Bud grinned and muttered to Chow, “Smart move, eh? They stay put for their own safety-which means they can’t quit.”
“Mebbe so, but how about Tom?” the loyal cook replied worriedly.
“What’re you going to do, skipper?” asked Les.
“You’ve heard of mine detectors, haven’t you?” Tom countered.
“Have we got one?”
“If not, I’ll make one.”
Finding none on the Sky Queen, Tom hurried to his laboratory and quickly rigged up a simple, but highly sensitive, detection circuit. He fitted it into a flat plastic case and jointed on a length of rigid tubing-thus making a long-handled pancake probe. To this, he wired a set of earphones.
When he emerged from the Flying Lab, Tom strode to the prisoner and jerked him to his feet. Then he turned to Ali. “Tell this guy he’s coming along with me while I pry out those mines.”
Ali flashed a wicked smile. “Most excellent justice, sir!”
As he translated Tom’s words, the prisoner began to tremble and protest fearfully.
148 TR1PHIBIAN ATOMICAR
“Get that sword Fazir Khan gave me,” Tom said to Bud.
His chum grinned, darted off to their hut, and returned a moment later, fingering the edge of the razor-sharp blade.
“Tell the prisoner he’ll push the stick along and I’ll wear the earphones. Bud will carry this sword which will be tickling the man’s neck in case he tries any fast moves.”
Ali was beside himself with glee as he translated. The American crewmen and hired workmen looked on appreciatively. Side by side with his unwilling helper, Tom began the slow process of probing the camp grounds and the nearly completed airfield. In twenty minutes he heard the first buzz over his earphones.
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