CHAPTER 17

"Spaceman's luck, sir," said Tom, shaking Captain Strong's hand. Silently the other two cadets in turn gripped their skipper's hand tightly. "Thanks, boys," said Strong. "If we're going to get that space crawler, we have to trap him. And the best bait I know is a twenty-million-credit pay roll." "But won't you take at least one man with you, sir?" pleaded Tom. "Sitting up there in space in a decoy ship waiting for Coxine is like--" Tom paused. "Well, you won't have much of a chance, sir, if Coxine opens fire before…