Bud thumped his fist angrily on the laboratory workbench. “There’s your answer, pal. Tom Swift Jr. and Sr. are two of America’s most famous scientists. If anyone rated invitations, you both did-which proves Gaspard wasn’t taking any chances on being found out!”
By now Tom was almost as convinced as Bud. “Could be,” he conceded.
“Let’s check with Har-lan.”
In moments the boys reached the office of Har-lan Ames, the slim, dark-haired security chief of Swift Enterprises.
4 MEGASCOPE SPACE PROBER
“Trouble, skipper?” Ames inquired.
“I’m not sure.” Tom filled him in quickly on Gaspard’s news announcement, then asked, “Has anyone come into or left the plant with any blueprints or other data since I started work on my own helium machine?”
Ames pressed a button and had an aide bring him the file of daily logs kept by the plant guards at the main gate. After scanning the recent log sheets, Ames shook his head.
“No, we keep a close check on that. But there’s been nothing taken in or out in the past two weeks except those new rocket-tube designs sent to Swift Construction.”
That was the company that manufactured the Swifts’ inventions. It was managed by Tom Sr.‘s old friend and associate, “Uncle Ned” Newton. Although not a relative of the Swifts, they felt that Ned was almost a member of the family.
Tom looked quizzically at Bud. “We’ve hit a dead end.”
“If Gaspard stole your idea,” Bud declared stubbornly, “I intend to find out.”
“How?” Ames asked.
“I’ll cable him for an invitation to his big show and hop over to Paris. And don’t think I won’t fire plenty of questions at him!”
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