“So you’ve had your laugh,” Tom said curtly. “What happens now?”
Wayne’s face froze to a cruel mask as his eyes fastened on the young inventor. “I gave you a chance to play ball with us, Swift. Even offered to cut you in on the ruby mine! But you pulled a fast one. Now things will be rougher for you.”
Wayne took out a watch and laid it on the laboratory workbench. “You have until eight tomorrow morning to write down the secret data and formulas for all major Swift inventions-in-THE RUBY WEAPON 177
eluding your midget atomic power plant. If you don’t, both your cousin and your pal will be shot!” Gursk clicked the bolt of his rifle significantly.
“Just a little reminder,” Wayne said. “This time I mean business!” He got up and left the lab. Gursk followed.
As the steel door clanged shut, the three prisoners looked at one another. All were pale. Tom and Bud quickly untied Ed’s wrists and told him in low voices about the rocket.
“Supposing your plan works, Tom,” Ed murmured. “Can the crew from the base get here before eight o’clock?”
“Easily, I should think,” Tom said. “Unless they go to Shirabad first, to get help from the police or the Army.”
Bud gave a worried whistle. “Boy! I never thought of that, skipper. They’ll have to have help, won’t they, if we hope to get out of here alive?”
“Can’t you stall Wayne off somehow?” Ed put in. “I mean, write down a bunch of fake formulas.”
Tom shrugged. “It’s worth a try. But frankly I doubt if Wayne would be fooled.
That guy’s a top-flight engineer!”
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