CRUISE OF THE CATALYST

Career adventure demands than this sensational yarn provides. More that is by way of characterization and less of pile on pile of incident. The scientific cruise ship that bears his name is under the direction of 4-year old chemist, guardian and half brother of Skip, whose hands had been so badly burned in a laboratory experiment that his summer plans for a role as planist in a combo had to be abandoned. So Skip and his 10 year old ship on the catalyst cruise. It is soon apparent that someone is out to get Skip: bombs in suitcases, stolen papers, hypodermic needles, eavesdroppers -- and evidently a throwback to murder. Plenty of puzzles for the young sleuths to solve, a wild climax involving helicopters, fire-extinguishers and exploding chemicals. And little to add by way of positive values from the cruise.