Appleton, Victor – Tom Swift Jr 13 – And His Space Solartron

Step by step, Tom silently inched his way forward. To his chagrin, his efforts proved fruitless. Broken underbrush showed where the men had been crouching.

“Have they ducked out of sight temporarily?” Tom asked himself. “What if they circle behind me, waiting for a chance to strike?” The thought made the hairs bristle at the nape of Tom’s neck!

Suddenly, from the road, came the sound of a car starting up. Galvanized into action, Tom rushed toward the highway. He was just in time to see a sedan without lights pull out from among the trees and roar off into the darkness.

Thoroughly disgusted, he retraced his steps toward the scene of the crash.

“Tough luck,” Bud greeted him. “We heard the getaway car.”

Tom nodded gloomily. “Apparently our little pal had a friend waiting for him-with transportation.” He reported the conversation which he had overheard in the woods.

“Someone’s sure out to make trouble for you Swifts,” Bud said worriedly to Tom and his father.

Mr. Swift nodded, frowning. “And so far, no clues to his-or their-identity.” To Tom he

56 SPACE SOLARTRON

added, “The car’s ten years old. Not much loss. No license plates and no serial numbers, either. We checked, but they’ve been filed off, so these men must have been planning an accident like this for some time. I’ve radioed the police, by the way.”

Mrs. Spring, who had been trying to remain calm, now said with a tremble in her voice, “Oh, dear, I knew we should have stayed home.”

At that moment everyone’s attention was diverted by the siren of the approaching police car. A moment later it pulled up behind them with a screech of brakes. Four officers piled out.