NIGHT ALARM 67
“I wish you boys would stay home and work on the mystery,” Phyl spoke up.
Sandy asked, “Any new clues on the Sea Charger?”
Tom shook his head. “Not since that report from the SS Dragon Queen. But if the Charger’s still afloat, I’m confident the pirates can’t keep it hidden from sight forever.”
Mrs. Swift adroitly guided the conversation back to less serious topics.
Presently she said that Phyl had brought along some new records. “Don’t the rest of you want to hear them?” she asked.
“Oh, yes,” Tom answered.
Sandy put a stack of records on the hi-fi player, and the two couples danced to a succession of hit tunes. Twenty minutes later the music was interrupted by a loud buzzing growl.
“Someone’s touched off the alarm system!” Sandy cried excitedly.
The entire grounds surrounding the Swift home were enclosed by an invisible magnetic field. The Swifts and their close friends, to avoid sounding the alarm, wore special wrist watches containing tiny deactivator coils.
As Tom, followed by Sandy, hurried to check on the unexpected visitor-or intruder-there was a loud pounding on the front door. Tom switched on the porch light, then yanked open the door.
“Felix Wongl” he gasped. The young engineer
68 COSMIC ASTRONAUTS
stumbled inside and almost slumped to the floor. Tom had to catch his Chinese friend to keep him from falling.
“Goodness!” Sandy cried out. “What’s the matter?”
Felix was panting weakly and unable to speak. Tom and Bud helped him to a chair as everyone gathered around anxiously. Presently, after Mrs. Swift had brought him a glass of water, Felix found his voice.
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