CONTENTS
1 Explosion in Space
2 A Mysterious Gift
3 The Gate-Crasher
4 A Message in Space Code
5 The Invisible Barrier
6 Uncanny Noises
7 Chinatown Shadow
8 Missile Breakthrough
9 Disturbing Reports
10 Flying Silverware
11 Sky-Drop
12 The Black Spaceship
13 Enemy Stronghold
14 A Terrifying Ordeal
15 Down the Precipice!
16 Attack on Nestria
17 A Crucial Test
18 Flight for Life
19 The Cobra Strikes!
20 A Fiery Victory
CHAPTER I
EXPLOSION IN SPACE
“Outpost to Sky Queen… . Looks as if the storm on Venus is getting worse!”
The message came crackling through the predawn darkness to Tom Swift Jr.
aboard his Flying Lab as it cruised in the upper atmosphere.
“Can you make out any details through the space prober?” Tom radioed back.
“Not too clearly, skipper,” the Swifts’ space-station radioman responded.
“The planet’s cloud cover seems to be in a state of terrific upheaval.”
Bud Barclay, copilot and close friend of Tom’s, turned anxiously to the crew-cut blond youth at the controls. “Tom, does this mean our Venus probe will be scrubbed?”
The two eighteen-year-olds, both veteran astronauts, had been looking forward eagerly to piloting the first interplanetary space flight.
l
2 THE ASTEROID PIRATES
“Could be.” As he spoke, Tom’s blue eyes ranged over the bank of special recording instruments in the cabin of the giant research plane. “If Dad’s predictions are correct, the radiation may be too intense for us to risk it just now.
Never mind. I have another trip in mind, pal.”
Husky, dark-haired Bud flashed a hopeful look at his friend. “A space cruise?”