Sandy suddenly looked worried. “I just happened to think. Suppose you two can’t translate their instructions? For instance, they might use some new symbols you’ve never seen before. Then we’d miss out on the whole surprise.”
Tom grinned. “Not Dad and I.”
Mrs. Swift smiled. “I have no doubt that our two space experts will be able to get the gist of any information their space friends may send.”
“If the electronic brain can’t do it,” Tom said, “we’ll figure it out as we did when we compiled the space dictionary.”
“Let’s hope so,” Bud joked, “or my old brain might burst from sheer suspense.”
The next day at noon, the whole Swift family and Bud gathered in the space communications laboratory at Enterprises. They waited with keen anticipation for the message to come through on the oscilloscope. Even Mr. Swift, always cool 126 COSMIC ASTRONAUTS
and composed, strode back and forth, unable to hide his impatience.
At last the bell on the electronic brain rang, signaling an incoming message.
They watched excitedly as the symbols appeared on the fluorescent screen and were photographed, then they quickly turned to the electronic brain as the message was spelled out on tape before their eyes. It began: WE, YOUR SPACE FRIENDS, HAVE BEEN …
A red light flashed above the keyboard and the brain was disconnected.
“Oh, I knew it!” Sandy wailed. “That means the machine can’t translate some symbol. Dad! Tom! Do you think you can figure it out?”
Tom quickly pulled the photograph of the symbols from a tray below the oscilloscope. “Quick, Bud! Pencil, paper, and our space dictionary!” he urged.
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