The controls of a jet boat were simplicity itself. A half-moon wheel for guiding, up, down and either side, and two pedals on the floor, one for going and one for stopping. Roger stepped on the "Go" pedal and the small ship flashed out into the darkness of space.
Almost immediately on the opposite side of the Polaris, Captain Strong and Tom in the second boat shot away from the rocket cruiser and both boats headed for the stricken spaceship.
CHAPTER 14
The hatch clanked shut behind them. Inside the huge air lock of the Lady Venus, Tom, Roger, Astro and Captain Strong waited for the oxygen to equal the pressure in their space suits before removing their fish-bowl space helmets.
"O.K., sir," said Tom, "pressure's equal."
Strong stepped to the hatch leading to the inside of the ship and pushed hard. It slid to one side.
"How many jet boats do you have?" was the first thing Strong heard as he stepped through the door to the interior of the passenger ship.
"Al James!" cried Manning. "So this is your tub?"
The startled young skipper, whom Tom, Roger and Astro had met in Atom City, turned to face the blond-headed cadet.