If we're lucky, we might be able
to get the jump on them!"
"Cut the chatter," snapped Roger nervously. "Baldy's ready to give us
the go ahead!"
Standing on the side lines, Warrant Officer McKenny slowly raised his
hand, and the crowd in the grandstand hushed in eager anticipation. A
second passed and then there was a tremendous roar as he brought his
hand down and blew heavily on the whistle.
Running as if their lives depended on it, the six cadets of the two
units raced headlong toward the ball. Tom, just a little faster than
Roger or Astro, flashed down the field and veered off to block the
advancing Schohari. Roger, following him, charged into Swift, the second
member of the _Arcturus_ crew. Astro, a few feet in back of them,
running with surprising speed for his size, saw that it was going to be
a close race between himself and Allen, the third member of the
_Arcturus_ unit. He bowed his head and drove himself harder, the roar of
the crowd filling his ears.
" ... Go Astro!... Go Astro!..."
Pounding down for the kick, Astro gauged his stride perfectly and with
one last, mighty leap swung his right foot at the ball.
There was a loud thud drowned by a roar from the crowd as the ball
sailed off the ground with terrific force. And then almost immediately
there was another thud as Allen rose in a desperate leap to block the
ball with his shoulder.
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