"Joseph Green - Forgotten Star" - читать интересную книгу автора (Green Joseph)

"Your names?" he asked in a quiet, but commanding, voice.
"James Barry-and this is my brother, Ken."
"Glad to meet you boys. I know your father very well," the Guardsman said. "I'm
Sergeant Brool. I guess you know why I'm here."
"Yes, sir," Ken replied. "The stowaway. Is he dangerous?"
The Guardsman shook his head. "No, he isn't. In fact, he's a good friend of mine."
"I... I don't understand." Ken hesitated. "Then why are you hunting him?"
"Digby Allen was ordered to stay on Earth. He disobeyed. My orders are to find him and
bring him back to Earth."
As he spoke, the Guardsman watched the boys closely. Several times he noticed their
eyes shift toward the spacesuit locker.
Suddenly the Guardsman stepped to the locker door. With a quick snap of his hand, he
threw it open.
Jim and Ken groaned as the Guardsman stepped into the small room. They waited for
the angry explosion, but none came. The Guardsman stepped back and let the door swing
shut.
"I'll see you boys later," he said and shuffled out of the cabin.
In utter amazement, Jim and Ken stared at each other. Then Jim leaped for the door
and, with a fierce wrench, opened it.
"Dig!" he cried. "Dig! Didn't the sergeant ..."
His words turned into a gasp!
"Dig's not in here!" Jim whispered.
"You're spacegoofy, Jim! There's only this one door! The walls are solid!"
"See for yourself, Ken." Jim stepped back.
The spacesuits were still hanging on the rack, but otherwise the tiny room was empty.
There was no sign of Dig Allen!


2 The Last Message

No wonder Sergeant Brool didn't find Dig!" Ken exclaimed. "He isn't here!"
"But we saw Dig go in," Jim insisted, shaking his head in amazement. "And we didn't
see him come out!"
"This is serious, Jim. I think we better call Sergeant Brool!"
"Don't do that!"
The voice seemed to come from the empty air. The boys moved back warily. One of the
spacesuits, twisting and turning, suddenly came to life.
From the side of the spacesuit a hand appeared. It was followed, a moment later, by a
shoulder and then Dig Allen's head. There was a big grin on his freckled face.
"Dig! What a scare you gave us!" Ken said.
The red-haired boy grasped the rack from which the space-suits were hanging and
pulled himself up.
"Sorry," Dig said. He pulled his feet out of the spacesuit, then let himself float down to
the deck. "I'm safe for a while. The Sarge will be searching the rest of the ship."
"You're sure taking a lot of chances to get to the Moon," Ken said thoughtfully.
Dig Allen's face became grave. He turned away from his new friends and stared out of
the viewport. The stars, bright and sharp, punctured the hard blackness of space. It was
several moments before he turned again to his companions.
"Have you ever heard of Captain Boyd Allen of the Space Explorers Corps?" Dig asked
softly.