“Perhaps Bud is right in his suspicions,” Mr. Swift said cautiously.
“I’d sure like to find out!” Tom declared.
At eight o’clock he and Bud left for work at the plant. Tom took the lead in his sleek, silver sports car, with Bud following in his red convertible.
Part of the road lay through a stretch of woods. Suddenly Bud saw Tom’s car veer wildly into the opposite lane.
“Hey! Watch it, pal!” Bud gasped.
For a moment it looked as though Tom had brought his car under control. But the next instant it shot off toward the shoulder of the road, teetered on the edge of the ditch, and then turned over!
CHAPTER II
RAY-GUN SNIPER
HAD Tom been hurt, perhaps seriously?
Bud, thoroughly alarmed, slammed on the brakes of his own car and swerved the convertible toward the side of the road. As the wheels screeched to a skidding stop, and he leaped out, Bud caught a momentary glimpse of a figure darting off among the trees and underbrush. Could he have had anything to do with Tom’s accident?
“Stop!” Bud yelled. But the man had already disappeared from view into the woods.
Bud turned toward the ditch and scrambled down the sloping shoulder. Tom had been thrown clear of his car and was lying motionless a few feet away. Bud knelt beside him in a frenzy of fear.
“Tom! Tom!” he cried out.
To Bud’s immense relief, his pal moved and opened his eyes. “Oh!” he said and rubbed his forehead dazedly.
13
RAY-GUN SNIPER 13
“You’ll be all right,” Bud said hopefully.
“Yes, I’m all right-I guess,” Tom murmured. “Just shaken up.”