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

“He’d better not!” Sandy declared. Her blue eyes sparkled with mischief as she added, “But if

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that creepy old pirate ever does, I’d certainly like a chance to play one of his own tricks on him!”

Tom chuckled. “Okay, Sis. If I see a chance, I’ll let you know.”

Bud and Sandy tried to keep the conversation cheerful, but the rest of the evening was clouded by thoughts of the sinister Li Ching. Again and again, Tom’s scientific work had brought him into danger from enemies bent on stealing his inventions or plotting against America’s security.

In a previous adventure Tom had flown his Flying Lab to South America, where he had to fight for his life against a lawless organized group. Later expeditions had taken him not only into outer space but also to the far corners of the globe, including the South Pole, Africa, and the Yucatan jungles of Mexico.

Only recently he and his associates had returned from an undersea voyage to the lost city of gold.

Several days went by but there was no report on the whereabouts of the Sea Charger. Tom busied himself in his laboratory, meanwhile, trying to solve the problem of developing a new and cheaper method of space travel.

“Any big brain waves yet on your project, boy genius?” Bud Barclay asked one afternoon as he strolled into the laboratory. Mr. Swift and Tom were intently poring over a clutter of scribbled diagrams and equations.

14 COSMIC ASTRONAUTS

Tom looked up with a wry grin. “Not yet, but give us time, fly boy.”

“How come you’re so worried about the cost factor?” Bud persisted. “That hasn’t stopped us yet and we’ve made it to the moon and almost to Venus.”