Mrs. Swift encouraged Tom to talk about it, then added comfortingly, “At least your invention worked for a hundred thousand miles out in space. Surely that’s a marvelous achievement for a first test.”
Tom smiled. “When you put it like that, Mother, it doesn’t sound so bad. You always have the right slant on my work!”
“What you need, Tom, is a good rest,” Sandy advised. She added mischievously, “And maybe a few dates, too-both of you! Something to clear the cobwebs from your brains!”
Mr. Swift grinned. “Sandy may be right, son.”
“Okay, I’ll think about it,” Tom promised.
As soon as Mrs. Swift arose and they all left the table, Tom’s first thought was to call Harlan
112 COSMIC ASTRONAUTS
Ames. But the security chief had nothing new to report.
“Still no clues on the Sea Charger, Tom,” Ames told him.
On a sudden impulse, Tom made a second telephone call-this time to Felix Wong.
“Hi, Felix!” he said when the young engineer answered. “How about our doing some sleuthing among the people of Chinese descent who live here in Shopton? Perhaps one of them could give us a lead on the man who’s been calling himself Sam Wah.”
“I’ve questioned my friends,” Felix said, “but none of them know anything about him.”
“Suppose we talk to some of the other Chinese in town,” Tom suggested.
Felix was eager to go and promised to meet Tom and Bud in fifteen minutes on a street corner in Shopton’s small “Chinatown” section.
At the first house they tried, a young Chinese woman came to the door.
Tom’s question seemed to puzzle her. She mumbled a reply in halting English.