“I agree, Tom,” Mr. Swift said. “Raymond, passing successfully as his brother, probably used your stolen relotrol to take over Stan Lee’s controls. And I 198 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GIANT ROBOT
think we can assume he intercepted Hanson’s clearance papers. It probably was just another attempt to disrupt plant operations.”
“Then what has happened to Robert Turnbull?” Radnor asked.
“Raymond might be holding him a prisoner,” Tom replied. “And there aren’t many places around here where he could be hiding him. Better check in town first, Rad. Meanwhile, I’ll brief Dad on the robot controls.”
After the men had left to take their appointed stations, Radnor telephoned the small hotel in town. He gave the clerk a description of Turnbull and asked if such a person was registered there. He was told that no one answering the description had taken a room. Further checking failed to provide a single lead in the small town.
Tom returned from the robot-control house and suggested that Bud and Radnor go with him on a search flight through the surrounding territory. Maps were checked for likely hide-outs in the vicinity. The mesa area with its natural crevasses and rock formations seemed the most logical starting point for the hunt.
With Tom at the controls, the Flying Lab was airborne fifteen minutes after a decision had been reached on the route they would take. Rad sat in the cockpit with Tom, while Bud stationed himself in the navigation dome. Soon a familiar view loomed ahead. They were approaching Purple Mesa.
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