“Terrific!” Norris exclaimed. “Let’s hope your scheme works!”
Tom had ordered the space oscilloscopes to be manned constantly, both at Fearing and at Enterprises, in case of a flash from Exman. But no word had yet been received when Tom and his companions arrived at the mainland late that afternoon.
Mr. Swift greeted his son warmly at the airfield. Tom had refrained from radioing the news to Enterprises after the hijacking and the missile attempt. Any such message, Tom feared, might be picked up by the enemy and bring on another attack. But the young inventor had telephoned his father immediately after calling Washington.
Now Mr. Swift threw his arm affectionately around the lanky youth. “You look pretty well bushed, son. Why not hustle home and call it a day? That goes for the rest of you, too,” he added to Bud, Chow, and the others. “You’ve just risked your lives and the strain is bound to tell.”
Tom urged his companions to comply. “But I’m sticking right here,” the young inventor told his father. “I want to be on hand the minute Exman contacts us.”
Bud insisted upon staying with his pal. The two boys ate a quiet supper in Tom’s private
A UNIQUE EXPERIMENT 141
laboratory and finally lay down on cots in the adjoining apartment. But first Tom posted a night operator to watch the electronic brain.
“Wake me up the second that alarm bell goes off,” he ordered.
“Okay, skipper,” the radioman promised.
No message arrived to disturb the boys’ rest. Tom felt a pang of worry as he dressed the next morning, and then relieved the man on duty at the decoder.