“Even if your idea is sound, think of the tremendous expense involved. I’m afraid we could never finance such a venture.”
“I’m sure that the government would help out on the cost,” said Tom.
“Especially if we invite their scientists to go along on the expedition.”
“There’s one other objection, Tom,” his father put in. “Suppose you did strike that molten iron. You’d have every government that ever staked a claim at the South Pole insisting the ore belonged to them too.”
Frowning, Tom got up and paced around the room.
“Well, Dad, that’s a question the United States government would have to settle. But one thing I’m sure of. No government that hasn’t staked a claim at the South Pole should be allowed to drill there!”
“You mean like Kranjov, for instance?” asked Sandy.
28 TOM SWIFT AND HIS ATOMIC BLASTER
“Right!”
At that moment there was a loud buzz, accompanied by a whining, growling sound, as though a pack of watchdogs had suddenly caught a scent of danger.
“The alarm system!” cried Sandy, jumping up from her chair. “Someone must be trying to break into the house!”
“You and Mother stay here!” Tom declared.
With the two older men, he made a dash to check on all doors and windows.
The entire house and grounds were surrounded by a magnetic field. Any person entering this field automatically set off the alarm system, unless provided with some kind of deactivator mechanism.
The Swift family and their friends all wore little neutralizer coils in their wrist watches for this purpose. But prowlers or unexpected visitors unknowingly always signaled their presence by touching off the alarm.