"Yes, sir—"
"Before or after your trip into the jungle?"
"Uhh—before, I think," Tom replied hesitantly. "No. No. It was after we came back."
"Well, out with it, Corbett!" exploded the major. "When? Where? You didn't do that much visiting! You were too tired to move!"
"That's just it, sir," said Tom, shaking his head. "I was so tired everything was a blur. Faces are all mixed up. I—I—" The boy stopped and put his hands to his head as though trying to squeeze the one vital face out of his hazy memory.
Connel kept after him like a hungry, stalking animal. "Where, Corbett? When?" he shouted. "You've got to remember. This is important! Think, blast you!"
"I'm trying, sir," replied the cadet. "But it just won't come to me."
The buzz of the intercom suddenly sounded and Connel reluctantly left Tom to answer it. Roger's voice crackled over the speaker. "I have Commander Walters now, sir. Feeding him down to the control-deck teleceiver."
"Oh, all right," replied Connel and turned to Tom. "Come on, Corbett. I want you to report to the commander personally."