Bud picked up a pad and wrote a cablegram to Gaspard. It read: SUSPICIOUS NEWS 5
AM ENGAGED IN LOW-TEMPERATURE RESEARCH. HIGHLY
INTERESTED IN YOUR NEW HELIUM-EXTRACTION MACHINE. REQUEST
INVITATION TO PARIS DEMONSTRATION. CABLE REPLY COLLECT.
BARCLAY, PRESIDENT
CRYOGENIC RESEARCH
LABORATORY
Tom and Harlan burst into laughter. “What, no Ph.D. after your name?” Tom inquired jokingly.
Nothing more was said, but unbeknown to Tom and his father, Bud did send a cable to the French scientist, saying he would like to bring the famous Swifts to the demonstration. During the next two days, Bud phoned the telegraph office half a dozen times. But no reply from France was received.
Saturday evening, as the Swifts were enjoying a week end at home, Bud dropped in for a brief visit. He discussed the Gaspard mystery with Tom and his father in the den.
“It does seem odd,” admitted Mr. Swift, to whom Tom bore a striking resemblance. The elder scientist and his tall, lanky son had the same keen features and deep-set eyes.
Bud told them about the cable. “Gaspard paid
6 MEGASCOPE SPACE PROBER
no attention. What’s more, I called ten different people around the country-outstanding American scientists, all of them-and not one of them has received a bid to Gaspard’s demonstration.”
“Evidently he doesn’t trust anyone from our country,” said Mr. Swift, puzzled.
Tom Jr. said soberly, “Dad, if Gaspard did use the plans for my invention, this machine of his could be dangerous.”
“Dangerous! How so, son?”
Tom’s own helium-extraction device had been designed as part of a revolutionary new space telescope on which Tom was working. The telescope required a very powerful high-gain signal amplifier-part of which worked at an ultra low temperature. This low temperature, near absolute zero of -273°
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