announced.

"Better not, Sid." Barnard shook his head. "Miles is a rough customer.
He might not like visitors around his 'secret' on the power deck."

Sid's face was set. "I'm going," he repeated and ducked through the
hatch.

His face showing his disappointment at having lost the race, Kit paced
the deck for a moment and then he strode purposefully toward the hatch,
calling:

"Hey! Wait, Sid. I'm coming with you."

In the control tower at the far end of the spaceport, Tom and Astro
entered the station commander's office in time to overhear the last of
Commander Walters' orders to Captain Strong.

" ... might as well give the boys a rest before we begin our
investigations, Steve." He looked up as the door opened. "Oh, here they
are now."

"Cadets Corbett and Astro reporting, sir." Tom and Astro saluted
smartly.

"Stand easy, boys," said Walters, rising to face them. "I don't know how
much you've heard of this emergency on Titan, but you can be briefed on
details later. For the moment, all you have to know is that your
assignment here is concerned with a detailed checking-out of the whole
force-screen machinery. Take a twenty-four-hour rest and then report