“I don’t find him on my roster of personnel,” snapped the officer.
“He isn’t on it, sir,” Babe admitted manfully.
“Then he’s a stowaway?”
“Yes, sir,” Babe said reluctantly.
“You realize the consequences of stowing away on a space ship, don’t you, Hogan?”
“Yes, sir,” Babe said.
“Remind your young friend of it, then, so that he will be prepared for what happens when the cable car gets back. The two of you will return immediately to the colony. That is all.”
There was a pall of silence for several seconds after the captain’s stern order. Jim could hear Babe’s tense breathing in the darkness.
“They finally caught us,” Jim murmured, “and you’ll have to pay for helping me.”
“I’d do it all over again, Jim,” Babe said firmly.