Reaching his chemical worktable, he exposed the scraps to an ultraviolet fluorophotometer.
“Look at those miniature polliwogs!” Bud exclaimed. “Is that what you mean?”
“Yes,” Tom replied. He opened a desk drawer
26 TOM SWIFT AND HIS ROCKET SHIP
and excitedly took out a chart. “Here it is. Worthy Paint Company!”
The boys started phoning, first to Worthy, then to a Philadelphia seaplane builder. From him they learned that the aluminum seaplane which had carried the intruder from Fearing Island was one of twenty sold to a Boston distributor only a month before.
Next, Tom telephoned the distributor and discussed the problem with him.
When he had finished, the young inventor’s eyes glistened. Reporting the conversation to Bud, he said:
“The dealer went through the whole list. All of the sales seemed above suspicion but one.”
“What was strange about that one?” Bud asked.
“Well, the man bought three and paid cash. That was a lot of money for one man to be carrying around. Now get ready for a surprise. The man’s name was Arthur Gray!”
“Good night!” Bud exclaimed. “Where was he from?”
“Hankton, Maine.”
“Well, when do we start for Hankton, Tom?”
“Why not right now?” Tom replied. “We’ll use the amphibian.” From another desk drawer he took out several maps. “We can land in any of the coves along there. They are all open and pretty deep according to these charts.”
The boys first sought out Hank Sterling to tell him of their plans. They found him discussing some wind-tunnel tests with Arvid Hanson, chief model-FOLLOWING A CLUE 27