Thus the sonar waves would appear to be striking no obstacle-and no echo would return to the sonarscopes on the search craft!
“Jumping jets!” Tom thumped his fist on the workbench in his excitement. “I’ll bet that’s the answer, all right!” He grinned. “Brand my boot heels, it’s partly due to good old Chow!”
He grabbed a pencil and began sketching his idea on paper. It would be necessary to spot the receivers and transmitters all over the hull of the submarine. Diagrams and pages of scribbled computations followed the rough sketches.
An invisible sub-one that sonar pulses would seem to pass right through, as if nothing were there! “Seems so simple now that I have the key!” Tom said to himself elatedly.
Hours ticked by while he analyzed the wave action mathematically, then worked out a typical hookup for one of his jetmarines in a set of precise schematic drawings.
Finally the young inventor dropped his pencil, picked up the telephone, and dialed Bud Barclay.
SQUARE-DANCE HOAX 103
“Hop over here, fly boy,” Tom told his chum. “Something hot on the griddle!”
Bud arrived in a few moments. Tom showed him the drawings and explained his plan for dodging underwater detection. He also related how Chow’s remarks about the radio music had sparked the idea.
His chum slapped him on the back. “Good going, Tom!”
“Let’s fly right over to Fearing and see how it works on a jetmarinel” Tom proposed enthusiastically.
Bud grinned but made no move. He stood looking at Tom, arms folded and feet wide apart.
“Well, let’s go, pal!” Tom urged impatiently, puzzled by Bud’s lack of response.