"All right—all right," growled Astro, "but what are we going to do about it?"
"We've got to get word to Space Academy or Captain Strong someway, somehow. We've got to let them know what's going on."
"There's only one way to do that," said Roger. "But with the communications controlled by Vidac's men, we don't have the chance of a snowball on the sunny side of Mercury!"
"Then," announced Tom firmly, "we'll have to build our own communications unit."
"But how?" asked Logan.
"Roger here can make a communicator out of spit and bailing wire," said Astro. "All he needs is the essential parts."
"Look," said Tom tensely, "Jeff Marshall will be getting out of the brig when we do. He'll be working with Professor Sykes, along with us. Why can't we build one on the sly in the observatory?"
Roger thought a moment. "It's the only thing we can do. I just hope that Mr. Logan's coming here hasn't aroused suspicion."
"Don't worry about that," said Logan. "I told Vidac I wanted this information about Space Academy for Billy. That seemed to satisfy him."
"I don't know," mused Tom. "He's pretty smart."