"Appleton, Victor - Tom Swift Jr 12 - In the Race to the Moon" - читать интересную книгу автора (Appleton Victor)

idols. He had studied veterinary medicine and always took care of the Swifts'
family pets, including their two bloodhounds, Caesar and Brutus. As a specialist
in rare
MYSTERIOUS RAIDERS 35
animal diseases, he had gone to South Africa to do research on a new virus
attacking the cattle herds there.
"That's great news, Sandy!" Tom exclaimed. "Maybe he can help us with this
trouble our space friends are having."
"O-oh, more work!" Sandy pouted. "I know it's important, Tom, but can't you
and Bud ever think of anything but work?"
Tom gave her a brotherly hug. "Okay, Sis. We'll try to make up for it this
evening." A twinkle came into his eyes. "Suppose you two sit down here and
read some magazines while I clean up the place. Then we'll fly over to Fearing
for Bud."
Neither girl noticed the mischievous smile on Tom's face as they sat down on
laboratory stools and began looking through magazines which they had picked
up from a nearby shelf.
"All work and no play, eh?" Tom said to himself. "We'll see."
Phyl leaned toward Sandy. "Here's a magazine you ought to like. It's an
aviation digest, showing all the latest planes."
Sandy, who had been taught to fly by Tom and her father, was an
enthusiastic pilot and often demonstrated the Pigeon Special to prospective
customers.
"Thanks, Phyl." The two girls became absorbed in their reading.
Meanwhile, Tom cleared away his electronic gear, and placed the repelatron
model with which
36 THE RACE TO THE MOON
he had been experimenting on a rack suspended from the ceiling.
"Be back in a jiffy," he told the girls. "I have to make arrangements for the
plane we'll fly to Fearing."
Several minutes went by, then a voice crackled out over the public-address
speaker on the wall:
"This is Tom, girls! The plane's all set. Hurry over to Hangar F, so we can
take off!"
Sandy and Phyl started to spring up eagerly from the laboratory stools. To
the girls' dismay, neither could move an inch!
"Sandy! What's happened?" Phyl cried out. "I seem to be paralyzed!"
"So am I!" Sandy replied in distress. "Oh, Phyl, maybe something in this
room-"
Suddenly Sandy broke off, and her frightened look gave way to a vexed
expression.
"It's Tom!" she explained. "I'll bet he did this to get even with us for scolding
him! Of all the mean tricks!"
Fuming, the girls were forced to sit and wait helplessly for someone to come
and free them. Soon the door opened and Tom stuck his head in the laboratory.
His face was perfectly serious.
"Hey, come on, you two!" he urged. "What's keeping you? Don't you know we
have a party date tonight?"
"Tom Swift!" Sandy exploded. "Will you please stop this funny business and
let us go this instant!"