"Appleton, Victor - Tom Swift Jr 02 - And His Jetmarine" - читать интересную книгу автора (Appleton Victor)

don't think they can be taken by a surface vessel."
"You think the pirates may be operating with a
6 TOM SWIFT AND HIS JETMARINE
sub?" Mr. Swift questioned. "I thought a plane was involved."
"I believe it's a combination," Tom replied. "A blackout ray is sent by their
pilot from a plane, then the pirates board the ship from a sub and loot it."
"Quite a system," Mr. Swift reflected, "and devised by men who won't be
easy to capture."
"Dad, suppose I warm up the Sky Queen while you phone Mother and the
office where we're going," Tom suggested.
"All right, son."
Twenty minutes later the huge atomic-powered, jet-lifted craft took off from
the Enterprises' private airfield. The plane sped toward the Caribbean area. An
hour later the search was on-high over the ocean one minute, then so low the
Sky Queen was barely above the waves. It did not miss an inch of the territory on
which a lifeboat from the Nantic might be bobbing.
"I guess we must admit defeat, Tom," Mr. Swift announced finally. "Turn her
toward home and let's hope that Ned is still alive."
Not a word was spoken on the return trip until the Sky Queen was being
berthed at four o'clock. Then Tom spoke.
"I feel sure Uncle Ned's being held a prisoner by those pirates, Dad. With my
atomic sub I could beat them at their own game."
"You certainly could, Tom," his father agreed. "I feel more hopeful about
rescuing Ned already!"
They drove back to Tom's new combination office
WING-TIP ESCAPE 7
and laboratory. Tom's friend Bud Barclay, who had just returned from a
month's flying trip, was draped over the arm of a comfortable leather chair,
waiting for them.
Bud was a handsome, dark-haired youth with a well-built, supple body. He
had worked with Tom at the Enterprises plant for a couple of years. Just now he
was watching the radityper, an instrument which picked up and decoded radio
messages. At this moment it was beamed on the Caribbean sector.
"Hi, Bud!" Tom greeted him. "Glad you're back." Then, looking at the clock,
he said, "I'm supposed to meet Sandy at the Swift Construction airfield about
now. How about coming along?"
"Sure, but what's this about Uncle Ned?"
Tom repeated the story and Bud said, "I figured you might be needing me for
a search in the Caribbean, so I came here right away."
Tom smiled appreciatively. "Since Dad and I didn't get a clue on our trip
down there, maybe you and I will have to go. Sorry you weren't here to search
with us."
"I might have known. A fellow would have to be swinging on the Swifts'
coattails not to be left behind," Bud remarked, then added seriously, "Tom, we'd
better get started to meet Sandy and break the news about Uncle Ned to her."
Sandra Swift, called Sandy by her family and friends, was a year younger
than her brother and an excellent pilot. Both Tom Sr. and Tom Jr. had taught her
how to fly.
8 TOM SWIFT AND HIS JETMARINE
The boys left the laboratory and set off in the jeep for the commercial airfield