Bud was enthusiastic, so Tom phoned the two girls at once and invited them to be at the plant by noon. Chow served them a tasty lunch in the 94 THE RACE TO THE MOON
small cozy dining room just off Tom’s private lab. Thirty-five minutes later the foursome took off by jet for Fearing Island.
“Are you sure you won’t blast the whole rocket base apart this time?” Sandy asked with a mischievous twinkle in her blue eyes.
“Now stop teasing,” Phyl reproved her. “It isn’t often they ask us out on a date, so don’t spoil it.”
“Thanks, Phyl,” Tom said, grinning.
Soon Fearing Island came into view beneath the clouds. Tom radioed the tower to neutralize the drone planes, and then circled in for a landing.
From the airfield they drove by jeep to the launching area. The girls gasped in awe and their eyes grew wider at their first sight of the gigantic space craft.
“What a fantastic shape it has!” Sandy exclaimed, staring, then remarked doubtfully, “It isn’t exactly streamlined, is it?”
“Doesn’t have to be for traveling through the space void,” Tom explained. “As for the earth’s atmosphere, we can get clear of that easily enough with our repelatrons and auxiliary rocket power.”
“We could even get through a brick wall,” Bud said jokingly.
Sandy looked around at the buildings near the field which still showed signs of damage from Tom’s first takeoff. “That I can believe!”
Tom and Bud showed the girls through the interior of the spaceship, then they all took their places in the flight compartment.
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