Appleton, Victor – Tom Swift Jr 04 – And His Giant Robot

178 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GIANT ROBOT

“We did it!” Bud chortled.

Rather than pursue the thieves, Tom decided to land and search for a trace of the pilot and crew. The Sky Queen came to rest in a large open space near the trailer. Hanson and Sterling darted over to inspect the mechanical arm. The set seemed none the worse for having been moved.

Meanwhile, Tom and Bud went ahead to the plane. “It’s Jones’ ship,” Tom said, noting the serial number on the wing.

An ominous silence hung over the area. There was not a single sound from the plane.

“Where’s the pilot?” Bud asked fearfully. “And what’s happened to the crew?”

CHAPTER 22

A CLEVER FOIL

THE HATCH of the cargo plane gaped open and the loading ramp was down. Tom and Bud hurried inside, going at once to the control cabin. The pilot was not there.

“Bud, look!” Tom cried, pointing to a pair of earphones. “They’re stained with blood!”

Worried, the two boys rushed to the navigator’s compartment. Scuff marks on the floor indicated that someone had been dragged out the door.

Tom and Bud separated and made a frantic search of the plane. In the main cargo hold, Tom found the limp body of Jones sprawled out, face down. Near him lay the other two members of the crew.

At this moment Bud rushed in. “Are they-”

Tom was already examining Jones. To the inventor’s relief, the pilot was breathing, though his pulse

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180 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GIANT ROBOT

was slow. A huge lump near the base of his skull gave mute evidence of a vicious blow.

“He’s alive, thank goodness,” Tom reported to Bud, who was kneeling beside one of the other men.