shouted. "Take a squint through your telescope, bos

s. Some were bewildered, a few frightened. Others were laughing, thinking the

m ordered, trying to make h

with a huge red bandanna. "Why, sufferin' rattlesnakes, di

d what?"

ht over the loud-speaker in the galley! They was chitt

ard it, too!" one of

s eyes kindled with a dawning suspicion. Whirling around, he

te of Enterprises. "What's going on?" he asked the guard at

ering myself. I know it sounds crazy, but I thought I hea

erator and sped off along the paved drive. Seconds later, his car braked to a stop near Tom J

in astonishment at Tom and Bud, wh

chuckles. "Chow thought some Martian monsters wer

appened. Realizing Chow's embarrassment, Tom

the boys' scrambled conversation underwater. The signal had been transferred

ank. Anyhow," he concluded, slapping the cook affectionately on the back, "I'm sure glad we have

employees, reassured,

with a smile as the room cleared. "But I'm afraid

t, Dad," Tom

e plants," the elder scientist said. "It looks as thou

quickly and cheaply-enough to increase the world's food supply by a sizable margin. Mor

een doing some experiments of his own with a vitamin extract from the

at Mr. Swift's cautious report could well

," Tom said, his eyes flashing enthusiastically. "With the earth's

ded, "or we may find spac

was a standing joke at Enterprises, and already had led to

s drawing board was littered with sketches and diagrams when the phone rang, breaking in

acht club to talk over the

as eager to do everything possible to make the s

end Bud Barclay can tell you what we want-probably better th

ry well," Morris agreed, alth

the appointment. Bud was only too happy to oblige, jump

yacht club lounge. Lester Morris was nowhere in sight, so they sat d

tten," Sandy said, glan

ught to be extra good," Bud joked. "Fine thi

hat moment a thin, seedy-looking man came into the lounge. His close-set eyes

" Sandy whispered. "Wha

Both Bud and Sandy had met him occasiona

up," Unger informed them.

tried to conceal her feelings. "Please sit down," she invited

hrugged. "Y

d, puzzled, "how do we know h

derstand. "You mean, can he call off the danc

calls or singing

esitated, the

." After a moment's thought, she went on, "Well, let's see. What about 'Bird

t, he remarked, "Guess your brother was too busy to make it today,

he always made it a point not to discuss Tom Jr.

ead where he handled that Jupi

nning the program, Len Unger continued to drop remarks and questions about "T

e conversation and left the yacht club. Unger'

en he and Sandy were driving

iscouraged. He had tried several different experimental attacks on the

affle might lead somewhere," he murmur

chin in his hands. He was frowning, deep in thought, as

quired cheerfully. "Ain't you

m to be," To

ay," Chow said philosophically. "What yo

lf. "Maybe you're right, Chow

legs. He strolled outside with Chow, then scootered to th

n. Nearing town, Tom turned off on a side-road short cut. He

thought. "If you're in such a

it closed in straight behind him. The next moment, Tom saw a port open below th

m's rear bumper! His car was

off the road, steering around a utility pole. As the cable tautened, there was

e side window. With a groan,