The three boys looked at each other and nodded.
"The guy we bought our jungle gear from in the pawnshop!" exclaimed Astro.
"Yeah," said Tom. "It sure sounds like him. But why would he want to stop us? And more important, who told him that Captain Strong was sending a cab for us?"
They turned back to the cab driver for further explanation, but the man was now actually crying with fright.
"We won't get anything more out of this little creep," said Astro. "Let's just turn him over to the Solar Guard at the spaceport. They'll know how to handle him."
"Right," Tom agreed. "We've lost enough time as it is."
"No, no—please!" moaned the cabman. "Lemme go! Take the cab. Drive it to the spaceport and just leave it, but please don't turn me over to the Solar Guard. If I'm seen with them, I'll be—" Suddenly the man darted to one side, eluded Astro's lunge, and scampered away. In a moment he was swallowed up in the darkness.
"Boy," breathed Astro, "he was sure scared of something!"
"Yes," said Tom. "And I'm beginning to get a little scared myself!"
The cadets climbed into the cab and roared off toward the spaceport, each boy with the feeling that he was sitting on a smoldering volcano that was suddenly starting to erupt around him.