“How about checking with the Hammond factory?” Tom suggested.
“I’ve already done that, skipper,” Billing replied. “They’ll call back as soon as they’ve compiled a list of purchasers. It shouldn’t take long. That ship’s been on the market only a few months.”
“Good work, George. Bud and I will be over at the tracking center. I want to test the electronic brain after the dipsy-doodle ride it got. Let us know if anything develops.”
“Roger!”
As the boys drove across the island, Bud turned to Tom who was sitting tight-lipped at the
SOS TO ENTERPRISES 19
wheel. “Do you think that masked pilot was after the electronic brain?”
“Yes, I do. We’ll take extra precautions here to guard it. What I’d like to know is how they found out about it.”
In brooding silence the two boys completed the trip. Both kept asking themselves, “Why should anyone want to steal a device for communicating with the space people?”
The brain had already been unloaded from Bud’s airplane and trucked to the communications building. Tom made several tests on incoming and outgoing messages. The brain functioned perfectly.
Bud clapped his chum on the shoulder. “Good work, genius boy. This means a flight around the universe, no matter how dipsy-doodle it may be, won’t disturb this machine’s brain one little bit.”
As Tom grinned in satisfaction, the phone rang. George Billing was calling.
“Just heard from the Hammond factory, skipper. The people they sold Jayhawks to are all well-known pilots or reputable businessmen-with one exception.”