Victor Appleton

“ In a few minutes the stout chain was snaking its way down through the blue-green ocean.
"Seems to me they're taking a mighty long time about it," said Ned to Captain Britten after an hour had passed with no word from the three divers.
A Chain Snaked Its Way Down
"You're right," agreed the other. "Working at that depth it's decidedly unsafe to stay below so long. I'll warn Tom."
"Can't be done!" was that young man's decisive answer to the old salvage expert's warning. "This is a tougher job than I thought, for the bottom of the stone seems to be sinking slowly. ”

“ Koku Lifted It Easily
"I'll never get used to his strength," murmured Ned as the boys followed the giant through the laboratory door, Tom carrying his marvelous green disk.
"He is a big boy, for fair," laughed Tom. "Lucky for our prize-fighters he hasn't gone into the ring."
After carefully placing the telescope where the inventor directed, Koku returned to the bench under a near-by apple tree where it was his wont to rest when he was not needed.
Tom Carried the Green Disk
"Now what, Tom?" questioned Ned. "Surely you're not expecting to see stars in broad daylight?" ”

“ Tom Grabbed the Telephone
"What are you going to do?" asked Ned excitedly.
"Get divers," replied Tom as he waited. "I'm going to recover that meteorite or know the reason—Oh, hello! Yes. I want the main office of the Neptune Salvage Company in New York City. No, I haven't the address. Yes, I'll hold the line.
"These people are experts," he told his chum while waiting for his call to be put through. "If the stone isn't in too deep water they'll be able to raise it if anyone can." ”

“ Yet I believe he'll undertake the job if I ask him as I once did him a great favor. His salvaging outfit is in Florida, but he lives on Delaware Bay. I'll phone him at once."
"That's great, Dad!" cried Tom, his face lighting up with renewed hope. "Tell him I'll bring him here by plane tomorrow. We can talk things over and start for Florida from here."
"He'll go," said Mr. Swift a few minutes later, turning away from the telephone with a smile. ”

“ Bless my headache pills, but it's enough to drive a man distracted. Now, I heard you boys talking about South America as I came in and I want to go along!"
"Well, Mr. Damon, if we were going South you know I'd be only too pleased to have you a member of the party. But Ned and I were merely talking about a shipment of freight I'm expecting from Giant Land."
"Koku's country?" asked Mr. Damon, somewhat astonished. "I thought Ambolata was still unknown to commerce. Bless my bill-of-lading, if the world isn't moving faster than I thought!"
Some Freight From Giant Land
Tom smiled. ”

“ Ned Newton wired that the meteorite had been safely placed on a fast freight train. He added that he was traveling in the caboose of the same train by special arrangement with the road officials. Tom met his chum at the station.
"How do you like riding in style?" he teased.
Ned Traveled in the Caboose
"Humph!" grunted Ned. "I'll take a plane next time."
A huge truck transported the planet stone to the shops of the Swift Construction Company. One of the buildings had been cleared of all other work, and in it a very large furnace had been erected to cast the green disk. ”

“ That'll polish off any devil-fish I'm likely to meet!"
"Well, at least let me go too!"
"Isn't but one suit," said Captain Britten. "Now, Tom Swift, if you're ready, here's the suit."
"All set," said the young inventor calmly. He began to remove his outer clothing. "Ned, please bring up my rifle."
By the time the young scientist had been helped into the massively armored suit, Ned was back on deck carrying a peculiar-looking gun. Unlike other weapons, this one could discharge a bolt of electricity which would slay the largest animal or merely tickle a baby, according to the adjustment. ”

“ Tom, who understood a little Spanish, stood by to hear the report of the second diver. Both lines were now kept open continuously.
Finally Manuel reached bottom, saying that he had contacted Alvarez. For some minutes nothing came through either telephone but the sound of the submerged men's breathing.
Something Has Gone Wrong!
"I see something, Señor! A rock—'que grande'!" came to Tom's ears suddenly. "It must indeed be that which the Señor seeks. But, Santa Maria! there is something else—!" Manuel's voice broke off suddenly.
"Captain Britten! Can you hear your man?" ”

“ Since scientists agree that Mars probably is inhabited by a highly intelligent race, that planet is a reasonable guess."
"Whew!" whistled Ned. "Such ideas are beyond me."
"Someone on Another Planet Fired the Missile."
As he finished speaking, the boys reached the Swift residence. The young inventor's father had built the handsome white house many years before his son was born. Beyond were the several buildings where the inventions of Tom Swift and his father, Barton Swift, were manufactured. ”

“ The rest of the afternoon was taken up with inspection of the ship, the arrangements for the safe-keeping of the "Winged Arrow," and the laying of plans. Immediately after the hydroplane had been moored to a small pier owned by Captain Britten, the tug-boat chugged out into the Gulf of Mexico at the rate of ten knots.
The Tug Chugged out into the Gulf
"I'd say we should reach the spot some time tomorrow afternoon," said Tom after studying the chart. "It's just under two hundred miles."
"And we'll get your meteorite for you!" predicted the old salvage man confidently. ”

“ Mr. Damon could tell little more about his self-styled relatives. After giving a description of the two men he took his leave. The boys were rather worried about the information he had brought along.
"It's not so much the glass," said Tom, "for we don't know if it will be a success. What bothers me is the idea of there being a traitor in the shops. I thought we had weeded out all unscrupulous employees."
He Described the Two Men
"The Apex Glass Works are located in Portville," said Ned, struck with an idea, "fifty miles north of here. Mr. Damon's visitors claimed to have business up state. ”

“ The Shopton Hospital was located a couple of miles from the Swift plant. Under the young scientist's guidance the roadster reached its entrance within a few minutes. At the information desk the boys were informed where Mr. Damon had been taken.
They Reached the Hospital
"Room 302, Mr. Swift. Doctor Chilton is with him now."
Just as the boys reached Room 302 the physician came out. Tom was glad to note that the man was smiling.
"How is he, Doctor?"
"How Is He, Doctor?"
"Hello, boys. Mr. Damon will be as good as new in a week or so. ”

“ To my mind that's more than a coincidence, especially since the Apex people would give their back teeth to get hold of your formula, Tom!"
"That's More Than Coincidence."
CHAPTER III AN ACCIDENT
"Oh, I think you're letting your imagination run away with you, Ned," grinned Tom. "I know Mr. Stern, the president of Apex, very well, and I'm positive that he wouldn't stand for any underhanded tactics."
"I Know Mr. Stern," Grinned Tom
"I hope you're right," said his business manager. "But you know better than anyone else how unscrupulous gangs have tried to steal your inventions. ”

“ Surely you don't expect to see men on Mars!"
"I mean to build a telescope with a space eye big enough and powerful enough to do it!" The young inventor's face lit up with a strange light. "It's the greatest thing yet, Ned!"
"What Do You Mean?" Asked Ned
CHAPTER II SUSPICIONS
"Yes," said Ned dubiously, "if you can do it. Oh, I'll admit that your invention improves a telescope marvelously. But to see life on another world, millions of miles away—well, that sounds like a pretty tall order even for you, Tom Swift!" ”

“ Tom became aware of a commotion outside the laboratory. "You no get 'way fum me! How you like 'nother knock on top head?"
"Don't hit me again!" whined someone. "I won't try to escape!"
Tom flung open the door and saw his giant servant dragging a man up the steps. A feeling of tremendous relief swept over young Swift as he discovered his precious green disk in Koku's left hand.
Koku Was Dragging a Man
"Ha, Master Tom! Catchum bad mans tryin' to sneak through gate! See green thing stick out of pocket and grabbum—bringum here. Want me hittum again?" ”

“ It was evident that only an enemy of Tom or of the Swift Company could have done such a thing.
"Ned, that proves it!" declared the young inventor gloomily.
Three Holes in Each Pontoon
"Proves what?" Ned asked.
"Can't you see? It all ties in with Mr. Damon's so-called relatives, and their knowledge of my formula for a bendable glass. Someone in our shops is a traitor—or worse!"
"But what has a damaged hydroplane to do with that?" objected Ned.
"If we had landed on water with these damaged pontoons, we'd have drowned most likely," replied Tom. ”

“ Thus the inhabitants, if any, must be ignorant of any world but their own."
"What have people on the planets got to do with the question, anyhow?" asked Ned. "Huge chunks of metal break off of any heavenly body and go hurtling through space. The inhabitants don't throw them off!"
Chunks of Metal Rushing Through Space
"But our meteor was no ordinary one as we have proved already," replied Tom. "I firmly believe that someone on another planet deliberately fired that missile into space, hoping it would reach this world. ”

“ In a small secret chamber beneath his private laboratory he had set up a sort of miniature glass works which would have astonished any ordinary glass worker, for the young inventor had devised an entirely new method of procedure. As to its outcome, well, even to its inventor that feature remained in doubt.
A Miniature Glass Works
"Do you think it'll work, Tom?" asked Ned Newton anxiously as he followed the youthful scientist down the stairs. "Your experiments have cost a mint of money already—"
"Don't croak," chuckled Tom. ”

“ You can tell the tailor to make it as loud as you like!"
Nothing could have pleased the simple giant more, for he loved to dress up in gaudy clothes, a trait left over from his savage life before the young inventor had brought him to America.
"I Catchum Fella!"
Too excited to sleep, Tom Swift went straight to his office and called the police station. The desk sergeant verified what Koku had said and asked the young scientist to come down and prefer charges.
As he was about to leave he saw on top of his accumulated mail a letter from the Apex Glass Works. It was from Mr. Stern. ”

“ Tom managed to struggle to his feet. "I remember now! Some kind of gas must have been used on me. But I must see to the office. Maybe I've been robbed."
Leaning heavily on the giant's arm, Tom walked as fast as he could into the laboratory. At first glance everything seemed to be in order, and to his relief he found the vault was locked.
The Vault Was Locked
The young inventor did not know that a key was missing from his ring, nor, as he twirled the dial of the combination-lock, did he realize that a slender lever had been severed from below, thus rendering useless the intricate mechanism. ”

“ Tom insisted upon riding with his precious creation. The rest of his party, including his father, Ned Newton, Mr. Damon, Professor Standish, Koku and Rad, traveled by train to the foot of the mountain.
The Disk Was Loaded on the Truck
"Massa Tom gonna look about six scrillion miles froo space," confided Eradicate Sampson to Koku. The old Negro leaned heavily upon the massive arm of his huge companion. "He see wonderful things!"
"He sure make big medicine!" declared the giant, for once agreeing with his old rival. ”

“ Peculiar people surged along the avenues, weird aircraft thronged the upper atmosphere, and gigantic buildings and palaces dotted the place. All on far-distant Mars!
He Saw a Gigantic City
As each one in Tom's party saw the wonderful sight, he in turn congratulated the youthful inventor in his own way. Ned grasped his chum's hand but could say nothing. Mr. Damon blessed the distant stars. Koku and Rad fell upon their knees. ”

“ A gang of men had been employed to clear a trail up the side of the mountain in the Adirondacks and construct a road to the summit as none ever had been made to the spot Tom intended to use. A specially large motor truck was built to carry first the telescope, then the giant green disk. ”

“ You'd be wise to get some extra guards."
"I think Koku is well able to handle any intruder," declared Tom confidently. "Besides, I think you're getting excited over nothing. You know Mr. Damon is inclined to make mountains out of molehills."
"Koku Is Able to Handle Anyone." ”

“ After supper Ned went to his home to pack a suitcase, for he was to spend the night at the Swifts' to be on hand for the early start that was being planned. Tom spent the evening in his office studying the latest available data on diving operations, and plotting the route over which the party would travel to the coast of Cuba. ”

“ Then too, Tom was still feeling the effects of the gas inhaled the previous night.
Next morning found the "Betsy B." wallowing through a smooth sea a few miles off the east coast of Cuba. Under the supervision of Captain Britten, several of the crew were busy oiling the huge winch, overhauling steel cables, and seeing to a dozen other minor but important details. Altogether, it was a busy scene that met the eyes of Tom and Ned when they emerged on deck.
The Crew Was Busy
"Your father was right, I think," said Ned. "You certainly have a competent man. See how the crew jump at his word!" ”