The girls flew back to the mainland in Sandy’s Pigeon Special, a small passenger plane manufactured by Swift Construction Company. Early that afternoon the boys took off for New York in a Whirling Duck. This was the nickname given to an amazing combination helicopter-jet plane which Tom had invented.
After landing at the Hudson River heliport, Tom and Bud took a taxi to downtown Manhattan. From time to time Tom glanced at the driver’s rear-view mirror.
As they reached Chatham Square, he murmured to Bud, “Don’t look now, but a taxi’s been tailing us all the way from the heliport.”
Bud watched. “I don’t like this, Tom,” he said uneasily. “Let’s not take any chances.”
Tom nodded. As their taxi braked at the next stop light, he hastily handed the driver a bill and said to Bud, “Okay, let’s go!”
The boys leaped out, slammed the door, and darted off into the crowd of pedestrians. Bud flung a quick glance over his shoulder.
“You were right, Tom!” he muttered. “The guy in that cab’s hopping out too!”
62 THE ASTEROID PIRATES
Tom turned long enough to glimpse a squat figure in a tan suit striding after them. The boys stepped up their pace. They wove through the stream of pedestrians for a few blocks, past shop-windows filled with Chinese merchandise.
“He’s still on our tail!” Bud reported.
“Turn at this corner!” Tom said. A moment later he pulled Bud into a darkened doorway.
Soon they saw their shadower hurry past. He was peering ahead with an anxious look. Bud heaved a sigh of relief. “Hurrah! We shook him!”