Tom Swift and His Ultrasonic Cycloplane by Victor Appleton II Read Free Book Online

interrupted herself with a deep sigh of resignation. "But of course, you have to do it."
    "Don’t worry, Mom," Tom soothed her. "I won’t take any unnecessary chances, but I certainly can’t leave Bud in the lurch."
    Tom then spoke at length to his father, discussing the details of the rescue flight and receiving the elder scientist’s complete and trusting support.
    But the hardest call, which Tom insisted on making himself, was to San Francisco, where Bud’s parents lived. They reacted tearfully, but with bravery and hopefulness.
    That night brought Tom only worry, not sleep.
    To transport the rescue expedition, Tom had chosen his huge solar-powered aircraft, the Sky Queen. This amazing stratoship, 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.
    The following day, descending to the underground hangar where the Queen was berthed, Tom beamed an electronic key to open the door. On the floor below, there was a bustle of activity. Mechanics swarmed over the mighty three-decker craft, which filled the entire underground hangar space with its streamlined silver form.
    "Engines all check?" Tom asked the crew chief.
    "Not yet, skipper. Couple of burned out units. We should have her all loaded and ready for takeoff by five o’clock."
    "Good work. Buzz me as soon as you’re ready, Hanno." Tom turned to go when a loud, gravelly voice came booming across the hangar:
    "Gangway, you cowpokes an’ buckaroos! Gimme lots o’ room now! Here comes the grub!"
    Chow Winkler had returned! But for a moment it looked as though a whole supermarket had grown a pair of bowlegs and was clumping across the concrete under its own power. The legs were clad in blue denims, stuffed into high-heeled cowboy boots. Above, the rest of the figure was blocked from view by an enormous carton, loaded high with groceries and canned foods.
    "Gangway, all you waddies! Chuck wagon’s comin’ down, so—"
    "Chow!" Tom let out a yell as he saw one of the man’s boots miss a step.
    The next instant, cans, bottles, blue denims, boots and all came tumbling and clattering headlong in a spreading circle of catastrophe!
    There was a moment of stunned silence as the echoes died away and the cans and assorted objects stopped rolling and came to rest. Then a stout, weather-beaten figure emitted a faint groan and raised itself painfully from the debris.
    "Chow, are you all right?" Tom gasped as he hurried to assist the middle-aged Westerner.
    "Don’t reckon I’ll know till I try standin’ up. Here, gimme a hand, son."
    Tom slipped a shoulder under one arm while Hanno Turrosh, the crew chief, supported Chow on the other side. Together, they managed to hoist the bald-headed, roly-poly man to his feet.
    Gingerly Chow Winkler tested his limbs. The Texan grinned wanly. "Left eye feels like I might wind up with a shiner. Them soup cans kin pack a mean punch! Mebbe I better slap on a hunk o’ beefsteak jest in case.
    "Don’t bother, Chow," a mechanic guffawed. "With that shirt you’re wearing, who’ll notice your eyes?"
    Forgetting all about his bruises, Chow turned from side to side to display his purple and flame-orange cowboy shirt. "Ain’t it a jim-dandy?" he beamed. "I picked up this here lil ole number in San Antone on my—" A phone shrilled at the rear of the hangar.
    "It’s for you, skipper!" a mechanic sang out. Tom hurried back to take the call.
    "This is George Hedron," said the voice at the other end of the line. As Tom struggled to place the name, the man added: "We haven’t met, Mr. Swift, but I’m an instructor at the DuBrey Institute. Miss Prandit is my student."
    "Of course," said Tom. "She’s mentioned you."
    "I just heard the news from Bashalli about your rescue expedition to New Guinea, so I decided to call up and volunteer."
    "Volunteer?" Tom was puzzled for a moment.
    "To go with you. You see, I’ve been down in the New Guinea jungles before,