"Tom! Roger!" Tom heard the bull-like roar of Astro below him and
stumbled over to the head of the ladder.
"Up here, Astro," he yelled, "on the radar deck. Roger's pinned under
the radar scanner casing!"
Tom turned back to the casing, and looking around the littered deck
desperately, grabbed an eight-foot length of steel pipe that had been
snapped off like a twig by the force of the crash.
Barely able to lift it, he shoved it with all his strength to get the
end of the pipe beneath the casing.
"Here, let me get at that thing," growled Astro from behind. Tom stepped
back, half falling out of the Venusian's way, and watched as Astro got
down on his hands and knees, putting his shoulder against the case. He
lifted it about three inches, then slowly, still balancing the weight on
his shoulder, shifted his position, braced it with his hands and began
to straighten up. The casing came up from the floor as the huge cadet
strained against it.
"All--right--Tom--" he gasped, "see if you can get a hold on Roger and
pull him out!"
Tom scrambled back and grabbed Roger's uniform. He pulled, and slowly
the cadet's form slid from beneath the casing.
"All right, Astro," said Tom, "I've got 'im."
Astro began to lower the casing in the same manner in which he had
lifted it. He eased it back down to the floor on his knees and dropped
it the last few inches.
Pages:
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193