Appleton, Victor – Tom Swift Jr 18 – And the Electronic Hydrolung

Mr. Swift’s eyes shone with fatherly pride at the admiral’s remark. Tom Jr.‘s pioneering rocket flights and inventions had won the youth a top rank in American space research.

“Guess you’re right, sir,” Bud agreed. “I’ll back genius boy here any day!”

Tom winced as Bud whacked him heartily on the shoulder. “Better save your orchids and keep your fingers crossed, fly boy,” the young inventor advised.

“That rocket’s not home yet.”

Radio telescopes, both on land and aboard the ships of the task force, were following the mis-14 THE ELECTRONIC HYDROLUNG

sile’s progress as it drew closer to earth. All were feeding a steady stream of information to the ships’ computers.

“How soon will you fire the retro-rockets, Tom?” Admiral Walter inquired presently.

“In about ten seconds, sir,” Tom replied, eying the sweep second hand of the clock.

Moments later, a red light flashed on the master control panel. Tom’s finger stabbed a button. Far out in space, the retarding rockets in the missile’s nose were triggered for a brief burst, slowing its high speed. Without this, the missile would hurtle to flaming destruction in the atmosphere.

“We’ve picked it up!” shouted a radarman.

Bud gave a whoop of excitement and everyone crowded around the radarscope. Tom’s steel-blue eyes checked the blip. Then he threw a switch which started an automatic plotting machine that had been prepared with the landing plan, and noted that the missile was slightly off the correct path. A new flow of information now began pulsing in as other ships’ tracking radars recorded its course. The data was being fed automatically to the “capture” computer. This would analyze the correct flight path for the recovery missile, which would magnetically seize the returning traveler from Jupiter and bring it safely home.