They combed every farmhouse and barn, looking in wells, tanks, and silos for a possible base of operations and the person behind the attack.
No clues were found. They returned, angered by their failure, but resolved to track down the scoundrel sooner or later.
Tom, after hearing the results of the search, commented, “The crow’s movements must have been controlled from a plane or a truck, although I didn’t notice any.”
“You’re probably right, Tom,” Bud agreed.
The next morning Tom insisted he felt well enough to return to work. When Mrs. Swift protested, he said:
“I can’t afford to hold up work on the giant robot just because of a few bird scratches. Dad is depending on me.”
“One thing you must promise me,” she said.
STEEL SINEWS 93
“What’s that, Mother?”
“Not to make the trip out West until you’re completely well.”
“All right, I promise.”
Eager to make every minute count, Tom arranged for an immediate test inspection of the second headless giant robot. The final assembly of its metal body was taking place and Tom watched as the huge jointed skeleton was set up. Motors were being fastened in place to rigid tubular braces.
To offset the heat generated by the mechanisms inside the robot body, Tom had devised a circulatory cooling system which was now being installed.
Arvid Hanson, standing near Tom, asked, “How does the cooler work?”
Tom explained that it was a highly paramagnetic fluid which was alternately magnetized and demagnetized at a rate controlled by a thermostat.
“It keeps the robot’s inside temperature at 96.4 degrees,” Tom added.