Appleton, Victor – Tom Swift Jr 22 – And His Repelatron Skyway

“If he wants an interview on the African project, no,” Tom replied.

“He says that’s not why he came,” the guard reported. “It’s about a special matter that he’d like to discuss with you privately.”

Tom hesitated. “All right, send him up.”

“Incidentally, he has a camera, skipper. Want it left here at the gatehouse?”

“No, it’s okay, provided he takes only authorized photos.”

Both Tom and Bud were curious about the unexpected visitor. Darcy Creel turned out to be a blond, young-looking man of about thirty with a slender, wiry build. He was carrying a miniature camera in a case slung around his neck.

“Thanks for seeing me,” Creel said as Tom invited him to sit down. “I told the guard I didn’t come about your African highway project, but that’s not quite true.”

“How so?” Tom was instantly cautious.

“Well, I read about this Ngombian business in the paper,” Creel explained, “and it happens I’ve been hoping to go there. But I can’t afford an expedition of my own, so I wondered if you might allow me to go with your outfit.”

“What’s so interesting in Ngombia?” Bud put in.

40 REPELATRON SKYWAY

“The whole African continent is exciting,” Creel replied. “On any trip there I could find material for articles and pick up a few zoological specimens. But Ngombia intrigues me especially.”

“Why?” Tom asked.

“I’ve heard rumors about huge animals of an unknown species existing in the Ngombian rain forest,” Creel said. “It’s never been properly explored-I might make an outstanding zoological find. And I could be useful to you, too.”