Abruptly Herbert stopped, took a bow, then turned back and calmly sauntered in his awkward way up the stage steps. Here he bowed again, then walked to the wings, with the audience going into thunderous applause.
66
A SUSPICIOUS OFFER
67
Tom hurried backstage with Bud at his heels. Sandy and Phyl stood speechless. “Wh-what happened?” they finally cried together.
Bud was about to confess his part when Tom replied, “Didn’t you like it? Bud and I thought we’d have some fun. We both had small control panels in our pockets for Herbert’s extra-surprise act.”
“Well, I think you might have told us,” said Sandy, while Bud’s jaw dropped open in amazement. He realized now that Tom had discovered the additional tape he and the engineer had rigged up in the robot and had installed one of his own!
The robot headed directly for the mayor
68 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GIANT ROBOT
“The joke’s on me,” Bud admitted.
“That’s what you get,” Phyl said archly, “for trying to put one over on Tom Swift!”
“Sh!” someone called. “The finale is going on!”
Everyone remained quiet while the chorus went through their last number.
Then Tom said, “We’ll take Herbert back to the lab and go on to the party from there.” The foursome were joining a group of the entertainers at the home of one of the girls.
“Pardon me, please,” said a voice behind them. The group turned to face a tall man with a thin black mustache. He was dressed in evening clothes, although none of the other men in the audience had been.
“How do you do?” he said in a theatrical and affected voice. “I am Tsorka, a traveling magic ian. 1 was passing through this town when I heard of the benefit performance and decided to attend. Very fine. Very fine. But your unusual act, young ladies, was by far the best. Your robot is magnificent. Beside it, even my shredded umbrella restoration is a pale trick. I must have your mechanical man for my act.”