| [Book Cover] | |
| [Frontispiece] | |
| The three weary cadets assembled on the control deck | [13] |
| The junior spaceman maneuvered the great rocket ship toward the air lock | [36] |
| The jet cab raced along the highway to Venusport | [54] |
| Tom could see two space-suited figures floating effortlessly | [76] |
| Mason was frozen into a rigid statue, unable to move | [133] |
| "Remember," Astro cautioned, "set the fuse for two hours" | [161] |
| Landing, they would tumble out of the jet boat and begin their frantic digging | [180] |
| "I know we're going to be sent to the prison asteroid and we deserve it," said Loring | [206] |
DANGER IN DEEP SPACE
CHAPTER 1
"Stand by to reduce thrust on main drive rockets!" The tall, broad-shouldered officer in the uniform of the Solar Guard snapped out the order as he watched the telescanner screen and saw the Western Hemisphere of Earth looming larger and larger.
"Aye, aye, Captain Strong," replied a handsome curly-haired Space Cadet. He turned to the ship's intercom and spoke quickly into the microphone.
"Control deck to power deck. Check in!"
"Power deck, aye," a bull-throated voice bellowed over the loud-speaker.
"Stand by rockets, Astro! We're coming in for a landing."
"Standing by!"