In his mind’s eye he could picture what was going on. He imagined the long sleekness of the Shooting Star plunging toward the moon’s rough surface. From the ship’s rocket tubes, streams of fire were pouring out to slow the terrific speed of the ship. If those fire streams should fail, or not hold back the craft enough, the rocket would be dashed to bits on Luna.
As the ship slackened its speed, Ted felt steadily worse. It was as if his chest were being crushed. He knew that he and the others could stand any top speed the rocket would go; that it was only a change in speed that was so grueling.
He twisted his head and saw the other members of his family buried deeply in their couches. He knew they were suffering as badly as he. He remembered the danger of the Shooting Star and Moonstone approaching one another in the heavens. Then he thought what a frightful crash it would have been had they met.
It made him wonder, now, if the Shooting Star could check its downward plunge in time, or if it would be dashed to atoms on the hard gray soil of Luna.
CHAPTER FOUR
The Curious Boy
Just as Ted was expecting the worst, he felt a gentle bump beneath him. He looked around and saw that the rest of his family were no longer deep in their couches. That meant the heavy pressure of their descent was off them. They must have already landed!
But he could not get up yet, for he was in a vertical position and hanging by his straps. This was because the rocket had landed upright on its tail fins.
Ted heard a rumbling sound. He felt the side of the room to which the couches were fastened slide down into normal position. Ted unbuckled his straps and rose to his feet.
“Hey, it’s time to get up!” he said to the others.