Had the Brungarians somehow outwitted him? Surely Exman should have reported by this time!
“Relax, pal,” Bud urged. “Our space chum’s hardly had time to learn any secrets yet. Besides, those Brungarian scientists are probably giving him the once-over with all sorts of electronic doodads. Why risk sending a message till he has something important to tell us?”
“That’s true,” Tom admitted.
Chow brought in breakfast. “You jest tie into these vittles, boss, an’ stop frettin’,” the cook said soothingly. “I reckon Ole Think Box won’t let us down.”
Tom sniffed the appetizing aroma of flapjacks and sausages. “Guess you’re right, Chow,” he said with a chuckle.
As the boys ate hungrily, Tom’s thoughts turned back to the problem of how to equip Exman with senses. He talked the project over with Bud. Most of his ideas were too technical for Bud
142 THE VISITOR FROM PLANET X
to follow, but he listened attentively. He kne\, the young inventor found it helpful to have a “sounding board” for his ideas.
“Too bad I didn’t have time to tackle the job before Exman was kidnaped,”
Tom mused. “Think how much more he could learn with ‘eyes’ and ‘ears‘1”
“Stop crabbing,” Bud joked. “Isn’t an electronic spy with a brain like Einstein’s good enough?”
Mr. Swift arrived at the laboratory an hour or so later. He found Tom setting up an experiment with a glass sphere to which were affixed six powerful electromagnets. Two shiny electrodes, with cables attached to their outer ends, had also been molded into the glass. Bud was looking on, wide-eyed.