Appleton, Victor – Tom Swift Jr 16 – And the Cosmic Astronauts

The explanation came out in a babble of excited voices. Chow had inveigled their captors into letting him cook the next meal. Being hungry, and thinking one man could do no harm, they had agreed. But Chow had slipped a knife inside one of the bowls of rice brought to the prisoners by their guard. Bud had found the instrument.

“That rat was laughing out of the other side of his mouth after we cut ourselves free!” Bud stated with gleeful satisfaction. “The next time he stepped into the compartment, we jumped and disarmed him before he could make a sound to warn the others.”

Bud’s group had then darted about the station, overcoming the other raiders, one by one. They had just finished releasing Ken Horton and the regular station crewmen when they had seen the Cosmic Sailer arriving.

“Brand my space biscuits,” said Chow, “we figgered we had another lil ole scrap on our hands when you fellows showed up. Sure was a good feelin’ to get a close look at your faces!”

A DARING PLAN 183

“Don’t think we didn’t feel good when we saw you menl” Tom replied, laughing. “You’re a pretty sly old coyote, Chow! And the rest of you ought to get medals, too.”

Tom quickly described his own escape, then radioed Enterprises and Fearing the whole story. It was too late to turn back all the rescue rockets. Upon their arrival some were detailed to transport the prisoners to Fearing.

Home once more, Tom and Bud learned the fate of Li Ching, Captain Yao, and other members of their rebel group. All had been captured by American and Canadian naval forces while trying to get away from the Sea Charger. The generator had been put into working order and the ship was on its way home.