Tom replied. “I think he’s gone for a flashlight.”
The young inventor’s surmise was correct. A moment later the man came back, beaming a light before him. Tom and Bud flattened themselves on the floor of the cell on either side of the door. Jennig beamed his light inside and peered at the boys.
As he gave a grunt of astonishment Tom and Bud sprang upward, reached through the bars, and grasped the lawyer by the shirt front. Jennig squealed in horrified amazement and tried to break loose.
But Bud held him in a viselike grip, while Tom 196 TOM SWIFT AND HIS JETMARINE
took the flashlight and then removed the keys from Jennig’s pocket. Quickly the young inventor took his soldering pencil and cut through the newly made strip of metal.
Tom, then, tried various keys. Finding the right one, he opened the door. Bud pushed Jennig inside the cell and Tom locked the door.
“You can’t do this! Let me out of here!” the man yelled.
Bud held him in a viselike grip
The boys did not even bother to answer. Tom said, “Wait here, Bud, while I find the generator. I’ll make sure everything’s safe, then throw the circuit breaker.”
Tom hurried off. In five minutes the underground hideout was flooded with light.
A TRICKY INVENTION 197
Next, Tom and Bud combed the place and made certain it was free of pirates. Then they went to release the prisoners.
“Tom! Bud!” the men cried.
They slapped the boys on the back and wrung their hands.
A deluge of questions was on everyone’s lips but thoughts of capturing the pirates came first. Tom led the way to Chilcote’s laboratory. There he tuned in a radio receiver over which he hoped to hear Chilcote and Dansitt reporting progress on the raid. A moment later the older scientist’s authoritative voice came through. “I’m starting my blackout, Dansitt. Here goes!”