0800 hours
Their success in stealing the secret of the adjustable light-key , and their methods , plus their complete disappearance , just did n't add up . He made up his mind to speak to Captain Strong about it in the morning . As soon as the matter was settled in his mind , he was asleep . * * * * * At exactly 0800 hours the three cadets and Captain Strong appeared at the Academy spaceport dressed in the severe black tight-fitting trousers and jacket of merchant spacemen . Quietly eluding all friends and acquaintances , they entered the confiscated freighter that had been prepared for space flight during the night and began acquainting themselves with the ship 's equipment . When Astro reported the power deck ready and Roger cleared their course , Tom called the traffic-control tower for blast-off clearance . `` Take it easy on the first hop , '' said Strong .