“Of course not, sir,” Jim said.
“You and Hogan had better thank your rockets that I’m in an expansive mood today,” the officer concluded. “Charges dismissed.” He then left the room. Babe and Jim were alone.
“You hear that, Babe?” Jim burst out. “He’s let us off!”
“Yeah, it sure surprised me!” Babe said. “I guess I misjudged the captain.”
“Mr. Bowers must have radioed the captain about me,” Jim mused. “That’s how he found out.”
Babe shook his head. “The captain found out on his own. He told me that Mr. Bowers wired him soon after blast-off that some urgent business had kept him from leaving on the Hercules. He didn’t even have time to get his bags off.”
“And to think that was the main thing we were afraid of!” Jim said wryly. He looked up at his friend anxiously. “Babe, do you think the captain will let me go back to Earth as a steward?”
“I think the captain knows a good spaceman when he sees one,” Babe replied earnestly. “I don’t think you have anything to worry about, Jim—not from now on.”
