"Appleton, Victor - Tom Swift Jr 08 - In The Caves of Nuclear Fire" - читать интересную книгу автора (Appleton Victor)

"I don't know," Tom replied. "Never saw anything like it before." At that
moment he noticed that his visor was turning black! "We'd better get out of here!"
he warned.
"I can't see!" Bud yelled, fear clutching him.
Briefly Tom assured him that he thought they would be all right if they left the
laboratory immediately.
"But I-I feel-so drowsy," Bud said slowly.
"Don't give in to it!" Tom urged, beginning to feel sleepy also. "We're in
trouble, Bud. Head for the door! These suits aren't giving us enough protection!
Get out of here fast!"
Groping ahead, unable to see, Tom stumbled into a workbench and crashed
to the floor. Desperately he crawled along until his hand touched the leg of the
table holding the tube and generator. Fighting to stay awake, he pulled himself
up, fumbled frantically for the power switch, and turned it to off.
4 THE CAVES OF NUCLEAR FIRE
Meanwhile, Bud had managed to make his way to the door. "Here's-the-exit,
Tom!" he called. "Follow-my-voice!"
"I'm right behind you. Go on out!" Tom commanded.
He himself reached the door and staggered

AN EERIE LIGHT 5
into the corridor. Tearing off his helmet, Tom
hurried over to Bud who was leaning against a
wall, visor in hand.
"Quick!" he ordered. "Come with me!"
His eyes smarting, Bud followed Tom to a
smaller laboratory located near the end of the

6 THE CAVES OF NUCLEAR FIRE
long corridor. Here Tom had set up one of his recent inventions-a device to
detect in a few moments the amount of radiation absorbed by human tissues.
To Bud's arms Tom quickly attached four wires which were connected to an
intricate panel. He snapped on the device, adjusted a dial, and watched the
pointer of the radiation indicator flicker to life.
"What's the verdict?" Bud asked, almost afraid to hear the answer. Had he
been fatally exposed to radiation?
Tom smiled in relief. "Luckily you're okay. You've only absorbed 150
milliroentgens and it takes about 450 before a fellow's in trouble."
Tom then tested his own body. Although he showed a slightly higher
indication, it was still within the safe limit. "It's fortunate we got out when we did."
Bud, heaving a thankful sigh, turned to his friend with a grin. "You mean we
won't glow in the dark after all? Well, what's next?"
"I'm going back to that lab, Bud."
"What!" his friend exploded. "Have you lost your senses?"
"The radiation's down by now," replied Tom. "I must make certain the room
isn't dangerously contaminated, though."
Bud groaned. "Well, genius boy, you're the boss. But you're not going alone.
Lead on!"
AN EERIE LIGHT 7
Tom extracted two fresh antiradiation suits from an equipment locker. The