"Appleton, Victor - Tom Swift Jr 16 - And the Cosmic Astronauts" - читать интересную книгу автора (Appleton Victor)

6 A Hazardous Rocket Trip
7 Night Alarm
8 Saboteur Search
9 Cosmic Storm
10 Telephone Threat
11 Adrift!
12 Repelatron Rescue
13 The Eavesdropper
14 Solar-System Gift
15 The Rocket's Secret
16 The Spanking Sunspot
17 A Dangerous Rendezvous
18 The Cosmic Sailer
19 In Li Ching's Clutches
20 A Daring Plan


CHAPTER 1
SKY PIRATES!

"What's up? A new space project?" Bud Barclay asked eagerly.
Tom Swift Jr. nodded. "I'm trying to invent an improved method of space
travel-a way that will lick the cost problem."
The lanky young inventor was seated in his ultramodern glass-walled
laboratory at Swift Enterprises. Although only eighteen years old, Tom was a
veteran of many thrilling space voyages.
"Tell me more, pal!" demanded Bud. "Got any ideas that'll do the trick?"
Husky, dark-haired Bud was Tom's copilot and closest friend.
"Hmm. Well, I think I have a-"
Tom broke off as the telephone rang. He picked it up. "Tom Swift Jr.
speaking."
The next instant Tom's face blanched. "What! The Sea Charger's been
stolen?"
His steel-blue eyes flashed and met Bud's in a
i
2 COSMIC ASTRONAUTS
look of dismay. The Sea Charger, the Swifts' latest ocean-going experimental
ship, had only recently been built and launched. Far surpassing any other
scientific craft afloat, it had a fully equipped laboratory, a runway deck for planes,
and a unique cable-drawn launching pad for space vehicles.
"Give me the details, Harlan!" Tom requested tersely. Harlan Ames was the
chief of Swift Enterprises' security department.
"The message was just relayed a minute ago from our rocket base on
Fearing Island. It said the Sea Charger's crew had been gassed and set adrift.
Luckily, Captain Church still had his miniature pocket transmitter and was able to
make radio contact."
"Did he give their position?"
"Right, skipper. Got a pencil?"
Tom copied down the figures as Ames reported the latitude and longitude.
"That's all we were able to learn," Ames added. "After that, the signal conked