“We’ve heard no story as yet,” Tom retorted. “Suppose you tell us who made this charge.”
Raeburn harrumphed and fingered his bristling, sandy mustache. “I’m afraid it’s against policy to reveal the names of informers,” he said. “Briefly, we’ve received a tip that you two reappeared in the town of Shopton, U.S.A., the day after your highly publicized takeoff. The informer claims that you later embarked in a Swift submarine and made the crossing that way-emerging from the sub just off the English Channel.”
Tom and Bud looked at each other, both thinking the same thing. Ames’s news blackout had certainly put them in an awkward position!
“We did turn back after our first start because our gear had been sabotaged,”
Tom admitted. “That’s why we were seen in Shopton. The second time we took off, we had no publicity, for fear of another attempt on our lives.”
The three officials looked skeptical.
“It’s a fact!” Bud growled. “On our first start, someone had sabotaged our suit batteries. We came near drowning! Tom had been warned that someone might try to stop him.”
“As for our making the crossing in a sub,” Tom added, “that charge is completely untrue.”
TOM SWIFT’S DOUBLE 49
“Do you have any proof?” one of Raeburn’s companions inquired quietly.
Suddenly Bud burst out, “Wait! Maybe we can prove it. Has the U.S.S.
Trident arrived at the nuclear submarine base in Scotland yet?”
Raeburn frowned. “Hmm. I read that one put in yesterday. May have been the Trident. Why?”
“Because she passed us and we spoke with her. The captain even sent out a frogman to see us.”