Tom phoned his family from the rocket base. Then he and Bud hopped back to Shopton in a Pigeon Special-one of the sleek little passenger planes manufactured by the Swift Construction Company.
“Better come home with me, pal,” Tom said as they sauntered off the airfield.
“Mother promised juicy, inch-thick steaks tonight.”
10 COSMIC ASTRONAUTS
“Sold!” Bud agreed with a grin.
Tom took the wheel of the jeep and the boys sped off from the Swifts’ airfield toward the town of Shopton.
Sandra, Tom’s vivacious blond sister, who was a year younger and Bud’s favorite date, greeted the boys at the door when they arrived at the Swifts’
attractive home.
Mrs. Swift, slender and as pretty as her daughter, had prepared one of her usual delicious meals. As the mystery was discussed over dinner she remarked thoughtfully, “The Sea Charger may have been sunk.”
“Sunk!” Tom was shocked by the idea. Yet, as he mulled it over, he was forced to admit that this would explain why all efforts to trace the stolen experimental ship had failed.
“Mrs. Swift,” Bud asked, “do you think the Sea Charger was sunk accidentally or on purpose?”
Before she could answer, Tom’s eyes suddenly blazed as an idea struck him.
“Whichever it was, I think I know who is behind all this!”
CHAPTER II
THE INVISIBLE STRING
ALL eyes turned toward the young inventor.
“Tom, you mean you know who stole the Sea Charger?” Sandy demanded.
“I believe so,” her brother replied, “a wealthy, unscrupulous Oriental named Li Ching. Actually, he’s a man without a country. He was exiled by his own government when he offered to head a pirate group to steal scientific secrets.”