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

Hank Sterling sent his congratulations to Tom, who joined the others in a few minutes.

“No reason why we can’t send the dummy rocket ship up tomorrow!” he exclaimed. “It won’t take many hours to install the kicker and everything else is ready.”

Upon reaching the ground, the three young men found the entire personnel of Fearing Island assembled to meet them. When the engineers and ground crew heard the good news, compliments were showered on Tom.

The young inventor grinned, thanked them, and remarked that his real work was just beginning. He would install the kicker in the dummy rocket.

“And I have another plan too,” he said. “I’ll rig a powerful receiver into the dummy rocket that may pick up messages sent out by space travelers on a holiday from Mars. One might even be directed on purpose toward our rocket!

The transmitter will relay the message down here.”

Tom’s listeners seemed to be equally divided in their belief in this theory. But those who did not share the young inventor’s hopes smiled tolerantly. During the good-natured argument that followed, Hank Sterling noticed, however, that the lips of one engineer, named Eskot, curled disdainfully. The head patternmaker, irritated by the man’s attitude, walked over to him.

46 TOM SWIFT AND HIS ROCKET SHIP

“What’s the matter with Tom’s idea, Eskot?” he asked.

“Why-uh-nothing. How come you asked?”

“I didn’t like the look on your face, that’s all,” Hank said.

“My face?” Eskot spoke as if he did not understand. “Oh, you mean a look of pain? I did have a pain. Indigestion. Eggs don’t agree with me. Shouldn’t have eaten them this morning.”