“I’ll do that, Evan,” Tom promised. “If we’re not ready to meet that interplanetary rocket, the Brungarians may beat us to it!”
Bud gave an angry snort. “They probably wouldn’t do a thing to help the space beings cure those sick animals either-just take all the glory for reaching the rocket first and seeing what’s inside!”
“There’s a worse danger,” Dr. Faber pointed out gravely. “They might even bring the animals to earth to prove they had accomplished the mission. The infection might spread and we might not know how to stop it!”
The telephone rang and Tom scooped it up. “Tom Swift Jr. speaking.”
“This is Harlan Ames, Tom,” said the voice at the other end of the line.
“Could you drop over to the security office? I have something to show you.”
Tom hesitated. “Is it important?”
“Have to judge for yourself, skipper, but it may affect your plans for reaching the moon.”
“In that case, I’ll be right over!”
Excusing himself, Tom hurried off to the security building. He found Harlan Ames, the slim,
56 THE RACE TO THE MOON
dark-eyed chief of Enterprises’ security department, pacing back and forth with a worried frown.
“What’s up?” Tom asked.
Ames picked up a foreign newspaper from his desk. “This is a Brungarian newspaper which puts out a New York edition,” he explained. “One of my boys had it flown to Shopton this morning as soon as it hit the streets.”
Tom glanced at the blaring headlines. “What does it say?”
“Those headlines state that the Brungarian government is sending up a group of scientists into space on a secret mission,” Ames replied.