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

"I think I heard something on the videonews," Ken said. "A Space Explorer who was
lost....." Suddenly he stopped and stared at Dig. "Allen!"
"Yes, my father!" Dig nodded, an angry glint in his eyes. "An item to fill up thirty seconds
of time on the news program ... but he was my father!"
"I'm sorry," Ken began.
"My father lost in space! Lost in the cold, awful darkness of space! Lost! And no one
cares about it!"
"You can't mean that, Dig!" Jim touched his friend's arm gently. "The Space Guards will
find him."
"The Space Guards gave up the search a month ago!" Dig retorted. "I raised a fuss! I
wouldn't let them give up-that's why they sent me down to Earth!"
"How will stowing away on this ship help?" Ken asked.
"I'm going on to find my father!"
"Where? Have you a clue?"
Dig pulled a crumpled piece of paper from his belt pouch. He handed it to Jim who
smoothed the paper out on his knee. Ken leaned over his brother's shoulder and together
they read the brief spacegram.

To: Digby Allen Urgent:
Space Explorers Spacegram
Luna Base 15 January 2161
Get all available information regarding No. 433. Legends, myths, rumors, tall stories,
everything.
Captain Boyd Allen, Explorer Ship Viking

"What does it mean?" Jim asked, handing the spacegram back.
"No one seems to know," Dig replied. "Not even the big brains at Space Command
Staff. It's the last message Dad sent from space. The clue to what happened to him is in
there. I'm sure of it!"
The boys puzzled over the message for a long time.
"Could it be a space freighter?" asked Jim.
"No, the Space Guard tried that," Dig replied. "They searched an asteroid by that
number, too. They tried everything. And they're stumped."
No one disturbed them in the little cabin. Finally Dig folded the paper and stuffed it into
his belt pouch.
"I think the Sarge may be coming back this way," he said.
"The Sarge? You mean Sergeant Brool?"
Dig nodded. "That's what all the kids on the Moon call him. We've known him all our
lives."
"Maybe we'll be calling him Sarge, too," Jim said. "After we settle down, that is."
"I'll be inside one of the spacesuits," Dig said. "Knock on the door twice and I'll know it's
safe to come out."
As soon as Dig was safely hidden in the locker, Jim and Ken hurried down the corridor
to the main cabin.
A passenger hailed the boys as they came in.
"Just in time, boys! A delicious snack! Help yourselves!"
He pointed to the side of the cabin where a wall panel had been opened. Inside were
cubicles stocked with sandwiches and a variety of beverages.
"Take an extra plastube of milk," Jim whispered to his brother as he helped himself to
several sandwiches.