CHAPTER II
UNDERSEA SURVEY
WITH an effort, Tom forced all thoughts of failure out of his mind and concentrated on the job at hand. In an hour he had the computer program blocked out.
Mr. Swift and several of the other scientists checked his work. Each nodded approval. By this time, the fused blip had long since disappeared from the radarscopes, indicating that the Jupiter probe missile-or what was left of it-had plunged to the ocean bottom.
“What’s your next move, Tom?” Admiral Walter asked.
“No point in wasting time waiting for the computer results,” Tom decided.
“Suppose Bud and I fly back to Swift Enterprises and organize a search party.”
“Good idea.” As Admiral Walter extended a hand, his weather-beaten face softened. “And
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UNDERSEA SURVEY 21
don’t feel downhearted, son. You rate a Navy ‘Ł’ for the way you handled this operation. It would have succeeded if it hadn’t been for that confounded enemy missile 1”
“Thank you, sir.” Tom managed a grateful grin, in spite of his discouragement.
Minutes later, the two boys embarked in a motor launch that took them to an aircraft carrier standing by in the vicinity. From the flattop they took off in a Navy jet for Shopton.
Meanwhile, Mr. Swift remained aboard the Recoverer to supervise the data processing. Tom, looking back from the soaring jet, could see one of the helicopters on its way to the missile ship to deliver the first batch of tapes.
It was late afternoon when the Navy jet touched down on the Enterprises airfield. The Swifts’ sprawling experimental station was a walled, four-mile-square enclosure with landing strips, workshops, and laboratories, near the town of Shopton. Here Tom Jr. and his father developed their amazing inventions.