"And if I don't?" he shouted.
"Then I shall ask for a transfer from your command, sir, and if that is
not granted, then I shall resign from the Academy."
"And?" asked Connel.
"And, sir--" Astro stumbled.
"_And what_, Cadet Astro?" roared Connel.
"I have nothing more to say, sir," said Astro.
Tom, who had at first had to control an impulse to laugh at the strange
seriousness of Astro's manner and tone, now found it equally difficult
to hold back the tears that were welling up in his eyes.
Connel was not going to let the incident stand there. He had secretly
hoped that such a situation would present itself, because he wanted to
see what material the _Polaris_ unit was made of. And he was secretly
satisfied. Any cadet who would offer to resign from the Academy in
defense of his unit-mate was a true spaceman. Connel wasn't going to
allow Astro or Tom to resign over some foolish trick of Roger's, but, at
the same time, he couldn't allow them to take too many liberties with
discipline. Connel turned to Tom.
"I suppose you feel the same way, Corbett?" he asked.
"I do, sir," said Tom.
"Of course you know I could make your lives miserable now," he
threatened.
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