K.?" asked Tom.
Astro signaled that he could and stepped through the hatch. He turned,
and facing backward, began clawing his way upward.
"Keep that hose clear, Roger!" ordered Tom. "There's about five feet of
sand that he has to dig through and if any of it gets into the
hose--well--"
"Don't worry, Tom," interrupted Roger. "I've got the end of the hose
right next to the oxygen bottle. He's getting pure stuff!"
Soon the big cadet was lost to view. Only the slow movement of the hose
and rope indicated that Astro was all right. Finally the hose and rope
stopped moving.
Tom and Roger looked at each other, worried.
"You think something might be wrong?" asked Tom.
"I don't know--" Roger caught himself. "Say, look--the rope! It's
jerking--Astro's signaling!"
[Illustration]
"He made it!" cried Tom.
"I wonder if--" Roger suddenly picked up the end of the hose and spoke
into it. "Astro? Hey, Astro, can you hear me?"
"Sure I can." Astro's voice came back through the hose. "Don't shout so
loud! I'm not on Earth, you know. I'm just ten feet above you!"
Roger and Tom clapped each other on the shoulders in glee.
"All set down there?" called Astro, through the hose.
"O.K." replied Tom.
"Listen," said Astro, "when you get outside the hatch, you'll find a
pipe running along the bulkhead right over your head. Grab that and pull
yourself up.
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