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

As the giant stabilized, Tom and his father rushed in front of him. A stupefied man stood there, his mouth wide open.

“Brand my lil ole panhandle!” he exclaimed. “I thought some Texas Ranger’s ghost was goin’ to tackle me!”

“Chow!” roared Tom, a broad smile of relief spreading over his face. “You old coyote cooker! When did you ride into town?”

“Jest tumbled in an’ I don’t recollect you ever eatin’ any o’ my coyote cutlets, Tom Swift!”

Chow Winkler, the stout, former chuck-wagon cook who tended the galley on the Flying Lab and went along on many of Tom’s journeys, mopped his 20

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forehead with a large red neckerchief. “Whew!” he said. “Feller can’t even come lopin’ along your conveyor belt without gettin’ skeered half to death.”

“So you haven’t met Tom’s giant?” Mr. Swift said. “Where have you been, Chow?”

“Visitin” some ranch friends. Woulda stayed, too, if I’d knowed I was goin’ to bump into this here monster. What is it anyway, Tom?”

“A robot that will move and act like a person,” Tom explained. “Only difference is that my mechanical man will work where it’s too dangerous for a human being to go.”

Warily Chow moved closer to the robot. “That sounds real good, Tom,” he drawled. Eying its immensity, he said, “Glad I don’t have to cook for this here giant. Say, maybe you-all could rig up one o’ these come roundup time next year in Texas. My friends sure could use a mee-chanical cowpuncher for ropin’ an’

brandin’.”

“I’ll do better than that, Chow,” said Tom, laughing. “How about my entering one in the Southwest Rodeo for you? I’ll fix the controls so he’ll never get thrown by any bronc!”