Playing a hunch, Tom said to him, “You know what your government does to rebels and bunglers, Mirov.”
The man stiffened and paled. “We have not b-b-bungled!” he stuttered angrily.
“Shut up, you fool!” their leader shouted.
CHAPTER VI
THE CAISSON CLUE
“CAPTAIN Smith” had leaped to his feet, quivering with anger. But it was too late. His cellmate, by answering to the name of “Mirov,” had given away their nationality!
Tom and Ames exchanged grins of triumph.
“No doubt you recall what happened to Streffan Mirov,” Tom went on, pressing his advantage. “Or should I say the late Streffan Mirov? Our last report was that he had been tried and condemned by your own government. Perhaps you can give us news of his fate?”
The wavy-haired prisoner’s eyes blazed with hate. “Grin while you can, Tom Swift! Because of you, my brother Streffan is now serving a long prison sentence!
But I, Dimitri Mirov, will get revenge!”
“You blame Tom Swift because your brother
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THE CAISSON CLUE 57
botched his job of claiming the satellite Nestria by force and fraud?” Ames taunted.
“Our space friends moved that asteroid into orbit around the earth,” Tom added. “We claimed it by right of first landing. Even your own leaders couldn’t agree to Streffan’s crazy scheme to destroy everything.”
Dimitri Mirov lost all control and burst into a volley of guttural Brungarian abuse.
“I warn you, Swift!” he choked. “Jailing us will not make you safe-or your projects, either!”
A blow to the head from “Captain Smith” sent Mirov reeling back against the wall. “Fool! Maybe that will quiet you!” the pilot snapped viciously. “You have said too much already!”
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