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

Meanwhile, Tom had made a final inspection of the relay panel in the double-walled passage surrounding the pile and the panel in the control house.

Everything seemed to be in perfect working order.

Tom now gave instructions for the outdoor demonstration area to be cleared.

The engineers spread out around the section, eagerly awaiting the test.

“Where’s Robert Turnbull?” Tom asked his fa—

192 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GIANT ROBOT

ther, who was standing near the tunnel entrance. “I thought he’d want to watch the demonstration.”

Mr. Swift looked about and shrugged. “Robert was around earlier. I know he wants to be on hand. He’ll probably show up in a few minutes.”

But the scientist did not put in an appearance. Finally Mr. Swift told Tom to proceed without him.

Tom walked to the control house, announcing that he would put Ator through a series of maneuvers such as he would perform in servicing the pile. The simplest movements would come first.

He had Ator stride up and down, bend, and stretch. Next, the giant picked up a steel bar and bent it easily in his great metallic fingers.

“What power!” exclaimed one of the technicians.

“I’d hate to have Ator get mad at me!” another said. “He’d crush you in nothing flat!”

Mr. Swift, who was still standing near the tunnel entrance, was pleased with the demonstration. He was about to walk to the control house and ask Tom to speed up Ator’s actions when he noticed that the door to the tunnel’s cargo elevator was open but the elevator was not at ground level.

“Ator may walk in there and tumble,” the scientist said to himself, hurrying to close it. “What careless person left that door open?”