“I don’t know, except to throw the authorities off the trail,” said Tom. “I think I’ll check with the college dean about Sidney and his family. I might turn up with a real clue for finding Uncle Ned.”
CHAPTER 4
SUBMARINE BLACKOUT
TOM DECIDED that his plan for finding out more about Sidney Dansitt would have to be postponed temporarily. He had an appointment with one of the engineers, Sid Baker, for nine that morning to test the maximum pressure which the hull of the jetmarine would stand. It was already eight fifteen.
“Ready to leave, Dad?” he asked.
When his father nodded, they said gocd-by to Mrs. Swift and Sandy and walked down the road. Half an hour later the two inventors reached Swift Enterprises and went their separate ways.
Tom hopped into his jeep, picked up Sid Baker, and drove across the grounds to the construction shed. Beaming his electronic key on the massive sliding door, he waited for it to open, then walked into the roar of milling machines, lathes, and riveters. The noise was intensified by irregular white flashes of light from the acetylene welding torches.
“They’re welding the conning tower and snorkel 30
SUBMARINE BLACKOUT 31
onto the sub right now,” Baker shouted. “She won’t be ready for the pressure test before noontime.”
“In that case I may postpone the test a few hours,” Tom remarked. “I want to rig up a distorter on the sub, as you would a snorkel, to see how it might work while the jetmarine’s under water.”
“Okay, Tom. Let us know when you’re ready,” Baker said.