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Why, brand my periscope!
Mar. 29th, 2009 12:28 pm"A hydraulic jet," Tom explained.
"Give it to me in first grade science," Bud begged.
Tom laughed. "Remember when we were kids and filled balloons with water, then let go of them? Same kind of propulsion."
The young inventor explained further that the submarine had an atomic pile containing Swiftonium, the radioactive isotope which the Swifts had discovered in South America. In order to protect the occupants of the jetmarine from the deadly radiation, the whole power plant had been encased in a three-inch thickness of Tomasite. This was a strong, durable plastic named after the young inventor and his father. Heat-resistant, it absorbed gamma rays much more efficiently than lead shields which are ordinarily used.
Tom said that the submarine, except for its transparent nose, was double-hulled.
"The nose is molded of transparent Tomasite."
The outer hull was also painted with Tomasite, to prevent reflection of sound waves. Thus, the jetmarine could not be detected by sonar devices.
"But how did that man get in?" Mrs. Swift asked. "There wasn't any second alarm."
Tom and his father looked at each other gravely. The intruder apparently knew how to keep the alarm from sounding!
"Our visitor was no small-time burgler but a scientist," Tom remarked.
Mr. Switf was thoughtful. "I can understand somebody wanting the sub sketches," he said. "But who'd want that coin? It must have some special signifigance."
"Do you know anybody who might want it, Tom?" Bud Barckay asked.
"Yes, I do," Tom replied. "Sidney Dansitt. he's the only outsider who knew I had the coin. What puzzles me is why he wanted it back so badly that he'd break in here to get it."
"It's a poser," Mr. Swift agreed.
"Dad, I wonder if the pirates' pulsator is like the one I'm experimenting on for the government."
"I hope not," the elder scientist said. 'That's top secret."
"It gives me an idea, anyway," said Tom. "Not long ago I figured out a distorter that could neutralize my pulsator. If the distorter could be used against the pirates' plane, their blackout technique might be effectively stopped."
Tom ran to the speaker and in an exaggerated drawl cried, "Chow Winkler, you ole Texas panhandler! You git right on up here! I sure didn't expect you back from Texas so soon."
The roly-poly man appeared presently, straddling a company motor scooter. As Tom strode out to green him, the cook said:
"How come you talkin' Texas talk, Tom? You fixin' to pull up stakes an' relocate a little west of the Pecos?"
'No, pardner," Tom drawled. "Jest tryin' to make you feel at home, that's all!"
"An' what kind of an invention are you cookin' up now?"
Tom told him about the two-man atomic sub.
"Well, I'll be roped an' hawg-tied! Why, brand my periscope!" Word almost failed the amiable cook. "A lil' ole atomic baby sub, eh?"
Gently they laid Tom on the submarine's deck and applied artificial respiration. When he did not respond, Mr. Swift said grimly:
"We'd better get him under an oxygen tent."
Twenty minutes later the lifesaving apparatus was opened. Tom's eyes flickered and he turned his head. Then, with an unexpectedly quick movement, he sat up, blinked, and looked around at the men.
"What happened? Who pulled the black shade down? Where the dickens am I?" he asked.
Of course, the pirates could be using one or more amphibians in their work. Picking up the telephone, Tom called the nearest Air Patrol office. After introducint himself, he said:
"What's the situation around the Caribbean and other places in regard to amphibian planes? Any you know of in the hands of people who couldn't pass a security test?"
After a wait of ten minutes Tom recieved an answer. According to the reecords no amphibian crafrt had been reported being used in the Caribbean, or anywhere else, by persons whose character was not above reproach.
"That washes out one hunch," he told Bud.
"Give it to me in first grade science," Bud begged.
Tom laughed. "Remember when we were kids and filled balloons with water, then let go of them? Same kind of propulsion."
The young inventor explained further that the submarine had an atomic pile containing Swiftonium, the radioactive isotope which the Swifts had discovered in South America. In order to protect the occupants of the jetmarine from the deadly radiation, the whole power plant had been encased in a three-inch thickness of Tomasite. This was a strong, durable plastic named after the young inventor and his father. Heat-resistant, it absorbed gamma rays much more efficiently than lead shields which are ordinarily used.
Tom said that the submarine, except for its transparent nose, was double-hulled.
"The nose is molded of transparent Tomasite."
The outer hull was also painted with Tomasite, to prevent reflection of sound waves. Thus, the jetmarine could not be detected by sonar devices.
"But how did that man get in?" Mrs. Swift asked. "There wasn't any second alarm."
Tom and his father looked at each other gravely. The intruder apparently knew how to keep the alarm from sounding!
"Our visitor was no small-time burgler but a scientist," Tom remarked.
Mr. Switf was thoughtful. "I can understand somebody wanting the sub sketches," he said. "But who'd want that coin? It must have some special signifigance."
"Do you know anybody who might want it, Tom?" Bud Barckay asked.
"Yes, I do," Tom replied. "Sidney Dansitt. he's the only outsider who knew I had the coin. What puzzles me is why he wanted it back so badly that he'd break in here to get it."
"It's a poser," Mr. Swift agreed.
"Dad, I wonder if the pirates' pulsator is like the one I'm experimenting on for the government."
"I hope not," the elder scientist said. 'That's top secret."
"It gives me an idea, anyway," said Tom. "Not long ago I figured out a distorter that could neutralize my pulsator. If the distorter could be used against the pirates' plane, their blackout technique might be effectively stopped."
Tom ran to the speaker and in an exaggerated drawl cried, "Chow Winkler, you ole Texas panhandler! You git right on up here! I sure didn't expect you back from Texas so soon."
The roly-poly man appeared presently, straddling a company motor scooter. As Tom strode out to green him, the cook said:
"How come you talkin' Texas talk, Tom? You fixin' to pull up stakes an' relocate a little west of the Pecos?"
'No, pardner," Tom drawled. "Jest tryin' to make you feel at home, that's all!"
"An' what kind of an invention are you cookin' up now?"
Tom told him about the two-man atomic sub.
"Well, I'll be roped an' hawg-tied! Why, brand my periscope!" Word almost failed the amiable cook. "A lil' ole atomic baby sub, eh?"
Gently they laid Tom on the submarine's deck and applied artificial respiration. When he did not respond, Mr. Swift said grimly:
"We'd better get him under an oxygen tent."
Twenty minutes later the lifesaving apparatus was opened. Tom's eyes flickered and he turned his head. Then, with an unexpectedly quick movement, he sat up, blinked, and looked around at the men.
"What happened? Who pulled the black shade down? Where the dickens am I?" he asked.
Of course, the pirates could be using one or more amphibians in their work. Picking up the telephone, Tom called the nearest Air Patrol office. After introducint himself, he said:
"What's the situation around the Caribbean and other places in regard to amphibian planes? Any you know of in the hands of people who couldn't pass a security test?"
After a wait of ten minutes Tom recieved an answer. According to the reecords no amphibian crafrt had been reported being used in the Caribbean, or anywhere else, by persons whose character was not above reproach.
"That washes out one hunch," he told Bud.
