“Here’s a sketch of the launching platform I’ve designed for the South Pole blaster,” Tom said, spreading out a blueprint on his father’s desk.
The structure was composed of girders and I beams, and looked somewhat like an upside-down rocket-launching platform. Rails were provided to guide the machine on its take-off.
Mr. Swift studied the drawing carefully.
“I believe this will do the trick, all right, son,” he commented. “Of course your machine will only have room for a bare minimum of sheathing around the atomic pile, and that will make things much more difficult. It means the launching will have to be done by remote control to make sure you and the others are exposed as little as possible to dangerous radiation.”
Tom nodded thoughtfully. “I’ve already provided for that, Dad.” He went on to describe the remote-90 TOM SWIFT AND HIS ATOMIC BLASTER
control system by which he planned to operate the machine.
“By the way, Tom,” added Mr. Swift, “I have something here to show you-something which may come as quite a surprise!”
CHAPTER 10
A CRUCIAL TEST
AS TOM LOOKED ON, puzzled, his father beamed open the top desk drawer and drew out a piece of paper which was covered with strange mathematical symbols.
Tom pounced on it with a cry of excitement.
“Dad! Another message from our space friends?”
“Right, son. It was picked up by one of our oscilloscopes at the rocket lab on Fearing Island.”
The first such message had been sent by a black, meteorlike missile from outer space, which had landed with pinpoint precision on the grounds of the Swift Enterprises experimental station.