which Jerry was totally unfamiliar. He got out and went back to -where Capt. Welsh lay. - -“Which way should I go, Dad, ahead or back?” he asked helplessly, just -as though his father were able to answer him. - -Something told him that Capt. Welsh would want him to go ahead—to finish -the mail run that had never missed a round in ten years. Jerry got his -father into the back seat, then gunned the jeep and struck off into the -unknown ahead. - -He was thankful for the old worn trail that led the way for him. It -presently carried him through a gloomy valley. Jerry switched on his -headlights, but the twin spears of brightness gave him little comfort in -the spooky place. Grotesque rock columns rose like menacing ghosts on -both sides of him. - -At last he was out in the open again. The road led him around the steep -ledge of a yawning crater, evidently caused by a huge crashing fireball -from outer space. - -Jerry carefully guided the jeep along the dangerous cliff. If one of his -wheels should slip over the side, it would be a fall to frightful death -a hundred feet straight down. At last even this peril was past, and -Jerry drove up a gradual incline over bare rock to a bluff that -overlooked the distant land for many miles. - -“The camp!” he said joyfully. “That’s it below—only a few miles away!” - -He followed a curve that swept onto the plain below. When he was on a -level again, it seemed that all his troubles were over. He felt better -by the moment as he drove closer and closer to his destination. - -Then, without warning, his wheels began to bog down in a pumice mire. -His heart did a flip-flop and he checked the map. He saw a warning to -drivers to avoid this spot. In his overconfidence, he had blundered -right into it! - -He gave the little jeep full power. It jerked crazily through the -clinging stuff. Over to the right the pumice seemed to thin out, and -farther over he could see the roadway he should have taken. He swung his -wheels to the right and the jeep lurched through the gray sand, using up -a lot of power, but making little progress. For minutes on end Jerry -gave the jeep all it had, and he could hear its engine laboring tiredly. - -Suddenly the motor died. Jerry tried to start it again but could not. He -checked his temperature gauge. The engine was extremely hot from the -continual use of top power. From his mechanical school course, Jerry -realized the rotors had “frozen” and that it wouldn’t run again until -they had cooled off. - -As he waited impatiently for the engine to cool, a warning voice in his -mind was saying: “Your oxygen is getting lower by the second. If the -jeep doesn’t get out of here within the next fifteen minutes, you and -your dad will never make it.” - -Jerry shook off the terrible thoughts. He stamped his feet to warm them. -The electric circuit in his suit seemed to be breaking down. If it -collapsed completely, he would be frozen instantly by the Lunar cold. - -Jerry massaged his dad’s hands and legs in case his suit, too, was -getting colder. He worked steadily until his hands ached. Then he -checked the gauge again. It was falling slowly, but heavy insulation was -still keeping the engine hot. - -At last Jerry decided he should not wait any longer. With a prayer on -his lips, he pressed the starter button. The engine rumbled sluggishly, -coughed, then quickened to full strength. He jammed the fuel pedal hard -and tried to guide the jeep’s swirling, spinning motion through the -Lunar sand. Slowly the little car pulled itself like a weary swimmer -toward the firm bank. Finally the wheels found good traction and the -jeep lurched onto the roadway. - -Jerry heaved a tremendous sigh and sped down the path toward the geology -camp. - -Less than an hour later Jerry was being permitted into the room of one -of the huts where his father had been carried for examination by the -camp physician. Jerry had been told that his father had suffered a -slight concussion, but that he would be all right. - -Capt. Welsh smiled from his cot as Jerry walked in. - -“Hi, space man,” his father greeted. “The doctor says the men here were -mighty happy to get their mail on time.” - -“I’m glad I came on here, then, instead of going back to the -observatory,” Jerry murmured. - -“You did the job in the best tradition of the Space Mail Service, -Jerry,” Capt. Welsh said, smiling proudly. “If I had any doubts that -you’d be able to follow me some day, Son, they’re gone now.” - -Jerry nodded happily. A few doubts had been removed from his own mind in -the past hour. - - - - - _ALL ABOARD FOR SPACE_ - - -It had already been a wonderful birthday for the twins, Sue and Steve -Shannon, when their father asked, “How about it, kids—are you ready for -that space ride I promised?” - -Sue’s big hazel eyes looked like walnuts as she stared in surprise. -Steve’s blue eyes were more like plums. Could they really believe what -they were hearing? - -“I said I’d take you on the ride when you two reached 12, didn’t I?” Mr. -Shannon went on. - -They hadn’t forgotten and were suddenly as excited as two young ducks -who have just discovered water. Mr. Shannon looked at his watch. “We’d -better get ready. The next flight is at four o’clock.” - -Less than a half hour later, Mrs. Shannon was bidding goodbye to the -three as they climbed into the family helicopter on the roof of their -home. In this year of 2004 nearly everybody owned a ’copter. Mrs. -Shannon had been invited to go along but she said no coaxing in the -world could get her up in one of those “rocket things.” - -The overhead doors of the garage swung open as Mrs. Shannon pushed the -button on the wall. As soon as the three riders were comfortably seated, -Mr. Shannon started up the engine and the overhead blade began churning. -Gently the ’copter lifted into the blue sky and headed out over the -city. - -“I can’t really believe we’re going to take a trip into space!” Sue said -happily. - -“Some day I’m going to be a spaceman and travel to _all_ the planets!” -Steve declared. - -The plane passed over beautiful triple-decked highways, over green farms -loaded with scientific equipment and solar mirrors, over plastic-domed -skyscrapers. Presently a large oval appeared just ahead. “There’s the -space port!” Sue exclaimed. - -When Mr. Shannon got the signal to land, he brought the helicopter down -into the parking lot at the edge of the port. Then the three jumped out -onto the ground. As they walked toward the main building, the twins -excitedly noticed the busy activity of the field. What impressed them -most were the massive torpedo-shaped rockets which were half-buried in -their concrete launching pits. - -“Where is that biggest rocket going, Dad?” Steve asked. - -When his father said it was going to the moon, a tingle raced up the -boy’s spine and all at once he wished he could be on the ship himself. - -“There’s our rocket over there,” Mr. Shannon said, pointing to a smaller -craft of light-weight beryllium metal just across the way. Near the pit -was a sign that read: - - SPACE RIDES DAILY. - ENJOY THE THRILL OF A LIFETIME A THOUSAND MILES ABOVE EARTH. - -Mr. Shannon got their tickets. Then after a heart check-up they waited -in line with the other eager sight-seers. Finally the space port officer -took down the chain that held back the crowd and permitted them to -approach the rocket. They had to cross a bridge to get from the pit edge -into the ship. As they crossed, Steve looked down into the hot pit and -saw clouds of flame and smoke pouring from the great jet tubes. - -In the ship, the Shannons were given couch numbers in a large room with -the rest of their companions. Then a steward came around with a special -candy which he told the passengers to eat to prevent their getting sick. -Next everyone was issued queer-looking shoes with metal soles. - -“What’re these for, Dad?” Sue wanted to know. - -She saw her father and brother exchange winks. “She’ll find out, won’t -she?” Mr. Shannon teased. - -As Steve and Sue lay on their soft couches and fastened plastic belts -across their bodies, their father explained the purpose of this. “We’ll -blast-off at a pretty fast speed and if we weren’t buckled down we’d be -thrown about and hurt.” - -When the moment of blast-off came, Steve and Sue went through the most -exciting experience of their lives. A loud roar filled their ears and it -felt suddenly as if the bottom of their stomachs had dropped out. They -were pressed deeply into their couches and they had the feeling of being -flattened out as though under the foot of an elephant. Then slowly Steve -and Sue felt the awful weight lifting from them and finally it was gone -altogether. - -“Ugh!” Sue groaned dizzily, unstrapping herself as the others were -doing. “What happened?” - -When she tried to walk, she understood the purpose of the metal-soled -shoes. “We scarcely weigh anything now,” their father explained. “The -magnetism of our soles is the only thing that keeps us from floating -about like a feather.” - -The guide, who said his name was Mr. Quinlan, led the sight-seers to a -huge window. The young Shannons gasped in wonder at what they saw. The -sky was nearly pitch black and filled with more burning lights than they -even guessed could exist. - -“We’re about a thousand miles above the earth,” Mr. Quinlan said. “We’re -out of the earth’s atmosphere and that’s why the sky is dark and the -stars so brilliant. Our rear jets are thrusting just barely enough to -keep us from being pulled back down to earth.” - -The guide next said that they would go outside the ship in space suits. -Sue and Steve whooped in joy for they had not expected this. Mr. Quinlan -distributed space gear from a cabinet. Then he explained how they were -put on. After the flexible suits and plastic helmets were donned, -everyone turned on his oxygen, which came from shoulder tanks. The -others looked to Steve like balloon toys inflated with air and he had to -laugh as they waddled about. - -The tourists were led out of a side door onto a balcony which resembled -a large fire escape. Everyone was told to buckle himself to the rail by -a short length of cord in front of him. - -“If one of us were to lose contact with the ship,” Mr. Shannon warned -his son and daughter, “he’d go drifting off into space.” Sue and Steve -shuddered at the thought of this. - -[Illustration: _Everyone was told to buckle himself to the rail by a -short length of cord_] - -Mr. Quinlan pointed out whirls of misty clouds that were called nebulas. -He also showed them star clusters and the brighter planets. The -sight-seers had a closeup view of the earth that looked like a -shimmering green ball. The guide did his speaking through a small radio -attached to his suit. Each tourist had a receiver in his helmet through -which he could listen. - -For almost a full hour Sue and Steve, together with the other -spell-bound passengers, took in the splendor of this strange silent -place, the vastness of which staggered the imagination. - -“Isn’t this a wonderful tribute to the greatness of God’s creation?” Mr. -Shannon said to his children. Steve and Sue had to agree with him -wholeheartedly. - -When Mr. Quinlan was ready to go back into the ship, he tried the -outside door switch, but the door failed to open. Over his two-way radio -circuit, the passengers could hear a worried discussion between him and -the pilot inside. They learned that a tube of compressed air which -operated the outer door was jammed. There was nothing that could be done -about it from the inside. Some of the women began sobbing, believing -they would never return to earth again. - -Mr. Shannon looked at his son and daughter anxiously. “Keep your chins -up, kids,” he said. “Nothing was ever gained by people losing their -heads. I’m sure they’ll figure out some way to save us.” - -“I—I’m not afraid, Dad,” Steve said bravely. - -There were tears of fright in Sue’s brown eyes but her small chin was -courageously set and she would not permit herself to give in to the -terror she really felt. - -“You’re brave ones,” their father said, putting his big arms around -their shoulders. - -Mr. Quinlan approached the Shannons. “Mr. Shannon,” he said, “I’ve got -something important to talk over with you and your son.” - -The two listened closely as the guide outlined a daring plan. He pointed -to a small, circular opening some ten feet above the platform. He said -that if a person could climb into the opening he could turn an emergency -valve that would double the air pressure and clear the jammed tube. -Since Steve was the only boy on the platform, and therefore the -smallest, Mr. Quinlan wanted to know if Steve would try it. Steve felt -his heart fluttering crazily. He was both afraid and excited. - -“There’s only one danger, son,” the guide pointed out. “You’ll have to -unfasten your safety line. If you think you can keep calm, though, there -should be no real risk.” - -“What will happen if the job isn’t done?” Mr. Shannon asked grimly. - -Mr. Quinlan shrugged. “There’s not much that can be done. These suits -will run out of oxygen in twenty minutes and only your boy is slim -enough to get inside the opening. Then, too, they can’t land the ship -without the risk of tossing us all out.” - -Mr. Shannon said quietly to Steve, “It’s up to you, son. If you believe -you can go through with it without losing your head and getting thrown -from the ship....” - -Steve swallowed hard, thinking of the lives of the others around him -that depended upon him. “I’ll try it,” he managed to say. - -He felt his knees go weak when the safety rope was unfastened from his -waist and he realized there was nothing now but his magnetic shoes to -hold him to the ship. Carefully Mr. Quinlan boosted him up toward the -opening above. _Tick-tick-tick_ went his metal soles against the shiny -skin of the craft as he made his way upward by means of special climbing -handles on the rocket hull. - -“Keep calm,” he told himself. “A spaceman doesn’t lose his head.” - -He was thankful for the firm grip of his gloves as his fingers closed -about the sides of the chamber and he pulled himself up inside. It was a -close fit even for him. Mr. Quinlan had told him that usually the -emergency valve was easily reached from the deck above but that during -this trip the deck was closed off for repairs and couldn’t be entered. - -Steve found the valve handle and turned it as he was instructed. Almost -immediately he heard the deafening blast of many voices in his receiver. -Among the words he heard were, “The door’s opening!” Steve sighed deeply -and carefully started down again. - -But the danger was not over yet. He still had to be very cautious. This -was brought to him sickeningly when he drew his foot back with greater -force than usual and found himself weaving backward into space. With a -chill of terror he grabbed a climbing handle and pulled himself snug -against the ship’s hull again. Finally he felt the strong arms of his -father on the lower part of his legs. He relaxed and was helped down -onto the platform amid the cheers of everyone around. - -The sight-seers, sobered by their close call, trooped silently back into -the ship. A moment later the craft began dropping earthward, its jets -acting as brakes to check the rapid descent. - -After landing, the Shannons were called into the office of the Chief of -Operations at the space port. - -“Young man,” the chief said to Steve, “let me congratulate you for the -brave thing you did.” He offered his hand and Steve felt a flush of -pride as he took the big palm in his own. - -“Such an unselfish deed can never be fully repaid,” the chief went on. -“Tell me, Steve, do you like space-going?” - -Steve’s eyes glowed with stars. “Very much, sir,” he said. “Some day I’m -going to become a spaceman myself.” - -“Then this little reward we have for you and your sister may help you -reach your goal.” He held out a plastic-sealed card. Steve took it as -his heart raced. It was a lifetime rocket pass! - - - - - _WHEEL IN THE SKY_ - - -Sue and Steve Shannon were riding with their father in a “space ferry” -several thousand miles above the Earth. They could look out of the -plastic windows of the little ship and see the winding curve of Central -America far below. - -“Look, Steve!” Sue exclaimed. “I see the Panama Canal!” - -“There’s a storm over the Gulf of Mexico,” Steve said, studying a big -gray patch over the water. “It makes you feel like a king being so high -above everything!” - -The Atlantic and Pacific were throbbing blue carpets, topped by breakers -of molten silver where the sunlight hit them. It was a marvelous sight, -more like a scene from a fairy-land. - -“There’s the big space ship we got off,” Sue pointed out. “It’s -beginning to drop back to Earth.” - -“And there’s the ‘Wheel in the Sky,’” Steve said, looking ahead. “We’ll -soon be there! Isn’t it great?” - -Compared to the tiny ship they were in, which was shaped like a medicine -capsule, the Wheel in the Sky was a gigantic thing. It looked like an -automobile wheel and by its moving spokes the children saw that it was -turning just like one. - -“Why does the Wheel spin, Dad?” Steve asked. - -“That’s in order to give the people inside of it a feeling of weight,” -Mr. Shannon explained. “As I told you before, things in space have no -weight because there is no gravity out here to speak of. What happens -when you ride on the merry-go-round on the school playground?” - -“You have to hold on tight or it’ll throw you off,” Steve answered. - -“The Wheel in the Sky does the same thing. It tries to throw you off, -but since you are safely inside of it, all it can do is throw your -weight against the floor of the Wheel. Understand?” - -The children nodded and smiled, pleased at knowing one more fact about -the strange ways of space. - -As the ferry neared the big space station, Steve watched the black -heavens all around them. The stars were thicker than salt crystals and -glittered like precious gems. Close to the Wheel, the ferry had to use -its rockets in order to keep up with the spinning of the Wheel. -Presently a door in the rim of the Wheel opened. Two men in space suits -appeared in the doorway and threw out a line which stuck to the ferry by -magnetism. Then the men pulled the little ship inside and closed the -doors. - -“Here we are!” the ferry pilot called to his passengers. “Everybody -out!” - -Since there was fresh air in the hangar, the riders did not have to use -space suits. Just as his father had said, Steve found that he could walk -around as easily as he did back in Arkansas. - -“Ready for a tour of the Wheel, kids?” Mr. Shannon asked. - -“Sure!” the twins replied together. - -Mr. Shannon worked for the American Space Supply Company which carried -supplies to the planets of the Solar System. This was the year 2004 and -by now nearly all the planets or their moons had budding Earth colonies. -Sue and Steve had earned free lifetime space passes because of a heroic -act Steve had done a month before on the twins’ very first trip into -space. - -As Mr. Shannon took the two around the “man-made moon,” they were almost -overcome by all the wonderful things they saw. They learned that the -Wheel in the Sky was both a scientific laboratory and a military -lookout. With their big telescopes, the Space Guard could see every mile -of Earth, for the Wheel circled the globe several times a day. - -While the Shannons were in the Military Lookout Room peering at the -world through a telescope, Sue said, “I wish Mom could be here with us.” - -“I do, too, Sis,” Steve replied. “But it would take all the soldiers in -the Humpty-Dumpty story to get Mom into a rocket, wouldn’t it, Dad?” - -Mr. Shannon chuckled. “I believe it would, Son.” - -Their father leaned over and whispered something to the officer at the -telescope, who nodded. The man slipped a high power lens on the -telescope and turned it on a certain part of the United States, toward -which the Wheel was slowly moving. - -“Take another look, Sue,” her father said. - -Sue eagerly went to the eyepiece. The telescope brought a city into very -close range. It seemed as if she had only to reach out a finger to touch -the tall spire of a building. Suddenly she gasped. She knew that -building! It was the home office of her father’s place of work. The city -was Little Rock, Arkansas, their own home! - -“Steve, look!” she said excitedly to her brother and let him see for -himself. - -Steve was as thrilled as Sue. Together they moved the telescope lens -over all the familiar spots of the great space city, which in this day -had a million population. They were able to locate the wee speck that -was their own home in the suburbs. - -“I can almost see Mom hanging out the wash in the yard!” Steve said with -a grin. - -Before the children were through looking, they noticed several black -hazy spots in different parts of the state. - -“What are these, Dad?” Steve asked, showing them to his father. - -“They’re tornadoes, Son,” Mr. Shannon replied. “There seems to be an -unusually large crop of them this season. There are even some close to -Little Rock. The Weather Control Bureau here has a way of dealing with -them, though. They do many skillful things in Weather Control. They can -make it rain in dry parts of the world and even melt snow drifts in -blizzard areas.” - -“What can they do about a tornado?” Steve asked. - -“When one threatens a city they fire a guided missile—a bomb—that breaks -up the twister before it can do any harm. We’ll visit the Weather -Control Bureau as soon as we’ve been to the hub of the Wheel.” - -Mr. Shannon led them out of the Military Lookout Room. Steve and Sue -then found a job of climbing facing them. In order to reach the hub, -they had to go through one of the spokes leading into the center of the -Wheel. The children saw before them a nylon ladder stretching as far as -they could see down a long corridor. - -“Let’s start climbing,” their father said. - -“Why can’t we just walk along the hall,” Sue asked, “instead of doing it -the hard way?” - -“You’re forgetting that the Wheel is always throwing you outward as it -spins,” Mr. Shannon said. “If you tried to walk down the spoke it would -be like trying to walk against a hurricane. For this reason, you two -must be careful not to lose your grip on the ladder or you’ll be flung -down the corridor against the rim.” - -The three began climbing hand over hand along the ladder. They got along -very well until Sue suddenly became dizzy and lost her hold. She -screamed as she began flying down the corridor. Steve’s heart nearly -stopped beating for a moment. He heard his father calling out loudly in -a frantic voice: “Grab the ladder, Sue! Grab the ladder!” - -At first Sue did not seem to hear and kept hollering in fright. Then she -understood and reached out wildly with her hands for the nylon ladder as -she swept along. One hand seized a piece of it and she held on for dear -life, her body still hanging in mid-air as the force of the turning -Wheel kept trying to throw her outward. - -“Hold on, Sue!” her father called. “We’re coming!” - -He and Steve swiftly crawled along the ladder to the spot where Sue was -clinging with one hand. - -“Hurry!” she cried. “I can’t hang on much longer!” - -Just as she was about to let go, Steve reached her and held on to her -with his free hand. Then his father lent his help and Sue was safe. She -sobbed for a moment from the fright she had had and Mr. Shannon -suggested that they go back to the rim where they would be safe again. -Both children agreed, for they had suddenly lost all interest in the -hub. - -By the time they got to the Weather Control Bureau they found more worry -awaiting them. Men were hustling about the huge room with serious looks -on their faces. One of them was looking into the eyepiece of a large -machine that was pointed out the window down onto Earth. - -“What’s wrong?” Mr. Shannon asked one of the men. - -“A tornado is headed for Little Rock, Arkansas!” was the shocking reply. -“I hope our missile scores a hit, but it isn’t going to be easy because -the Wheel has already moved past the United States!” - -“The missile’s _got_ to hit!” Steve burst out. “Our home and Mom are -there!” - -“Yes, it’s simply _got_ to!” Sue added tearfully. - -The Shannons had to stand helplessly on the side as the tornado fighters -went to work. The missile gun was in another part of the Wheel, but the -orders for firing it would leave this room by radio. - -“Oh, why couldn’t Mom have come with us?” Sue asked. “She would have -been safe here!” - -Steve felt his whole body tensing like a wound spring. The perspiration -was beading his forehead and his knees were weak. On his father’s face -there was a dark look and Steve saw that his big hands were opening and -closing. - -“Twenty seconds to go before firing,” the man at the machine said slowly -over the radio mike on his chest. “Steady. Eighteen—seventeen—” - -“Why don’t they hurry?” Sue cried. “They’re so slow!” - -“They have to do it a certain way,” Mr. Shannon answered. “They know -what they’re doing, Honey. Don’t be afraid.” - -But she _was_ afraid. And so was Steve. And her father, too. Everyone in -the room was afraid because no one could say whether the tornado could -be destroyed before it hit the city or not. - -“Eight—seven—six—” droned the unhurried voice of the operator. - -The Shannons hardly dared breathe for fear of disturbing the man at the -machine. Steve felt Sue’s body quivering next to him. It seemed as if -the seconds were dragging on endlessly. - -“Three—two—one—FIRE!” - -Steve felt nothing but he knew the tornado bomb was on its way, speeding -hundreds of miles a second Earthward. - -For long, awfully long, moments after the operator had said, “Fire!” the -Shannons waited for him to speak again. He kept looking calmly through -the eyepiece of the machine as though just studying the stars. Then at -last they saw a smile spread over his face and he said to everyone in -the room, “It’s a hit! Little Rock is safe!” - -[Illustration: _The tornado bomb was on its way, speeding hundreds of -miles a second Earthward_] - -Sue and Steve whooped as if it were Christmas morning. Where a minute -before they had been greatly worried, now they were happy as they never -believed they could be. - -“Whew!” Mr. Shannon sighed. “I’m afraid I’ve had enough excitement to -last me a lifetime!” - -“Not me, Dad,” Steve said, as the fire of adventure began to glow again -in his eyes. “I won’t be satisfied until I’ve seen what lies beyond the -Wheel in the Sky!” - - - - - _DANGER ON THE ICE CANAL_ - - -Steve and Sue Shannon were at Mars Port No. 13. This was one of the many -colonies on the planet Mars where Earth scientists were carrying on -work. It was a town of plastic tops, called domes, that were clear as -glass. The town was at the center of three canals that led outward into -the red desert. - -The Shannon twins were now touring the largest dome with Biff Warren, -who worked for their father’s space cargo company. Suddenly their tour -brought them to a large cafeteria where many of the workers were eating. - -“Umm!” Sue exclaimed. “Smell that turkey!” - -“Yeah!” Steve said. “It sure makes your mouth water, doesn’t it?” - -“Which reminds me,” Biff said, looking at his watch. “We’ll have to -finish up our sightseeing pretty soon. The quicker we get back to your -father’s ship, the quicker we can have our own turkey feast!” - -“I can hardly wait for that!” Sue sighed, as the wonderful smell of the -holiday meal kept tickling her nose. - -When Thanksgiving dinner was finished aboard the big space freighter -that had brought the children to Mars, the ship would take off into -space. But before that, Biff, Sue and Steve would have to go twenty -miles back down the ice canal to reach the ship. - -Biff had become a close friend of the young Shannons, having made trips -with them to other ports in space. Sue liked Biff because of his quick -smile and gentle patience. Steve liked him because he was all that Steve -would like to be some day himself—a fearless, bold spaceman. - -They finished up their tour of the dome. They saw the room where giant -machines made oxygen out of chemicals and blew it through the building -so that there was fresh air to breathe all the time. And they saw the -astronomy hall far up on top of the dome where scientists could see the -heavens through the thin atmosphere much clearer than they could from -Earth. - -“Isn’t it about time for the fuel rocket to be shot off, Biff?” Steve -asked. - -Biff nodded. “I think it’s just about time,” he said. “We’ll suit up and -go outside to see.” - -In the dressing room they put on their space suits. As though they were -his own children, Biff carefully checked the young Shannons’ air tanks, -built-in heaters, and their helmet radios for talking to one another. -Finally Biff rubbed gelatin on their helmets so that they would not -frost over in the cold that was a hundred degrees below zero. - -Outside they found space-suited figures gathered around the fuel rocket -cannon. The cannon was pointed toward a shiny ball high up in the -purple-black sky. - -“Look, Sis, there’s the space ship toward which they’re going to shoot -the fuel rocket,” Steve said. - -“I see it!” Sue cried, her eyes dancing excitedly. - -“They have to line up the cannon with the ship just right or the rocket -won’t reach it,” Biff said. - -“Won’t the rocket hit the ship?” Steve asked. - -“No, it’ll lose all its speed by the time it reaches the ship,” Biff -told him. “Then they’ll take on fuel from the rocket by means of a long -hose.” - -Suddenly the three of them heard a loud roar and saw a burst of flame. -Like a bullet, the rocket left the muzzle of the giant gun and rose into -the sky. - -“They’ll be shooting off more rockets before they have enough fuel for -the space ship,” Biff said. “There’ll be a little wait in between each -firing.” - -“Look, Biff, isn’t the space ship right over the canal where we’ll be -heading back?” Steve asked. - -“That’s right, Steve,” Biff answered. “You’ll remember, our ship is at -the end of the canal. We’ll be able to see the rockets go off as we head -back—which we’d better do right now, if we’re going to have any turkey -and pumpkin pie!” - -The canals of Mars had been carved out of a great desert by water and -fierce winds. Because of the ice that filled them, they made good -highways. The three went to the canal bank to see if their sled was -ready to go, and it was. The sled looked like a big bombing plane with -the wings off. Instead of wheels, there were long runners beneath it. In -this sled Biff and his young helpers had brought supplies to the colony -several hours before. - -Steve, Sue and Biff climbed into the front seat. Then Biff shut the -door. He pushed buttons in front of them. Steve and Sue felt the sled’s -engines throbbing. The next moment the sled shot off over the smooth -sheet of ice, Biff holding tightly to the steering wheel. - -“Wheeeeee!” Sue screamed in delight. “Offffffffff weeeeeeee -goooooooooo!” - -“Like a rooooller cooooster!” Steve shouted. - -They sped along at a hundred miles an hour. This was as much fun as they -had had on their last space journey. - -Each of their trips into space seemed to be more exciting than the last. -They had won a lifetime free pass into space and by now they were sure -they would need a lifetime in which to see all of its many wonders. A -brave act by Steve on their first space trip had earned them their pass. -Right now, Steve thought that their mother and home, back in Arkansas, -seemed as far away as Deneb, the North Star of Mars. - -“We’ll be there in about ten minutes,” Biff said. “The ship leaves in -thirty, which gives us some spare time.” - -“Look,” Sue said, “there comes the first fuel rocket back down in a -parachute.” - -“That’s right, Sue,” Biff replied. - -Steve studied the bank of the canal. Along it he saw scrubby cactus, -which was forever fighting for life in the cold, dry atmosphere. Beyond -the bank stretched acres of red wasteland, and sand drifts piled up by -strong winds that never stopped blowing. - -A few minutes later, Sue noticed a bright streak against the purple sky. -It was nearly as bright as the tiny sun, which was so far away that it -could not keep Mars warm. - -“There goes another fuel rocket!” Sue called out, pointing through the -windshield. - -As Biff caught sight of it, he jerked up sharply in his seat, bumping -the shoulders of Sue and Steve on both sides of him. - -“That rocket’s too low!” he exclaimed. “It’s not lifting! Something’s -gone wrong!” - -Steve felt chills run up his spine. He was seeing the danger too, now. -The rocket was dropping ahead of them, a screaming bomb filled with -explosive fuel. It was still quite a distance away, but even Steve knew -that it would make a terrible blast when it struck the ice. - -Biff’s feet hit the brakes of the sled and the runners chewed into the -hard ice pack, shrieking, and bringing the sled to a skidding stop. The -riders were slammed forward. Sue and Steve were dazed, but not hurt. -When Steve’s mind cleared, he saw that Biff had thrown himself over in -front of Sue and him to protect them. But in doing this, his helmet had -thumped against the windshield. He was now slumped over and not moving. - -“Sue!” Steve cried. “Biff is hurt!” - -Just then they felt the shock of the explosion. It tilted the sled at an -angle and dropped it down again with a hard jolt. The air was filled -with flying chunks of ice. It looked like a hailstorm outside. The ice -clattered against the windshield like stones. Sue and Steve were -relieved when it finally stopped. But the explosion had left the ice -sheet in front of them broken and choked with lumps of ice. - -“Steve,” Sue moaned, “what are we going to do?” - -Steve looked at Biff who was still not moving. He could see a big lump -on Biff’s forehead where his head had struck the helmet, knocking him -out. The children tried to revive their friend, but could not. - -“We’ve got to get the sled to the ship ourselves, Sue!” her brother -said. “Biff may need a doctor! Besides, I bet we’ve all missed our -Thanksgiving dinner!” - -“I won’t want any dinner if Biff is hurt badly!” Sue said tearfully. - -At first it seemed like an impossible thing for a pair of -twelve-year-olds to run the big sled. But Steve remembered how Biff had -worked the controls and he believed he, too, could do it. He changed -seats with the unconscious spaceman and tried the levers and buttons. - -Presently the sled’s rockets began to pour fire out of the rear. But -Steve couldn’t get the sled to move. He was afraid it had been damaged. -Then Sue showed him a lever to push which she had remembered seeing Biff -shove. As Steve worked it gently, the sled started off slowly. - -“We’ll go slow,” Steve said, “and take it very easy.” - -The explosion had hit at the far edge of the canal so that there was a -narrow place on the other side where the ice was still smooth. Steve -carefully guided the sled across the canal and through the unbroken -part. When there was smooth ice before them, Steve picked up speed a -little. As he drove, Sue tried to awaken Biff. - -Steve would have found their adventure a lot of fun if things weren’t so -serious at the moment. It wasn’t every day that a boy had the chance to -drive a giant rocket sled on a distant planet! - -At last Steve saw the round top of the space ship just over the horizon. -It was at that moment that Sue called out the good news: - -“Biff’s awakening, Steve!” - -The boy saw their friend slowly rise up, then shake his head to clear -it. When he smiled at them in his pleasant way, they were sure that he -was going to be all right. By the time they had told him what had -happened, he was his old self again. He took the controls and looked at -his watch. - -“Time’s running out,” he said. “We’ve got to hit top speed again. Hold -onto your helmets! Here we go!” - -And off they went at lightning speed once more. It seemed to Steve as if -they covered the distance between them and the space ship in seconds. - -As the sled came to a gentle stop beneath the giant freighter, Biff -said, “It looks like we’ll make our Thanksgiving dinner on time after -all, doesn’t it, kids?” - -“Yeah,” Steve answered, “and this is certainly one Thanksgiving that I’m -really thankful!” - -“I know what you mean, Steve,” Sue said thoughtfully. “We’re thankful -that we’re alive!” - -Biff and Steve both nodded. It was a holiday none of them would ever -forget. - - - - - _CARGO FOR CALLISTO_ - - -The big rocket freighter was speeding through the star dust of outer -space. It was carrying supplies to Callisto (one of the twelve moons of -Jupiter) and the Shannons, on another space adventure. - -Steve and Sue looked out a window of the freighter at the airless world -growing in size. Callisto was a gigantic roughened rock, but it was a -globe larger than the planet Mercury. It reminded Steve of a giant -cockle-burr hanging in the sky. - -Suddenly the children heard a tiny voice behind them say, “Rocket away!” - -They turned and Sue exclaimed, “It’s Bud!” - -The blue parakeet, a budgy, blinked lazily at them. The twins had met -Mr. Whittle’s pet a week ago. He had taken a liking to them from the -very start. They didn’t know that a few hours from now their very lives -would depend on this little fellow. - -“We’d better take him back to Mr. Whittle,” Steve said. - -The budgy kept studying them with his flat face and blinking his tiny -button eyes. Then he squawked again, “Rocket away!” - -“It’ll be ‘rocket away’ for you, young fellow!” Steve said sternly. “Up -on my finger, Bud!” - -The bird did as he was ordered. They took him down the hall to Mr. -Whittle’s room. Bud’s owner, off duty now, was a tall, spidery crewman -with a big Adam’s apple. He always gave his pet full run of the ship. - -Mr. Whittle whistled to the parakeet, but the bird stayed on Steve’s -finger. - -Mr. Whittle chuckled. “Hey, I believe he likes you two better than his -master!” - -“We like him, too,” Sue told the crewman. - -“You can keep him for a few days if you want to,” Mr. Whittle said. “I’m -going to be pretty busy after we land.” - -“Gee, we’d like to look after him!” Steve answered. - -“If you take him outside on Callisto, you’ll have to put him in that -air-tight cage over there I had made. It’s sort of like a space suit for -him.” - -Sue and Steve played with Bud in the room they used for games until it -was time to “strap down” for landing. Then they went to the couch hall -and lay down on cots like the other space travelers were doing. They -buckled straps across their bodies to keep them in place. - -For a long time, Steve and Sue lay there as the big freighter began -cutting its rushing speed. It felt to Steve as if a giant anvil were -crushing downward on his chest. Take-off and landing were always the -roughest moments in space travel, as the twins had already found out on -other space trips. - -At last the ship set down on Callisto. The young Shannons went back to -the game room. Then with the bird on Steve’s shoulder, the twins looked -out the window at the strange new world. - -They saw a land bathed in ghostly twilight. Very little light was coming -from the sun. It was so far away that it was only a small circle. Most -of the light came from a huge shape that looked like somebody’s lost -beach ball resting on the ground. Its bottom edge just touched the -horizon. - -Sue and Steve were joined by their father, who worked for the space -freight company. - -“That’s His Majesty, Jupiter—the king of planets,” Mr. Shannon told -them. “He’s over a million miles away and yet he looks close enough to -touch, doesn’t he?” - -“Let’s go outdoors, Dad!” Steve begged. - -“No reason why we can’t,” Mr. Shannon replied. - -After they had put on their space clothes, Steve popped Bud into his -warm, air-tight cage. - -As they all went outside, they saw the crewmen unloading the cargo. - -“There’s the colony over there,” Mr. Shannon said, pointing to a high -framework that looked something like an oil derrick. - -“They mine here for a mineral called magna. It’s very valuable, because -without it we couldn’t have atomic engines. Magna is what keeps our -rocket tubes from melting under the terrific heat that goes through -them.” - -“May we go down into the mines, Dad?” Steve asked. - -“We’ll see if we can,” said his father. - -As they walked toward the mining place, Mr. Shannon said, “Underneath us -are pockets of poisonous gas like that found in Jupiter’s atmosphere. -Sometimes it leaks into the mining tunnels causing danger from -suffocation.” - -“I sure hope the gas stays where it belongs while we’re down there!” -Steve said and swallowed the lump of fear in his throat. - -They turned their attention to Jupiter. It looked even more like a beach -ball now with its stripes of beautiful colors. Mr. Shannon said the -bands were floating ice bergs of the poisonous gases he was talking -about. - -“No ship can land on Jupiter,” he said. “Its gravity would crush a -spaceman flat. Gravity pull is much stronger on the larger planets, you -know. Jupiter’s atmosphere is many thousands of miles deep. Raging -storms are going on beneath it all the time.” - -“Ooo!” Sue gasped. “I guess we’re close enough to it then!” - -Other wonders of the sky were the round beacons of Jupiter’s other -moons, three of which were about the same size as Callisto. They hung -like bright searchlights in the starry heavens. - -The men at the mining place greeted the Shannons warmly. They had not -seen anyone from Earth for so long that they had grown very lonely. - -The chief mining engineer said he would be glad to take the visitors on -an underground tour. His name was Dr. Harding. He was plump and short -and wore black-rimmed glasses inside his space helmet. - -He led them into an elevator and it sank into the darkness. Steve -remembered about the poisonous gases that crept about underground and it -made him shiver to think about it. - -Dr. Harding watched Bud hopping around uncomfortably inside his small -space cage. “Do you remember, Mr. Shannon,” he asked over his suit -radio, “when they used to use canary birds in mines to warn about -leaking gas? The birds would notice it first and give the miners time to -get out.” - -“I’ve read about that, Dr. Harding,” said Mr. Shannon. - -“Now we have automatic warning machines in the tunnels to do that,” the -chief engineer told Sue and Steve. - -Deeper and deeper below the soil of Callisto the elevator sank. At last -the cage reached the bottom, and the riders found themselves in a large -cavern. There were machines and men all about, working busily. Tracks -led off into tunnels and ore cars were running on them. Some were going -empty into the tunnels while others were coming out full of rock and -gravel. - -“The magna is separated from the rock in that big machine over there,” -Dr. Harding explained. “Want to ride an ore car into one of the -tunnels?” - -“Sure!” Steve spoke up. - -“The mine is air-conditioned,” the chief engineer said, “so we can take -off our helmets.” - -This done, Steve let Bud out of his cage. The little bird hopped up on -his gloved finger, saying, “Rocket away!” several times. His two-word -language seemed to do for everything. - -One worker controlled all the cars at a main switch in the middle of the -cavern. The Shannons and their guide climbed into an empty ore car and -it rolled into a tunnel. - -Glistening dark rock crowded in on Sue and Steve from all sides. Steve -hoped the walls were strong enough so they would not come crashing down -on their heads! There were lights along the way to help brighten the -gloom. - -After clicking along like a trolley for awhile, the car came to the end -of the line. It was a large room with more machines and workmen. The men -were digging magna ore out of the wall with drills. - -As Dr. Harding explained about the work, Bud began flitting about as -though sight-seeing on his own. He was shy of the workers at first, but -then made friends with them. He spoke to them with his favorite two -words and the men laughed in great fun to hear him. - -Then a few minutes later, Bud began acting queerly. He flew back to -Steve’s finger and started wobbling as though dizzy. - -“What’s the matter with him?” Steve asked. - -“He’s sick or something!” Sue cried out. She took the budgy from Steve -and cuddled him in her own gloves. But the little blue bird seemed to be -no better. - -Dr. Harding walked over to look at the bird. Then he ordered, “Everybody -into the ore car! We have to get out of here fast! Sue, hold the bird up -close to your suit!” - -The workers dropped their tools as if they were red hot and climbed into -the car. Mr. Shannon helped Sue and Steve on, then jumped on himself. - -Dr. Harding pressed the electric button that was the signal to the -operator in the main cavern to move the car. The car began to roll down -the track. It picked up speed as Dr. Harding kept pressing the button. - -“Leaking gas, Dr. Harding?” Mr. Shannon asked worriedly. - -The chief engineer nodded. He sniffed the air like a hunting dog after a -scent. “Take a deep breath, everyone, then hold it!” - -Steve thought his lungs would burst, but finally Dr. Harding let them -take another deep breath. By the time they had taken one more, the car -had reached the main cavern. As it rolled to a stop, Dr. Harding jumped -down and ran over to the car operator. - -Steve saw a door slide down and close off the tunnel where they had come -out. Then the little man gave a deep sigh and took off his black-rimmed -glasses to wipe them. - -Sue and Steve watched Bud hopefully. He was standing more steadily on -Sue’s finger now. - -“I think he’ll be all right,” the chief engineer said. “We sure owe Bud -a lot for warning us the way he did. Something must have happened to the -warning machine. It was supposed to set off a siren.” - -“If it weren’t for Bud we might have been overcome before we could have -gotten out of there!” Mr. Shannon added. - -“You’re so right!” Dr. Harding said. “The men will go back in there in -gas masks to find the leak and see what’s wrong with the warning -machine.” - -“We’re plenty lucky!” Steve sighed, his spine still prickly from their -narrow escape. - -Sue kissed the budgy. “You’re a hero, Bud,” she told him, “and we love -you!” - -Bud blinked lazily. Then as if to show that he was all right again, he -squawked, “Rocket away!” - - - - - _THE BIG SHOW ON TITAN_ - - -The space freighter had landed on Titan, the largest moon in all the -Solar System. The Shannon twins had been anxious to reach this moon of -Saturn because their father had told them that something very exciting -might happen here before they left. - -There was still another reason why the children had looked forward to -the landing. They would meet a boy of their own age who was the son of a -worker. He had been living on Titan for the past two years and would be -able to show them around. - -Steve and Sue came down the outside “gangway” of the cargo ship and -stepped onto the frozen ground of the distant world. The twins wore -space suits, of course, for the air outside was extremely cold and it -was poisonous as well with raw methane and ammonia. - -Steve saw beautiful Saturn, with its colored rings, filling much of the -blue sky. Titan was a world of close mountains, worn smooth by lots of -windy weather. A film of glistening ice covered the peaks like caps of -glass. - -“Look up there, Sue!” Steve said. “Over our heads! That’s the famous -skyport of Titan!” - -“I wish we could go up there!” Sue said. - -“Maybe we’ll get the chance,” answered Steve. - -Ahead of them stood a rounded plastic dome. Men were carrying into it -cartons of supplies which the space freighter had brought. The twins’ -father, who was an official of the American Space Supply Company, was -still aboard to take care of the unloading. - -A boy came out of the domed building. “Are you the Shannons?” he asked -over his space radio. - -“Yes, we are,” Steve replied. - -“I’m Bobby King.” - -Sue and Steve said they were glad to meet him. He asked if they would -like to go up and see the skyport. - -Both the young Shannons answered a quick, “Sure!” together. - -They followed their new friend into the plastic dome. Bobby King pointed -to an overhead cable. Hanging from the heavy cord was a cable car. - -“All aboard!” Bobby called, like a train conductor. - -Sue and Steve giggled with pleasure as they entered the car, followed by -Bobby. Bobby pushed a switch and the cable car began to move. - -“We’re going up like a corkscrew,” Bobby said. - -Round and round, right out of the top of the building, moved the cable -car. Up and up it went. It took about ten minutes to reach the top. As -soon as they got out, two men passed them who were talking about a storm -that was on the way. - -“Boy, if there’s a storm coming, you two are sure in luck!” Bobby told -Sue and Steve. - -Steve and Sue looked at one another, puzzled. Why should their young -friend be pleased over a coming storm? - -They saw before them a space that looked as flat as a highway and larger -than a football field. There was a row of hangars along the far side. - -“Wow, we sure must be high!” Steve burst out. They seemed to be almost -on a level with the mountains. - -“We’re a whole mile off the ground,” Bobby told him. “The skyport rests -on the corners of two mountain ridges.” - -They went over to one of the clear plastic walls that edged the skyport. - -“Gee, the freighter sure is little down there!” Sue said. - -It almost took Steve’s breath away. The big space ship indeed looked no -larger than a toy down below. - -“Why did they go to such trouble to build this?” Steve asked. - -“Because there wasn’t any place flat enough on the ground,” Bobby -answered. “My father says they need a main skyport on Titan because -there are so many companies here digging for uranium. The colonists fly -here to get their supplies and mail.” - -“I see some dark clouds over the mountains,” Sue said. “Does that mean a -storm is coming?” - -Bobby’s helmet nodded. “It sure does! You two are the luckiest ones! You -got here right at the start of the storm season.” - -Steve and Sue were still puzzled as to why Bobby wanted it to storm. - -Bobby showed his guests a faint star burning through the blue -atmosphere. “That’s Earth,” he told them, “750 million miles away. My -father thinks we can go back for a visit in a few weeks. I’ll be glad.” - -“Where do you live here, Bobby?” Sue asked. - -“My father and I stay in an apartment a little way from here,” Bobby -answered. - -“How about school?” Steve wanted to know. “Do they have one on Titan?” - -Bobby shook his head. “My father teaches me. He’s out with some -prospectors today.” - -Bobby showed them Titan’s other nine sister moons, which looked like -glowing fireballs. Steve saw that most of the daylight came from Saturn -because the sun was so far away. It wasn’t nearly as bright here as it -was on Earth. - -“I wish we could run over to Saturn for a visit,” Sue said, jokingly. - -“You don’t really, Sue,” Bobby told her. “You couldn’t stand up in its -heavy gravity. Saturn’s almost as big as Jupiter, you know.” - -“What are Saturn’s rings made of?” Steve asked. - -“Oodles and oodles of rocks,” Bobby replied. “They are traveling so fast -that they make the rings look like one solid piece.” - -Wind was beginning to howl around them and this seemed to make Bobby -very excited. - -The coming storm must be something special, Steve thought. His curiosity -had been aroused strongly. - -The clouds gathered darker and more thickly behind the mountains. The -wind was driving harder. - -“Hadn’t we better go inside?” Sue asked, worriedly. - -“Shucks, no!” Bobby said. “It won’t be any fun unless we’re right out in -it! There won’t be any rain. It’s too cold on Titan for rain.” - -Suddenly the three heard a loud siren wail. - -“That means a jet plane is coming in,” Bobby said. “All planes have to -land when word of a storm gets around.” - -The plane’s wheels touched down and the ship rolled along until a hook -on it caught a line that stretched across the runway. The line brought -the plane to a sharp halt. - -The jet’s wings were folded down and the ship was pushed off to a -hangar. Two more ships landed afterward. Then a blinding flash lighted -up the sky. It made Steve and Sue blink and jump in fright. - -“Look!” Bobby exclaimed. “The storm has begun!” - -Other men had come out to see what was going to happen and they lined up -along the edges of the skyport with the children. - -Bobby pointed to a sparkling balloon of light that burst into a blossom -of sparks over the mountains. A moment later a red dagger flash skipped -across the peaks. During all this there were loud crashes and rumblings. -Steve was scared and thrilled at the same time. - -“It’s just like fireworks!” Sue called out. - -Now Steve could understand why Bobby had looked forward to the storm. He -guessed, too, that this was the exciting surprise their father had said -might happen while they were here. - -An orange pinwheel, like a Fourth of July sparkler, rose from a mountain -top and looped upward. It grew bigger and bigger and fainter and fainter -at the same time. It was really a beauty. - -“What causes the fireworks?” Steve asked above the noise. - -“Partly strong wind,” Bobby said loudly, “and partly Titan’s gases -exploding against the mountain tops!” - -They watched spellbound for fifteen minutes, then a half hour. The -Shannons were sure they had never seen anything quite so breathtaking as -this. - -At one time a row of peaks seemed to glow with a sheet of red flame. The -flame danced and flickered like a forest fire for a long time before it -faded out. - -The children had been enjoying themselves so thoroughly that they knew -nothing of the peril that was heading their way. - -The first warning came when one of the skyport men standing nearby -shouted over his space suit radio. Steve whirled in alarm. His heart -seemed to stop beating completely for a terrible moment. - -A tardy plane had come in for a landing on the sky platform. But the -howling wind had kept everyone from hearing the warning siren. - -Because of the fierce blowing, the plane had not hooked firmly to the -braking line. It scooted off to the side and was heading for the very -spot where Bobby, Steve and Sue stood. - -“Bobby!” Steve cried. “Get out of the way!” As Bobby ducked for safety, -Steve also moved quickly. Sue screamed as Bobby grabbed her hastily by -her space glove. He had to jerk her sharply in order to get her out of -the path of the runaway plane. - -The plane crashed into the plastic wall of the skyport, tearing out a -section of wall as though it were thin cardboard. The ship was left -dangling on the very edge as if ready to fall a mile to the ground. - -“The poor pilot!” Sue cried. “Oh, I can’t look!” - -But the skyport men had come running quickly over and together they -pulled the jet plane back to safety. They helped the scared pilot out. -He walked shakily off into one of the hangars. - -“Whew! That was close!” Steve breathed. “For him and us, too!” - -“My heart is still thumping like a drum!” Bobby said. - -As for Sue, she was too upset to say anything at all. - -They turned to look at the fireworks to take their minds off the -accident. The wonderful ending of the show almost made them forget it -completely. - -They saw a dazzling white light burst like an empty volcano. The banner -of fire rose as high into the sky as huge Saturn. Then it spilled over -like a great fountain. It changed into purple, then blue, green and red. - -Before dying out, it gave the big planet a lovely ruddy glow, showing up -its rings like a gleaming necklace of rubies. That was the end of -Nature’s grand performance. - -“Wow, wasn’t that terrific?” Steve asked. “A show like that in a -grandstand on Earth would cost you three-and-a-half.” - -“Maybe four!” Sue chimed in. - -“You can’t see this show anywhere on Earth, Steve,” Bobby said. “Titan -is the only place. And the good thing about it is that it’s all for -free!” - - - - - _ADVENTURE ON THE SUN’S DOORSTEP_ - - -Sue and Steve Shannon watched the magic world of stardust through a port -of the rocket freighter. The ship was moving under power of its atomic -engines, headed toward the sun. - -They had one more cargo stop to make before returning to their beloved -soil on the Earth. - -The twins heard the clack of magnetic soles behind them. Without such -shoes holding them to the floor, space travelers would float about -helplessly like wingless birds. - -“Hi, kids,” greeted their father. “Growing tired of the view?” - -“I guess I am, Dad,” Steve admitted. His blue eyes were tired. - -“How far away is Apollo’s Chariot now?” Sue asked. - -Mr. Shannon grinned. “That’s the umpteenth time you two have asked that. -But I suppose I’m as restless as you are to get back to Mom in -Arkansas.” - -Hearing this made Steve suddenly homesick. There was really no place -like home, just like the poet had said. Steve knew Sue felt the same -way. He had seen a wistful look in her hazel eyes every time they had -talked of Little Rock. - -The seemingly endless days finally did end. The three Shannons went up -into the lookout dome with the crewmen. The dome was covered by a -darkened plastic screen to cut down the blinding glare of the sun, which -was very close. - -It was a heart-stopping sight for Sue and Steve. The planet Mercury -covered the face of the sun like a black plate. Streaming out from the -edges were mountainous tongues of living fire. Mr. Shannon called this -flaming halo the sun’s _chromosphere_. - -“Gee, what a thing to see!” Steve gasped. - -“It’s—it’s unbelievable!” Sue added, breathless. - -“Indeed, it is,” Mr. Shannon agreed. “See that thing like a lighted -wheel just ahead of us? That’s Apollo’s Chariot. It was named after the -famous Greek sun god, you know.” - -Sue and Steve knew that Apollo’s Chariot was really a space laboratory -that was a home for scientists who were studying the sun. They had been -the ones who had given their tiny world its colorful nickname. It was -protected with asbestos and other special material to shield it from the -heat as it circled the great star, month after month, year after year. - -“We had to contact Apollo’s Chariot while Mercury was shading our ship -from the sun’s rays,” Mr. Shannon said. “We aren’t protected like -Apollo’s Chariot is.” - -“Mercury seems as big as the sun, the way it covers it completely,” -Steve remarked. - -“That’s because we’re so close to Mercury,” his father explained. -“Actually, the sun is so much bigger it’s like comparing a pinpoint to a -grapefruit!” - -In the midnight darkness between the ships, giant searchlights had to be -turned on. Then the scientists on the other ship came out onto their -loading platform to receive their cargo. Conversation was carried on by -means of space suit radios with those aboard the freighter, who stood on -their own outside platform. - -“Why can’t we get closer to Apollo’s Chariot?” Steve asked Biff Warren, -who was the twins’ favorite among the crewmen. Biff was piling boxes and -crates at the edge of the platform. - -“Space regulations,” answered Biff. “If a meteor should hit one of us, -the other ship would explode too if we were close. Also, rocket tubes -are so tricky that you never know when one is going to misfire and send -your ship scooting off suddenly in the wrong direction.” - -One end of a double cable was fastened to rings on the freighter’s -platform. Then the other end was tossed across the space between the two -ships and attached by the scientists to their own side. - -Steve saw the crewmen around him pick up cords from out of the cable -equipment box. They fastened one end to buckles on their suits and the -other to the cable. Steve guessed that the lines were a safety measure -to keep the men from drifting off into space as they carried the cargo -across. - -The first crewman picked up a crate as lightly as if it were a pile of -feathers. Then with his foot he shoved off from the platform. - -He guided the crate through the emptiness with his gloved hands and the -men on the opposite platform helped him aboard. Another crewman stepped -off the freighter with another crate. Then another crewman with another -piece of cargo. The carriers returned by the other cable line. - -Steve went over to his dad who, as an official of the American Space -Supply Company, was supervising the work as always. “Dad, may Sue and I -carry a box across? We’ll be careful.” - -Mr. Shannon thought a moment. “I suppose it will be all right. There’s -no way you can go adrift if you fasten on to the cable. But you have to -be careful you’re snapped on securely.” - -Mr. Shannon made a place for them in line. Sue in front. There was a -wait before Sue’s turn so that more crates could be placed on the -platform’s edge. The children looked beyond Apollo’s Chariot at the huge -black circle of Mercury as it masked the mighty sun. - -“Biff,” Steve asked his friend as he was stacking the crates, “why -couldn’t the Apollo scientists study the sun from Mercury?” - -Biff chuckled and it made a funny crackling sound over the young -Shannons’ radios. “Men will land on Mercury when they grow hides of -asbestos, Steve. It’s so hot on the sunward side that there are supposed -to be lakes and pools of lead there! The other side never sees the sun, -so you can imagine how cold it is! Think you two would like to go -there?” - -“I should say not!” Sue answered for both of them. - -When the next piece of cargo was ready to go over, Biff checked the -children’s safety cords. Then he let Sue push off from the platform with -a box in front of her. A few moments later, Steve followed. The boy -heard his sister giggle excitedly as they floated across. Searchlight -beams were in their eyes but they didn’t mind. Steve, too, thought this -great fun after being cramped for so long on the freighter. He looked -down at the empty space below, but he knew he could not fall and so was -not afraid. Reaching the other platform, he and his sister were helped -aboard. - -“They sure are using young crewmen these days!” joked one of the -scientists, a tall man who seemed to be working harder than the others. -“Nice work, young folks!” - -The scientist was in the act of changing the children’s cords over to -the returning cable when a slight mishap occurred. One of the crates -coming over bumped into him. He laughed as he again got to his feet but -his laughter quickly changed to alarm when Sue suddenly pushed off from -the platform. She had thought her cable line was secure and that she was -ready to make the exciting trip back across the gulf. - -“Wait, miss!” the scientist called. “I didn’t finish fastening your -cable cord!” He reached for Sue but her suit slipped out of the fingers -of his bulky space gloves. - -Steve froze for an instant in terror at what he had seen. Then without -thought of anything else except his sister’s danger, he dove right off -the platform after Sue, not realizing or caring that his own cable cord -was not fastened. - -If the scientist had not grabbed for Sue she might have floated safely -across to the freighter. But by touching her he had sent her off in a -direction beneath it. - -Over his radio, Steve heard her screaming for help and saw her flinging -her arms and legs about like a drowning swimmer. Steve was moving faster -than she and presently caught up with her. - -“What are we going to do, Steve?” she cried, holding tightly to him. “We -can’t stop! And it’s so dark out here!” - -Steve knew that unless someone came to their aid they would drift on and -on since there was no air to slow them down. But he didn’t tell Sue -this. - -He remembered, as he had at times before, that a spaceman must keep his -head in an emergency. He spoke comforting words to Sue, telling her to -try to be calm, that help would be coming. - -[Illustration: _He saw her flinging her arms and legs about like a -drowning swimmer_] - -Even as he told her this a spear of light hit them and a voice broke in -on their radio: “Steve! Sue! Stop struggling! I’m on my way to you!” - -“Biff!” Steve exclaimed, and the dread in his heart suddenly lifted. He -looked over his shoulder and saw their big friend approaching, guided by -the light that had been flashed on them from the freighter. - -There was a little plume of flame trailing behind him. In a few minutes -he had caught up with them. Sue was so glad to see him she grabbed the -big spaceman and her helmet bumped against his in an attempted kiss. - -“Oh, I’m so glad to see you, Biff!” she sobbed. “I was so _awfully_ -scared!” - -“You’re all right now,” Biff said gently. “Both of you hold on to me and -we’ll go back.” - -Steve took Biff’s left arm and Sue firmly grasped one of Steve’s. Biff -carried a type of hand rocket, called a “pusher,” that he had used to -shoot himself along toward them. By pointing the rocket in the opposite -direction from which he wanted to go, the “pusher” pushed him in the -manner of the rocket tubes on the freighter. - -Biff pointed the pusher away from the freighter. Steve saw a burst of -fire beside them and the three of them sped off toward the big ship. As -Sue reached the platform, her father was there to help her aboard. She -could see in his eyes the fear he had felt for them. - -Steve was surprised to have the crew greet him warmly with pats on the -back. The boy turned to his father. “Why are they calling me a hero?” he -asked. “It was Biff who saved us!” - -“Not taking credit away from Biff, any good spaceman would have done -what he did,” said Mr. Shannon. “But few would have attempted your trick -of jumping into space after your sister with no way of getting back. -Right, Biff?” - -Biff nodded his plastic helmet. “It wasn’t the smartest thing you could -have done, Steve, but it showed your bravery. Courage counts just as -much as ability in a spaceman. Don’t ever forget that, son.” - -Steve, who wanted to be a spaceman some day, would not forget it. - - - - - _THE FLYING MOUNTAIN_ - - -Steve and Sue were playing a game as the freighter headed through space -toward Earth. It was fun trying to see who could build the higher tower -of sticks. The young Shannons were in extra good spirits. Before long -they would be seeing Mom and their home in Arkansas, after being in -space for so many months. - -Steve carefully placed the last stick on his tower which was almost as -high as he could reach. - -“_I_ won, Sis!” he exclaimed. But as he drew his hand away, it brushed -against the tower, causing the sticks to drift off in all directions. - -“_I_ won!” Sue cried gleefully, “Yours broke up!” - -Steve made a face and began picking the sticks out of the air before -they floated too far. It was lack of weight in space that made it -possible to play such a game. The twins would have hung in the air like -the sticks if their shoe soles were not held to the floor by magnetism. - -“I’ll beat you next time,” Steve boasted. - -Before they could start again, their father came into the room. “It -looks as though we may not be getting home as quickly as we had -expected, kids. Captain Furman has received an S. O. S. from a passenger -rocket that’s down on the asteroid, Sierra.” The twins knew an asteroid -to be one of the thousands of tiny planets in the Solar System. - -“Are we going to her aid?” Steve asked. - -“It depends on whether we have enough fuel or not,” his father replied. -“Even atomic fuel runs out sometime, you know. Captain Furman is talking -with his officers now. It’ll be a shame if we can’t help the _Pole -Star_—as much as I want to see Mom.” - -It was just like his unselfish dad to say that, Steve thought. He felt -the same way about it. And he didn’t doubt that tender-hearted Sue was -of the same mind. - -Mr. Shannon started out of the room again. “I’m going to see what they -are going to do.” - -Steve and Sue went back to their game. But somehow it wasn’t as much fun -now. People were in trouble and trouble in space was often a frightening -thing. - -It seemed like a long time before their father came back. He walked in -so fast that his magnetic shoes sounded like tiny hammers. “Kids,” he -said, “the captain wants to see you.” - -“_Us?_” Steve asked. - -“That’s right. Come quickly.” - -They went out, leaving some sticks in mid-air and others drifting off. -The young Shannons walked shyly into the captain’s room where all the -officers stood. Steve felt out of place among the neatly uniformed -spacemen. - -Mr. Shannon was in charge of cargo which the freighter dropped off at -different ports in space, for he was an official of the American Space -Supply Company. But he had nothing to do with the running of the ship. - -“Young folks,” said the tall captain, who had a blond mustache, “we want -you to help us solve a problem.” - -“Sir?” Steve asked, puzzled. - -“Here it is,” went on the chief, in his booming voice. “If we go on past -Earth to Sierra to help the _Pole Star_, it’ll leave us with only a -fifty-fifty chance of having enough fuel to reach Earth. But the _Pole -Star_ is running short of supplies and their radio just went dead a -while ago. It’s too late to get help from Earth. The crew is divided on -what we should do, so I decided to call you two in to see what you -think.” - -A husky crewman spoke out boldly, “What do these kids know about space, -Captain? They’re not even old enough to be out here! I say stick to our -course and get this crew and ship back safely to Earth!” - -The remark angered Steve, but the spaceman looked too big to talk back -to. Sue wasn’t so timid. - -“You ought to be ashamed of yourself!” she exclaimed. “Thinking of -yourself when other people are in trouble!” - -Steve and his father were surprised at Sue’s outburst. Captain Furman -and the other crewmen smiled. - -“I think that solves our problem,” the captain spoke firmly. “If the -young lady has courage enough to overlook the risk, the rest of us -should have it, too. Thank you, Sue. We move at full rocket thrust to -aid the _Pole Star_.” - -As the Shannons went out into the corridor, Steve asked his sister, -“Wow, Sue, what made you talk back to that big fellow like that?” - -“He was so selfish!” Sue answered. “Besides, it made me mad to hear him -say we didn’t know anything about space! Why, we’ve been over almost all -of the Solar System, haven’t we, Dad?” - -Her father pressed her shoulder. “Of course, honey. I’m proud of you, -because I felt the same way.” - -It took a few days for the freighter to reach the asteroid. The space -ship, in going past the Earth, had come close enough for the Earth to be -seen as a misty, green light. It made the twins long for home as they -saw it. - -“Sierra is like a big meteor, isn’t it, Dad?” Steve asked, as the three -of them looked downward on the flat, egg-shaped rock. - -His father nodded. “It’s often called, ‘The Flying Mountain,’ because of -the low peaks on it. Sierra is only a mile long and less than that -wide.” - -“I remember from school that it wasn’t discovered until 1965,” Sue said. - -“That’s because it’s so small and isn’t very bright in the sky,” her -father spoke. “Most of the asteroids are much farther out, between Mars -and Jupiter, but a few come in close to Earth like Sierra, Hermes, Eros -and some others.” - -The freighter landed safely in a flat area about two hundred feet from -the _Pole Star_. The Shannons could see the damaged space ship jammed -against a cliff. Brilliant sunshine reflected upward from bare dark -rock, dazzling their eyes. It was over a hundred degrees on Sierra, for -there was no atmosphere to check the sun’s heat. - -“Boy, what a place for a sunburn!” Steve said. - -“It’s certainly summertime on Sierra!” Sue added. - -They watched crewmen in space suits come out of the freighter and begin -uncoiling a spool of rope that would stretch between the two ships. -Safety lines led from all the men back to the cargo ship. - -“There’s almost no gravity at all here,” Mr. Shannon told his son and -daughter, “because the asteroid is so small. If the people from the -_Pole Star_—providing there are any alive—didn’t have the rope to hang -on to, they might float right off Sierra.” - -The children asked to go outside. The three suited up and went out, -using safety lines, just in case. - -The glare was so strong that they had to lower their darkening glasses -over the face part of their helmets. The heat was such that they had to -switch on the cooling outfits in their suits. It was strange to see the -edge of the asteroid so close, just beyond a fringe of dagger-like -peaks. It was like being on a big space raft. - -The twins tried walking. They were less than feather-light and it was -quite a job for them even to keep upright. Sue decided this wouldn’t be -a very good place to spend a summer vacation. - -Sue’s cooling outfit made her sneeze. She was lifted right off the -ground and her father had to pull her down quickly. She and Steve -laughed but they had been scared. - -“See, it doesn’t take much to send you sky high!” Mr. Shannon joked, -speaking over the radio set which all three of them carried in their -space suits. - -At last the crewmen, who had been moving so carefully over the ground -toward the _Pole Star_, reached the ship and fastened the rope to it. -The outer door of the _Pole Star_ was then opened by someone inside. - -“Thank goodness somebody’s alive in there!” Mr. Shannon said thankfully. -“I guess the ship just coasted into the rock wall without too much -force.” - -The freighter crew began helping people out of the passenger rocket. If -things weren’t so serious, it would have been funny for Sue and Steve to -see them in their balloon-like space suits, bouncing one careful step at -a time and holding on for dear life to the rope. - -As the party neared the freighter, the twins suddenly saw their father -dash toward the ship. In his haste, Mr. Shannon seemed to have forgotten -where he was and went scooting upward like a high-jumper. - -“Dad!” Sue and Steve cried out together. - -Mr. Shannon had to put out his hands and feet at the last minute to keep -from crashing into the wall of the freighter. Then he pulled himself -down to the ground with his safety line. When they saw that their father -was unhurt, Sue and Steve began walking toward the ship with careful -steps. - -They heard their dad exclaim, “Mr. Ballinger!” as he walked over to one -of the men from the _Pole Star_. - -“John Shannon!” the man said. - -It turned out that Mr. Ballinger was the president of the American Space -Supply Company and was Mr. Shannon’s boss. Mr. Ballinger explained that -the _Pole Star_ was heading for Mars when there was an explosion in the -rocket tubes. By landing on Sierra the captain thought there was a -better chance of their being found than if they had just kept drifting -in space, because all ships knew the path of “The Flying Mountain.” No -one had been hurt in the landing and the _Pole Star_ had enough fuel to -get the freighter back to Earth. - -“I don’t know whether I should fire you people or not for risking my -good freighter just to save an old codger like me!” the friendly Mr. -Ballinger joked. - -“We almost didn’t,” Steve’s dad reminded him and explained how Sue’s -outburst had decided the problem. - -“You’ve certainly got some smart ones there, John,” Mr. Ballinger said, -smiling at Sue and Steve. “Your son has already proved himself a hero -before and now it’s Sue. Yes, sir, I sure wish I had a pair like them!” - -But the twins scarcely heard him. They were thinking that, in spite of -the great fun they had had on all their space adventures, how wonderful -it was going to be to see Mom again and set foot on the grandest planet -in all the Solar System—Earth! - - - - - _CASTAWAYS IN SPACE_ - - -The two of them had just shoved the supply case against the chute door -when the space ship gave an unexpected burst of rocket power, knocking -Skip Miller against the release lever. The escape door shot up and a big -square of black space opened before the boys’ eyes. - -Glen Hartzell was stunned to see his friend go spinning down the incline -and follow the supply case toward the open door. Automatically, Glen -stretched his lean body full length trying to grasp Skip’s space suit -before he escaped. But his momentum sent him skidding down the slope and -the next thing he knew he was out in space, too. - -A week ago Glen wouldn’t have cared whether he faced death or not. He -and Skip had just made the scorned fraternity of “Wockies,” washed-out -cadets. His failure had cut like a knife. He had wanted to pilot ships -through the depths of space more than anything else in the world. -Instead, he and Skip had been assigned to ground crews on Mars. That, at -least, had been their destination until Skip’s elbow unexpectedly made -them castaways in space. - -Glen’s first thought was directed to Skip, who looked like a toy balloon -as he drifted through the vacuum. “Skip!” he called over his space suit -radio. “Do you hear me, Skip?” - -“Yeah, Glen,” Skip’s reply was scarcely more than a squeak. - -Glen looked down and ahead where a massive rock some ten miles in -diameter hung in the starry emptiness. “If we can make Phobos, we may be -all right.” - -“We’re done for,” Skip groaned. - -“We’re not!” Glen’s wits were sharpened by the danger. “We’re lined up -pretty well with Phobos. She doesn’t have any gravity to speak of and we -may be able to land on her.” - -“We won’t make Phobos,” Skip argued. “We’ll either run into Mars’ -gravity field and crash on its surface or float through space until our -air runs out.” - -“Shut up, Skip!” Glen’s tone was sharp. “Listen to me. See if you can -pick up a little speed by kicking out behind with your feet and hands. -If you can catch up with the supply case, hang on.” - -Skip didn’t reply but Glen saw his arms and legs begin to move. Glen -worked his own. It was a grueling effort, but Glen found that he was -able to increase his speed much in the manner of a space ship’s thrust. -By the time Glen touched Skip’s suit, both of them were sucking freely -of their precious oxygen. - -“What’s the idea?” Skip asked as his gloved hand clutched the strap of -the supply case and Glen held onto him. - -“We’ll use the case as a buffer to break our fall,” Glen explained. -“Remember, it’s covered with foam rubber so that it won’t shatter when -it hits.” - -The two had been preparing to drop the emergency supply case on Mars at -the time of the accident. Glen was glad now that they’d donned space -suits. - -Glen saw that the space ship was now only a tiny needle against the red -disk of Mars. He and Skip had probably not even been missed by the crew. -When they did find out, they wouldn’t know where to look for the boys. - -Phobos was a jagged, frightening giant below, but Glen held nothing but -love for it. Their speed had increased slightly, but it did not look as -if they would hit the ground dangerously fast. - -Glen felt Skip’s muscles tense for the landing. - -“Steady, fellow!” Glen breathed. - -He felt a rough jar in the pit of his stomach. Glen bounced off Skip’s -back as though he were rubber. He spread out his arms to ease his fall, -then was surprised to find his body settling down to rest as lightly as -a leaf. - -Glen felt a prickly chill in his cheeks. “We’ve got practically no -weight at all!” he breathed. Skip had almost drifted off into space -again, but Glen grabbed his leg and pulled him back. - -“It’s a crazy world, isn’t it?” Skip searched the rocky landscape that -sloped down from them on both sides. It was weird to be on a globe so -tiny you were conscious of its roundness. - -Glenn nodded. “We’ve _really_ got to keep both feet on the ground!” - -“What if they don’t find us, Glen?” Skip asked. “What then?” - -“I don’t know, Skip,” Glen sighed. “Let’s see what’s in the supply -case.” - -Glen was able to crawl better than he could walk over to the supply -case. Skip followed. Glen pressed a button on the case and the top -sprang up. - -“Whew! There’s not much that isn’t included!” Skip said. “Spare oxygen -tanks, a bubble tent outfit, food capsules, water maker, first-aid, -flares, books, electronic stove-heater.” - -“Let’s put up the bubble tent,” Glen said. “It’ll help save our heat.” - -As he had learned in cadet training, he removed a cylinder from the -outfit and pulled a lever. It popped open and a plastic bubble began -growing out of it. The bubble, which was slightly oblong and -transparent, enlarged to about seven feet, then detached itself from the -cartridge airtight. After it had hardened for several minutes, Glen took -an electric saw from the kit and cut a small door in the side. They made -hinges from self-sealing plastic strips. - -They used the foam rubber from around the case for flooring, then put -the supplies inside the bubble. They turned on the heater and then -turned off the heat units in their suits. - -“How long do you figure our supplies can last, Glen?” Skip asked. - -“They’re supposed to last two people ten days,” Glen replied. “Don’t you -remember that question on our exam?” - -“Don’t remind me!” Skip said. “I’m tired of hearing about the cadet -corps.” - -“I know,” Glen said bitterly. - -“How could they flunk us on one question?” Skip asked. “It wasn’t fair.” - -“I agree with you,” Glen answered, “but the fact remains that we’ve got -to take it.” - -Skip chuckled grimly. “You talk as if we have a lifetime ahead of us. We -don’t know whether we’ve got _tomorrow_.” - -“Which reminds me, we’d better send off some flares to let somebody know -where we are.” Glen picked up some of the rocket flares and “drifted” -out of the bubble tent. He set up a flare on its tripod legs, pointed it -at Mars’ ruddy face and pulled on the release catch. But it wouldn’t -move. - -“It’s jammed!” Glen tried another rocket and got the same result. Then -another, and another. They were all useless, all the catches warped, -possibly from having been kept too near a heat source in the ship. - -“How are we going to signal Mars now?” Skip asked. - -“Anything we toss out will be drawn to the planet by its gravitation,” -Glen was thinking out loud. - -“How about throwing out some of the extra supplies we have?” Skip -proposed. “We can attach a note.” - -“It’s a million-to-one shot they’d be found. Don’t you realize that only -a fraction of Mars has colonists? No, I’m afraid we’d wait here until -doomsday if we had to count on that.” - -“But what else is there to do?” Skip’s eyes were round with dread. - -Glen fought down his own sudden despair. “It looks as though we’ll have -to get to Mars on our own, Skip.” - -“Now you’re crazy! We’d be smashed to pieces!” - -“Not the way I’m thinking.” A plan was forming in Glen’s mind, as he -scrambled into the bubble tent and came out with one of their -engineering books. Skip watched in amazement as Glen began working math -problems in the dirt with a piece of stone. - -After a while, Glen said, “I think it’ll work, Skip. Want to take a -chance?” - -“I’d like to know what it is first.” - -“We can use the chute from the supply case and attach it to the bubble,” -Glen explained. “Then we can ride in the bubble to Mars.” - -“It sounds fantastic!” - -“I’ve figured it every way I know,” Glen said. “At least, it’s better -than sitting here and hoping we’ll accidentally be found. Shall we try -it?” - -Skip shrugged. “If it’s our only chance. But I hope you’ve figured all -the angles!” - -“We’d better get started right away,” Glen advised. “We may need all our -air tanks if we have to do some walking when we land.” - -They set to work fastening the lines of the chute around and under the -plastic bubble. They used more of the plastic strips to secure the lines -tightly. The chute was still folded, since the vacuum on Phobos had -failed to trip the automatic release. The boys decided to carry only a -minimum of supplies to make their weight as light as possible. When they -were ready to go, they climbed into the bubble and Glen shoved them off -with one foot outside the door. Then he closed the door. - -“How long will it take us to get there?” Skip asked. - -“I’ve figured on about a hundred hours,” Glen answered. “That should put -us close to Mars City, figuring on Mars’ rotation. But if it doesn’t, we -should be able to reach some research settlement.” - -They moved slowly at first. Glen hoped for only enough speed to carry -them into Mars’ gravity pull. As they approached the red planet, their -speed would increase and that worried Glen. If they whacked into Mars’ -air blanket too fast, the chute might be ripped from the bubble. - -To while away the many hours, the boys dozed and took turns reading the -one novel they had brought along. Their legs soon became cramped and -sore, and they would have given a good deal to have been able to stretch -or walk about. - -On the third day, the boys could see the canals criss-crossing in a -tangled network on the ruddy globe of Mars. On the fourth day, just as -Glen had figured, the glassite domes of Mars City began to show through -the violet haze of atmosphere. Glen wondered how fast they were going. -There was no way to tell because their insulation kept them from feeling -the rush of air. - -“Cross your fingers, Skip,” Glen warned. “Our chute should open in the -next few minutes.” - -The seconds appeared to last hours as they waited, and Glen suffered a -torture of suspense. What if the chute did not open? In that case, they -would end up in fragments on Mars’ red earth. Or what if the force of -the air should jerk the chute off the bubble? - -Even as Glen worried, he felt a sharp drag and was tumbled over on Skip. - -“Look! The chute’s open!” Skip pointed overhead. - -Some minutes later, the red ground rushed up at them like an enfolding -blanket. Their final problem faced them now. If they landed safely, they -would have conquered space in a way no spaceman had ever done before. - -Glen’s muscles drew tight and his heart thumped rapidly as the last few -hundred feet melted away. He wanted to close his eyes during these final -seconds but he forced himself to watch the rising ground so that he -could brace himself at the moment of contact. He was glad they had the -foam rubber cushion beneath them. - -Glen counted off the last few feet. “A hundred—fifty—twenty—!” - -As they struck, Glen was thrown against the ceiling of the bubble. -Plastic clattered against plastic as the bubble rolled over on the -ground many times before stopping. Glen straightened himself out. He was -shaken up but he was unhurt. He looked across at Skip. - -“We made it,” Glen said, but his voice shook, as if he wasn’t yet able -to believe it. He tore off the door seals, shoved out the door. Then -they got out and stretched their legs. Looking at the domes of Mars City -in the distance, Glen asked, “Ready to start walking?” - -“After being cooped up like a chicken, I’m willing to walk all over -Mars. Let’s go.” Skip’s natural good humor had returned. - -Less than an hour later, an astonished captain at the Mars City -spaceport heard the boys’ strange story. - -“Your courage and ingenuity have been incredible!” the captain said when -they had finished. “I can’t believe that you two are Wockies. If you -weren’t flunked for reasons of scholarship, I’m sure you’ll be -reinstated.” - -“We weren’t flunked for that reason, sir,” Skip said. - -“For what reason then?” the captain asked. - -Glen smiled wryly as he replied, “We were flunked, sir, because we -failed the test to determine whether we could bear up in an emergency or -not!” - - - - - _THE BIG SPACE BALL GAME_ - - -It was an unusual setting for baseball. Instead of a blue sky, there was -the darkness of space and the brilliance of stars overhead. The light of -Earth flooded the scene, and surrounding the oversized diamond were the -walls of Copernicus crater, over fifty miles across. - -On the mound, Bill Cherry was pitching practice balls to his catcher, -Ollie Taylor. Only underhand throwing was allowed in baseball on the -Moon, for the ball was exceedingly fast in the light gravity and -airlessness. Bill, in snug-fitting space gear, was standing farther than -the regulation ninety feet from the plate. This was because of the -pitcher’s advantage over the batter in Lunar ball. - -Bill wound up and threw. The ball shot like a bullet into Ollie’s -double-padded mitt. - -“Thatta boy, Bill!” Ollie’s voice came over Bill’s space suit radio. “If -you’re this sharp when we meet the Comets this afternoon, we’re bound to -win our first championship!” - -“That’s enough practice, fellows!” Coach Lippert called, coming out of -the dugout. “No use giving our best before the game!” - -It was the _big_ game for the team from Plato, which was tied with the -league leaders in this last game of the season. Plato was the farthest -colony on the Moon and was named for the big crater in which it was -located. Copernicus colony, the baseball leader, had won the -championship every year since the school league had been formed. As a -prize, the champions were always given a free rocket trip to Earth. - -The Plato Rocketeers were homesick for their mother planet. One of them, -little Pete Irby, had never set foot there. He had been born on the -Moon. - -“It must be wonderful to go around without even a space suit on like -they do on Earth!” Pete said wistfully to Bill. - -“Don’t worry, Pete,” Bill said confidently. “I have a feeling that this -is our year and that we’re all going to Earth.” - -“I sure hope you’re right,” Pete replied, with great feeling. “I can’t -wait to see the great national parks and rivers and all the other -wonderful things there!” - - -At game time the grandstand was filled and some people were standing. It -was the largest crowd ever to see a ball game on the Moon. Much of the -crowd was made up of hopeful parents from the Plato colony who had come -seven hundred miles by rocket plane to see their boys play. - -The champion Copernicus Comets ran out onto the field in big bouncing -strides. For on the Moon a person was capable of jumping and running in -great leaps because of the low gravity, only one-sixth of Earth’s. - -The Plato Rocketeers were the visiting team would bat first. When the -outfielders had taken their positions, they were tiny forms far out in -the distance with nothing but gray wilderness behind them for a -backstop. There were eleven men in Moon baseball because of this greater -outfield range. Two extra fielders played behind the shortstop and -second baseman and were called “short fielders.” - -Bill noticed a wheel chair below the railing of the grandstand. His -mother and dad had brought his crippled younger brother Skippy to see -the game! Bill had known his parents were going to rocket over from -Plato in time for the game, but they had not said Skippy would come -along. Bill gave Skippy a wave and his little brother waved back. - -The lead-off batter for the Rocketeers walked to the plate swinging a -bat, padded to keep it from hitting the ball too hard and far. The -Comets’ ace pitcher, Carl Cadman, hurled three fast strikes over almost -before the batter had gotten a good foothold. Carl struck out the next -batter as well and then forced little Pete Irby to loft a high infield -fly for the third out. - -“Let’s get ’em, Bill!” Ollie said excitedly as the Rocketeers took the -field. - -“We’ll sure try,” Bill promised his catcher. - -Bill took the mound. With his space gloves he massaged rosin into the -baseball. After getting the signal from Ollie, Bill swung his arm down -and around. The batter swung sharply, driving the ball toward third. The -baseman made a dive for the ball, but he missed it. His body seemed to -glide in slow motion in the light gravity. - -Bill walked the next batter, making two on and none out. Jack Brenna, -the Comets’ heaviest hitter, was up. Bill got two strikes on him and -then Jack took a better toehold. As Bill saw bat and ball connect -solidly on the next pitch, his heart fell. - -The ball arched like a comet across the dark sky. The left fielder took -a dozen giant steps after the ball but then gave up. The ball seemed to -be going for miles. It was a home run. - -The Comets did not score anymore that inning, but the damage seemed to -be already done. The champions were leading 3-0. - -Bill was first up for the Rocketeers. As he went to the plate swinging a -bat, his eye caught Skippy’s wheel chair, and he saw his game little -brother waving encouragement. It made him want to try even harder to put -his team out in front. Bill knew he would have to do it with his -hitting, since he had failed as a pitcher. - -But Bill got no closer to a hit than a long foul into the stands. Then -he struck out. The two teammates following him also failed to get on -base. - -The game moved along with no more scoring for the next five innings. It -was still 3-0. - -In the last of the seventh inning the Plato Rocketeers had more trouble. -The first Comet batter topped the ball slowly to Pete at shortstop, who -tried too hard to make the play. The ball rolled between his legs and -the runner went all the way to second. - -Pete was so busy grumbling about his last error that he muffed the next -play too. He jumped ten feet into the air trying to reach the high, -bounding ball, but he misjudged it and it went on past. The runner on -second loped down to third in long strides. Bill called time in order to -give Pete a chance to settle down. - -“We’ll never win this game!” Pete groaned. “Why don’t you fellows say -I’m not any good—like you’re thinking!” - -“Stop talking like that!” Bill told him over his suit radio. “You’re -thinking too much about going to Earth, Pete. You’re trying _too_ hard!” - -“I’ll try to do better,” Pete promised. - -The next batter drove a high fly to center, sending the runner in from -third and making the score 4-0. Bill walked the player following, but -then he was lucky enough to strike out the hard-hitting Jack Brenna. - -The next Comet drove a hard liner to Pete. Pete scrambled for the ball, -but once again he muffed it and it went on into the outfield. The -shortfielder recovered it quickly but threw wide to third, sending the -runner into the plate with the Comets’ fifth run. - -When Bill looked at Pete, the little fellow had thrown his big fielder’s -glove into the air and was beginning to walk broken-heartedly off the -diamond. - -“Pete!” Bill heard Coach Lippert call sharply over his suit radio as he -ran onto the field. “Get back to your position, son! I don’t like a -quitter on my team.” - -Players and coach huddled in the infield. They looked like a gathering -of teddy bears in the space suits. Bill could see tears of bitterness -inside Pete’s plastic helmet. - -“Fellows,” the coach said, “what did we come seven hundred miles across -the Moon to do?” - -“To play ball,” someone answered, “—and win.” - -“All right, then. What do you say we start doing it? Pete, I’m going to -send you to left field where you used to play. Dan, in left field, will -take your place at shortstop.” - -The Rocketeers retired the side without further scoring. Then as though -to prove that the pep talk had helped, the team came up with three big -runs of their own! - -Pitching with all his skill, Bill was able to set down the Comets in -order. It was now the top half of the ninth inning, the last chance for -Plato to win the game. They were still behind 5-3, and the two-run lead -seemed as big as the Milky Way to Bill. - -Dan started it off by walloping a double down the right field line. Pete -followed with a single that bounced high over the right shortfielder’s -head. The fielder behind him took the ball and threw quickly to his -catcher to keep Dan from scoring off third. But then the Rocketeers’ -luck seemed to have run out as the next two players struck out. - -“It’s all up to you, Bill,” the coach told his pitcher as Bill selected -his favorite bat. - -“I’ll be swinging, coach,” Bill said determinedly. - -He looked toward the stands as he walked to the plate. Skippy was waving -encouragement again. - -“This one is for you, Skippy,” Bill murmured, stepping up to the plate. - -Carl tried to make him swing on two bad pitches. - -“Careful,” Bill warned himself. “There are two outs—only one more left -to us in the whole game!” - -The next ball was just the one Bill wanted. He swung with all his might. -He saw the ball rise and lose itself in the white dust of starlight -overhead. And then he was off! - -Loping past second, he saw the left fielder still bounding like a rabbit -after the ball. The coach slowed him up on third base. - -“Take it easy, Bill,” he said with a happy grin. “That ball is on the -dark side of the Moon by now!” - -Bill could see the Plato rooters waving their arms wildly in glee, and -his radio picked up their loud cheers. As he crossed the plate with the -leading run, he waved to Skippy who was almost out of his wheel chair in -his excitement over his big brother’s tingling homer. - -The score: Plato 6, Copernicus 5. The game was far from over, though. -The Comets still had their last turn at bat. - -Bill got the first player to raise a high infield pop-up. In the Moon’s -light gravity it seemed as if the ball would never come down. But it -finally did, and Dan took it for the first out. - -Bill walked the next Comet, to put one on and with one out. The -following batter forced the runner at second, making it two out and -giving Bill a much more confident feeling. - -But then up to the plate walked Jack Brenna! - -Bill swallowed hard and began to sweat inside his space suit. He failed -to get the ball over the plate on the first two pitches. Jack swung on -the next pitch and sent a hard foul ball behind third base. - -“Must be careful,” Bill thought. “A homer with the man on base will win -the game for the Comets.” - -Bill came though with a fast ball. Jack met it squarely and as the ball -towered high over the infield, Jack felt all quivery and weak. He turned -his head regretfully and saw the ball rising high and far against the -midnight black of space. He saw little Pete Irby galloping away from the -diamond as fast as he could go. - -“Get it, Pete!” Bill pleaded under his breath. “Please get it!” - -Everybody in the stands was on his feet. This was the play that would -decide the game—and the championship. - -Pete finally made a last second leap that brought him twenty feet off -the ground. Bill could hardly see ball and glove meet. But they did meet -and Pete had done the impossible! - -They had won! - -The Rocketeers whirled the coach and Bill easily up on their shoulders, -because of the light Lunar weight. Then they began parading happily -around the diamond to celebrate their very first championship. When Pete -had made the long trip in from the outfield, he too was carried around -on his teammates’ shoulders. - -“That was a swell catch, Pete!” Bill called out to the little fellow. -“You sure saved the day for us!” - -“You know what, Bill?” Pete said, grinning. “If I’d missed that ball I -would have kept on running—yep, right into space! I was determined to -make that trip to Earth one way or another!” - - - - - _PAPER TREASURE FOR MARS_ - - -Hugh Davone and Link Malloy sat at the wall desk of the space ship -compartment poring over their albums of interplanetary postage stamps. -The atom-powered _Princess of Mars_, cargo and passenger liner, was only -a few hours out on its Earth-to-Mars run. - -“It makes me nervous thinking of the thousands of dollars’ worth of -stamps we’re carrying in the wall safe,” Link said. “I don’t think I’m -going to enjoy this trip.” - -“Take it easy, Link,” Hugh replied, with a lighthearted grin. “There are -Space Guardsmen aboard ship to protect us.” - -The fellows were on their annual vacation from the Space Cadet Corps. -Since cadets in training could ride any space ship free, the two were -escorting a valuable shipment of Mr. Davone’s interplanetary stamps to -another dealer opening up shop in Mars City. - -“I’m worrying about that white-haired old character your dad said asked -suspicious questions at his shop the other day,” Link said. “Seems funny -that he is making the trip to Mars the same time we are.” - -“Probably only a coincidence,” Hugh answered. “There’s only one flight a -month to Mars, you know.” - -“There are unscrupulous dealers who would give anything to lay their -hands on our shipment,” Link went on. “This deal means an awful lot to -your dad’s stamp business, Hugh. If we should bungle the job, he -certainly would lose a lot.” - -“Sure he would,” Hugh agreed, then he added, “but we aren’t going to -bungle it.” - -This seemed to satisfy Link and a smile of confidence deepened the -corners of his broad, friendly mouth. - -Hugh picked up a stamp with his tongs. “I came across this duplicate -from the Venus pictorial issue. It’s the six-dollar blue of the Valley -of Mists. Have you got it?” - -Link leaned over. “No! What have you been doing, Hugh, holding out on -me? How about some of my 2027 Lunar commems in trade?” - -They worked out an exchange. The Lunar stamps were curious specimens, -imperforate and circular. They depicted the Lunar hemisphere which faces -Earth. The single-stamp issue had been distributed on the fiftieth -anniversary of man’s first landing on the moon and was much in demand. - -Suddenly there was a knock on the outer door of the compartment. - -Hugh got up and went to the door. As he walked, his magnetic-sole shoes -rasped against the metallic floor like a knife being honed. He opened -the door. - -A man with the face and build of a leprechaun looked at Hugh. His pale -but alert blue eyes peered steadily into Hugh’s. Hugh also began to -wonder why this customer at Davone’s Philatelic Shop should be making -the voyage to Mars with them. - -“Yes, sir?” Hugh asked. - -“May I come in?” the man asked. “My name is Oscar Benasco.” - -Hugh hesitated, thinking about the valuable cargo, then he replied -reluctantly, “Yes.” - -“Your father certainly has a fine shop, Hugh Davone,” the elderly man -said brightly as he entered. “However, I was disappointed to find out -that he had packed up some of his choicest space items and was selling -them to Mr. Elfs, a dealer on Mars.” - -“You know quite a lot, Mr. Benasco,” Link remarked coolly. - -“Yes, I pride myself on my shrewdness,” Mr. Benasco replied in a modest -manner. His roving eyes came to rest on the boys’ albums. “I see you two -have collections of your own.” - -“Nothing very valuable,” Hugh replied. “But we enjoy our stamps just the -same.” - -“Ah, yes,” Benasco said. His eyes brightened with eagerness and he -placed the tips of his outspread fingers together. “Speaking of valuable -items—those you are taking to Mars—no doubt you keep them in your -compartment safe. I wonder if you might show them to me?” - -“I’m sorry, Mr. Benasco,” Hugh said, “but I promised my dad I wouldn’t -take the stamps out to show anyone until they were safely in the hands -of Mr. Elfs on Mars.” - -Benasco looked completely crestfallen. His rounded shoulders slumped and -the most pained expression covered his face. “Surely just a look—” he -pleaded. - -“If you are going to Mars, as you must be,” Hugh went on, “you’ll be -able to see them all in Mr. Elfs’s shop, and you can talk to him about -any stamps you might want to buy.” - -“Then that’s your final answer?” Mr. Benasco asked, his disappointment -giving way to annoyance. - -“I’m afraid it must be,” Hugh told him. “I’m sorry.” - -“You’ve disappointed me sorely, young man,” Mr. Benasco retorted. “Good -day to you.” - -He turned briskly and clattered out the door. As he left, Hugh caught -sight of the handle of an old type miniature rocket pistol protruding -from his coat pocket. - -“Did you see that pistol?” Link asked, in surprise. “It’s a wonder he -didn’t hold us up for the stamps right here and now! But I guess he was -afraid to risk it.” - -“For a moment I almost felt sorry for him and was about to give in,” -Hugh admitted. “Now I’m glad I didn’t.” - -In the days that followed, Hugh and Link saw little of Mr. Benasco -except in the dining room. - -One morning, near the end of the flight, Hugh and Link were standing in -front of their compartment port looking out. The orange-red globe of -Mars was so dominant that it seemed to press back the surrounding stars -and nebulae to near obscurity. - -“Only a few more days and our shipment will be safely in the hands of -Mr. Elfs in Mars City,” Hugh said. “Then Mr. Benasco will be Mr. Elfs’s -worry.” - -“That will be just dandy as far as I’m concerned,” Link replied -earnestly. - -By this year of 2031, space mail service had increased to such -proportions that it had opened up a brand new field of stamp -specialization for the philatelist. It was for this reason that Mr. Elfs -was attempting a stamp hobby business in Mars City. Mr. Davone’s -portfolios of both low and high values was to provide him with the bulk -of his opening merchandise. - -Even the most remote colonies of the Solar System, including the -farthest on Triton, Neptune, had their own postage by now. The lone -Triton bi-color, picturing Valhalla Peak, tallest mountain yet -discovered in the System, was one of the most wanted by collectors. - -Suddenly the chimes for lunch were heard over the compartment intercom. - -Entering the dining room, Hugh and Link saw Benasco in his usual place -at the end of the table near the door. They took their seats and Link -smiled at his plate. “Cubed beef, Hugh.” - -Hugh grinned. “You can’t say they don’t aim to please on the _Princess -of Mars_.” - -But the fellows did not get to finish their cubed roast, nor did anyone -else at the table. - -A shock hit the ship like an unheralded thunderbolt. Hugh had the crazy -feeling of being in a nightmare. After the deafening report, he felt his -lap belt snap, and then he was hoisted out of his chair as though in the -vortex of a whirlwind. The table tore loose from the floor fittings. -Hugh bounced into a coffee urn and it nearly stunned him. Groans of -distress from those around him filled his ears. - -“What has happened?” Hugh thought dazedly. - -The ship’s disaster siren pealed along the corridors of the _Princess of -Mars_. Medical men with stretchers came running and officers snapped out -brisk orders. Hugh groped anxiously through the melee for Link. He -struggled over twisted chair tubing and found his friend helping those -who were hurt. - -“We’ve got work to do,” Link told him. - -Hugh rolled up his sleeves. He was still giddy. “I’m ready,” he said. - -It was reported later that there were no fatalities, but there were -enough injured persons to keep the infirmary staff busy for awhile. - -Hugh and Link, working side by side with the medical men, had not seen -anything of Benasco since the accident. The ship’s engineers revealed -that a meteorite had caused the disaster. It had struck fairly close to -the compartment occupied by Hugh and Link. Hugh shuddered to think what -it would have been like to have been tossed about in their room like a -pea in a whistle. Such would have been his and Link’s fate had the -strike occurred half an hour earlier. - -The cadets had not yet had the opportunity to check their quarters for -damage. When the physician in charge finally freed them with thanks for -their help, Hugh thought about the stamps for the first time since the -unnerving incident. - -“Link,” he said urgently, “we’ve got to get back and check on those -stamps! This has been a perfect set up for Benasco and his scheme!” - -“Right behind you,” Link said as they hurried from the infirmary. - -Along the way, the two found warped walls and doors that had been flung -open. Luckily all the occupants in the worst-hit area had been in the -dining room at the terrible moment, or there surely would have been -fatalities. - -Reaching their compartment, Hugh and Link found that the door had been -forced open by the explosion. - -Hugh hurried over to the wall safe. He felt a chill of dread race -through him. The vault door also was open and the chamber was empty. - -“They’re gone!” Hugh said hoarsely. “All of Dad’s stamps are gone!” - -Hugh slumped remorsefully on his cot, taut fingers combing through his -hair. “Dad wanted to have the stamps insured,” he said bitterly, “but I -was trying to save him money. The insurance fee was enormous, and on top -of that he would have had to pay the fare both to and from Mars for the -agents who would carry the shipment. How I wish they had done it now!” - -“If Benasco has the stamps, we may still be able to recover them,” Link -said. “Let’s go see him.” - -Hugh got up, his face set, his palm shaped into a fist. “If Benasco _is_ -the one, I’ll personally—oh, never mind! Come on!” - -They moved down corridor “E,” which was away from the center of the -damage. This was the hall where they knew Benasco’s room was located. -Scarcely anybody was in the section at present. Those who resided in the -nearby rooms were either helping out in the emergency, or they were idly -watching the beginning of repairs. The outside meteor bumper and the -inner buffer bulkheads had kept the destruction to a minimum. By -automatically sealing themselves off from the rest of the ship at the -moment of impact, the protective bulkheads had kept the ship from being -decompressed. - -Hugh and Link found their suspect’s door closed. Hugh walked up to it -and tried the knob. - -The door opened under Hugh’s push, but the compartment was vacant. - -“He’s gone,” Link said. - -“He must be somewhere close by,” Hugh returned impatiently. “We haven’t -passed him on the way, so he must be farther down the corridor.” - -“Maybe he’s looking for a place to hide the portfolios until we land,” -Link suggested. “He knows we’ll suspect him of taking them.” - -Hugh nodded. “Let’s go.” - -As the two moved ahead down the quiet passageway, Link spoke in a tense -voice, “Do you think we’re right trying to tackle that little guy alone? -We’re each bigger than he is, but he’s got a pistol and we haven’t.” - -“We’ll be careful,” Hugh promised. - -There were a number of storerooms lining the corridor. The cadets -checked one after another. The rooms were shrouded in tomblike silence -and full of dark hiding places. But the search revealed no sign of -Benasco or the missing portfolios. - -“He seems to have disappeared right into the air,” Link said -discouragingly. “Hugh, I hate to say it, but something tells me we -aren’t going to see either Benasco or those stamps again.” - -They were approaching the door of an outer-ship repair room. Hugh knew -that a ladder in this room led directly up to the outside hull of the -ship. - -“You’re probably thinking along the same lines that I am, Link,” Hugh -replied gravely. “It may be farfetched, but a person as shrewd as Mr. -Benasco makes out to be might have cooked up a pretty clever plan. He -may have had a portable transmitter hidden somewhere so that he could -contact another party outside the ship.” - -“I get it!” Link said. “He might have radioed this crony in a space taxi -to meet him on the outer skin. Then they could both take off with the -loot and either land on Mars or on one of the moons!” - -As Link spoke, Hugh was staring through the plastic window of the room. -A wall hid much of the interior from view. Suddenly he saw the very man -they were seeking cross the room and disappear beyond the corner of the -concealing wall. - -Link caught a glimpse of him too. “Hey!” he burst out. “Wasn’t that -_him_?” - -“It sure was,” Hugh replied, feeling better now. “He probably just -entered the room from another door along the next side corridor.” - -Hugh gently turned the knob and the door swung open soundlessly. “We’ll -slip in softly,” he whispered. “Then we can try to take him by surprise -around the corner up ahead. We’ll have to watch our step because he’s -probably desperate and will have his pistol ready for use.” - -“He deserves to get twenty years for a theft like this,” Link whispered -fiercely. “How did he ever expect to get away with it?” - -“He _won’t_ get away with it,” Hugh whispered confidently. “Right now -he’s probably getting into a space suit so he can pop through the outer -hatch and join his confederate outside.” - -They had reached the corner on tiptoe. Hugh, in the lead, peered -carefully around the corner. He gaped in surprise at what he saw: - -Benasco was seated on the floor like a child with a new scrapbook, and -he was chattering away ecstatically to himself! - -“My, oh, my, what a splendid group!” he was saying. “There’s a _tete -beche_ pair of old 1989 Space Stations I’ve always wanted! And look at -this one—a full sheet of Europa triangles! Oscar Benasco will have the -most splendid collection of space stamps in all the Solar System!” - -[Illustration: _Benasco was seated on the floor like a child with a new -scrapbook_] - -Hugh came out of hiding, followed by Link. “The jig’s up, Mr. Benasco,” -Hugh said. “How about returning our property?” - -The old man was so preoccupied that he did not notice Hugh and Link -immediately. “Dear, dear,” he purred, “what a beautiful set of Einstein -memorial surcharges! I wonder if young Davone will break up the set? I -have some of them.” - -“He’s just a queer old guy,” Link remarked as the two of them strode up -to him. - -“Oh, hello, boys,” Mr. Benasco greeted them casually. “I was hoping I’d -found a place where I wouldn’t be disturbed for awhile. I knew you’d -come by my room. I hope you don’t mind the liberty I’ve taken with your -stamps. But I did _ask_ to see them and you refused, you know?” - -Hugh took from him the portfolio he was holding. “How many stamps have -you removed from here?” he demanded. - -The man’s snowy brows went up in surprised indignation. “Removed?” he -shrilled, his face coloring. “I’ve never been accused of stealing in my -life, sir! I merely borrowed your collection to see if it has the items -I need. When the explosion blew open your safe, it was simply a -temptation I could not resist.” - -“Those rare items you need cost money,” Hugh reminded him. “Lots of it.” - -“Young man,” Mr. Benasco grunted, “you do not need to tell me of the -value of postage stamps. I’m well acquainted with Scott’s catalogue. I -have every intention of paying for my merchandise.” He pulled out such a -wad of bills that Link gasped. “You see, I _can_ pay.” - -“What about that rocket pistol you’re carrying in your pocket, Mr. -Benasco?” Link asked suspiciously. “Do you always go around armed?” - -“Oh, this?” the old man asked, taking out the rusted miniature model. -“This is nothing but an old relic of mine when I was a space hand myself -on a freighter. I carry it with me sometimes, because it gives me a -feeling of confidence.” - -Hugh chuckled as a vast feeling of relief came over him. “You certainly -had us fooled, Mr. Benasco. We thought surely you were a stamp thief out -to steal our valuable stamps.” - -“Perhaps my methods have puzzled you somewhat,” Mr. Benasco declared. -“But I had to see those rarities before you got rid of them. Somebody -might have bought them before I could. Perhaps Mr. Elfs would have held -them out for his own collection. You must sell them to me, young man! I -believe I should die if I could not get them! Stamps represent the only -pleasure that is left to me.” - -“All right, Mr. Benasco, since it means so much to you,” Hugh agreed, -smiling. “Being a hobbyist myself, I know what a hold stamps can have on -a person. We’ll take the portfolios back to our compartment and discuss -the stamps you want. But if my father or Mr. Elfs complains about this, -you’ll have to share the blame.” - -“Gladly, gladly,” was the willing reply. “Do you mind telling us why -you’re going to Mars, Mr. Benasco?” Link asked. - -“I’ve got a son there working on a canal project. He invited me and my -stamp collection to come and stay as long as I liked, since I had lived -with my other son so long in the States. I thought it was nice of him.” - -As Hugh and Link were leading the way out of the room, the portfolios -safely tucked under their arms, Hugh remarked in a whisper to his pal, -“Link, I’ll never prejudge another person as long as I live.” - -Link stole a look back at Mr. Benasco who was clicking along behind and -smiling rapturously. “That calls for a mutual pledge, Hugh,” Link -replied soberly, with a shake of his head. “Let’s shake on it.” - -And they did. - - - - - Transcriber’s Notes - - ---Copyright notice provided as in the original—this e-text is public - domain in the country of publication. - ---Silently corrected palpable typos; left non-standard spellings and - dialect unchanged. - ---In the text versions, delimited italics text in _underscores_ (the - HTML version reproduces the font form of the printed book.) - - - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Young Readers Science Fiction Stories, by -Richard Mace Elam - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK YOUNG READERS SCIENCE FICTION *** - -***** This file should be named 53456-0.txt or 53456-0.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/3/4/5/53456/ - -Produced by Stephen Hutcheson, MFR and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: Young Readers Science Fiction Stories - -Author: Richard Mace Elam - -Illustrator: Victor Prezio - -Release Date: November 5, 2016 [EBook #53456] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK YOUNG READERS SCIENCE FICTION *** - - - - -Produced by Stephen Hutcheson, MFR and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - - - - - YOUNG READERS - Science Fiction Stories - - - By RICHARD M. ELAM - - ILLUSTRATED BY - VICTOR PREZIO - - _Publishers_ GROSSET & DUNLAP, INC. _New York_ - - 1957 by - LANTERN PRESS, INC. - By arrangement with Lantern Press, Inc. - - PUBLISHED SIMULTANEOUSLY IN CANADA BY - GEORGE J. MC LEOD, LIMITED, TORONTO, ONTARIO - MANUFACTURED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - - - TO - THE YOUNG TRAVELERS - OF TOMORROW - - - - - _CONTENTS_ - - - _Beth and the Twilight Star_ 13 - _Gib Takes a Space Test_ 28 - _The Space Mail Run_ 39 - _All Aboard for Space_ 55 - _Wheel in the Sky_ 69 - _Danger on the Ice Canal_ 83 - _Cargo for Callisto_ 95 - _The Big Show on Titan_ 107 - _Adventure on the Sun's Doorstep_ 119 - _The Flying Mountain_ 132 - _Castaways in Space_ 144 - _The Big Space Ball Game_ 158 - _Paper Treasure for Mars_ 171 - - - - - _ILLUSTRATIONS_ - - - She saw a strange land unfolding before her eyes 22 - Everyone was told to buckle himself to the rail by a short - length of cord 62 - The tornado bomb was on its way, speeding hundreds of miles a - second Earthward 81 - He saw her flinging her arms and legs about like a drowning - swimmer 128 - Benasco was seated on the floor like a child with a new - scrapbook 187 - - - - - YOUNG READERS - Science Fiction Stories - - - - - _BETH AND THE TWILIGHT STAR_ - - -Beth Harrison and her father had driven into the desert to look for dead -branches of "jumping cactus," which were used in making lamps for Mr. -Harrison's tourist shop in Tucson. He and Beth had just gotten out of -the station wagon and were gazing up a slope of bristly cacti. - -"This looks like a good place, Daddy," Beth said. - -Mr. Harrison nodded. "We'll have to hurry, though. It's getting late." - -They started up the sandy slope carrying straw market bags that would -hold their gleanings. - -"Maybe we'll see some Flying Saucers," Beth said half-jokingly. "Someone -thought he saw one out here the other day." - -Her father grinned. "Flying Saucers indeed! You and that lively -imagination of yours, Beth!" - -They set to work searching for dead branches. They found a few good -specimens. But they were not enough to suit Beth and she decided to -broaden the search. She went over the slope and up and down another, and -before long her roaming carried her out of sight of her father. - -Amidst the stunning colors of the sunset, Beth could make out a lone -star--Sirius--the brightest true star in all the sky. It reminded her of -a pearl glowing in the heavens. - -Presently Beth had a bag full of cactus wood for the lamp shop. She was -about to return to her father when suddenly she saw something ahead that -she had not noticed before. Almost hidden within a dense thicket of -smoky green _paloverde_ was a shiny surface that reflected the dying -sun's rays. Her imagination stirred, Beth decided to investigate. - -She put down her bag and made her way into the thicket. As she moved -carefully through the thorns, she found some of the branches pushed -aside as if someone had used this path before. She was almost through -when she tripped and fell head-first. Her forehead bumped against an -unyielding branch, causing her to see more than one star this time. - -She didn't know how long she lay on the ground half-stunned before she -got to her feet. There was a painful bruise on her forehead, but her -curiosity was still strong and she went on. The shiny surface turned out -to be a wall as smooth and glossy as steel. - -"Jeepers!" Beth thought. "What can it be?" - -She reached out to touch the wall. Before she could do so, a door opened -in the wall. - -The first thing she noticed beyond was a soft yellow light filling a -handsome room. Feeling like Alice on the threshold of Wonderland, she -stepped inside, more thrilled than afraid. - -She heard a sighing behind her and saw the door closing shut. Only then -did she become frightened. She beat against the wall, wishing that she -had not been so rash as to venture into such a strange place. - -She heard a voice say, "That will not help." - -Beth turned and saw a girl of about her own age standing on a -richly-carpeted platform across the room. The odd unearthliness of the -girl struck Beth immediately. She was pretty and her skin was milky -white. Her costume seemed to be of a blue phosphorescent material, as -did her shoes. Her short hair was almost as red as glowing coals. - -"Wh--who are you?" Beth stammered. - -"I am Linnia," the girl replied in a voice that sounded almost as if she -were singing. "You are Beth." - -"Yes," Beth replied in amazement, "but how did you--?" - -"I can read your mind." - -Beth gulped. "You can?" - -"Come over and sit down," Linnia said. "We shall talk." - -She sat in a nearby chair that seemed to be made of steel matchsticks, -it looked so frail. Beth sat in the chair opposite and found that it was -very sturdy. - -"You are thinking that I look very strange to you," Linnia said. "You -seem strange to me too, but that is because we are of different worlds." - -Beth gulped again. "D--different worlds?" - -Suddenly the yellow light in the room changed to a pulsing orange. -Linnia straightened up quickly. "That is the signal," she spoke. "I did -not expect it so soon. We must hurry and prepare ourselves!" - -Beth started asking questions, but Linnia said not now. Beth found -herself following the girl across the room to a row of couches. Beth lay -down on one and somehow knew exactly what she was to do. She guessed -that Linnia was putting the thoughts into her head. She lifted the -straps that hung at the sides and buckled them across her body. - -The couch was soft as a cloud and Beth was thinking how much she would -like to have a bed like this when all at once she felt herself sinking -deeply into the cushion as if a great hand were thrusting her down. For -several moments she was as giddy as if she were riding the -roller-coaster at the carnival. Then finally her breath came back and -she felt herself rise to the top of the cushion again. - -"We can get up," she heard Linnia say. "We're coasting now." - -They unbuckled their straps and rose to their feet. Linnia walked over -to the wall, pressed a button, and a blind rolled back, revealing a long -window. - -"Look," Linnia said. - -Beth joined her and looked out the window. Her heart fairly rose into -her throat. She was up in the sky, far up in the sky! Through a veil of -clouds beneath she could see the curve of the earth itself! - -Beth seized Linnia by the arm. "Jeepers, what's going on! Where are you -taking me?" - -Linnia pointed to the white beacon of Sirius in the blue-black sky. - -"You're from Sirius?" Beth asked in amazement. - -"Yes, from Tata Moori, one of its planets. Our work on earth is through -for right now and my father and I are returning home to make a report." - -Linnia went on to say that her father's space ship was only one of many -which were studying the earth to see how the people here lived. Her -father's assignment had been to make an analysis of the soil. The -visitors intended no harm and in time they planned to meet the people of -earth face to face. - -"Well, I have already met you," Beth said boldly, "and I'm ready to go -back!" - -Linnia shook her flame-topped head. "We tried to keep our ship hidden, -but you found it, Beth, and so there is nothing to do but take you back -with us for awhile. When you came close, the electric eye opened the -door and let you inside before it was time for any earth person to see -one of our ships." - -"But my father and mother," Beth said desperately, "and my friends! -They'll be worried to death! You must not take me, Linnia! Please, isn't -there something you can do?" - -Linnia studied Beth's pleading face. Then she replied, "I'll talk to my -father. He's busy running the ship, but I'll do what I can for you. -While I'm gone, you can see what it's like on our world by pushing the -button on that cabinet against the wall. Father and I look at the film -sometimes to keep from getting homesick." - -Beth was in no mood for looking at pictures. She was feeling worse by -the minute as she considered what it would be like to be parted from her -family and friends. As she sat in the chair, dreading and wondering, -suddenly it became too much for her and she began to cry. - -"Jeepers, why did I ever wander off from Daddy?" she moaned. - -The tears made her feel better and presently she was calm enough to go -over to the cabinet and turn it on. A large screen brightened and she -saw a strange land unfolding before her eyes. - -There were winding highways raised into the sky and skyscrapers like -tall crystal columns. She saw motorcars of tear-drop design and -helicopters filling the air. The people looked much like Linnia, with -phosphorescent clothing, and all had hair as flaming red as Linnia's -own. - -[Illustration: _She saw a strange land unfolding before her eyes_] - -Yes, Tata Moori looked like an exciting place to visit, but it was not a -visit Beth would want to make without another person from her own -planet. As she thought about her predicament, she began to be scared -again and the tears filled her eyes once more. Why, Sirius was -_trillions_ of miles from Earth! - -She went to the window. The dwindling earth was becoming a green ball -against the black deeps of space. The stars were dazzling and seemed as -countless as the sands of the seashore. The view made Beth terribly -homesick. - -Finally Linnia returned. - -Beth looked at her anxiously, trying to read her fate in the foreign -girl's eyes. - -"What did your father say?" Beth asked, with fluttering heart. "Did he -say he'd take me back? Please tell me he did!" - -Linnia smiled. "Yes, Beth. He said that we are not supposed to take -younger persons to Tata Moori. He was angry with me for not telling him -you were aboard, but I told him you came in just before we blasted off." - -"Gee, I'm so relieved!" Beth said happily. "I don't mean I wouldn't like -your company, Linnia, but you know how it is." - -"Yes, I know," Linnia replied wistfully. "I have missed my mother and -friends too. I had to take my brother's place on this trip when he -became sick. You see, everyone on Tata Moori learns science when they -are very young." - -"I've been wondering how it is that you speak English, Linnia." - -"We keep tuned in on your radio and television," Linnia answered. -"That's how we learned your language and so many other things about -you." - -"You people seem to be ahead of us in progress," Beth said. "I believe -there is much we can learn from you." - -"We can learn much from you too," Linnia spoke. "I hope the people of -our planets are permitted to meet very soon." - -The girls had to belt down on their couches again because of the -mounting speed at which they were returning to earth. Beth felt herself -sinking deeply into her cushion once more and she grew breathless again. -Minutes later, the ship stopped moving. - -Beth hurriedly unbuckled and ran over to the window. Through a break in -the _paloverde_ thicket she could see her father's station wagon parked -at the roadside. She was back at the same place she had started from. - -"Thank goodness!" she breathed. - -Linnia walked with her to the outer door. - -"My father said he'd like to have met you," Linnia said, "but he is too -busy preparing for our blast off again. We must hurry because we are -behind schedule. Before you leave, Beth, Father has said that you must -promise never to speak a word about all this to anyone. I have searched -your mind and I know you to be honest." - -Beth was disappointed that she could not make known her fabulous -journey, but she promised that she would never tell. - -Linnia waved her hand at the door and the electric eye opened it. - -"Goodbye, Beth," Linnia said. - -"Goodbye, Linnia." - -Beth heard the sighing of the door as it closed behind her. - -Suddenly her head began aching and she remembered the fall she had taken -earlier. As she made her way out of the thicket, she began to have a -queer feeling about her adventure. It made her wonder if perhaps she -might not have been unconscious and imagined the whole thing. - -When she reached the car, her father said with some concern, "You were -gone so long I started to come for you, Beth. What happened to your -forehead?" - -She told him about her fall but did not mention the space ship. - -"Did you see something land a few minutes ago, Daddy?" Beth asked. - -Mr. Harrison grinned. "You mean, maybe, a Flying Saucer? No, I'm afraid -I didn't. Are you sure your imagination isn't working overtime again, -Beth?" - -As they were about to get into the car, Beth saw a dark object in the -distance rise from the ground and move off into the deepening twilight. -She was certain she did not imagine this. - -"You saw that, didn't you, Daddy?" Beth asked. - -Mr. Harrison nodded. "Probably a hawk. Hmm, it looks like it's heading -right for the Evening Star, doesn't it?" - -Beth gazed at the brilliant light of Sirius, gorgeously bright now with -darkness closing in. - -"I wish I knew if it really was," Beth murmured. - - - - - _GIB TAKES A SPACE TEST_ - - -Gib Bromfield was nine, and the thing he wanted to do most was to make a -flight into space. A colony on the Moon had already been started for -scientific research, and a huge man-made space platform circled the -Earth once every twenty-four hours. - -"I want to go back to the Moon with you, Father," Gib would plead every -time Mr. Bromfield came home on a furlough. - -"I'm afraid you're still a little young, Gib," his father would reply. -"Some day you will be able to go out into space with me, but not yet." - -Mr. Bromfield was a construction engineer, and he was helping to build a -big spaceport on the Moon. He came home to see his family every six -months. Each time he returned, Gib couldn't wait to meet him at the -front door of their prefabricated home. - -Gib would shake hands with him like a man and take his bags from him. -Then he would step back and admire the tall, handsome man in the glossy -black boots and gray uniform of the Space Service. By this time, Mother -usually came running up, followed by Sandra, Gib's little sister. - -On Mr. Bromfield's latest visit, Gib waited until the usual family talk -had subsided before he started asking his father about his recent -adventures. After Father had brought him up to date, Gib asked the same -question he always asked: - -"Father, my I go back with you this time for a short visit--just a short -one?" - -Mr. Bromfield smiled and rumpled Gib's blond hair. "It's not the time -element, Gib," he said patiently. "It's the rigors of space itself, -which are much rougher than Captain Rocket on TV would have us believe." - -Gib's face fell. He had hoped that this time his father would give in -and let him go back. Mr. Bromfield could see that his son was -disappointed. He stared at Gib thoughtfully for a moment, then spoke -again. - -"All right, Gib, I'll put you through S.Q.T. If you pass it and still -want to go spaceward, I'll take you." - -"Gee, do you mean that?" Gib burst out. - -He was so excited he didn't know what to do. Gib had never had any doubt -that he would pass the S.Q.T.--the Space Qualification Test--that all -those who go spaceward must take. - -Mr. Bromfield went immediately to the video-phone and put through a call -to S.Q.T., having them place Gib's name on the space test list. - -"Thanks, Father!" Gib said excitedly. "At last I'll be going spaceward!" - -"We'll see," Mr. Bromfield replied soberly. - -Gib spent the next afternoon on the first part of the test, which was a -complete physical examination. - -"It didn't hurt the tiniest bit," Gib joked with his father that night. -"If all the parts of the test are as easy as this first one, I won't -have any trouble." - -Mr. Bromfield did not say anything, but he smiled to himself as though -he knew something that Gib did not know. - -Gib and his father took the elevated expressway to the S.Q.T. center -early the next morning in their atom-powered Johnson Superjet. The final -portions of Gib's test would be covered today. - -The first part was familiarity with the space suit. In company with -about fifty other candidates, Gib was given a supply of clothing. Then -everyone was shown how to zip up their thickly insulated suits in front. -Next, an attendant snapped metal cylinders to their shoulders and -screwed the flexible tubing into valves on their suits. Last to be put -on were helmets of light metal that had a darkened glass in front so -that the wearer could look out. - -"Now, all of you turn the little black knob on your chests," the tester -said. His voice sounded muffled to Gib because of the helmet he wore. - -Gib turned his knob and felt his suit blowing up like a balloon as air -flowed in from the oxygen tanks. - -"This is how you would be dressed for a walk on the Moon," the tester -told them. "Now I want all of you to walk into the next room." - -As Gib went into the room with the others, he was thinking how easy the -test had been up until now. And what fun it was taking the very tests -that Captain Rocket himself must have taken at one time! He thought his -father was surely mistaken for having doubted his ability to pass the -S.Q.T. - -The tester left the room and shut the door. In a few moments Gib began -to have a strange sensation. He was feeling lighter and lighter, and the -others with him were beginning to float right off the floor! - -Gib struggled frantically as he felt himself go off balance. Each -movement he made, however, shot him off at swift, crazy angles. He felt -himself sweating with fear, and for the first time he was believing that -maybe the S.Q.T. wasn't going to be so easy after all. - -It seemed as if he had the strength of a Samson, but it was a strength -he could not control. A simple kick sent him hurtling across the room -toward the wall! He tried to brake himself, but nothing he did would -stop him. He crashed headlong into the wall. It shook him up a little, -but he was not hurt. He saw that the wall was thickly padded. - -After about fifteen minutes of helplessness, Gib felt himself getting -heavier again and saw his companions drop to the floor in normal -position. The tester came in with some doctors. The doctors looked over -each candidate and asked many questions. Gib was still dazed and wasn't -sure of the answers he gave. - -When the doctors were through, the tester explained what had happened: -"This room was de-gravitized, which means the Earth's gravity in here -was cut off by mechanical means. It's the same condition you will find -in a space ship when the gravity plates are turned off. From the looks -of some of you, this experience was something of a shock. But the final -test will be even rougher. Anybody who wants to drop out now may do so." - -Gib saw that about a third of the candidates had had enough. Gib was -still giddy himself and started to join them. He was disappointed in the -harshness of "zero-gravity." It had always looked so simple to him the -way that Captain Rocket "swam" about in his rocket flyer. - -Gib did not want his father to think him a quitter, though, and decided -to stick out the test to the end. When his turn came, he was led into a -huge room by himself and up to a queer-looking machine. It resembled one -of the thrill rides at a carnival, the one that whirls you round and -round like a ball on the end of a string. Gib entered a tiny cabin at -the end of the large swinging arm and sat down in a thick foam-rubber -reclining chair. - -As he was strapped down, the tester said to him, "This is called the -'Centrifuge,' son, and it simulates the blast-off from Earth in a rocket -ship. You appear to be a little young to be taking it, so if you've had -enough just yank that lever in front of you and we'll stop the machine." - -"I--I will," Gib replied, getting scared already. - -He got more scared as all sorts of instruments were strapped to him. The -tester explained that these were to record his reactions. As the door -was closed on him. Gib had a trapped feeling. Then he composed himself -and waited for the worst, telling himself that a spaceman must be brave. - -Presently he felt the cabin begin to move, slowly at first. This much -was fun, Gib thought, just like the carnival ride. As the cabin picked -up speed, it was even more thrilling. But then as the speed increased -still more, Gib began to lose his enjoyment. - -Faster and faster he went, and Gib was crushed deeply into the chair -cushion. He felt his cheeks draw back from his teeth, the corners of his -eyes making him squint. There was heavy pressure on his chest, as if an -elephant were standing on him. His breath hung in his throat and he saw -strange colors and darting forms before his eyes. - -He stood the agonizing effect as long as he could, and then his -frightfully heavy hand crept unsteadily toward the lever in front of him -and jerked it. - -The cabin began losing speed and finally stopped. Gib saw a blurred -image open the door and offer his hand. As he stumbled out, his head -feeling big as a watermelon, Gib vaguely remembered hearing the tester -say: - -"You needn't feel badly about this, son. You almost lasted it out. Come -back in another year or two and then I think you'll be able to pass." - -Gib still wasn't quite himself as he met his father in the waiting room. -He was quivering all over, and his dad wouldn't quite come into focus. - -"I flunked the test, Father," Gib told him. - -"It sounds to me as if you're glad you did," Mr. Bromfield replied, with -a chuckle. "I was afraid it might be too rough for you, son, but I knew -there was no other way to show you that space travel isn't as easy as -the comic books make out." - -"I'll try again next year," Gib said, "or the year after that, anyway. -That's what the tester told me." - -"I'm sure you'll be ready then," Mr. Bromfield replied. "Now, what do -you say we go home? Captain Rocket is almost due on TV." - - - - - _THE SPACE MAIL RUN_ - - -The way he felt now, Jerry Welsh was almost sorry he had left Earth. The -Moonship landing seemed to be crushing the very life out of him, -although he lay flat on a couch to ease the strain. - -Jerry turned his head toward his father, who was strapped down like -himself, and suffering too. The craft was under its own control, for no -human could withstand the rocket's present speed and still be able to -steer in for a landing. - -Capt. Welsh was on his bi-weekly mail run to Luna, the Moon, and for the -first time in ten years of service he had a passenger--his own -twelve-year-old son. - -At last Jerry felt a hard jolt under him. He knew the rocket's tail fins -had finally touched ground. Jerry unstrapped himself with rubbery -fingers and sat up. Then he tried to stand, but flopped down again. - -"Wow, I feel giddy!" he groaned. - -His father laughed. "You'll get your bearings presently, Son." - -How long Jerry had waited to make this space mail run with his father! -Then finally last year, Capt. Welsh had said that Jerry could go with -him when he became twelve, as he was especially husky and strong for his -age. - -But now that the great moment had come at last, Jerry wasn't sure he was -enjoying it as he had expected, for he had found space so vast, so dark, -and so frightening. - -"Do you still want to be a spaceman, Jerry?" his dad asked suddenly, as -though Jerry had spoken his thoughts aloud. - -"I--I think so, Dad," he replied hesitantly. - -"I see you're doubtful, Jerry," Capt. Welsh said. "I won't put you on -the spot so early." - -They climbed into space gear--electrically-heated suits and clear -plastic helmets fitted with radios. Lastly they donned oxygen tanks and -flooded their suits with the life-sustaining gas. - -They gathered up the mail sacks and climbed down the ladder to the -ground, heading for the largest of a group of buildings which made up -Moonhaven, center of Earthmen's activity on the airless planet. - -The stars burned fantastically bright overhead. Traces of frost topped -the distant Lunar Alps. It was incredibly cold out here, for the Moon -was in its two-week period of night. - -Capt. Welsh got a receipt for the largest mail bag, and then he and -Jerry went out a rear door of the building carrying the rest. An -atom-powered mail car awaited them. It had an open top and huge wheels -that looked like saw-toothed gears. - -"Climb aboard the Moon jeep, Jerry," his father said. "We've got ten -mail deliveries to make." - -Inside, Capt. Welsh pulled down a section of the dash panel revealing a -map. "Here's a map of our route. There aren't many mail stops on the -Moon yet, but they are all important." - -"And the mail must go through!" Jerry added. - -Capt. Welsh nodded soberly. "That's the first law, Jerry." - -As they moved off Jerry saw the big friendly globe of Earth hanging like -a green jewel halfway up the jet black sky. He wondered what his mother -and baby sister were doing this moment a quarter of a million miles -away. - -Capt. Welsh showed Jerry how to run the jeep. Jerry found this easy for -he had already had a course in mechanics in preparation for his future -career as a space man. But sometime later their peaceful ride was -interrupted when Capt. Welsh suddenly leaned over and grabbed the wheel. - -Jerry was thrown to the side as the car swerved. The vehicle -straightened out and slammed to a halt as his father controlled the -wheel and applied the brakes. - -"What happened?" Jerry breathed, his heart pounding. - -His father pointed behind them. "Look." - -Jerry turned and saw the edge of a treacherous ditch running right -across the roadway where they would have passed over. The gorge was -several feet wide. - -"I didn't even see it," Jerry murmured, sick with fear at what might -have happened. - -This wasn't the first time he'd been shaken on this journey. It made him -wonder as he had once before if he had what it took to be a space man, -or if this adventure would make him decide never to leave the atmosphere -of Earth again. - -"Scared?" his father asked. Jerry nodded. - -"Don't worry. I was too for a moment." - -"You were?" Jerry asked with surprise. - -"Fear was given to man, so he could save himself from danger, Jerry," -Capt. Welsh said. "Don't be ashamed of it. Fear is nothing to be ashamed -of unless you let it get the best of you. Never forget that." - -They arrived at their first delivery point, an engineering project on a -plateau surrounded by mountains. There were the foundations of great -buildings to come, constructed of hard Lunar granite. - -The space-suited figures came running when they recognized Capt. Welsh -and his mail car. Jerry marveled how the formerly stern expressions of -the workmen brightened when the foreman handed mail out to them. - -"It must be fun bringing mail to men who are so far from their homes and -families," Jerry said when they were on their way again. - -"I guess that's why I've put up with the lonely hours of seeing nothing -but stardust for the past ten years," Capt. Welsh answered. "But I love -it, Son, and I wouldn't trade jobs with any man." - -Their next delivery site was a cavern where men were prospecting for -uranium. They too were overjoyed at receiving messages from home. The -jeep rolled on from there to a huge plain which was being prepared for a -future spaceport. Capt. Welsh and his helper dropped off another mail -sack and then were on their way again. Some hours later, all but two -deliveries had been made. - -"Next stop is the astronomy observatory," Capt. Welsh told Jerry. - -They crawled over sandy hills that taxed the gripping power of their -spiked wheels, wound in and out of towering buttresses of black basalt, -and bored through natural tunnels like a pair of human moles. Then the -observatory came into view. - -A smiling little scientist with thick glasses signed for the mail at the -door. He invited Jerry to come back and visit the place before he -returned to Earth. - -"You haven't seen anything until you look through their great -telescope," Capt. Welsh told Jerry as they drove off. - -"What's our last stop?" Jerry wanted to know. - -"A geology camp where some scientists are digging into ancient rocks," -his father said. "It's only about seven miles away, but the going will -be a little rough before we get there. It's a good thing it's our last -stop because we don't have any too much oxygen left in our shoulder -tanks. I usually don't take this long on a mail run." - -The roadway carried them through a narrow pass with a high hill of loose -rock on one side and a sloping embankment on the other. Jerry's first -warning of trouble came when he was flung suddenly forward. He heard the -sickening drag of the wheels as his father's boot hit the brakes. Just -ahead of them he saw a cascade of rocks sliding down the hill. - -The next moment Jerry felt an even harder blow as the jeep was grazed by -one of the large boulders. The small car was swept out of the roadway -like a toy and rammed against a pillar at the cliff edge. - -Jerry screamed in fear as he felt himself being thrown out of the car. -He struck the ground hard and began rolling head over heels down the -precipice. - -When the numbing shock of his fall had worn off, Jerry climbed dazedly -to his feet and looked up the slope down which he had been thrown. - -"Dad!" he cried. He slipped and scrambled up the incline in reckless -haste. He found Capt. Welsh sprawled unconscious just below the upper -brink of the precipice. Jerry knelt and looked into his face through the -clear plastic helmet. His father's eyes were closed and there was an -ugly bruise on his forehead where it must have struck the helmet in his -fall. - -"What am I going to do?" Jerry groaned aloud. - -He himself would have to make the decisions and carry them through if -the two of them were to survive. It was a shocking thought. Then it came -to him what his father had said about fear: a person need never be -ashamed of fear so long as it was not permitted to get the upper hand. - -Jerry pulled his father up onto the roadway and tried to bring him -around, but without result. Jerry examined the jeep. One side was badly -smashed, but the engine still appeared sound. The car was tipped over -against the rock column. Jerry was thankful that the jeep was only -one-sixth of its Earth-weight on the moon. It was a tremendous effort -but he finally righted the car and got it back on the road. - -He jumped into the front seat and started the engine. It sputtered, then -hummed into activity! Jerry studied the map on the panel. He located -their present position by the giant crater, Plato, at his distant right. -Then he traced the winding route leading to the geology camp. He was -closer to the camp than the observatory, but ahead lay a rugged route, -one with which Jerry was totally unfamiliar. He got out and went back to -where Capt. Welsh lay. - -"Which way should I go, Dad, ahead or back?" he asked helplessly, just -as though his father were able to answer him. - -Something told him that Capt. Welsh would want him to go ahead--to -finish the mail run that had never missed a round in ten years. Jerry -got his father into the back seat, then gunned the jeep and struck off -into the unknown ahead. - -He was thankful for the old worn trail that led the way for him. It -presently carried him through a gloomy valley. Jerry switched on his -headlights, but the twin spears of brightness gave him little comfort in -the spooky place. Grotesque rock columns rose like menacing ghosts on -both sides of him. - -At last he was out in the open again. The road led him around the steep -ledge of a yawning crater, evidently caused by a huge crashing fireball -from outer space. - -Jerry carefully guided the jeep along the dangerous cliff. If one of his -wheels should slip over the side, it would be a fall to frightful death -a hundred feet straight down. At last even this peril was past, and -Jerry drove up a gradual incline over bare rock to a bluff that -overlooked the distant land for many miles. - -"The camp!" he said joyfully. "That's it below--only a few miles away!" - -He followed a curve that swept onto the plain below. When he was on a -level again, it seemed that all his troubles were over. He felt better -by the moment as he drove closer and closer to his destination. - -Then, without warning, his wheels began to bog down in a pumice mire. -His heart did a flip-flop and he checked the map. He saw a warning to -drivers to avoid this spot. In his overconfidence, he had blundered -right into it! - -He gave the little jeep full power. It jerked crazily through the -clinging stuff. Over to the right the pumice seemed to thin out, and -farther over he could see the roadway he should have taken. He swung his -wheels to the right and the jeep lurched through the gray sand, using up -a lot of power, but making little progress. For minutes on end Jerry -gave the jeep all it had, and he could hear its engine laboring tiredly. - -Suddenly the motor died. Jerry tried to start it again but could not. He -checked his temperature gauge. The engine was extremely hot from the -continual use of top power. From his mechanical school course, Jerry -realized the rotors had "frozen" and that it wouldn't run again until -they had cooled off. - -As he waited impatiently for the engine to cool, a warning voice in his -mind was saying: "Your oxygen is getting lower by the second. If the -jeep doesn't get out of here within the next fifteen minutes, you and -your dad will never make it." - -Jerry shook off the terrible thoughts. He stamped his feet to warm them. -The electric circuit in his suit seemed to be breaking down. If it -collapsed completely, he would be frozen instantly by the Lunar cold. - -Jerry massaged his dad's hands and legs in case his suit, too, was -getting colder. He worked steadily until his hands ached. Then he -checked the gauge again. It was falling slowly, but heavy insulation was -still keeping the engine hot. - -At last Jerry decided he should not wait any longer. With a prayer on -his lips, he pressed the starter button. The engine rumbled sluggishly, -coughed, then quickened to full strength. He jammed the fuel pedal hard -and tried to guide the jeep's swirling, spinning motion through the -Lunar sand. Slowly the little car pulled itself like a weary swimmer -toward the firm bank. Finally the wheels found good traction and the -jeep lurched onto the roadway. - -Jerry heaved a tremendous sigh and sped down the path toward the geology -camp. - -Less than an hour later Jerry was being permitted into the room of one -of the huts where his father had been carried for examination by the -camp physician. Jerry had been told that his father had suffered a -slight concussion, but that he would be all right. - -Capt. Welsh smiled from his cot as Jerry walked in. - -"Hi, space man," his father greeted. "The doctor says the men here were -mighty happy to get their mail on time." - -"I'm glad I came on here, then, instead of going back to the -observatory," Jerry murmured. - -"You did the job in the best tradition of the Space Mail Service, -Jerry," Capt. Welsh said, smiling proudly. "If I had any doubts that -you'd be able to follow me some day, Son, they're gone now." - -Jerry nodded happily. A few doubts had been removed from his own mind in -the past hour. - - - - - _ALL ABOARD FOR SPACE_ - - -It had already been a wonderful birthday for the twins, Sue and Steve -Shannon, when their father asked, "How about it, kids--are you ready for -that space ride I promised?" - -Sue's big hazel eyes looked like walnuts as she stared in surprise. -Steve's blue eyes were more like plums. Could they really believe what -they were hearing? - -"I said I'd take you on the ride when you two reached 12, didn't I?" Mr. -Shannon went on. - -They hadn't forgotten and were suddenly as excited as two young ducks -who have just discovered water. Mr. Shannon looked at his watch. "We'd -better get ready. The next flight is at four o'clock." - -Less than a half hour later, Mrs. Shannon was bidding goodbye to the -three as they climbed into the family helicopter on the roof of their -home. In this year of 2004 nearly everybody owned a 'copter. Mrs. -Shannon had been invited to go along but she said no coaxing in the -world could get her up in one of those "rocket things." - -The overhead doors of the garage swung open as Mrs. Shannon pushed the -button on the wall. As soon as the three riders were comfortably seated, -Mr. Shannon started up the engine and the overhead blade began churning. -Gently the 'copter lifted into the blue sky and headed out over the -city. - -"I can't really believe we're going to take a trip into space!" Sue said -happily. - -"Some day I'm going to be a spaceman and travel to _all_ the planets!" -Steve declared. - -The plane passed over beautiful triple-decked highways, over green farms -loaded with scientific equipment and solar mirrors, over plastic-domed -skyscrapers. Presently a large oval appeared just ahead. "There's the -space port!" Sue exclaimed. - -When Mr. Shannon got the signal to land, he brought the helicopter down -into the parking lot at the edge of the port. Then the three jumped out -onto the ground. As they walked toward the main building, the twins -excitedly noticed the busy activity of the field. What impressed them -most were the massive torpedo-shaped rockets which were half-buried in -their concrete launching pits. - -"Where is that biggest rocket going, Dad?" Steve asked. - -When his father said it was going to the moon, a tingle raced up the -boy's spine and all at once he wished he could be on the ship himself. - -"There's our rocket over there," Mr. Shannon said, pointing to a smaller -craft of light-weight beryllium metal just across the way. Near the pit -was a sign that read: - - SPACE RIDES DAILY. - ENJOY THE THRILL OF A LIFETIME A THOUSAND MILES ABOVE EARTH. - -Mr. Shannon got their tickets. Then after a heart check-up they waited -in line with the other eager sight-seers. Finally the space port officer -took down the chain that held back the crowd and permitted them to -approach the rocket. They had to cross a bridge to get from the pit edge -into the ship. As they crossed, Steve looked down into the hot pit and -saw clouds of flame and smoke pouring from the great jet tubes. - -In the ship, the Shannons were given couch numbers in a large room with -the rest of their companions. Then a steward came around with a special -candy which he told the passengers to eat to prevent their getting sick. -Next everyone was issued queer-looking shoes with metal soles. - -"What're these for, Dad?" Sue wanted to know. - -She saw her father and brother exchange winks. "She'll find out, won't -she?" Mr. Shannon teased. - -As Steve and Sue lay on their soft couches and fastened plastic belts -across their bodies, their father explained the purpose of this. "We'll -blast-off at a pretty fast speed and if we weren't buckled down we'd be -thrown about and hurt." - -When the moment of blast-off came, Steve and Sue went through the most -exciting experience of their lives. A loud roar filled their ears and it -felt suddenly as if the bottom of their stomachs had dropped out. They -were pressed deeply into their couches and they had the feeling of being -flattened out as though under the foot of an elephant. Then slowly Steve -and Sue felt the awful weight lifting from them and finally it was gone -altogether. - -"Ugh!" Sue groaned dizzily, unstrapping herself as the others were -doing. "What happened?" - -When she tried to walk, she understood the purpose of the metal-soled -shoes. "We scarcely weigh anything now," their father explained. "The -magnetism of our soles is the only thing that keeps us from floating -about like a feather." - -The guide, who said his name was Mr. Quinlan, led the sight-seers to a -huge window. The young Shannons gasped in wonder at what they saw. The -sky was nearly pitch black and filled with more burning lights than they -even guessed could exist. - -"We're about a thousand miles above the earth," Mr. Quinlan said. "We're -out of the earth's atmosphere and that's why the sky is dark and the -stars so brilliant. Our rear jets are thrusting just barely enough to -keep us from being pulled back down to earth." - -The guide next said that they would go outside the ship in space suits. -Sue and Steve whooped in joy for they had not expected this. Mr. Quinlan -distributed space gear from a cabinet. Then he explained how they were -put on. After the flexible suits and plastic helmets were donned, -everyone turned on his oxygen, which came from shoulder tanks. The -others looked to Steve like balloon toys inflated with air and he had to -laugh as they waddled about. - -The tourists were led out of a side door onto a balcony which resembled -a large fire escape. Everyone was told to buckle himself to the rail by -a short length of cord in front of him. - -"If one of us were to lose contact with the ship," Mr. Shannon warned -his son and daughter, "he'd go drifting off into space." Sue and Steve -shuddered at the thought of this. - -[Illustration: _Everyone was told to buckle himself to the rail by a -short length of cord_] - -Mr. Quinlan pointed out whirls of misty clouds that were called nebulas. -He also showed them star clusters and the brighter planets. The -sight-seers had a closeup view of the earth that looked like a -shimmering green ball. The guide did his speaking through a small radio -attached to his suit. Each tourist had a receiver in his helmet through -which he could listen. - -For almost a full hour Sue and Steve, together with the other -spell-bound passengers, took in the splendor of this strange silent -place, the vastness of which staggered the imagination. - -"Isn't this a wonderful tribute to the greatness of God's creation?" Mr. -Shannon said to his children. Steve and Sue had to agree with him -wholeheartedly. - -When Mr. Quinlan was ready to go back into the ship, he tried the -outside door switch, but the door failed to open. Over his two-way radio -circuit, the passengers could hear a worried discussion between him and -the pilot inside. They learned that a tube of compressed air which -operated the outer door was jammed. There was nothing that could be done -about it from the inside. Some of the women began sobbing, believing -they would never return to earth again. - -Mr. Shannon looked at his son and daughter anxiously. "Keep your chins -up, kids," he said. "Nothing was ever gained by people losing their -heads. I'm sure they'll figure out some way to save us." - -"I--I'm not afraid, Dad," Steve said bravely. - -There were tears of fright in Sue's brown eyes but her small chin was -courageously set and she would not permit herself to give in to the -terror she really felt. - -"You're brave ones," their father said, putting his big arms around -their shoulders. - -Mr. Quinlan approached the Shannons. "Mr. Shannon," he said, "I've got -something important to talk over with you and your son." - -The two listened closely as the guide outlined a daring plan. He pointed -to a small, circular opening some ten feet above the platform. He said -that if a person could climb into the opening he could turn an emergency -valve that would double the air pressure and clear the jammed tube. -Since Steve was the only boy on the platform, and therefore the -smallest, Mr. Quinlan wanted to know if Steve would try it. Steve felt -his heart fluttering crazily. He was both afraid and excited. - -"There's only one danger, son," the guide pointed out. "You'll have to -unfasten your safety line. If you think you can keep calm, though, there -should be no real risk." - -"What will happen if the job isn't done?" Mr. Shannon asked grimly. - -Mr. Quinlan shrugged. "There's not much that can be done. These suits -will run out of oxygen in twenty minutes and only your boy is slim -enough to get inside the opening. Then, too, they can't land the ship -without the risk of tossing us all out." - -Mr. Shannon said quietly to Steve, "It's up to you, son. If you believe -you can go through with it without losing your head and getting thrown -from the ship...." - -Steve swallowed hard, thinking of the lives of the others around him -that depended upon him. "I'll try it," he managed to say. - -He felt his knees go weak when the safety rope was unfastened from his -waist and he realized there was nothing now but his magnetic shoes to -hold him to the ship. Carefully Mr. Quinlan boosted him up toward the -opening above. _Tick-tick-tick_ went his metal soles against the shiny -skin of the craft as he made his way upward by means of special climbing -handles on the rocket hull. - -"Keep calm," he told himself. "A spaceman doesn't lose his head." - -He was thankful for the firm grip of his gloves as his fingers closed -about the sides of the chamber and he pulled himself up inside. It was a -close fit even for him. Mr. Quinlan had told him that usually the -emergency valve was easily reached from the deck above but that during -this trip the deck was closed off for repairs and couldn't be entered. - -Steve found the valve handle and turned it as he was instructed. Almost -immediately he heard the deafening blast of many voices in his receiver. -Among the words he heard were, "The door's opening!" Steve sighed deeply -and carefully started down again. - -But the danger was not over yet. He still had to be very cautious. This -was brought to him sickeningly when he drew his foot back with greater -force than usual and found himself weaving backward into space. With a -chill of terror he grabbed a climbing handle and pulled himself snug -against the ship's hull again. Finally he felt the strong arms of his -father on the lower part of his legs. He relaxed and was helped down -onto the platform amid the cheers of everyone around. - -The sight-seers, sobered by their close call, trooped silently back into -the ship. A moment later the craft began dropping earthward, its jets -acting as brakes to check the rapid descent. - -After landing, the Shannons were called into the office of the Chief of -Operations at the space port. - -"Young man," the chief said to Steve, "let me congratulate you for the -brave thing you did." He offered his hand and Steve felt a flush of -pride as he took the big palm in his own. - -"Such an unselfish deed can never be fully repaid," the chief went on. -"Tell me, Steve, do you like space-going?" - -Steve's eyes glowed with stars. "Very much, sir," he said. "Some day I'm -going to become a spaceman myself." - -"Then this little reward we have for you and your sister may help you -reach your goal." He held out a plastic-sealed card. Steve took it as -his heart raced. It was a lifetime rocket pass! - - - - - _WHEEL IN THE SKY_ - - -Sue and Steve Shannon were riding with their father in a "space ferry" -several thousand miles above the Earth. They could look out of the -plastic windows of the little ship and see the winding curve of Central -America far below. - -"Look, Steve!" Sue exclaimed. "I see the Panama Canal!" - -"There's a storm over the Gulf of Mexico," Steve said, studying a big -gray patch over the water. "It makes you feel like a king being so high -above everything!" - -The Atlantic and Pacific were throbbing blue carpets, topped by breakers -of molten silver where the sunlight hit them. It was a marvelous sight, -more like a scene from a fairy-land. - -"There's the big space ship we got off," Sue pointed out. "It's -beginning to drop back to Earth." - -"And there's the 'Wheel in the Sky,'" Steve said, looking ahead. "We'll -soon be there! Isn't it great?" - -Compared to the tiny ship they were in, which was shaped like a medicine -capsule, the Wheel in the Sky was a gigantic thing. It looked like an -automobile wheel and by its moving spokes the children saw that it was -turning just like one. - -"Why does the Wheel spin, Dad?" Steve asked. - -"That's in order to give the people inside of it a feeling of weight," -Mr. Shannon explained. "As I told you before, things in space have no -weight because there is no gravity out here to speak of. What happens -when you ride on the merry-go-round on the school playground?" - -"You have to hold on tight or it'll throw you off," Steve answered. - -"The Wheel in the Sky does the same thing. It tries to throw you off, -but since you are safely inside of it, all it can do is throw your -weight against the floor of the Wheel. Understand?" - -The children nodded and smiled, pleased at knowing one more fact about -the strange ways of space. - -As the ferry neared the big space station, Steve watched the black -heavens all around them. The stars were thicker than salt crystals and -glittered like precious gems. Close to the Wheel, the ferry had to use -its rockets in order to keep up with the spinning of the Wheel. -Presently a door in the rim of the Wheel opened. Two men in space suits -appeared in the doorway and threw out a line which stuck to the ferry by -magnetism. Then the men pulled the little ship inside and closed the -doors. - -"Here we are!" the ferry pilot called to his passengers. "Everybody -out!" - -Since there was fresh air in the hangar, the riders did not have to use -space suits. Just as his father had said, Steve found that he could walk -around as easily as he did back in Arkansas. - -"Ready for a tour of the Wheel, kids?" Mr. Shannon asked. - -"Sure!" the twins replied together. - -Mr. Shannon worked for the American Space Supply Company which carried -supplies to the planets of the Solar System. This was the year 2004 and -by now nearly all the planets or their moons had budding Earth colonies. -Sue and Steve had earned free lifetime space passes because of a heroic -act Steve had done a month before on the twins' very first trip into -space. - -As Mr. Shannon took the two around the "man-made moon," they were almost -overcome by all the wonderful things they saw. They learned that the -Wheel in the Sky was both a scientific laboratory and a military -lookout. With their big telescopes, the Space Guard could see every mile -of Earth, for the Wheel circled the globe several times a day. - -While the Shannons were in the Military Lookout Room peering at the -world through a telescope, Sue said, "I wish Mom could be here with us." - -"I do, too, Sis," Steve replied. "But it would take all the soldiers in -the Humpty-Dumpty story to get Mom into a rocket, wouldn't it, Dad?" - -Mr. Shannon chuckled. "I believe it would, Son." - -Their father leaned over and whispered something to the officer at the -telescope, who nodded. The man slipped a high power lens on the -telescope and turned it on a certain part of the United States, toward -which the Wheel was slowly moving. - -"Take another look, Sue," her father said. - -Sue eagerly went to the eyepiece. The telescope brought a city into very -close range. It seemed as if she had only to reach out a finger to touch -the tall spire of a building. Suddenly she gasped. She knew that -building! It was the home office of her father's place of work. The city -was Little Rock, Arkansas, their own home! - -"Steve, look!" she said excitedly to her brother and let him see for -himself. - -Steve was as thrilled as Sue. Together they moved the telescope lens -over all the familiar spots of the great space city, which in this day -had a million population. They were able to locate the wee speck that -was their own home in the suburbs. - -"I can almost see Mom hanging out the wash in the yard!" Steve said with -a grin. - -Before the children were through looking, they noticed several black -hazy spots in different parts of the state. - -"What are these, Dad?" Steve asked, showing them to his father. - -"They're tornadoes, Son," Mr. Shannon replied. "There seems to be an -unusually large crop of them this season. There are even some close to -Little Rock. The Weather Control Bureau here has a way of dealing with -them, though. They do many skillful things in Weather Control. They can -make it rain in dry parts of the world and even melt snow drifts in -blizzard areas." - -"What can they do about a tornado?" Steve asked. - -"When one threatens a city they fire a guided missile--a bomb--that -breaks up the twister before it can do any harm. We'll visit the Weather -Control Bureau as soon as we've been to the hub of the Wheel." - -Mr. Shannon led them out of the Military Lookout Room. Steve and Sue -then found a job of climbing facing them. In order to reach the hub, -they had to go through one of the spokes leading into the center of the -Wheel. The children saw before them a nylon ladder stretching as far as -they could see down a long corridor. - -"Let's start climbing," their father said. - -"Why can't we just walk along the hall," Sue asked, "instead of doing it -the hard way?" - -"You're forgetting that the Wheel is always throwing you outward as it -spins," Mr. Shannon said. "If you tried to walk down the spoke it would -be like trying to walk against a hurricane. For this reason, you two -must be careful not to lose your grip on the ladder or you'll be flung -down the corridor against the rim." - -The three began climbing hand over hand along the ladder. They got along -very well until Sue suddenly became dizzy and lost her hold. She -screamed as she began flying down the corridor. Steve's heart nearly -stopped beating for a moment. He heard his father calling out loudly in -a frantic voice: "Grab the ladder, Sue! Grab the ladder!" - -At first Sue did not seem to hear and kept hollering in fright. Then she -understood and reached out wildly with her hands for the nylon ladder as -she swept along. One hand seized a piece of it and she held on for dear -life, her body still hanging in mid-air as the force of the turning -Wheel kept trying to throw her outward. - -"Hold on, Sue!" her father called. "We're coming!" - -He and Steve swiftly crawled along the ladder to the spot where Sue was -clinging with one hand. - -"Hurry!" she cried. "I can't hang on much longer!" - -Just as she was about to let go, Steve reached her and held on to her -with his free hand. Then his father lent his help and Sue was safe. She -sobbed for a moment from the fright she had had and Mr. Shannon -suggested that they go back to the rim where they would be safe again. -Both children agreed, for they had suddenly lost all interest in the -hub. - -By the time they got to the Weather Control Bureau they found more worry -awaiting them. Men were hustling about the huge room with serious looks -on their faces. One of them was looking into the eyepiece of a large -machine that was pointed out the window down onto Earth. - -"What's wrong?" Mr. Shannon asked one of the men. - -"A tornado is headed for Little Rock, Arkansas!" was the shocking reply. -"I hope our missile scores a hit, but it isn't going to be easy because -the Wheel has already moved past the United States!" - -"The missile's _got_ to hit!" Steve burst out. "Our home and Mom are -there!" - -"Yes, it's simply _got_ to!" Sue added tearfully. - -The Shannons had to stand helplessly on the side as the tornado fighters -went to work. The missile gun was in another part of the Wheel, but the -orders for firing it would leave this room by radio. - -"Oh, why couldn't Mom have come with us?" Sue asked. "She would have -been safe here!" - -Steve felt his whole body tensing like a wound spring. The perspiration -was beading his forehead and his knees were weak. On his father's face -there was a dark look and Steve saw that his big hands were opening and -closing. - -"Twenty seconds to go before firing," the man at the machine said slowly -over the radio mike on his chest. "Steady. Eighteen--seventeen--" - -"Why don't they hurry?" Sue cried. "They're so slow!" - -"They have to do it a certain way," Mr. Shannon answered. "They know -what they're doing, Honey. Don't be afraid." - -But she _was_ afraid. And so was Steve. And her father, too. Everyone in -the room was afraid because no one could say whether the tornado could -be destroyed before it hit the city or not. - -"Eight--seven--six--" droned the unhurried voice of the operator. - -The Shannons hardly dared breathe for fear of disturbing the man at the -machine. Steve felt Sue's body quivering next to him. It seemed as if -the seconds were dragging on endlessly. - -"Three--two--one--FIRE!" - -Steve felt nothing but he knew the tornado bomb was on its way, speeding -hundreds of miles a second Earthward. - -For long, awfully long, moments after the operator had said, "Fire!" the -Shannons waited for him to speak again. He kept looking calmly through -the eyepiece of the machine as though just studying the stars. Then at -last they saw a smile spread over his face and he said to everyone in -the room, "It's a hit! Little Rock is safe!" - -[Illustration: _The tornado bomb was on its way, speeding hundreds of -miles a second Earthward_] - -Sue and Steve whooped as if it were Christmas morning. Where a minute -before they had been greatly worried, now they were happy as they never -believed they could be. - -"Whew!" Mr. Shannon sighed. "I'm afraid I've had enough excitement to -last me a lifetime!" - -"Not me, Dad," Steve said, as the fire of adventure began to glow again -in his eyes. "I won't be satisfied until I've seen what lies beyond the -Wheel in the Sky!" - - - - - _DANGER ON THE ICE CANAL_ - - -Steve and Sue Shannon were at Mars Port No. 13. This was one of the many -colonies on the planet Mars where Earth scientists were carrying on -work. It was a town of plastic tops, called domes, that were clear as -glass. The town was at the center of three canals that led outward into -the red desert. - -The Shannon twins were now touring the largest dome with Biff Warren, -who worked for their father's space cargo company. Suddenly their tour -brought them to a large cafeteria where many of the workers were eating. - -"Umm!" Sue exclaimed. "Smell that turkey!" - -"Yeah!" Steve said. "It sure makes your mouth water, doesn't it?" - -"Which reminds me," Biff said, looking at his watch. "We'll have to -finish up our sightseeing pretty soon. The quicker we get back to your -father's ship, the quicker we can have our own turkey feast!" - -"I can hardly wait for that!" Sue sighed, as the wonderful smell of the -holiday meal kept tickling her nose. - -When Thanksgiving dinner was finished aboard the big space freighter -that had brought the children to Mars, the ship would take off into -space. But before that, Biff, Sue and Steve would have to go twenty -miles back down the ice canal to reach the ship. - -Biff had become a close friend of the young Shannons, having made trips -with them to other ports in space. Sue liked Biff because of his quick -smile and gentle patience. Steve liked him because he was all that Steve -would like to be some day himself--a fearless, bold spaceman. - -They finished up their tour of the dome. They saw the room where giant -machines made oxygen out of chemicals and blew it through the building -so that there was fresh air to breathe all the time. And they saw the -astronomy hall far up on top of the dome where scientists could see the -heavens through the thin atmosphere much clearer than they could from -Earth. - -"Isn't it about time for the fuel rocket to be shot off, Biff?" Steve -asked. - -Biff nodded. "I think it's just about time," he said. "We'll suit up and -go outside to see." - -In the dressing room they put on their space suits. As though they were -his own children, Biff carefully checked the young Shannons' air tanks, -built-in heaters, and their helmet radios for talking to one another. -Finally Biff rubbed gelatin on their helmets so that they would not -frost over in the cold that was a hundred degrees below zero. - -Outside they found space-suited figures gathered around the fuel rocket -cannon. The cannon was pointed toward a shiny ball high up in the -purple-black sky. - -"Look, Sis, there's the space ship toward which they're going to shoot -the fuel rocket," Steve said. - -"I see it!" Sue cried, her eyes dancing excitedly. - -"They have to line up the cannon with the ship just right or the rocket -won't reach it," Biff said. - -"Won't the rocket hit the ship?" Steve asked. - -"No, it'll lose all its speed by the time it reaches the ship," Biff -told him. "Then they'll take on fuel from the rocket by means of a long -hose." - -Suddenly the three of them heard a loud roar and saw a burst of flame. -Like a bullet, the rocket left the muzzle of the giant gun and rose into -the sky. - -"They'll be shooting off more rockets before they have enough fuel for -the space ship," Biff said. "There'll be a little wait in between each -firing." - -"Look, Biff, isn't the space ship right over the canal where we'll be -heading back?" Steve asked. - -"That's right, Steve," Biff answered. "You'll remember, our ship is at -the end of the canal. We'll be able to see the rockets go off as we head -back--which we'd better do right now, if we're going to have any turkey -and pumpkin pie!" - -The canals of Mars had been carved out of a great desert by water and -fierce winds. Because of the ice that filled them, they made good -highways. The three went to the canal bank to see if their sled was -ready to go, and it was. The sled looked like a big bombing plane with -the wings off. Instead of wheels, there were long runners beneath it. In -this sled Biff and his young helpers had brought supplies to the colony -several hours before. - -Steve, Sue and Biff climbed into the front seat. Then Biff shut the -door. He pushed buttons in front of them. Steve and Sue felt the sled's -engines throbbing. The next moment the sled shot off over the smooth -sheet of ice, Biff holding tightly to the steering wheel. - -"Wheeeeee!" Sue screamed in delight. "Offffffffff weeeeeeee -goooooooooo!" - -"Like a rooooller cooooster!" Steve shouted. - -They sped along at a hundred miles an hour. This was as much fun as they -had had on their last space journey. - -Each of their trips into space seemed to be more exciting than the last. -They had won a lifetime free pass into space and by now they were sure -they would need a lifetime in which to see all of its many wonders. A -brave act by Steve on their first space trip had earned them their pass. -Right now, Steve thought that their mother and home, back in Arkansas, -seemed as far away as Deneb, the North Star of Mars. - -"We'll be there in about ten minutes," Biff said. "The ship leaves in -thirty, which gives us some spare time." - -"Look," Sue said, "there comes the first fuel rocket back down in a -parachute." - -"That's right, Sue," Biff replied. - -Steve studied the bank of the canal. Along it he saw scrubby cactus, -which was forever fighting for life in the cold, dry atmosphere. Beyond -the bank stretched acres of red wasteland, and sand drifts piled up by -strong winds that never stopped blowing. - -A few minutes later, Sue noticed a bright streak against the purple sky. -It was nearly as bright as the tiny sun, which was so far away that it -could not keep Mars warm. - -"There goes another fuel rocket!" Sue called out, pointing through the -windshield. - -As Biff caught sight of it, he jerked up sharply in his seat, bumping -the shoulders of Sue and Steve on both sides of him. - -"That rocket's too low!" he exclaimed. "It's not lifting! Something's -gone wrong!" - -Steve felt chills run up his spine. He was seeing the danger too, now. -The rocket was dropping ahead of them, a screaming bomb filled with -explosive fuel. It was still quite a distance away, but even Steve knew -that it would make a terrible blast when it struck the ice. - -Biff's feet hit the brakes of the sled and the runners chewed into the -hard ice pack, shrieking, and bringing the sled to a skidding stop. The -riders were slammed forward. Sue and Steve were dazed, but not hurt. -When Steve's mind cleared, he saw that Biff had thrown himself over in -front of Sue and him to protect them. But in doing this, his helmet had -thumped against the windshield. He was now slumped over and not moving. - -"Sue!" Steve cried. "Biff is hurt!" - -Just then they felt the shock of the explosion. It tilted the sled at an -angle and dropped it down again with a hard jolt. The air was filled -with flying chunks of ice. It looked like a hailstorm outside. The ice -clattered against the windshield like stones. Sue and Steve were -relieved when it finally stopped. But the explosion had left the ice -sheet in front of them broken and choked with lumps of ice. - -"Steve," Sue moaned, "what are we going to do?" - -Steve looked at Biff who was still not moving. He could see a big lump -on Biff's forehead where his head had struck the helmet, knocking him -out. The children tried to revive their friend, but could not. - -"We've got to get the sled to the ship ourselves, Sue!" her brother -said. "Biff may need a doctor! Besides, I bet we've all missed our -Thanksgiving dinner!" - -"I won't want any dinner if Biff is hurt badly!" Sue said tearfully. - -At first it seemed like an impossible thing for a pair of -twelve-year-olds to run the big sled. But Steve remembered how Biff had -worked the controls and he believed he, too, could do it. He changed -seats with the unconscious spaceman and tried the levers and buttons. - -Presently the sled's rockets began to pour fire out of the rear. But -Steve couldn't get the sled to move. He was afraid it had been damaged. -Then Sue showed him a lever to push which she had remembered seeing Biff -shove. As Steve worked it gently, the sled started off slowly. - -"We'll go slow," Steve said, "and take it very easy." - -The explosion had hit at the far edge of the canal so that there was a -narrow place on the other side where the ice was still smooth. Steve -carefully guided the sled across the canal and through the unbroken -part. When there was smooth ice before them, Steve picked up speed a -little. As he drove, Sue tried to awaken Biff. - -Steve would have found their adventure a lot of fun if things weren't so -serious at the moment. It wasn't every day that a boy had the chance to -drive a giant rocket sled on a distant planet! - -At last Steve saw the round top of the space ship just over the horizon. -It was at that moment that Sue called out the good news: - -"Biff's awakening, Steve!" - -The boy saw their friend slowly rise up, then shake his head to clear -it. When he smiled at them in his pleasant way, they were sure that he -was going to be all right. By the time they had told him what had -happened, he was his old self again. He took the controls and looked at -his watch. - -"Time's running out," he said. "We've got to hit top speed again. Hold -onto your helmets! Here we go!" - -And off they went at lightning speed once more. It seemed to Steve as if -they covered the distance between them and the space ship in seconds. - -As the sled came to a gentle stop beneath the giant freighter, Biff -said, "It looks like we'll make our Thanksgiving dinner on time after -all, doesn't it, kids?" - -"Yeah," Steve answered, "and this is certainly one Thanksgiving that I'm -really thankful!" - -"I know what you mean, Steve," Sue said thoughtfully. "We're thankful -that we're alive!" - -Biff and Steve both nodded. It was a holiday none of them would ever -forget. - - - - - _CARGO FOR CALLISTO_ - - -The big rocket freighter was speeding through the star dust of outer -space. It was carrying supplies to Callisto (one of the twelve moons of -Jupiter) and the Shannons, on another space adventure. - -Steve and Sue looked out a window of the freighter at the airless world -growing in size. Callisto was a gigantic roughened rock, but it was a -globe larger than the planet Mercury. It reminded Steve of a giant -cockle-burr hanging in the sky. - -Suddenly the children heard a tiny voice behind them say, "Rocket away!" - -They turned and Sue exclaimed, "It's Bud!" - -The blue parakeet, a budgy, blinked lazily at them. The twins had met -Mr. Whittle's pet a week ago. He had taken a liking to them from the -very start. They didn't know that a few hours from now their very lives -would depend on this little fellow. - -"We'd better take him back to Mr. Whittle," Steve said. - -The budgy kept studying them with his flat face and blinking his tiny -button eyes. Then he squawked again, "Rocket away!" - -"It'll be 'rocket away' for you, young fellow!" Steve said sternly. "Up -on my finger, Bud!" - -The bird did as he was ordered. They took him down the hall to Mr. -Whittle's room. Bud's owner, off duty now, was a tall, spidery crewman -with a big Adam's apple. He always gave his pet full run of the ship. - -Mr. Whittle whistled to the parakeet, but the bird stayed on Steve's -finger. - -Mr. Whittle chuckled. "Hey, I believe he likes you two better than his -master!" - -"We like him, too," Sue told the crewman. - -"You can keep him for a few days if you want to," Mr. Whittle said. "I'm -going to be pretty busy after we land." - -"Gee, we'd like to look after him!" Steve answered. - -"If you take him outside on Callisto, you'll have to put him in that -air-tight cage over there I had made. It's sort of like a space suit for -him." - -Sue and Steve played with Bud in the room they used for games until it -was time to "strap down" for landing. Then they went to the couch hall -and lay down on cots like the other space travelers were doing. They -buckled straps across their bodies to keep them in place. - -For a long time, Steve and Sue lay there as the big freighter began -cutting its rushing speed. It felt to Steve as if a giant anvil were -crushing downward on his chest. Take-off and landing were always the -roughest moments in space travel, as the twins had already found out on -other space trips. - -At last the ship set down on Callisto. The young Shannons went back to -the game room. Then with the bird on Steve's shoulder, the twins looked -out the window at the strange new world. - -They saw a land bathed in ghostly twilight. Very little light was coming -from the sun. It was so far away that it was only a small circle. Most -of the light came from a huge shape that looked like somebody's lost -beach ball resting on the ground. Its bottom edge just touched the -horizon. - -Sue and Steve were joined by their father, who worked for the space -freight company. - -"That's His Majesty, Jupiter--the king of planets," Mr. Shannon told -them. "He's over a million miles away and yet he looks close enough to -touch, doesn't he?" - -"Let's go outdoors, Dad!" Steve begged. - -"No reason why we can't," Mr. Shannon replied. - -After they had put on their space clothes, Steve popped Bud into his -warm, air-tight cage. - -As they all went outside, they saw the crewmen unloading the cargo. - -"There's the colony over there," Mr. Shannon said, pointing to a high -framework that looked something like an oil derrick. - -"They mine here for a mineral called magna. It's very valuable, because -without it we couldn't have atomic engines. Magna is what keeps our -rocket tubes from melting under the terrific heat that goes through -them." - -"May we go down into the mines, Dad?" Steve asked. - -"We'll see if we can," said his father. - -As they walked toward the mining place, Mr. Shannon said, "Underneath us -are pockets of poisonous gas like that found in Jupiter's atmosphere. -Sometimes it leaks into the mining tunnels causing danger from -suffocation." - -"I sure hope the gas stays where it belongs while we're down there!" -Steve said and swallowed the lump of fear in his throat. - -They turned their attention to Jupiter. It looked even more like a beach -ball now with its stripes of beautiful colors. Mr. Shannon said the -bands were floating ice bergs of the poisonous gases he was talking -about. - -"No ship can land on Jupiter," he said. "Its gravity would crush a -spaceman flat. Gravity pull is much stronger on the larger planets, you -know. Jupiter's atmosphere is many thousands of miles deep. Raging -storms are going on beneath it all the time." - -"Ooo!" Sue gasped. "I guess we're close enough to it then!" - -Other wonders of the sky were the round beacons of Jupiter's other -moons, three of which were about the same size as Callisto. They hung -like bright searchlights in the starry heavens. - -The men at the mining place greeted the Shannons warmly. They had not -seen anyone from Earth for so long that they had grown very lonely. - -The chief mining engineer said he would be glad to take the visitors on -an underground tour. His name was Dr. Harding. He was plump and short -and wore black-rimmed glasses inside his space helmet. - -He led them into an elevator and it sank into the darkness. Steve -remembered about the poisonous gases that crept about underground and it -made him shiver to think about it. - -Dr. Harding watched Bud hopping around uncomfortably inside his small -space cage. "Do you remember, Mr. Shannon," he asked over his suit -radio, "when they used to use canary birds in mines to warn about -leaking gas? The birds would notice it first and give the miners time to -get out." - -"I've read about that, Dr. Harding," said Mr. Shannon. - -"Now we have automatic warning machines in the tunnels to do that," the -chief engineer told Sue and Steve. - -Deeper and deeper below the soil of Callisto the elevator sank. At last -the cage reached the bottom, and the riders found themselves in a large -cavern. There were machines and men all about, working busily. Tracks -led off into tunnels and ore cars were running on them. Some were going -empty into the tunnels while others were coming out full of rock and -gravel. - -"The magna is separated from the rock in that big machine over there," -Dr. Harding explained. "Want to ride an ore car into one of the -tunnels?" - -"Sure!" Steve spoke up. - -"The mine is air-conditioned," the chief engineer said, "so we can take -off our helmets." - -This done, Steve let Bud out of his cage. The little bird hopped up on -his gloved finger, saying, "Rocket away!" several times. His two-word -language seemed to do for everything. - -One worker controlled all the cars at a main switch in the middle of the -cavern. The Shannons and their guide climbed into an empty ore car and -it rolled into a tunnel. - -Glistening dark rock crowded in on Sue and Steve from all sides. Steve -hoped the walls were strong enough so they would not come crashing down -on their heads! There were lights along the way to help brighten the -gloom. - -After clicking along like a trolley for awhile, the car came to the end -of the line. It was a large room with more machines and workmen. The men -were digging magna ore out of the wall with drills. - -As Dr. Harding explained about the work, Bud began flitting about as -though sight-seeing on his own. He was shy of the workers at first, but -then made friends with them. He spoke to them with his favorite two -words and the men laughed in great fun to hear him. - -Then a few minutes later, Bud began acting queerly. He flew back to -Steve's finger and started wobbling as though dizzy. - -"What's the matter with him?" Steve asked. - -"He's sick or something!" Sue cried out. She took the budgy from Steve -and cuddled him in her own gloves. But the little blue bird seemed to be -no better. - -Dr. Harding walked over to look at the bird. Then he ordered, "Everybody -into the ore car! We have to get out of here fast! Sue, hold the bird up -close to your suit!" - -The workers dropped their tools as if they were red hot and climbed into -the car. Mr. Shannon helped Sue and Steve on, then jumped on himself. - -Dr. Harding pressed the electric button that was the signal to the -operator in the main cavern to move the car. The car began to roll down -the track. It picked up speed as Dr. Harding kept pressing the button. - -"Leaking gas, Dr. Harding?" Mr. Shannon asked worriedly. - -The chief engineer nodded. He sniffed the air like a hunting dog after a -scent. "Take a deep breath, everyone, then hold it!" - -Steve thought his lungs would burst, but finally Dr. Harding let them -take another deep breath. By the time they had taken one more, the car -had reached the main cavern. As it rolled to a stop, Dr. Harding jumped -down and ran over to the car operator. - -Steve saw a door slide down and close off the tunnel where they had come -out. Then the little man gave a deep sigh and took off his black-rimmed -glasses to wipe them. - -Sue and Steve watched Bud hopefully. He was standing more steadily on -Sue's finger now. - -"I think he'll be all right," the chief engineer said. "We sure owe Bud -a lot for warning us the way he did. Something must have happened to the -warning machine. It was supposed to set off a siren." - -"If it weren't for Bud we might have been overcome before we could have -gotten out of there!" Mr. Shannon added. - -"You're so right!" Dr. Harding said. "The men will go back in there in -gas masks to find the leak and see what's wrong with the warning -machine." - -"We're plenty lucky!" Steve sighed, his spine still prickly from their -narrow escape. - -Sue kissed the budgy. "You're a hero, Bud," she told him, "and we love -you!" - -Bud blinked lazily. Then as if to show that he was all right again, he -squawked, "Rocket away!" - - - - - _THE BIG SHOW ON TITAN_ - - -The space freighter had landed on Titan, the largest moon in all the -Solar System. The Shannon twins had been anxious to reach this moon of -Saturn because their father had told them that something very exciting -might happen here before they left. - -There was still another reason why the children had looked forward to -the landing. They would meet a boy of their own age who was the son of a -worker. He had been living on Titan for the past two years and would be -able to show them around. - -Steve and Sue came down the outside "gangway" of the cargo ship and -stepped onto the frozen ground of the distant world. The twins wore -space suits, of course, for the air outside was extremely cold and it -was poisonous as well with raw methane and ammonia. - -Steve saw beautiful Saturn, with its colored rings, filling much of the -blue sky. Titan was a world of close mountains, worn smooth by lots of -windy weather. A film of glistening ice covered the peaks like caps of -glass. - -"Look up there, Sue!" Steve said. "Over our heads! That's the famous -skyport of Titan!" - -"I wish we could go up there!" Sue said. - -"Maybe we'll get the chance," answered Steve. - -Ahead of them stood a rounded plastic dome. Men were carrying into it -cartons of supplies which the space freighter had brought. The twins' -father, who was an official of the American Space Supply Company, was -still aboard to take care of the unloading. - -A boy came out of the domed building. "Are you the Shannons?" he asked -over his space radio. - -"Yes, we are," Steve replied. - -"I'm Bobby King." - -Sue and Steve said they were glad to meet him. He asked if they would -like to go up and see the skyport. - -Both the young Shannons answered a quick, "Sure!" together. - -They followed their new friend into the plastic dome. Bobby King pointed -to an overhead cable. Hanging from the heavy cord was a cable car. - -"All aboard!" Bobby called, like a train conductor. - -Sue and Steve giggled with pleasure as they entered the car, followed by -Bobby. Bobby pushed a switch and the cable car began to move. - -"We're going up like a corkscrew," Bobby said. - -Round and round, right out of the top of the building, moved the cable -car. Up and up it went. It took about ten minutes to reach the top. As -soon as they got out, two men passed them who were talking about a storm -that was on the way. - -"Boy, if there's a storm coming, you two are sure in luck!" Bobby told -Sue and Steve. - -Steve and Sue looked at one another, puzzled. Why should their young -friend be pleased over a coming storm? - -They saw before them a space that looked as flat as a highway and larger -than a football field. There was a row of hangars along the far side. - -"Wow, we sure must be high!" Steve burst out. They seemed to be almost -on a level with the mountains. - -"We're a whole mile off the ground," Bobby told him. "The skyport rests -on the corners of two mountain ridges." - -They went over to one of the clear plastic walls that edged the skyport. - -"Gee, the freighter sure is little down there!" Sue said. - -It almost took Steve's breath away. The big space ship indeed looked no -larger than a toy down below. - -"Why did they go to such trouble to build this?" Steve asked. - -"Because there wasn't any place flat enough on the ground," Bobby -answered. "My father says they need a main skyport on Titan because -there are so many companies here digging for uranium. The colonists fly -here to get their supplies and mail." - -"I see some dark clouds over the mountains," Sue said. "Does that mean a -storm is coming?" - -Bobby's helmet nodded. "It sure does! You two are the luckiest ones! You -got here right at the start of the storm season." - -Steve and Sue were still puzzled as to why Bobby wanted it to storm. - -Bobby showed his guests a faint star burning through the blue -atmosphere. "That's Earth," he told them, "750 million miles away. My -father thinks we can go back for a visit in a few weeks. I'll be glad." - -"Where do you live here, Bobby?" Sue asked. - -"My father and I stay in an apartment a little way from here," Bobby -answered. - -"How about school?" Steve wanted to know. "Do they have one on Titan?" - -Bobby shook his head. "My father teaches me. He's out with some -prospectors today." - -Bobby showed them Titan's other nine sister moons, which looked like -glowing fireballs. Steve saw that most of the daylight came from Saturn -because the sun was so far away. It wasn't nearly as bright here as it -was on Earth. - -"I wish we could run over to Saturn for a visit," Sue said, jokingly. - -"You don't really, Sue," Bobby told her. "You couldn't stand up in its -heavy gravity. Saturn's almost as big as Jupiter, you know." - -"What are Saturn's rings made of?" Steve asked. - -"Oodles and oodles of rocks," Bobby replied. "They are traveling so fast -that they make the rings look like one solid piece." - -Wind was beginning to howl around them and this seemed to make Bobby -very excited. - -The coming storm must be something special, Steve thought. His curiosity -had been aroused strongly. - -The clouds gathered darker and more thickly behind the mountains. The -wind was driving harder. - -"Hadn't we better go inside?" Sue asked, worriedly. - -"Shucks, no!" Bobby said. "It won't be any fun unless we're right out in -it! There won't be any rain. It's too cold on Titan for rain." - -Suddenly the three heard a loud siren wail. - -"That means a jet plane is coming in," Bobby said. "All planes have to -land when word of a storm gets around." - -The plane's wheels touched down and the ship rolled along until a hook -on it caught a line that stretched across the runway. The line brought -the plane to a sharp halt. - -The jet's wings were folded down and the ship was pushed off to a -hangar. Two more ships landed afterward. Then a blinding flash lighted -up the sky. It made Steve and Sue blink and jump in fright. - -"Look!" Bobby exclaimed. "The storm has begun!" - -Other men had come out to see what was going to happen and they lined up -along the edges of the skyport with the children. - -Bobby pointed to a sparkling balloon of light that burst into a blossom -of sparks over the mountains. A moment later a red dagger flash skipped -across the peaks. During all this there were loud crashes and rumblings. -Steve was scared and thrilled at the same time. - -"It's just like fireworks!" Sue called out. - -Now Steve could understand why Bobby had looked forward to the storm. He -guessed, too, that this was the exciting surprise their father had said -might happen while they were here. - -An orange pinwheel, like a Fourth of July sparkler, rose from a mountain -top and looped upward. It grew bigger and bigger and fainter and fainter -at the same time. It was really a beauty. - -"What causes the fireworks?" Steve asked above the noise. - -"Partly strong wind," Bobby said loudly, "and partly Titan's gases -exploding against the mountain tops!" - -They watched spellbound for fifteen minutes, then a half hour. The -Shannons were sure they had never seen anything quite so breathtaking as -this. - -At one time a row of peaks seemed to glow with a sheet of red flame. The -flame danced and flickered like a forest fire for a long time before it -faded out. - -The children had been enjoying themselves so thoroughly that they knew -nothing of the peril that was heading their way. - -The first warning came when one of the skyport men standing nearby -shouted over his space suit radio. Steve whirled in alarm. His heart -seemed to stop beating completely for a terrible moment. - -A tardy plane had come in for a landing on the sky platform. But the -howling wind had kept everyone from hearing the warning siren. - -Because of the fierce blowing, the plane had not hooked firmly to the -braking line. It scooted off to the side and was heading for the very -spot where Bobby, Steve and Sue stood. - -"Bobby!" Steve cried. "Get out of the way!" As Bobby ducked for safety, -Steve also moved quickly. Sue screamed as Bobby grabbed her hastily by -her space glove. He had to jerk her sharply in order to get her out of -the path of the runaway plane. - -The plane crashed into the plastic wall of the skyport, tearing out a -section of wall as though it were thin cardboard. The ship was left -dangling on the very edge as if ready to fall a mile to the ground. - -"The poor pilot!" Sue cried. "Oh, I can't look!" - -But the skyport men had come running quickly over and together they -pulled the jet plane back to safety. They helped the scared pilot out. -He walked shakily off into one of the hangars. - -"Whew! That was close!" Steve breathed. "For him and us, too!" - -"My heart is still thumping like a drum!" Bobby said. - -As for Sue, she was too upset to say anything at all. - -They turned to look at the fireworks to take their minds off the -accident. The wonderful ending of the show almost made them forget it -completely. - -They saw a dazzling white light burst like an empty volcano. The banner -of fire rose as high into the sky as huge Saturn. Then it spilled over -like a great fountain. It changed into purple, then blue, green and red. - -Before dying out, it gave the big planet a lovely ruddy glow, showing up -its rings like a gleaming necklace of rubies. That was the end of -Nature's grand performance. - -"Wow, wasn't that terrific?" Steve asked. "A show like that in a -grandstand on Earth would cost you three-and-a-half." - -"Maybe four!" Sue chimed in. - -"You can't see this show anywhere on Earth, Steve," Bobby said. "Titan -is the only place. And the good thing about it is that it's all for -free!" - - - - - _ADVENTURE ON THE SUN'S DOORSTEP_ - - -Sue and Steve Shannon watched the magic world of stardust through a port -of the rocket freighter. The ship was moving under power of its atomic -engines, headed toward the sun. - -They had one more cargo stop to make before returning to their beloved -soil on the Earth. - -The twins heard the clack of magnetic soles behind them. Without such -shoes holding them to the floor, space travelers would float about -helplessly like wingless birds. - -"Hi, kids," greeted their father. "Growing tired of the view?" - -"I guess I am, Dad," Steve admitted. His blue eyes were tired. - -"How far away is Apollo's Chariot now?" Sue asked. - -Mr. Shannon grinned. "That's the umpteenth time you two have asked that. -But I suppose I'm as restless as you are to get back to Mom in -Arkansas." - -Hearing this made Steve suddenly homesick. There was really no place -like home, just like the poet had said. Steve knew Sue felt the same -way. He had seen a wistful look in her hazel eyes every time they had -talked of Little Rock. - -The seemingly endless days finally did end. The three Shannons went up -into the lookout dome with the crewmen. The dome was covered by a -darkened plastic screen to cut down the blinding glare of the sun, which -was very close. - -It was a heart-stopping sight for Sue and Steve. The planet Mercury -covered the face of the sun like a black plate. Streaming out from the -edges were mountainous tongues of living fire. Mr. Shannon called this -flaming halo the sun's _chromosphere_. - -"Gee, what a thing to see!" Steve gasped. - -"It's--it's unbelievable!" Sue added, breathless. - -"Indeed, it is," Mr. Shannon agreed. "See that thing like a lighted -wheel just ahead of us? That's Apollo's Chariot. It was named after the -famous Greek sun god, you know." - -Sue and Steve knew that Apollo's Chariot was really a space laboratory -that was a home for scientists who were studying the sun. They had been -the ones who had given their tiny world its colorful nickname. It was -protected with asbestos and other special material to shield it from the -heat as it circled the great star, month after month, year after year. - -"We had to contact Apollo's Chariot while Mercury was shading our ship -from the sun's rays," Mr. Shannon said. "We aren't protected like -Apollo's Chariot is." - -"Mercury seems as big as the sun, the way it covers it completely," -Steve remarked. - -"That's because we're so close to Mercury," his father explained. -"Actually, the sun is so much bigger it's like comparing a pinpoint to a -grapefruit!" - -In the midnight darkness between the ships, giant searchlights had to be -turned on. Then the scientists on the other ship came out onto their -loading platform to receive their cargo. Conversation was carried on by -means of space suit radios with those aboard the freighter, who stood on -their own outside platform. - -"Why can't we get closer to Apollo's Chariot?" Steve asked Biff Warren, -who was the twins' favorite among the crewmen. Biff was piling boxes and -crates at the edge of the platform. - -"Space regulations," answered Biff. "If a meteor should hit one of us, -the other ship would explode too if we were close. Also, rocket tubes -are so tricky that you never know when one is going to misfire and send -your ship scooting off suddenly in the wrong direction." - -One end of a double cable was fastened to rings on the freighter's -platform. Then the other end was tossed across the space between the two -ships and attached by the scientists to their own side. - -Steve saw the crewmen around him pick up cords from out of the cable -equipment box. They fastened one end to buckles on their suits and the -other to the cable. Steve guessed that the lines were a safety measure -to keep the men from drifting off into space as they carried the cargo -across. - -The first crewman picked up a crate as lightly as if it were a pile of -feathers. Then with his foot he shoved off from the platform. - -He guided the crate through the emptiness with his gloved hands and the -men on the opposite platform helped him aboard. Another crewman stepped -off the freighter with another crate. Then another crewman with another -piece of cargo. The carriers returned by the other cable line. - -Steve went over to his dad who, as an official of the American Space -Supply Company, was supervising the work as always. "Dad, may Sue and I -carry a box across? We'll be careful." - -Mr. Shannon thought a moment. "I suppose it will be all right. There's -no way you can go adrift if you fasten on to the cable. But you have to -be careful you're snapped on securely." - -Mr. Shannon made a place for them in line. Sue in front. There was a -wait before Sue's turn so that more crates could be placed on the -platform's edge. The children looked beyond Apollo's Chariot at the huge -black circle of Mercury as it masked the mighty sun. - -"Biff," Steve asked his friend as he was stacking the crates, "why -couldn't the Apollo scientists study the sun from Mercury?" - -Biff chuckled and it made a funny crackling sound over the young -Shannons' radios. "Men will land on Mercury when they grow hides of -asbestos, Steve. It's so hot on the sunward side that there are supposed -to be lakes and pools of lead there! The other side never sees the sun, -so you can imagine how cold it is! Think you two would like to go -there?" - -"I should say not!" Sue answered for both of them. - -When the next piece of cargo was ready to go over, Biff checked the -children's safety cords. Then he let Sue push off from the platform with -a box in front of her. A few moments later, Steve followed. The boy -heard his sister giggle excitedly as they floated across. Searchlight -beams were in their eyes but they didn't mind. Steve, too, thought this -great fun after being cramped for so long on the freighter. He looked -down at the empty space below, but he knew he could not fall and so was -not afraid. Reaching the other platform, he and his sister were helped -aboard. - -"They sure are using young crewmen these days!" joked one of the -scientists, a tall man who seemed to be working harder than the others. -"Nice work, young folks!" - -The scientist was in the act of changing the children's cords over to -the returning cable when a slight mishap occurred. One of the crates -coming over bumped into him. He laughed as he again got to his feet but -his laughter quickly changed to alarm when Sue suddenly pushed off from -the platform. She had thought her cable line was secure and that she was -ready to make the exciting trip back across the gulf. - -"Wait, miss!" the scientist called. "I didn't finish fastening your -cable cord!" He reached for Sue but her suit slipped out of the fingers -of his bulky space gloves. - -Steve froze for an instant in terror at what he had seen. Then without -thought of anything else except his sister's danger, he dove right off -the platform after Sue, not realizing or caring that his own cable cord -was not fastened. - -If the scientist had not grabbed for Sue she might have floated safely -across to the freighter. But by touching her he had sent her off in a -direction beneath it. - -Over his radio, Steve heard her screaming for help and saw her flinging -her arms and legs about like a drowning swimmer. Steve was moving faster -than she and presently caught up with her. - -"What are we going to do, Steve?" she cried, holding tightly to him. "We -can't stop! And it's so dark out here!" - -Steve knew that unless someone came to their aid they would drift on and -on since there was no air to slow them down. But he didn't tell Sue -this. - -He remembered, as he had at times before, that a spaceman must keep his -head in an emergency. He spoke comforting words to Sue, telling her to -try to be calm, that help would be coming. - -[Illustration: _He saw her flinging her arms and legs about like a -drowning swimmer_] - -Even as he told her this a spear of light hit them and a voice broke in -on their radio: "Steve! Sue! Stop struggling! I'm on my way to you!" - -"Biff!" Steve exclaimed, and the dread in his heart suddenly lifted. He -looked over his shoulder and saw their big friend approaching, guided by -the light that had been flashed on them from the freighter. - -There was a little plume of flame trailing behind him. In a few minutes -he had caught up with them. Sue was so glad to see him she grabbed the -big spaceman and her helmet bumped against his in an attempted kiss. - -"Oh, I'm so glad to see you, Biff!" she sobbed. "I was so _awfully_ -scared!" - -"You're all right now," Biff said gently. "Both of you hold on to me and -we'll go back." - -Steve took Biff's left arm and Sue firmly grasped one of Steve's. Biff -carried a type of hand rocket, called a "pusher," that he had used to -shoot himself along toward them. By pointing the rocket in the opposite -direction from which he wanted to go, the "pusher" pushed him in the -manner of the rocket tubes on the freighter. - -Biff pointed the pusher away from the freighter. Steve saw a burst of -fire beside them and the three of them sped off toward the big ship. As -Sue reached the platform, her father was there to help her aboard. She -could see in his eyes the fear he had felt for them. - -Steve was surprised to have the crew greet him warmly with pats on the -back. The boy turned to his father. "Why are they calling me a hero?" he -asked. "It was Biff who saved us!" - -"Not taking credit away from Biff, any good spaceman would have done -what he did," said Mr. Shannon. "But few would have attempted your trick -of jumping into space after your sister with no way of getting back. -Right, Biff?" - -Biff nodded his plastic helmet. "It wasn't the smartest thing you could -have done, Steve, but it showed your bravery. Courage counts just as -much as ability in a spaceman. Don't ever forget that, son." - -Steve, who wanted to be a spaceman some day, would not forget it. - - - - - _THE FLYING MOUNTAIN_ - - -Steve and Sue were playing a game as the freighter headed through space -toward Earth. It was fun trying to see who could build the higher tower -of sticks. The young Shannons were in extra good spirits. Before long -they would be seeing Mom and their home in Arkansas, after being in -space for so many months. - -Steve carefully placed the last stick on his tower which was almost as -high as he could reach. - -"_I_ won, Sis!" he exclaimed. But as he drew his hand away, it brushed -against the tower, causing the sticks to drift off in all directions. - -"_I_ won!" Sue cried gleefully, "Yours broke up!" - -Steve made a face and began picking the sticks out of the air before -they floated too far. It was lack of weight in space that made it -possible to play such a game. The twins would have hung in the air like -the sticks if their shoe soles were not held to the floor by magnetism. - -"I'll beat you next time," Steve boasted. - -Before they could start again, their father came into the room. "It -looks as though we may not be getting home as quickly as we had -expected, kids. Captain Furman has received an S. O. S. from a passenger -rocket that's down on the asteroid, Sierra." The twins knew an asteroid -to be one of the thousands of tiny planets in the Solar System. - -"Are we going to her aid?" Steve asked. - -"It depends on whether we have enough fuel or not," his father replied. -"Even atomic fuel runs out sometime, you know. Captain Furman is talking -with his officers now. It'll be a shame if we can't help the _Pole -Star_--as much as I want to see Mom." - -It was just like his unselfish dad to say that, Steve thought. He felt -the same way about it. And he didn't doubt that tender-hearted Sue was -of the same mind. - -Mr. Shannon started out of the room again. "I'm going to see what they -are going to do." - -Steve and Sue went back to their game. But somehow it wasn't as much fun -now. People were in trouble and trouble in space was often a frightening -thing. - -It seemed like a long time before their father came back. He walked in -so fast that his magnetic shoes sounded like tiny hammers. "Kids," he -said, "the captain wants to see you." - -"_Us?_" Steve asked. - -"That's right. Come quickly." - -They went out, leaving some sticks in mid-air and others drifting off. -The young Shannons walked shyly into the captain's room where all the -officers stood. Steve felt out of place among the neatly uniformed -spacemen. - -Mr. Shannon was in charge of cargo which the freighter dropped off at -different ports in space, for he was an official of the American Space -Supply Company. But he had nothing to do with the running of the ship. - -"Young folks," said the tall captain, who had a blond mustache, "we want -you to help us solve a problem." - -"Sir?" Steve asked, puzzled. - -"Here it is," went on the chief, in his booming voice. "If we go on past -Earth to Sierra to help the _Pole Star_, it'll leave us with only a -fifty-fifty chance of having enough fuel to reach Earth. But the _Pole -Star_ is running short of supplies and their radio just went dead a -while ago. It's too late to get help from Earth. The crew is divided on -what we should do, so I decided to call you two in to see what you -think." - -A husky crewman spoke out boldly, "What do these kids know about space, -Captain? They're not even old enough to be out here! I say stick to our -course and get this crew and ship back safely to Earth!" - -The remark angered Steve, but the spaceman looked too big to talk back -to. Sue wasn't so timid. - -"You ought to be ashamed of yourself!" she exclaimed. "Thinking of -yourself when other people are in trouble!" - -Steve and his father were surprised at Sue's outburst. Captain Furman -and the other crewmen smiled. - -"I think that solves our problem," the captain spoke firmly. "If the -young lady has courage enough to overlook the risk, the rest of us -should have it, too. Thank you, Sue. We move at full rocket thrust to -aid the _Pole Star_." - -As the Shannons went out into the corridor, Steve asked his sister, -"Wow, Sue, what made you talk back to that big fellow like that?" - -"He was so selfish!" Sue answered. "Besides, it made me mad to hear him -say we didn't know anything about space! Why, we've been over almost all -of the Solar System, haven't we, Dad?" - -Her father pressed her shoulder. "Of course, honey. I'm proud of you, -because I felt the same way." - -It took a few days for the freighter to reach the asteroid. The space -ship, in going past the Earth, had come close enough for the Earth to be -seen as a misty, green light. It made the twins long for home as they -saw it. - -"Sierra is like a big meteor, isn't it, Dad?" Steve asked, as the three -of them looked downward on the flat, egg-shaped rock. - -His father nodded. "It's often called, 'The Flying Mountain,' because of -the low peaks on it. Sierra is only a mile long and less than that -wide." - -"I remember from school that it wasn't discovered until 1965," Sue said. - -"That's because it's so small and isn't very bright in the sky," her -father spoke. "Most of the asteroids are much farther out, between Mars -and Jupiter, but a few come in close to Earth like Sierra, Hermes, Eros -and some others." - -The freighter landed safely in a flat area about two hundred feet from -the _Pole Star_. The Shannons could see the damaged space ship jammed -against a cliff. Brilliant sunshine reflected upward from bare dark -rock, dazzling their eyes. It was over a hundred degrees on Sierra, for -there was no atmosphere to check the sun's heat. - -"Boy, what a place for a sunburn!" Steve said. - -"It's certainly summertime on Sierra!" Sue added. - -They watched crewmen in space suits come out of the freighter and begin -uncoiling a spool of rope that would stretch between the two ships. -Safety lines led from all the men back to the cargo ship. - -"There's almost no gravity at all here," Mr. Shannon told his son and -daughter, "because the asteroid is so small. If the people from the -_Pole Star_--providing there are any alive--didn't have the rope to hang -on to, they might float right off Sierra." - -The children asked to go outside. The three suited up and went out, -using safety lines, just in case. - -The glare was so strong that they had to lower their darkening glasses -over the face part of their helmets. The heat was such that they had to -switch on the cooling outfits in their suits. It was strange to see the -edge of the asteroid so close, just beyond a fringe of dagger-like -peaks. It was like being on a big space raft. - -The twins tried walking. They were less than feather-light and it was -quite a job for them even to keep upright. Sue decided this wouldn't be -a very good place to spend a summer vacation. - -Sue's cooling outfit made her sneeze. She was lifted right off the -ground and her father had to pull her down quickly. She and Steve -laughed but they had been scared. - -"See, it doesn't take much to send you sky high!" Mr. Shannon joked, -speaking over the radio set which all three of them carried in their -space suits. - -At last the crewmen, who had been moving so carefully over the ground -toward the _Pole Star_, reached the ship and fastened the rope to it. -The outer door of the _Pole Star_ was then opened by someone inside. - -"Thank goodness somebody's alive in there!" Mr. Shannon said thankfully. -"I guess the ship just coasted into the rock wall without too much -force." - -The freighter crew began helping people out of the passenger rocket. If -things weren't so serious, it would have been funny for Sue and Steve to -see them in their balloon-like space suits, bouncing one careful step at -a time and holding on for dear life to the rope. - -As the party neared the freighter, the twins suddenly saw their father -dash toward the ship. In his haste, Mr. Shannon seemed to have forgotten -where he was and went scooting upward like a high-jumper. - -"Dad!" Sue and Steve cried out together. - -Mr. Shannon had to put out his hands and feet at the last minute to keep -from crashing into the wall of the freighter. Then he pulled himself -down to the ground with his safety line. When they saw that their father -was unhurt, Sue and Steve began walking toward the ship with careful -steps. - -They heard their dad exclaim, "Mr. Ballinger!" as he walked over to one -of the men from the _Pole Star_. - -"John Shannon!" the man said. - -It turned out that Mr. Ballinger was the president of the American Space -Supply Company and was Mr. Shannon's boss. Mr. Ballinger explained that -the _Pole Star_ was heading for Mars when there was an explosion in the -rocket tubes. By landing on Sierra the captain thought there was a -better chance of their being found than if they had just kept drifting -in space, because all ships knew the path of "The Flying Mountain." No -one had been hurt in the landing and the _Pole Star_ had enough fuel to -get the freighter back to Earth. - -"I don't know whether I should fire you people or not for risking my -good freighter just to save an old codger like me!" the friendly Mr. -Ballinger joked. - -"We almost didn't," Steve's dad reminded him and explained how Sue's -outburst had decided the problem. - -"You've certainly got some smart ones there, John," Mr. Ballinger said, -smiling at Sue and Steve. "Your son has already proved himself a hero -before and now it's Sue. Yes, sir, I sure wish I had a pair like them!" - -But the twins scarcely heard him. They were thinking that, in spite of -the great fun they had had on all their space adventures, how wonderful -it was going to be to see Mom again and set foot on the grandest planet -in all the Solar System--Earth! - - - - - _CASTAWAYS IN SPACE_ - - -The two of them had just shoved the supply case against the chute door -when the space ship gave an unexpected burst of rocket power, knocking -Skip Miller against the release lever. The escape door shot up and a big -square of black space opened before the boys' eyes. - -Glen Hartzell was stunned to see his friend go spinning down the incline -and follow the supply case toward the open door. Automatically, Glen -stretched his lean body full length trying to grasp Skip's space suit -before he escaped. But his momentum sent him skidding down the slope and -the next thing he knew he was out in space, too. - -A week ago Glen wouldn't have cared whether he faced death or not. He -and Skip had just made the scorned fraternity of "Wockies," washed-out -cadets. His failure had cut like a knife. He had wanted to pilot ships -through the depths of space more than anything else in the world. -Instead, he and Skip had been assigned to ground crews on Mars. That, at -least, had been their destination until Skip's elbow unexpectedly made -them castaways in space. - -Glen's first thought was directed to Skip, who looked like a toy balloon -as he drifted through the vacuum. "Skip!" he called over his space suit -radio. "Do you hear me, Skip?" - -"Yeah, Glen," Skip's reply was scarcely more than a squeak. - -Glen looked down and ahead where a massive rock some ten miles in -diameter hung in the starry emptiness. "If we can make Phobos, we may be -all right." - -"We're done for," Skip groaned. - -"We're not!" Glen's wits were sharpened by the danger. "We're lined up -pretty well with Phobos. She doesn't have any gravity to speak of and we -may be able to land on her." - -"We won't make Phobos," Skip argued. "We'll either run into Mars' -gravity field and crash on its surface or float through space until our -air runs out." - -"Shut up, Skip!" Glen's tone was sharp. "Listen to me. See if you can -pick up a little speed by kicking out behind with your feet and hands. -If you can catch up with the supply case, hang on." - -Skip didn't reply but Glen saw his arms and legs begin to move. Glen -worked his own. It was a grueling effort, but Glen found that he was -able to increase his speed much in the manner of a space ship's thrust. -By the time Glen touched Skip's suit, both of them were sucking freely -of their precious oxygen. - -"What's the idea?" Skip asked as his gloved hand clutched the strap of -the supply case and Glen held onto him. - -"We'll use the case as a buffer to break our fall," Glen explained. -"Remember, it's covered with foam rubber so that it won't shatter when -it hits." - -The two had been preparing to drop the emergency supply case on Mars at -the time of the accident. Glen was glad now that they'd donned space -suits. - -Glen saw that the space ship was now only a tiny needle against the red -disk of Mars. He and Skip had probably not even been missed by the crew. -When they did find out, they wouldn't know where to look for the boys. - -Phobos was a jagged, frightening giant below, but Glen held nothing but -love for it. Their speed had increased slightly, but it did not look as -if they would hit the ground dangerously fast. - -Glen felt Skip's muscles tense for the landing. - -"Steady, fellow!" Glen breathed. - -He felt a rough jar in the pit of his stomach. Glen bounced off Skip's -back as though he were rubber. He spread out his arms to ease his fall, -then was surprised to find his body settling down to rest as lightly as -a leaf. - -Glen felt a prickly chill in his cheeks. "We've got practically no -weight at all!" he breathed. Skip had almost drifted off into space -again, but Glen grabbed his leg and pulled him back. - -"It's a crazy world, isn't it?" Skip searched the rocky landscape that -sloped down from them on both sides. It was weird to be on a globe so -tiny you were conscious of its roundness. - -Glenn nodded. "We've _really_ got to keep both feet on the ground!" - -"What if they don't find us, Glen?" Skip asked. "What then?" - -"I don't know, Skip," Glen sighed. "Let's see what's in the supply -case." - -Glen was able to crawl better than he could walk over to the supply -case. Skip followed. Glen pressed a button on the case and the top -sprang up. - -"Whew! There's not much that isn't included!" Skip said. "Spare oxygen -tanks, a bubble tent outfit, food capsules, water maker, first-aid, -flares, books, electronic stove-heater." - -"Let's put up the bubble tent," Glen said. "It'll help save our heat." - -As he had learned in cadet training, he removed a cylinder from the -outfit and pulled a lever. It popped open and a plastic bubble began -growing out of it. The bubble, which was slightly oblong and -transparent, enlarged to about seven feet, then detached itself from the -cartridge airtight. After it had hardened for several minutes, Glen took -an electric saw from the kit and cut a small door in the side. They made -hinges from self-sealing plastic strips. - -They used the foam rubber from around the case for flooring, then put -the supplies inside the bubble. They turned on the heater and then -turned off the heat units in their suits. - -"How long do you figure our supplies can last, Glen?" Skip asked. - -"They're supposed to last two people ten days," Glen replied. "Don't you -remember that question on our exam?" - -"Don't remind me!" Skip said. "I'm tired of hearing about the cadet -corps." - -"I know," Glen said bitterly. - -"How could they flunk us on one question?" Skip asked. "It wasn't fair." - -"I agree with you," Glen answered, "but the fact remains that we've got -to take it." - -Skip chuckled grimly. "You talk as if we have a lifetime ahead of us. We -don't know whether we've got _tomorrow_." - -"Which reminds me, we'd better send off some flares to let somebody know -where we are." Glen picked up some of the rocket flares and "drifted" -out of the bubble tent. He set up a flare on its tripod legs, pointed it -at Mars' ruddy face and pulled on the release catch. But it wouldn't -move. - -"It's jammed!" Glen tried another rocket and got the same result. Then -another, and another. They were all useless, all the catches warped, -possibly from having been kept too near a heat source in the ship. - -"How are we going to signal Mars now?" Skip asked. - -"Anything we toss out will be drawn to the planet by its gravitation," -Glen was thinking out loud. - -"How about throwing out some of the extra supplies we have?" Skip -proposed. "We can attach a note." - -"It's a million-to-one shot they'd be found. Don't you realize that only -a fraction of Mars has colonists? No, I'm afraid we'd wait here until -doomsday if we had to count on that." - -"But what else is there to do?" Skip's eyes were round with dread. - -Glen fought down his own sudden despair. "It looks as though we'll have -to get to Mars on our own, Skip." - -"Now you're crazy! We'd be smashed to pieces!" - -"Not the way I'm thinking." A plan was forming in Glen's mind, as he -scrambled into the bubble tent and came out with one of their -engineering books. Skip watched in amazement as Glen began working math -problems in the dirt with a piece of stone. - -After a while, Glen said, "I think it'll work, Skip. Want to take a -chance?" - -"I'd like to know what it is first." - -"We can use the chute from the supply case and attach it to the bubble," -Glen explained. "Then we can ride in the bubble to Mars." - -"It sounds fantastic!" - -"I've figured it every way I know," Glen said. "At least, it's better -than sitting here and hoping we'll accidentally be found. Shall we try -it?" - -Skip shrugged. "If it's our only chance. But I hope you've figured all -the angles!" - -"We'd better get started right away," Glen advised. "We may need all our -air tanks if we have to do some walking when we land." - -They set to work fastening the lines of the chute around and under the -plastic bubble. They used more of the plastic strips to secure the lines -tightly. The chute was still folded, since the vacuum on Phobos had -failed to trip the automatic release. The boys decided to carry only a -minimum of supplies to make their weight as light as possible. When they -were ready to go, they climbed into the bubble and Glen shoved them off -with one foot outside the door. Then he closed the door. - -"How long will it take us to get there?" Skip asked. - -"I've figured on about a hundred hours," Glen answered. "That should put -us close to Mars City, figuring on Mars' rotation. But if it doesn't, we -should be able to reach some research settlement." - -They moved slowly at first. Glen hoped for only enough speed to carry -them into Mars' gravity pull. As they approached the red planet, their -speed would increase and that worried Glen. If they whacked into Mars' -air blanket too fast, the chute might be ripped from the bubble. - -To while away the many hours, the boys dozed and took turns reading the -one novel they had brought along. Their legs soon became cramped and -sore, and they would have given a good deal to have been able to stretch -or walk about. - -On the third day, the boys could see the canals criss-crossing in a -tangled network on the ruddy globe of Mars. On the fourth day, just as -Glen had figured, the glassite domes of Mars City began to show through -the violet haze of atmosphere. Glen wondered how fast they were going. -There was no way to tell because their insulation kept them from feeling -the rush of air. - -"Cross your fingers, Skip," Glen warned. "Our chute should open in the -next few minutes." - -The seconds appeared to last hours as they waited, and Glen suffered a -torture of suspense. What if the chute did not open? In that case, they -would end up in fragments on Mars' red earth. Or what if the force of -the air should jerk the chute off the bubble? - -Even as Glen worried, he felt a sharp drag and was tumbled over on Skip. - -"Look! The chute's open!" Skip pointed overhead. - -Some minutes later, the red ground rushed up at them like an enfolding -blanket. Their final problem faced them now. If they landed safely, they -would have conquered space in a way no spaceman had ever done before. - -Glen's muscles drew tight and his heart thumped rapidly as the last few -hundred feet melted away. He wanted to close his eyes during these final -seconds but he forced himself to watch the rising ground so that he -could brace himself at the moment of contact. He was glad they had the -foam rubber cushion beneath them. - -Glen counted off the last few feet. "A hundred--fifty--twenty--!" - -As they struck, Glen was thrown against the ceiling of the bubble. -Plastic clattered against plastic as the bubble rolled over on the -ground many times before stopping. Glen straightened himself out. He was -shaken up but he was unhurt. He looked across at Skip. - -"We made it," Glen said, but his voice shook, as if he wasn't yet able -to believe it. He tore off the door seals, shoved out the door. Then -they got out and stretched their legs. Looking at the domes of Mars City -in the distance, Glen asked, "Ready to start walking?" - -"After being cooped up like a chicken, I'm willing to walk all over -Mars. Let's go." Skip's natural good humor had returned. - -Less than an hour later, an astonished captain at the Mars City -spaceport heard the boys' strange story. - -"Your courage and ingenuity have been incredible!" the captain said when -they had finished. "I can't believe that you two are Wockies. If you -weren't flunked for reasons of scholarship, I'm sure you'll be -reinstated." - -"We weren't flunked for that reason, sir," Skip said. - -"For what reason then?" the captain asked. - -Glen smiled wryly as he replied, "We were flunked, sir, because we -failed the test to determine whether we could bear up in an emergency or -not!" - - - - - _THE BIG SPACE BALL GAME_ - - -It was an unusual setting for baseball. Instead of a blue sky, there was -the darkness of space and the brilliance of stars overhead. The light of -Earth flooded the scene, and surrounding the oversized diamond were the -walls of Copernicus crater, over fifty miles across. - -On the mound, Bill Cherry was pitching practice balls to his catcher, -Ollie Taylor. Only underhand throwing was allowed in baseball on the -Moon, for the ball was exceedingly fast in the light gravity and -airlessness. Bill, in snug-fitting space gear, was standing farther than -the regulation ninety feet from the plate. This was because of the -pitcher's advantage over the batter in Lunar ball. - -Bill wound up and threw. The ball shot like a bullet into Ollie's -double-padded mitt. - -"Thatta boy, Bill!" Ollie's voice came over Bill's space suit radio. "If -you're this sharp when we meet the Comets this afternoon, we're bound to -win our first championship!" - -"That's enough practice, fellows!" Coach Lippert called, coming out of -the dugout. "No use giving our best before the game!" - -It was the _big_ game for the team from Plato, which was tied with the -league leaders in this last game of the season. Plato was the farthest -colony on the Moon and was named for the big crater in which it was -located. Copernicus colony, the baseball leader, had won the -championship every year since the school league had been formed. As a -prize, the champions were always given a free rocket trip to Earth. - -The Plato Rocketeers were homesick for their mother planet. One of them, -little Pete Irby, had never set foot there. He had been born on the -Moon. - -"It must be wonderful to go around without even a space suit on like -they do on Earth!" Pete said wistfully to Bill. - -"Don't worry, Pete," Bill said confidently. "I have a feeling that this -is our year and that we're all going to Earth." - -"I sure hope you're right," Pete replied, with great feeling. "I can't -wait to see the great national parks and rivers and all the other -wonderful things there!" - - -At game time the grandstand was filled and some people were standing. It -was the largest crowd ever to see a ball game on the Moon. Much of the -crowd was made up of hopeful parents from the Plato colony who had come -seven hundred miles by rocket plane to see their boys play. - -The champion Copernicus Comets ran out onto the field in big bouncing -strides. For on the Moon a person was capable of jumping and running in -great leaps because of the low gravity, only one-sixth of Earth's. - -The Plato Rocketeers were the visiting team would bat first. When the -outfielders had taken their positions, they were tiny forms far out in -the distance with nothing but gray wilderness behind them for a -backstop. There were eleven men in Moon baseball because of this greater -outfield range. Two extra fielders played behind the shortstop and -second baseman and were called "short fielders." - -Bill noticed a wheel chair below the railing of the grandstand. His -mother and dad had brought his crippled younger brother Skippy to see -the game! Bill had known his parents were going to rocket over from -Plato in time for the game, but they had not said Skippy would come -along. Bill gave Skippy a wave and his little brother waved back. - -The lead-off batter for the Rocketeers walked to the plate swinging a -bat, padded to keep it from hitting the ball too hard and far. The -Comets' ace pitcher, Carl Cadman, hurled three fast strikes over almost -before the batter had gotten a good foothold. Carl struck out the next -batter as well and then forced little Pete Irby to loft a high infield -fly for the third out. - -"Let's get 'em, Bill!" Ollie said excitedly as the Rocketeers took the -field. - -"We'll sure try," Bill promised his catcher. - -Bill took the mound. With his space gloves he massaged rosin into the -baseball. After getting the signal from Ollie, Bill swung his arm down -and around. The batter swung sharply, driving the ball toward third. The -baseman made a dive for the ball, but he missed it. His body seemed to -glide in slow motion in the light gravity. - -Bill walked the next batter, making two on and none out. Jack Brenna, -the Comets' heaviest hitter, was up. Bill got two strikes on him and -then Jack took a better toehold. As Bill saw bat and ball connect -solidly on the next pitch, his heart fell. - -The ball arched like a comet across the dark sky. The left fielder took -a dozen giant steps after the ball but then gave up. The ball seemed to -be going for miles. It was a home run. - -The Comets did not score anymore that inning, but the damage seemed to -be already done. The champions were leading 3-0. - -Bill was first up for the Rocketeers. As he went to the plate swinging a -bat, his eye caught Skippy's wheel chair, and he saw his game little -brother waving encouragement. It made him want to try even harder to put -his team out in front. Bill knew he would have to do it with his -hitting, since he had failed as a pitcher. - -But Bill got no closer to a hit than a long foul into the stands. Then -he struck out. The two teammates following him also failed to get on -base. - -The game moved along with no more scoring for the next five innings. It -was still 3-0. - -In the last of the seventh inning the Plato Rocketeers had more trouble. -The first Comet batter topped the ball slowly to Pete at shortstop, who -tried too hard to make the play. The ball rolled between his legs and -the runner went all the way to second. - -Pete was so busy grumbling about his last error that he muffed the next -play too. He jumped ten feet into the air trying to reach the high, -bounding ball, but he misjudged it and it went on past. The runner on -second loped down to third in long strides. Bill called time in order to -give Pete a chance to settle down. - -"We'll never win this game!" Pete groaned. "Why don't you fellows say -I'm not any good--like you're thinking!" - -"Stop talking like that!" Bill told him over his suit radio. "You're -thinking too much about going to Earth, Pete. You're trying _too_ hard!" - -"I'll try to do better," Pete promised. - -The next batter drove a high fly to center, sending the runner in from -third and making the score 4-0. Bill walked the player following, but -then he was lucky enough to strike out the hard-hitting Jack Brenna. - -The next Comet drove a hard liner to Pete. Pete scrambled for the ball, -but once again he muffed it and it went on into the outfield. The -shortfielder recovered it quickly but threw wide to third, sending the -runner into the plate with the Comets' fifth run. - -When Bill looked at Pete, the little fellow had thrown his big fielder's -glove into the air and was beginning to walk broken-heartedly off the -diamond. - -"Pete!" Bill heard Coach Lippert call sharply over his suit radio as he -ran onto the field. "Get back to your position, son! I don't like a -quitter on my team." - -Players and coach huddled in the infield. They looked like a gathering -of teddy bears in the space suits. Bill could see tears of bitterness -inside Pete's plastic helmet. - -"Fellows," the coach said, "what did we come seven hundred miles across -the Moon to do?" - -"To play ball," someone answered, "--and win." - -"All right, then. What do you say we start doing it? Pete, I'm going to -send you to left field where you used to play. Dan, in left field, will -take your place at shortstop." - -The Rocketeers retired the side without further scoring. Then as though -to prove that the pep talk had helped, the team came up with three big -runs of their own! - -Pitching with all his skill, Bill was able to set down the Comets in -order. It was now the top half of the ninth inning, the last chance for -Plato to win the game. They were still behind 5-3, and the two-run lead -seemed as big as the Milky Way to Bill. - -Dan started it off by walloping a double down the right field line. Pete -followed with a single that bounced high over the right shortfielder's -head. The fielder behind him took the ball and threw quickly to his -catcher to keep Dan from scoring off third. But then the Rocketeers' -luck seemed to have run out as the next two players struck out. - -"It's all up to you, Bill," the coach told his pitcher as Bill selected -his favorite bat. - -"I'll be swinging, coach," Bill said determinedly. - -He looked toward the stands as he walked to the plate. Skippy was waving -encouragement again. - -"This one is for you, Skippy," Bill murmured, stepping up to the plate. - -Carl tried to make him swing on two bad pitches. - -"Careful," Bill warned himself. "There are two outs--only one more left -to us in the whole game!" - -The next ball was just the one Bill wanted. He swung with all his might. -He saw the ball rise and lose itself in the white dust of starlight -overhead. And then he was off! - -Loping past second, he saw the left fielder still bounding like a rabbit -after the ball. The coach slowed him up on third base. - -"Take it easy, Bill," he said with a happy grin. "That ball is on the -dark side of the Moon by now!" - -Bill could see the Plato rooters waving their arms wildly in glee, and -his radio picked up their loud cheers. As he crossed the plate with the -leading run, he waved to Skippy who was almost out of his wheel chair in -his excitement over his big brother's tingling homer. - -The score: Plato 6, Copernicus 5. The game was far from over, though. -The Comets still had their last turn at bat. - -Bill got the first player to raise a high infield pop-up. In the Moon's -light gravity it seemed as if the ball would never come down. But it -finally did, and Dan took it for the first out. - -Bill walked the next Comet, to put one on and with one out. The -following batter forced the runner at second, making it two out and -giving Bill a much more confident feeling. - -But then up to the plate walked Jack Brenna! - -Bill swallowed hard and began to sweat inside his space suit. He failed -to get the ball over the plate on the first two pitches. Jack swung on -the next pitch and sent a hard foul ball behind third base. - -"Must be careful," Bill thought. "A homer with the man on base will win -the game for the Comets." - -Bill came though with a fast ball. Jack met it squarely and as the ball -towered high over the infield, Jack felt all quivery and weak. He turned -his head regretfully and saw the ball rising high and far against the -midnight black of space. He saw little Pete Irby galloping away from the -diamond as fast as he could go. - -"Get it, Pete!" Bill pleaded under his breath. "Please get it!" - -Everybody in the stands was on his feet. This was the play that would -decide the game--and the championship. - -Pete finally made a last second leap that brought him twenty feet off -the ground. Bill could hardly see ball and glove meet. But they did meet -and Pete had done the impossible! - -They had won! - -The Rocketeers whirled the coach and Bill easily up on their shoulders, -because of the light Lunar weight. Then they began parading happily -around the diamond to celebrate their very first championship. When Pete -had made the long trip in from the outfield, he too was carried around -on his teammates' shoulders. - -"That was a swell catch, Pete!" Bill called out to the little fellow. -"You sure saved the day for us!" - -"You know what, Bill?" Pete said, grinning. "If I'd missed that ball I -would have kept on running--yep, right into space! I was determined to -make that trip to Earth one way or another!" - - - - - _PAPER TREASURE FOR MARS_ - - -Hugh Davone and Link Malloy sat at the wall desk of the space ship -compartment poring over their albums of interplanetary postage stamps. -The atom-powered _Princess of Mars_, cargo and passenger liner, was only -a few hours out on its Earth-to-Mars run. - -"It makes me nervous thinking of the thousands of dollars' worth of -stamps we're carrying in the wall safe," Link said. "I don't think I'm -going to enjoy this trip." - -"Take it easy, Link," Hugh replied, with a lighthearted grin. "There are -Space Guardsmen aboard ship to protect us." - -The fellows were on their annual vacation from the Space Cadet Corps. -Since cadets in training could ride any space ship free, the two were -escorting a valuable shipment of Mr. Davone's interplanetary stamps to -another dealer opening up shop in Mars City. - -"I'm worrying about that white-haired old character your dad said asked -suspicious questions at his shop the other day," Link said. "Seems funny -that he is making the trip to Mars the same time we are." - -"Probably only a coincidence," Hugh answered. "There's only one flight a -month to Mars, you know." - -"There are unscrupulous dealers who would give anything to lay their -hands on our shipment," Link went on. "This deal means an awful lot to -your dad's stamp business, Hugh. If we should bungle the job, he -certainly would lose a lot." - -"Sure he would," Hugh agreed, then he added, "but we aren't going to -bungle it." - -This seemed to satisfy Link and a smile of confidence deepened the -corners of his broad, friendly mouth. - -Hugh picked up a stamp with his tongs. "I came across this duplicate -from the Venus pictorial issue. It's the six-dollar blue of the Valley -of Mists. Have you got it?" - -Link leaned over. "No! What have you been doing, Hugh, holding out on -me? How about some of my 2027 Lunar commems in trade?" - -They worked out an exchange. The Lunar stamps were curious specimens, -imperforate and circular. They depicted the Lunar hemisphere which faces -Earth. The single-stamp issue had been distributed on the fiftieth -anniversary of man's first landing on the moon and was much in demand. - -Suddenly there was a knock on the outer door of the compartment. - -Hugh got up and went to the door. As he walked, his magnetic-sole shoes -rasped against the metallic floor like a knife being honed. He opened -the door. - -A man with the face and build of a leprechaun looked at Hugh. His pale -but alert blue eyes peered steadily into Hugh's. Hugh also began to -wonder why this customer at Davone's Philatelic Shop should be making -the voyage to Mars with them. - -"Yes, sir?" Hugh asked. - -"May I come in?" the man asked. "My name is Oscar Benasco." - -Hugh hesitated, thinking about the valuable cargo, then he replied -reluctantly, "Yes." - -"Your father certainly has a fine shop, Hugh Davone," the elderly man -said brightly as he entered. "However, I was disappointed to find out -that he had packed up some of his choicest space items and was selling -them to Mr. Elfs, a dealer on Mars." - -"You know quite a lot, Mr. Benasco," Link remarked coolly. - -"Yes, I pride myself on my shrewdness," Mr. Benasco replied in a modest -manner. His roving eyes came to rest on the boys' albums. "I see you two -have collections of your own." - -"Nothing very valuable," Hugh replied. "But we enjoy our stamps just the -same." - -"Ah, yes," Benasco said. His eyes brightened with eagerness and he -placed the tips of his outspread fingers together. "Speaking of valuable -items--those you are taking to Mars--no doubt you keep them in your -compartment safe. I wonder if you might show them to me?" - -"I'm sorry, Mr. Benasco," Hugh said, "but I promised my dad I wouldn't -take the stamps out to show anyone until they were safely in the hands -of Mr. Elfs on Mars." - -Benasco looked completely crestfallen. His rounded shoulders slumped and -the most pained expression covered his face. "Surely just a look--" he -pleaded. - -"If you are going to Mars, as you must be," Hugh went on, "you'll be -able to see them all in Mr. Elfs's shop, and you can talk to him about -any stamps you might want to buy." - -"Then that's your final answer?" Mr. Benasco asked, his disappointment -giving way to annoyance. - -"I'm afraid it must be," Hugh told him. "I'm sorry." - -"You've disappointed me sorely, young man," Mr. Benasco retorted. "Good -day to you." - -He turned briskly and clattered out the door. As he left, Hugh caught -sight of the handle of an old type miniature rocket pistol protruding -from his coat pocket. - -"Did you see that pistol?" Link asked, in surprise. "It's a wonder he -didn't hold us up for the stamps right here and now! But I guess he was -afraid to risk it." - -"For a moment I almost felt sorry for him and was about to give in," -Hugh admitted. "Now I'm glad I didn't." - -In the days that followed, Hugh and Link saw little of Mr. Benasco -except in the dining room. - -One morning, near the end of the flight, Hugh and Link were standing in -front of their compartment port looking out. The orange-red globe of -Mars was so dominant that it seemed to press back the surrounding stars -and nebulae to near obscurity. - -"Only a few more days and our shipment will be safely in the hands of -Mr. Elfs in Mars City," Hugh said. "Then Mr. Benasco will be Mr. Elfs's -worry." - -"That will be just dandy as far as I'm concerned," Link replied -earnestly. - -By this year of 2031, space mail service had increased to such -proportions that it had opened up a brand new field of stamp -specialization for the philatelist. It was for this reason that Mr. Elfs -was attempting a stamp hobby business in Mars City. Mr. Davone's -portfolios of both low and high values was to provide him with the bulk -of his opening merchandise. - -Even the most remote colonies of the Solar System, including the -farthest on Triton, Neptune, had their own postage by now. The lone -Triton bi-color, picturing Valhalla Peak, tallest mountain yet -discovered in the System, was one of the most wanted by collectors. - -Suddenly the chimes for lunch were heard over the compartment intercom. - -Entering the dining room, Hugh and Link saw Benasco in his usual place -at the end of the table near the door. They took their seats and Link -smiled at his plate. "Cubed beef, Hugh." - -Hugh grinned. "You can't say they don't aim to please on the _Princess -of Mars_." - -But the fellows did not get to finish their cubed roast, nor did anyone -else at the table. - -A shock hit the ship like an unheralded thunderbolt. Hugh had the crazy -feeling of being in a nightmare. After the deafening report, he felt his -lap belt snap, and then he was hoisted out of his chair as though in the -vortex of a whirlwind. The table tore loose from the floor fittings. -Hugh bounced into a coffee urn and it nearly stunned him. Groans of -distress from those around him filled his ears. - -"What has happened?" Hugh thought dazedly. - -The ship's disaster siren pealed along the corridors of the _Princess of -Mars_. Medical men with stretchers came running and officers snapped out -brisk orders. Hugh groped anxiously through the melee for Link. He -struggled over twisted chair tubing and found his friend helping those -who were hurt. - -"We've got work to do," Link told him. - -Hugh rolled up his sleeves. He was still giddy. "I'm ready," he said. - -It was reported later that there were no fatalities, but there were -enough injured persons to keep the infirmary staff busy for awhile. - -Hugh and Link, working side by side with the medical men, had not seen -anything of Benasco since the accident. The ship's engineers revealed -that a meteorite had caused the disaster. It had struck fairly close to -the compartment occupied by Hugh and Link. Hugh shuddered to think what -it would have been like to have been tossed about in their room like a -pea in a whistle. Such would have been his and Link's fate had the -strike occurred half an hour earlier. - -The cadets had not yet had the opportunity to check their quarters for -damage. When the physician in charge finally freed them with thanks for -their help, Hugh thought about the stamps for the first time since the -unnerving incident. - -"Link," he said urgently, "we've got to get back and check on those -stamps! This has been a perfect set up for Benasco and his scheme!" - -"Right behind you," Link said as they hurried from the infirmary. - -Along the way, the two found warped walls and doors that had been flung -open. Luckily all the occupants in the worst-hit area had been in the -dining room at the terrible moment, or there surely would have been -fatalities. - -Reaching their compartment, Hugh and Link found that the door had been -forced open by the explosion. - -Hugh hurried over to the wall safe. He felt a chill of dread race -through him. The vault door also was open and the chamber was empty. - -"They're gone!" Hugh said hoarsely. "All of Dad's stamps are gone!" - -Hugh slumped remorsefully on his cot, taut fingers combing through his -hair. "Dad wanted to have the stamps insured," he said bitterly, "but I -was trying to save him money. The insurance fee was enormous, and on top -of that he would have had to pay the fare both to and from Mars for the -agents who would carry the shipment. How I wish they had done it now!" - -"If Benasco has the stamps, we may still be able to recover them," Link -said. "Let's go see him." - -Hugh got up, his face set, his palm shaped into a fist. "If Benasco _is_ -the one, I'll personally--oh, never mind! Come on!" - -They moved down corridor "E," which was away from the center of the -damage. This was the hall where they knew Benasco's room was located. -Scarcely anybody was in the section at present. Those who resided in the -nearby rooms were either helping out in the emergency, or they were idly -watching the beginning of repairs. The outside meteor bumper and the -inner buffer bulkheads had kept the destruction to a minimum. By -automatically sealing themselves off from the rest of the ship at the -moment of impact, the protective bulkheads had kept the ship from being -decompressed. - -Hugh and Link found their suspect's door closed. Hugh walked up to it -and tried the knob. - -The door opened under Hugh's push, but the compartment was vacant. - -"He's gone," Link said. - -"He must be somewhere close by," Hugh returned impatiently. "We haven't -passed him on the way, so he must be farther down the corridor." - -"Maybe he's looking for a place to hide the portfolios until we land," -Link suggested. "He knows we'll suspect him of taking them." - -Hugh nodded. "Let's go." - -As the two moved ahead down the quiet passageway, Link spoke in a tense -voice, "Do you think we're right trying to tackle that little guy alone? -We're each bigger than he is, but he's got a pistol and we haven't." - -"We'll be careful," Hugh promised. - -There were a number of storerooms lining the corridor. The cadets -checked one after another. The rooms were shrouded in tomblike silence -and full of dark hiding places. But the search revealed no sign of -Benasco or the missing portfolios. - -"He seems to have disappeared right into the air," Link said -discouragingly. "Hugh, I hate to say it, but something tells me we -aren't going to see either Benasco or those stamps again." - -They were approaching the door of an outer-ship repair room. Hugh knew -that a ladder in this room led directly up to the outside hull of the -ship. - -"You're probably thinking along the same lines that I am, Link," Hugh -replied gravely. "It may be farfetched, but a person as shrewd as Mr. -Benasco makes out to be might have cooked up a pretty clever plan. He -may have had a portable transmitter hidden somewhere so that he could -contact another party outside the ship." - -"I get it!" Link said. "He might have radioed this crony in a space taxi -to meet him on the outer skin. Then they could both take off with the -loot and either land on Mars or on one of the moons!" - -As Link spoke, Hugh was staring through the plastic window of the room. -A wall hid much of the interior from view. Suddenly he saw the very man -they were seeking cross the room and disappear beyond the corner of the -concealing wall. - -Link caught a glimpse of him too. "Hey!" he burst out. "Wasn't that -_him_?" - -"It sure was," Hugh replied, feeling better now. "He probably just -entered the room from another door along the next side corridor." - -Hugh gently turned the knob and the door swung open soundlessly. "We'll -slip in softly," he whispered. "Then we can try to take him by surprise -around the corner up ahead. We'll have to watch our step because he's -probably desperate and will have his pistol ready for use." - -"He deserves to get twenty years for a theft like this," Link whispered -fiercely. "How did he ever expect to get away with it?" - -"He _won't_ get away with it," Hugh whispered confidently. "Right now -he's probably getting into a space suit so he can pop through the outer -hatch and join his confederate outside." - -They had reached the corner on tiptoe. Hugh, in the lead, peered -carefully around the corner. He gaped in surprise at what he saw: - -Benasco was seated on the floor like a child with a new scrapbook, and -he was chattering away ecstatically to himself! - -"My, oh, my, what a splendid group!" he was saying. "There's a _tete -beche_ pair of old 1989 Space Stations I've always wanted! And look at -this one--a full sheet of Europa triangles! Oscar Benasco will have the -most splendid collection of space stamps in all the Solar System!" - -[Illustration: _Benasco was seated on the floor like a child with a new -scrapbook_] - -Hugh came out of hiding, followed by Link. "The jig's up, Mr. Benasco," -Hugh said. "How about returning our property?" - -The old man was so preoccupied that he did not notice Hugh and Link -immediately. "Dear, dear," he purred, "what a beautiful set of Einstein -memorial surcharges! I wonder if young Davone will break up the set? I -have some of them." - -"He's just a queer old guy," Link remarked as the two of them strode up -to him. - -"Oh, hello, boys," Mr. Benasco greeted them casually. "I was hoping I'd -found a place where I wouldn't be disturbed for awhile. I knew you'd -come by my room. I hope you don't mind the liberty I've taken with your -stamps. But I did _ask_ to see them and you refused, you know?" - -Hugh took from him the portfolio he was holding. "How many stamps have -you removed from here?" he demanded. - -The man's snowy brows went up in surprised indignation. "Removed?" he -shrilled, his face coloring. "I've never been accused of stealing in my -life, sir! I merely borrowed your collection to see if it has the items -I need. When the explosion blew open your safe, it was simply a -temptation I could not resist." - -"Those rare items you need cost money," Hugh reminded him. "Lots of it." - -"Young man," Mr. Benasco grunted, "you do not need to tell me of the -value of postage stamps. I'm well acquainted with Scott's catalogue. I -have every intention of paying for my merchandise." He pulled out such a -wad of bills that Link gasped. "You see, I _can_ pay." - -"What about that rocket pistol you're carrying in your pocket, Mr. -Benasco?" Link asked suspiciously. "Do you always go around armed?" - -"Oh, this?" the old man asked, taking out the rusted miniature model. -"This is nothing but an old relic of mine when I was a space hand myself -on a freighter. I carry it with me sometimes, because it gives me a -feeling of confidence." - -Hugh chuckled as a vast feeling of relief came over him. "You certainly -had us fooled, Mr. Benasco. We thought surely you were a stamp thief out -to steal our valuable stamps." - -"Perhaps my methods have puzzled you somewhat," Mr. Benasco declared. -"But I had to see those rarities before you got rid of them. Somebody -might have bought them before I could. Perhaps Mr. Elfs would have held -them out for his own collection. You must sell them to me, young man! I -believe I should die if I could not get them! Stamps represent the only -pleasure that is left to me." - -"All right, Mr. Benasco, since it means so much to you," Hugh agreed, -smiling. "Being a hobbyist myself, I know what a hold stamps can have on -a person. We'll take the portfolios back to our compartment and discuss -the stamps you want. But if my father or Mr. Elfs complains about this, -you'll have to share the blame." - -"Gladly, gladly," was the willing reply. "Do you mind telling us why -you're going to Mars, Mr. Benasco?" Link asked. - -"I've got a son there working on a canal project. He invited me and my -stamp collection to come and stay as long as I liked, since I had lived -with my other son so long in the States. I thought it was nice of him." - -As Hugh and Link were leading the way out of the room, the portfolios -safely tucked under their arms, Hugh remarked in a whisper to his pal, -"Link, I'll never prejudge another person as long as I live." - -Link stole a look back at Mr. Benasco who was clicking along behind and -smiling rapturously. "That calls for a mutual pledge, Hugh," Link -replied soberly, with a shake of his head. "Let's shake on it." - -And they did. - - - - - Transcriber's Notes - - ---Copyright notice provided as in the original--this e-text is public - domain in the country of publication. - ---Silently corrected palpable typos; left non-standard spellings and - dialect unchanged. - ---In the text versions, delimited italics text in _underscores_ (the - HTML version reproduces the font form of the printed book.) - - - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Young Readers Science Fiction Stories, by -Richard Mace Elam - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK YOUNG READERS SCIENCE FICTION *** - -***** This file should be named 53456-8.txt or 53456-8.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/3/4/5/53456/ - -Produced by Stephen Hutcheson, MFR and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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margin-left:auto; } - div.bq { margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto; max-width:23em; } -/* book advertisements */ - p.bkad {font-size:125%; font-weight:bold; margin-top:2em; max-width:20em; margin-right:auto; margin-left:auto; } - p.bkpr {font-size:90%; } - p.bkrv { } - dl.blist dt { margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em; } - dl.blist, dl.biblio { margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto; max-width:25em; } -</style> -</head> -<body> - - -<pre> - -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Young Readers Science Fiction Stories, by -Richard Mace Elam - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: Young Readers Science Fiction Stories - -Author: Richard Mace Elam - -Illustrator: Victor Prezio - -Release Date: November 5, 2016 [EBook #53456] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK YOUNG READERS SCIENCE FICTION *** - - - - -Produced by Stephen Hutcheson, MFR and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - -</pre> - -<div id="cover" class="img"> -<img id="coverpage" src="images/cover.jpg" alt="Young Readers Science Fiction Stories" width="500" height="752" /> -</div> -<div class="box"> -<h1><span class="smaller">YOUNG READERS</span> -<br />Science Fiction Stories</h1> -<p class="center">By RICHARD M. ELAM</p> -<p class="center"><span class="smaller">ILLUSTRATED BY</span> -<br />VICTOR PREZIO</p> -<div class="img" id="i00"> -<img src="images/i00.jpg" alt="(uncaptioned)" width="300" height="250" /> -</div> -<p class="center"><i>Publishers</i> <span class="small">GROSSET & DUNLAP, INC.</span> <i>New York</i></p> -</div> -<p class="center smaller">© 1957 by -<br />LANTERN PRESS, INC. -<br />By arrangement with Lantern Press, Inc.</p> -<p class="center smaller">PUBLISHED SIMULTANEOUSLY IN CANADA BY -<br />GEORGE J. MC LEOD, LIMITED, TORONTO, ONTARIO -<br />MANUFACTURED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA</p> -<p class="tbcenter">TO -<br />THE YOUNG TRAVELERS -<br />OF TOMORROW</p> -<div class="img"><img src="images/chapter.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="27" /></div><h2><i>CONTENTS</i></h2> -<dl class="toc"> -<dt><a href="#c1"><i>Beth and the Twilight Star</i></a> 13</dt> -<dt><a href="#c2"><i>Gib Takes a Space Test</i></a> 28</dt> -<dt><a href="#c3"><i>The Space Mail Run</i></a> 39</dt> -<dt><a href="#c4"><i>All Aboard for Space</i></a> 55</dt> -<dt><a href="#c5"><i>Wheel in the Sky</i></a> 69</dt> -<dt><a href="#c6"><i>Danger on the Ice Canal</i></a> 83</dt> -<dt><a href="#c7"><i>Cargo for Callisto</i></a> 95</dt> -<dt><a href="#c8"><i>The Big Show on Titan</i></a> 107</dt> -<dt><a href="#c9"><i>Adventure on the Sun’s Doorstep</i></a> 119</dt> -<dt><a href="#c10"><i>The Flying Mountain</i></a> 132</dt> -<dt><a href="#c11"><i>Castaways in Space</i></a> 144</dt> -<dt><a href="#c12"><i>The Big Space Ball Game</i></a> 158</dt> -<dt><a href="#c13"><i>Paper Treasure for Mars</i></a> 171</dt> -</dl> -<div class="img"><img src="images/chapter.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="27" /></div><h2><i>ILLUSTRATIONS</i></h2> -<dl class="toc"> -<dt><a href="#pic1">She saw a strange land unfolding before her eyes</a> 22</dt> -<dt><a href="#pic2">Everyone was told to buckle himself to the rail by a short length of cord</a> 62</dt> -<dt><a href="#pic3">The tornado bomb was on its way, speeding hundreds of miles a second Earthward</a> 81</dt> -<dt><a href="#pic4">He saw her flinging her arms and legs about like a drowning swimmer</a> 128</dt> -<dt><a href="#pic5">Benasco was seated on the floor like a child with a new scrapbook</a> 187</dt> -</dl> -<h1 title=""><span class="smaller">YOUNG READERS</span> -<br />Science Fiction Stories</h1> -<div class="pb" id="Page_13">13</div> -<div class="img"><img src="images/chapter.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="27" /></div><h2 id="c1"><br /><i>BETH AND THE TWILIGHT STAR</i></h2> -<p>Beth Harrison and her father -had driven into the desert to look for dead -branches of “jumping cactus,” which were used -in making lamps for Mr. Harrison’s tourist -shop in Tucson. He and Beth had just gotten -out of the station wagon and were gazing up a -slope of bristly cacti.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_14">14</div> -<p>“This looks like a good place, Daddy,” Beth -said.</p> -<p>Mr. Harrison nodded. “We’ll have to hurry, -though. It’s getting late.”</p> -<p>They started up the sandy slope carrying -straw market bags that would hold their gleanings.</p> -<p>“Maybe we’ll see some Flying Saucers,” -Beth said half-jokingly. “Someone thought he -saw one out here the other day.”</p> -<p>Her father grinned. “Flying Saucers indeed! -You and that lively imagination of yours, -Beth!”</p> -<p>They set to work searching for dead -branches. They found a few good specimens. -But they were not enough to suit Beth and -she decided to broaden the search. She went -over the slope and up and down another, and -before long her roaming carried her out of -sight of her father.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_15">15</div> -<p>Amidst the stunning colors of the sunset, -Beth could make out a lone star—Sirius—the -brightest true star in all the sky. It reminded -her of a pearl glowing in the heavens.</p> -<p>Presently Beth had a bag full of cactus wood -for the lamp shop. She was about to return to -her father when suddenly she saw something -ahead that she had not noticed before. Almost -hidden within a dense thicket of smoky green -<i>paloverde</i> was a shiny surface that reflected -the dying sun’s rays. Her imagination stirred, -Beth decided to investigate.</p> -<p>She put down her bag and made her way -into the thicket. As she moved carefully -through the thorns, she found some of the -branches pushed aside as if someone had used -this path before. She was almost through when -she tripped and fell head-first. Her forehead -bumped against an unyielding branch, causing -her to see more than one star this time.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_16">16</div> -<p>She didn’t know how long she lay on the -ground half-stunned before she got to her -feet. There was a painful bruise on her forehead, -but her curiosity was still strong and she -went on. The shiny surface turned out to be -a wall as smooth and glossy as steel.</p> -<p>“Jeepers!” Beth thought. “What can it be?”</p> -<p>She reached out to touch the wall. Before -she could do so, a door opened in the wall.</p> -<p>The first thing she noticed beyond was a -soft yellow light filling a handsome room. Feeling -like Alice on the threshold of Wonderland, -she stepped inside, more thrilled than afraid.</p> -<p>She heard a sighing behind her and saw the -door closing shut. Only then did she become -frightened. She beat against the wall, wishing -that she had not been so rash as to venture -into such a strange place.</p> -<p>She heard a voice say, “That will not help.”</p> -<p>Beth turned and saw a girl of about her own -age standing on a richly-carpeted platform -across the room. The odd unearthliness of the -girl struck Beth immediately. She was pretty -and her skin was milky white. Her costume -seemed to be of a blue phosphorescent material, -as did her shoes. Her short hair was almost as -red as glowing coals.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_17">17</div> -<p>“Wh—who are you?” Beth stammered.</p> -<p>“I am Linnia,” the girl replied in a voice -that sounded almost as if she were singing. -“You are Beth.”</p> -<p>“Yes,” Beth replied in amazement, “but -how did you—?”</p> -<p>“I can read your mind.”</p> -<p>Beth gulped. “You can?”</p> -<p>“Come over and sit down,” Linnia said. -“We shall talk.”</p> -<p>She sat in a nearby chair that seemed to be -made of steel matchsticks, it looked so frail. -Beth sat in the chair opposite and found that -it was very sturdy.</p> -<p>“You are thinking that I look very strange -to you,” Linnia said. “You seem strange to me -too, but that is because we are of different -worlds.”</p> -<p>Beth gulped again. “D—different worlds?”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_18">18</div> -<p>Suddenly the yellow light in the room -changed to a pulsing orange. Linnia straightened -up quickly. “That is the signal,” she -spoke. “I did not expect it so soon. We must -hurry and prepare ourselves!”</p> -<p>Beth started asking questions, but Linnia -said not now. Beth found herself following the -girl across the room to a row of couches. Beth -lay down on one and somehow knew exactly -what she was to do. She guessed that Linnia -was putting the thoughts into her head. She -lifted the straps that hung at the sides and -buckled them across her body.</p> -<p>The couch was soft as a cloud and Beth -was thinking how much she would like to -have a bed like this when all at once she felt -herself sinking deeply into the cushion as if -a great hand were thrusting her down. For -several moments she was as giddy as if she -were riding the roller-coaster at the carnival. -Then finally her breath came back and she -felt herself rise to the top of the cushion again.</p> -<p>“We can get up,” she heard Linnia say. -“We’re coasting now.”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_19">19</div> -<p>They unbuckled their straps and rose to -their feet. Linnia walked over to the wall, -pressed a button, and a blind rolled back, -revealing a long window.</p> -<p>“Look,” Linnia said.</p> -<p>Beth joined her and looked out the window. -Her heart fairly rose into her throat. She was -up in the sky, far up in the sky! Through a -veil of clouds beneath she could see the curve -of the earth itself!</p> -<p>Beth seized Linnia by the arm. “Jeepers, -what’s going on! Where are you taking me?”</p> -<p>Linnia pointed to the white beacon of Sirius -in the blue-black sky.</p> -<p>“You’re from Sirius?” Beth asked in amazement.</p> -<p>“Yes, from Tata Moori, one of its planets. -Our work on earth is through for right now -and my father and I are returning home to -make a report.”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_20">20</div> -<p>Linnia went on to say that her father’s space -ship was only one of many which were studying -the earth to see how the people here lived. -Her father’s assignment had been to make an -analysis of the soil. The visitors intended no -harm and in time they planned to meet the -people of earth face to face.</p> -<p>“Well, I have already met you,” Beth said -boldly, “and I’m ready to go back!”</p> -<p>Linnia shook her flame-topped head. “We -tried to keep our ship hidden, but you found -it, Beth, and so there is nothing to do but take -you back with us for awhile. When you came -close, the electric eye opened the door and let -you inside before it was time for any earth -person to see one of our ships.”</p> -<p>“But my father and mother,” Beth said -desperately, “and my friends! They’ll be worried -to death! You must not take me, Linnia! -Please, isn’t there something you can do?”</p> -<p>Linnia studied Beth’s pleading face. Then -she replied, “I’ll talk to my father. He’s busy -running the ship, but I’ll do what I can for -you. While I’m gone, you can see what it’s like -on our world by pushing the button on that -cabinet against the wall. Father and I look at -the film sometimes to keep from getting homesick.”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_21">21</div> -<p>Beth was in no mood for looking at pictures. -She was feeling worse by the minute as -she considered what it would be like to be -parted from her family and friends. As she sat -in the chair, dreading and wondering, suddenly -it became too much for her and she -began to cry.</p> -<p>“Jeepers, why did I ever wander off from -Daddy?” she moaned.</p> -<p>The tears made her feel better and presently -she was calm enough to go over to the cabinet -and turn it on. A large screen brightened and -she saw a strange land unfolding before her -eyes.</p> -<p>There were winding highways raised into -the sky and skyscrapers like tall crystal columns. -She saw motorcars of tear-drop design -and helicopters filling the air. The people -looked much like Linnia, with phosphorescent -clothing, and all had hair as flaming red as -Linnia’s own.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_22">22</div> -<div class="img" id="pic1"> -<img src="images/i02.jpg" alt="She saw a strange land unfolding before her eyes" width="500" height="673" /> -<p class="caption"><i>She saw a strange land unfolding before her eyes</i></p> -</div> -<div class="pb" id="Page_23">23</div> -<p>Yes, Tata Moori looked like an exciting -place to visit, but it was not a visit Beth would -want to make without another person from her -own planet. As she thought about her predicament, -she began to be scared again and the -tears filled her eyes once more. Why, Sirius -was <i>trillions</i> of miles from Earth!</p> -<p>She went to the window. The dwindling -earth was becoming a green ball against the -black deeps of space. The stars were dazzling -and seemed as countless as the sands of the -seashore. The view made Beth terribly homesick.</p> -<p>Finally Linnia returned.</p> -<p>Beth looked at her anxiously, trying to read -her fate in the foreign girl’s eyes.</p> -<p>“What did your father say?” Beth asked, -with fluttering heart. “Did he say he’d take me -back? Please tell me he did!”</p> -<p>Linnia smiled. “Yes, Beth. He said that we -are not supposed to take younger persons to -Tata Moori. He was angry with me for not -telling him you were aboard, but I told him -you came in just before we blasted off.”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_24">24</div> -<p>“Gee, I’m so relieved!” Beth said happily. -“I don’t mean I wouldn’t like your company, -Linnia, but you know how it is.”</p> -<p>“Yes, I know,” Linnia replied wistfully. “I -have missed my mother and friends too. I had -to take my brother’s place on this trip when -he became sick. You see, everyone on Tata -Moori learns science when they are very -young.”</p> -<p>“I’ve been wondering how it is that you -speak English, Linnia.”</p> -<p>“We keep tuned in on your radio and television,” -Linnia answered. “That’s how we -learned your language and so many other -things about you.”</p> -<p>“You people seem to be ahead of us in -progress,” Beth said. “I believe there is much -we can learn from you.”</p> -<p>“We can learn much from you too,” Linnia -spoke. “I hope the people of our planets are -permitted to meet very soon.”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_25">25</div> -<p>The girls had to belt down on their couches -again because of the mounting speed at which -they were returning to earth. Beth felt herself -sinking deeply into her cushion once more -and she grew breathless again. Minutes later, -the ship stopped moving.</p> -<p>Beth hurriedly unbuckled and ran over to -the window. Through a break in the <i>paloverde</i> -thicket she could see her father’s station wagon -parked at the roadside. She was back at the -same place she had started from.</p> -<p>“Thank goodness!” she breathed.</p> -<p>Linnia walked with her to the outer door.</p> -<p>“My father said he’d like to have met you,” -Linnia said, “but he is too busy preparing for -our blast off again. We must hurry because we -are behind schedule. Before you leave, Beth, -Father has said that you must promise never -to speak a word about all this to anyone. I -have searched your mind and I know you to -be honest.”</p> -<p>Beth was disappointed that she could not -make known her fabulous journey, but she -promised that she would never tell.</p> -<p>Linnia waved her hand at the door and the -electric eye opened it.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_26">26</div> -<p>“Goodbye, Beth,” Linnia said.</p> -<p>“Goodbye, Linnia.”</p> -<p>Beth heard the sighing of the door as it -closed behind her.</p> -<p>Suddenly her head began aching and she remembered -the fall she had taken earlier. As -she made her way out of the thicket, she began -to have a queer feeling about her adventure. -It made her wonder if perhaps she might not -have been unconscious and imagined the -whole thing.</p> -<p>When she reached the car, her father said -with some concern, “You were gone so long I -started to come for you, Beth. What happened -to your forehead?”</p> -<p>She told him about her fall but did not -mention the space ship.</p> -<p>“Did you see something land a few minutes -ago, Daddy?” Beth asked.</p> -<p>Mr. Harrison grinned. “You mean, maybe, -a Flying Saucer? No, I’m afraid I didn’t. Are -you sure your imagination isn’t working overtime -again, Beth?”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_27">27</div> -<p>As they were about to get into the car, Beth -saw a dark object in the distance rise from the -ground and move off into the deepening twilight. -She was certain she did not imagine this.</p> -<p>“You saw that, didn’t you, Daddy?” Beth -asked.</p> -<p>Mr. Harrison nodded. “Probably a hawk. -Hmm, it looks like it’s heading right for the -Evening Star, doesn’t it?”</p> -<p>Beth gazed at the brilliant light of Sirius, -gorgeously bright now with darkness closing -in.</p> -<p>“I wish I knew if it really was,” Beth murmured.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_28">28</div> -<div class="img"><img src="images/chapter.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="27" /></div><h2 id="c2"><br /><i>GIB TAKES A SPACE TEST</i></h2> -<p>Gib Bromfield was nine, and -the thing he wanted to do most was to make a -flight into space. A colony on the Moon had -already been started for scientific research, and -a huge man-made space platform circled the -Earth once every twenty-four hours.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_29">29</div> -<p>“I want to go back to the Moon with you, -Father,” Gib would plead every time Mr. -Bromfield came home on a furlough.</p> -<p>“I’m afraid you’re still a little young, Gib,” -his father would reply. “Some day you will be -able to go out into space with me, but not yet.”</p> -<p>Mr. Bromfield was a construction engineer, -and he was helping to build a big spaceport on -the Moon. He came home to see his family -every six months. Each time he returned, Gib -couldn’t wait to meet him at the front door of -their prefabricated home.</p> -<p>Gib would shake hands with him like a man -and take his bags from him. Then he would -step back and admire the tall, handsome man -in the glossy black boots and gray uniform of -the Space Service. By this time, Mother usually -came running up, followed by Sandra, Gib’s -little sister.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_30">30</div> -<p>On Mr. Bromfield’s latest visit, Gib waited -until the usual family talk had subsided before -he started asking his father about his recent -adventures. After Father had brought him -up to date, Gib asked the same question he always -asked:</p> -<p>“Father, my I go back with you this time for -a short visit—just a short one?”</p> -<p>Mr. Bromfield smiled and rumpled Gib’s -blond hair. “It’s not the time element, Gib,” -he said patiently. “It’s the rigors of space itself, -which are much rougher than Captain -Rocket on TV would have us believe.”</p> -<p>Gib’s face fell. He had hoped that this time -his father would give in and let him go back. -Mr. Bromfield could see that his son was disappointed. -He stared at Gib thoughtfully for -a moment, then spoke again.</p> -<p>“All right, Gib, I’ll put you through S.Q.T. -If you pass it and still want to go spaceward, -I’ll take you.”</p> -<p>“Gee, do you mean that?” Gib burst out.</p> -<p>He was so excited he didn’t know what to -do. Gib had never had any doubt that he would -pass the S.Q.T.—the Space Qualification Test—that -all those who go spaceward must take.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_31">31</div> -<p>Mr. Bromfield went immediately to the -video-phone and put through a call to S.Q.T., -having them place Gib’s name on the space -test list.</p> -<p>“Thanks, Father!” Gib said excitedly. “At -last I’ll be going spaceward!”</p> -<p>“We’ll see,” Mr. Bromfield replied soberly.</p> -<p>Gib spent the next afternoon on the first -part of the test, which was a complete physical -examination.</p> -<p>“It didn’t hurt the tiniest bit,” Gib joked -with his father that night. “If all the parts of -the test are as easy as this first one, I won’t -have any trouble.”</p> -<p>Mr. Bromfield did not say anything, but he -smiled to himself as though he knew something -that Gib did not know.</p> -<p>Gib and his father took the elevated expressway -to the S.Q.T. center early the next morning -in their atom-powered Johnson Superjet. -The final portions of Gib’s test would be covered -today.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_32">32</div> -<p>The first part was familiarity with the space -suit. In company with about fifty other candidates, -Gib was given a supply of clothing. -Then everyone was shown how to zip up -their thickly insulated suits in front. Next, an -attendant snapped metal cylinders to their -shoulders and screwed the flexible tubing into -valves on their suits. Last to be put on were -helmets of light metal that had a darkened -glass in front so that the wearer could look -out.</p> -<p>“Now, all of you turn the little black knob -on your chests,” the tester said. His voice -sounded muffled to Gib because of the helmet -he wore.</p> -<p>Gib turned his knob and felt his suit blowing -up like a balloon as air flowed in from the -oxygen tanks.</p> -<p>“This is how you would be dressed for a -walk on the Moon,” the tester told them. -“Now I want all of you to walk into the next -room.”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_33">33</div> -<p>As Gib went into the room with the others, -he was thinking how easy the test had been up -until now. And what fun it was taking the very -tests that Captain Rocket himself must have -taken at one time! He thought his father was -surely mistaken for having doubted his ability -to pass the S.Q.T.</p> -<p>The tester left the room and shut the door. -In a few moments Gib began to have a strange -sensation. He was feeling lighter and lighter, -and the others with him were beginning to -float right off the floor!</p> -<p>Gib struggled frantically as he felt himself -go off balance. Each movement he made, however, -shot him off at swift, crazy angles. He -felt himself sweating with fear, and for the -first time he was believing that maybe the -S.Q.T. wasn’t going to be so easy after all.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_34">34</div> -<p>It seemed as if he had the strength of a -Samson, but it was a strength he could not -control. A simple kick sent him hurtling across -the room toward the wall! He tried to brake -himself, but nothing he did would stop him. -He crashed headlong into the wall. It shook -him up a little, but he was not hurt. He saw -that the wall was thickly padded.</p> -<p>After about fifteen minutes of helplessness, -Gib felt himself getting heavier again and saw -his companions drop to the floor in normal -position. The tester came in with some doctors. -The doctors looked over each candidate -and asked many questions. Gib was still dazed -and wasn’t sure of the answers he gave.</p> -<p>When the doctors were through, the tester -explained what had happened: “This room -was de-gravitized, which means the Earth’s -gravity in here was cut off by mechanical -means. It’s the same condition you will find -in a space ship when the gravity plates are -turned off. From the looks of some of you, this -experience was something of a shock. But the -final test will be even rougher. Anybody who -wants to drop out now may do so.”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_35">35</div> -<p>Gib saw that about a third of the candidates -had had enough. Gib was still giddy himself -and started to join them. He was disappointed -in the harshness of “zero-gravity.” It had always -looked so simple to him the way that Captain -Rocket “swam” about in his rocket flyer.</p> -<p>Gib did not want his father to think him a -quitter, though, and decided to stick out the -test to the end. When his turn came, he was -led into a huge room by himself and up to a -queer-looking machine. It resembled one of -the thrill rides at a carnival, the one that whirls -you round and round like a ball on the end of -a string. Gib entered a tiny cabin at the end -of the large swinging arm and sat down in a -thick foam-rubber reclining chair.</p> -<p>As he was strapped down, the tester said to -him, “This is called the ‘Centrifuge,’ son, and -it simulates the blast-off from Earth in a rocket -ship. You appear to be a little young to be -taking it, so if you’ve had enough just yank -that lever in front of you and we’ll stop the -machine.”</p> -<p>“I—I will,” Gib replied, getting scared already.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_36">36</div> -<p>He got more scared as all sorts of instruments -were strapped to him. The tester explained -that these were to record his reactions. -As the door was closed on him. Gib had a -trapped feeling. Then he composed himself -and waited for the worst, telling himself that a -spaceman must be brave.</p> -<p>Presently he felt the cabin begin to move, -slowly at first. This much was fun, Gib -thought, just like the carnival ride. As the -cabin picked up speed, it was even more thrilling. -But then as the speed increased still more, -Gib began to lose his enjoyment.</p> -<p>Faster and faster he went, and Gib was -crushed deeply into the chair cushion. He felt -his cheeks draw back from his teeth, the corners -of his eyes making him squint. There was -heavy pressure on his chest, as if an elephant -were standing on him. His breath hung in his -throat and he saw strange colors and darting -forms before his eyes.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_37">37</div> -<p>He stood the agonizing effect as long as he -could, and then his frightfully heavy hand -crept unsteadily toward the lever in front of -him and jerked it.</p> -<p>The cabin began losing speed and finally -stopped. Gib saw a blurred image open the -door and offer his hand. As he stumbled out, -his head feeling big as a watermelon, Gib -vaguely remembered hearing the tester say:</p> -<p>“You needn’t feel badly about this, son. You -almost lasted it out. Come back in another -year or two and then I think you’ll be able to -pass.”</p> -<p>Gib still wasn’t quite himself as he met his -father in the waiting room. He was quivering -all over, and his dad wouldn’t quite come into -focus.</p> -<p>“I flunked the test, Father,” Gib told him.</p> -<p>“It sounds to me as if you’re glad you did,” -Mr. Bromfield replied, with a chuckle. “I was -afraid it might be too rough for you, son, but -I knew there was no other way to show you -that space travel isn’t as easy as the comic -books make out.”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_38">38</div> -<p>“I’ll try again next year,” Gib said, “or the -year after that, anyway. That’s what the tester -told me.”</p> -<p>“I’m sure you’ll be ready then,” Mr. Bromfield -replied. “Now, what do you say we go -home? Captain Rocket is almost due on TV.”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_39">39</div> -<div class="img"><img src="images/chapter.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="27" /></div><h2 id="c3"><br /><i>THE SPACE MAIL RUN</i></h2> -<p>The way he felt now, Jerry -Welsh was almost sorry he had left Earth. The -Moonship landing seemed to be crushing the -very life out of him, although he lay flat on a -couch to ease the strain.</p> -<p>Jerry turned his head toward his father, who -was strapped down like himself, and suffering -too. The craft was under its own control, for -no human could withstand the rocket’s present -speed and still be able to steer in for a landing.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_40">40</div> -<p>Capt. Welsh was on his bi-weekly mail run -to Luna, the Moon, and for the first time in -ten years of service he had a passenger—his -own twelve-year-old son.</p> -<p>At last Jerry felt a hard jolt under him. He -knew the rocket’s tail fins had finally touched -ground. Jerry unstrapped himself with rubbery -fingers and sat up. Then he tried to stand, -but flopped down again.</p> -<p>“Wow, I feel giddy!” he groaned.</p> -<p>His father laughed. “You’ll get your bearings -presently, Son.”</p> -<p>How long Jerry had waited to make this -space mail run with his father! Then finally -last year, Capt. Welsh had said that Jerry -could go with him when he became twelve, -as he was especially husky and strong for his -age.</p> -<p>But now that the great moment had come at -last, Jerry wasn’t sure he was enjoying it as he -had expected, for he had found space so vast, -so dark, and so frightening.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_41">41</div> -<p>“Do you still want to be a spaceman, Jerry?” -his dad asked suddenly, as though Jerry had -spoken his thoughts aloud.</p> -<p>“I—I think so, Dad,” he replied hesitantly.</p> -<p>“I see you’re doubtful, Jerry,” Capt. Welsh -said. “I won’t put you on the spot so early.”</p> -<p>They climbed into space gear—electrically-heated -suits and clear plastic helmets fitted -with radios. Lastly they donned oxygen tanks -and flooded their suits with the life-sustaining -gas.</p> -<p>They gathered up the mail sacks and -climbed down the ladder to the ground, heading -for the largest of a group of buildings -which made up Moonhaven, center of Earthmen’s -activity on the airless planet.</p> -<p>The stars burned fantastically bright overhead. -Traces of frost topped the distant Lunar -Alps. It was incredibly cold out here, for the -Moon was in its two-week period of night.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_42">42</div> -<p>Capt. Welsh got a receipt for the largest -mail bag, and then he and Jerry went out a -rear door of the building carrying the rest. An -atom-powered mail car awaited them. It had -an open top and huge wheels that looked like -saw-toothed gears.</p> -<p>“Climb aboard the Moon jeep, Jerry,” his -father said. “We’ve got ten mail deliveries to -make.”</p> -<p>Inside, Capt. Welsh pulled down a section -of the dash panel revealing a map. “Here’s a -map of our route. There aren’t many mail -stops on the Moon yet, but they are all important.”</p> -<p>“And the mail must go through!” Jerry -added.</p> -<p>Capt. Welsh nodded soberly. “That’s the -first law, Jerry.”</p> -<p>As they moved off Jerry saw the big friendly -globe of Earth hanging like a green jewel halfway -up the jet black sky. He wondered what -his mother and baby sister were doing this moment -a quarter of a million miles away.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_43">43</div> -<p>Capt. Welsh showed Jerry how to run the -jeep. Jerry found this easy for he had already -had a course in mechanics in preparation for -his future career as a space man. But sometime -later their peaceful ride was interrupted -when Capt. Welsh suddenly leaned over and -grabbed the wheel.</p> -<p>Jerry was thrown to the side as the car -swerved. The vehicle straightened out and -slammed to a halt as his father controlled the -wheel and applied the brakes.</p> -<p>“What happened?” Jerry breathed, his -heart pounding.</p> -<p>His father pointed behind them. “Look.”</p> -<p>Jerry turned and saw the edge of a treacherous -ditch running right across the roadway -where they would have passed over. The gorge -was several feet wide.</p> -<p>“I didn’t even see it,” Jerry murmured, sick -with fear at what might have happened.</p> -<p>This wasn’t the first time he’d been shaken -on this journey. It made him wonder as he -had once before if he had what it took to be -a space man, or if this adventure would make -him decide never to leave the atmosphere of -Earth again.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_44">44</div> -<p>“Scared?” his father asked. Jerry nodded.</p> -<p>“Don’t worry. I was too for a moment.”</p> -<p>“You were?” Jerry asked with surprise.</p> -<p>“Fear was given to man, so he could save -himself from danger, Jerry,” Capt. Welsh -said. “Don’t be ashamed of it. Fear is nothing -to be ashamed of unless you let it get the best -of you. Never forget that.”</p> -<p>They arrived at their first delivery point, an -engineering project on a plateau surrounded -by mountains. There were the foundations of -great buildings to come, constructed of hard -Lunar granite.</p> -<p>The space-suited figures came running -when they recognized Capt. Welsh and his -mail car. Jerry marveled how the formerly -stern expressions of the workmen brightened -when the foreman handed mail out to them.</p> -<p>“It must be fun bringing mail to men who -are so far from their homes and families,” -Jerry said when they were on their way again.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_45">45</div> -<p>“I guess that’s why I’ve put up with the -lonely hours of seeing nothing but stardust -for the past ten years,” Capt. Welsh answered. -“But I love it, Son, and I wouldn’t trade jobs -with any man.”</p> -<p>Their next delivery site was a cavern where -men were prospecting for uranium. They too -were overjoyed at receiving messages from -home. The jeep rolled on from there to a huge -plain which was being prepared for a future -spaceport. Capt. Welsh and his helper dropped -off another mail sack and then were on their -way again. Some hours later, all but two deliveries -had been made.</p> -<p>“Next stop is the astronomy observatory,” -Capt. Welsh told Jerry.</p> -<p>They crawled over sandy hills that taxed -the gripping power of their spiked wheels, -wound in and out of towering buttresses of -black basalt, and bored through natural tunnels -like a pair of human moles. Then the observatory -came into view.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_46">46</div> -<p>A smiling little scientist with thick glasses -signed for the mail at the door. He invited -Jerry to come back and visit the place before -he returned to Earth.</p> -<p>“You haven’t seen anything until you look -through their great telescope,” Capt. Welsh -told Jerry as they drove off.</p> -<p>“What’s our last stop?” Jerry wanted to -know.</p> -<p>“A geology camp where some scientists are -digging into ancient rocks,” his father said. -“It’s only about seven miles away, but the going -will be a little rough before we get there. -It’s a good thing it’s our last stop because we -don’t have any too much oxygen left in our -shoulder tanks. I usually don’t take this long -on a mail run.”</p> -<p>The roadway carried them through a narrow -pass with a high hill of loose rock on one -side and a sloping embankment on the other. -Jerry’s first warning of trouble came when he -was flung suddenly forward. He heard the sickening -drag of the wheels as his father’s boot -hit the brakes. Just ahead of them he saw a -cascade of rocks sliding down the hill.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_47">47</div> -<p>The next moment Jerry felt an even harder -blow as the jeep was grazed by one of the large -boulders. The small car was swept out of the -roadway like a toy and rammed against a pillar -at the cliff edge.</p> -<p>Jerry screamed in fear as he felt himself being -thrown out of the car. He struck the -ground hard and began rolling head over heels -down the precipice.</p> -<p>When the numbing shock of his fall had -worn off, Jerry climbed dazedly to his feet and -looked up the slope down which he had been -thrown.</p> -<p>“Dad!” he cried. He slipped and scrambled -up the incline in reckless haste. He found -Capt. Welsh sprawled unconscious just below -the upper brink of the precipice. Jerry knelt -and looked into his face through the clear -plastic helmet. His father’s eyes were closed -and there was an ugly bruise on his forehead -where it must have struck the helmet in his fall.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_48">48</div> -<p>“What am I going to do?” Jerry groaned -aloud.</p> -<p>He himself would have to make the decisions -and carry them through if the two of -them were to survive. It was a shocking -thought. Then it came to him what his father -had said about fear: a person need never be -ashamed of fear so long as it was not permitted -to get the upper hand.</p> -<p>Jerry pulled his father up onto the roadway -and tried to bring him around, but without -result. Jerry examined the jeep. One side was -badly smashed, but the engine still appeared -sound. The car was tipped over against the -rock column. Jerry was thankful that the jeep -was only one-sixth of its Earth-weight on the -moon. It was a tremendous effort but he finally -righted the car and got it back on the road.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_49">49</div> -<p>He jumped into the front seat and started -the engine. It sputtered, then hummed into -activity! Jerry studied the map on the panel. -He located their present position by the giant -crater, Plato, at his distant right. Then he -traced the winding route leading to the geology -camp. He was closer to the camp than the -observatory, but ahead lay a rugged route, one -with which Jerry was totally unfamiliar. He -got out and went back to where Capt. Welsh -lay.</p> -<p>“Which way should I go, Dad, ahead or -back?” he asked helplessly, just as though his -father were able to answer him.</p> -<p>Something told him that Capt. Welsh would -want him to go ahead—to finish the mail run -that had never missed a round in ten years. -Jerry got his father into the back seat, then -gunned the jeep and struck off into the unknown -ahead.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_50">50</div> -<p>He was thankful for the old worn trail that -led the way for him. It presently carried him -through a gloomy valley. Jerry switched on -his headlights, but the twin spears of brightness -gave him little comfort in the spooky -place. Grotesque rock columns rose like menacing -ghosts on both sides of him.</p> -<p>At last he was out in the open again. The -road led him around the steep ledge of a yawning -crater, evidently caused by a huge crashing -fireball from outer space.</p> -<p>Jerry carefully guided the jeep along the -dangerous cliff. If one of his wheels should -slip over the side, it would be a fall to frightful -death a hundred feet straight down. At -last even this peril was past, and Jerry drove -up a gradual incline over bare rock to a bluff -that overlooked the distant land for many -miles.</p> -<p>“The camp!” he said joyfully. “That’s it below—only -a few miles away!”</p> -<p>He followed a curve that swept onto the -plain below. When he was on a level again, it -seemed that all his troubles were over. He felt -better by the moment as he drove closer and -closer to his destination.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_51">51</div> -<p>Then, without warning, his wheels began -to bog down in a pumice mire. His heart did a -flip-flop and he checked the map. He saw a -warning to drivers to avoid this spot. In his -overconfidence, he had blundered right into -it!</p> -<p>He gave the little jeep full power. It jerked -crazily through the clinging stuff. Over to the -right the pumice seemed to thin out, and farther -over he could see the roadway he should -have taken. He swung his wheels to the right -and the jeep lurched through the gray sand, -using up a lot of power, but making little -progress. For minutes on end Jerry gave the -jeep all it had, and he could hear its engine -laboring tiredly.</p> -<p>Suddenly the motor died. Jerry tried to start -it again but could not. He checked his temperature -gauge. The engine was extremely hot -from the continual use of top power. From his -mechanical school course, Jerry realized the -rotors had “frozen” and that it wouldn’t run -again until they had cooled off.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_52">52</div> -<p>As he waited impatiently for the engine to -cool, a warning voice in his mind was saying: -“Your oxygen is getting lower by the second. -If the jeep doesn’t get out of here within the -next fifteen minutes, you and your dad will -never make it.”</p> -<p>Jerry shook off the terrible thoughts. He -stamped his feet to warm them. The electric -circuit in his suit seemed to be breaking down. -If it collapsed completely, he would be frozen -instantly by the Lunar cold.</p> -<p>Jerry massaged his dad’s hands and legs -in case his suit, too, was getting colder. He -worked steadily until his hands ached. Then -he checked the gauge again. It was falling -slowly, but heavy insulation was still keeping -the engine hot.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_53">53</div> -<p>At last Jerry decided he should not wait -any longer. With a prayer on his lips, he -pressed the starter button. The engine rumbled -sluggishly, coughed, then quickened to -full strength. He jammed the fuel pedal hard -and tried to guide the jeep’s swirling, spinning -motion through the Lunar sand. Slowly the -little car pulled itself like a weary swimmer -toward the firm bank. Finally the wheels -found good traction and the jeep lurched onto -the roadway.</p> -<p>Jerry heaved a tremendous sigh and sped -down the path toward the geology camp.</p> -<p>Less than an hour later Jerry was being permitted -into the room of one of the huts where -his father had been carried for examination -by the camp physician. Jerry had been told -that his father had suffered a slight concussion, -but that he would be all right.</p> -<p>Capt. Welsh smiled from his cot as Jerry -walked in.</p> -<p>“Hi, space man,” his father greeted. “The -doctor says the men here were mighty happy -to get their mail on time.”</p> -<p>“I’m glad I came on here, then, instead of -going back to the observatory,” Jerry murmured.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_54">54</div> -<p>“You did the job in the best tradition of the -Space Mail Service, Jerry,” Capt. Welsh said, -smiling proudly. “If I had any doubts that -you’d be able to follow me some day, Son, -they’re gone now.”</p> -<p>Jerry nodded happily. A few doubts had -been removed from his own mind in the past -hour.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_55">55</div> -<div class="img"><img src="images/chapter.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="27" /></div><h2 id="c4"><br /><i>ALL ABOARD FOR SPACE</i></h2> -<p>It had already been a wonderful -birthday for the twins, Sue and Steve Shannon, -when their father asked, “How about it, kids—are -you ready for that space ride I promised?”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_56">56</div> -<p>Sue’s big hazel eyes looked like walnuts as -she stared in surprise. Steve’s blue eyes were -more like plums. Could they really believe -what they were hearing?</p> -<p>“I said I’d take you on the ride when you -two reached 12, didn’t I?” Mr. Shannon went -on.</p> -<p>They hadn’t forgotten and were suddenly -as excited as two young ducks who have just -discovered water. Mr. Shannon looked at his -watch. “We’d better get ready. The next flight -is at four o’clock.”</p> -<p>Less than a half hour later, Mrs. Shannon -was bidding goodbye to the three as they -climbed into the family helicopter on the roof -of their home. In this year of 2004 nearly -everybody owned a ’copter. Mrs. Shannon had -been invited to go along but she said no coaxing -in the world could get her up in one of -those “rocket things.”</p> -<p>The overhead doors of the garage swung -open as Mrs. Shannon pushed the button on -the wall. As soon as the three riders were comfortably -seated, Mr. Shannon started up the -engine and the overhead blade began churning. -Gently the ’copter lifted into the blue -sky and headed out over the city.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_57">57</div> -<p>“I can’t really believe we’re going to take -a trip into space!” Sue said happily.</p> -<p>“Some day I’m going to be a spaceman and -travel to <i>all</i> the planets!” Steve declared.</p> -<p>The plane passed over beautiful triple-decked -highways, over green farms loaded -with scientific equipment and solar mirrors, -over plastic-domed skyscrapers. Presently a -large oval appeared just ahead. “There’s the -space port!” Sue exclaimed.</p> -<p>When Mr. Shannon got the signal to land, -he brought the helicopter down into the parking -lot at the edge of the port. Then the three -jumped out onto the ground. As they walked -toward the main building, the twins excitedly -noticed the busy activity of the field. What impressed -them most were the massive torpedo-shaped -rockets which were half-buried in their -concrete launching pits.</p> -<p>“Where is that biggest rocket going, Dad?” -Steve asked.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_58">58</div> -<p>When his father said it was going to the -moon, a tingle raced up the boy’s spine and -all at once he wished he could be on the ship -himself.</p> -<p>“There’s our rocket over there,” Mr. Shannon -said, pointing to a smaller craft of light-weight -beryllium metal just across the way. -Near the pit was a sign that read:</p> -<p class="center">SPACE RIDES DAILY. -<br />ENJOY THE THRILL OF A LIFETIME A THOUSAND MILES ABOVE EARTH.</p> -<p>Mr. Shannon got their tickets. Then after -a heart check-up they waited in line with the -other eager sight-seers. Finally the space port -officer took down the chain that held back the -crowd and permitted them to approach the -rocket. They had to cross a bridge to get from -the pit edge into the ship. As they crossed, -Steve looked down into the hot pit and saw -clouds of flame and smoke pouring from the -great jet tubes.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_59">59</div> -<p>In the ship, the Shannons were given couch -numbers in a large room with the rest of their -companions. Then a steward came around -with a special candy which he told the passengers -to eat to prevent their getting sick. Next -everyone was issued queer-looking shoes with -metal soles.</p> -<p>“What’re these for, Dad?” Sue wanted to -know.</p> -<p>She saw her father and brother exchange -winks. “She’ll find out, won’t she?” Mr. Shannon -teased.</p> -<p>As Steve and Sue lay on their soft couches -and fastened plastic belts across their bodies, -their father explained the purpose of this. -“We’ll blast-off at a pretty fast speed and if we -weren’t buckled down we’d be thrown about -and hurt.”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_60">60</div> -<p>When the moment of blast-off came, Steve -and Sue went through the most exciting experience -of their lives. A loud roar filled their -ears and it felt suddenly as if the bottom of -their stomachs had dropped out. They were -pressed deeply into their couches and they had -the feeling of being flattened out as though -under the foot of an elephant. Then slowly -Steve and Sue felt the awful weight lifting -from them and finally it was gone altogether.</p> -<p>“Ugh!” Sue groaned dizzily, unstrapping -herself as the others were doing. “What happened?”</p> -<p>When she tried to walk, she understood the -purpose of the metal-soled shoes. “We scarcely -weigh anything now,” their father explained. -“The magnetism of our soles is the only thing -that keeps us from floating about like a -feather.”</p> -<p>The guide, who said his name was Mr. -Quinlan, led the sight-seers to a huge window. -The young Shannons gasped in wonder at -what they saw. The sky was nearly pitch black -and filled with more burning lights than they -even guessed could exist.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_61">61</div> -<p>“We’re about a thousand miles above the -earth,” Mr. Quinlan said. “We’re out of the -earth’s atmosphere and that’s why the sky is -dark and the stars so brilliant. Our rear jets -are thrusting just barely enough to keep us -from being pulled back down to earth.”</p> -<p>The guide next said that they would go outside -the ship in space suits. Sue and Steve -whooped in joy for they had not expected this. -Mr. Quinlan distributed space gear from a -cabinet. Then he explained how they were -put on. After the flexible suits and plastic helmets -were donned, everyone turned on his -oxygen, which came from shoulder tanks. The -others looked to Steve like balloon toys inflated -with air and he had to laugh as they -waddled about.</p> -<p>The tourists were led out of a side door onto -a balcony which resembled a large fire escape. -Everyone was told to buckle himself to the rail -by a short length of cord in front of him.</p> -<p>“If one of us were to lose contact with the -ship,” Mr. Shannon warned his son and daughter, -“he’d go drifting off into space.” Sue and -Steve shuddered at the thought of this.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_62">62</div> -<div class="img" id="pic2"> -<img src="images/i03.jpg" alt="Everyone was told to buckle himself to the rail by a short length of cord" width="500" height="680" /> -<p class="caption"><i>Everyone was told to buckle himself to the rail by a short length of cord</i></p> -</div> -<div class="pb" id="Page_63">63</div> -<p>Mr. Quinlan pointed out whirls of misty -clouds that were called nebulas. He also -showed them star clusters and the brighter -planets. The sight-seers had a closeup view of -the earth that looked like a shimmering green -ball. The guide did his speaking through a -small radio attached to his suit. Each tourist -had a receiver in his helmet through which he -could listen.</p> -<p>For almost a full hour Sue and Steve, together -with the other spell-bound passengers, -took in the splendor of this strange silent place, -the vastness of which staggered the imagination.</p> -<p>“Isn’t this a wonderful tribute to the greatness -of God’s creation?” Mr. Shannon said to -his children. Steve and Sue had to agree with -him wholeheartedly.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_64">64</div> -<p>When Mr. Quinlan was ready to go back -into the ship, he tried the outside door switch, -but the door failed to open. Over his two-way -radio circuit, the passengers could hear a worried -discussion between him and the pilot -inside. They learned that a tube of compressed -air which operated the outer door was -jammed. There was nothing that could be -done about it from the inside. Some of the -women began sobbing, believing they would -never return to earth again.</p> -<p>Mr. Shannon looked at his son and daughter -anxiously. “Keep your chins up, kids,” he -said. “Nothing was ever gained by people losing -their heads. I’m sure they’ll figure out -some way to save us.”</p> -<p>“I—I’m not afraid, Dad,” Steve said bravely.</p> -<p>There were tears of fright in Sue’s brown -eyes but her small chin was courageously set -and she would not permit herself to give in to -the terror she really felt.</p> -<p>“You’re brave ones,” their father said, putting -his big arms around their shoulders.</p> -<p>Mr. Quinlan approached the Shannons. -“Mr. Shannon,” he said, “I’ve got something -important to talk over with you and your son.”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_65">65</div> -<p>The two listened closely as the guide outlined -a daring plan. He pointed to a small, -circular opening some ten feet above the platform. -He said that if a person could climb -into the opening he could turn an emergency -valve that would double the air pressure and -clear the jammed tube. Since Steve was the -only boy on the platform, and therefore the -smallest, Mr. Quinlan wanted to know if Steve -would try it. Steve felt his heart fluttering -crazily. He was both afraid and excited.</p> -<p>“There’s only one danger, son,” the guide -pointed out. “You’ll have to unfasten your -safety line. If you think you can keep calm, -though, there should be no real risk.”</p> -<p>“What will happen if the job isn’t done?” -Mr. Shannon asked grimly.</p> -<p>Mr. Quinlan shrugged. “There’s not much -that can be done. These suits will run out of -oxygen in twenty minutes and only your boy -is slim enough to get inside the opening. -Then, too, they can’t land the ship without the -risk of tossing us all out.”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_66">66</div> -<p>Mr. Shannon said quietly to Steve, “It’s up -to you, son. If you believe you can go through -with it without losing your head and getting -thrown from the ship....”</p> -<p>Steve swallowed hard, thinking of the lives -of the others around him that depended upon -him. “I’ll try it,” he managed to say.</p> -<p>He felt his knees go weak when the safety -rope was unfastened from his waist and he -realized there was nothing now but his magnetic -shoes to hold him to the ship. Carefully -Mr. Quinlan boosted him up toward the opening -above. <i>Tick-tick-tick</i> went his metal soles -against the shiny skin of the craft as he made -his way upward by means of special climbing -handles on the rocket hull.</p> -<p>“Keep calm,” he told himself. “A spaceman -doesn’t lose his head.”</p> -<p>He was thankful for the firm grip of his -gloves as his fingers closed about the sides of -the chamber and he pulled himself up inside. -It was a close fit even for him. Mr. Quinlan -had told him that usually the emergency valve -was easily reached from the deck above but -that during this trip the deck was closed off -for repairs and couldn’t be entered.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_67">67</div> -<p>Steve found the valve handle and turned it -as he was instructed. Almost immediately he -heard the deafening blast of many voices in his -receiver. Among the words he heard were, -“The door’s opening!” Steve sighed deeply -and carefully started down again.</p> -<p>But the danger was not over yet. He still -had to be very cautious. This was brought to -him sickeningly when he drew his foot back -with greater force than usual and found himself -weaving backward into space. With a chill -of terror he grabbed a climbing handle and -pulled himself snug against the ship’s hull -again. Finally he felt the strong arms of his -father on the lower part of his legs. He relaxed -and was helped down onto the platform amid -the cheers of everyone around.</p> -<p>The sight-seers, sobered by their close call, -trooped silently back into the ship. A moment -later the craft began dropping earthward, its -jets acting as brakes to check the rapid descent.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_68">68</div> -<p>After landing, the Shannons were called -into the office of the Chief of Operations at -the space port.</p> -<p>“Young man,” the chief said to Steve, “let -me congratulate you for the brave thing you -did.” He offered his hand and Steve felt a -flush of pride as he took the big palm in his -own.</p> -<p>“Such an unselfish deed can never be fully -repaid,” the chief went on. “Tell me, Steve, -do you like space-going?”</p> -<p>Steve’s eyes glowed with stars. “Very much, -sir,” he said. “Some day I’m going to become -a spaceman myself.”</p> -<p>“Then this little reward we have for you -and your sister may help you reach your goal.” -He held out a plastic-sealed card. Steve took it -as his heart raced. It was a lifetime rocket pass!</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_69">69</div> -<div class="img"><img src="images/chapter.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="27" /></div><h2 id="c5"><br /><i>WHEEL IN THE SKY</i></h2> -<p>Sue and Steve Shannon were -riding with their father in a “space ferry” several -thousand miles above the Earth. They -could look out of the plastic windows of the -little ship and see the winding curve of Central -America far below.</p> -<p>“Look, Steve!” Sue exclaimed. “I see the -Panama Canal!”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_70">70</div> -<p>“There’s a storm over the Gulf of Mexico,” -Steve said, studying a big gray patch over the -water. “It makes you feel like a king being so -high above everything!”</p> -<p>The Atlantic and Pacific were throbbing -blue carpets, topped by breakers of molten -silver where the sunlight hit them. It was a -marvelous sight, more like a scene from a fairy-land.</p> -<p>“There’s the big space ship we got off,” -Sue pointed out. “It’s beginning to drop back -to Earth.”</p> -<p>“And there’s the ‘Wheel in the Sky,’” Steve -said, looking ahead. “We’ll soon be there! Isn’t -it great?”</p> -<p>Compared to the tiny ship they were in, -which was shaped like a medicine capsule, the -Wheel in the Sky was a gigantic thing. It -looked like an automobile wheel and by its -moving spokes the children saw that it was -turning just like one.</p> -<p>“Why does the Wheel spin, Dad?” Steve -asked.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_71">71</div> -<p>“That’s in order to give the people inside -of it a feeling of weight,” Mr. Shannon explained. -“As I told you before, things in space -have no weight because there is no gravity out -here to speak of. What happens when you ride -on the merry-go-round on the school playground?”</p> -<p>“You have to hold on tight or it’ll throw you -off,” Steve answered.</p> -<p>“The Wheel in the Sky does the same thing. -It tries to throw you off, but since you are -safely inside of it, all it can do is throw your -weight against the floor of the Wheel. Understand?”</p> -<p>The children nodded and smiled, pleased -at knowing one more fact about the strange -ways of space.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_72">72</div> -<p>As the ferry neared the big space station, -Steve watched the black heavens all around -them. The stars were thicker than salt crystals -and glittered like precious gems. Close to the -Wheel, the ferry had to use its rockets in order -to keep up with the spinning of the Wheel. -Presently a door in the rim of the Wheel -opened. Two men in space suits appeared in -the doorway and threw out a line which stuck -to the ferry by magnetism. Then the men -pulled the little ship inside and closed the -doors.</p> -<p>“Here we are!” the ferry pilot called to his -passengers. “Everybody out!”</p> -<p>Since there was fresh air in the hangar, the -riders did not have to use space suits. Just as -his father had said, Steve found that he could -walk around as easily as he did back in Arkansas.</p> -<p>“Ready for a tour of the Wheel, kids?” Mr. -Shannon asked.</p> -<p>“Sure!” the twins replied together.</p> -<p>Mr. Shannon worked for the American -Space Supply Company which carried supplies -to the planets of the Solar System. This was -the year 2004 and by now nearly all the planets -or their moons had budding Earth colonies. -Sue and Steve had earned free lifetime space -passes because of a heroic act Steve had done -a month before on the twins’ very first trip -into space.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_73">73</div> -<p>As Mr. Shannon took the two around the -“man-made moon,” they were almost overcome -by all the wonderful things they saw. -They learned that the Wheel in the Sky was -both a scientific laboratory and a military lookout. -With their big telescopes, the Space -Guard could see every mile of Earth, for the -Wheel circled the globe several times a day.</p> -<p>While the Shannons were in the Military -Lookout Room peering at the world through -a telescope, Sue said, “I wish Mom could be -here with us.”</p> -<p>“I do, too, Sis,” Steve replied. “But it would -take all the soldiers in the Humpty-Dumpty -story to get Mom into a rocket, wouldn’t it, -Dad?”</p> -<p>Mr. Shannon chuckled. “I believe it would, -Son.”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_74">74</div> -<p>Their father leaned over and whispered -something to the officer at the telescope, who -nodded. The man slipped a high power lens -on the telescope and turned it on a certain -part of the United States, toward which the -Wheel was slowly moving.</p> -<p>“Take another look, Sue,” her father said.</p> -<p>Sue eagerly went to the eyepiece. The telescope -brought a city into very close range. It -seemed as if she had only to reach out a finger -to touch the tall spire of a building. Suddenly -she gasped. She knew that building! It was the -home office of her father’s place of work. The -city was Little Rock, Arkansas, their own -home!</p> -<p>“Steve, look!” she said excitedly to her -brother and let him see for himself.</p> -<p>Steve was as thrilled as Sue. Together they -moved the telescope lens over all the familiar -spots of the great space city, which in this day -had a million population. They were able to -locate the wee speck that was their own home -in the suburbs.</p> -<p>“I can almost see Mom hanging out the -wash in the yard!” Steve said with a grin.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_75">75</div> -<p>Before the children were through looking, -they noticed several black hazy spots in different -parts of the state.</p> -<p>“What are these, Dad?” Steve asked, showing -them to his father.</p> -<p>“They’re tornadoes, Son,” Mr. Shannon replied. -“There seems to be an unusually large -crop of them this season. There are even some -close to Little Rock. The Weather Control -Bureau here has a way of dealing with them, -though. They do many skillful things in -Weather Control. They can make it rain in -dry parts of the world and even melt snow -drifts in blizzard areas.”</p> -<p>“What can they do about a tornado?” Steve -asked.</p> -<p>“When one threatens a city they fire a -guided missile—a bomb—that breaks up the -twister before it can do any harm. We’ll visit -the Weather Control Bureau as soon as we’ve -been to the hub of the Wheel.”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_76">76</div> -<p>Mr. Shannon led them out of the Military -Lookout Room. Steve and Sue then found a -job of climbing facing them. In order to reach -the hub, they had to go through one of the -spokes leading into the center of the Wheel. -The children saw before them a nylon ladder -stretching as far as they could see down a long -corridor.</p> -<p>“Let’s start climbing,” their father said.</p> -<p>“Why can’t we just walk along the hall,” -Sue asked, “instead of doing it the hard way?”</p> -<p>“You’re forgetting that the Wheel is always -throwing you outward as it spins,” Mr. Shannon -said. “If you tried to walk down the spoke -it would be like trying to walk against a hurricane. -For this reason, you two must be careful -not to lose your grip on the ladder or you’ll -be flung down the corridor against the rim.”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_77">77</div> -<p>The three began climbing hand over hand -along the ladder. They got along very well until -Sue suddenly became dizzy and lost her -hold. She screamed as she began flying down -the corridor. Steve’s heart nearly stopped beating -for a moment. He heard his father calling -out loudly in a frantic voice: “Grab the ladder, -Sue! Grab the ladder!”</p> -<p>At first Sue did not seem to hear and kept -hollering in fright. Then she understood and -reached out wildly with her hands for the nylon -ladder as she swept along. One hand seized -a piece of it and she held on for dear life, her -body still hanging in mid-air as the force of -the turning Wheel kept trying to throw her -outward.</p> -<p>“Hold on, Sue!” her father called. “We’re -coming!”</p> -<p>He and Steve swiftly crawled along the -ladder to the spot where Sue was clinging with -one hand.</p> -<p>“Hurry!” she cried. “I can’t hang on much -longer!”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_78">78</div> -<p>Just as she was about to let go, Steve reached -her and held on to her with his free hand. -Then his father lent his help and Sue was safe. -She sobbed for a moment from the fright she -had had and Mr. Shannon suggested that they -go back to the rim where they would be safe -again. Both children agreed, for they had suddenly -lost all interest in the hub.</p> -<p>By the time they got to the Weather Control -Bureau they found more worry awaiting -them. Men were hustling about the huge room -with serious looks on their faces. One of them -was looking into the eyepiece of a large machine -that was pointed out the window down -onto Earth.</p> -<p>“What’s wrong?” Mr. Shannon asked one -of the men.</p> -<p>“A tornado is headed for Little Rock, Arkansas!” -was the shocking reply. “I hope our -missile scores a hit, but it isn’t going to be easy -because the Wheel has already moved past the -United States!”</p> -<p>“The missile’s <i>got</i> to hit!” Steve burst out. -“Our home and Mom are there!”</p> -<p>“Yes, it’s simply <i>got</i> to!” Sue added tearfully.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_79">79</div> -<p>The Shannons had to stand helplessly on -the side as the tornado fighters went to work. -The missile gun was in another part of the -Wheel, but the orders for firing it would leave -this room by radio.</p> -<p>“Oh, why couldn’t Mom have come with -us?” Sue asked. “She would have been safe -here!”</p> -<p>Steve felt his whole body tensing like a -wound spring. The perspiration was beading -his forehead and his knees were weak. On his -father’s face there was a dark look and Steve -saw that his big hands were opening and closing.</p> -<p>“Twenty seconds to go before firing,” the -man at the machine said slowly over the radio -mike on his chest. “Steady. Eighteen—seventeen—”</p> -<p>“Why don’t they hurry?” Sue cried. -“They’re so slow!”</p> -<p>“They have to do it a certain way,” Mr. -Shannon answered. “They know what they’re -doing, Honey. Don’t be afraid.”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_80">80</div> -<p>But she <i>was</i> afraid. And so was Steve. And -her father, too. Everyone in the room was -afraid because no one could say whether the -tornado could be destroyed before it hit the -city or not.</p> -<p>“Eight—seven—six—” droned the unhurried -voice of the operator.</p> -<p>The Shannons hardly dared breathe for -fear of disturbing the man at the machine. -Steve felt Sue’s body quivering next to him. It -seemed as if the seconds were dragging on endlessly.</p> -<p>“Three—two—one—FIRE!”</p> -<p>Steve felt nothing but he knew the tornado -bomb was on its way, speeding hundreds of -miles a second Earthward.</p> -<p>For long, awfully long, moments after the -operator had said, “Fire!” the Shannons waited -for him to speak again. He kept looking -calmly through the eyepiece of the machine as -though just studying the stars. Then at last -they saw a smile spread over his face and he -said to everyone in the room, “It’s a hit! Little -Rock is safe!”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_81">81</div> -<div class="img" id="pic3"> -<img src="images/i04.jpg" alt="The tornado bomb was on its way, speeding hundreds of miles a second Earthward" width="500" height="403" /> -<p class="caption"><i>The tornado bomb was on its way, speeding hundreds of miles a second Earthward</i></p> -</div> -<div class="pb" id="Page_82">82</div> -<p>Sue and Steve whooped as if it were Christmas -morning. Where a minute before they -had been greatly worried, now they were -happy as they never believed they could be.</p> -<p>“Whew!” Mr. Shannon sighed. “I’m afraid -I’ve had enough excitement to last me a lifetime!”</p> -<p>“Not me, Dad,” Steve said, as the fire of -adventure began to glow again in his eyes. “I -won’t be satisfied until I’ve seen what lies -beyond the Wheel in the Sky!”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_83">83</div> -<div class="img"><img src="images/chapter.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="27" /></div><h2 id="c6"><br /><i>DANGER ON THE ICE CANAL</i></h2> -<p>Steve and Sue Shannon were at -Mars Port No. 13. This was one of the many -colonies on the planet Mars where Earth -scientists were carrying on work. It was a town -of plastic tops, called domes, that were clear -as glass. The town was at the center of three -canals that led outward into the red desert.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_84">84</div> -<p>The Shannon twins were now touring the -largest dome with Biff Warren, who worked -for their father’s space cargo company. Suddenly -their tour brought them to a large cafeteria -where many of the workers were eating.</p> -<p>“Umm!” Sue exclaimed. “Smell that turkey!”</p> -<p>“Yeah!” Steve said. “It sure makes your -mouth water, doesn’t it?”</p> -<p>“Which reminds me,” Biff said, looking at -his watch. “We’ll have to finish up our sightseeing -pretty soon. The quicker we get back to -your father’s ship, the quicker we can have -our own turkey feast!”</p> -<p>“I can hardly wait for that!” Sue sighed, as -the wonderful smell of the holiday meal kept -tickling her nose.</p> -<p>When Thanksgiving dinner was finished -aboard the big space freighter that had brought -the children to Mars, the ship would take off -into space. But before that, Biff, Sue and Steve -would have to go twenty miles back down the -ice canal to reach the ship.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_85">85</div> -<p>Biff had become a close friend of the young -Shannons, having made trips with them to -other ports in space. Sue liked Biff because of -his quick smile and gentle patience. Steve -liked him because he was all that Steve would -like to be some day himself—a fearless, bold -spaceman.</p> -<p>They finished up their tour of the dome. -They saw the room where giant machines -made oxygen out of chemicals and blew it -through the building so that there was fresh -air to breathe all the time. And they saw the -astronomy hall far up on top of the dome -where scientists could see the heavens through -the thin atmosphere much clearer than they -could from Earth.</p> -<p>“Isn’t it about time for the fuel rocket to -be shot off, Biff?” Steve asked.</p> -<p>Biff nodded. “I think it’s just about time,” -he said. “We’ll suit up and go outside to see.”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_86">86</div> -<p>In the dressing room they put on their space -suits. As though they were his own children, -Biff carefully checked the young Shannons’ air -tanks, built-in heaters, and their helmet radios -for talking to one another. Finally Biff rubbed -gelatin on their helmets so that they would -not frost over in the cold that was a hundred -degrees below zero.</p> -<p>Outside they found space-suited figures -gathered around the fuel rocket cannon. The -cannon was pointed toward a shiny ball high -up in the purple-black sky.</p> -<p>“Look, Sis, there’s the space ship toward -which they’re going to shoot the fuel rocket,” -Steve said.</p> -<p>“I see it!” Sue cried, her eyes dancing excitedly.</p> -<p>“They have to line up the cannon with the -ship just right or the rocket won’t reach it,” -Biff said.</p> -<p>“Won’t the rocket hit the ship?” Steve asked.</p> -<p>“No, it’ll lose all its speed by the time it -reaches the ship,” Biff told him. “Then they’ll -take on fuel from the rocket by means of a -long hose.”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_87">87</div> -<p>Suddenly the three of them heard a loud -roar and saw a burst of flame. Like a bullet, -the rocket left the muzzle of the giant gun and -rose into the sky.</p> -<p>“They’ll be shooting off more rockets before -they have enough fuel for the space ship,” Biff -said. “There’ll be a little wait in between each -firing.”</p> -<p>“Look, Biff, isn’t the space ship right over -the canal where we’ll be heading back?” Steve -asked.</p> -<p>“That’s right, Steve,” Biff answered. “You’ll -remember, our ship is at the end of the canal. -We’ll be able to see the rockets go off as we -head back—which we’d better do right now, if -we’re going to have any turkey and pumpkin -pie!”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_88">88</div> -<p>The canals of Mars had been carved out of -a great desert by water and fierce winds. Because -of the ice that filled them, they made -good highways. The three went to the canal -bank to see if their sled was ready to go, and -it was. The sled looked like a big bombing -plane with the wings off. Instead of wheels, -there were long runners beneath it. In this -sled Biff and his young helpers had brought -supplies to the colony several hours before.</p> -<p>Steve, Sue and Biff climbed into the front -seat. Then Biff shut the door. He pushed buttons -in front of them. Steve and Sue felt the -sled’s engines throbbing. The next moment -the sled shot off over the smooth sheet of ice, -Biff holding tightly to the steering wheel.</p> -<p>“Wheeeeee!” Sue screamed in delight. -“Offffffffff weeeeeeee goooooooooo!”</p> -<p>“Like a rooooller cooooster!” Steve shouted.</p> -<p>They sped along at a hundred miles an hour. -This was as much fun as they had had on their -last space journey.</p> -<p>Each of their trips into space seemed to be -more exciting than the last. They had won a -lifetime free pass into space and by now they -were sure they would need a lifetime in which -to see all of its many wonders. A brave act by -Steve on their first space trip had earned them -their pass. Right now, Steve thought that their -mother and home, back in Arkansas, seemed -as far away as Deneb, the North Star of Mars.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_89">89</div> -<p>“We’ll be there in about ten minutes,” Biff -said. “The ship leaves in thirty, which gives -us some spare time.”</p> -<p>“Look,” Sue said, “there comes the first fuel -rocket back down in a parachute.”</p> -<p>“That’s right, Sue,” Biff replied.</p> -<p>Steve studied the bank of the canal. Along it -he saw scrubby cactus, which was forever fighting -for life in the cold, dry atmosphere. Beyond -the bank stretched acres of red wasteland, -and sand drifts piled up by strong winds that -never stopped blowing.</p> -<p>A few minutes later, Sue noticed a bright -streak against the purple sky. It was nearly as -bright as the tiny sun, which was so far away -that it could not keep Mars warm.</p> -<p>“There goes another fuel rocket!” Sue -called out, pointing through the windshield.</p> -<p>As Biff caught sight of it, he jerked up -sharply in his seat, bumping the shoulders of -Sue and Steve on both sides of him.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_90">90</div> -<p>“That rocket’s too low!” he exclaimed. “It’s -not lifting! Something’s gone wrong!”</p> -<p>Steve felt chills run up his spine. He was -seeing the danger too, now. The rocket was -dropping ahead of them, a screaming bomb -filled with explosive fuel. It was still quite a -distance away, but even Steve knew that it -would make a terrible blast when it struck the -ice.</p> -<p>Biff’s feet hit the brakes of the sled and the -runners chewed into the hard ice pack, shrieking, -and bringing the sled to a skidding stop. -The riders were slammed forward. Sue and -Steve were dazed, but not hurt. When Steve’s -mind cleared, he saw that Biff had thrown himself -over in front of Sue and him to protect -them. But in doing this, his helmet had -thumped against the windshield. He was now -slumped over and not moving.</p> -<p>“Sue!” Steve cried. “Biff is hurt!”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_91">91</div> -<p>Just then they felt the shock of the explosion. -It tilted the sled at an angle and dropped -it down again with a hard jolt. The air was -filled with flying chunks of ice. It looked like -a hailstorm outside. The ice clattered against -the windshield like stones. Sue and Steve were -relieved when it finally stopped. But the explosion -had left the ice sheet in front of them -broken and choked with lumps of ice.</p> -<p>“Steve,” Sue moaned, “what are we going -to do?”</p> -<p>Steve looked at Biff who was still not moving. -He could see a big lump on Biff’s forehead -where his head had struck the helmet, -knocking him out. The children tried to revive -their friend, but could not.</p> -<p>“We’ve got to get the sled to the ship ourselves, -Sue!” her brother said. “Biff may need -a doctor! Besides, I bet we’ve all missed our -Thanksgiving dinner!”</p> -<p>“I won’t want any dinner if Biff is hurt -badly!” Sue said tearfully.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_92">92</div> -<p>At first it seemed like an impossible thing -for a pair of twelve-year-olds to run the big -sled. But Steve remembered how Biff had -worked the controls and he believed he, too, -could do it. He changed seats with the unconscious -spaceman and tried the levers and -buttons.</p> -<p>Presently the sled’s rockets began to pour -fire out of the rear. But Steve couldn’t get the -sled to move. He was afraid it had been damaged. -Then Sue showed him a lever to push -which she had remembered seeing Biff shove. -As Steve worked it gently, the sled started off -slowly.</p> -<p>“We’ll go slow,” Steve said, “and take it -very easy.”</p> -<p>The explosion had hit at the far edge of the -canal so that there was a narrow place on the -other side where the ice was still smooth. Steve -carefully guided the sled across the canal and -through the unbroken part. When there was -smooth ice before them, Steve picked up speed -a little. As he drove, Sue tried to awaken Biff.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_93">93</div> -<p>Steve would have found their adventure a -lot of fun if things weren’t so serious at the moment. -It wasn’t every day that a boy had the -chance to drive a giant rocket sled on a distant -planet!</p> -<p>At last Steve saw the round top of the space -ship just over the horizon. It was at that moment -that Sue called out the good news:</p> -<p>“Biff’s awakening, Steve!”</p> -<p>The boy saw their friend slowly rise up, -then shake his head to clear it. When he -smiled at them in his pleasant way, they were -sure that he was going to be all right. By the -time they had told him what had happened, -he was his old self again. He took the controls -and looked at his watch.</p> -<p>“Time’s running out,” he said. “We’ve got -to hit top speed again. Hold onto your helmets! -Here we go!”</p> -<p>And off they went at lightning speed once -more. It seemed to Steve as if they covered -the distance between them and the space ship -in seconds.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_94">94</div> -<p>As the sled came to a gentle stop beneath -the giant freighter, Biff said, “It looks like we’ll -make our Thanksgiving dinner on time after -all, doesn’t it, kids?”</p> -<p>“Yeah,” Steve answered, “and this is certainly -one Thanksgiving that I’m really thankful!”</p> -<p>“I know what you mean, Steve,” Sue said -thoughtfully. “We’re thankful that we’re -alive!”</p> -<p>Biff and Steve both nodded. It was a holiday -none of them would ever forget.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_95">95</div> -<div class="img"><img src="images/chapter.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="27" /></div><h2 id="c7"><br /><i>CARGO FOR CALLISTO</i></h2> -<p>The big rocket freighter was -speeding through the star dust of outer space. -It was carrying supplies to Callisto (one of the -twelve moons of Jupiter) and the Shannons, -on another space adventure.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_96">96</div> -<p>Steve and Sue looked out a window of the -freighter at the airless world growing in size. -Callisto was a gigantic roughened rock, but it -was a globe larger than the planet Mercury. -It reminded Steve of a giant cockle-burr hanging -in the sky.</p> -<p>Suddenly the children heard a tiny voice -behind them say, “Rocket away!”</p> -<p>They turned and Sue exclaimed, “It’s Bud!”</p> -<p>The blue parakeet, a budgy, blinked lazily -at them. The twins had met Mr. Whittle’s -pet a week ago. He had taken a liking to them -from the very start. They didn’t know that a -few hours from now their very lives would depend -on this little fellow.</p> -<p>“We’d better take him back to Mr. Whittle,” -Steve said.</p> -<p>The budgy kept studying them with his flat -face and blinking his tiny button eyes. Then -he squawked again, “Rocket away!”</p> -<p>“It’ll be ‘rocket away’ for you, young fellow!” -Steve said sternly. “Up on my finger, -Bud!”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_97">97</div> -<p>The bird did as he was ordered. They took -him down the hall to Mr. Whittle’s room. -Bud’s owner, off duty now, was a tall, spidery -crewman with a big Adam’s apple. He always -gave his pet full run of the ship.</p> -<p>Mr. Whittle whistled to the parakeet, but -the bird stayed on Steve’s finger.</p> -<p>Mr. Whittle chuckled. “Hey, I believe he -likes you two better than his master!”</p> -<p>“We like him, too,” Sue told the crewman.</p> -<p>“You can keep him for a few days if you -want to,” Mr. Whittle said. “I’m going to be -pretty busy after we land.”</p> -<p>“Gee, we’d like to look after him!” Steve -answered.</p> -<p>“If you take him outside on Callisto, you’ll -have to put him in that air-tight cage over -there I had made. It’s sort of like a space suit -for him.”</p> -<p>Sue and Steve played with Bud in the room -they used for games until it was time to “strap -down” for landing. Then they went to the -couch hall and lay down on cots like the other -space travelers were doing. They buckled -straps across their bodies to keep them in -place.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_98">98</div> -<p>For a long time, Steve and Sue lay there as -the big freighter began cutting its rushing -speed. It felt to Steve as if a giant anvil were -crushing downward on his chest. Take-off and -landing were always the roughest moments in -space travel, as the twins had already found -out on other space trips.</p> -<p>At last the ship set down on Callisto. The -young Shannons went back to the game room. -Then with the bird on Steve’s shoulder, the -twins looked out the window at the strange -new world.</p> -<p>They saw a land bathed in ghostly twilight. -Very little light was coming from the sun. It -was so far away that it was only a small circle. -Most of the light came from a huge shape that -looked like somebody’s lost beach ball resting -on the ground. Its bottom edge just touched -the horizon.</p> -<p>Sue and Steve were joined by their father, -who worked for the space freight company.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_99">99</div> -<p>“That’s His Majesty, Jupiter—the king of -planets,” Mr. Shannon told them. “He’s over -a million miles away and yet he looks close -enough to touch, doesn’t he?”</p> -<p>“Let’s go outdoors, Dad!” Steve begged.</p> -<p>“No reason why we can’t,” Mr. Shannon -replied.</p> -<p>After they had put on their space clothes, -Steve popped Bud into his warm, air-tight -cage.</p> -<p>As they all went outside, they saw the crewmen -unloading the cargo.</p> -<p>“There’s the colony over there,” Mr. Shannon -said, pointing to a high framework that -looked something like an oil derrick.</p> -<p>“They mine here for a mineral called -magna. It’s very valuable, because without it -we couldn’t have atomic engines. Magna is -what keeps our rocket tubes from melting under -the terrific heat that goes through them.”</p> -<p>“May we go down into the mines, Dad?” -Steve asked.</p> -<p>“We’ll see if we can,” said his father.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_100">100</div> -<p>As they walked toward the mining place, -Mr. Shannon said, “Underneath us are pockets -of poisonous gas like that found in Jupiter’s -atmosphere. Sometimes it leaks into the mining -tunnels causing danger from suffocation.”</p> -<p>“I sure hope the gas stays where it belongs -while we’re down there!” Steve said and swallowed -the lump of fear in his throat.</p> -<p>They turned their attention to Jupiter. It -looked even more like a beach ball now with -its stripes of beautiful colors. Mr. Shannon -said the bands were floating ice bergs of the -poisonous gases he was talking about.</p> -<p>“No ship can land on Jupiter,” he said. “Its -gravity would crush a spaceman flat. Gravity -pull is much stronger on the larger planets, -you know. Jupiter’s atmosphere is many thousands -of miles deep. Raging storms are going -on beneath it all the time.”</p> -<p>“Ooo!” Sue gasped. “I guess we’re close -enough to it then!”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_101">101</div> -<p>Other wonders of the sky were the round -beacons of Jupiter’s other moons, three of -which were about the same size as Callisto. -They hung like bright searchlights in the -starry heavens.</p> -<p>The men at the mining place greeted the -Shannons warmly. They had not seen anyone -from Earth for so long that they had grown -very lonely.</p> -<p>The chief mining engineer said he would -be glad to take the visitors on an underground -tour. His name was Dr. Harding. He was -plump and short and wore black-rimmed -glasses inside his space helmet.</p> -<p>He led them into an elevator and it sank -into the darkness. Steve remembered about -the poisonous gases that crept about underground -and it made him shiver to think about -it.</p> -<p>Dr. Harding watched Bud hopping around -uncomfortably inside his small space cage. -“Do you remember, Mr. Shannon,” he asked -over his suit radio, “when they used to use -canary birds in mines to warn about leaking -gas? The birds would notice it first and give -the miners time to get out.”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_102">102</div> -<p>“I’ve read about that, Dr. Harding,” said -Mr. Shannon.</p> -<p>“Now we have automatic warning machines -in the tunnels to do that,” the chief engineer -told Sue and Steve.</p> -<p>Deeper and deeper below the soil of Callisto -the elevator sank. At last the cage reached the -bottom, and the riders found themselves in -a large cavern. There were machines and men -all about, working busily. Tracks led off into -tunnels and ore cars were running on them. -Some were going empty into the tunnels while -others were coming out full of rock and gravel.</p> -<p>“The magna is separated from the rock in -that big machine over there,” Dr. Harding explained. -“Want to ride an ore car into one of -the tunnels?”</p> -<p>“Sure!” Steve spoke up.</p> -<p>“The mine is air-conditioned,” the chief -engineer said, “so we can take off our helmets.”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_103">103</div> -<p>This done, Steve let Bud out of his cage. -The little bird hopped up on his gloved finger, -saying, “Rocket away!” several times. His -two-word language seemed to do for everything.</p> -<p>One worker controlled all the cars at a main -switch in the middle of the cavern. The Shannons -and their guide climbed into an empty -ore car and it rolled into a tunnel.</p> -<p>Glistening dark rock crowded in on Sue and -Steve from all sides. Steve hoped the walls -were strong enough so they would not come -crashing down on their heads! There were -lights along the way to help brighten the -gloom.</p> -<p>After clicking along like a trolley for awhile, -the car came to the end of the line. It was a -large room with more machines and workmen. -The men were digging magna ore out of the -wall with drills.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_104">104</div> -<p>As Dr. Harding explained about the work, -Bud began flitting about as though sight-seeing -on his own. He was shy of the workers at -first, but then made friends with them. He -spoke to them with his favorite two words and -the men laughed in great fun to hear him.</p> -<p>Then a few minutes later, Bud began acting -queerly. He flew back to Steve’s finger and -started wobbling as though dizzy.</p> -<p>“What’s the matter with him?” Steve asked.</p> -<p>“He’s sick or something!” Sue cried out. -She took the budgy from Steve and cuddled -him in her own gloves. But the little blue bird -seemed to be no better.</p> -<p>Dr. Harding walked over to look at the bird. -Then he ordered, “Everybody into the ore -car! We have to get out of here fast! Sue, hold -the bird up close to your suit!”</p> -<p>The workers dropped their tools as if they -were red hot and climbed into the car. Mr. -Shannon helped Sue and Steve on, then -jumped on himself.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_105">105</div> -<p>Dr. Harding pressed the electric button that -was the signal to the operator in the main cavern -to move the car. The car began to roll -down the track. It picked up speed as Dr. -Harding kept pressing the button.</p> -<p>“Leaking gas, Dr. Harding?” Mr. Shannon -asked worriedly.</p> -<p>The chief engineer nodded. He sniffed the -air like a hunting dog after a scent. “Take a -deep breath, everyone, then hold it!”</p> -<p>Steve thought his lungs would burst, but -finally Dr. Harding let them take another deep -breath. By the time they had taken one more, -the car had reached the main cavern. As it -rolled to a stop, Dr. Harding jumped down -and ran over to the car operator.</p> -<p>Steve saw a door slide down and close off the -tunnel where they had come out. Then the -little man gave a deep sigh and took off his -black-rimmed glasses to wipe them.</p> -<p>Sue and Steve watched Bud hopefully. He -was standing more steadily on Sue’s finger -now.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_106">106</div> -<p>“I think he’ll be all right,” the chief engineer -said. “We sure owe Bud a lot for warning -us the way he did. Something must have -happened to the warning machine. It was -supposed to set off a siren.”</p> -<p>“If it weren’t for Bud we might have been -overcome before we could have gotten out of -there!” Mr. Shannon added.</p> -<p>“You’re so right!” Dr. Harding said. “The -men will go back in there in gas masks to find -the leak and see what’s wrong with the warning -machine.”</p> -<p>“We’re plenty lucky!” Steve sighed, his -spine still prickly from their narrow escape.</p> -<p>Sue kissed the budgy. “You’re a hero, Bud,” -she told him, “and we love you!”</p> -<p>Bud blinked lazily. Then as if to show that -he was all right again, he squawked, “Rocket -away!”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_107">107</div> -<div class="img"><img src="images/chapter.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="27" /></div><h2 id="c8"><br /><i>THE BIG SHOW ON TITAN</i></h2> -<p>The space freighter had landed -on Titan, the largest moon in all the Solar System. -The Shannon twins had been anxious to -reach this moon of Saturn because their father -had told them that something very exciting -might happen here before they left.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_108">108</div> -<p>There was still another reason why the children -had looked forward to the landing. They -would meet a boy of their own age who was -the son of a worker. He had been living on -Titan for the past two years and would be able -to show them around.</p> -<p>Steve and Sue came down the outside “gangway” -of the cargo ship and stepped onto the -frozen ground of the distant world. The twins -wore space suits, of course, for the air outside -was extremely cold and it was poisonous as -well with raw methane and ammonia.</p> -<p>Steve saw beautiful Saturn, with its colored -rings, filling much of the blue sky. Titan was -a world of close mountains, worn smooth by -lots of windy weather. A film of glistening ice -covered the peaks like caps of glass.</p> -<p>“Look up there, Sue!” Steve said. “Over -our heads! That’s the famous skyport of Titan!”</p> -<p>“I wish we could go up there!” Sue said.</p> -<p>“Maybe we’ll get the chance,” answered -Steve.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_109">109</div> -<p>Ahead of them stood a rounded plastic -dome. Men were carrying into it cartons of -supplies which the space freighter had -brought. The twins’ father, who was an official -of the American Space Supply Company, was -still aboard to take care of the unloading.</p> -<p>A boy came out of the domed building. -“Are you the Shannons?” he asked over his -space radio.</p> -<p>“Yes, we are,” Steve replied.</p> -<p>“I’m Bobby King.”</p> -<p>Sue and Steve said they were glad to meet -him. He asked if they would like to go up and -see the skyport.</p> -<p>Both the young Shannons answered a quick, -“Sure!” together.</p> -<p>They followed their new friend into the -plastic dome. Bobby King pointed to an overhead -cable. Hanging from the heavy cord was -a cable car.</p> -<p>“All aboard!” Bobby called, like a train -conductor.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_110">110</div> -<p>Sue and Steve giggled with pleasure as they -entered the car, followed by Bobby. Bobby -pushed a switch and the cable car began to -move.</p> -<p>“We’re going up like a corkscrew,” Bobby -said.</p> -<p>Round and round, right out of the top of -the building, moved the cable car. Up and up -it went. It took about ten minutes to reach the -top. As soon as they got out, two men passed -them who were talking about a storm that was -on the way.</p> -<p>“Boy, if there’s a storm coming, you two are -sure in luck!” Bobby told Sue and Steve.</p> -<p>Steve and Sue looked at one another, puzzled. -Why should their young friend be pleased -over a coming storm?</p> -<p>They saw before them a space that looked -as flat as a highway and larger than a football -field. There was a row of hangars along the far -side.</p> -<p>“Wow, we sure must be high!” Steve burst -out. They seemed to be almost on a level with -the mountains.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_111">111</div> -<p>“We’re a whole mile off the ground,” -Bobby told him. “The skyport rests on the -corners of two mountain ridges.”</p> -<p>They went over to one of the clear plastic -walls that edged the skyport.</p> -<p>“Gee, the freighter sure is little down -there!” Sue said.</p> -<p>It almost took Steve’s breath away. The big -space ship indeed looked no larger than a toy -down below.</p> -<p>“Why did they go to such trouble to build -this?” Steve asked.</p> -<p>“Because there wasn’t any place flat enough -on the ground,” Bobby answered. “My father -says they need a main skyport on Titan because -there are so many companies here digging -for uranium. The colonists fly here to get -their supplies and mail.”</p> -<p>“I see some dark clouds over the mountains,” -Sue said. “Does that mean a storm is -coming?”</p> -<p>Bobby’s helmet nodded. “It sure does! You -two are the luckiest ones! You got here right -at the start of the storm season.”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_112">112</div> -<p>Steve and Sue were still puzzled as to why -Bobby wanted it to storm.</p> -<p>Bobby showed his guests a faint star burning -through the blue atmosphere. “That’s -Earth,” he told them, “750 million miles -away. My father thinks we can go back for a -visit in a few weeks. I’ll be glad.”</p> -<p>“Where do you live here, Bobby?” Sue -asked.</p> -<p>“My father and I stay in an apartment a -little way from here,” Bobby answered.</p> -<p>“How about school?” Steve wanted to know. -“Do they have one on Titan?”</p> -<p>Bobby shook his head. “My father teaches -me. He’s out with some prospectors today.”</p> -<p>Bobby showed them Titan’s other nine -sister moons, which looked like glowing fireballs. -Steve saw that most of the daylight came -from Saturn because the sun was so far away. -It wasn’t nearly as bright here as it was on -Earth.</p> -<p>“I wish we could run over to Saturn for a -visit,” Sue said, jokingly.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_113">113</div> -<p>“You don’t really, Sue,” Bobby told her. -“You couldn’t stand up in its heavy gravity. -Saturn’s almost as big as Jupiter, you know.”</p> -<p>“What are Saturn’s rings made of?” Steve -asked.</p> -<p>“Oodles and oodles of rocks,” Bobby replied. -“They are traveling so fast that they -make the rings look like one solid piece.”</p> -<p>Wind was beginning to howl around them -and this seemed to make Bobby very excited.</p> -<p>The coming storm must be something special, -Steve thought. His curiosity had been -aroused strongly.</p> -<p>The clouds gathered darker and more -thickly behind the mountains. The wind was -driving harder.</p> -<p>“Hadn’t we better go inside?” Sue asked, -worriedly.</p> -<p>“Shucks, no!” Bobby said. “It won’t be any -fun unless we’re right out in it! There won’t -be any rain. It’s too cold on Titan for rain.”</p> -<p>Suddenly the three heard a loud siren wail.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_114">114</div> -<p>“That means a jet plane is coming in,” -Bobby said. “All planes have to land when -word of a storm gets around.”</p> -<p>The plane’s wheels touched down and the -ship rolled along until a hook on it caught a -line that stretched across the runway. The line -brought the plane to a sharp halt.</p> -<p>The jet’s wings were folded down and the -ship was pushed off to a hangar. Two more -ships landed afterward. Then a blinding flash -lighted up the sky. It made Steve and Sue -blink and jump in fright.</p> -<p>“Look!” Bobby exclaimed. “The storm has -begun!”</p> -<p>Other men had come out to see what was -going to happen and they lined up along the -edges of the skyport with the children.</p> -<p>Bobby pointed to a sparkling balloon of -light that burst into a blossom of sparks over -the mountains. A moment later a red dagger -flash skipped across the peaks. During all this -there were loud crashes and rumblings. Steve -was scared and thrilled at the same time.</p> -<p>“It’s just like fireworks!” Sue called out.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_115">115</div> -<p>Now Steve could understand why Bobby -had looked forward to the storm. He guessed, -too, that this was the exciting surprise their -father had said might happen while they were -here.</p> -<p>An orange pinwheel, like a Fourth of July -sparkler, rose from a mountain top and looped -upward. It grew bigger and bigger and fainter -and fainter at the same time. It was really a -beauty.</p> -<p>“What causes the fireworks?” Steve asked -above the noise.</p> -<p>“Partly strong wind,” Bobby said loudly, -“and partly Titan’s gases exploding against the -mountain tops!”</p> -<p>They watched spellbound for fifteen minutes, -then a half hour. The Shannons were -sure they had never seen anything quite so -breathtaking as this.</p> -<p>At one time a row of peaks seemed to glow -with a sheet of red flame. The flame danced -and flickered like a forest fire for a long time -before it faded out.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_116">116</div> -<p>The children had been enjoying themselves -so thoroughly that they knew nothing of the -peril that was heading their way.</p> -<p>The first warning came when one of the -skyport men standing nearby shouted over -his space suit radio. Steve whirled in alarm. -His heart seemed to stop beating completely -for a terrible moment.</p> -<p>A tardy plane had come in for a landing on -the sky platform. But the howling wind had -kept everyone from hearing the warning siren.</p> -<p>Because of the fierce blowing, the plane had -not hooked firmly to the braking line. It -scooted off to the side and was heading for the -very spot where Bobby, Steve and Sue stood.</p> -<p>“Bobby!” Steve cried. “Get out of the way!” -As Bobby ducked for safety, Steve also moved -quickly. Sue screamed as Bobby grabbed her -hastily by her space glove. He had to jerk her -sharply in order to get her out of the path of -the runaway plane.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_117">117</div> -<p>The plane crashed into the plastic wall of -the skyport, tearing out a section of wall as -though it were thin cardboard. The ship was -left dangling on the very edge as if ready to -fall a mile to the ground.</p> -<p>“The poor pilot!” Sue cried. “Oh, I can’t -look!”</p> -<p>But the skyport men had come running -quickly over and together they pulled the jet -plane back to safety. They helped the scared -pilot out. He walked shakily off into one of -the hangars.</p> -<p>“Whew! That was close!” Steve breathed. -“For him and us, too!”</p> -<p>“My heart is still thumping like a drum!” -Bobby said.</p> -<p>As for Sue, she was too upset to say anything -at all.</p> -<p>They turned to look at the fireworks to take -their minds off the accident. The wonderful -ending of the show almost made them forget -it completely.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_118">118</div> -<p>They saw a dazzling white light burst like -an empty volcano. The banner of fire rose as -high into the sky as huge Saturn. Then it -spilled over like a great fountain. It changed -into purple, then blue, green and red.</p> -<p>Before dying out, it gave the big planet a -lovely ruddy glow, showing up its rings like a -gleaming necklace of rubies. That was the end -of Nature’s grand performance.</p> -<p>“Wow, wasn’t that terrific?” Steve asked. -“A show like that in a grandstand on Earth -would cost you three-and-a-half.”</p> -<p>“Maybe four!” Sue chimed in.</p> -<p>“You can’t see this show anywhere on Earth, -Steve,” Bobby said. “Titan is the only place. -And the good thing about it is that it’s all for -free!”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_119">119</div> -<div class="img"><img src="images/chapter.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="27" /></div><h2 id="c9"><br /><i>ADVENTURE ON THE SUN’S DOORSTEP</i></h2> -<p>Sue and Steve Shannon watched -the magic world of stardust through a port of -the rocket freighter. The ship was moving under -power of its atomic engines, headed toward -the sun.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_120">120</div> -<p>They had one more cargo stop to make before -returning to their beloved soil on the -Earth.</p> -<p>The twins heard the clack of magnetic -soles behind them. Without such shoes holding -them to the floor, space travelers would -float about helplessly like wingless birds.</p> -<p>“Hi, kids,” greeted their father. “Growing -tired of the view?”</p> -<p>“I guess I am, Dad,” Steve admitted. His -blue eyes were tired.</p> -<p>“How far away is Apollo’s Chariot now?” -Sue asked.</p> -<p>Mr. Shannon grinned. “That’s the umpteenth -time you two have asked that. But I -suppose I’m as restless as you are to get back -to Mom in Arkansas.”</p> -<p>Hearing this made Steve suddenly homesick. -There was really no place like home, just -like the poet had said. Steve knew Sue felt the -same way. He had seen a wistful look in her -hazel eyes every time they had talked of Little -Rock.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_121">121</div> -<p>The seemingly endless days finally did end. -The three Shannons went up into the lookout -dome with the crewmen. The dome was covered -by a darkened plastic screen to cut down -the blinding glare of the sun, which was very -close.</p> -<p>It was a heart-stopping sight for Sue and -Steve. The planet Mercury covered the face of -the sun like a black plate. Streaming out from -the edges were mountainous tongues of living -fire. Mr. Shannon called this flaming halo the -sun’s <i>chromosphere</i>.</p> -<p>“Gee, what a thing to see!” Steve gasped.</p> -<p>“It’s—it’s unbelievable!” Sue added, breathless.</p> -<p>“Indeed, it is,” Mr. Shannon agreed. “See -that thing like a lighted wheel just ahead of -us? That’s Apollo’s Chariot. It was named after -the famous Greek sun god, you know.”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_122">122</div> -<p>Sue and Steve knew that Apollo’s Chariot -was really a space laboratory that was a home -for scientists who were studying the sun. They -had been the ones who had given their tiny -world its colorful nickname. It was protected -with asbestos and other special material to -shield it from the heat as it circled the great -star, month after month, year after year.</p> -<p>“We had to contact Apollo’s Chariot while -Mercury was shading our ship from the sun’s -rays,” Mr. Shannon said. “We aren’t protected -like Apollo’s Chariot is.”</p> -<p>“Mercury seems as big as the sun, the way -it covers it completely,” Steve remarked.</p> -<p>“That’s because we’re so close to Mercury,” -his father explained. “Actually, the sun is so -much bigger it’s like comparing a pinpoint to -a grapefruit!”</p> -<p>In the midnight darkness between the ships, -giant searchlights had to be turned on. Then -the scientists on the other ship came out onto -their loading platform to receive their cargo. -Conversation was carried on by means of space -suit radios with those aboard the freighter, -who stood on their own outside platform.</p> -<p>“Why can’t we get closer to Apollo’s Chariot?” -Steve asked Biff Warren, who was the -twins’ favorite among the crewmen. Biff was -piling boxes and crates at the edge of the platform.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_123">123</div> -<p>“Space regulations,” answered Biff. “If a -meteor should hit one of us, the other ship -would explode too if we were close. Also, -rocket tubes are so tricky that you never know -when one is going to misfire and send your -ship scooting off suddenly in the wrong direction.”</p> -<p>One end of a double cable was fastened to -rings on the freighter’s platform. Then the -other end was tossed across the space between -the two ships and attached by the scientists -to their own side.</p> -<p>Steve saw the crewmen around him pick up -cords from out of the cable equipment box. -They fastened one end to buckles on their -suits and the other to the cable. Steve guessed -that the lines were a safety measure to keep -the men from drifting off into space as they -carried the cargo across.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_124">124</div> -<p>The first crewman picked up a crate as -lightly as if it were a pile of feathers. Then -with his foot he shoved off from the platform.</p> -<p>He guided the crate through the emptiness -with his gloved hands and the men on the opposite -platform helped him aboard. Another -crewman stepped off the freighter with another -crate. Then another crewman with another -piece of cargo. The carriers returned by -the other cable line.</p> -<p>Steve went over to his dad who, as an official -of the American Space Supply Company, was -supervising the work as always. “Dad, may -Sue and I carry a box across? We’ll be careful.”</p> -<p>Mr. Shannon thought a moment. “I suppose -it will be all right. There’s no way you can -go adrift if you fasten on to the cable. But you -have to be careful you’re snapped on securely.”</p> -<p>Mr. Shannon made a place for them in line. -Sue in front. There was a wait before Sue’s -turn so that more crates could be placed on -the platform’s edge. The children looked beyond -Apollo’s Chariot at the huge black circle -of Mercury as it masked the mighty sun.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_125">125</div> -<p>“Biff,” Steve asked his friend as he was -stacking the crates, “why couldn’t the Apollo -scientists study the sun from Mercury?”</p> -<p>Biff chuckled and it made a funny crackling -sound over the young Shannons’ radios. “Men -will land on Mercury when they grow hides -of asbestos, Steve. It’s so hot on the sunward -side that there are supposed to be lakes and -pools of lead there! The other side never sees -the sun, so you can imagine how cold it is! -Think you two would like to go there?”</p> -<p>“I should say not!” Sue answered for both -of them.</p> -<p>When the next piece of cargo was ready to -go over, Biff checked the children’s safety -cords. Then he let Sue push off from the platform -with a box in front of her. A few moments -later, Steve followed. The boy heard -his sister giggle excitedly as they floated across. -Searchlight beams were in their eyes but they -didn’t mind. Steve, too, thought this great fun -after being cramped for so long on the -freighter. He looked down at the empty space -below, but he knew he could not fall and so -was not afraid. Reaching the other platform, -he and his sister were helped aboard.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_126">126</div> -<p>“They sure are using young crewmen these -days!” joked one of the scientists, a tall man -who seemed to be working harder than the -others. “Nice work, young folks!”</p> -<p>The scientist was in the act of changing the -children’s cords over to the returning cable -when a slight mishap occurred. One of the -crates coming over bumped into him. He -laughed as he again got to his feet but his -laughter quickly changed to alarm when Sue -suddenly pushed off from the platform. She -had thought her cable line was secure and that -she was ready to make the exciting trip back -across the gulf.</p> -<p>“Wait, miss!” the scientist called. “I didn’t -finish fastening your cable cord!” He reached -for Sue but her suit slipped out of the fingers -of his bulky space gloves.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_127">127</div> -<p>Steve froze for an instant in terror at what -he had seen. Then without thought of anything -else except his sister’s danger, he dove -right off the platform after Sue, not realizing -or caring that his own cable cord was not -fastened.</p> -<p>If the scientist had not grabbed for Sue -she might have floated safely across to the -freighter. But by touching her he had sent -her off in a direction beneath it.</p> -<p>Over his radio, Steve heard her screaming -for help and saw her flinging her arms and -legs about like a drowning swimmer. Steve -was moving faster than she and presently -caught up with her.</p> -<p>“What are we going to do, Steve?” she cried, -holding tightly to him. “We can’t stop! And -it’s so dark out here!”</p> -<p>Steve knew that unless someone came to -their aid they would drift on and on since -there was no air to slow them down. But he -didn’t tell Sue this.</p> -<p>He remembered, as he had at times before, -that a spaceman must keep his head in an -emergency. He spoke comforting words to Sue, -telling her to try to be calm, that help would -be coming.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_128">128</div> -<div class="img" id="pic4"> -<img src="images/i05.jpg" alt="He saw her flinging her arms and legs about like a drowning swimmer" width="500" height="653" /> -<p class="caption"><i>He saw her flinging her arms and legs about like a drowning swimmer</i></p> -</div> -<div class="pb" id="Page_129">129</div> -<p>Even as he told her this a spear of light hit -them and a voice broke in on their radio: -“Steve! Sue! Stop struggling! I’m on my way -to you!”</p> -<p>“Biff!” Steve exclaimed, and the dread in -his heart suddenly lifted. He looked over his -shoulder and saw their big friend approaching, -guided by the light that had been flashed -on them from the freighter.</p> -<p>There was a little plume of flame trailing -behind him. In a few minutes he had caught -up with them. Sue was so glad to see him she -grabbed the big spaceman and her helmet -bumped against his in an attempted kiss.</p> -<p>“Oh, I’m so glad to see you, Biff!” she -sobbed. “I was so <i>awfully</i> scared!”</p> -<p>“You’re all right now,” Biff said gently. -“Both of you hold on to me and we’ll go back.”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_130">130</div> -<p>Steve took Biff’s left arm and Sue firmly -grasped one of Steve’s. Biff carried a type of -hand rocket, called a “pusher,” that he had -used to shoot himself along toward them. By -pointing the rocket in the opposite direction -from which he wanted to go, the “pusher” -pushed him in the manner of the rocket tubes -on the freighter.</p> -<p>Biff pointed the pusher away from the -freighter. Steve saw a burst of fire beside them -and the three of them sped off toward the big -ship. As Sue reached the platform, her father -was there to help her aboard. She could see -in his eyes the fear he had felt for them.</p> -<p>Steve was surprised to have the crew greet -him warmly with pats on the back. The boy -turned to his father. “Why are they calling me -a hero?” he asked. “It was Biff who saved us!”</p> -<p>“Not taking credit away from Biff, any good -spaceman would have done what he did,” said -Mr. Shannon. “But few would have attempted -your trick of jumping into space after your -sister with no way of getting back. Right, -Biff?”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_131">131</div> -<p>Biff nodded his plastic helmet. “It wasn’t -the smartest thing you could have done, Steve, -but it showed your bravery. Courage counts -just as much as ability in a spaceman. Don’t -ever forget that, son.”</p> -<p>Steve, who wanted to be a spaceman some -day, would not forget it.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_132">132</div> -<div class="img"><img src="images/chapter.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="27" /></div><h2 id="c10"><br /><i>THE FLYING MOUNTAIN</i></h2> -<p>Steve and Sue were playing a -game as the freighter headed through space -toward Earth. It was fun trying to see who -could build the higher tower of sticks. The -young Shannons were in extra good spirits. -Before long they would be seeing Mom and -their home in Arkansas, after being in space -for so many months.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_133">133</div> -<p>Steve carefully placed the last stick on his -tower which was almost as high as he could -reach.</p> -<p>“<i>I</i> won, Sis!” he exclaimed. But as he drew -his hand away, it brushed against the tower, -causing the sticks to drift off in all directions.</p> -<p>“<i>I</i> won!” Sue cried gleefully, “Yours broke -up!”</p> -<p>Steve made a face and began picking the -sticks out of the air before they floated too -far. It was lack of weight in space that made it -possible to play such a game. The twins -would have hung in the air like the sticks if -their shoe soles were not held to the floor by -magnetism.</p> -<p>“I’ll beat you next time,” Steve boasted.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_134">134</div> -<p>Before they could start again, their father -came into the room. “It looks as though we -may not be getting home as quickly as we had -expected, kids. Captain Furman has received -an S. O. S. from a passenger rocket that’s -down on the asteroid, Sierra.” The twins -knew an asteroid to be one of the thousands -of tiny planets in the Solar System.</p> -<p>“Are we going to her aid?” Steve asked.</p> -<p>“It depends on whether we have enough -fuel or not,” his father replied. “Even atomic -fuel runs out sometime, you know. Captain -Furman is talking with his officers now. It’ll -be a shame if we can’t help the <i>Pole Star</i>—as -much as I want to see Mom.”</p> -<p>It was just like his unselfish dad to say that, -Steve thought. He felt the same way about it. -And he didn’t doubt that tender-hearted Sue -was of the same mind.</p> -<p>Mr. Shannon started out of the room again. -“I’m going to see what they are going to do.”</p> -<p>Steve and Sue went back to their game. But -somehow it wasn’t as much fun now. People -were in trouble and trouble in space was -often a frightening thing.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_135">135</div> -<p>It seemed like a long time before their -father came back. He walked in so fast that -his magnetic shoes sounded like tiny hammers. -“Kids,” he said, “the captain wants to -see you.”</p> -<p>“<i>Us?</i>” Steve asked.</p> -<p>“That’s right. Come quickly.”</p> -<p>They went out, leaving some sticks in mid-air -and others drifting off. The young Shannons -walked shyly into the captain’s room -where all the officers stood. Steve felt out of -place among the neatly uniformed spacemen.</p> -<p>Mr. Shannon was in charge of cargo which -the freighter dropped off at different ports in -space, for he was an official of the American -Space Supply Company. But he had nothing -to do with the running of the ship.</p> -<p>“Young folks,” said the tall captain, who -had a blond mustache, “we want you to help -us solve a problem.”</p> -<p>“Sir?” Steve asked, puzzled.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_136">136</div> -<p>“Here it is,” went on the chief, in his -booming voice. “If we go on past Earth to -Sierra to help the <i>Pole Star</i>, it’ll leave us with -only a fifty-fifty chance of having enough fuel -to reach Earth. But the <i>Pole Star</i> is running -short of supplies and their radio just went -dead a while ago. It’s too late to get help from -Earth. The crew is divided on what we -should do, so I decided to call you two in to -see what you think.”</p> -<p>A husky crewman spoke out boldly, “What -do these kids know about space, Captain? -They’re not even old enough to be out here! -I say stick to our course and get this crew and -ship back safely to Earth!”</p> -<p>The remark angered Steve, but the spaceman -looked too big to talk back to. Sue wasn’t -so timid.</p> -<p>“You ought to be ashamed of yourself!” -she exclaimed. “Thinking of yourself when -other people are in trouble!”</p> -<p>Steve and his father were surprised at Sue’s -outburst. Captain Furman and the other -crewmen smiled.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_137">137</div> -<p>“I think that solves our problem,” the captain -spoke firmly. “If the young lady has -courage enough to overlook the risk, the rest -of us should have it, too. Thank you, Sue. -We move at full rocket thrust to aid the <i>Pole -Star</i>.”</p> -<p>As the Shannons went out into the corridor, -Steve asked his sister, “Wow, Sue, what -made you talk back to that big fellow like -that?”</p> -<p>“He was so selfish!” Sue answered. “Besides, -it made me mad to hear him say we -didn’t know anything about space! Why, -we’ve been over almost all of the Solar System, -haven’t we, Dad?”</p> -<p>Her father pressed her shoulder. “Of -course, honey. I’m proud of you, because I -felt the same way.”</p> -<p>It took a few days for the freighter to reach -the asteroid. The space ship, in going past -the Earth, had come close enough for the -Earth to be seen as a misty, green light. It -made the twins long for home as they saw it.</p> -<p>“Sierra is like a big meteor, isn’t it, Dad?” -Steve asked, as the three of them looked -downward on the flat, egg-shaped rock.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_138">138</div> -<p>His father nodded. “It’s often called, ‘The -Flying Mountain,’ because of the low peaks -on it. Sierra is only a mile long and less than -that wide.”</p> -<p>“I remember from school that it wasn’t discovered -until 1965,” Sue said.</p> -<p>“That’s because it’s so small and isn’t very -bright in the sky,” her father spoke. “Most -of the asteroids are much farther out, between -Mars and Jupiter, but a few come in -close to Earth like Sierra, Hermes, Eros and -some others.”</p> -<p>The freighter landed safely in a flat area -about two hundred feet from the <i>Pole Star</i>. -The Shannons could see the damaged space -ship jammed against a cliff. Brilliant sunshine -reflected upward from bare dark rock, -dazzling their eyes. It was over a hundred -degrees on Sierra, for there was no atmosphere -to check the sun’s heat.</p> -<p>“Boy, what a place for a sunburn!” Steve -said.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_139">139</div> -<p>“It’s certainly summertime on Sierra!” Sue -added.</p> -<p>They watched crewmen in space suits come -out of the freighter and begin uncoiling a -spool of rope that would stretch between the -two ships. Safety lines led from all the men -back to the cargo ship.</p> -<p>“There’s almost no gravity at all here,” -Mr. Shannon told his son and daughter, “because -the asteroid is so small. If the people -from the <i>Pole Star</i>—providing there are any -alive—didn’t have the rope to hang on to, they -might float right off Sierra.”</p> -<p>The children asked to go outside. The -three suited up and went out, using safety -lines, just in case.</p> -<p>The glare was so strong that they had to -lower their darkening glasses over the face -part of their helmets. The heat was such that -they had to switch on the cooling outfits in -their suits. It was strange to see the edge of -the asteroid so close, just beyond a fringe of -dagger-like peaks. It was like being on a big -space raft.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_140">140</div> -<p>The twins tried walking. They were less -than feather-light and it was quite a job for -them even to keep upright. Sue decided this -wouldn’t be a very good place to spend a summer -vacation.</p> -<p>Sue’s cooling outfit made her sneeze. She -was lifted right off the ground and her father -had to pull her down quickly. She and Steve -laughed but they had been scared.</p> -<p>“See, it doesn’t take much to send you sky -high!” Mr. Shannon joked, speaking over the -radio set which all three of them carried in -their space suits.</p> -<p>At last the crewmen, who had been moving -so carefully over the ground toward the -<i>Pole Star</i>, reached the ship and fastened the -rope to it. The outer door of the <i>Pole Star</i> -was then opened by someone inside.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_141">141</div> -<p>“Thank goodness somebody’s alive in -there!” Mr. Shannon said thankfully. “I guess -the ship just coasted into the rock wall without -too much force.”</p> -<p>The freighter crew began helping people -out of the passenger rocket. If things weren’t -so serious, it would have been funny for Sue -and Steve to see them in their balloon-like -space suits, bouncing one careful step at a -time and holding on for dear life to the rope.</p> -<p>As the party neared the freighter, the twins -suddenly saw their father dash toward the -ship. In his haste, Mr. Shannon seemed to -have forgotten where he was and went scooting -upward like a high-jumper.</p> -<p>“Dad!” Sue and Steve cried out together.</p> -<p>Mr. Shannon had to put out his hands and -feet at the last minute to keep from crashing -into the wall of the freighter. Then he pulled -himself down to the ground with his safety -line. When they saw that their father was unhurt, -Sue and Steve began walking toward the -ship with careful steps.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_142">142</div> -<p>They heard their dad exclaim, “Mr. Ballinger!” -as he walked over to one of the men -from the <i>Pole Star</i>.</p> -<p>“John Shannon!” the man said.</p> -<p>It turned out that Mr. Ballinger was the -president of the American Space Supply -Company and was Mr. Shannon’s boss. Mr. -Ballinger explained that the <i>Pole Star</i> was -heading for Mars when there was an explosion -in the rocket tubes. By landing on Sierra -the captain thought there was a better chance -of their being found than if they had just -kept drifting in space, because all ships knew -the path of “The Flying Mountain.” No one -had been hurt in the landing and the <i>Pole -Star</i> had enough fuel to get the freighter back -to Earth.</p> -<p>“I don’t know whether I should fire you -people or not for risking my good freighter -just to save an old codger like me!” the -friendly Mr. Ballinger joked.</p> -<p>“We almost didn’t,” Steve’s dad reminded -him and explained how Sue’s outburst had -decided the problem.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_143">143</div> -<p>“You’ve certainly got some smart ones -there, John,” Mr. Ballinger said, smiling at -Sue and Steve. “Your son has already proved -himself a hero before and now it’s Sue. Yes, -sir, I sure wish I had a pair like them!”</p> -<p>But the twins scarcely heard him. They -were thinking that, in spite of the great fun -they had had on all their space adventures, -how wonderful it was going to be to see Mom -again and set foot on the grandest planet in -all the Solar System—Earth!</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_144">144</div> -<div class="img"><img src="images/chapter.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="27" /></div><h2 id="c11"><br /><i>CASTAWAYS IN SPACE</i></h2> -<p>The two of them had just -shoved the supply case against the chute door -when the space ship gave an unexpected burst -of rocket power, knocking Skip Miller against -the release lever. The escape door shot up and -a big square of black space opened before the -boys’ eyes.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_145">145</div> -<p>Glen Hartzell was stunned to see his friend -go spinning down the incline and follow the -supply case toward the open door. Automatically, -Glen stretched his lean body full length -trying to grasp Skip’s space suit before he escaped. -But his momentum sent him skidding -down the slope and the next thing he knew -he was out in space, too.</p> -<p>A week ago Glen wouldn’t have cared -whether he faced death or not. He and Skip -had just made the scorned fraternity of -“Wockies,” washed-out cadets. His failure had -cut like a knife. He had wanted to pilot ships -through the depths of space more than anything -else in the world. Instead, he and Skip -had been assigned to ground crews on Mars. -That, at least, had been their destination until -Skip’s elbow unexpectedly made them castaways -in space.</p> -<p>Glen’s first thought was directed to Skip, -who looked like a toy balloon as he drifted -through the vacuum. “Skip!” he called over -his space suit radio. “Do you hear me, Skip?”</p> -<p>“Yeah, Glen,” Skip’s reply was scarcely -more than a squeak.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_146">146</div> -<p>Glen looked down and ahead where a massive -rock some ten miles in diameter hung -in the starry emptiness. “If we can make -Phobos, we may be all right.”</p> -<p>“We’re done for,” Skip groaned.</p> -<p>“We’re not!” Glen’s wits were sharpened -by the danger. “We’re lined up pretty well -with Phobos. She doesn’t have any gravity to -speak of and we may be able to land on her.”</p> -<p>“We won’t make Phobos,” Skip argued. -“We’ll either run into Mars’ gravity field and -crash on its surface or float through space until -our air runs out.”</p> -<p>“Shut up, Skip!” Glen’s tone was sharp. -“Listen to me. See if you can pick up a little -speed by kicking out behind with your feet -and hands. If you can catch up with the supply -case, hang on.”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_147">147</div> -<p>Skip didn’t reply but Glen saw his arms and -legs begin to move. Glen worked his own. It -was a grueling effort, but Glen found that he -was able to increase his speed much in the -manner of a space ship’s thrust. By the time -Glen touched Skip’s suit, both of them were -sucking freely of their precious oxygen.</p> -<p>“What’s the idea?” Skip asked as his gloved -hand clutched the strap of the supply case and -Glen held onto him.</p> -<p>“We’ll use the case as a buffer to break our -fall,” Glen explained. “Remember, it’s covered -with foam rubber so that it won’t shatter -when it hits.”</p> -<p>The two had been preparing to drop the -emergency supply case on Mars at the time of -the accident. Glen was glad now that they’d -donned space suits.</p> -<p>Glen saw that the space ship was now only -a tiny needle against the red disk of Mars. He -and Skip had probably not even been missed -by the crew. When they did find out, they -wouldn’t know where to look for the boys.</p> -<p>Phobos was a jagged, frightening giant below, -but Glen held nothing but love for it. -Their speed had increased slightly, but it did -not look as if they would hit the ground dangerously -fast.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_148">148</div> -<p>Glen felt Skip’s muscles tense for the landing.</p> -<p>“Steady, fellow!” Glen breathed.</p> -<p>He felt a rough jar in the pit of his stomach. -Glen bounced off Skip’s back as though he -were rubber. He spread out his arms to ease -his fall, then was surprised to find his body -settling down to rest as lightly as a leaf.</p> -<p>Glen felt a prickly chill in his cheeks. -“We’ve got practically no weight at all!” he -breathed. Skip had almost drifted off into -space again, but Glen grabbed his leg and -pulled him back.</p> -<p>“It’s a crazy world, isn’t it?” Skip searched -the rocky landscape that sloped down from -them on both sides. It was weird to be on a -globe so tiny you were conscious of its roundness.</p> -<p>Glenn nodded. “We’ve <i>really</i> got to keep -both feet on the ground!”</p> -<p>“What if they don’t find us, Glen?” Skip -asked. “What then?”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_149">149</div> -<p>“I don’t know, Skip,” Glen sighed. “Let’s -see what’s in the supply case.”</p> -<p>Glen was able to crawl better than he could -walk over to the supply case. Skip followed. -Glen pressed a button on the case and the top -sprang up.</p> -<p>“Whew! There’s not much that isn’t included!” -Skip said. “Spare oxygen tanks, a -bubble tent outfit, food capsules, water maker, -first-aid, flares, books, electronic stove-heater.”</p> -<p>“Let’s put up the bubble tent,” Glen said. -“It’ll help save our heat.”</p> -<p>As he had learned in cadet training, he removed -a cylinder from the outfit and pulled a -lever. It popped open and a plastic bubble began -growing out of it. The bubble, which was -slightly oblong and transparent, enlarged to -about seven feet, then detached itself from the -cartridge airtight. After it had hardened for -several minutes, Glen took an electric saw -from the kit and cut a small door in the side. -They made hinges from self-sealing plastic -strips.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_150">150</div> -<p>They used the foam rubber from around -the case for flooring, then put the supplies inside -the bubble. They turned on the heater -and then turned off the heat units in their -suits.</p> -<p>“How long do you figure our supplies can -last, Glen?” Skip asked.</p> -<p>“They’re supposed to last two people ten -days,” Glen replied. “Don’t you remember -that question on our exam?”</p> -<p>“Don’t remind me!” Skip said. “I’m tired -of hearing about the cadet corps.”</p> -<p>“I know,” Glen said bitterly.</p> -<p>“How could they flunk us on one question?” -Skip asked. “It wasn’t fair.”</p> -<p>“I agree with you,” Glen answered, “but -the fact remains that we’ve got to take it.”</p> -<p>Skip chuckled grimly. “You talk as if we -have a lifetime ahead of us. We don’t know -whether we’ve got <i>tomorrow</i>.”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_151">151</div> -<p>“Which reminds me, we’d better send off -some flares to let somebody know where we -are.” Glen picked up some of the rocket flares -and “drifted” out of the bubble tent. He set -up a flare on its tripod legs, pointed it at Mars’ -ruddy face and pulled on the release catch. -But it wouldn’t move.</p> -<p>“It’s jammed!” Glen tried another rocket -and got the same result. Then another, and another. -They were all useless, all the catches -warped, possibly from having been kept too -near a heat source in the ship.</p> -<p>“How are we going to signal Mars now?” -Skip asked.</p> -<p>“Anything we toss out will be drawn to the -planet by its gravitation,” Glen was thinking -out loud.</p> -<p>“How about throwing out some of the extra -supplies we have?” Skip proposed. “We can -attach a note.”</p> -<p>“It’s a million-to-one shot they’d be found. -Don’t you realize that only a fraction of Mars -has colonists? No, I’m afraid we’d wait here -until doomsday if we had to count on that.”</p> -<p>“But what else is there to do?” Skip’s eyes -were round with dread.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_152">152</div> -<p>Glen fought down his own sudden despair. -“It looks as though we’ll have to get to Mars -on our own, Skip.”</p> -<p>“Now you’re crazy! We’d be smashed to -pieces!”</p> -<p>“Not the way I’m thinking.” A plan was -forming in Glen’s mind, as he scrambled into -the bubble tent and came out with one of their -engineering books. Skip watched in amazement -as Glen began working math problems -in the dirt with a piece of stone.</p> -<p>After a while, Glen said, “I think it’ll work, -Skip. Want to take a chance?”</p> -<p>“I’d like to know what it is first.”</p> -<p>“We can use the chute from the supply -case and attach it to the bubble,” Glen explained. -“Then we can ride in the bubble to -Mars.”</p> -<p>“It sounds fantastic!”</p> -<p>“I’ve figured it every way I know,” Glen -said. “At least, it’s better than sitting here and -hoping we’ll accidentally be found. Shall we -try it?”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_153">153</div> -<p>Skip shrugged. “If it’s our only chance. But -I hope you’ve figured all the angles!”</p> -<p>“We’d better get started right away,” Glen -advised. “We may need all our air tanks if we -have to do some walking when we land.”</p> -<p>They set to work fastening the lines of the -chute around and under the plastic bubble. -They used more of the plastic strips to secure -the lines tightly. The chute was still folded, -since the vacuum on Phobos had failed to trip -the automatic release. The boys decided to -carry only a minimum of supplies to make -their weight as light as possible. When they -were ready to go, they climbed into the bubble -and Glen shoved them off with one foot outside -the door. Then he closed the door.</p> -<p>“How long will it take us to get there?” Skip -asked.</p> -<p>“I’ve figured on about a hundred hours,” -Glen answered. “That should put us close to -Mars City, figuring on Mars’ rotation. But if -it doesn’t, we should be able to reach some research -settlement.”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_154">154</div> -<p>They moved slowly at first. Glen hoped for -only enough speed to carry them into Mars’ -gravity pull. As they approached the red planet, -their speed would increase and that worried -Glen. If they whacked into Mars’ air blanket -too fast, the chute might be ripped from the -bubble.</p> -<p>To while away the many hours, the boys -dozed and took turns reading the one novel -they had brought along. Their legs soon became -cramped and sore, and they would have -given a good deal to have been able to stretch -or walk about.</p> -<p>On the third day, the boys could see the -canals criss-crossing in a tangled network on -the ruddy globe of Mars. On the fourth day, -just as Glen had figured, the glassite domes of -Mars City began to show through the violet -haze of atmosphere. Glen wondered how fast -they were going. There was no way to tell because -their insulation kept them from feeling -the rush of air.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_155">155</div> -<p>“Cross your fingers, Skip,” Glen warned. -“Our chute should open in the next few minutes.”</p> -<p>The seconds appeared to last hours as they -waited, and Glen suffered a torture of suspense. -What if the chute did not open? In that -case, they would end up in fragments on Mars’ -red earth. Or what if the force of the air should -jerk the chute off the bubble?</p> -<p>Even as Glen worried, he felt a sharp drag -and was tumbled over on Skip.</p> -<p>“Look! The chute’s open!” Skip pointed -overhead.</p> -<p>Some minutes later, the red ground rushed -up at them like an enfolding blanket. Their -final problem faced them now. If they landed -safely, they would have conquered space in a -way no spaceman had ever done before.</p> -<p>Glen’s muscles drew tight and his heart -thumped rapidly as the last few hundred feet -melted away. He wanted to close his eyes during -these final seconds but he forced himself -to watch the rising ground so that he could -brace himself at the moment of contact. He -was glad they had the foam rubber cushion beneath -them.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_156">156</div> -<p>Glen counted off the last few feet. “A hundred—fifty—twenty—!”</p> -<p>As they struck, Glen was thrown against the -ceiling of the bubble. Plastic clattered against -plastic as the bubble rolled over on the ground -many times before stopping. Glen straightened -himself out. He was shaken up but he was unhurt. -He looked across at Skip.</p> -<p>“We made it,” Glen said, but his voice -shook, as if he wasn’t yet able to believe it. He -tore off the door seals, shoved out the door. -Then they got out and stretched their legs. -Looking at the domes of Mars City in the distance, -Glen asked, “Ready to start walking?”</p> -<p>“After being cooped up like a chicken, I’m -willing to walk all over Mars. Let’s go.” Skip’s -natural good humor had returned.</p> -<p>Less than an hour later, an astonished captain -at the Mars City spaceport heard the boys’ -strange story.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_157">157</div> -<p>“Your courage and ingenuity have been incredible!” -the captain said when they had -finished. “I can’t believe that you two are -Wockies. If you weren’t flunked for reasons of -scholarship, I’m sure you’ll be reinstated.”</p> -<p>“We weren’t flunked for that reason, sir,” -Skip said.</p> -<p>“For what reason then?” the captain asked.</p> -<p>Glen smiled wryly as he replied, “We were -flunked, sir, because we failed the test to determine -whether we could bear up in an emergency -or not!”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_158">158</div> -<div class="img"><img src="images/chapter.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="27" /></div><h2 id="c12"><br /><i>THE BIG SPACE BALL GAME</i></h2> -<p>It was an unusual setting for -baseball. Instead of a blue sky, there was the -darkness of space and the brilliance of stars -overhead. The light of Earth flooded the scene, -and surrounding the oversized diamond were -the walls of Copernicus crater, over fifty miles -across.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_159">159</div> -<p>On the mound, Bill Cherry was pitching -practice balls to his catcher, Ollie Taylor. -Only underhand throwing was allowed in -baseball on the Moon, for the ball was exceedingly -fast in the light gravity and airlessness. -Bill, in snug-fitting space gear, was standing -farther than the regulation ninety feet from -the plate. This was because of the pitcher’s -advantage over the batter in Lunar ball.</p> -<p>Bill wound up and threw. The ball shot like -a bullet into Ollie’s double-padded mitt.</p> -<p>“Thatta boy, Bill!” Ollie’s voice came over -Bill’s space suit radio. “If you’re this sharp -when we meet the Comets this afternoon, -we’re bound to win our first championship!”</p> -<p>“That’s enough practice, fellows!” Coach -Lippert called, coming out of the dugout. “No -use giving our best before the game!”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_160">160</div> -<p>It was the <i>big</i> game for the team from Plato, -which was tied with the league leaders in this -last game of the season. Plato was the farthest -colony on the Moon and was named for the -big crater in which it was located. Copernicus -colony, the baseball leader, had won the championship -every year since the school league had -been formed. As a prize, the champions were -always given a free rocket trip to Earth.</p> -<p>The Plato Rocketeers were homesick for -their mother planet. One of them, little Pete -Irby, had never set foot there. He had been -born on the Moon.</p> -<p>“It must be wonderful to go around without -even a space suit on like they do on Earth!” -Pete said wistfully to Bill.</p> -<p>“Don’t worry, Pete,” Bill said confidently. -“I have a feeling that this is our year and that -we’re all going to Earth.”</p> -<p>“I sure hope you’re right,” Pete replied, -with great feeling. “I can’t wait to see the great -national parks and rivers and all the other -wonderful things there!”</p> -<hr /><p class="tb">At game time the grandstand was filled and -some people were standing. It was the largest -crowd ever to see a ball game on the Moon. -Much of the crowd was made up of hopeful -parents from the Plato colony who had come -seven hundred miles by rocket plane to see -their boys play.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_161">161</div> -<p>The champion Copernicus Comets ran out -onto the field in big bouncing strides. For on -the Moon a person was capable of jumping -and running in great leaps because of the low -gravity, only one-sixth of Earth’s.</p> -<p>The Plato Rocketeers were the visiting -team would bat first. When the outfielders -had taken their positions, they were tiny forms -far out in the distance with nothing but gray -wilderness behind them for a backstop. There -were eleven men in Moon baseball because -of this greater outfield range. Two extra fielders -played behind the shortstop and second -baseman and were called “short fielders.”</p> -<p>Bill noticed a wheel chair below the railing -of the grandstand. His mother and dad had -brought his crippled younger brother Skippy -to see the game! Bill had known his parents -were going to rocket over from Plato in time -for the game, but they had not said Skippy -would come along. Bill gave Skippy a wave -and his little brother waved back.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_162">162</div> -<p>The lead-off batter for the Rocketeers -walked to the plate swinging a bat, padded to -keep it from hitting the ball too hard and -far. The Comets’ ace pitcher, Carl Cadman, -hurled three fast strikes over almost before the -batter had gotten a good foothold. Carl struck -out the next batter as well and then forced -little Pete Irby to loft a high infield fly for the -third out.</p> -<p>“Let’s get ’em, Bill!” Ollie said excitedly as -the Rocketeers took the field.</p> -<p>“We’ll sure try,” Bill promised his catcher.</p> -<p>Bill took the mound. With his space gloves -he massaged rosin into the baseball. After getting -the signal from Ollie, Bill swung his arm -down and around. The batter swung sharply, -driving the ball toward third. The baseman -made a dive for the ball, but he missed it. His -body seemed to glide in slow motion in the -light gravity.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_163">163</div> -<p>Bill walked the next batter, making two on -and none out. Jack Brenna, the Comets’ heaviest -hitter, was up. Bill got two strikes on him -and then Jack took a better toehold. As Bill -saw bat and ball connect solidly on the next -pitch, his heart fell.</p> -<p>The ball arched like a comet across the dark -sky. The left fielder took a dozen giant steps -after the ball but then gave up. The ball -seemed to be going for miles. It was a home -run.</p> -<p>The Comets did not score anymore that inning, -but the damage seemed to be already -done. The champions were leading 3-0.</p> -<p>Bill was first up for the Rocketeers. As he -went to the plate swinging a bat, his eye caught -Skippy’s wheel chair, and he saw his game -little brother waving encouragement. It made -him want to try even harder to put his team -out in front. Bill knew he would have to do it -with his hitting, since he had failed as a -pitcher.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_164">164</div> -<p>But Bill got no closer to a hit than a long -foul into the stands. Then he struck out. The -two teammates following him also failed to get -on base.</p> -<p>The game moved along with no more scoring -for the next five innings. It was still 3-0.</p> -<p>In the last of the seventh inning the Plato -Rocketeers had more trouble. The first Comet -batter topped the ball slowly to Pete at shortstop, -who tried too hard to make the play. -The ball rolled between his legs and the runner -went all the way to second.</p> -<p>Pete was so busy grumbling about his last -error that he muffed the next play too. He -jumped ten feet into the air trying to reach -the high, bounding ball, but he misjudged it -and it went on past. The runner on second -loped down to third in long strides. Bill called -time in order to give Pete a chance to settle -down.</p> -<p>“We’ll never win this game!” Pete groaned. -“Why don’t you fellows say I’m not any good—like -you’re thinking!”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_165">165</div> -<p>“Stop talking like that!” Bill told him over -his suit radio. “You’re thinking too much -about going to Earth, Pete. You’re trying <i>too</i> -hard!”</p> -<p>“I’ll try to do better,” Pete promised.</p> -<p>The next batter drove a high fly to center, -sending the runner in from third and making -the score 4-0. Bill walked the player following, -but then he was lucky enough to strike out the -hard-hitting Jack Brenna.</p> -<p>The next Comet drove a hard liner to Pete. -Pete scrambled for the ball, but once again -he muffed it and it went on into the outfield. -The shortfielder recovered it quickly but -threw wide to third, sending the runner into -the plate with the Comets’ fifth run.</p> -<p>When Bill looked at Pete, the little fellow -had thrown his big fielder’s glove into the air -and was beginning to walk broken-heartedly -off the diamond.</p> -<p>“Pete!” Bill heard Coach Lippert call -sharply over his suit radio as he ran onto the -field. “Get back to your position, son! I don’t -like a quitter on my team.”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_166">166</div> -<p>Players and coach huddled in the infield. -They looked like a gathering of teddy bears -in the space suits. Bill could see tears of bitterness -inside Pete’s plastic helmet.</p> -<p>“Fellows,” the coach said, “what did we -come seven hundred miles across the Moon to -do?”</p> -<p>“To play ball,” someone answered, “—and -win.”</p> -<p>“All right, then. What do you say we start -doing it? Pete, I’m going to send you to left -field where you used to play. Dan, in left field, -will take your place at shortstop.”</p> -<p>The Rocketeers retired the side without -further scoring. Then as though to prove that -the pep talk had helped, the team came up -with three big runs of their own!</p> -<p>Pitching with all his skill, Bill was able to -set down the Comets in order. It was now the -top half of the ninth inning, the last chance -for Plato to win the game. They were still behind -5-3, and the two-run lead seemed as big -as the Milky Way to Bill.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_167">167</div> -<p>Dan started it off by walloping a double -down the right field line. Pete followed with a -single that bounced high over the right shortfielder’s -head. The fielder behind him took the -ball and threw quickly to his catcher to keep -Dan from scoring off third. But then the -Rocketeers’ luck seemed to have run out as the -next two players struck out.</p> -<p>“It’s all up to you, Bill,” the coach told his -pitcher as Bill selected his favorite bat.</p> -<p>“I’ll be swinging, coach,” Bill said determinedly.</p> -<p>He looked toward the stands as he walked to -the plate. Skippy was waving encouragement -again.</p> -<p>“This one is for you, Skippy,” Bill murmured, -stepping up to the plate.</p> -<p>Carl tried to make him swing on two bad -pitches.</p> -<p>“Careful,” Bill warned himself. “There are -two outs—only one more left to us in the whole -game!”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_168">168</div> -<p>The next ball was just the one Bill wanted. -He swung with all his might. He saw the ball -rise and lose itself in the white dust of starlight -overhead. And then he was off!</p> -<p>Loping past second, he saw the left fielder -still bounding like a rabbit after the ball. The -coach slowed him up on third base.</p> -<p>“Take it easy, Bill,” he said with a happy -grin. “That ball is on the dark side of the -Moon by now!”</p> -<p>Bill could see the Plato rooters waving their -arms wildly in glee, and his radio picked up -their loud cheers. As he crossed the plate with -the leading run, he waved to Skippy who was -almost out of his wheel chair in his excitement -over his big brother’s tingling homer.</p> -<p>The score: Plato 6, Copernicus 5. The game -was far from over, though. The Comets still -had their last turn at bat.</p> -<p>Bill got the first player to raise a high infield -pop-up. In the Moon’s light gravity it -seemed as if the ball would never come down. -But it finally did, and Dan took it for the first -out.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_169">169</div> -<p>Bill walked the next Comet, to put one on -and with one out. The following batter forced -the runner at second, making it two out and -giving Bill a much more confident feeling.</p> -<p>But then up to the plate walked Jack -Brenna!</p> -<p>Bill swallowed hard and began to sweat inside -his space suit. He failed to get the ball -over the plate on the first two pitches. Jack -swung on the next pitch and sent a hard foul -ball behind third base.</p> -<p>“Must be careful,” Bill thought. “A homer -with the man on base will win the game for -the Comets.”</p> -<p>Bill came though with a fast ball. Jack met -it squarely and as the ball towered high over -the infield, Jack felt all quivery and weak. He -turned his head regretfully and saw the ball -rising high and far against the midnight black -of space. He saw little Pete Irby galloping -away from the diamond as fast as he could go.</p> -<p>“Get it, Pete!” Bill pleaded under his -breath. “Please get it!”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_170">170</div> -<p>Everybody in the stands was on his feet. -This was the play that would decide the game—and -the championship.</p> -<p>Pete finally made a last second leap that -brought him twenty feet off the ground. Bill -could hardly see ball and glove meet. But they -did meet and Pete had done the impossible!</p> -<p>They had won!</p> -<p>The Rocketeers whirled the coach and Bill -easily up on their shoulders, because of the -light Lunar weight. Then they began parading -happily around the diamond to celebrate -their very first championship. When Pete had -made the long trip in from the outfield, he too -was carried around on his teammates’ shoulders.</p> -<p>“That was a swell catch, Pete!” Bill called -out to the little fellow. “You sure saved the -day for us!”</p> -<p>“You know what, Bill?” Pete said, grinning. -“If I’d missed that ball I would have kept on -running—yep, right into space! I was determined -to make that trip to Earth one way or -another!”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_171">171</div> -<div class="img"><img src="images/chapter.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="27" /></div><h2 id="c13"><br /><i>PAPER TREASURE FOR MARS</i></h2> -<p>Hugh Davone and Link Malloy -sat at the wall desk of the space ship compartment -poring over their albums of interplanetary -postage stamps. The atom-powered -<i>Princess of Mars</i>, cargo and passenger liner, -was only a few hours out on its Earth-to-Mars -run.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_172">172</div> -<p>“It makes me nervous thinking of the thousands -of dollars’ worth of stamps we’re carrying -in the wall safe,” Link said. “I don’t think -I’m going to enjoy this trip.”</p> -<p>“Take it easy, Link,” Hugh replied, with -a lighthearted grin. “There are Space Guardsmen -aboard ship to protect us.”</p> -<p>The fellows were on their annual vacation -from the Space Cadet Corps. Since cadets in -training could ride any space ship free, the -two were escorting a valuable shipment of Mr. -Davone’s interplanetary stamps to another -dealer opening up shop in Mars City.</p> -<p>“I’m worrying about that white-haired old -character your dad said asked suspicious questions -at his shop the other day,” Link said. -“Seems funny that he is making the trip to -Mars the same time we are.”</p> -<p>“Probably only a coincidence,” Hugh answered. -“There’s only one flight a month to -Mars, you know.”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_173">173</div> -<p>“There are unscrupulous dealers who would -give anything to lay their hands on our shipment,” -Link went on. “This deal means an -awful lot to your dad’s stamp business, Hugh. -If we should bungle the job, he certainly -would lose a lot.”</p> -<p>“Sure he would,” Hugh agreed, then he -added, “but we aren’t going to bungle it.”</p> -<p>This seemed to satisfy Link and a smile of -confidence deepened the corners of his broad, -friendly mouth.</p> -<p>Hugh picked up a stamp with his tongs. “I -came across this duplicate from the Venus -pictorial issue. It’s the six-dollar blue of the -Valley of Mists. Have you got it?”</p> -<p>Link leaned over. “No! What have you -been doing, Hugh, holding out on me? How -about some of my 2027 Lunar commems in -trade?”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_174">174</div> -<p>They worked out an exchange. The Lunar -stamps were curious specimens, imperforate -and circular. They depicted the Lunar hemisphere -which faces Earth. The single-stamp -issue had been distributed on the fiftieth anniversary -of man’s first landing on the moon -and was much in demand.</p> -<p>Suddenly there was a knock on the outer -door of the compartment.</p> -<p>Hugh got up and went to the door. As he -walked, his magnetic-sole shoes rasped against -the metallic floor like a knife being honed. He -opened the door.</p> -<p>A man with the face and build of a leprechaun -looked at Hugh. His pale but alert blue -eyes peered steadily into Hugh’s. Hugh also -began to wonder why this customer at Davone’s -Philatelic Shop should be making the -voyage to Mars with them.</p> -<p>“Yes, sir?” Hugh asked.</p> -<p>“May I come in?” the man asked. “My name -is Oscar Benasco.”</p> -<p>Hugh hesitated, thinking about the valuable -cargo, then he replied reluctantly, -“Yes.”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_175">175</div> -<p>“Your father certainly has a fine shop, Hugh -Davone,” the elderly man said brightly as he -entered. “However, I was disappointed to find -out that he had packed up some of his choicest -space items and was selling them to Mr. Elfs, -a dealer on Mars.”</p> -<p>“You know quite a lot, Mr. Benasco,” Link -remarked coolly.</p> -<p>“Yes, I pride myself on my shrewdness,” -Mr. Benasco replied in a modest manner. His -roving eyes came to rest on the boys’ albums. -“I see you two have collections of your own.”</p> -<p>“Nothing very valuable,” Hugh replied. -“But we enjoy our stamps just the same.”</p> -<p>“Ah, yes,” Benasco said. His eyes brightened -with eagerness and he placed the tips of -his outspread fingers together. “Speaking of -valuable items—those you are taking to Mars—no -doubt you keep them in your compartment -safe. I wonder if you might show them -to me?”</p> -<p>“I’m sorry, Mr. Benasco,” Hugh said, “but -I promised my dad I wouldn’t take the stamps -out to show anyone until they were safely in -the hands of Mr. Elfs on Mars.”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_176">176</div> -<p>Benasco looked completely crestfallen. His -rounded shoulders slumped and the most -pained expression covered his face. “Surely -just a look—” he pleaded.</p> -<p>“If you are going to Mars, as you must be,” -Hugh went on, “you’ll be able to see them all -in Mr. Elfs’s shop, and you can talk to him -about any stamps you might want to buy.”</p> -<p>“Then that’s your final answer?” Mr. Benasco -asked, his disappointment giving way -to annoyance.</p> -<p>“I’m afraid it must be,” Hugh told him. -“I’m sorry.”</p> -<p>“You’ve disappointed me sorely, young -man,” Mr. Benasco retorted. “Good day to -you.”</p> -<p>He turned briskly and clattered out the -door. As he left, Hugh caught sight of the -handle of an old type miniature rocket pistol -protruding from his coat pocket.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_177">177</div> -<p>“Did you see that pistol?” Link asked, in -surprise. “It’s a wonder he didn’t hold us up -for the stamps right here and now! But I -guess he was afraid to risk it.”</p> -<p>“For a moment I almost felt sorry for him -and was about to give in,” Hugh admitted. -“Now I’m glad I didn’t.”</p> -<p>In the days that followed, Hugh and Link -saw little of Mr. Benasco except in the dining -room.</p> -<p>One morning, near the end of the flight, -Hugh and Link were standing in front of -their compartment port looking out. The -orange-red globe of Mars was so dominant -that it seemed to press back the surrounding -stars and nebulae to near obscurity.</p> -<p>“Only a few more days and our shipment -will be safely in the hands of Mr. Elfs in Mars -City,” Hugh said. “Then Mr. Benasco will be -Mr. Elfs’s worry.”</p> -<p>“That will be just dandy as far as I’m concerned,” -Link replied earnestly.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_178">178</div> -<p>By this year of 2031, space mail service had -increased to such proportions that it had -opened up a brand new field of stamp specialization -for the philatelist. It was for this reason -that Mr. Elfs was attempting a stamp hobby -business in Mars City. Mr. Davone’s portfolios -of both low and high values was to provide -him with the bulk of his opening merchandise.</p> -<p>Even the most remote colonies of the Solar -System, including the farthest on Triton, Neptune, -had their own postage by now. The lone -Triton bi-color, picturing Valhalla Peak, tallest -mountain yet discovered in the System, was -one of the most wanted by collectors.</p> -<p>Suddenly the chimes for lunch were heard -over the compartment intercom.</p> -<p>Entering the dining room, Hugh and Link -saw Benasco in his usual place at the end of -the table near the door. They took their seats -and Link smiled at his plate. “Cubed beef, -Hugh.”</p> -<p>Hugh grinned. “You can’t say they don’t -aim to please on the <i>Princess of Mars</i>.”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_179">179</div> -<p>But the fellows did not get to finish their -cubed roast, nor did anyone else at the table.</p> -<p>A shock hit the ship like an unheralded -thunderbolt. Hugh had the crazy feeling of -being in a nightmare. After the deafening report, -he felt his lap belt snap, and then he was -hoisted out of his chair as though in the vortex -of a whirlwind. The table tore loose from the -floor fittings. Hugh bounced into a coffee urn -and it nearly stunned him. Groans of distress -from those around him filled his ears.</p> -<p>“What has happened?” Hugh thought -dazedly.</p> -<p>The ship’s disaster siren pealed along the -corridors of the <i>Princess of Mars</i>. Medical men -with stretchers came running and officers -snapped out brisk orders. Hugh groped anxiously -through the melee for Link. He struggled -over twisted chair tubing and found his -friend helping those who were hurt.</p> -<p>“We’ve got work to do,” Link told him.</p> -<p>Hugh rolled up his sleeves. He was still -giddy. “I’m ready,” he said.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_180">180</div> -<p>It was reported later that there were no -fatalities, but there were enough injured persons -to keep the infirmary staff busy for awhile.</p> -<p>Hugh and Link, working side by side with -the medical men, had not seen anything of -Benasco since the accident. The ship’s engineers -revealed that a meteorite had caused -the disaster. It had struck fairly close to the -compartment occupied by Hugh and Link. -Hugh shuddered to think what it would have -been like to have been tossed about in their -room like a pea in a whistle. Such would have -been his and Link’s fate had the strike occurred -half an hour earlier.</p> -<p>The cadets had not yet had the opportunity -to check their quarters for damage. When the -physician in charge finally freed them with -thanks for their help, Hugh thought about -the stamps for the first time since the unnerving -incident.</p> -<p>“Link,” he said urgently, “we’ve got to get -back and check on those stamps! This has been -a perfect set up for Benasco and his scheme!”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_181">181</div> -<p>“Right behind you,” Link said as they hurried -from the infirmary.</p> -<p>Along the way, the two found warped walls -and doors that had been flung open. Luckily -all the occupants in the worst-hit area had -been in the dining room at the terrible moment, -or there surely would have been fatalities.</p> -<p>Reaching their compartment, Hugh and -Link found that the door had been forced -open by the explosion.</p> -<p>Hugh hurried over to the wall safe. He felt -a chill of dread race through him. The vault -door also was open and the chamber was -empty.</p> -<p>“They’re gone!” Hugh said hoarsely. “All -of Dad’s stamps are gone!”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_182">182</div> -<p>Hugh slumped remorsefully on his cot, taut -fingers combing through his hair. “Dad -wanted to have the stamps insured,” he said -bitterly, “but I was trying to save him money. -The insurance fee was enormous, and on top -of that he would have had to pay the fare both -to and from Mars for the agents who would -carry the shipment. How I wish they had done -it now!”</p> -<p>“If Benasco has the stamps, we may still be -able to recover them,” Link said. “Let’s go -see him.”</p> -<p>Hugh got up, his face set, his palm shaped -into a fist. “If Benasco <i>is</i> the one, I’ll personally—oh, -never mind! Come on!”</p> -<p>They moved down corridor “E,” which was -away from the center of the damage. This was -the hall where they knew Benasco’s room was -located. Scarcely anybody was in the section -at present. Those who resided in the nearby -rooms were either helping out in the emergency, -or they were idly watching the beginning -of repairs. The outside meteor bumper -and the inner buffer bulkheads had kept the -destruction to a minimum. By automatically -sealing themselves off from the rest of the ship -at the moment of impact, the protective bulkheads -had kept the ship from being decompressed.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_183">183</div> -<p>Hugh and Link found their suspect’s door -closed. Hugh walked up to it and tried the -knob.</p> -<p>The door opened under Hugh’s push, but -the compartment was vacant.</p> -<p>“He’s gone,” Link said.</p> -<p>“He must be somewhere close by,” Hugh -returned impatiently. “We haven’t passed him -on the way, so he must be farther down the -corridor.”</p> -<p>“Maybe he’s looking for a place to hide the -portfolios until we land,” Link suggested. “He -knows we’ll suspect him of taking them.”</p> -<p>Hugh nodded. “Let’s go.”</p> -<p>As the two moved ahead down the quiet -passageway, Link spoke in a tense voice, “Do -you think we’re right trying to tackle that little -guy alone? We’re each bigger than he is, but -he’s got a pistol and we haven’t.”</p> -<p>“We’ll be careful,” Hugh promised.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_184">184</div> -<p>There were a number of storerooms lining -the corridor. The cadets checked one after another. -The rooms were shrouded in tomblike -silence and full of dark hiding places. But the -search revealed no sign of Benasco or the missing -portfolios.</p> -<p>“He seems to have disappeared right into -the air,” Link said discouragingly. “Hugh, I -hate to say it, but something tells me we aren’t -going to see either Benasco or those stamps -again.”</p> -<p>They were approaching the door of an -outer-ship repair room. Hugh knew that a -ladder in this room led directly up to the outside -hull of the ship.</p> -<p>“You’re probably thinking along the same -lines that I am, Link,” Hugh replied gravely. -“It may be farfetched, but a person as shrewd -as Mr. Benasco makes out to be might have -cooked up a pretty clever plan. He may have -had a portable transmitter hidden somewhere -so that he could contact another party outside -the ship.”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_185">185</div> -<p>“I get it!” Link said. “He might have radioed -this crony in a space taxi to meet him on -the outer skin. Then they could both take off -with the loot and either land on Mars or on -one of the moons!”</p> -<p>As Link spoke, Hugh was staring through -the plastic window of the room. A wall hid -much of the interior from view. Suddenly he -saw the very man they were seeking cross the -room and disappear beyond the corner of the -concealing wall.</p> -<p>Link caught a glimpse of him too. “Hey!” -he burst out. “Wasn’t that <i>him</i>?”</p> -<p>“It sure was,” Hugh replied, feeling better -now. “He probably just entered the room -from another door along the next side corridor.”</p> -<p>Hugh gently turned the knob and the door -swung open soundlessly. “We’ll slip in softly,” -he whispered. “Then we can try to take him -by surprise around the corner up ahead. We’ll -have to watch our step because he’s probably -desperate and will have his pistol ready for use.”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_186">186</div> -<p>“He deserves to get twenty years for a theft -like this,” Link whispered fiercely. “How did -he ever expect to get away with it?”</p> -<p>“He <i>won’t</i> get away with it,” Hugh whispered -confidently. “Right now he’s probably -getting into a space suit so he can pop through -the outer hatch and join his confederate outside.”</p> -<p>They had reached the corner on tiptoe. -Hugh, in the lead, peered carefully around -the corner. He gaped in surprise at what he -saw:</p> -<p>Benasco was seated on the floor like a child -with a new scrapbook, and he was chattering -away ecstatically to himself!</p> -<p>“My, oh, my, what a splendid group!” he -was saying. “There’s a <i>tete beche</i> pair of old -1989 Space Stations I’ve always wanted! And -look at this one—a full sheet of Europa triangles! -Oscar Benasco will have the most -splendid collection of space stamps in all the -Solar System!”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_187">187</div> -<div class="img" id="pic5"> -<img src="images/i06.jpg" alt="Benasco was seated on the floor like a child with a new scrapbook" width="500" height="601" /> -<p class="caption"><i>Benasco was seated on the floor like a child with a new scrapbook</i></p> -</div> -<div class="pb" id="Page_188">188</div> -<p>Hugh came out of hiding, followed by Link. -“The jig’s up, Mr. Benasco,” Hugh said. -“How about returning our property?”</p> -<p>The old man was so preoccupied that he -did not notice Hugh and Link immediately. -“Dear, dear,” he purred, “what a beautiful -set of Einstein memorial surcharges! I wonder -if young Davone will break up the set? I -have some of them.”</p> -<p>“He’s just a queer old guy,” Link remarked -as the two of them strode up to him.</p> -<p>“Oh, hello, boys,” Mr. Benasco greeted -them casually. “I was hoping I’d found a place -where I wouldn’t be disturbed for awhile. I -knew you’d come by my room. I hope you -don’t mind the liberty I’ve taken with your -stamps. But I did <i>ask</i> to see them and you -refused, you know?”</p> -<p>Hugh took from him the portfolio he was -holding. “How many stamps have you removed -from here?” he demanded.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_189">189</div> -<p>The man’s snowy brows went up in surprised -indignation. “Removed?” he shrilled, -his face coloring. “I’ve never been accused of -stealing in my life, sir! I merely borrowed your -collection to see if it has the items I need. -When the explosion blew open your safe, it -was simply a temptation I could not resist.”</p> -<p>“Those rare items you need cost money,” -Hugh reminded him. “Lots of it.”</p> -<p>“Young man,” Mr. Benasco grunted, “you -do not need to tell me of the value of postage -stamps. I’m well acquainted with Scott’s catalogue. -I have every intention of paying for -my merchandise.” He pulled out such a wad -of bills that Link gasped. “You see, I <i>can</i> pay.”</p> -<p>“What about that rocket pistol you’re carrying -in your pocket, Mr. Benasco?” Link -asked suspiciously. “Do you always go around -armed?”</p> -<p>“Oh, this?” the old man asked, taking out -the rusted miniature model. “This is nothing -but an old relic of mine when I was a space -hand myself on a freighter. I carry it with me -sometimes, because it gives me a feeling of confidence.”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_190">190</div> -<p>Hugh chuckled as a vast feeling of relief -came over him. “You certainly had us fooled, -Mr. Benasco. We thought surely you were a -stamp thief out to steal our valuable stamps.”</p> -<p>“Perhaps my methods have puzzled you -somewhat,” Mr. Benasco declared. “But I -had to see those rarities before you got rid of -them. Somebody might have bought them before -I could. Perhaps Mr. Elfs would have -held them out for his own collection. You -must sell them to me, young man! I believe I -should die if I could not get them! Stamps -represent the only pleasure that is left to me.”</p> -<p>“All right, Mr. Benasco, since it means so -much to you,” Hugh agreed, smiling. “Being -a hobbyist myself, I know what a hold stamps -can have on a person. We’ll take the portfolios -back to our compartment and discuss the -stamps you want. But if my father or Mr. Elfs -complains about this, you’ll have to share the -blame.”</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_191">191</div> -<p>“Gladly, gladly,” was the willing reply. -“Do you mind telling us why you’re going -to Mars, Mr. Benasco?” Link asked.</p> -<p>“I’ve got a son there working on a canal -project. He invited me and my stamp collection -to come and stay as long as I liked, since -I had lived with my other son so long in the -States. I thought it was nice of him.”</p> -<p>As Hugh and Link were leading the way -out of the room, the portfolios safely tucked -under their arms, Hugh remarked in a whisper -to his pal, “Link, I’ll never prejudge another -person as long as I live.”</p> -<p>Link stole a look back at Mr. Benasco who -was clicking along behind and smiling rapturously. -“That calls for a mutual pledge, Hugh,” -Link replied soberly, with a shake of his head. -“Let’s shake on it.”</p> -<p>And they did.</p> -<h2 id="tn">Transcriber’s Notes</h2><ul> -<li>Copyright notice provided as in the original—this e-text is public domain in the country of publication.</li> -<li>Silently corrected palpable typos; left non-standard spellings and dialect unchanged.</li> -<li>In the text versions, delimited italics text in _underscores_ (the HTML version reproduces the font form of the printed book.)</li> -</ul> - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Young Readers Science Fiction Stories, by -Richard Mace Elam - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK YOUNG READERS SCIENCE FICTION *** - -***** This file should be named 53456-h.htm or 53456-h.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/3/4/5/53456/ - -Produced by Stephen Hutcheson, MFR and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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