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diff --git a/old/54547-0.txt b/old/54547-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index dbcdb13..0000000 --- a/old/54547-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,5141 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Young Stowaways in Space, 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 Stowaways in Space - -Author: Richard Mace Elam - -Release Date: April 14, 2017 [EBook #54547] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK YOUNG STOWAWAYS IN SPACE *** - - - - -Produced by Stephen Hutcheson and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - - - - - YOUNG - STOWAWAYS - IN SPACE - - - By RICHARD M. ELAM - Author of Young Readers Science Fiction Stories, etc. - - ILLUSTRATED BY GERALD MC CANN - - - _LANTERN PRESS, INC., PUBLISHERS_ - 257 PARK AVENUE SOUTH - NEW YORK 10, N. Y. - - Copyright © 1960 by Lantern Press, Inc. - - LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOG CARD NUMBER: 60-13785 - - PUBLISHED SIMULTANEOUSLY IN CANADA BY - GEORGE J. MC LEOD, LTD., TORONTO - - MANUFACTURED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - - - - - CONTENTS - - - 1. Space Ship _Orion_ 9 - 2. Blast-off 16 - 3. Stowaways in Space 25 - 4. Adrift in the Deeps 36 - 5. A “Flying Tin Can” 47 - 6. A _Carefree_ World 56 - 7. A Shock in the Night 65 - 8. Garry Has a Scare 75 - 9. Satellite Zone 85 - 10. The Lady Goes Wild 94 - 11. A Friend Is Lost 107 - 12. A Startling Discovery 116 - 13. Abandon Ship! 124 - 14. First Hours on Luna 133 - 15. A Dark Outlook 142 - 16. A Sad Parting 150 - 17. Dark Peril 160 - 18. Strange Discovery 169 - 19. A New Life 181 - - - - - YOUNG - STOWAWAYS - IN SPACE - - - - - 1. SPACE SHIP _ORION_ - - -The orphanage dormitory was locked in the stillness of slumber. Light -from the full moon filtered through the large window which ran the -entire length of the boys sleeping quarters. - -Twenty cots filled the dormitory, and all but one held its sleeper. -Dark-haired Garry Coleman was standing beside his cot, quietly dressing. -Every now and then he would cast an anxious glance toward the darkened -door at the end of the dormitory. Above all, he must not disturb the -charge-of-quarters, or all would be lost. - -As he sat on the edge of the cot to put on his shoes, Garry heard a -squeak from one of the cots. He stiffened, his heart thumping fearfully. - -Then Garry breathed easily. He saw that it was only Patch, who occupied -the bunk next to his. - -“Hey, Garry, where are you going?” Patch asked interestedly. - -Patch was short and towheaded. He was Garry’s best friend, and so Garry -did not mind telling him. - -“I’m going to the spaceport and watch the _Orion_ blast off for the Von -Braun Space Station. Want to go?” - -“Sure thing!” Patch said. - -“You’ll have to take the same chance that I do,” Garry reminded him. - -“That’s okay by me.” Patch grinned. “If we do get caught, we’ll just be -restricted to the grounds for two weeks. That won’t keep us out of the -science lab where we spend a lot of time anyhow.” - -It was a warm April night. The sky was thick with stars as bright as -diamond dust. - -“I’d give anything to be out there in the deeps among the planets,” -Garry said, as they hurried across the newly sprouting lawn of the -orphanage a few minutes later. “The life of a spaceman must be the most -exciting thing in the world.” - -“Yeah,” Patch agreed. “But I guess we’ll never make it, Garry, at least -not for many years. And they say you sure have to know science and -navigation. That takes a lot of study.” - -“I wouldn’t care what it takes,” Garry said. “I’d be willing to study -for as long as it would take, because the reward would be worth the -effort.” - -Their rapid steps took them onto one of the main streets of the city -where moving sidewalks, called “Ped-A-Rides,” were operating. The -sidewalk was a continuous belt, about six feet wide, and there were -benches located at intervals upon it where the pedestrians could sit. A -railing was on both sides of the Ped-A-Ride, but at intervals of about -half a block there were gates where pedestrians could enter. - -Patch and Garry went to the nearest gate, and Garry pulled the lever -which slowed the sidewalk down so that they could board it. When Garry -had deposited their fare in the meter, a bar slid away so that they -could enter. It was about 2230 o’clock, an hour and a half before -midnight, and not many people were on the Ped-A-Ride. - -The boys took seats, and the sidewalk carried them along into the night. - -As the Ped-A-Ride topped the crest of a hill, Garry pointed into the -distance. - -“There she is, Patch—the _Orion_, smoking and straining like a race -horse, just as if she can’t wait to get going!” - -“She sure is a beauty,” Patch agreed. “The earth-bound ships are a whole -lot trimmer and better looking than the ships that never touch down.” - -“The earth-bound ships have to be streamlined so that they can slide -smoothly through the earth’s atmosphere,” Garry said, “but the ships -that remain in space look like a bunch of globes and girders, because -they never meet the friction of any planet’s atmosphere and they don’t -need the sturdiness and rocket power.” - -Patch laughed. “You sound like one of our schoolbooks, Garry,” he said. - -As the Ped-A-Ride neared the spaceport, the brilliant lights of the busy -area merged into a hazy glare that brightened the night until it was -almost as light as day. The slim prow of the _Orion_ reached higher into -the sky than any other object on the vast field, even loftier than the -giant control tower. - -“They say the _Orion_ is more space scarred than any other ship in the -Space Service,” Garry remarked. “Meteor dust has grooved her sides so -much that they look like the scratches on a rifle bullet.” - -“I knew she was one of the oldest crafts in the Service,” Patch said. “I -guess she’s carried many a person to the Von Braun Station on their way -to Luna and the other planets.” - -The Ped-A-Ride had nearly reached the gate of the spaceport when Garry -said to his friend, “Patch, we’d better move down among those people -ahead of us. It looks like they’re going to get off at the port.” - -“Why?” - -“If one of the port police spots us, he might get suspicious seeing a -couple of kids alone at this time of night. If we mingle with the crowd, -the police may think we are with them.” - -They got up and began walking forward along the moving platform. Then -they took seats behind a man who wore the uniform of the Space Service. -He had several bags, and it seemed likely that he was going to board the -_Orion_. - -As the Ped-A-Ride neared the port gate, Garry closely studied the -stalwart young man seated before them. Garry wondered at the many -experiences that must have been encountered by this spaceman during his -career. - -Garry leaned over and touched the spaceman on the shoulder. - -“Excuse me, Sir,” he said. “Are you boarding the _Orion_?” - -Garry saw a pleasant but deeply lined face turned upward toward his own. - -“Yes,” the astronaut replied, then asked, “Are you?” - -“Er, no, Sir,” Garry replied. “We—my friend and I—we just want to see -her blast off.” - -The spaceman smiled. “Guess you are pretty interested in space to be -coming all the way to the port just to see an old crate like the _Orion_ -blast off.” - -“Yes, we are, Sir,” Garry replied. “I’m very interested in it. I hope to -be a spaceman someday.” - -“I think you will be, too,” the man said confidently. “I can see the -enthusiasm in your eyes.” - -“Thanks,” Garry returned. “Have you made many trips spaceward?” - -“A dozen or so,” was the reply. “The number is not important, though, -you must understand. Usually, one voyage can last quite a while.” - -The spaceman extended a big, sunburned hand to Garry. “I’m First Space -Officer Mulroy. What’s your name?” - -“Garry, Sir. Garry Coleman. My friend here is Patrick Foster, but he’s -called Patch for short.” - -As the Ped-A-Ride neared the gate of the spaceport, Garry had an idea by -which he and Patch might get inside without being questioned by the port -police. - -“Mr. Mulroy,” Garry said, “I notice that you have some baggage. I wonder -if Patch and I could help you carry it—maybe aboard the _Orion_.” - -The officer smiled. “You want to see what she looks like, eh? Okay, it’s -a deal.” - -“Thank you, Sir,” Garry said. - -Presently Officer Mulroy stood up. “Here we are, fellows,” he said. -“Let’s get our things together quickly. I can’t afford to miss my -blast-off on the _Orion_. I have a sailing date for Mars in a few weeks, -and the stars wait for no man!” - - - - - 2. BLAST-OFF - - -Once inside the gate, Mr. Mulroy spoke to a uniformed officer, who -saluted. The officer turned a tiny dial on a lapel button he wore and -spoke into it. Garry knew this to be a subminiature radio transmitter -which was in wide use. - -Presently, a square little “T-Car,” or tote car, drove up. It was -painted green and white, streamlined, and had seats inside. It had a -convertible top which was opened now because of the pleasant weather. - -The baggageman put the spaceman’s things in the compartment, then -invited his passengers to enter at the door he held open. Garry and -Patch felt very important as Officer Mulroy motioned them in ahead of -himself. They felt even more important as they sank down into the soft -seats and were joined a moment later by this high-ranking officer of the -Space Service. - -The swift little car whisked them off to the Operations Building, to -which Officer Mulroy had to report before his flight. - -When the baggage had been unloaded outside and the T-Car had moved off, -the spaceman said to the boys, “Wait out here, until I sign up and get -my instructions. Then we’ll carry my things aboard the _Orion_.” - -While they waited, they turned their attention to the space craft some -distance away. Its blue, satiny sides reflected the glow of thousands of -lights on the field. Red smoke still curled up into the night, warning -of the approach of blast-off time. And yet there was still a little -while to go, for the spiderwebs of the gantry cranes still hugged the -sides of the three-stage space vessel. Workmen were swarming all over -the platforms, making last-minute checks on the ship. - -There was a high wire fence around the _Orion_ and only one entrance -through it. A uniformed official was checking tickets as the passengers -went through the gate. The official checked Officer Mulroy’s ticket, and -Mr. Mulroy told him it would be all right for the boys to help him carry -his baggage aboard. - -The boys’ new friend took them down some steps into a concrete tunnel -that led to the launching pad. On the way they stopped at a little room -where Mr. Mulroy was weighed. - -“Weight is a very important factor on a space ship,” Mr. Mulroy said, as -they were on their way again. - -The tunnel led to an elevator that ran up the side of the rocket. The -elevator cab rose and rose, high into the black night. Finally, Officer -Mulroy pressed a button and said this was where they were to get off. - -Garry and Patch followed their friend out into a corridor of the space -ship. Officer Mulroy searched the doors they passed, then recognized his -own, Stateroom 17. He drew out a key and unlocked the door, then -preceded the boys into the room. - -“Gee, what a tiny room!” Patch exclaimed. - -“It has to be this small,” Mr. Mulroy said. “Every inch of area on a -space ship is at a premium, you know. For most travelers, the Von Braun -Space Station is only a stopover on a longer trip into space. Sometimes -the layover is for several days or even a week or two. Since rooms -aboard the space station are very limited, most of the passengers are -quartered in staterooms in the rocket in which they left earth.” - -Suddenly, a voice came over a speaker in the room: “Blast-off in ten -minutes. All nonpassengers are requested to leave the ship.” - -“That’s us,” Garry said unhappily. - -How he envied Officer Mulroy on his coming trip into the deeps of space! -He wanted to go so badly that his heart ached. But he realized that not -for many years could his fondest dream come true. - -Officer Mulroy noticed Garry’s reluctance to leave, and placed a -friendly arm around his shoulder. “Don’t take it so hard, Garry,” he -said. “Be the very best student you can. The years will go by fast, and -then one day you will wake up to find that you are eligible to be a -spaceman.” - -“Thanks,” Garry said, trying to smile convincingly, although he did not -feel happy. The idea of the future did not interest him now, but only -the present, because the queen of the spaceways was about to blast off, -and he wanted so desperately to remain aboard her. - -“Let’s go, Garry,” Patch said. “We don’t want to get Officer Mulroy into -trouble by us being caught aboard at blast-off.” - -“That’s right,” Officer Mulroy said with a smile. “Being a stowaway on a -rocket is really a serious matter. You see, for every pound of pay load -on a rocket, there must be many more pounds of fuel, so if an extra -person remained aboard, the ship might not be able to reach its -destination.” - -“Thank you for letting us come aboard with you, Mr. Mulroy,” Garry said. -“And I’ll remember what you told me.” - -The space officer insisted on tipping the boys, and it was a generous -tip at that. As the two left the room he called to them, “Good-by, -fellows. I’ll send you a post card from Mars. That’s a promise.” - -Garry and Patch said good-by and followed the directions that Officer -Mulroy had given them for leaving the ship. - -Garry pressed the button of the elevator in which they had ridden -earlier. As the doors parted and he and Patch went in, he said to his -friend, “Gee, I hate to leave. I don’t know what’s the matter with me, -Patch. Maybe I’m just tired of having to do the same thing every day, -over and over.” - -“I feel kind of the same way, Garry,” Patch admitted, “but I guess we’ll -just have to sweat out the old grind for a few more years.” - -They had no sooner started to descend than the light in the elevator -went off, and then the elevator itself stopped. - -“Hey, what’s going on!” Garry exclaimed. - -“The power’s off!” Patch said. - -Presently, the light came on again, and the boys felt a lot better. - -“Whew, for a minute I was scared!” Patch said. - -“Me too. Hey, we’re still not moving, though!” Garry pressed harder on -the button, but the elevator refused to move. - -“We’re stuck here, Garry!” Patch burst out. - -Garry started banging furiously on the walls of the elevator. “We’ve -just _got_ to make ourselves heard, Patch!” he cried. - -The din was very loud in the cramped compartment, as both boys hammered -on the wall. - -No one came to their rescue, but then a voice spoke over the -public-address speaker in the ceiling of the elevator: “Don’t be -alarmed, folks. A short circuit in the fuel-pump relay caused us to lose -electric power momentarily. But everything has been restored to -normalcy. Warning: Three minutes to blast-off.” - -“It _hasn’t_ been restored!” Garry burst out desperately. - -The boys pounded on the metal walls until their knuckles hurt. - -In a final desperate action, Garry slammed his closed fist against the -stubborn power button. Instantly, he felt the elevator throb underfoot -and begin to descend once more. - -“Thank goodness!” Garry breathed prayerfully. “But we’ve still got to -hurry in order to get off in time! No telling how long we’ve been stuck -in this thing!” - -When the elevator stopped, the doors slid open and the boys ran out. But -they found themselves in a strange corridor. - -“We’re not out of the ship yet!” Garry exclaimed. “We’ve only gone down -a deck or two. The elevator must still be fouled up.” - -“What’ll we do now?” Patch asked in desperation. - -“Go back into the elevator and try to get to the ground. We’ll have to -hurry! The elevator is part of the gantry crane, and it’ll be rolled -away any moment!” - -They rushed back to the closed doors of the elevator. But a sign in red -lights on the door read: “DO NOT ENTER. ELEVATOR REMOVED.” - -“They’ve already taken it away!” Patch said in dismay. - -“We’ve got to find a place to strap down, or every bone in our bodies -will be broken on the blast-off!” Garry said. - -A speaker along the corridor next gave out with the dread words: -“Blast-off in ninety seconds, ladies and gentlemen. Secure your seat -harness and listen to the instructions of the stewards. Failure to obey -directions could cost you your lives. In the first few moments of -acceleration in a rocket ship, there is a crushing blow to the human -body. This jolt will occur twice more as the second and third stages -blast off. For that reason, it is absolutely necessary that everyone be -strapped down securely to his G-couch.” - -Patch grabbed his friends arm in a fierce grip. “Garry, we’re going to -die! We’re going to die!” he cried. - -Garry shook off Patch and desperately began throwing open doors along -the corridor, looking into one room after another. “There must be some -G-couches along here,” he said. “I read somewhere that space law says -there must be emergency couches on all decks of a rocket ship.” - -Patch tagged along after Garry, complaining. Garry could not afford to -be sympathetic now. Both their lives depended on what he did within the -next minute. - -Then Garry found it. Printed on the door was the heartening word: -“G-COUCHES.” - -He flung open the door and saw a row of six S-shaped reclining seats. - -Garry grabbed the arm of his quaking friend in a tight grip and told -him, “Listen to me, Patch, and do what I tell you. Jump on a couch just -as fast as you can and don’t waste a second getting those buckles -fastened across your chest, body, and legs. Now get going!” - -Garry helped him along with a shove, then dove for one of the couches -close by. - -As he hastily fastened his own straps in place, Garry cast worried -glances at his friend, who was fumbling as best he could in his nervous -state. - -A speaker warned of the passing moments: “Zero minus twenty seconds, -nineteen, eighteen, seventeen, sixteen....” - -A few seconds more, and Garry’s straps were securely fastened. He -twisted his head to see how Patch was doing. Patch had almost all his -straps in place, but he could not seem to get the chest buckle -tightened. - -“Hurry, Patch, please hurry!” Garry cried. - -“I—I’m doing the best I can,” Patch said, and Garry could see the -streams of sweat trickling down his round face. - -Then, with a final lucky tug, Patch had it. Turning his weakly smiling -face to Garry, he murmured, “Garry, I guess I just barely did....” - -Garry never heard the rest of the words, for at that moment the _Orion_ -shook herself like a big dog, began a slow tug upward into the black -night, and then, a few seconds later, with a deafening roar tore free of -her earthly bonds and flung herself into space. - - - - - 3. STOWAWAYS IN SPACE - - -Garry had read about the rough effects of blast-off, but the real thing -was even worse than he had imagined. He felt like one of those -characters in movie cartoons who gets flattened to the thickness of -paper when run over. His lungs felt as though they had collapsed, and he -could suck in only the barest trace of breath. - -But the discomfort did not last long. His body seemed to fill out like -an inflated balloon, although he still felt the ache of having been -nearly squashed. His stomach felt as though it had been stirred up with -an egg beater, and his head swam. - -But no sooner had he recovered from the first violent thrust than it -came again as the rocket’s second stage began firing. Then the crushing -pressure eased once more, only to return once again as the third stage, -the occupied section of the _Orion_, began firing away. When this force -let up, Garry knew it was the last. - -The ship did not appear to be moving, but Garry knew it must be -traveling many thousands of miles an hour. - -Garry’s shaky hands groped for the belts of the harness that snugly -fitted his body. He worked the buckles loose from his upper body and sat -up on his G-couch. He did not release his legs, because he was already -feeling the dizzying effects of weightlessness. He looked across at -Patch on the next couch. - -Patch was still lying flat, and his face was pasty white. His eyes were -closed, and this alarmed Garry. - -“Patch!” Garry called, repeating the name over and over. - -Patch had blacked out, but after a few minutes he came back to -consciousness. - -“Wh—what happened?” Patch asked in a weak voice. - -“We’re in space, Patch,” Garry replied. “They’ll probably think we’re -stowaways and send us to jail. Maybe Officer Mulroy will get in trouble -too.” - -But this was the least of Patch’s worries right now. He put his hand to -his head, complaining, “Gee, I feel terrible. Everything’s going around! -And I had the worst nightmare all night long!” - -Garry had to grin at this. “We haven’t been here all night, just a few -minutes. It just seems like a long time.” - -Patch fumbled loose his upper straps and struggled to a sitting -position, but fell back down onto his contour seat. “Wow, I can’t make -it!” he said thickly. - -“There’s no use trying to get up,” Garry said. “We’re weightless and -would never be able to get about. It’s funny how I wanted so terribly to -go into space, but now that I’m out here I’m not enjoying it. I guess -it’s because I’m afraid of what’s coming.” - -Garry wondered what they should do. Should they turn themselves in and -take their chances on being believed that their being aboard the _Orion_ -was due to an accident? But if they did this, then Mr. Mulroy might be -held responsible for not seeing that the boys had left the ship. And -yet, Garry realized, he and Patch could not stay in hiding indefinitely. -Sooner or later they must be found out. If they did not turn themselves -in, and they were discovered, they would surely be regarded as -stowaways. - -Then a new fear came to Garry. What if his and Patch’s combined weight -was over the ship’s allowable limit? What if their being aboard would -keep them from reaching the space station and, instead, cause the -earth’s gravity to pull the _Orion_ back down? In that case the two of -them could possibly cost the space-ship line a new rocket worth -millions, not to mention the lives of all the persons aboard in case a -safe landing could not be made! - -Garry was occupied with these grave thoughts until he heard the -public-address system saying: “We are now in braking orbit.” - -Garry knew this meant that the ship had reached the vicinity of the -space station and was beginning to circle the station while the braking -rockets were cut in. This procedure would slow down the _Orion_ so that -she would be moving at the same orbital speed as the space station. Then -it would be easy for her to slip into dock. - -Garry and Patch felt the tug of the ship’s gradually diminishing speed, -but this was not nearly as rough as the blast-off had been. As the -_Orion_ moved into dock, the boys felt their weight returning. This was -due to the station’s rotation and artificial gravity. - -“Well, it looks like the ship has made it all right,” Patch said, -relieved. “They must not have had a full load.” - -The boys heard the technical language of the docking procedure. Garry -listened closely, even though he could not understand much of it. But -this was all part of the spaceman’s education, and he was eager to learn -it, even at such a crucial moment as this. - -Yet as he listened, he had another unpleasant thought. Now that he and -Patch had the blot of “stowaway” against them, would this misconduct -prevent them from realizing their dream of being future spacemen? - -Finally, the ship’s motion stopped altogether. The _Orion_ had nestled -into her dock on the big Von Braun Space Station, named after the great -space scientist of the past century. - -“Now where do we go from here?” Patch asked, as the two removed their -harness straps and got to their feet. “Garry, I’m scared, plenty scared! -Wow, I’m a little wobbly too!” - -“Let’s stay put until we hear further announcements over the speaker,” -Garry suggested. “It’ll give us time to think this through a little -longer.” - -“We’re just stalling, that’s what we’re doing, aren’t we, Garry? We -don’t want to turn ourselves in because we’re afraid of what will happen -to us,” Patch said. - -Garry hung his head. “I guess that’s what it does amount to, Patch. I -keep thinking what this will do to our hopes of being spacemen. I’m -afraid we’ll never make it now.” - -They stayed in hiding for another half hour. Then Garry said: “We’ve got -to have something to live on until we make up our minds what we’re going -to do, Patch. I think space ships have emergency-ration compartments -located along the corridors. I’m in favor of looking for one.” - -“That’s better than just waiting here and doing nothing,” Patch agreed. - -“I’ll look out and see if the coast is clear,” Garry said. - -He looked around outside and then motioned to Patch. They started off -quietly down the corridor, but after a moment they heard footsteps -approaching from around the corner behind them. - -“Garry, we’ve got to hide!” Patch whispered urgently. “Somebody’s -coming!” - -Garry saw a door up ahead. “That leads into an air lock, Patch. We may -be safe in there.” - -Garry turned a wheel on the door, and it swung open. They found -themselves in a short tunnel, at the other end of which was another -door. The air lock was used for entering and leaving the ship while it -was in space. The spaceman would enter the chamber and wait for the air -pressure to equalize before he left the air lock. - -Garry quickly turned another wheel on the inside of the door, closing -it. - -“We can’t stay in here very long without air,” Garry said. “The other -end of this air lock probably leads directly into the space station. -Shall we try it?” - -“This running and hiding has got to end somewhere,” Patch replied with -discouragement. “Lead on.” - -Garry checked the pressure gauge on the far door and saw that there was -normal pressure on the other side. He turned the wheel on the door, and -it swung open. The boys went through, and Garry wheeled the door shut -behind them. - -They were in a huge enclosed dock of the space station. Lined up ahead -were several space taxis, or fliers, which were used for trips outside -the station and also doubled as lifeboats in time of emergency. - -“Gee, it’s cold in here!” Patch said. - -“The main thing, though, is that there’s no one around,” Garry said. -“It’ll give us time to collect our thoughts.” - -“That’s what you think,” Patch whispered, tugging at Garry’s arm. “There -come a couple of men down that corridor across the way!” - -Garry moved quickly and quietly, pulling Patch along. As the men entered -the dock, the boys ducked out of sight behind one of the space fliers. - -The men approached the flier next to the outer door of the dock and -pressed a button on the taxi’s surface. Its door sprang open, and the -men entered the flier. - -They were in there for fully five minutes. During that time, Garry began -to shiver, but it was not from fright so much as it was the coldness of -the dock. Garry felt Patch shaking beside him and knew his friend was -just as uncomfortable as he. But they had to stay put. There was no -other place they could go at this moment. - -Finally, the men came out of the space taxi, closed the door, and, to -the relief of Garry and Patch, disappeared up the corridor. - -Garry stood up and hugged himself. - -“Garry, I—I’m freezing to death,” Patch chattered. - -“So am I. We sure can’t stay here like this,” Garry replied. - -“Why don’t we try getting into one of these ships?” Patch suggested. -“Maybe they’ve got heaters inside.” - -Garry pressed the button of the ship which they had been hiding behind, -but the door did not open. - -“The power is off or something,” Garry groaned. - -“Maybe the first one will open,” Patch said. “It worked for those men.” - -Garry went over to the first craft and pressed the door button. -Instantly, the door sprang open. A tiny air-lock chamber faced them. - -“Thank goodness,” Patch murmured. “Let’s go in.” - -“What if the men come back?” Garry cautioned. “They may be preparing for -a trip.” - -“There are windows facing the corridor,” Patch said. “We can keep an eye -out for them and duck for cover again if they return. Gee, let’s try it -anyhow, Garry! I feel like a penguin that’s lost all its feathers!” - -Garry agreed and entered the flier, Patch climbing in behind. A second -door led from the air lock chamber into the flier proper. Besides the -pilot’s seat, there were six other seats, three on a side. It was warmer -in here than outside, and Garry felt heat gently blowing. This made him -suspect that the men had just turned it on and that they were going to -return for a trip in the craft. - -“I’m afraid we won’t have long to stay in here,” Garry told his friend -and mentioned his suspicion to him. - -“I guess you’re right,” Patch agreed. “Where will we go from here? -Garry, I’m tired of running. And I’m getting more scared by the minute -because of what we’re doing. Why don’t we just turn ourselves in and -face the music, whatever it is?” - -Through a window of the taxi, Garry was watching the corridor for signs -of the returning men. “I guess you’re right, Patch,” he said. “We’ll -give ourselves up when those men return.” - -“I don’t think we should wait until then,” Patch objected. “It will go a -lot easier for us if we give ourselves up voluntarily instead of looking -as if we had been caught.” - -Once again Garry agreed, but, as he was reaching for the button to open -the door, he heard a click. - -“What was that?” Patch asked in alarm. “What did you do?” - -“Nothing,” Garry said. “Something was operating all by itself.” - -A soft purring sound began to be heard inside the craft, and Garry felt -the little ship vibrating ever so softly. - -“Patch,” Garry said tensely, “I don’t like this.” He tried the door -button, but it would not work. - -“What’s happening?” Patch asked, and there was fright in his voice. - -A movement outside in the dock caught the boys’ eyes. Through the wide -front port of the ship, they watched a big door slide open, revealing a -dark air-lock tunnel—a tunnel large enough to hold the craft which they -were occupying! - -“Garry,” Patch repeated, “what’s happening!” - -Garry slumped into one of the seats, fear numbing his heart. - -“Now I know what kind of ship this is, Patch,” he murmured. “It’s remote -controlled, guided by an operator inside the space station. We’re -heading straight out into space, Patch!” - - - - - 4. ADRIFT IN THE DEEPS - - -Trapped within the space taxi, Garry and Patch watched the darkness of -space enlarge before their eyes as the ship emerged from the air-lock -tunnel of the space station. The stars about them were countless lights, -some packed so closely together that they trailed across the sky like -distant streaming veils. But the boys had no eye for their beauty at -this time. - -“Garry,” Patch asked in a dismal voice, “what’s going to happen to us?” - -“As long as they have control of the ship, I guess we’ll be all right,” -Garry replied. “Maybe they are just sending the ship out on a practice -run or possibly to pick someone up.” - -“Pick someone up?” Patch asked, puzzled. - -“I was thinking of satellite workers or repairmen. The skies out here -are flooded with satellites, you know. They must have men working on -them all the time,” Garry explained. - -Garry heard a hissing sound. He found a slit in the wall from which it -was coming. Near the opening was a gauge. - -“That’s an oxygen mixture coming in,” Garry said. “It’s probably -automatic. It turns on whenever the air pressure drops or becomes -fouled.” - -“That’s something in our favor,” Patch said grudgingly. - -Garry found his feet beginning to lift weightlessly off the floor. His -body sagged off balance, and he had to hold onto a handle on one of the -seats. - -“Garry, what’ll we do?” Patch exclaimed frantically. “We’re going -weightless!” - -“Let’s look for a wardrobe compartment,” Garry suggested. “Since these -fliers are used as lifeboats sometimes, there must be space suits and -things. Maybe we’ll find magnetic shoes, too.” - -“How’ll we ever get around in here to look for anything?” Patch -sputtered. By now he was floating, his legs and arms flailing helplessly -like a bug on its back. - -Using the handles on the backs of the seats, Garry worked his way across -to a cabinet set in the wall. Then he moved from the last seat handle to -the wall rail and worked himself down it to the plastic case. Through -the clear window Garry could see space suits and accessories. He pressed -a button, and the door popped open. - -“We’re in luck, Patch,” Garry reported. “There are magnetic shoes in -here. I hope the gravity plates in the floor are working.” - -Garry managed to pick up two pairs of the shoes, tucking one pair under -one arm. That left one hand holding the second pair and the other hand -free. - -Even then, it took quite some doing for him to work his way across to -Patch, who looked like a pennant floating in the breeze as he hung -crossways in the air, one hand tightly clutching a seat handle. - -“Garry, I don’t feel so good,” Patch complained. “Everything in me feels -like its pushing upward. Even my brain seems to be floating.” - -“It’s lack of gravity doing that,” Garry said. “You are used to gravity -always pulling down on you. When that pull is gone, it makes you feel as -if your body is moving up. At least that’s what all the books say. And I -believe them, because I feel that way myself. Here are your shoes. -They’re pretty big, but they’ll be better than nothing.” - -“Garry, how’ll I ever get them on?” Patch protested. - -“I’ll hold onto you while you put them on,” Garry offered. “That’ll make -it easier—I guess.” - -Garry got behind Patch and held him by the collar. Then began Patch’s -struggles with the shoes. It was comical for Garry to see his friend -having such a hard time, but he knew Patch would have the laugh on him -later. - -It took them both a good while to get the shoes on. When the floor -current of the gravity plates finally held them down, the boys laughed -at each other in their oversized equipment. - -“I guess we look like snowshoe rabbits with our big feet!” Patch said -with a laugh. “Good thing those straps pulled up tight, or we’d never be -able to keep them on.” - -The craft had been moving along smoothly, but before long it began to -shudder irregularly. - -“The jets have cut out, Patch,” Garry said. “We’re coasting. Without any -air friction out here in space, we _could_ coast along forever.” - -“Garry, don’t say that!” Patch gasped. - -But Garry found out that his guess was wrong, and he was glad that it -had been. Presently, twin jets of flame were seen pouring from the front -of the craft. - -“Garry, we’re on fire!” Patch shouted. - -“No, they’re the braking jets,” Garry corrected. “We’re being slowed -down, Patch! I think we’ll find out very soon now what our destination -is.” - -“Thank goodness for that,” Patch replied. “You know, you got me plenty -worried when you said that we might coast forever out here. Although -after about a hundred years I probably wouldn’t mind any longer!” - -“Look, Patch,” Garry cried. “Up ahead—a satellite! That must be where -we’re headed!” - -As they approached, the craft still being slowed by the braking jets, -Garry and Patch took in the scene before them. The satellite itself -somewhat resembled a giant radio speaker. Its largest area was a huge -reflecting surface, and this surface was made up of adjustable panels -that could be banked in any direction. The boys could see around the -side of the satellite, and backing up the front broad surface was a -block-shaped structure with windows. - -As the tiny space craft drew closer, the boys saw a hatch open in the -rear structure, and two men in space suits emerged, holding onto hand -rails on the outside of the satellite. - -“That’s one of the radio and TV relay satellites, Patch,” Garry said. -“There are three of them, spaced equally around the earth, for relaying -TV and radio all over the world. Our ship has probably been sent out to -pick up these men and bring them back to the station.” - -“Won’t they be surprised when they see us aboard?” Patch remarked. - -Garry noticed that the space taxi seemed to be moving a little off -course, and this disturbed him, especially since one of the forward jets -had cut off but the other hadn’t. - -The craft was veering steadily away from the satellite and slowing -rapidly. Finally, it came to a dead stop several hundred yards from the -satellite, but then it began backing up. As the craft gained speed in -reverse, Garry and Patch were nearly knocked off their feet from the -acceleration. - -“The front jet is propelling us backward!” Garry cried. “There’s -something wrong with the remote control!” - -The craft began going into a dizzy spin. The boys had to hold on tightly -to some anchored support to keep from being flung against the wall. - -Garry watched the satellite become lost against the sprawling background -of stars. He knew they were hurtling farther out into space, out of -control, headed for a destination now that even the space-station -operators might not know. - -The boys were so disheartened by the latest bad break that, for the time -being, they did not care what happened to them. This lowering of their -spirits seemed to remind them that they were a long time past their -slumber time, and they suddenly became very sleepy. By earth time, it -would be the dark hours before dawn. - -They went to sleep on their feet, because in the zero gravity there was -no need for them to lie down. Their magnetic soles held them in place to -keep them from drifting about as they slept. - -Garry was the first to wake up, hours later. There was no way for him to -know how much time had passed. He woke his friend, who stretched and -yawned. - -“I never thought I’d be able to sleep standing up,” Patch said. “I feel -like a horse.” - -“We got a good rest,” Garry said. “I guess that’s because of the zero -gravity.” - -Patch looked gloomily out of the front port of the flier. “We’re still -no better off than we were before, though, Garry, but, I think we have -stopped moving.” - -Garry shook his head. “It just seems like we’re not moving because the -stars and everything else around us are so still. We’re moving all -right—and fast. This ship may still be moving after we’re dead, even if -we could live for a hundred years, because there’s nothing ever to slow -us down out here; that is, unless we happened to move into the gravity -field of some planet, which would pull us down.” - -“I knew we should have turned ourselves in when we had the chance,” -Patch said mournfully. “If we had, we wouldn’t be in this fix now.” - -Garry agreed. “It’s all my fault for trying to hold out so long.” - -“Well, too late now to do anything,” Patch said. - -“I don’t think we should give up hope,” Garry said. “They might still -send out a ship to try to pick up this one. They know it’s lost, but of -course they don’t know there’s anybody in it, and they may not know -where to look for it.” - -He investigated the sloping wall between him and the front window. The -middle of it was shaped something like an old-fashioned roll-top desk, -closed up. - -“Hmm,” Garry thought to himself. “This ship has been run by remote -control until now, but why shouldn’t it have controls of its own? If it -does have them, they should be right here in front of me.” - -Garry’s hopes soared again as he ran his hands over the light-green -plastic slope in front of him. - -“A button,” he whispered. “There must be a button or something that -opens this thing up.” - -“Hey, what’re you mumbling about?” Patch asked. - -Garry was too concerned with what he was doing to answer his friend. -Suddenly, he found something on the left side of the instrument. It was -a button. He pressed it. - -Two covers began swinging open in front of him, as stage curtains would -do, revealing a bank of dials and levers. - -“Patch!” Garry shouted. “Look what!” - -Patch came clicking over in his magnetic shoes. “Hey, they’re -instruments for running this crate! Why didn’t we think of looking for -them before?” he cried. - -“Probably because we don’t know how to operate them,” Garry replied. - -There was a half-circle steering wheel that pulled out, and the boys -were sure what this was for. - -“Garry,” Patch said happily, “the steering wheel—that may be all that -we’ll need! Since the ship is moving under its own power, all we have to -do is turn her around and head back for the space station. We can keep -circling it until one of the ships from the station intercepts us!” - -Garry tried the wheel. It was locked tight. - -“It’s not that easy, Patch,” he said. “First we’ve got to find how to -unlock the wheel.” - -“That ought not to be hard,” Patch replied. “A button or switch....” - -They both began carefully examining the steering column and wheel, but -did not find anything that would release the wheel. Then they went over -the console panel very closely. They found switches and levers that -could not be identified, but they decided to try them anyhow and see -what they controlled. - -They got no result at first, but, when the fourth switch was thrown, the -console lighted up and the ship began to throb with a new life. - -“That must have been one of the power levers,” Garry said. “Look—the -steering wheel is free! The power had to be on before it would unlock -the wheel.” - -“Garry!” Patch exclaimed, “we’re on our way! We’re on our way.” - -“I hope my sense of direction is correct,” Garry said, “because I can’t -read those directional meters. I think we’ll be headed in the general -direction of the station if we make a half turn. I remember the position -of that brilliant nebula over there and also the planet Venus.” - -Garry was beginning to turn the wheel slowly for their gradual turnabout -in the sky when the smell of something burning issued from the console. - -“Hey, something seems to be shorting out,” Patch said in alarm. “Look! -There’s smoke coming from the panel!” - -No sooner had he spoken than there was a small explosion inside the -console, a strong odor of ozone filled the boys’ nostrils, and all the -lights went out. But what was worse, the steering wheel froze in Garry’s -hands and locked again. - -“Patch, we’re ruined!” Garry groaned loudly. “I must have done something -wrong!” - -Garry put his hands over his face in despair. “Patch, we were so close, -so very close....” - -“It looks like something just doesn’t want us to get out of this alive,” -Patch said bitterly. “We’re jinxed, Garry!” - -“It’ll do no good to start feeling sorry for ourselves again,” Garry -said. “Remember, we thought we were goners before. Something may turn up -to save us—something maybe like a Good Samaritan flying around in a -space ship just looking for wandering boys. But how many of those do you -think you would find in all the millions of miles of space that surround -us?” - -Suddenly Garry stood upright, staring intently straight out the forward -port. “Speaking of Good Samaritans, Patch, that might not be so -farfetched after all. Look out there, straight ahead. There’s a light -moving against the stars. It just might be a space ship!” - -“I see it,” Patch said, with a trace of hope returning, “but it’s most -likely a Sputnik or Tiros or some other satellite.” - -“I don’t think so. Its movement isn’t perfectly straight. I’m sure I -just saw it change direction as if heading this way. Patch, if you’ve -ever prayed, do it now. The next few minutes may decide whether we live -or die out here in space!” - - - - - 5. A “FLYING TIN CAN” - - -The boys watched intently as the object neared them. Although it was -still pretty far off, they knew that it was not a true celestial object, -because they could determine already that it was shaped like nothing -usually found in space. In fact, it looked remarkably like a tin can! It -was an odd shape for a space ship, but the boys were sure that was what -it was. - -“That’s not like anything I’ve ever seen!” Garry said. “And I’ve seen -all kinds of pictures of space ships in magazines and books.” - -“It must be a special kind of ship,” Patch suggested. “But just so it -really is a space ship with living people in it, it can be shaped like a -barbecue pit for all I care!” - -“Patch!” Garry said in a stricken voice. “What if it’s from another -planet and carries strange people? Maybe even _unfriendly_ passengers!” - -Patch’s eyes shone like bright marbles. “Gee, you don’t really think so, -do you? I—I mean, how could it be possible? We’ve already explored Mars -and Venus, and those planets aren’t inhabited. How could anything -possibly live on those big cold planets farther out?” - -“Maybe they are from another star,” Garry said in a solemn tone. - -They would know pretty soon where the flying object was from, because it -was still heading in their direction, and its passengers could not -possibly miss seeing them. - -Garry and Patch were silent as the object drew steadily closer, each of -them engrossed in his own thoughts. - -“It really does look like a tin can,” Patch said. “A tin can with a big -eye in front! But what a big tin can! It’s big as one of those ancient -dirigibles.” - -“Patch, I can begin to make out some writing over the eye. See it?” - -“Yes. Just a moment. It’s coming into focus. It says ‘CAREFREE!’ I don’t -know what it means, but it _sounds_ friendly.” - -“That must be the name of it,” Garry suggested. “No ship with a name -like that could be carrying unfriendly passengers.” - -“It also means that there must be earthmen aboard, because it’s an earth -word.” - -“I don’t think we have anything to worry about, Patch,” Garry said -confidently. - -“Now they’re turning around,” Patch said. “They—they’re pulling even -with us. I guess they’ll anchor to us with magnetic grapples.” - -Carefully, the _Carefree_ edged closer so that it could latch on. The -big circular space ship dwarfed the tiny taxi so greatly that it seemed -like David and Goliath. - -Garry and Patch heard a soft bump as the _Carefree_ coupled onto the -side of their craft on which the door was located. Garry knew now that -the ships were joined as one. - -Garry looked at Patch, and Patch looked at Garry. They knew all they had -to do now was open the air locks between the ships. But they hesitated -as if there were still some doubt in their minds as to the friendliness -of those in the other space ship. - -There came a rap on their air-lock door. Once again Garry looked at -Patch, and Patch looked at Garry. Then, after another few moments of -hesitation, Garry shrugged and clicked over to the door. - -“We may as well open up,” he said. “Whether or not they’re friendly, -they’ve certainly got the upper hand.” - -Garry pressed the button that controlled the outer door of the air lock. -Then he pressed another that opened the inner door. - -Garry and Patch looked through the double air locks into the face of a -man who wore a small, neat white beard. He appeared to be in his early -sixties, and he was clinging to a webbing of ropes that completely -covered the walls of a giant tube or tunnel. - -“Hello,” the man said, with a smile. - -“Hello,” Garry and Patch replied together. And they smiled too, because -they were very glad that it was an earthman who faced them. - -“I must say I didn’t expect to find a couple of boys alone in here,” the -man went on. “What’s happened to the adults with you? You didn’t heave -them out the waste hatch, did you?” The elderly man laughed. - -“Uh, no, Sir,” Garry replied with hesitation. “We’ve been by ourselves -ever since this flier left the Von Braun Space Station. It’s a pretty -long story, Sir.” - -“The name is Captain Eaton, boys.” The man winked at them, showing his -white teeth in another smile. “Oh, I’m not really a space captain. I -wouldn’t deceive you. The _Carefree_ is a private ship, and the men call -me ‘Captain’ because I’m the owner.” - -Captain Eaton’s dark, alert eyes flickered over the interior of the -flier. - -“I thought whoever was in this ship must be in some sort of trouble,” he -said, “because of your erratic flight. That’s why we latched onto you, -to see if we could be of some help.” - -“We _do_ need help, Captain,” Patch said earnestly. “We don’t know the -first thing about running this thing. We had just about given ourselves -up for lost.” - -“How in the world did you get into such a spot as this?” Captain Eaton -asked. - -“Well, Sir,” Garry explained, lowering his eyes, “you see, we’re -stowaways, although we’ve been able to escape being caught all this -time. We didn’t _mean_ to be stowaways, Captain. We were helping an -officer aboard the _Orion_ with his gear, and the rocket blasted off -before we could get out.” - -“Say, I’ll bet your parents are worried to death about you,” Captain -Eaton said. - -“No, Sir,” Patch answered. “You see, we’re orphans, and we lived in an -orphanage back in the United States.” - -“I see,” the elderly man replied, stroking his short, snowy beard. Then -suddenly he grinned broadly. “Well, fellows, how would you like to be -rescued?” - -“We’re all for it!” Garry answered, and Patch nodded his head -vigorously. - -“Come aboard then. The _Carefree_ welcomes you!” - -“What about the flier?” Garry asked. “We don’t want to be charged with -stealing a space craft.” - -“I’ll have Ben Dawes come aboard and set her adrift toward the satellite -so that she can be picked up easily,” the captain said. - -“I think we blew something out when we tried to start her,” Patch said. - -“Ben’s a genius,” Captain Eaton replied. “He’ll get her to running, no -matter what’s wrong with her.” - -With this taken care of, the boys were anxious to board the _Carefree_ -and see if her interior were as strange and unusual looking as her outer -hull. They removed their bulky magnetic shoes and entered the air lock -of the _Carefree_. - -Captain Eaton first explained the purpose of the webbing that lined the -walls of the tube. - -“As you boys saw us move in, you probably know that this is the rear of -the ship, and this tunnel is in the center. It goes the full length of -our ‘tin can’ and comes out front into the flight deck. We have to leave -and enter the ship through the rear end of this tube. Understand?” - -“Yes, Sir,” the boys answered together. - -“The outer round surface of our ‘tin can’ revolves around this center -tube as though it were a wheel around an axis,” the captain went on. “By -so doing, an artificial gravity is induced along the inside rim of the -‘can.’” Captain Eaton frowned. “Am I getting too deep for you?” - -“I don’t think so, Sir,” Garry replied. “The gravity you are talking -about is the result of centrifugal action—the same action that makes a -ball swing out on the end of a string when a person swings it around his -head. It’s the same kind of artificial gravity they use on the manned -space stations.” - -“You’re pretty sharp, son. I like a boy who doesn’t think that facts -belong only in a schoolroom.” - -“I’ve always been very interested in space, Sir,” Garry said. “I’ll bet -I’d surprise you with all I know about it.” - -“I’m sure you would,” Captain Eaton admitted. “Say, I don’t even know -your names. I’ve told you mine. Now let’s have yours.” - -“I’m Garry Coleman,” Garry answered, “and this is my best friend, Patch -Foster.” - -Since the center tube of the _Carefree_ was not affected by the -centrifugal force of the rotating “tin can,” its gravity was zero. For -that reason the webbing was used to pull oneself along with and not -really for the purposes of climbing and descending. - -Captain Eaton turned around on the webbing so that he could lead the way -along the tunnel into the living quarters of the _Carefree_. His slim, -agile legs swung free in the zero gravity as he made the turn. Glossy -black space boots covered his feet. - -The captain showed Garry where to pull a lever which closed a series of -air-lock doors between the _Carefree_ and the taxi. - -The ship’s master and the boys pulled themselves along the tunnel. Then -Captain Eaton stopped and said, “Hold on tightly, fellows. We’re going -round and round for a few turns.” - -He pushed a lever beneath the webbing, and Garry felt the tube begin to -revolve slowly. - -“Hey, what’s happening?” Patch called out. - -“I had to set the tunnel in rotation so that it could catch up with the -rest of the ship, which is always turning. As soon as you’ve become used -to the spinning, we’ll go into the ship.” - -When the boys said they thought they could navigate, the captain pointed -to an open hatch that had appeared in the wall near them. - -“We’ll turn around and back down these stairs,” the skipper said. “As we -descend, the gravity will become stronger, so that by the time we’re at -the bottom we’ll be nearly at our earth weights.” - -Garry and Patch followed their new friend down the stairs, moving -carefully and holding onto the railing, for they still felt giddy from -the rotation of the central tube. By the time they were at the bottom, -their heads had begun to clear. - -That is, they _thought_ their heads had begun to clear. But no sooner -had they gotten this impression than they became giddy all over again at -the sight that met their eyes. For it was just as if they had entered a -tropical paradise! There were real flowers in bloom all about, and -aquariums full of live fishes were set into the surrounding walls. - -The boys were too surprised to say anything. All they could do was just -stare and stare in disbelief. - - - - - 6. A _CAREFREE_ WORLD - - -“How do you like my garden, fellows?” Captain Eaton asked. “It helps -keep me from getting homesick. I used to have a most luxuriant garden -back on earth.” - -“I can’t believe it!” Garry burst out. “It’s just as if we were outdoors -on a summer day, it’s so real.” - -“There’s a goldfish pond, Garry,” Patch said, “with lily pads floating -on top and a bench beside it.” - -“I never saw so many kinds of flowers,” Garry said, “and shrubs too.” - -“The flowers and shrubs serve a double purpose,” Captain Eaton -explained. “They not only provide homelike pleasure to me and my -friends, but they also help keep the air in the _Carefree_ supplied with -oxygen.” - -“I remember,” Garry replied. “Plants in light breathe exactly opposite -from the way we do. They breathe in carbon dioxide and breathe out -oxygen.” - -Patch stooped down, examining the roots of a shrub. “Hey, the roots -aren’t growing in soil! How can they live?” - -“The plants grow in richly fertilized liquid,” the captain answered. “In -that way, they can be placed much closer together. Besides, some of the -water making up the fertilized liquid comes from waste products within -the ship. There are other reasons too.” - -Captain Eaton led the way along the aisle that ran beside the colorfully -lighted aquariums. He stopped in front of a twenty-gallon tank which was -in the process of being cleaned by two men. - -One of them was very tall, over six and a half feet. He was very thin -and appeared to be in his late fifties. But the oddest thing about him, -which made Garry and Patch stare at him in surprise, was the fact that -he was in the full dress of a butler, complete with newly starched white -shirt and neatly pressed coat and trousers! Although he was holding a -bucket that was catching water from a draining aquarium, his clothing -wasn’t in the least mussed. - -Captain Eaton saw the boys staring at the tall gentleman and said, -“Boys, I want you to meet Mr. Klecker, the Eaton family butler for many -years. When I decided to set out into space on my permanent cruise, he -would not think of being left behind. Klecker, this is Garry and this is -Patch. They will be our guests for awhile.” - -Mr. Klecker looked at them with heavy-lidded eyes. Then, bowing, he said -in a deep stately voice, “Pleased, young gentlemen.” - -“Glad to know you, Mr. Klecker,” Garry said. - -“Me too,” Patch added. - -The other person attending to the fish tank was a young man. He rose -from a squatting position and smiled at the boys. He had crew-cut black -hair and the kind of happy features which indicate a friendly nature. He -wiped his damp hands on his trousers and offered a palm to Garry first, -then to Patch. - -“Hi, boys. I’m Ben Dawes. Glad to have you aboard,” he said. “It sure is -a surprise meeting fellows as young as yourselves out here in space.” - -“It’ll probably be more of a surprise, Ben, to know that they are -alone,” the captain said. - -“Not really!” Ben said. “Say, I’ll bet you two have a long story -explaining that!” - -“We do,” Garry answered, “and we’ll tell you when we have lots of time.” - -“Ben is my right-hand man, whom I wouldn’t part with for all the -millions I own,” Captain Eaton said proudly. “He could build a space -ship out of a safety pin if he had to. He had a big hand in designing -the _Carefree_, and he knows every bolt and rivet in her.” - -It was interesting to Garry to hear that the captain was a millionaire. -That probably explained how he could afford to take such a leisurely -cruise through space in something akin to a flying palace. - -“While Klecker and Ben are changing the water in this aquarium,” Captain -Eaton said, “how would you like to meet the rest of my friends?” - -“We would, Sir,” Garry replied, “but are you sure you don’t have things -to do?” It was hard for Garry to believe that as important a person as a -millionaire would be willing to devote so much time to a couple of -orphans who were lost in space. - -“Here my time is my own,” Captain Eaton said. “Back home there were -hundreds of little details that always had to be attended to, and as I -grew older the grind began to keep me in a state of tension and boredom. -That’s when I made up my mind that I would spend the rest of my life the -way that I wanted to—without constant interruption and without ever -hurrying. I sold everything I owned and came into space. That was four -years ago.” - -“Why are you so interested in space, Captain?” Garry asked. - -“In my early days I had a very keen interest in space travel. I became a -space cadet, but after only four months’ service I was hurt, and my -injury was such that I had to give up any thoughts of a future in the -Space Service. But my keen interest in space stayed with me through the -years, and I never gave up hope of returning to the spaceways. So, you -see, my hope was realized, and here I am as carefree as the name of my -ship.” - -“Then you never plan to return to earth, Captain Eaton, ever?” Garry -asked. - -“No, I don’t think so. In the first place, the _Carefree_ was built in -space and could not stand the atmospheric friction of an earth return. -Of course, I could get back if I really wanted to. But I don’t believe I -want to. My simple life out here is very satisfying. I never had any -children, and my wife is now dead. No, no close relatives. It takes a -little money to survive out here and pay my friends aboard ship, but it -does not take too much. Yes, this is the good life, and it is enough for -me.” - -As Captain Eaton paced the boys by a couple of steps, Garry had to -marvel at the youthful stride of their host. His body was as lean and -spare as a man half his age, and Garry was sure he must have kept -himself in good condition all his life. - -As the trio left the garden and moved into the next section, Garry and -Patch heard a fine tenor voice singing a lusty aria from an opera. A -quick study of their surroundings told Garry that they were in the -galley. - -As the fragrance of good food reached the boys’ noses, they suddenly -remembered how hungry they were. They hadn’t eaten since they left the -orphanage! - -“That’s Gino you hear,” Captain Eaton explained. - -The boys presently saw a short, fat little Italian throwing a huge, flat -wad of dough into the air. He stopped when he saw the boys and grinned -so widely that his eyes disappeared and his mouth seemed as broad as -that of a jack-o’-lantern. - -Captain Eaton exchanged names so that everyone quickly knew everyone -else. Gino was the ship’s cook, and his full name was Gino Spondini. - -Gino kept tossing the dough into the air, and each time he tossed it up -it became thinner and bigger. - -“You _bambini_ chose a good day to come to the _Carefree_,” Gino said. -“This is a special day for good food, only once every two weeks, eh, -Captain?” - -Captain Eaton nodded. “Unfortunately, there isn’t a grocery store just -around the corner, and so we fill our food room and deep freeze only a -few times a year from the commissary satellite which supplies food to -all the manned satellites around earth. But when we do have an -exceptionally good meal, we enjoy it even more.” - -“I don’t know what you’re making, Gino,” Garry said, “but I’m hungry -enough to eat it raw.” - -Gino looked shocked. “You don’t know pizza when you see it? Where have -you been all your life, _bambino_?” - -“Gino makes the best pizza pie in the world—or should I say the best in -the solar system?” the captain said. “Now, boys, shall we move on and -meet the others?” - -They left the galley and proceeded on to the next section within the -_Carefree_, leaving Gino singing another operatic air. The boys wondered -if they could hold out until lunch time. - -“Up ahead of us,” Captain Eaton said presently, after passing through a -short hallway, “is the dormitory. Since the dorm is used solely for -sleeping, we made it small so that we could give more area over to the -other parts of the ship where we spend more of our time.” - -Garry found the dormitory indeed small and quite simple. There were -three-tiered bunks along the walls, with ladders leading up to the -second and third levels. - -The captain smiled. “Patch, you seem to be looking over those bunks -carefully to see if you find any that aren’t made up.” Patch blushed. -“Yes, Sir. I was wondering if....” - -“If we have room for you two? Well, breathe easily, for we do have -extras. The ship will sleep twelve, and special cots can be set up to -accommodate more when necessary.” - -“They look cozy,” Garry said, “but how do you know when to sleep out -here in space, without any real night or day?” - -“We observe a twenty-four-hour day just as they do on earth. Scientists -have found out that space travelers get along much better if they keep -the same hourly habits to which they are accustomed. We even simulate -the appearance of night, turning down the lights and observing quiet. -You’ll find out that you get sleepy at just the right time and that you -wake the ‘next morning’ feeling just as refreshed as you did on earth.” - -Suddenly, they heard a stirring in one of the top bunks. A deeply tanned -man with a thick shock of auburn hair raised up sleepily. - -“Oh, it’s you, Captain,” the man said with a yawn. Then he perked up. -“Who is it with you, Sir?” The man’s accent was a thick Scottish brogue. - -“We have guests, Mac,” the captain replied. “These are Garry and Patch. -Fellows, meet Mr. McIntosh, pilot, navigator, engineer, and what have -you. He likes to be called Mac.” - -“Hi, fellows, glad to have you aboard,” Mac said cordially, then yawned -again. - -“Sorry we woke you, Mac,” the captain said. - -“I’m just about due to relieve Isaac upstairs, Sir. That’s all right.” - -“I was just showing the boys the ship. We’ll move on so you can get -dressed.” - -As they left the dormitory to pass into another hallway, Captain Eaton -asked, “You’ve heard of Isaac Newton, haven’t you, boys?” - -“Oh yes, Sir,” Garry responded eagerly. “He was one of the very greatest -scientists. He died a long time ago.” - -The captain winked at them. “Well, we’re going to meet him,” he said. - - - - - 7. A SHOCK IN THE NIGHT - - -Captain Eaton’s announcement that Garry and Patch were about to meet -Isaac Newton, the great scientist, filled the boys with astonishment. - -“We’re going back to the central tube,” the skipper said, “and from -there to the navigation room.” - -They climbed a steep staircase, as they had done earlier. Garry felt the -comfortable feel of artificial gravity leaving him as they went higher. -The light-headed, floating sensation of zero gravity was returning. - -The captain shoved a lever so that the central tunnel would start -revolving. When a doorway appeared in the tube, the three climbed -through. Then the rotation of the tunnel was stopped. The captain then -led the boys along the stationary axle of the _Carefree_, in the -direction opposite from where they had first entered the ship. The three -pulled themselves along the webbing as their legs swung free, -weightlessly. They reached a platform outside a door at the nose of the -ship. Holding onto the platform rail, Captain Eaton fished into a -cabinet built into the platform and came out with two pairs of slippers. - -“You can attach these magnetic-soled slippers to your shoes, fellows,” -their host said. “Because of the zero gravity in the navigation room, we -have to use gravity plates. The rest of us wear these attached to our -boots all the time because we are always going back and forth up here, -and they are light and comfortable.” - -After the boys had donned the slippers, Captain Eaton pressed a button, -the door slid open, and the three of them walked through. - -Garry and Patch found themselves in a domed room, which had a wide front -port that looked out into space. Below the port extended a long -instrument panel, or console, with two seats in front of it, one of -which was occupied. - -“This is the flight deck!” Garry said. “It’s the part that looked like a -big eye on the front of the ship.” - -The pilot turned around in his swivel seat. He was a huge, muscular man -with rugged features that suggested he might once have been a vigorous -athlete. - -“Boys, meet Isaac Newton,” Captain Eaton said. - -Garry could not help but laugh, because this Isaac Newton looked nothing -whatsoever like pictures of the great scientist. But then Garry -remembered that he was being impolite, and he apologized. - -“That’s all right,” Isaac Newton said good naturedly. “Everybody who -ever heard of that scientist laughs. I’ve been defending my name ever -since I was a kid. That’s how I got to be a professional fighter, which -I was until I got tired of bashing people and the good captain took me -on as his chauffeur. I stayed on with him, and he said I could come into -space with him if I wanted to. I’ve picked up navigation since I’ve been -out here.” - -“How did you get a name like Isaac Newton?” Patch asked. - -“Well, naturally my father was named Newton,” Isaac explained, “and he -was also a science teacher. He wanted me to be a scientist too, and -thought he was helping me by giving me the name of one of the greatest -scientists of all time. But, as I said, I got into so many fights -because of being teased about my name that I had more practice as a -fighter.” - -He laughed, showing a two-tooth vacancy in the front of his mouth. -“Funny thing is that I might’ve been a scientist if I hadn’t been given -the name of one!” - -With that, Isaac Newton turned back to check on how the ship was -running. The captain went over to converse with him, and this gave the -boys an opportunity to look around the navigation room. - -Of particular interest was a huge chart on the back wall near the -entrance. On the map were countless globes of various sizes, and running -through the globes were long curving lines. - -“What’s that, do you suppose?” Patch asked his friend. - -Garry looked closely at the printed names beside the round symbols. - -“Hermes—Vanguard II—Adonis—Derelict Space Ship _Oberon_,” he read. -“These seem to be objects floating about in space,” he said, “and the -lines through them must be their orbits.” - -“You’re very observant, Garry.” - -Garry looked back and saw that Captain Eaton had come over. - -“That’s exactly what they are, and we have to know exactly where each -one of them is at all times,” the captain said. “If we missed keeping up -with one, we might run into a collision orbit with it, and then it would -be quickly over for all of us. Some of the objects are asteroids, some -man-made satellites, some large meteor fragments whose orbits we have -already plotted. And a few are derelicts, or empty shells of what were -once proud space liners. Any one of them could destroy the _Carefree_ if -it should hit us. In fact, a meteor as large as an orange could wreck us -because of the terrific velocity at which it would strike.” - -“Gee,” Patch said, “you must be anxious all the time about being hit by -something.” - -“No. It’s a risk, of course, but space is so very, very huge that -actually there is little chance of being hit by anything any larger than -a grain of sand. But of course there is always the chance that someday -the big, unexpected one will come. Still, we don’t worry about it -because it would keep us from enjoying our life in space.” - -Captain Eaton showed the boys some of the other things in the room. He -explained the purpose of the various dials and switches on the -console—facts that the boys would have given anything to know when they -were so desperately trying to steer the space taxi. The skipper of the -_Carefree_ told them that usually there was only one pilot on duty but -that, in case of tricky navigation or on other special occasions, both -Mac and Isaac or Ben would be on together. The captain added that he was -quite a pilot himself and liked to take over the controls now and then. - -Suddenly chimes were heard over a loud-speaker. - -“That’s the signal for us to get ready for lunch,” Captain Eaton said. -“Let’s go, fellows, and wash up.” - -“Tell Mac to shake a leg and get up here to relieve me, will you, -Captain?” Isaac asked. “I’m starved. It’s been a long shift.” - -“I will, Isaac,” the captain promised, and pushed the button which -opened the door. - -A few minutes later, Garry and Patch sat down to the best meal they had -had in a long time. Not even Thanksgiving at the orphanage could beat -this, Garry told his friend. The boys had their first taste of pizza -pie, and they were hoping it would not be their last, especially if Gino -was the one who prepared it. They were sure he was the best chef in all -the solar system. - -After lunch the patient Captain Eaton spent most of the afternoon -showing the boys more of the ship. They saw the gym and swimming pool -and the library filled with many recording tapes and films. There were -also books for those who preferred reading instead of reclining in a -soft contour chair and listening to tapes over earphones. - -As they passed from one section to another, Garry noticed that the -indirect daylight effect, that filled every part of the _Carefree_, was -fading steadily but slowly. He asked the captain about this. - -“It’s an automatic control that helps put us in the mood for night,” the -skipper said. “Remember my telling you about how much better man works -in a properly spaced twenty-four-hour day? Soon now, the main lights -will be very low, with only an occasional lamp making things bright. It -is just like the coming of night back at home. You will see.” - -The space travelers had only a light snack for dinner because of the big -meal earlier in the day. Soon afterward, the boys began to yawn and get -sleepy as they watched the artificial daylight continue to fade. They -were looking forward to sleeping lying down for a change. - -“Your minds are telling you it’s time for bed, eh?” Captain Eaton said -with a laugh. “Well, so is mine. I still haven’t shown you the -observatory, which is my favorite spot aboard ship. But that can wait -until tomorrow. Let’s go to the dorm and get you two settled before the -fellows in there are ready to turn out the lights.” - -The boys found all the people they had met today getting ready for bed. -That is, all but two of them. - -“Mac is on pilot duty, isn’t he, Captain?” Garry asked. “But where is -Ben?” - -Captain Eaton was pulling off his shiny boots. He may have been the boss -of the _Carefree_, with all the say-so, but he was not too proud to -share the same sleeping quarters with those whom he called his -“friends.” - -“There are always two on duty at night, Garry,” Captain Eaton replied to -Garry’s question. “One acts as pilot, while the other makes the rounds -several times a night to be sure that the automatic controls are -functioning properly. We all take turns sharing these duties.” - -When everyone had climbed into his bunk and pulled the covers up, -Captain Eaton called out from his own bunk, “Check?” - -There came answering “checks” from all the fellows, and the next moment -Garry found the room plunged in darkness. - -Within only a few minutes’ time, Garry began hearing the quiet breathing -of those around him already in deep sleep. But he was too excited to -drop off just yet. As he lay there staring into the darkness, he -wondered if such a thrilling adventure as this could really be happening -to him and Patch. Why, only a few hours ago they were in despair for -their very lives. Now a whole new experience had been opened to them. It -was almost as if the _Carefree_ had been sent by Providence to him and -Patch alone. - -As Garry’s thoughts roved, his eyelids began to feel heavy and the -clutch of sleep was groping for him. He finally drifted off into -slumber, only to wake—he didn’t know how many hours later—with a -parching thirst. He sat upright in his bunk and threw back the covers -that cloaked him like a sweat-box. He found that he was breathing -heavily and then suddenly remembered the end of a nightmare he had been -having. - -As he sat in the quietness and darkness, he began to relax, and his -heartbeats slowed to normal. But he was still very thirsty. He -remembered that there was a water fountain in the hallway outside the -dormitory. - -Slowly and carefully, so as to make no noise to disturb the others, -Garry left his third-level bunk and made his way down the metal ladder -to the floor. A dim night light, kept burning all the time, showed the -way to the door. Garry pressed the button, and the door slid open -silently. - -Garry went out into the faintly lighted hallway. He shivered as he made -his way along the corridor. It was not that he was cold but that it was -so creepy and lonesome with everything so quiet. The fountain was like a -white ghost crouching against the wall a couple of dozen feet away. -Garry made his way toward it. He leaned over it, pressed the lever, and -felt the icy stream against his dry lips. - -“Boy, that’s good,” he said to himself, and he drank and drank as though -he hadn’t had water in all his lifetime. - -When he finally got his fill, he rubbed his sleeve across his mouth and -turned to start back toward the dormitory. - -Then it seemed that all the blood flowed out of his head in one wild -rush. His heart began to thump rapidly, and his legs went weak. - -It was due to a startling sight that faced him. - - - - - 8. GARRY HAS A SCARE - - -A huge woman was lumbering toward him down the dim corridor. There was -something strange and unreal about her face and her awkward movements -that gave Garry chills. - -Garry started running. He slammed into the water fountain, bruising his -side. But he kept moving, and so did the woman stalker. - -Garry knew that the corridor was in the shape of a square and that if he -kept turning corners he would arrive back at the dormitory. He wondered -why a woman should frighten him, and it embarrassed him when he thought -what the others would say when they found out. But the creature was so -hostile—and somehow monstrous in her looks—that Garry was sure she meant -to attack him. - -As he ran, Garry did not even look back to see if his adversary were -still in pursuit. Finally, he turned the last corner and saw the -dormitory straight ahead at the end of the corridor. He looked back -around the corner in the direction from which he had just come. He’d -outdistanced her. She wasn’t even in sight. - -By now his nerves were a little calmer, although his heart still drummed -faster than usual. He began walking briskly, every now and then casting -a look back over his shoulder. - -There was the dormitory at last. He felt a little silly now, as he -reached for the button to open the door. He decided that he would not -tell the others of his run and his fright lest they tease him about the -incident. He would just tell them that he had _seen_ the strange woman -but would not reveal the embarrassing circumstances. He still wondered -who she could be, especially since Captain Eaton had not even mentioned -her before. - -Just as Garry pressed the door button, he heard a metallic clanking -behind him. - -There was the woman, coming very fast, the dim lights revealing the dark -hollows of her eyes. Garry saw her tight-lipped mouth, her -hugeness—fully as tall as Mr. Klecker and almost as broad, it seemed. - -The unexpectedness of it caused Garry to cry out for the first time. As -the door of the dormitory slid back, he scrambled inside, hurriedly -pressed the button closing the door, then sank back against it, panting. - -The bright lights went on in the room. Garry’s eyes blurred in the -sudden sharp brilliance. When they came into focus, Garry saw everyone -sitting straight up in their bunks, their eyes squinting and staring at -him in amazement. - -After a few tense moments, Captain Eaton asked from his bunk, “Garry, -what’s the matter?” - -“A woman—a big woman’s out there!” he blurted. “She was after me!” - -Garry heard the men begin to laugh. - -“Garry, that’s Katrinka,” the captain explained. “She wouldn’t hurt a -thing. She _couldn’t_. She’s not _built_ that way.” - -“Not _built_ that way?” Garry echoed. “What do you mean? She’s built -pretty strong I think!” - -Captain Eaton chuckled. “She’s a robot, Garry.” - -“A robot!” Garry said. “So that’s why she looks so different!” - -“Yes, I made her as lifelike as possible,” Captain Eaton went on, “but -I’m afraid I’m no Michelangelo as a sculptor.” - -“You _built_ her?” Garry asked in surprise. - -“Yes. We needed someone to do our chores—you know, the things that men -dislike doing in the nature of housework and cleaning up. But she’s -quite controllable, Garry. She wouldn’t have harmed you. Something must -have slipped in her mechanism so that she became activated. It happens -once in awhile. I’ll go take a look at her.” - -“You don’t have to go far, Sir,” Garry said, rubbing away the sweat that -had gathered on his forehead. “She’s right outside the door.” - -As the captain climbed from his bunk and slipped into his robe, Garry -avoided the eyes of the others in the dormitory. He had done just what -he had hoped he would not do—shown his fear of a harmless robot. He knew -they must think him squeamish, but they were not laughing now. - -Patch seemed to have been the only one who was not aroused by the -excitement. Garry could see that he was still asleep in his bunk. - -Captain Eaton passed Garry, opened the door, and went outside. Garry -followed a few steps behind. - -The robot still looked menacing to Garry. It stood, big and dark and -unmoving, in the dimness of the corridor. - -Captain Eaton faced Katrinka and spoke in a clear, loud voice: “Closet! -Closet!” - -Garry heard a humming sound coming from the robot. It shuffled about -slowly on its ponderous feet and started walking away. - -“She’s obeying!” Garry gasped. - -“Yes, she’s all right,” Captain Eaton replied. “Probably just a crossing -of the wires in her mechanical brain that activated her. Maybe a slight -lurch of the ship did it. I’ll look her over thoroughly in the morning.” - -“I don’t see how you did it,” Garry said, still amazed. “How can a -machine like that take orders like a person, just as if it had a brain -like us?” - -“Katrinka’s brain is made up of electrical impulses in certain codes,” -Captain Eaton replied. “There is a code disk for everything that she is -able to do. For instance, there is one for making up the bunks, every -step in that operation. There’s one for washing the dishes, mopping the -floor, and so on. When I have the time, I make her even smarter by -adding new codes and duties.” - -“But all you said was the word ‘closet,’ and off she went,” Garry said. - -“That was the code for her heading for the closet down the corridor -where she stays when we have no need for her. When she goes inside the -closet, an automatic switch will cut off her mechanism, and she will -remain dormant until we need her. Just as if I gave you an order to go -somewhere and your muscles would carry you to that place, so it is with -Katrinka. The code words I give her activate the wires that control her -movement in a certain way, whatever that activity is.” - -Garry nodded. “I understand it, but it sure must be a complicated thing -the way she works.” - -“It’s complicated, all right,” Captain Eaton agreed. “Katrinka -represents many years of scientific study, long before I ever thought of -venturing into space. It was a hobby of mine, in between my duties as a -teacher and head of a space shipping corporation. My first models were -very clumsy and crude, but I have developed them over the years and have -finally come up with Katrinka, my finest yet. Many people are interested -in her—manufacturers and the government too.” - -The next morning Garry told Patch about Katrinka, and Captain Eaton gave -them permission to watch him check out the robot. - -After breakfast the three went to the closet where the robot was kept. -The captain pressed the door button, and the door slid open, revealing -the hulking monster that had frightened Garry the night before. Even -now, Garry felt chills along his spine. - -Captain Eaton spoke one word, “Follow,” and then turned on his heel, -heading on down the corridor. The boys tagged along and were amazed to -see and hear Katrinka clomping behind. - -“She _is_ following, Garry!” Patch said. - -“Yeah, and I still don’t understand it,” his friend replied, with a -shake of his head. - -“Why, that’s the easiest command of all I’ve given her to do,” Captain -Eaton said. “The word ‘follow’ activates a sort of radar device in her -and makes her follow the closest moving object. I believe that was what -happened when she chased you last night, Garry. Something slipped, -causing her to follow that particular action.” - -The captain chuckled. “She could have pursued you all night, but she -never would have come closer than three feet.” - -The _Carefree_’s skipper entered a doorway leading off the corridor. -“Here’s my workshop. I’ll have a look at Katrinka’s workings now,” he -said. - -The shop was untidy, cluttered from top to bottom with electronic parts, -tools, and metal plates. - -Captain Eaton gave Katrinka the command to stop and then with a screw -driver removed a large plate from her back. He nosed about inside the -robot for several minutes, making adjustments within the complicated -network of wires and miniature parts. Then he replaced the plate. - -“Just a couple of wires got too close,” he said. “She won’t be chasing -you any more, Garry.” - -“That’s a relief,” Garry replied with a nervous smile. “I wouldn’t want -to go through that again, even if she _is_ harmless!” - -“I’ll show you how I build commands into her system,” the captain said. -“Let’s have a simple command, fellows.” - -“I know,” Garry replied. “Have her lift up Patch.” - -Patch backed off hastily. “Oh no you don’t!” he objected. - -The master of the _Carefree_ laughed. “Be a sport, Patch. She’s very -gentle. She won’t hurt you,” he said. - -Patch thought a moment, then replied, “Okay, if you promise it will be -all right.” - -“I promise,” the captain said, and he set to work. - -He brought out tools and equipment of every kind. Then he removed some -plates from various parts of the robot’s body. But instead of tinkering -around inside, as he had done before, he opened up a big chart and began -working from it, using pencil and paper. - -“What are you doing, Captain?” Garry asked after a few moments. - -“This is a map of Katrinka’s system, like the diagram of a radio or TV,” -was the reply. “I have to figure out what connections I must bring -together. You see, I must give her several actions that make up the -command we have given her. There must be the action of walking over to -Patch, of bending certain parts that serve as her muscles, and finally -the action of lifting him up. Then I must activate these through the use -of spoken words.” The captain worked for about an hour. The last thing -he did was to take a small disk out of stock and drill holes in it at -very carefully measured positions. Then he slipped the disk into place -inside the robot. - -“Now let’s try her out,” the captain said. - -Captain Eaton faced the robot and spoke in a loud clear voice: “Lift.” - -Patch remained where he stood, but Garry could see that he was a little -nervous as Katrinka began lumbering toward him. The robot stooped over -and lifted the boy in her big metal arms. She stood motionless, holding -him in a firm grip as Patch began to struggle impatiently after about -fifteen seconds. - -“Tell her to put me down, Captain,” Patch begged. - -The captain winked at Garry mischievously. “My goodness, Patch, I forgot -to give her a command to release you!” - -Patch began struggling vigorously, but he could not escape the robot’s -iron grip. - -“Hey, somebody, get me out of this!” Patch cried, his face reddening -from his exertions. - -Seeing that his fun had gone far enough, Captain Eaton barked out, as if -he were a military commander: “Atten-tion!” - -The robot’s arms slipped straight down to her sides, and her body -stiffened rigidly. Patch tumbled unharmed to the floor. - -Patch sat up. He turned and looked up at Garry and the captain. Fear -still showed in his eyes, but, as he saw the playful smile on the -captain’s face, a grin spread over his own. - -The captain laughed out loud. Then Garry joined in. - -Finally, Patch himself began laughing, having enjoyed the harmless -experiment even if the captain _had_ played a little joke on him. - - - - - 9. SATELLITE ZONE - - -Although Ben seemed to be one of the busiest persons aboard the -_Carefree_, he still took time out to chat with the boys early that -afternoon. - -“Have you been at the orphanage all your lives?” Ben asked Garry and -Patch. - -“Almost that long,” Garry replied. - -“Our parents were good friends,” Patch added. “All four of them were -killed at one time in a rocket-plane crash near Salt Lake City. We were -only three then and were placed in the orphanage at the same time.” - -“How long have you been in space, Ben?” Garry asked. - -“Oh, about eight years now, off and on. I started when I was in my -teens. I was a sort of cabin boy aboard the old Mars exploration ship, -the _Jules Verne_. We spent a year there. Boy, what a life! It was like -living in a deep freeze. Since then I’ve traveled to Venus, Luna—the -moon, you know—and there’s no counting the trips I’ve made among the -satellites.” - -“How did you get in with Captain Eaton and the _Carefree_?” Patch wanted -to know. - -“A few years ago I took time to go to school and learn space-ship -engineering and design,” Ben replied. “My teacher was Captain Eaton—or -Professor Eaton, as he was called then. He was also a millionaire and -president of Space Shipping Incorporated. He helped build the sturdiest -ships ever to fly the solar system. I graduated stone broke and had to -go back to flying the spaceways. - -“I thought I’d never be an engineer or designer, but then Professor -Eaton got in touch with me and said he was going to design a space ship -for his own use. He said I was the best pupil he had ever taught and -asked if I would work with him on the project. Of course I jumped at the -idea. We assembled the ship out here in space, and I’ve been with him -ever since.” - -“Captain Eaton is a grand person, isn’t he?” Garry asked. - -A fond look came into Ben’s dark eyes. “He’s the wisest, kindest, and -most generous person I’ve ever known or heard about. You may think he -selfishly spends all his money for his own enjoyment as he cruises the -spaceways, but that isn’t the case. He gives far more than he spends out -here to charities and churches back on earth. And he has built countless -scientific libraries, but he’s too modest to let them be named after -himself.” - -“The _Carefree_ is such a big ship, Ben,” Patch said, “that I don’t -understand how it can be run by so few men.” - -“It’s due to the captain’s genius,” Ben explained. “Practically -everything you can think of is automatic, and our batteries are -constantly recharged by sunlight. Of course, once in a while something -goes wrong, and we have to dock at a repair satellite. And we also have -to refuel about every six months at a service station. But we don’t use -very much fuel ordinarily because we mostly just cruise about in the -‘satellite zone,’ as it’s called.” - -Ben had to go back to work, and the boys joined Captain Eaton in the -library, where he was waiting for a TV newscast to come on. - -Garry and Patch got the shock of their lives at the first feature to -come over the telecast. For the subjects were _themselves_. - -They quickly discovered that they were the most celebrated missing -persons on earth. The orphanage had first reported their absence, and -then Mr. Mulroy had given his version of their disappearance. It seemed -that Mr. Mulroy was in very hot water because he had not made sure that -the boys had gotten off the _Orion_ before the blast-off. In fact, he -was in such hot water that he faced court-martial unless Garry and Patch -were found. - -“Well, I guess the vacation is over, Patch,” Garry said sadly. “We can’t -let Mr. Mulroy be court-martialed for what we did.” - -“We’ve got to tell them where we are, haven’t we?” Patch replied. -“Although I’d give _anything_ to stay aboard the _Carefree_—that is, if -Captain Eaton would have us.” - -“I’d like nothing better than to have you two stay on,” the captain -said. “But you must consider Mr. Mulroy and all the police forces who -are working to uncover the mystery of your disappearance. Right, -fellows?” - -“Yes, Sir,” they both agreed reluctantly. - -“We must make full use of the time left you to finish seeing the marvels -of the _Carefree_. I said I’d show you the observatory today. What do -you say we go there now? I’ve got some double-star photos I want to -check on.” - -The boys liked the idea and went with their host along the zero-gravity -tunnel toward the observatory. - -The observatory was a “bubble” attached to the _Carefree_’s center tube -or axle, just a short distance from the air lock through which Garry and -Patch had first entered the ship. The observatory was such that it never -rotated with the tube or the rest of the ship. In this way its -telescopes could always keep focus on objects in space. - -Three pairs of magnetic shoes clicked along the metal floor of the -observatory as Captain Eaton led the boys to the reflector telescope, -whose big six-inch eye was pointed out into space. Captain Eaton looked -over a camera which was attached to the eyepiece of the telescope. Then -he unfastened the camera and took it off. - -“The picture has been exposed long enough,” the skipper said. “It takes -a pretty long time for a photograph to be made in the heavens, you know. -But when you give it full exposure, it shows you much more than your -naked eye can do.” - -Garry studied a satellite chart on the wall. “I didn’t know there were -so many satellites whirling around the earth. So many different kinds -and sizes too!” he said. - -“Yes, there are many more than one would imagine,” the captain agreed. -“Here, let me show you some of them on the chart. The pictures you see -are exactly the way each satellite looks, and they are all drawn in -proportion.” - -Garry and Patch studied the chart with its multitude of different shapes -and sizes. There were satellites that resembled drums and others like -round balls. Some were torpedo shaped, and some were circular and flat -like “flying saucers.” There were giant satellites, wherein people lived -and worked, and many of them were in the shape of huge revolving wheels. -Some of them had no regularity at all, appearing to Garry to resemble -more than anything else huge space insects, bristling with antennas and -sun mirrors. - -“As you probably know, fellows,” Captain Eaton said, “the Von Braun -Space Station is our largest satellite of all. But there are a few -others that approach it in size. For example, here is Quartermaster 10, -the biggest of the depot satellites that furnish supplies to men who -live in the world of the artificial moons. Here is a big fueling -satellite, and over here is another big one—Spaceharbor—which is really -a network of smaller moons joined together. This is a shipyard satellite -where space ships are built and repaired. The _Carefree_ was built in -Spaceharbor.” - -“Gee, with so many of those things orbiting earth every minute of the -day, it seems that space ships are always in danger of hitting one of -them,” Patch remarked. - -“That is a very real danger,” Captain Eaton said, “especially for us, -since we usually cruise in that area above earth called the ‘satellite -zone.’ For this reason, every person on pilot duty is responsible for -knowing the position of every satellite within dangerous range of the -_Carefree_. This requires constant study and figuring of orbit paths. It -really is the biggest job the pilot has to do, because generally the -_Carefree_ is on automatic pilot and runs itself, you might say.” - -“What are some of these smaller satellites?” Garry asked. - -“Well, there, there, and there are some of the observation satellites -called ‘Tiros.’ They are used to photograph part of the earth for -different reasons. Some of the reasons are prediction of weather, -mapping, and for military purposes to see that the countries of the -world do not start arming themselves for aggression.” - -“The Tiros moons were first put into orbit in the 1960’s, weren’t they?” -Garry asked. - -Captain Eaton nodded. “Also these, Garry—the Transit satellites, which -are used for navigation, both in space and on earth. This odd-looking -little moon over here is one I’m sure you’ve heard about. It is WAS, -which means weather-alteration satellite. Know what it does?” - -“Sure,” Garry replied. “It’s used to seed storm clouds with chemicals. -If the seeding works, hurricanes and tornadoes can be broken up before -they cause damage. I believe they were first put into orbit in the late -1960’s.” - -“Very good,” the captain complimented. “Of course there are many other -kinds of man-made moons, some too technical to explain. But, in spite of -their great number and complexity, each has its use, and they are a -tribute to man’s great achievements in the world of science. One of our -big jobs aboard the _Carefree_ is to see that they remain in orbit, -doing their duty for the people of earth. If we should ever change their -orbit, for instance by colliding with one of them, we not only would -destroy their usefulness but we would, in all likelihood, destroy the -_Carefree_ as well.” - -Garry did not even want to think about the possibility of such a -disaster. - -After the visit to the observatory, the captain asked the boys if they -would care to try out the swimming pool. - -“Hey, would we!” Garry and Patch said together. - -A few minutes later, as they were heading down the corridor toward the -gym, they passed Mr. Klecker walking along stiffly—in full dress of -course—and carrying a stack of books. - -“Hello, gentlemen,” the tall man greeted them cordially, and the boys -returned his greeting. - -As he passed, Patch whispered to Garry, “Bet those books are about the -circus.” - -Garry smiled and nodded. - -The boys had learned that Mr. Klecker had a hobby. He was very much -interested in the circus of the old days. He had many books on the -subject, and whenever he talked to anyone it was about the circus. - -Garry and Patch had heard from the others that Mr. Klecker still looked -after the captain as if he were serving him in his mansion. He would lay -out his clothes for him and attend to other small details. Once in -awhile Mr. Klecker would be called on to assist in things of a -mechanical nature, but he hated to get out of his full dress and don -greasy coveralls. - -The boys proceeded to the gym. They were anticipating a good time. But -something of a decisive nature was to happen which would have an -important bearing on their future life aboard the _Carefree_. - - - - - 10. THE LADY GOES WILD - - -“Beat you into the pool,” Patch called a little while later. - -He dashed out of the dressing room and dove, with hands outstretched, -into the water. Garry followed right behind, tumbling into the spray -left by Patch’s dive. - -“Say, this is nice and warm!” Garry said. “And we’ve got it all to -ourselves!” - -A little way back from the pool’s edge, Mac and Isaac were lifting -weights. This exercise was to help them keep in good physical trim. - -Garry and Patch swam and splashed to their hearts’ content. It was the -most fun they had had in a long time. They knew no one would ever -believe their story of swimming in a pool in deep space! It was almost -too difficult for them to believe themselves. But they did not care if -they were never believed. - -They frolicked in the water for about an hour and then climbed up on the -pool’s edge to catch their breath for a few minutes. - -“Boy, I could spend twenty-four hours a day in there,” Patch said, -flicking water from his face. - -“I could too, almost,” Garry agreed. “But I would be satisfied if I -could spend twenty-four hours a day aboard the _Carefree_ doing -anything. Gee, it’s going to be hard leaving here to go back to the -orphanage.” - -“Yeah,” Patch said sourly. “Gee whiz, Garry, why can’t they let a couple -of guys live the way they want to?” - -“We can someday, when we are old enough,” Garry said. “But the only way -we could get around having to go back now would be for Captain Eaton to -adopt us.” - -“Say, that’s the answer!” Patch replied excitedly. “Why don’t we ask -him?” - -“I don’t think it’s as easy as that, Patch. In the first place, I don’t -think _we_ should ask _him_. He knows how much we like the _Carefree_, -and he may have thought of adoption. But he should be the one who -suggests it.” - -“Maybe we could drop a hint or something,” Patch said. - -“I don’t think they’d let him adopt us, Patch. Don’t forget, when they -find out where we are, they’ll think we stowed away aboard the _Orion_, -and that would ruin any chances we might have had.” - -“But we didn’t deliberately stow away!” Patch protested. - -“I know that, but how can we get them to believe us? I don’t think -they’d even consider adoption at this time, and I think Captain Eaton -must feel that way too.” - -Patch sighed. “Maybe later, then. Maybe someday Captain Eaton will want -us back. Gosh, I hate to leave here, though.” - -“Life won’t be the same any more,” Garry said. “Nothing can ever be as -exciting as the adventure we’ve had.” - -They heard footsteps approaching and looked up to see Captain Eaton -coming their way. Missing now was his usual sunny smile. He carried a -piece of paper in his hand. - -“Well, fellows, the answer has come,” Captain Eaton said, and his voice -was laden with dejection. “I radioed that you two had been picked up, -and they’ve already replied.” - -Garry hated to ask, “Wh—what did they say?” - -“Just as I suspected. We must return to the Von Braun Space Station.” - -“I was hoping we had a _few_ more days at least,” Patch groaned. - -“I think that the sooner we straighten this matter out, the better it -will be for everyone,” Captain Eaton replied. “And another thing, you -boys are still A.W.O.L. from the orphanage, you know. However, it will -take a couple of days for us to work out a navigation plan and get a -clearance approach to the station. Sorry, fellows. I wish you could have -stayed on with us indefinitely, but....” - -As the captain’s voice trailed off, Garry had a flicker of hope. The -captain was looking at them as if debating something in his mind. Would -he bring up the subject of adoption? - -But, saying nothing further, the captain turned and began walking toward -the outer door of the gym. - -Then he seemed to think of something else and came back. The boys held -their breath hopefully. Would he mention adoption now? - -“There’s something else they told me that I thought you’d want to know,” -the captain said. “I told them the story of your being stowaways -accidentally, just as you told me. They checked back and found that the -elevator attached to the _Orion_ was defective, as you said, and they -are convinced of the truth of your story. As a result, Officer Mulroy -has been cleared of any negligence.” - -“I’m glad to know that, Sir,” Garry said. - -Once more the captain left them, but this time for good. - -“Well, that’s that,” Patch commented unhappily. “No adoption. When he -came back I thought he....” - -“I was hoping too,” Garry replied, “but we’ve got to go back, and that’s -all there is to it.” - -Mac and Isaac came over, still breathing hard from their exercises. - -“We couldn’t help but overhear the bad news,” Mac said. “We’re going to -hate to see you fellows go.” - -“Yes, that’s right,” Isaac added. - -“Thanks,” Garry replied. “We were getting to like this old ship.” - -“In a way I’d almost like to go with you,” Mac said, with a faraway look -in his eyes. - -Garry guessed that the Scotsman was a little homesick. His hunch proved -correct, because Mac began to reminisce about his homeland. He described -the heather on the hillsides, the flowing streams, and the green vales. -And yet, Mac admitted finally that space was still a good second home to -him, and he enjoyed his life in the deeps. - -Isaac had no home he would rather live in than the _Carefree_. As he -talked about his good friends aboard ship and the kindly captain, Garry -noticed the softness of the big man’s eyes. - -Garry had heard that Isaac was really quite a sentimental fellow. -Whenever he learned of a tragedy over the TV, it would depress him. -Later, the boys were to learn that Isaac had a secret liking for good -poetry. - -Both Mac and Isaac seemed genuinely sorry that the boys were having to -leave. It made Garry and Patch feel good that they were so popular, but -it made them a little sad, too. - -The next morning Garry and Patch woke earlier than the others and were -heading toward the washroom. - -Suddenly Garry stopped and caught Patch by the arm. “Patch, do you hear -that? There’s noise coming from the laundry room up ahead!” - -Patch listened and heard the sound of splashing and a machine laboring -hard. - -“Yeah,” Patch said. “Let’s see what’s going on!” - -Running, Garry led the way into the laundry room. But then he wished he -had not been coming so fast. His feet skidded on the floor, that was -covered with thick soapsuds, and he skated several feet forward on his -bottom. Patch, coming right behind, could not help laughing at his -friend’s misfortune. But then he too went down and skidded alongside -Garry. - -“Hey, what goes on here!” Garry gasped, trying to get to his feet. The -entire floor was a miniature sea of soapsuds. - -In his efforts to get up, Garry’s feet slid apart, and he hit the floor -again. Patch had no better luck than Garry. When this happened, both -boys broke into laughter. - -They struggled several times to their feet, half playing all the while, -but did not succeed in keeping their feet until the fourth attempt. Then -they held onto one another to steady themselves. Only now did they see -what was causing the strange disorder. - -They looked over at the big washing machine against the wall and saw -Katrinka standing over the open tank, pitching clothes right and left -out of the machine and into the air! It was as if she were having the -time of her life. - -“Look, Patch—Katrinka!” Garry burst out laughing once more. “She’s gone -crazy! Something must have flipped in her mechanism again.” - -The machine was still making mountains of suds, and they were flooding -out of the top like a flow of white lava. Katrinka’s metal wrists -clanged against the edge of the machine as she went up and down with her -flinging motion, making a rhythmic clatter. - -“Hey, can’t we give her some words to make her stop this?” Patch spoke -loudly to be heard over all the noise. “She’ll wreck the place!” - -“I remember one of the commands,” Garry said. Then loudly he called out: -“Atten-tion! Atten-tion!” - -“She’s not paying any mind!” Patch said. - -“She must be short-circuited again,” Garry said. “Let’s go for Captain -Eaton!” - -“I hate to wake him up after the hard day he had yesterday,” Patch said, -as he returned along the corridor with Garry, “but this is an -emergency.” - -It turned out that they did not have to wake the captain. He met them, -clad in his robe, at the door of the dorm, having already been aroused -by the commotion going on down the corridor. - -Captain Eaton yawned. “It’s Katrinka, isn’t it? Ben set her for laundry -duty this morning, but I guess her wires got crossed again.” - -The boys cautioned Captain Eaton to be careful about going into the -slippery room. The captain promised he would be careful and promptly -fell down as soon as he walked through the door. Garry and Patch tried -to help the captain to his feet, but only succeeded in falling again -themselves. They scrambled around, slipping and sliding. Then slowly -learning how to become expert at moving about in soapsuds, they finally -managed to stand up and stay up. - -Carefully, the three made their way toward the washing machine where -Katrinka was still merrily flipping clothes through the air. But by now -she was out of ammunition and was merely flailing her metal arms. The -captain used the command, “Atten-tion!” several times, trying to stop -Katrinka’s wild actions, but he had no better luck with this than Garry -had had. - -Captain Eaton moved forward over the slippery floor and groped for the -control knob on the robot’s back. But then, losing his footing, he hung -on to the robot to keep from falling again. This brought Katrinka -crashing down onto the floor along with the captain himself. - -Garry and Patch each offered the captain a hand and presently managed to -get him upright again. Garry had a hard time keeping a straight face. -Captain Eaton’s face was red, and his beard was straggly and sudsy. His -soggy bathrobe stuck to his thin legs, giving him the appearance of a -saddened, snow-covered elf. - -In the meanwhile, Katrinka was still having her fun, swinging her arms -gaily against the floor as she lay on her back. - -“We’ve got to turn her over,” Captain Eaton said, crawling nearer the -robot. “Be careful of her arms. She can knock you over with them.” - -Garry thought he saw how the job could be done. - -“Let’s both grab her right leg, Patch,” he said. “Then we’ll give a good -heave-ho and flip her over on her stomach. Careful you don’t slip.” - -They did as Garry had suggested, yanking fiercely on the robot’s leg and -flipping the metal creature over, face down. But the motion also brought -Garry and Patch down in the soap again, this time getting the suds all -over their faces, causing them to make wry grimaces and blow away the -froth from their lips even as they laughed. - -But what was funniest of all to Garry was when he saw Captain Eaton -suddenly see an opening and scramble furiously, on all fours, over to -the flailing robot. He threw himself upon her back, fighting her as a -cowboy would wrestle a steer. He finally subdued her with a turn of the -switch on her back, which he was at last able to grab and twist. - -Worn out by his exertions, the captain simply flopped back on his hands -in the soapy billows, sighing heavily. Then the good-natured man caught -Garry’s eye and smiled. The smile turned into laughter, and presently -all three of them joined in. - -The captain later determined what had happened. He found out that -Katrinka, in doing her washing chores, had gotten water into her -electronic parts, and this had caused trouble in her mechanism. Captain -Eaton made the repair easily, and the robot maid was once more in proper -working order. - -The boys were with the captain while he was making the repairs on -Katrinka in the workshop. When the captain had put away his tools, he -sent the robot on her way. Then he looked at Garry, as he washed his -hands at the sink, and said in a sad voice, “Fellows, I’ve received a -docking date at the Von Braun Space Station. We’ll dock at 2100 tomorrow -night. That isn’t much time left, is it?” - -“No, Sir, it isn’t,” Garry replied unhappily. - -The captain did not look up again. - -Garry half expected him to say something else, but, instead, he remained -silent. Garry tugged at Patch’s sleeve, motioning for them to go. - -The boys made their way slowly toward the door of the workshop. As Garry -pressed the button to open the sliding door, Captain Eaton spoke again. - -“Wait—just a minute.” - -The boys turned. Garry gulped. He could see the sadness in the elderly -man’s eyes. - -“Boys, I haven’t told you how much I’ve enjoyed having you with us for -this short time,” the captain said, holding his dripping hands over the -sink, not bothering to dry them. - -Garry had a lump in his throat. “We’ve enjoyed it too, haven’t we, -Patch?” - -“Sure thing,” Patch murmured. - -Captain Eaton continued: “You two have been a great big lift in our -lives. It’s been so long since we’ve seen young fellows, and you’ve made -us feel younger ourselves once more. I think you know how we feel about -your leaving us. But I don’t want to get sentimental about it and make -you feel worse. So this won’t be good-by. We’ll see each other again—I -know we shall.” - -Garry cleared his throat, trying to dissolve that lump. “You’d better -dry your hands, Sir.” - -Captain Eaton smiled, reaching for a towel. “Oh, of course,” he said. - -“We’ll miss all of you very much, Sir,” Garry said, before starting -through the door. “The _Carefree_ has been like a home to us.” - -The boys were silent as they went on to the dormitory. They were -overcome by sadness at having to leave the ship and her friendly people. - -As the boys were getting together the clothing and toilet articles they -had been given, Patch remarked to Garry, “Maybe the captain doesn’t like -us enough for adoption. He may not care for the idea of being saddled -with us permanently.” - -“I hope it’s not that,” Garry answered, “but I still can’t think of any -other reason, now that the stowaway business is straightened out.” - -Patch didn’t answer. He had no explanation either. - - - - - 11. A FRIEND IS LOST - - -That night, on their way to dinner in the galley, the boys were -overtaken by the long-striding Mr. Klecker. - -“I heard you’re leaving us, gentlemen,” he said to them. - -“Yes, that’s right, Mr. Klecker,” Garry replied. - -“Too bad. I was hoping I would have the opportunity to talk to you about -the old circus days. Yes, it’s too bad.” - -Gino, too, showed how much he liked the boys. He baked them special pies -and told them that they were his going-away presents to them. - -After supper, Patch said to Garry, as they were leaving the galley, -“Gee, they’re not making our leaving very easy, are they?” - -“No, Patch, they’re not making it very easy at all,” Garry agreed. - -“We’re not making what very easy?” asked a voice behind them. - -They turned and saw the smiling face of Ben. Garry explained to him what -they were talking about. - -“Then I guess you don’t want me to say I’m sorry to see you go either, -do you?” Ben said. - -“Of course we really _do_ care,” Garry admitted. “But it makes us sad -when everybody tells us.” - -“Then, I won’t tell you good-by, fellows,” Ben said. “I’ll just say ‘so -long’ for awhile. Before you know it, you’ll come back into space and -find us still cruising through the deeps in the _Carefree_. Yes, we’ll -all be here.” - -“It does sound better that way, Ben,” Garry replied. “But until then, -we’ll still miss all of you terribly.” - -“We’ll miss you too,” Ben said quietly, “but we’ll never forget you.” - -The boys went to bed with a feeling of melancholy that night, for this -was their last sleep aboard Captain Eaton’s wonderland space ship. The -thought of leaving these good friends, possibly forever, brought a pang -to Garry’s heart. But no matter how sorrowful he felt, he was determined -to be brave about it. - -Garry fell asleep thinking of all the fun he and Patch had had in the -brief happy hours of their stay aboard the _Carefree_. Since the time -passes quickly during slumber, the boy expected he would be awake before -he knew it on another quiet morning, and that very soon thereafter he -would be bidding good-by to his friends as he and Patch made -preparations for the voyage back to earth and the orphanage. - -But Garry woke far sooner than he expected. It was not morning, nor was -it quiet; the air was charged with confusion and alarm. - -Garry was aware of bustling footsteps and urgent voices in the -dormitory. His eyes popped open in the bright glare of the lights that -had been turned on fully. He had a feeling that it was the middle of the -night and not morning, although he was not to find this out until a -little later. - -Garry sat bolt upright in his bunk. “What’s wrong?” he asked. - -Gino, hastily pulling on his shirt, paused at Garry’s bunk. His eyes -showed the anxiety he felt. - -“Hurry and get dressed, Garry!” he said. “You and Patch. We’re in great -danger. We’ve got to get ready for the captain’s orders.” - -Garry leaped out of bed, his heart thumping swiftly. The cold floor on -the soles of his feet shocked him fully awake. He seized his peacefully -sleeping buddy and yanked him without mercy. - -“Patch, get up! There’s trouble—I don’t know just what kind yet!” - -Patch’s eyes were still drugged with sleep, but he struggled to a -sitting position. - -“Trouble? Wh—what trouble?” Patched muttered. - -“I told you I don’t know, but Gino warned us to get ready for the -captain’s orders. Hurry! Everyone else is already dressed and out of the -dorm!” - -Patch needed no more urging and popped out of bed. He and Garry quickly -dressed and hurried out into the corridor to see what was going on. - -There was no one in sight. The boys went farther along. Then, at the -foot of the stairs leading into the center tube, they heard excited -voices. - -“Whatever it is, it seems to be up in the tunnel,” Garry said. “Let’s -go.” - -They hurried up the stairs. Reaching the top, Garry, who was in the -lead, looked down the tunnel from which most of the sounds were coming. -He saw Ben, Captain Eaton, Mr. Klecker, and Gino on or near the platform -outside the flight deck, the door of which was closed. - -Garry and Patch pulled their weightless bodies along the webbing of the -tube. As they approached the men, they heard Ben saying: - -“This is terrible! Poor Mac! And what’s going to happen to the rest of -us?” - -“What is going to happen?” Garry asked, as he and Patch came upon the -scene. - -Captain Eaton turned to them with a distraught look. “I’m sorry, boys. -If I had hastened to get you back to the space station promptly, you -would have survived this—this disaster.” - -“Disaster?” Garry echoed, with a sinking feeling in his stomach. - -“Yes,” Captain Eaton answered, his voice shaking. “Mac is already done -for, and we shall soon follow after him.” - -“What happened?” Patch asked Mr. Klecker. - -The boys could see pain on the men’s faces. - -“The _Carefree_ collided with an _Explorer_ satellite,” the butler -replied. “It destroyed the flight deck while Mac was on duty. It looks -as if he had managed to close the door before he was swept off into -space. The collision knocked us off course, and we’re plunging into -space—toward where, no one knows. We can’t so much as lift a finger to -bring her under control, and our antenna disk has been damaged so that -we can’t even send an SOS.” - -“Oh, no!” was all Garry could say, sickened at the sudden fateful turn -of events. - -Actually, he was thinking more of poor Mac than he was of their own grim -outlook. He remembered how much the likable Scotsman wanted to return to -the heather of his own land after his stint in space. Now he would never -see Scotland again. Garry absently watched Ben squirting a thick liquid -around the cracks of the flight-deck door, probably as a safeguard -against air escaping from the ship. - -“Ben has been outside in a pressure suit to look over the damage,” -Captain Eaton said. - -Patch turned away from the others, hanging his head in grief and -despair. Captain Eaton put an arm around Garry’s shoulder, but there was -a helpless look on his face that seemed to show the uselessness of -saying anything. Gino had lost his usual cheery smile and could only -stare numbly at the closed door of the flight deck, where their friend -had been the victim of such a cruel act of fate. - -Garry looked around at the ship’s company. Everyone was accounted for -except Isaac. - -“Where’s Mr. Newton?” he asked. - -“Poor Isaac is completely crushed,” Captain Eaton replied. “He had just -changed shifts with Mac at the pilot’s chair only a few moments before -the accident. He’s blaming himself for the whole thing. It seems he -overlooked the position of the satellite that hit us. He missed it on -his last check, and Mac did not see it in time. Isaac’s gone off -somewhere.” - -It was indeed a dark moment aboard the once-happy vessel. Things had -happened so swiftly that everyone appeared to be still in shock. No one -spoke again for several minutes. Everyone just stood around idly, as if -not knowing what to do next and not really caring. - -Ben was the first to try to rally everyone’s deadened spirits. He had -just finished sealing the cracks in the door. - -“It’ll be some time before we can tell which way the ship is heading. -The collision changed our course completely. Even when we do find out, -there’s nothing we can do to control the _Carefree_. She’s just a -runaway. But I still think there’s hope for us.” - -All eyes turned upon Ben questioningly. - -“That flier you two arrived in, Garry,” Ben continued. “I’ve only had a -quick look inside it, and the console seemed in pretty bad shape from -your and Patch’s efforts to start the engines. However, if I’m lucky and -we have time before the _Carefree_ hits another satellite or something, -I may be able to fix it up so that we can escape in it.” - -“It’s our only hope,” Captain Eaton replied. “I suggest you get right on -the job, Ben, and call on anyone you need to help you. Meanwhile, we’ll -sweat out the flight, although I must say I feel like a duck in a -shooting gallery because of all the flying objects whirling out there -all around us.” - -“If we are able to escape in the flier,” Mr. Klecker said, “we can use -its radio to send for help.” - -Ben shook his head. “The radio was removed for some reason. There’s only -the empty compartment it came out of.” - -With faint hope of survival, some measure of good spirits was restored -to the astronauts. Ben called upon Mr. Klecker to help him work on the -space taxi, and Captain Eaton said he would go to the observatory to -take a “fix” and try to determine the course the _Carefree_ had taken. - -“I’ll have to change clothes,” Mr. Klecker said. “I don’t want to get my -uniform soiled.” - -“Guess I’ll go and whip up some breakfast,” Gino said. “That’s about all -_I_ can do, although maybe nobody will be hungry.” - -Captain Eaton turned to Garry and Patch before he left. “I know it’s -going to be hard for you,” he said, “but try to feel hopeful about this -situation. A terrible misfortune has come our way, but try to believe -that things will work out for us. Chins up, eh, fellows?” - -He forced a smile. The boys gave him a brave smile in return, although -they did not feel it any more than he had. - -“May we go with you to the observatory, Captain?” Patch asked. “Maybe we -can help.” - -“Yes, if you like. I know how hard it will be to remain idle at a time -like this. Let’s go.” - -In the observatory, Garry and Patch watched the captain at his telescope -and other instruments. He worked for a little while, then turned away -from his work with a brooding, disturbed look on his face. He stroked -his neat beard. Then he worked again for several more minutes. - -He stopped once more, but then resumed his watching. He kept this up for -some time, and, as the minutes passed, his face grew more and more -serious. - -Garry was afraid to ask, but he felt that he had to know. “Captain, -is—is it bad?” he said softly. - -Captain Eaton shook his head grimly, the look of despair in his eyes. - -“You may as well know,” he replied. “I’ve been hoping I was wrong, but -now I know I’m not. We’re moving into the gravity field of the moon. My -guess is that we’re only a few hours away from collision.” - - - - - 12. A STARTLING DISCOVERY - - -This latest bad news filled Garry with a new dread. But he refused to -give up hope. He remembered that Ben was working in the flier, trying to -put it in shape. - -“Captain Eaton,” he asked, “do you think Ben will have the flier ready -by the time we begin falling to the moon?” - -“I couldn’t even guess at that. If there’s not too much wrong with the -flier, he may get it repaired in short order. But a major repair—I just -don’t know. I guess the next thing now is to inform the men of our -course and get Ben’s estimate of the flier’s damage.” - -The three of them joined Ben and Mr. Klecker in the flier a few moments -later. The small rocket ship was still held fast to the bigger -_Carefree_, their two air locks joined as if they were one ship. - -When Captain Eaton had told the men that they were headed for the moon, -whether they liked it or not, Ben replied, “Well, Captain, I suppose -we’ve just _got_ to get the space taxi in shape in mighty short order. I -don’t imagine the _Carefree_ will bounce very well on the moon’s hard, -rocky surface.” - -“Do you really think you can get it repaired in time, Ben?” Captain -Eaton asked gravely. - -“How much time do you think you can give me?” Ben asked. - -“I’ll have to do some more calculating before I can estimate exactly how -long it will be before we go into final fall,” was the reply, “but, -offhand, I would say you’ve got no longer than six hours.” - -Ben looked at the damaged control panel of the flier and shook his head. - -“Impossible,” he said, “but I’ll do it. I’ve _got_ to do it.” - -“Everyone on the ship will be at your disposal, Ben,” Captain Eaton -said. “Call for anyone and anything at all that you need in order to -hurry those repairs. Ben, there’s no one else I’d rather trust with the -lives of us all than you. You can’t let us down.” - -“That confidence means a lot, Captain,” Ben replied, his expression -showing the appreciation he felt. “Mac gave his life for the ship. I’d -do no less if it meant saving the _Carefree_ and all you guys.” - -“I know you mean what you say, Ben,” Captain Eaton said, “but we won’t -call on you to go that far. Just get the flier in shape so that we can -escape in it and not share the _Carefree_’s fate in crashing on the -moon.” - -Ben shook his head sadly. “I hadn’t thought of the _Carefree_ plunging -to her destruction. But we _know_ that’s got to happen, don’t we, -because there’s no way of saving her. Captain, this ship has become such -a part of my life that I’d almost want to go down with her.” - -“I feel the same way, Ben,” Captain Eaton replied. “Life will never be -the same again without the _Carefree_. I don’t know how I’ll get along -without her deck beneath my feet.” - -“If we get out of this alive,” Mr. Klecker said, “we’ll just have to -return to earth and spend the rest of our days there.” - -“That’s true,” the captain agreed sadly. “Even a millionaire is allowed -a space ship as grand as this only once in a lifetime. I couldn’t afford -another.” - -Ben seemed to realize that precious time was going to waste as they -talked, and he began getting his tools together. - -“I know everyone wants to help,” he said, “but I think that Kleck and I -can work better together by ourselves just now. There’ll be less -confusion. I’ll be sure to call on anyone else if he’s needed.” - -Mr. Klecker had donned some old clothes, but he did not look comfortable -in them. - -Ben listed more tools and equipment he would need, and Captain Eaton -gave the list to Garry. - -“Take this to Isaac, will you, Garry, and ask him to round these up as -quickly as possible. I’ve got to get back to the observatory and see how -much time there is to zero hour.” - -“Isaac has taken Mac’s loss pretty badly, Captain,” Ben said. “Do you -think he’ll be working at top efficiency?” - -“I think it will do him good to have something to do,” the captain -replied. “He’ll be of no use to himself, or us either, if he just keeps -on brooding.” - -Captain Eaton and the boys left the flier and went their separate ways -to take care of their respective duties. Garry and Patch went to the -dormitory and found Isaac Newton sitting on one of the lower bunks, his -head in his hands. They stood beside the bunk for several moments, -waiting for Isaac to look up, but he did not seem to know that there was -anyone else around. - -“Isaac,” Garry then said, “Ben needs a few things for the repair of the -flier. The captain thought you could round them up for us.” - -Isaac still did not look up. - -“Isaac, we’re headed for the moon,” Patch said urgently. “We’ve _got_ to -get the flier repaired within six hours, or we’re all goners!” - -Finally, Isaac looked up, his gentle eyes red. “It’s all my fault,” he -said. “It’s all my fault that Mac is dead! I didn’t tell him about the -satellite, and I should have. I ought to be shot like a soldier for -neglecting his duty.” - -“You shouldn’t blame yourself, Isaac,” Garry said gently. “Anyone could -have made the same mistake.” - -Isaac shook his head, as if pulling himself together, and held out his -hand. “Let me have the list.” - -He looked it over, climbed to his feet, and started out of the -dormitory. - -“Gee, he _is_ taking it hard, isn’t he?” Patch asked. - -Garry nodded. “I can imagine how he feels. How many times have you made -a mistake that you’d give anything in the world to correct if you could? -But with us, our mistakes have never cost a person his life.” - -Isaac came back into the room. “One of the things on this list is the -sealer gun. It must still be up there by the flight-deck door that was -sealed to prevent the air leaking out. Will you fellows get it?” - -“Sure, Isaac,” Garry replied. “Come on, Patch.” - -As they pulled themselves along the center tunnel, Patch remarked, -“Isaac didn’t want to go back up there. That’s why he asked us to get -the sealer gun.” - -“I think you’re right,” Garry replied. “But it will save him some time -just the same.” - -Reaching the platform in front of the flight deck, the boys stepped up -onto the magnetized area. All at once Garry was struck by the awesome -silence of this part of the ship. Along with this was the remembrance of -the tragedy that had taken place beyond the door in front of them, and -he had a lonesome, shivery feeling. - -Patch seemed to feel it too. - -“Let’s hurry up and get out of here,” he said. “It’s kind of spooky here -all by ourselves.” - -“I don’t see the sealer gun anywhere, do you?” Garry asked. - -“No. Maybe somebody carried it away with them.” - -There was a well of darkness beneath the platform. Both boys glanced at -one another. They knew that was the next place to look. - -“It may be down there someplace,” Garry said. “We’ll have to take a -look.” - -“How could it be down there?” Patch argued, not enjoying the prospect. -“There’s no gravity here in the tube. Things don’t _fall_ in here like -they do in the rest of the ship.” - -“It may have been shoved off in that direction,” Garry said. “That could -easily have happened in all the excitement up here. Time’s wasting, -Patch. If you’re scared, I’ll poke around down there.” - -“It’s not that I’m exactly scared,” Patch protested weakly. - -Garry held onto the railing and swung his feet off the -magnetized-platform floor so that he floated weightlessly in the air. -Then he began pulling himself down into the darkness, using the metal -lattice-work that extended below the platform. - -“How can you see down there?” Patch called from above. “Want me to get a -light for you?” - -“I’ll feel around a little first,” Garry answered. “I may put my hand -right on it.” - -With one hand holding onto the metal stripping, Garry fanned his free -arm back and forth along the floor. All he felt was cold smooth metal—at -first. - -Then, suddenly, he felt something soft to his touch. A chill raced up -his backbone, ending in a prickle at the top of his head. He swallowed, -then courageously began feeling around again on the object, trying to -identify it. His hand touched flesh, warm flesh, and he could trace the -outline of five fingers. He felt that chill again, but he fought to keep -his nerves under control. - -“Hey, What’s going on?” Patch called. “Have you found something?” - -Garry pulled himself back up to the platform and hung onto the rail, -shaking. - -“Garry,” Patch said, “you’re white as you can be!” - -“I found something all right, Patch. There’s a _person_ down there,” -Garry whispered. - - - - - 13. ABANDON SHIP! - - -Leaving a bewildered and frightened Patch behind him, Garry left the -platform and began pulling himself as rapidly as possible along the -webbing of the tube toward the ship’s stern. Reaching the observatory -bubble, he went in. - -“Captain Eaton!” Garry gasped. “I think I’ve found him! I think I’ve -found Mac!” - -The captain swung from an instrument he was using, and looked at Garry -in amazement. “You _what_?” he cried. - -Garry pulled himself into the observatory, the floor taking hold of the -soles of his shoes by its magnetic attraction. “Yes, Sir!” he declared. -“Patch and I were looking for the sealing gun in front of the flight -deck, and I found a body in the darkness below the platform!” - -Captain Eaton clicked across the floor and entered the tube. Garry -tagged along behind, as the skipper of the _Carefree_ set out toward the -bow of the ship. - -A few minutes later, Captain Eaton was checking on Garry’s discovery. -Then he came back onto the platform, excitement showing on his face. - -“It _is_ Mac!” he burst out. “His body is warm, and I think he may be -alive! We must call some of the others so that we can get him up from -there. In this zero gravity it will take several of us.” - -Garry and Patch were sent by the captain to round up the others. - -Then several began helping to get Mac onto the platform. Of course he -weighed nothing, but, in the zero gravity, the difficulty in moving him -lay in the fact that the others could not push him without bracing some -part of their own body against something. Otherwise, they would only -succeed in pushing themselves backward. - -Mac was finally moved onto the platform and stretched out. He lay, -suspended in air, a few inches above the platform. Captain Eaton looked -at the Scotsman’s eyes and tested his pulse. - -“His pulse is a little slow,” he stated, “but his color is good, and I -think he’ll come around pretty soon. That bad gash on his forehead must -have knocked him out.” - -They worked over Mac. Finally, he stirred and then opened his eyes. He -stared as if unseeing for several moments, but then, as he began to -recognize everybody, a weak smile formed on his lips. - -“What happened?” he murmured. - -“We don’t know what happened, Mac,” Captain Eaton replied. “Can you tell -us? Can you remember what did happen before you blacked out?” - -Mac frowned, as if concentrating very hard. Then his face relaxed. - -“I remember,” he said softly. “I was near the door when it hit -us—whatever it was. If I’d been in the pilot’s chair I would have been a -goner. But I had gotten up only a moment before to check the chart. The -door was open. I heard a terrific roar and saw the whole console burst -into a sheet of fire. At the same time I felt myself being blown -backward and right through the door onto the platform. I was dazed, but -somehow I had the presence of mind to know I had to get that door shut -or the ship would lose all her air. I managed to press the button and -saw it slide shut. But then my head began to hurt terrifically and I -felt dizzy. I reached out for the railing to hold on, but I guess I -missed it then and unconsciously floated off to wherever you found me.” - -“Garry found you,” Captain Eaton said. “We thought you had been blown -into space by the collision.” - -“Thanks, Garry,” Mac said, winking at him with gratitude. - -“That’s all right,” Garry replied. “We’re just so glad to see that -you’re still alive.” - -“Mac, don’t ever scare me again like that!” Isaac put in, his voice -shaky with emotion. “It was my fault the collision happened, because I -overlooked the satellite that hit us. I knew your death was on me, and I -was so torn up I don’t think I’d ever have gotten over it. Thanks, -buddy, for turning up as you did!” - -“Forget it, Isaac,” Mac joked. “Maybe you can return the favor -sometime.” - -They told Mac about the existing crisis. He wanted to do something to -help, but Captain Eaton insisted that he go to the dormitory to rest. -Garry and Patch went with Captain Eaton to the observatory to recheck -and see how much time the _Carefree_ had left. - -After another period of figuring and using his instruments, the skipper -turned to the boys. “I wish I had better news, but it looks as if we -have less time than I had thought at first.” - -The boys returned with Captain Eaton to the flier. Isaac had taken over -helping Ben, since he knew more about this kind of thing than Mr. -Klecker. - -Captain Eaton stood at the door of the air lock. “How are you coming in -there?” he asked. - -Ben gave him a report of their progress. The captain’s face was lined -and grave. “You may have to do better than that if we’re going to get -out of this alive,” he said. “The moon is very close.” - -Captain Eaton and the boys spent the time that followed in the -observatory dome, watching the steadily growing disk of the moon. It was -like a mocking face in the sky, luring the travelers to destruction. - -No telescope was needed, for the big, rocky satellite of earth appeared -to take up the whole heavens. Garry and Patch studied the knife-edged -mountaintops, the dry, gray wildernesses that were once thought to be -seas, and the mysterious bowl-like craters. Where would the _Carefree_ -plunge to her death on the fierce moonscape, Garry wondered. And would -he and the others still be aboard her when she crashed? Garry shuddered -at the thought. As Captain Eaton had said, Luna was now so frightfully -close. - -The captain made a final check of his instruments. Then he turned -abruptly, heading for the door. The boys followed him out. - -In the flier, moments later, the captain said, “Ben, we’re in our last -hour. How do things look in here?” - -Garry could see Ben’s grimy, tired face turned toward Captain Eaton. - -“It’ll be close, Captain, awfully close,” Ben answered, and immediately -turned back to the network of wiring in the instrument panel. - -“Anything I can do, Ben?” Captain Eaton asked. - -“Just hope and pray,” was the reply. “I think it’ll be all up to me now. -It’s a one-man job getting these wires hooked up.” - -“We could take one last look around the ship during this last hour,” Mr. -Klecker proposed. “I have some books I want to take along.” - -“Sorry, Kleck,” Ben said, “but we won’t have room for them. The flier -will be crowded as it is. We won’t be able to take belongings of any -kind, not even for survival, except for the emergency supplies the flier -itself carries. The weight is that critical.” - -“I don’t want a last look,” Gino spoke up. “Otherwise I might not want -to leave the good old _Carefree_, even if she is going to crash.” - -“Me either,” Isaac Newton added. “I want to remember her the way she was -when all of us were very happy and really carefree.” - -“One thing about Patch and me,” Garry put in. “We came aboard without -anything but the clothes we’re wearing, and we’ll be leaving the same -way.” - -“There’s one thing I surely hate to leave behind,” Captain Eaton said. -“Katrinka. She’s only a robot, but I’ve had her for so long that she’s -almost like a member of the family.” - -From now on, every minute was beginning to count desperately. Garry -wished he could hold back the hands of the clock. He wished he could -give Ben an extra hour. But this could not be. - -A little later there came the announcement that Garry had known must be -coming finally. Captain Eaton had been in the observatory for the last -time, and now he had returned with a final announcement: “It’s now or -never, Ben. Which is it?” - -Ben straightened up, and there was a pleased look on his weary face. -“Just finished, Captain. The instrument panel isn’t as good as new, but -I’m pretty sure the flier can be navigated by it, at least long enough -for a safe landing on Luna. Come here, Mac. Let me show you a few things -about the console.” - -Garry wondered why Ben was taking time to instruct Mac in the navigation -of the ship. Why couldn’t he do the piloting himself? Garry could see -that Mac was a little puzzled too, as he went over to the instrument -panel. - -Captain Eaton was looking at his wrist watch. “Ben, there’s no more -time. We’ve got to get off the _Carefree_ within five minutes, not a -second longer.” - -After a few more hurried moments of instruction, Ben said, “We’re ready, -Captain. Everybody into the rocket.” - -Those who were not already in filed into the rocket and belted down into -the seats. That is, everybody but one—Ben. - -“Ben, where are you going?” Captain Eaton asked. - -“To check on the air lock, Sir,” Ben answered, and walked through the -flier’s doorway into the air lock between the two ships. - -Mac had belted down in the pilot’s seat, as Ben had asked him to do. - -“How are you going to ride without a seat, Ben?” Mac called. - -“Everybody ready?” Ben called from the air lock. - -All answered that they were. - -“Start the motors, Mac,” Ben said. - -Mac started the rocket motors, at the same time calling, “Hurry up, -Ben!” - -Garry heard a whirring sound, and the outer door of the flier slid shut, -with Ben still in the air lock beyond! - -“Hey, wait!” Isaac shouted. “Ben’s in the air lock, and the door’s -closed!” - -No one could do anything, for in the very next moment the flier kicked -out violently sideways, bending everyone over in his seat. There was -another jerk forward as the flier went into motion. - -“What’s happened?” Captain Eaton called. - -“Ben’s tricked us!” Mac replied. “He cut off the magnetic grapples from -the air lock that held us fast to the _Carefree_. How stupid I was! He -told me to take over while he checked on some last-minute things.” - -“I see it all,” Isaac added. “If we check the weights we’ll probably -find out that we would be overloaded with one more passenger. Ben was -that one more, and he chose not to come aboard rather than risk the -safety of the rest of us!” - -“Yes,” the captain said in a choked voice, “it seems that Ben elected to -go down with the _Carefree_.” - - - - - 14. FIRST HOURS ON LUNA - - -Ben lost to them! - -Garry could hardly believe it. Surely Ben could have found _some_ way to -save himself. Did he really have to make such a costly sacrifice? - -No one aboard the flier cared to speak for several minutes after Mac’s -tragic announcement. It had come as a devastating blow to all of them. - -Finally, Isaac broke the solemn quiet: “It won’t be the same with good -old Ben gone. He was a smart, brave guy. I’d like to have an ounce of -all the scientific and mechanical knowledge he had.” - -They had been so concerned over Ben’s fate that they had almost -overlooked the fact that the rocky wilderness of the moon was staring -them in the face; that in a few moments the flier would be either -touching down on her surface or crashing along with the _Carefree_ and -Ben, her only human occupant. - -Mac was guiding the craft into a slowly descending spiral. This would -give the flier’s braking rockets time to reduce speed to safe level for -the touchdown. - -The _Carefree_ was not in sight, although Garry searched the starry sky -through the plastic walls of the flier. He was glad he could not find -her. He would not have liked to see her crash. - -Down below, Garry could see the huge dish of a giant crater. It was -within this area that Mac was circling. As if anticipating Garry’s -question, Mac explained: “Ben suggested that we try landing on the floor -of this crater, which is called Hornfield. It was discovered by a lunar -explorer in 1983. It is supposed to be covered by several inches of -pumice dust, and that may help to break our fall if we make a bad -touchdown.” - -From high up, the walls of the crater did not appear very impressive, -but as the flier spiraled lower, they looked like lofty battlements of -ancient castles. - -As they dipped lower still, Garry watched those grim crater walls close -in around the small space craft. Spread out below was the ocean of gray -dust that carpeted the crater floor. Part way up, above the horizon, was -seen the distant globe of earth. It cast ghostly greenish shadows around -the walls, pits, and rock formations. This was the two-week period of -night on Luna, and the temperature down there, in a nearly airless -atmosphere, Garry knew, was more than two hundred degrees below zero. - -“Everyone make sure his restraining belts are tight,” Mac called. “We’re -about to touchdown.” - -The ground rushed up to meet them, as Garry felt himself tipped forward -in his seat. The belly of the little flier skimmed the ocean of dust, -sending it up in a giant cloud along both sides of the craft. The flier -continued to plow along through the pumice until friction finally -brought it to a halt. - -It was strange being still again, Garry thought. Another strange feeling -was the gravity pull of the moon, which he knew to be only one sixth as -strong as that of earth. - -“Is everybody all right?” Captain Eaton asked. - -No one said that he _wasn’t_ all right. Garry and Patch began -unfastening their restraining belts, as did the others. - -Captain Eaton was the first to his feet. He moved over to the window -with a strange floating sort of step owing to his reduced moon weight. -Then he looked out. - -“Where are we, Mac?” he asked. - -“Inside the Hornfield crater,” Mac answered. - -“Are there any settlements close by?” the captain asked. “Anybody who -can come to our rescue?” - -“About twenty-five miles to the southwest, captain,” Mac answered. “Ben -told me just where it was and advised me to land as close to it as -possible. I thought this was as close as we dared approach, because the -ground is treacherous between Hornfield and the settlement.” - -“What sort of settlement is it, Mac?” Isaac asked. - -“An oxygen-mining outfit in the Taurus Mountains. They’re mining for ore -rich in oxygen to provide pressurized air for the underground terminal -of Luna City, five hundred miles farther to the south. Ben said he -thought they would have fliers that could get here in a short time as -soon as they got our radio message.” - -“But we don’t have any radio,” Mr. Klecker said. - -“Yes we do, and we can thank the flier’s lifesaving equipment for that,” -Captain Eaton said. - -He went to a cabinet built into the wall and pulled out an oblong box. -On the top of it were the words: “SOS Automatic Transmitter.” - -“You mean that was in the flier all this time and that we could have -used it earlier ourselves?” Garry asked in surprise. - -“Yes, you could have,” Captain Eaton replied. - -“I’m familiar with this transmitter,” the captain went on. “Let’s get -the radio kit down.” - -When this was done, Captain Eaton donned one of the two space suits -which the flier carried. When he was dressed, he entered the flier’s air -lock, carrying the radio kit. Those inside the ship watched Captain -Eaton walk about fifty feet from the flier and open the box containing -the transmitter. - -“Gee, why does he have to open it up out there?” Patch wanted to know. -“Couldn’t he transmit from inside the ship just as easy?” - -“No, not nearly as well,” Mac explained. “Just watch, and you’ll see -why!” - -Captain Eaton took some things out of the box, and then, after tinkering -with them for a few minutes, he set the transmitter in the pumice dust -and ran back toward the flier as if he had just lighted a bomb fuse. A -few seconds later the boys were surprised to see something resembling a -giant snake spring from the ground beside the transmitter and extend -straight up in the dark sky! - -“What in the world was that?” Patch asked in amazement. - -“That’s the antenna for the transmitter, isn’t it, Mac?” Garry asked. - -Mac nodded. “That long ropelike thing is hollow, and the antenna is in -the middle of it. Captain Eaton released a switch that caused the casing -to fill with compressed air, and that is what keeps it extended into the -sky. That gives us a much better antenna than we could possibly have in -here. Also, being as tall as it is, the radio waves leaving it can -travel great distances and cross high places which they could not do if -it were short. Understand?” - -The boys nodded. - -“The transmitter is a very light and simple one,” Mac went on. “All it -can do is send out an SOS signal from time to time; it can’t transmit -words. Yet whoever picks it up can easily trace it. I hope our signal -will carry as far as the mining settlement and that there’s no -interference between to block our radio waves. Those mountains could -block the waves.” - -“How long do you think we can hold out, just in case our rescue is slow -in coming?” Garry asked Mac. - -“If we carefully ration food, water, and air, I’d say we could last -about five days, earth time,” Mac replied. “I’m pretty sure the captain -will start rationing right away, just to make sure, but I can’t see any -reason why we won’t see a rescue flier heading this way pretty soon, -certainly by tomorrow.” - -Captain Eaton presently came back inside and began taking off his space -suit. - -“If we get out of this alive, we’ll owe it all to Ben,” Isaac remarked. - -Garry noticed the sudden sadness on the faces of the others at the -mention of Ben’s name. Presently, everyone in turn began saying -something good about their friend; that is, everyone except Captain -Eaton, whom Garry knew had been closer to Ben than any of the others. - -The captain was still plainly too broken up to say anything about Ben at -this time. He just quietly finished removing his pressure-suit gear, and -Garry could see the tragedy in his eyes. Garry was glad when Captain -Eaton changed the subject, because he himself had grown very fond of the -brilliant young spaceman. - -“We should take inventory of our stock,” the captain was saying, “and -then start a rationing schedule. We can’t be sure how long we’ll have to -wait before help comes. I don’t want to alarm everybody, but there’s -always the possibility of radioactivity or mineral deposits in the hills -beyond the crater which would keep our SOS from going through. The moon -is full of those things.” - -Mac’s prediction as to how long the food and water would last turned out -to be fairly close, although it turned out to be four days instead of -five. No one expected the fourth day to roll around with their still -being trapped in the flier, but Captain Eaton was playing safe, as Mac -had said he probably would do. - -Those who had invented the equipment making up the escape flier’s -emergency kit had seemingly thought of everything to ease the plight of -those trapped on strange planets. They had not overlooked the boredom of -those awaiting rescue. There was a special cabinet containing tiny -games, and there were also miniature books. - -When the inventory was completed and everything was done that could be -done, Captain Eaton distributed the games and books, and everyone -settled down in the flight chairs. - -“This isn’t so bad,” Isaac said, sighing and stretching out comfortably -with one of the little books. “I’ve always wanted to read this book on -great poetry, but up to now I just haven’t had the time because it’s so -long. It looks like I’ve finally gotten my chance to read it.” - -“There aren’t any books about the circus,” Mr. Klecker said -disappointedly. “I guess I’ll just have to settle for what’s left.” - -The butler straightened his bow tie. He had changed back into his full -dress after Isaac had taken over as Ben’s helper. - -Garry and Patch started a game of chess, and the rest of the -_Carefree_’s passengers took whatever game or book interested them. -Except for the sadness of Ben’s not being with them, Garry noticed that -there was an air of contentment and optimism on the part of everyone. - -Later, he was to be glad that he did not have the talent of seeing into -the future, for if those who were so relaxed now in their cozy hideaway -on the dark moon had only known what was in store for them, they would -not have been in the mood for enjoying _anything_ at this moment. - - - - - 15. A DARK OUTLOOK - - -The idea of stretching out comfortably with a good book and plenty of -spare time did not seem so satisfying after several hours. After this -period, everyone began to get restless, with a desire to get up and -stretch his legs, as they could have done if they were back on the -_Carefree_. - -“I know how you feel, fellows,” Captain Eaton said sympathetically, as -he noticed how tired everyone had become of just sitting around. “I’d -like to take a romp myself outside in a space suit, but without knowing -how soon we’ll be rescued and having no surplus of supplies, I don’t -think we should use up our oxygen that fast. Everyone agree?” - -Everyone did. - -Then to while away the hours that were beginning to drag slowly along, -the captain suggested that they talk among themselves and exchange -stories. This activity occupied the group for some time. Garry was glad -that poor Ben was not mentioned again to further depress everyone. - -Finally, all became “talked out,” just as they had become “read out” -before that. And by this time some were ready for a nap and began dozing -in their seats. - -Garry watched the captain settle back in his seat, sighing tiredly. - -“I suppose I should be grateful for being alive,” he said, “but I feel -almost as if I had died myself. Yes, this is a sad day for an old man -who has lost at the same time the dearest things to his heart—one of his -best friends and a funny-looking space ship that had come to be even -homier than his earthly home.” - -Garry noticed how much the conversation kept returning to Ben. He -guessed that the unselfish spaceman would be on their minds for a long -time to come. - -“I wonder where they went down, Captain?” Mac asked. “I didn’t even see -the _Carefree_, once Ben cut us free.” - -“None of us saw her,” the captain replied, “and I’m glad. I hope they -never find her remains on the moon, because I would feel compelled to go -to the site of the crash and I would not want to do that. No, it’s -better this way.” - -Before long, someone mentioned food. There was some mild enthusiasm from -the others, but not much. Everyone knew that all there was to eat were -capsules that would provide nourishment but little enjoyment. - -Gino made a face when the capsule bottle was passed to him and he shook -two of the pellets out into his hand. - -“To think that I would ever have to make a meal of these things,” he -said sadly, “I, who at one time or another, have served up the grandest -dishes ever put together.” - -All ate silently. Since the additional talk about Ben, it was as if cold -water had been poured over their spirits. - -After the brief meal the captain suggested that the lights be turned -down and everyone try to get a “night” of sleep. - -“I think all of us are brain fagged and bored after all that has -happened,” he said. “Maybe there’ll be someone knocking on our air-lock -door before we wake up.” - -No one objected to the idea, as it seemed to be the only thing left for -them to do. - -When everyone was settled down for the “night,” Captain Eaton cut off -all lights within the flier. It was still not very dark in the flier -because outdoors it was brighter than the brightest moonlight night on -earth, owing to the brilliant glow of earthshine. - -“If our rescuers do not show up some time tomorrow,” Captain Eaton said, -“we had better start cutting back on our battery power. That will mean -no lights inside, except use of the flashlight in the cabinet, and less -warmth. I have a feeling that our batteries will play out before any of -our other supplies do.” - -When Garry woke the next “morning,” he heard some of the others stirring -about. Patch was standing over him with two tablets and Garry’s personal -water bottle which squeezed the liquid into one’s mouth. - -“What’s this?” Garry mumbled. “Time for my medicine?” - -“Medicine nothing,” Patch replied. “This, son, is breakfast. Or would -you prefer nice crisp bacon and fluffy scrambled eggs?” - -“Aw, Patch, cut it out,” Garry pleaded. “You don’t have to make this any -tougher than it is!” - -Garry took the food pills, chewing them slowly to get what little flavor -there was in them. Then he finished off with the water, which was little -more than enough to wet his throat. - -“Gee, the captain has really rationed the water, hasn’t he?” Garry -whispered. - -“He cut it back even further this morning,” Patch replied. “Know why? -Because nobody came knocking on our air lock as he had hoped maybe they -would. On top of that, I heard him say he was going to run another close -inventory on all our life-supporting items to see how much is left.” - -“Gosh, do you think he’s afraid _no_ one will be knocking any time -soon?” - -“I don’t know,” Patch replied, “but he has been frowning quite a bit -this morning.” - -The captain presently made it clear to all why he had been doing so much -frowning. - -“Frankly,” he said, “I thought those people at the mining settlement -would have had plenty of time while we slept to pay us a visit. If our -SOS reached them soon after we began sending, as it should have, they -should have had a flier over here within a few hours’ time. Our chief -essentials for staying alive are our food, water, air, and power supply -which is necessary to keep us warm. It’s several hundred degrees below -zero outside, in case you haven’t thought about it.” - -They took another inventory, and the results were not very heartening. - -“We’re using up much too much of our battery power,” Captain Eaton said. -“That’s the weakest link in our chain of existence. I didn’t realize -that yesterday when we had the lights on for reading. From now on until -someone comes, we’ll have to do without light altogether except when -necessary. That means we’ll have to do our reading by earthshine and our -one flashlight. We may have some strained eyes, but that’s the best we -can do. We’ll also have to reduce our heat a little to save on power -that way too.” - -“Captain, do you think we should check the condition of the battery in -the outside transmitter?” Isaac asked. - -“It’s supposed to have a useful life of seventy-two hours, operating -automatically for a few minutes every half hour,” the captain said, “but -the battery may have lost a lot of its power in storage. I think it -would be a good idea to check it. It has a test meter on it, Isaac.” - -“I’ll go out and check it, Captain,” Isaac said. - -When he had pulled on one of the space suits, Isaac checked the air and -pressure and went outside. - -Garry and Patch watched him move in a light-footed gliding motion toward -the spot where the antenna had been set up. He spent several minutes -with the rig and then came back into the flier. - -As he lifted his helmet off, he said with a shake of his head, “It’s -quit sending, Captain. You were right. The battery must have been in bad -shape to start with.” - -“Not sending,” Captain Eaton muttered to himself, a dark worried frown -on his face. “That means that if our SOS was not picked up earlier, it -never will be, and no one will know where we are.” - -Garry’s heart chilled at hearing this. What the captain really meant, -but did not say, was that they were doomed to a slow death as their heat -and air were depleted and they froze in the moon’s incredible cold. That -would happen long before their food and water gave out. - -Captain Eaton placed a fatherly arm around each of the boys and said, -“Fellows, I wish there were something I could do. Believe me, if I could -give my life to save you two, as Ben did, I would gladly do it. Do you -believe that?” - -“Yes, Sir, I do believe it,” Garry answered sincerely. “But can’t we -really do something—anything at all? It—it’s better than waiting, isn’t -it?” - -“You’re trembling, both of you,” the captain said, “and I can’t blame -you. If it’s any comfort to you, I think you’re the bravest two boys I -ever knew. I would have been proud to have had a couple of sons like -you.” - -The captain pressed their arms affectionately. Garry knew how he felt -about his helplessness to do anything. - -“You ask if there’s anything we could do,” Captain Eaton said. “Of -course we’re not giving up hope completely at this early stage, but -things do look bad. We could ration ourselves severely and maybe prolong -our existence a few days, but after that....” - -Garry finished the gloomy sentence in his own mind. - - - - - 16. A SAD PARTING - - -They _did_ wait—all the long day to follow. - -And in all that time, no one came. - -They did the same things that they had done the day before—reading by -the light of the earth, which they feared they would never see again; -reading until their eyes blurred and the battery had gone dead in their -only flashlight. - -Garry and Patch did not read much. Instead, they spent most of their -time looking out over the cold gray dust, and up into the black sky, -looking hopefully for some moving object against the bleak wilderness -and wanting to be the first to spot it should it appear. But it never -appeared, and bed-time came, but no one was in the spirit for sleep. And -yet, since there was little else to do, everyone prepared for bed. - -Garry and Patch lay awake in their adjoining seats, talking in low -voices to each other. - -“Garry, we’ve been through a lot of close calls since we left the -orphanage,” Patch was saying, “but this looks like _it_, doesn’t it?” - -“I don’t know, Patch. I just don’t know,” his friend replied with a -troubled sigh. “It sure doesn’t look good. I won’t ever really give up -hope, though. There’s still a chance that a rescue ship will come—maybe -during the night.” - -“But what if it doesn’t?” Patch asked. “What if it doesn’t come tonight -or tomorrow—or the next night? How will we feel when we finally _know_ -that we won’t be saved?” - -“You shouldn’t think like that, Patch. It’ll make you miserable. You’ve -got to keep hoping, even when it doesn’t make sense,” Garry said. - -“It’s funny about Ben,” Patch went on. “I mean about what he did. He -meant to save us, but it’s turned out that he’s made it worse for us. It -would have been better if we had crashed along with the _Carefree_, -because then it would have been over quickly.” - -“You know the saying, Patch: ‘Where there’s life there’s hope.’ And I -believe that.” - -Patch said no more, and before long Garry heard him snoring softly. This -made Garry feel better, and presently he too fell asleep. - -Garry and Patch woke the next morning to the sound of subdued voices -around them. For a brief moment Garry wondered if help had come during -the night. He searched the faces he saw, and quickly his hopes were -dashed. Instead of happy faces, they were haggard ones that showed the -lack of sleep, and there were no new faces among them. - -“No one came last night, did they?” Patch asked Captain Eaton. - -The skipper shook his head and tugged at his beard that, by now, had -become scraggly and untidy looking. The others moved in close, and Garry -noticed all at once that he and Patch were the center of attention. He -had a feeling then that something important was about to be said. - -“Garry, Patch,” Captain Eaton said slowly, “you respect my judgment and -my experience, don’t you?” - -“Sure,” the boys answered together, puzzled looks on their faces. - -“Well then, you do believe I would do the best I knew for all of us, -don’t you?” - -Garry and Patch nodded again. - -“I’ve got something to say to the two of you,” the captain continued, -“and it’s very important to me that you abide by my decision. Will you -promise to do so if I tell you it will be to your best interests?” - -The boys thought a moment, then nodded together, trusting the man they -had come to admire and respect. - -Just then Garry noticed the pair of space suits lying on the floor -nearby, and they looked as if work had been done on them. They seemed to -have been made smaller by the adjustable straps with which all such -space suits were equipped. - -“As you can see, fellows,” the captain said, “the rest of us didn’t -sleep much, but we were grateful that the two of you could, because it -gave us time to come to our decision.” - -Garry and Patch watched the captain’s face intently, the suspense -building up in them moment by moment. Garry had a hunch that he and -Patch would not like what they were going to hear. - -The captain took a deep breath and said, “I’ll come right out with it. -The rest of us are forced to face the sad fact that rescue isn’t coming. -But there’s no reason for everyone to perish. Garry, we decided that you -and Patch....” - -As his voice trailed off, Garry saw the picture. “You want us to take -the space suits and—and go out there.” - -“It wasn’t an easy decision to reach, Garry,” Mac spoke. “We may be -sending the two of you to a worse fate than would happen to you here. -But in that way there lies a _chance_ for you. Here the chances would be -very little. We are all agreed on that.” - -“But why us?” Garry protested. “Why not two of the rest of you? We -thought we had become one of you by now. We should all have drawn lots -to see who would go. It’s not democratic this way.” - -“It’s because we’re kids, isn’t it?” Patch asked. “You’re packing us off -like children to bed! We won’t leave you here!” - -“Remember your promise, fellows,” Captain Eaton said. “This is the way -we want it. Believe us, we really do—unanimously.” - -“There’s even a chance you might make heroes of yourselves,” Isaac -added. “You may find someone who can come and rescue us before it’s too -late.” - -“We realize it won’t be easy for you to leave us behind, and it won’t be -easy to set out across unknown country for an unknown destination. It’ll -take courage, gentlemen, plenty of courage, more courage than it will -require for us to stay on here,” Mr. Klecker said. - -Garry could find no further argument. The others were too much against -him and Patch. They simply would not have it any other way. In the end -the boys gave in, but they felt guilty for accepting what was seemingly -the only way to survival. - -Some time later the boys were ready to start out. The space suits still -were a little large, but they would serve. Garry wore the luminous green -suit, Patch the luminous orange one. The boots were so large that Garry -and Patch had to wear them over their shoes. The helmets were big and -bulky, but in the moon’s light gravity they were not too heavy. - -When the boys were sealed in the suits completely, Captain Eaton ran a -careful check on them—the air pressure and temperature, and the -“walkie-talkie” radios that would enable the boys to talk to each other. -Finally, the fellows were loaded down with all the supplies they could -be expected to need. This included spare oxygen tanks, water bottles, -and liquid food in tubes. These tubes could be squeezed through an -opening in the helmet so that one in a space suit could take nourishment -without opening his helmet. - -Garry argued against taking nearly all of the spare supplies and leaving -their friends with very little. - -“You must take them,” Captain Eaton insisted. “If you do not have enough -to get you to the settlement, there is no purpose in starting out at -all. Now, no more arguments.” - -There finally came the moment of parting, which everyone dreaded. -Garry’s heart was heavy at the thought of leaving these people he had -grown so fond of in such a short time. Very likely he and Patch would -never see any of them again. - -Garry could see that the men’s eyes were troubled and sorrowful. They -didn’t seem to know just how to say farewell. Isaac and Gino gave a -little nervous wave of their hands. Mr. Klecker shook hands formally. -Mac gave them a warm pat on the back. - -Captain Eaton walked slowly over to the air lock with the boys—slowly, -as if he did not want to let them go. Garry and Patch had removed their -helmets and held them in their hands. The captain had his arms around -their shoulders, embracing them like a father. - -“Well, don’t let’s be sissies about this,” the captain said with forced -lightheartedness. “Let’s just pretend that you boys are going on a short -trip and that you’ll be back in a little while. No sad words, no tears, -eh?” - -“That’s how we want it, Captain Eaton,” Garry answered, but his throat -was so tight he could hardly speak. - -“Whatever you do, don’t give up,” their older friend advised. “Take care -of yourselves and don’t lose your heads if you meet a crisis. And don’t -come back, whatever happens. It won’t help.” - -The captain took a piece of paper from Mac and gave it to Garry. “Mac -and I have plotted your course as nearly as we can from what we remember -of this territory. We both had a course in lunar study at one time. -Follow these landmarks closely. You will be heading straight for the -mining settlement, and if, by chance, a search flier should be coming -from that direction, try to catch their attention by waving. They will -probably be looking for you, and your bright-colored suits will make you -stand out pretty strong against the gray ground.” - -Garry was studying the penciled map. “What is this gray part that you’ve -shown here, Captain?” - -“It’s an area of rugged rock formations,” the captain explained. “You’ve -got to go through it, as there is no way around. You must proceed with -extreme caution, because we haven’t any flashlights left to give you. -And, owing to the fact that there is just a trace of air on Luna, the -earthshine can’t penetrate into the shadows. You will literally have to -inch yourselves along until you’re in the open again.” - -The captain explained more of the dangers in this area and showed Garry -and Patch other points on the map and what they stood for. - -Finally, the boys had their last look at the man who had been the best -friend to them that they had ever known. Garry studied the captain’s -brave, forced smile, and he could see the elderly man’s efforts to keep -himself under control. - -Captain Eaton wiped his moist palm on his trousers and then pushed the -button that swung open the inner door of the air lock. - -“There’s something I must tell both of you before you go,” he said. “I -made application for adoption of you two as my sons just before we had -the accident. I have a friend in a high position back on earth who, I -felt, could put through the papers quickly if they were approved. I -never told you this, though, because I did not want to raise your hopes -falsely in case the adoption was not approved. But I couldn’t let you go -not knowing what I had tried to do.” - -“We would have liked you for a father,” Patch said. - -Garry was too choked up to say anything except, “Let’s go, Patch, before -we change our minds and never go at all.” - -“Yes, that is better,” the captain said. “Good-by, boys, and may God go -with you.” - -The boys pulled on their helmets, and Captain Eaton helped fit them -tightly. Then he made a little farewell wave with his hand and motioned -the boys into the air lock. A moment later the door swished shut. The -outer door opened, and the bleak face of Luna beckoned to them. They -stepped out into the gray dust, and the “snowshoe” plates added to the -bottom of their boots kept them from sinking too deeply into the moon -dust. - -They were now on their own. - - - - - 17. DARK PERIL - - -Because of the light moon gravity, the boys found that they could move -easily in spite of the deep dust and of the equipment strapped to their -backs. The equipment took up as much room as it would have on earth, but -here it weighed only one sixth of its earth weight and so was not much -of a burden. - -In a short while they were out of sight of the flier. They had mounted a -low-lying hill and crossed down the other side. It would still be a long -time before they got out of the giant crater in which the flier had -landed, but by the time they did get out they would be well along toward -their destination. - -“We seem to be making good time, Patch,” Garry said over his helmet -radio. - -“Yeah,” Patch replied. “It’s so much easier walking on the moon than it -is on the earth, once you get the hang of it.” - -“Just think, Patch. Captain Eaton really was going to try to adopt us,” -Garry said. “And all the time we thought he didn’t care enough.” - -“He’s one in a million, Garry. He would have been the grandest father a -guy could ever have.” - -“What do you mean he _would_ have?” Garry protested. “He _will_ be our -father. We’re going to _save_ him, Patch. We’re going to save all of -them.” - -“I want to save them too,” Patch said earnestly. “I’d sure hate for us -to make it and them not to.” - -“Maybe we shouldn’t talk so much,” Garry advised. “It uses up more -oxygen, and I don’t think we have a surplus of it.” - -They slogged silently through the gray dust in the bouncy, light-footed -motion that they had become accustomed to by now. Every once in a while -Garry would glance about him at the forbidding countryside of this dead -world. Sight of the desolation chilled his soul. He wondered at first -why this was so. Then he supposed that it must be because there was so -much absolute _deadness_ all about. For nothing could live in the -numbing cold and the boiling-hot temperatures that came to this -landscape periodically. No, he and Patch were the only living creatures -from one horizon to the other, and this fact was enough to give anyone -the shivers. - -Finally Garry broke the long silence. - -“Patch, do you notice we’re able to move along easier now?” he asked. - -“It’s because the dust is thinning out, isn’t it?” Patch replied. “But I -see the rocky country up ahead that the captain was telling us about.” - -“Yes,” Garry said, “and from the way he talked, it’s going to be plenty -rugged getting through there.” - -They increased their speed, now that the going was easier. - -Garry stole a look at the big green jewel of earth afloat in the black -sea of space, for it alone seemed to lend an air of friendliness and -security to the otherwise lonely, sinister surroundings. The walls of -Hornfield Crater about them were jagged as sharks’ teeth as they reached -up into the darkness. The stars seemed to Garry like sparkling -snowflakes dusted across the entire vault of the sky. The nebulae were -like misty clouds, and there was the long arch of a great comet crossing -just above the horizon and standing out remarkably because of its being -so different from everything else in the whole visible sweep of the -heavens. - -After a few hours of steady hiking, Patch suggested that they take a -short break to rest and eat. Garry was ready for the same. - -Garry checked their map and compared the markings on it to their true -surroundings. “We seem to be still on course, Patch,” he said. - -By now they had moved up on a higher plateau within the crater, and the -dust had thinned so that solid rock could be felt underfoot. But not far -beyond lay the wilderness of rock they had seen earlier at a distance. -How huge and forbidding the region looked! - -Garry stopped walking and plopped down in his tracks, heaving a sigh. -Patch sat down beside him. - -Garry took tubes of liquid food and a couple of water bottles from the -pack he carried. He offered Patch his share and took some for himself. - -Each boy unscrewed a plate that covered the mouth of his helmet. Behind -this was a rubber disk with a self-sealing opening in the middle of it. -All the boys had to do was thrust the tubes of food and water through -these openings and take them between their lips. By squeezing the tubes, -they forced the contents into their mouths. - -“Got a napkin?” Patch joked, when they were through. “I’d like to wipe -my mouth.” - -“Sorry,” Garry answered, “but they haven’t figured out a way to do that -yet.” - -Patch climbed to his feet, screwing his outer mouthplate back on. “Well, -that wasn’t exactly like carving into a steak, but I guess it’ll do -until we can get something better,” he said. - -They started out again, and soon approached the forbidding rocky region -they had dreaded. The ground was rough and uneven. Garry looked ahead, -and it was like staring into the mouth of a vast cavern. - -“We’ve got to be careful, Patch,” Garry warned, as he slowed down and -held back his friend. “There may be bad crevasses across our path, and -they could be the end of us if we should fall in.” - -Garry took the responsibility of going first. Patch was right behind, -holding on to a strap on Garry’s suit. - -It was like going into a dark underworld thriving with all kinds of -unknown dangers. Although he was following very closely, Patch could -barely see Garry’s outline ahead of him. Garry would carefully slide one -foot ahead of him to be sure he had solid ground underfoot. - -After what seemed a very long time, Patch complained: “This is giving me -the willies, Garry. How much farther do you think we’ve got to go? -Besides, this is slowing us down almost to a crawl.” - -“I think I see a break up ahead,” Garry encouraged. “It seems we’re -making a wide turn, and the farther we go the more earthshine I think I -can make out.” - -“Gee, I’d give anything I’ve got for a light of some kind,” Patch -groaned. - -“That’s about the only thing they couldn’t provide for us,” Garry said. -“Remember we used up our flashlight when we cut down on our power supply -in the flier.” - -“I remember,” Patch returned. - -Patch felt that Garry was slowly descending as he walked. - -“Hey, where are you going?” Patch asked. - -“There seems to be an incline going down,” Garry replied. “I sure hope -it comes back up and doesn’t drop off so that we can’t cross to the -other side.” - -“Ugh,” Patch shuddered. “Don’t even _think_ about that. Remember, -Captain Eaton told us not to come back.” - -“Just keep up with me and go slowly,” Garry instructed. “We’ll find out -what’s ahead in a few minutes.” - -Down, down they went on a gentle slope. - -“When are we going to start up?” Patch asked worriedly. - -“I don’t know,” Garry replied, a little anxious himself. - -Suddenly Garry moved too fast for Patch to keep up and lost contact with -him. Patch lost his head momentarily and cried out, dashing forward to -regain touch with Garry. In his haste, Patch tripped and fell on the -jagged rocks. On the earth this would have been a bad fall, but the -weaker gravity here saved him from serious injury. But the weaker -gravity also gave him a longer sprawl and carried him down the slope. - -As soon as Garry heard Patch’s frantic cry, he grabbed wildly in the -darkness, hoping by chance to reach his friend. But his hands met only -empty air. - -Patch’s shrieks were cut off abruptly, and stark silence filled Garry’s -ears. - -“Patch!” Garry called, dread making him tremble all over. “Patch, where -are you?” - -He had a mad impulse to leap down the incline, grabbing desperately at -anything within reach. But he knew this could be disastrous for both -himself and Patch. - -Slowly, Garry inched farther downward, heartsick as he considered the -things that might have happened to his friend—a fall knocking him out or -worse, or a tumble down a deep, treacherous pit. - -“Patch!” he kept calling. “Patch!” - -The frightening moments of anguish were relieved when Garry finally -heard a faint voice. - -“Patch, where are you?” Garry asked over and over, as he inched -downward, ever downward. - -“Here, Garry,” came the very weak voice. - -Thinking Patch was still far off, Garry slid his feet with more urgent -speed through the utter blackness. Then the toe of his boot kicked -something soft. - -“Garry, don’t!” came a low-pitched, terrified voice. “You’re kicking the -hand I’m holding on by!” - -Then Garry realized what had happened, and the thought of the costly -mistake he had almost made sickened him for a moment. Patch’s radio -antenna had evidently been damaged in his fall, making his call for help -seem farther off than he really was. - -Garry stooped down, his hands closing over the gloved hand he had nearly -knocked from its precarious position. - -“Garry!” Patch said, his voice still a little hysterical. “I’m hanging -on a cliff of some kind, and my feet aren’t touching anything! Please, -Garry, get me up before I let go! I feel my hands slipping!” - -“Hold on, Patch! Try to keep holding! I’ve got to get a foothold or we -both may go over!” - -Garry quickly kicked loose dust from underfoot and brushed it some more -with his gloved hands. Then he leaned over and reached for Patch’s -clinging hands. He slid his own hands below Patch’s wrists, closing his -fingers about those wrists for dear life. - -“I’ve got a good hold, Patch,” Garry panted. “Brace your feet and help -me as I try to pull you up. Ready?” - -“Ready, Garry!” came Patch’s weak voice. - -Making sure his feet were well anchored, Garry pulled with all his -might. For an instant Patch’s body resisted him like a dead weight. -Then, with an almost superhuman effort, Garry was able to hoist him up -... up ... up and over onto the ledge safely. Then both of them slumped -exhaustedly on the rocky brink. - -The boys were quiet for several seconds as they caught their breath in -the pitch darkness and considered how close it had come to being all -over for Patch. - -“Garry,” his grateful friend managed to say finally, “I’ll make it up to -you. If we ever get out of this alive, I’ll make it up to you.” - -“Never mind that,” Garry said. “You didn’t lose anything when you fell? -You’ve still got the extra oxygen tanks?” - -A dead silence followed, and that silence caused Garry to feel a clutch -of dread. - -“You lost them, didn’t you?” he asked with a hopeless groan. - -Garry heard a faint sob over his helmet receiver. Then Patch fairly wept -out the words he next spoke: “Yes, yes, I did! Push me back in, Garry! -Push me back in! We’re lost for sure now!” - - - - - 18. STRANGE DISCOVERY - - -It took a long time for the boys to pull themselves together after -experiencing this final fateful blow. Down into the depths with those -precious air cylinders had gone whatever chance the boys had for -escaping alive from the cruel moon and for saving their friends. Patch -broke down and Garry felt just as badly himself, but he managed to hold -back the tears. - -“Garry,” Patch burst out, “we may as well go back and die with the -others now! There’s no use at all in going on any farther!” His voice -still sounded far off to Garry because of the damaged antenna. - -“If we went back, then _they_ would no longer have any hope,” Garry -argued. “We took everything else they had. We’ve got to leave them -hope—even until the end. Besides, we couldn’t accomplish anything by -going back. Maybe, Patch, there’s just the barest chance that we have -enough oxygen to reach the settlement. Or enough to get out into the -open again and wait to see if a rescue flier comes over.” - -“I’m not moving, Garry!” Patch snapped in utter despair. “I’m not going, -do you hear?” - -“You _are_ going,” Garry said determinedly. “You’re going if I have to -carry you! It’s no time to quit, Patch.” - -“Then when _is_ it time?” Patch shot back. “You and your hopes, Garry! -Always hoping, even when there isn’t a smidgin of a chance.” - -“It may be only a smidgin,” Garry said firmly, “but sometimes that’s -enough. Now stop being a quitter and get to your feet.” - -There was only silence over Garry’s receiver for several tense seconds. -Garry didn’t know what he would do if Patch chose to defy him again. He -knew he could not really make his friend do anything his heart refused -to do. - -But Patch solved this latest problem himself. Garry heard rustling -sounds as Patch climbed slowly to his feet. - -“I’m sorry I talked rough, Patch,” Garry apologized. “I don’t think -we’ve quarreled twice in all our lives, have we? But we’re in this thing -together, and we’ve got to keep going, no matter how bad things look. -We’ve just _got_ to, don’t you see?” - -“We’re talking about keeping going,” Patch returned, “but we can’t even -get across this crevasse. How do you propose to do that? Besides that, -we can’t even see as well as moles in this darkness.” - -“Let’s walk along the edge, first in one direction and then the other,” -Garry said. “Maybe the crevasse narrows and disappears before too far!” - -They began exploring the treacherous cliff edge, moving slowly and -carefully along in one direction. Every once in a while they tested the -width of the chasm. Garry would get down on hands and knees and reach -out, feeling with his hand to see if he could contact the other side. -Time after time this was done, but each time his hands met empty air. - -After a tedious hour, Patch complained bitterly, “Can’t you see it’s -hopeless, Garry? Gee whiz, what does it take to convince you?” - -“Let’s try a few more times,” Garry replied doggedly. “Then if we still -can’t find a way across, we’ll start going along the crevasse in the -other direction.” - -Patch did not reply to this, and Garry knew how bitter his friend must -feel toward him after so many setbacks. - -The next time Garry got down on his hands and knees and reached out, his -probing hand touched hard, firm rock on the other side! - -“Patch!” he shouted. “I’ve found a place where we can cross!” - -Even Patch was heartened by this and made an enthusiastic comment. In -the hope of finding the crevasse even narrower and safer farther along, -Garry followed the ledge, and, sure enough, it grew narrower and -narrower until it was a crack in the ground only a few inches across. - -Making the crossing to the other side, the boys, in feeling their way -along, found that the ground began to rise again. Garry still maintained -the lead, with Patch holding onto him and following blindly only a step -behind. - -Up, up the slope they went, and before long they could see rays of light -flickering down into their eyes. - -Soon there was enough light so that they could see a little distance -ahead. They quickened their steps, although it still required some care -on their part to avoid the sharp-edged stones and rugged underfooting -that still lay in front of them. - -But the light grew steadily brighter and the trail flatter. - -“Look, Patch, I can see the stars again!” Garry was soon able to say. - -Then, scarcely before they realized it, they were completely out of the -shadows of the rocky formation that had very nearly finished them. Above -and behind them once more shone the big bright ball of earth floating -among the stars. - -“Good old earth!” Patch exclaimed, with new hope. “I never thought I’d -see it again!” - -“It’s a great sight!” Garry agreed. - -“Garry,” Patch said, “we can see right over the top of the crater wall -in the distance. We seem to be higher than we were when we started.” - -“I’ve noticed that too,” Garry replied. “I’ll check the map again.” - -Garry did so, then told Patch that they were still on course. - -They moved on and presently stood at the raised edge of a gradually -lowering basin that stretched out very far and flat ahead of them. They -could see a break in the crater wall a few miles away, which the captain -had pointed out to them on the map. - -“It looks like we’ll have easy traveling for awhile,” Garry said, “and -we’ll be right out in the open in case a flier comes over. They’ll be -sure to see us unless they’re completely blind.” - -“Garry,” Patch said in a thoughtful voice, “I’m sorry.” - -“Huh?” Garry asked in surprise. - -“I’m sorry for the way I acted. I lost my head completely. When I found -out I’d lost the air cylinders over the ledge, I just seemed to go to -pieces. It’s a good thing one of us knows how to keep his head.” - -“Forget it, Patch,” Garry soothed. “It could have been me just as easy -as you. Besides, that’s not important now. We’ve still got a long way to -go, and time is running short.” - -Suddenly, Patch ran past Garry in great haste and stood staring over the -plain below, shielding his eyes with his hands. - -Garry joined him. “Patch, what is it? Do you see something?” - -“It’s impossible!” Patch gasped. “It’s completely impossible!” - -“What?” Garry begged, his own excitement growing. - -“Look! There’s somebody walking around down there or else I’m seeing -things!” - -Garry looked where Patch pointed, and he too found it hard to believe -his eyes. There _was_ someone or something moving around. - -“I see it!” Garry said. “Come on, let’s go down and get a closer look!” - -“I just hope it isn’t in as bad shape as we are!” Patch exclaimed. - -They hurried as fast as they dared over the bumpy ground, heading -straight for the person or thing that was moving about in seemingly -aimless fashion on the plain below. - -“He sees us!” Patch said. “He’s coming toward us!” - -Swiftly the distance closed between the boys and the lone stranger. And -then Garry and Patch received the surprise of their lives. - -“Katrinka!” they shouted together, not believing what they saw. - -“It can’t be!” Patch cried in amazement. “Garry, we must be seeing a -mirage or something! How could Katrinka...?” - -“It’s Katrinka all right!” Garry said, as the robot drew close enough to -be fully recognized. “But I don’t understand it. I don’t understand it -at all! Katrinka crashed with the _Carefree_ and poor Ben! But even if -she didn’t crash, how is it she’s wandering around out here on the -moon?” - -“And what could make her start moving toward us?” Patch asked, as the -mystery deepened. “You’ll never make me believe she’s _really_ human, -although at times it seemed that she was.” - -The big robot stopped in front of the boys and remained still. Garry and -Patch felt almost as if they should say “Hello,” because indeed it was -like meeting an old friend. - -After a few moments of remaining stock still, Katrinka turned and -started shuffling off with great long strides. - -“What’ll we do, Garry?” Patch asked. “Follow her? But that would be -silly! She’s still an unthinking machine.” - -“I don’t know, Patch. This whole thing seems very strange, although it -may be that she was merely thrown clear when the _Carefree_ crashed and -somehow her works were activated by the jolt. And yet I have the feeling -that she almost knows what she’s doing, as if she wants us to follow -her.” - -“Now you’re talking spooky,” Patch said. “You don’t really believe that -Katrinka can _think_!” - -“I don’t know what to believe,” Garry replied. “But I sure would like to -follow her a little way to see just what she’s going to do next.” - -“But our air, Garry! We don’t have enough to waste on playing ‘follow -the leader’!” - -“Just a little way, Patch. Who knows—this might even lead to something -important.” - -“I think you’re way off base, Garry, but I’ll admit I’m curious too. -Let’s go.” - -Katrinka had already gained some distance on them while they were -debating what to do, and she did not wait for them. They started running -to catch up and presently did so. But the robot traveled at such a fast -pace that they still had to move in long, antelopelike jumps to keep up. - -Katrinka was definitely headed in one particular direction because she -varied hardly any in her line of motion. She seemed to be going toward -an area where the rocks rose high and ominous looking. It was much like -the spot where the boys had had their recent harrowing experience. - -“Garry, please,” Patch begged, panting for breath, “let’s call this -crazy chase off! That athletic gal is running me ragged! Besides, she -seems to be taking us straight into those rocky walls!” - -“Well, there’s one thing certain,” Garry replied. “She’s _got_ to change -direction pretty quick, or she’ll crash into something. Let’s stick it -out a few more minutes.” - -They drew closer to the shadowy outcropping. But the robot did not even -slow her pace. The boys knew she was heading for a collision, but there -was nothing they could do but watch. - -Somehow she got past the first row of stones, tripping and nearly -falling, then recovering automatically. But her luck was short lived. -The path went downhill beyond this spot, and her big metal foot slammed -against a boulder. The robot arched through the air and crashed -headfirst into a rocky wall. It crumpled her metal cranium, spewing out -wires and electronic parts. - -The boys came running up and stood looking at the fallen giant. - -“Poor old Katrinka,” Garry said. “She was almost like one of us. It’s -nearly as if another one of us had died.” - -“Yeah, I liked the old gal,” Patch replied. “She may have survived a -crash on the moon, but it’s a cinch she’s reached the end of her rope -now.” - -Garry cast a look around to see what sort of area they had come into. -His eyes followed the downhill trail ahead that Katrinka would still be -following had she not had her accident. - -What he saw brought a gasp of astonishment from him, and a nervous -tremor coursed through his body. - -“Patch, look!” he shouted. “The _Carefree_! There’s the _Carefree_ down -there, half buried in moon dust!” - -They rushed down the trail to get a closer look. The giant space ship -was indeed buried half of her depth in pumice dust. The rear air lock -was level with the ground, and extending from the air lock was a -gangplank! - -The boys moved up to the edge of the gangplank, looking it over in -bafflement. - -“Don’t tell me Katrinka put that down and walked out of the ship on it!” -Patch challenged. “You can’t get me to believe that, Garry.” - -“No, you’re right; she couldn’t possibly have done that on her own. She -might have done it, Patch, but she would have had to be guided by an -intelligent _human_ brain.” - -“Garry, what are you saying? Are you trying to say that Ben might have -survived that crash and rigged up Katrinka so that she could go out -looking for us? Why, that’s fantastic!” - -“We’ll soon find out if it’s so fantastic,” Garry said. “The ship is -nearly undamaged, as you can see.” - -“What are you going to do?” Patch asked, as Garry moved ahead. - -“I’m going to walk that gangplank up to the air lock and see if Ben is -inside.” - -They could see that the gangplank had been put down because of the depth -of the Lunar dust. It was obviously quite deep in this area, since the -_Carefree_ itself was half buried in it. Deep, enormous dust pits were -very common on the moon and were among the most dangerous obstacles to -travel, because they never gave any indication of how deep they were -until someone fell in and was suffocated. - -Carefully, Garry, with Patch right behind him, stepped out on the narrow -gangplank and moved slowly forward toward the air lock at the other end. -It was a little unsteady underfoot, but it was rigid and did not sink -beneath the boys’ light lunar weight. Besides, Garry felt pretty sure -now that Katrinka had crossed it, and she was far heavier than both of -them together. - -Garry reached the air lock, his heart thumping rapidly with hope and -expectation. He raised his gloved hand and began pounding on the outer -door. - -They waited. Five seconds, then ten, fifteen.... - -Garry’s hopes began to dim. It didn’t look as if there were anyone alive -inside after all. - -But then the air-lock door began to swing open. The boys scrambled -inside, too tense and excited to speak to one another. They heard air -swishing into the air lock. Then, after another half minute, the inner -door swung open. - -Standing there inside facing them was—Ben. - - - - - 19. A NEW LIFE - - -“Ben!” Garry exclaimed jubilantly, rushing into the main part of the -ship. “Is it really you?” - -“I’m not a ghost,” Ben said with a grin, “if that’s what you mean.” - -“How did you ever do it?” Patch asked, amazement written all over his -chubby features. “I mean crash-land the _Carefree_.” - -“First tell me how the others are,” Ben asked anxiously. - -Garry told him that they were all right, at least for the time being. - -Ben was limping as he moved about. Patch asked about this, and Ben said -it would come out in his story. The boys had entered into the central -tunnel of the _Carefree_, with its webbing network, and Garry noticed -that Ben had laid down metallic sheets over the webbing so that it could -be more easily stood upon. - -Ben sat down on this and began his story. - -“I had made plans to remain aboard the _Carefree_ before we even started -working on the flier. When I found that the space taxi would hold only -seven passengers safely, I knew someone had to stay behind. I was afraid -the captain would realize that the flier would be overcrowded, but I -guess he was too busy thinking about other things. The likely one to bow -out was myself, because I felt that quite possibly I might be able to -bring the _Carefree_ down in one piece. I knew this region of Hornfield -was full of huge dust pits that could cushion the fall of a ship if she -belly-landed in one of them just right. But don’t think I wasn’t scared -even thinking of trying such a thing! Don’t get me wrong, fellows—I -wasn’t out to make a hero of myself!” - -“You must have had some control over the ship,” Garry said, “otherwise -she would have crashed headlong onto the moon.” - -“I had some control,” Ben explained. “As soon as I released the flier -from the _Carefree_, I started my attempt to save the ship and myself as -well. I donned a pressure suit and went into the flight deck. Remember, -I had gone in there before, soon after the collision. I had noticed then -that most of the instrument panel had been destroyed.” - -“I remember too, Ben, that you helped build the _Carefree_,” Garry said, -“so you must’ve known a lot about her.” - -“I tore out the cover of the console and began working in the section -beneath. With tools, I was able to get the braking jets to functioning. -This slowed the ship down to a slow orbit around the moon and gave me -time to work on the steering controls. I couldn’t do much with them, but -I was able to move the ship a little to the port or starboard side, as I -wished. I knew this was as far as I could go, but with some luck I felt -there was a chance of bringing her down safely.” - -“Why didn’t you try this before we all left the ship?” Patch wanted to -know. - -Ben shook his head. “Risk everybody’s life on some crazy plan of my own? -No, it was too farfetched in the first place, and I guess I would not -even have tried it myself unless I’d had to. The flier was much the -safer route to safety, and that’s why getting it to go was my first -concern. With you guys out of the way, I had no one’s life to risk but -my own.” - -“How did you manage to land as close to the flier as you did?” Garry -asked. - -“My first thought was to land near one of the settlements, because if I -did make it, then I would immediately send out a search party for the -rest of you. But I knew I _had_ to land in one of the vast dust pits on -Luna, because the ship would be destroyed by friction if it skidded -along the bare ground. I made one orbit of the moon as the ship slowed -down more and more and lost altitude. I knew roughly in what area the -flier would likely come down, and I remembered Hornfield Crater as one -being full of dust pits. As the ship glided lower and lower, I figured -this would be where I would try to bring her down. The pit we’re in now -is a very large, long trough, maybe a quarter of a mile long and a -hundred feet wide. I therefore had a pretty good chance of landing in -it.” - -“Gee, you had a lot of nerve to try something like that!” Patch -exclaimed. - -“I took one last look out where I hoped to come down,” Ben said, “and -then went under the console into the working parts again. I cut out a -few of the upper braking jets, and this caused the ship to nose down. I -felt it plough into the dust as if into a big flour barrel. The ship -heated up from the friction created, but it slowed her down rapidly, and -she came to rest on this spot, half buried in pumice. Even so, I nearly -missed the dust pit, landing only about thirty feet from the edge of -it.” - -“Now what about Katrinka?” Garry asked. “You did send her out, didn’t -you?” - -“Right. I sprained my ankle when the ship landed and I was thrown -against some machinery. I could hardly walk, but I wanted to make -contact with the rest of you if it were possible. I then figured that -the old gal might be able to help me. I worked her over so that I could -operate her by remote control. I also made for her a command disk, so -that when she moved near one of you or the flier she would give a radio -signal to me. I laid down the gangplank myself over the pit, because I -knew Katrinka would sink down in the dust. It nearly killed me getting -about and using a hoist to lower the gangplank to the opposite bank, but -I finally managed it.” - -“Then you sent her out?” Patch asked. - -“Yes. I used a small telescope to keep track of her. I couldn’t be sure -where the rest of you had come down, but my plan was to start her moving -about in a gradually enlarging circle. I was hoping that some of you -would see her and come over to investigate. Once you had done that, I -felt sure you would have the curiosity to follow her wherever she led -you. And this you two fortunately did.” - -“We nearly didn’t,” Patch said. “We thought Katrinka had been thrown -clear of the _Carefree_ after it had crashed and somehow had gotten -accidentally activated as she had done once on the ship.” - -They heard a rap on the outer air-lock door. Patch and Garry exchanged -bewildered glances, but Ben did not seem very surprised. - -“That must be the men from the settlement,” he said, limping over to the -air lock and shoving the lever that opened the outer door. “I haven’t -had time to tell you yet that I got through a message to them. You see, -before I even thought of the trick with Katrinka, I was working on that -damaged antenna dish that had prevented our sending an SOS after our -collision in space. At first I didn’t have any replies, and I figured -there must be interference from the Taurus Mountains beyond.” - -“That must be why _our_ SOS didn’t go through!” Patch said. - -Ben went on: “I increased my transmitting power and finally got through. -It’s been less than an hour ago that they said they would send over a -Service flier rocket immediately.” - -The two men who entered the air lock a few moments later were Commander -Staples and his lieutenant, both members of the Space Service. They had -been making a routine flight over the moon when they had been contacted -by the mining scientists who had picked up Ben’s SOS. - -The two men had arrived in a big space flier that could easily take care -of Captain Eaton and the others. Ben and the boys were anxious to get -started so that the long-drawn-out ordeal their friends had been -undergoing could be ended as quickly as possible. Commander Staples said -they could leave immediately. - -The boys pulled on their helmets, and the officers helped Ben get into a -pressure suit. This was painful for Ben because of his swollen ankle. -Then, with everyone dressed to go out onto the moon’s surface, Ben -pushed the lever that opened the inner air-lock door. Once outside, they -started in single file across the gangplank. Ben was in the middle and -limped along slowly with his hands on the shoulders of the officer in -front of him to steady himself. - -On the way to the flier, they passed the smashed metal body of Katrinka. -The officers looked at the strange robot with great interest, and Ben -explained her to them. - -“She won’t remain out here to die,” Ben said over his suit radio, as if -he were talking about a human being. “When we return to the _Carefree_ -one of these days, we’ll rebuild her, and she’ll be as good as new.” - -The boys were glad to hear this because now they realized that every one -of their little group on the _Carefree_ would survive the frightening -adventure and that once again they would all be together, including -their robot friend. - -“Ben,” Patch asked, “will the _Carefree_ ever fly again?” - -“That’s up to Captain Eaton,” Ben replied. “It will take a lot of money -to put her in shape again, and that includes a powerful set of rockets -to lift her into space. But knowing how much the captain likes her, I -believe he’ll spare no expense making her space borne again.” - -Commander Staples said to Ben: “I heard you mention Captain Eaton. Our -radio picked up a spacegram that was addressed to a Captain Eaton. We -tape those messages routinely, and I’ll be able to give it to him when -we see him.” - -The Service flier was a sleek, streamlined rocket with fins that were -built to support the craft in the earth’s atmosphere, if need be. She -also had powerful jets for lifting her up off the surface of any of the -minor planets. - -Commander Staples asked the boys to point out to him on a chart the -approximate location of their flier, and Garry estimated the position as -accurately as he could. - -Then, with everyone belted down, the flier’s rocket roared into action, -and the craft lifted into the dark sky. It was a very short trip, and -the ship did not have to fly too high. Commander Staples’ assistant -spied the flier and pointed it out to his superior. The ship circled the -area in a gradually lowering spiral and came to rest about a hundred -feet from the small grounded space taxi. - -A few moments later, Ben and the boys were hurrying across the rough -ground toward the flier. Garry’s heart was pounding so hard with joy and -excitement that he could hear its thumping over his helmet receiver. - -Those inside had evidently seen their rescuers arrive, because the outer -door of the air lock was open to receive them. - -Garry would never forget the old captain’s happy face when he saw the -three of them enter. Nor would he forget the tears glistening in the -corners of Captain Eaton’s eyes as he clasped the boys to his chest in a -great bear hug that nearly squeezed the life out of them. - -“Thank God for this great moment!” the old man said in a husky voice. -“And Ben—even you, whom we had long ago given up for dead! What have I -ever done to deserve a happy moment like this?” - -He released the boys and clasped Ben to him as if he were another lost -son. Then the others came forward, their faces gleaming with the -overwhelming joy they felt at seeing the lost ones returning. - -“Ben, you old trickster you!” Mac shouted, pounding his friend on the -back. “How in the world you came out of that thing alive I’ll never -know. But right now I don’t care _how_ you did it!” - -“Welcome home, stranger!” Isaac said, shaking Ben’s hand vigorously as -only Isaac could do. - -“It’s most gratifying to see you, Ben,” Mr. Klecker said in his butler’s -tone of voice, which, however, did not mean that he was any less deeply -moved than the others. - -Gino then came forward and took his turn at greeting Ben and the boys. -The celebration went on for several more minutes, and the little flier -was pleasantly noisy with joking and happy talk. - -But, finally, Commander Staples had to interrupt the celebration with a -smiling, apologetic voice: “I hate to break up this little party, but -we’ve got to start back to the mining settlement. You see, I’m on duty -and I’ve got a busy schedule. They have accommodations for all of you at -the settlement, and you can make your future plans as soon as you’ve -arrived there.” - -The prisoners of so long a time in the cramped quarters of the flier -were only too willing to get out of their prison. The commander and his -assistant went back to the Service flier to get space suits for those -who did not have them. - -After the suits had been distributed, Commander Staples gave a piece of -paper to Captain Eaton. “Here’s a message for you, Sir, that our radio -picked up.” He winked at the boys. “Something tells me they’ll be as -interested in it as you will be.” - -The captain read the message and then turned to Garry and Patch with a -warm expression. “Boys, it looks as though the adoption will go through -as soon as we go back for a short time and make the arrangements.” - -“Gee, I—I don’t know what to say,” Garry murmured, almost too excited -and happy for words. “It sounds too good to be true!” - -“They’re the best words you could have said to us, Sir,” Patch added. -“Isn’t it just great, Garry!” His sparkling eyes showed how much he -meant it. - -“It’ll be a little strange being called, ‘Father,’” the captain said, -smiling, “but I think I’ll get used to it pretty quickly.” - -Captain Eaton stared off with a faraway look. “We’ll make up for lost -time, boys. We’ll see as much of the universe as the old _Carefree_ will -carry us to. Yes, we’ll fix her up again if it takes the rest of my -fortune. You’ll get your education among the stars, my sons, and you’ll -be that much wiser because of it.” - -Garry and Patch exchanged happy glances. Garry thought they were wiser -already, just from knowing the grand skipper of the _Carefree_. - - - - - 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 Project Gutenberg's Young Stowaways in Space, by Richard Mace Elam - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK YOUNG STOWAWAYS IN SPACE *** - -***** This file should be named 54547-0.txt or 54547-0.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/4/5/4/54547/ - -Produced by Stephen Hutcheson 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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