Appleton, Victor – Tom Swift Jr 05 – And His Atomic Earth Blaster

Tom had inherited his father’s scientific genius and resembled him closely.

Both had the same keen, deep-set blue eyes, but Tom was the taller of the two.

“By the way,” remarked the elder inventor, “Uncle Ned is coming over tonight. He wants to talk over plans for manufacturing your earth blaster. He said he had some problems to take up concerning our jet plane production, too.”

A few minutes later they heard the sound of a car on the graveled side drive.

“That must be Uncle Ned now!” Tom exclaimed, jumping up from his chair.

“I’ll go let him in.”

Ned Newton was his father’s oldest and most loyal 22 TOM SWIFT AND HIS ATOMIC BLASTER

friend. He was also the business manager of the Swift Construction Company, which had expanded to nationwide importance under his guiding hand.

Tom met him at the front door and led him back to Mr. Swift’s den. The two old friends greeted each other warmly. In the old days, before Tom was born, Ned Newton had helped Tom Swift Sr. defeat many dangerous and unscrupulous enemies.

When Uncle Ned was seated in a comfortable chair, he turned to the younger Swift with a twinkle in his eye. “I hear you had a slight brush with Mr. Greenup.”

Tom grimaced. “I just hope it doesn’t lead to trouble with the Town Council.”

“You let me worry about that,” Uncle Ned replied, and added with a chuckle, “His bark is worse than his bite. I know-I’ve handled that old curmudgeon before.”

“Just the same, this water problem is getting serious,” said Mr. Swift. “If the water company doesn’t find an answer pretty soon, we may have to curtail operations at the plant!”