the details of Strong's trip. Before the evening was over, Walters had
decided, if necessary, he would follow Strong out to Titan.

In the distance, they could hear the muffled roar of rocket motors as
the three finalists tuned up their ships, preparing for the greatest
space race in history. And it seemed to Strong that with each blast
there was a vaguely ominous echo.

* * * * *

"I've strained that fuel four times and come up with the same answer,"
said Astro. The giant Venusian held up the oil-smeared test tube for Kit
Barnard's inspection. "Impure reactant. And so impure that it couldn't
possibly have come from the Academy supply depot. It would have been
noticed."

"Then how did it get in my feeders?" asked Kit, half to himself.

"Whoever was messing around on the power deck just before you blasted
off for the trials must have dumped it in," said Tom.

"Obviously." Kit nodded. "But who is that? Who would want to do a dirty
thing like that?"

"Who indeed?" said a voice in back of them. They all spun around to
face Quent Miles. He lounged against the stabilizer fin and grinned at
them.

"What do you want, Miles?" asked Kit.