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

Behind the Swift home were kennels which held Sandy’s two prize bloodhounds. The dogs had already proven their worth in tracking down a few criminals.

90 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GIANT ROBOT

In a moment Bud and Sandy had fitted long leather leashes to the collars of the hounds and were ready to start out. Sandy held a jacket of Tom’s for the dogs to sniff, then she and Bud gave them full leash. The floppy-eared dogs yelped anxiously and tugged their masters along behind them.

Out the drive, across the road, and into the woods they ran with Bud and Sandy stumbling over rocks and logs. The trail led down the Stony Brook bridle path, across the main highway, back into the woods again.

“Tom sure took the back way!” Bud exclaimed, as the animals guided them.

They raced over the route Tom had taken, until they reached a shallow stream.

There the dogs stopped and howled.

“Oh, oh!” cried Sandy. “They’ve lost the scent at the water.”

“We’ll lead them over to the other side,” said Bud. “I think Tom leaped from stone to stone. Too bad they’re wet. The scent’s gone.”

As the dogs splashed through the water, Sandy and Bud jumped across on the stones. Reaching the far side, Bud’s bloodhound gave a yank that almost pulled him over.

“They’ve found the scent again!” exclaimed Sandy.

The animals dashed through the woods, across a field, and down the road.

Suddenly they began zigzagging off and on the road.

STEEL SINEWS 91

“The dogs are going crazy!” Bud cried.

At that moment Sandy’s bloodhound pulled the leash from her hand and raced ahead. A few seconds later he stopped at a ditch in a field and began to bay.