"Yes, sir. It was him said it."
"You know you're a stool pigeon?"
The boy's freckled face looked flustered. "I--I didn't mean, sir--that
is." He gulped. "I thought it was my duty, sir."
Rawson smiled and there was fatherly tenderness in his voice. "Good,
Mr. Seymour. I like your loyalty. You'll make a Star Point man yet."
Rawson picked up the paper from his desk. "I have just signed a
recommendation that you be admitted to the class of the year 2356."
Young Seymour's freckled face spread wide in a grin--so wide that it
drowned out his face. "Gee, sir. Thanks. Gee! _Star Point!_"
"I've been keeping an eye on you," Rawson continued. "I saw you
studying in your spare time."
Rawson leaned back and reflected. "I was like that ten years ago. I
worked hard! And this is my first command. I'm proud of it."
His voice cracked out suddenly like a whip. "And by God, no man,
nothing, will make me dishonor my gold star or take it away from me!"
His eyes stabbed at Seymour. "Now, what about Durk and the mutiny?"
"He says you're a sissy, sir. Afraid of the storm. He says you ain't
got no business--"
"Very good, Mr. Seymour. That will be all."
* * * * *
Rawson watched with a fond smile as Seymour departed.
Rawson had no intention of letting his precious cargo of serum be
lost or his first space ship wrecked because of Durk's desire for the
captaincy.
He picked up a volume "_Cross Currents of Space_" from his book shelf
and opened it. After poring intently through many pages, he snapped to
his crane-like feet with a grin.
They were approaching Orus--the planet which was covered with borax
sand.
Rawson drew together his gangling frame, hung together with tremendous
muscles and casually strode on his long legs into the control room.
The crew worked under the emergency lights dismantling the control
panel. Durk's bullying voice urged them to speed like the slave whips
of Jupiter. His face marked with his years in the space lanes like a
freighter's meteor scars was covered with streaks of oil.
"Orus dead ahead," Rawson remarked with a grin. "It wouldn't do to set
the _Star Flight_ down for repairs."