MOON HO! 143
“Wai, don’t let it get you too far down or you’ll go droppin’ out o’ orbit,” Chow joked.
The three were seated in the crew’s bunkroom. Suddenly a voice spoke over the intercom: “Tom Swift, please report to the tracking compartment!”
Tom rushed to comply. “What’s up?” he asked the radar operator on duty.
The crewman pointed to the gleaming bank of scopes. “We’ve picked up something, skipper. Take a look.”
A tiny blip of light was visible on one of the screens.
“Can you make it out?” Tom asked.
The operator studied several dials and adjusted the signal for maximum strength. “She’s traveling fast,” he reported. “Apparently it’s some kind of rocket or space missile just launched from the earth.”
Every antenna on the space wheel was tuned to monitor the object’s signals.
Its course gradually became clear.
“Heading for the moon!” Tom gritted. “We’d better take off immediately!”
He leaped to the intercom and barked out orders. A bustle of activity followed as the Challenger’s passengers hastily donned their space suits. The sudden break in tension seemed to fill everyone with new vim and enthusiasm.
“Good luck, Tom,” said Ken Horton, exchanging a final handclasp. “Sure wish I were going with you.”
144 THE RACE TO THE MOON
“If we make the moon safely, this won’t be our final voyage,” Tom told him.
“You’ll be on the next expedition, Ken.”
Helmets were clamped on, and the group filed through the air lock to board the Challenger. Tom took his place in the flight compartment.
“Here goes!” he murmured.
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