“The greatest feature of this whole thing,” Tom continued, “is that the instrument can be built into the automatic pilot.”
DANGEROUS ACID 109
“You mean,” Hanson exclaimed enthusiastically, “that it makes navigation and steering a single operation?”
“That’s right,” Tom replied.
“Amazing,” Hank Sterling commented. “And it certainly appears to be in perfect working order. Tell me, Tom, have you given it a name yet?”
Tom smiled ruefully. “No. I have a harder job naming some of these things than I do figuring them out. Have you any ideas?”
“How about calling it the Spacelane Brain?” Arvid Hanson suggested.
“That sounds like a good name for either the invention or the inventor,” Hank spoke up. Then, turning to Tom, he added, “I’m all in favor of it. What do you think, Tom?”
“It sounds good to me,” the inventor answered. “The Spacelane Brain it is.”
He turned back to his instruments and entered several readings in the log.
Without looking up, Tom asked the others if they had noticed the altimeter reading.
“Better than eighty thousand feet,” Hanson exclaimed. “You know, this is closer to Heaven than I’ve ever been!”
“And maybe as close as you’ll get, eh?” Hank needled.
Tom grinned and said, “Let’s start down.”
The trio went back to the pilot’s compartment. They had just seated themselves when the Sky Queen trembled slightly.
1TO TOM SWIFT AND HIS ROCKET SHIP
“That’s a funny thing to happen all of a sudden!” Bud exclaimed. “It’s been smooth flying weather up till now. Not a rough spot the whole way.”
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