"The last thing we heard was that he was approaching Ganymede. And that was a few hours ago, when you were trapped in the air-lock chamber."
"Ganymede!" Tom was thunderstruck. "But—but—how did he do it?"
Kit shook his head. "I don't know, Tom, but he sure has some speed in that black ship of his."
"Ganymede!" Tom repeated in bewilderment. It was beyond belief. The Polaris, using hyperdrive, could scarcely have made the flight any faster. Tom felt his heart sinking. The hope that Kit Barnard could catch the black Space Knight was faint now.
"Shall I call Ganymede again and see if they have anything new?" Tom asked finally.
"Yes, do that, Tom," Kit replied.
The curly-haired cadet quickly climbed the ladder to the radar bridge and sat wearily in front of the teleceiver.
"Spaceship Good Company to Ganymede spaceport," he called. "Come in, Ganymede."
Seconds later, the voice of the Ganymede control operator crackled over the loud-speaker in reply. "Ganymede station to Good Company. Go ahead."
"Can you give me any information on the departure time of Space Knight from Ganymede?"