“Great jumpin’ Je-hoshaphat, boss-is that true?”
“Well-in a way,” Tom replied hesitantly.
“Brand my buffalo stew!” Chow groaned. “You
6 SPACE SOLARTRON
think I can fry up ee-lec-tricity on a cookstove, or sling up a dish o’ boiled electric current? Why, first thing you know, I’d be blowin’ the spaceship-”
“Whoa! Hold on, Chow!” Tom interrupted with a grin. “It’s true that I’m trying to produce matter from electrical energy, but that doesn’t mean you’ll have to cook up any volts or amperes.” He explained his invention briefly as Chow listened with a worried frown. “And besides,” Tom ended, “I don’t even know yet whether my invention will pan out.”
“Wai, let’s jest hope we don’t all wind up gettin’ carried out-on stretchers!”
Chow grumbled darkly.
Still chuckling, Tom finished his food, then picked up the phone and called the Shopton Power and Light Company. He asked the manager if arrangements could be made to increase the supply of power to Enterprises from the town’s generating plant.
“Sorry, Tom,” the manager replied. “Our facilities are already overloaded. I’m afraid we can’t help you until we get our new reactor plant built.”
“I understand. Well, thanks, anyhow,” the young inventor said and hung up.
At that moment Tom’s father came into the laboratory and both boys jumped to their feet as they said “Hello.”
There was a close resemblance between father and son, especially in their keen, blue eyes, but
MORE POWER! 7
Tom Jr. was the taller and rangier of the two. After Mr. Swift had seated himself on a stool, the boys sat down and Tom told his father about the power failure.