Hank Sterling told of his suspicions as he helped Tom lift the fingerprints.
There proved to be three sets on the hammer, but only one of these appeared on the transmitter and recording-machine samples.
Carrying the sets to the main office, Tom and Hank at once compared the fingerprints with those on file of James Eskot.
“They match!” Hank exclaimed. “I was sure they would!”
He and Tom were puzzled about the other engineers who had worked late and they decided to question each one. But Eskot would come first.
“We can nab Eskot right in his bunk,” Tom said.
SABOTAGE 49
“I’d like to have one of our security men whisk him off the island before the others are even awake.”
“We should be able to-it’s only six o’clock!” Hank added.
Stepping to a telephone, Tom called Harlan Ames at the apartment connected with the control tower where the security group lived. He explained that the technician on the fuel-storage detail probably was a spy. Tom also gave the names of the other eleven who had presumably worked during the night on the dummy rocket ship.
“Hank and I will get Eskot,” he said. “You and your men hold the others.”
“We’ll be right over,” Ames promised.
Tom joined Hank who already was crossing the scrubby lawn of the crew barracks. He opened the door and they tiptoed to the big dormitory where several men lay asleep in metal beds.
“Eskot’s next to the last on the right!” Tom whispered.
Suddenly a figure rose from the bed and jumped out a window.
“It’s Eskot!” Hank shouted. “He must have seen us coming!”