Appleton, Victor – Tom Swift Jr 03 – And His Rocket Ship

After the chef had left the laboratory, Bud said, “What’s next on the schedule?”

“Checking our space suits and fortifying the island still further.”

Bud looked up in amazement. “Fearing’s an electronic arsenal now. Even a vulture would fly for his life from this place!”

“But Rotzog is one bird who won’t,” Tom pointed out. “I’m installing a second group of robot jets to circle about those drones that are up there now.”

“Sounds like action and I’m all for it!” Bud said enthusiastically. “Come on!”

CHAPTER 18

ZERO-HOUR INTERRUPTION!

THREE ROBOT JETS were loaded into the hangar of the Sky Queen and the great door was closed. Bud, at the controls, lifted the plane to ten thousand feet as Tom had directed.

“Check!” Bud telephoned to his waiting friend.

Tom clicked the button that opened the door, then sparked the first drone by remote control. It shot out into the atmosphere. The young inventor smiled as the perfectly calibrated automaton instantly began its circling pattern.

As it swept under him on its return flight, Tom released the second drone, and a few seconds later the third. They followed the others in faultless rhythm.

“Okay,” Tom reported. When the door was shut, he said, “We’ll go back for the other three jets.”

“Roger.”

After the second set of robots had taken their 150

ZERO-HOUR INTERRUPTION! 1ST

places in the two-mile-high protection area, Tom joined Bud in the pilots’

cabin.

“Operation Down-to-Earth,” Bud said, “is becoming more hazardous all the time. I’d hate to hit one of these robots and have it blow up in my face!”