Tom Swift and The Visitor from Planet X

as Blake reported all the det

ttered, his shoulders drooping as the a

tself was hardly touched. Without your setup, think of all the people that might have been killed or injured! And all the government buildings

Dr. Miles at the Bureau of Mines. It was almost half an hour before the operator was able t

allation in time! In all probability it saved us from a

, sir. But what about the shipyard destructi

lmost damped out when a sudden power failure occurred. It turned out that an overload had shorted the

ortunate accident, but was thankf

w feared that attempts might be made against other large cities and was therefore eager to have Tom deliver s

ntion, Tom," Dr. Miles added, "that they'll probably b

e informed the seismologist. "I'll have the new Quakelizors ready as soon as

Swift Construction Company. Although he was actually not a relative of t

p, Tom?"

n and asked that another three-shift work schedul

ts over right away, if you don't mi

By eight o'clock that evening, work on the project was proceeding at great speed

om the space station. Tom flew to Fearing Island to meet him. On t

Dad, but we've been too worried to think of it," To

Oriental foe of Tom and his father. Mr. Swift's e

ment with a memo on possible ways to combat it," Tom wen

h the Swifts' receiver was tuned. They then radiated a signal at this frequency, modulated at the frequency to which th

. We'll insert a blocking filter in th

of the brain energy from space the next day. The scheduled time, if pinpointed at exactly t

igher up the slope, with bushes and other wild-growing greenery softening its contours. O

v Hanson, and several other Swift technicians stood by at the scene

Ole Think Box com

ches to sky as the zero moment ticked clo

minus two... X minus

othing happened! Not a speck sh

ertainly. More minutes went by. Soon it

t the time, was

rrectly." He frowned. "It's true they spoke merely in terms

e their tension. Feelings of suspense began changing into gl

hnical men went back to the plant, one by one. Hank

muttered. "Ring us righ

e, H

panions' drooping spirits with a simple but tasty su

per? Are we out of luck?

won't this time." Though he didn't say so aloud, Tom was worried that the

thoughts. "Let's hope no hitch

epened. The trees on the hillside fad

s!" Bud yel

nt. A speck of light was sailing across the

rplane," Bu

flesh is weak," he confessed. "I got only two hours of sleep on the space w

, Dad? Hit the hay," T

the vigil continued through the nex

ully at the stars. Eventually Chow propped himself against a tree and dropped o

ght sight of a moving light in the sky. He stif

a comet tail of luminous orange red was sl

of the star head. Within seconds, Bud and Chow were both wide awake, as excited as Tom. T

e on fire. The earth vibrated, and the air had the sharp smell of ozone. This was followed by a frightening cla

in this rock stampede!" He streaked for cover as

Tom cried. "Nothin

An instant later the glowing mass sharpened and narrowed itself into a s

the star point shut, then pushed a butt

econd, he let out a Texas whoop, bounded from cover like an over-s

ppe

he visitor from Pla

lief, the three hugged one

l him the good news-or keep it a su

s we'd

o whirl-slowly at first, then faster and faster. Spinning crazily l

mpanions stared in

s! What's it up to

g to get out!" Bud guessed. "S

ly. "No reason for that. The c

dismay. "Brand my Big Dipper!" the cook said. "Mebbe