“This Journal regrets to announce to its readers that Herman Chilcote has recently disappeared from his top-secret post with the British Government and is now being hunted by the authorities as a possible spy.”
“For Pete’s sake!” Tom cried. “We’re really up against a dangerous enemy.”
“I’m afraid we are,” Mr. Swift agreed. “I can’t urge you too strongly, Tom, to watch your step where that renegade scientist is concerned.”
After Tom finished talking with his father, he reread Chilcote’s article slowly.
The invention, he found, was not unlike his own.
“My distorter can certainly keep that fellow’s blackout rays from working!” he thought elatedly.
Half an hour later Bud roared in with the Sky Queen. Tom climbed aboard and they took off at once.
“I set ten records getting here!” Bud laughed. “Bet I’ll be back in Shopton in ten minutes!”
“Have a heart!” Tom cried. “I don’t want us to blow up!”
On the way home Tom showed Bud the article by 68 TOM SWIFT AND HIS JETMARINE
Chilcote and told him about the man being wanted as a spy.
“He’s probably the leader of the pirates,” Bud surmised. “Well, when do the fireworks start? Do you figure he’s holed up at ‘Dog?”
Tom shrugged. “The next move is a reconnaissance trip over the area to see what we can learn as soon as I hear from Kane.”
“Why didn’t you say so before?” Bud complained, banking the Sky Queen so he could head south.
“Oh, not in this ship,” Tom said quickly. “The Flying Lab is too obvious. We’ll take the photography job.”
The boys reached Shopton in time to have lunch with the Swift family and told them about the plan for the reconnaissance flight. Before picking up the film needed for their photographic work, Tom checked on the jetmarine’s progress.
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