THE FURTIVE JEWELER 123
“Hoxv come Ort Throme didn’t fly with you?” Bud asked finally, trying to make conversation.
“He’s off again on another painting trip,” Provard replied. “This time to the South Seas.”
A moment later the phone rang. Chow answered it, and said the call was for Mr. Provard. The banker, his face tense as if anticipating more bad news, lifted the receiver. As the others waited, they were astonished to see a happy grin spread over his face. Provard talked for five minutes, then hung up, smiling with relief.
“The most wonderful news!” he announced. “My office has just received another cable from Kabulistan. Schuyler Grane is safe! An Army patrol rescued him from three men who were taking him into the mountains!”
Bud gave a whoop and Tom himself, grinning at Ames, cheered inwardly.
“Two of the kidnapers,” Provard went on, “were shot during the skirmish. The third is now a prisoner, but refuses to talk.”
“What about the project, sir?” Tom pressed. “Are we in business again?”
The banker paused, glancing at Tom gravely. “I should say that’s a question for you to answer, Tom. You and your crews are the ones who’ll be exposed to any danger there may be.”
“We’ll risk it,” Tom said, his blue eyes flashing. “The only assistants I’ll take along will be volunteers.”
124 TRIPHIBIAN ATOMICAR
Bud chuckled and raised his hand. “Sign me on as your first recruit, Sarge!”
Almost two weeks of frenzied preparation followed. A number of atomicars and trucks rolled off Ned Newton’s assembly line at the Swift Construction Company. At the same time, skilled aircraft workers in another part of the plant were turning out a small fleet of magnetic homing pigeons powered by Tom’s midget atomic power plants. Besides the mineral-detecting equipment and homing device, each plane was armed with the same simple “destroy”