The next few weeks were deadly monotony but Matt made progress. He had plenty of time to think-when he was not bending over a calculator. Oscar and Tex went to the Moon together; Pete was on night shift in the power room. Matt kept sullenly and stubbornly at work-and brooded. He promised himself to stick it out until Wong let up on him. After that - well, he would have a leave coming up one of these days. If he decided to chuck it, why, lots of cadets never came back from their first leave.
In the meantime his work began to get the grudging approval of Lieutenant Wong.
At last Wong let up on him and he went back to a normal routine. He was settling into it when he found himself posted for an extra duty. Pursuant thereto, he reported one morn-
ing to the officer of the watch, received a briefing, memorized a list 'of names, and was issued a black armband. Then he went to the main airlock and waited.
Presently a group of scared and greenish boys began erupting from the lock. When his turn came, he moved forward and called out, "Squad seven! Where is the squad leader of squad seven?"
He got his charges rounded up at last and told the acting squad leader to follow along in the rear, then led them slowly and carefully down to "A" deck. He was glad to find when he got there that none of them had gotten lost. "This is your mess room," he told them. "We'll have lunch before long."
Something about the expression of one of them amused him. "What's the matter, Mister?" he asked the boy. "Aren't you hungry?"
"Uh, no, sir."
"Well, cheer up-you will be."