"Appleton, Victor - Tom Swift Jr 10 - And His Ultrasonic Cycloplane" - читать интересную книгу автора (Appleton Victor)

"The message is actually coming from the West Coast," Billing explained as
he handed Tom a set of earphones. "Ted Elheimer's picking it up out there and
relaying it back to Shopton."
26 ULTRASONIC CYCLOPLANE
Elheimer was the California telecaster in the Swifts' private communications
network.
As Tom adjusted the earphones, he heard Bud's voice saying, "Repeat
position: latitude three degrees, fifty-eight minutes south, longitude one-thirty-six-
"
Suddenly the young flier's voice broke off with a gasp. Then again it came
crackling over the earphones:
"Something's wrongl The instruments have gone haywire! We're going to
crash!"
With a loud crackle of static, the broadcast cut out completely 1
CHAPTER IV
RESCUE FLIGHT
"BUD!" Tom shouted frantically. "Bud, can you read me? . . . Shopton calling
Swift Jet Four!" There was no reply except the sputter of static.
Ripping off his earphones, Tom darted to the videophone and flipped on the
switch. As the screen lighted up, Ted Elheimer's face came into view.
"What happened to the signal, Ted?" the young inventor cried out. "Any
trouble in the relay hookup?"
Elheimer shook his head gloomily. "No, Tom. The transmission just stopped,
that's all. I'm afraid they must have crashed."
"Crashed?" Billing echoed the word in dismay. "Good night, in country like
that, they won't stand a chance! Mountains and jungles are bad enough, but
those natives are head-hunters, aren't they?"
"Some of them are." Tom clenched his jaw grimly. "The important thing is,
Bud and Hank
27
28 ULTRASONIC CYCLOPLANE
may have parachuted to safety. They'll be depending on us!"
Tom hurried back to his office and immediately began organizing a rescue
expedition. Issuing orders at high speed, he dictated a number of memos to Miss
Trent, then phoned the news to his mother.
Mrs. Swift was extremely proud of her husband and son. She found it
difficult, however, not to be fearful of the dangers they often encountered while
pursuing their scientific work.
"Oh dear," she murmured. "Please be careful, son. A rescue flight to
uncharted jungle country is dreadfully risky!"
"Don't worry, Mother," Tom soothed her. "I won't take any unnecessary
chances, but I certainly can't leave Bud and Hank in the lurch."
"Of course you can't, my dear, and I'm very glad you feel that way. I'll be
praying for a safe return for all of you!"
To transport the rescue expedition, Tom had chosen his huge atomic-
powered aircraft, the Sky Queen. This mammoth ship, nicknamed the Flying Lab,
had been designed by the young inventor to help him carry out scientific research
work in any part of the globe.
At the underground hangar where the Queen was berthed, Tom beamed an
electronic key to open the door and descended a wide staircase of burnished