“I hate to cut this vacation short,” he announced, “but I think we’d better fly back to Enterprises tonight. I must arrange the first public showing of the atomicar.”
“Got room for another passenger?” Ort asked.
Tom was somewhat surprised, but willingly invited the painter to accompany them on the flight back East. The Sky Queen took off at dusk. As the huge plane streaked away from the last glow of a flaming sunset, Ort amused the girls by taking out a box of water colors and sketching a new body shell for the atomicar.
“Hey! Pretty snazzy!” said Bud, who had just come aft to join them in the comfortable lounge. “That’s even better than-”
His words were cut short as the ship suddenly dived, throwing everyone off balance.
“Hang on, everyone!” Tom’s voice barked over the intercom. “A strange jet’s attacking us!”
CHAPTER VII
TOM TAKES A DARE
BEFORE Bud and the others could catch their breaths, the Sky Queen banked sharply. A split second later they were nearly deafened by an ear-splitting whine. A dark shape streaked past the windows of the lounge!
“Roarin” rockets!” Chow gasped. He staggered backward and nearly fell as the Flying Lab zoomed into a steep climb.
“Fasten your seat belts!” Bud snapped to him and the girls.
After making sure that the three were secure, Bud and Ort hurried out through the passageway to the flight compartment. Twice they had to cling desperately to the handrails to keep from being hurled off their feet.
When they finally reached the flight compartment, Bud asked furiously, “What in blazes is that nitwit trying to do?”