“As soon as this baby cools off,” he said, “we’ll inspect the recordings.”
An hour later Tom broke the seal and with Bud hurried inside. First he inspected the kicker.
“It’s in perfect shape, Bud!” Tom exclaimed.
One by one, the boys read the various charts. Each report boosted their fondest hopes.
“I guess you and I have nothing to worry about now in regard to our trip in the passenger rocket,” Tom said at last. Then he sobered. “Unless someone else gets ahead of us in the race.”
“Or unless Eskot’s friends manage to stop us,” Bud added.
Tom reflected on this for a second and said thoughtfully, “Bud, I think you’ve really made a point there. Sabotage couldn’t beat us for good, but it certainly could slow us down enough to put us out of the race. Just to be on the safe side, I think I’ll call Dad to make some spare rocket sections while he still has the equipment and jigs set up.”
Tom had hardly spoken when a guard came to tell him that there was a long-distance telephone call for him. Thinking the caller must be his father, wanting A CRACK-UP 63
news of the rocket-ship flight, Tom was amazed to hear a strange voice say “Hello.”
“Yes?” Tom replied.
“This is Asa Pike up in Hankton, Maine.”
“Oh!” Tom said. “How are you?”
“Listen!” the caretaker of the Gray estate said. “I’m callin’ to tell ye to git up here as soon as ye can. Marvin Hein an’ Johnson, that pilot what escaped from your rocket base, will be here this afternoon.”
“What time, Asa?”
“Two o’clock.”
“We’ll see you!” Tom replied. “Thanks for letting me know, and keep this quiet.”
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