Appleton, Victor – Tom Swift Jr 14 – And His Electronic Retroscope

“Nothing. When I got closer, the light went out. It was quite dark, so I couldn’t see much, but then I heard footsteps. Well, I called out your name, thinking it might be you. But no one answered 1 All I could hear was somebody rushing off through the bushes 1”

Tom exchanged troubled glances with his two companions. “Do you suppose that explains those ruined batteries, skipper?” asked Dick Folsom.

“Could be,” Tom replied. “And it happened while the guards were away.”

Max heaved himself wearily to his feet. “You guys figure it out. This whole business is driving me nuts! But take good care of those treasures now, y’hear?”

Tom nodded reassuringly. “Don’t worry about them. Just take it easy and get some rest. I don’t know what our skinny spy is up to, Max, but I have a hunch it’s me he’s after-not you.”

166 ELECTRONIC RETROSCOPE

Max brightened somewhat. “I sure hope so-not that I wish you guys any bad luck. Well, so longl” With a wave of his huge hand, the longhaired giant trudged off and soon disappeared from view among the trees.

Tom and his companions resumed their journey. When they reached the Sky Queen, Tom rushed to his laboratory immediately to test the damaged battery.

He scraped off some of the spilled compound, then studied the mass under a Swift spectroscope.

“What’s the answer?” Jack Murray asked.

Tom’s face was grave. “It was sabotage, all right. Someone spiked our batteries with sulphuric acid!”

Switching on the intercom, Tom issued orders to Stu Kern and another crewman. “Hop in the jeep and drive to the village, pronto! Tell Bud I now have proof that the plane has been sabotaged and to keep all our equipment guarded, night and day! Tell him to watch out for that skinny guy-he may try to wreck my electronic retroscope!”