“Same here,” Tom confessed. At the hotel where rooms had been reserved for them, he inquired about their luggage.
“Safe and sound, sir. It was sent here instead of to Southampton,” the desk clerk informed Tom as the boys signed the register. “By the way, two young ladies are waiting to see you.”
A girl’s voice giggled behind them. “We’ve heard so-o-o much about you two heroes, we just had to meet you in person 1”
Tom and Bud spun around. “Sandy! Phyl!”
Blond Sandra Swift and dark-haired Phyllis Newton laughed delightedly at the boys’ surprise. The two seventeen-year-old girls looked pretty as pictures in their smart summer suits.
“When did you two hit town?” Bud demanded.
52 AQUATOMIC TRACKER
“We flew in yesterday,” Phyl explained.
“Well, well! Small worldl” Tom said with a pleased grin.
“This is great!” Bud exclaimed. “Now we can all take in London together!”
“For a day or so, anyhow,” Tom added.
“A day or so?” Sandy echoed in dismay. “But Phyl and I thought you’d be free for a real holiday now that your project’s over.”
“We have to go back and examine an underwater formation we saw,” Tom said.
“Oh, Tom! Must you?” Sandy showed her disappointment. “Back home, you two are always too busy for dates. And now, after we purposely timed this vacation trip so that we could sightsee together, you’re going off and leaving us.”
Tom chuckled and patted her hand. “Don’t take it too hard, Sis. We’ll be going by seacopter, so maybe we can join you later for a few days.”
The two boys excused themselves to freshen up. In their hotel room Tom placed a hurried transatlantic call to Harlan Ames at Enterprises.