Tom Swift and the Visitor From Planet X by Victor Appleton II

Author:Victor Appleton II
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2013-03-11T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 11

AN ELECTRICAL CHRISTENING

IN THEIR excitement and relief, the two friends hugged one another and jumped for joy. They could hear a distant honking of congratulations from the truck.

"Should we send him a message? Welcome to Earth or something?" Bud asked, giddy and grinning.

Tom waved away the idea. "Can’t do it. The X-ians instructed us to leave Exman alone for several hours to replenish his energies from the power feed in his habitat cell. I won’t activate the sense instruments until tomorrow morning—I mean, later this morning!"

The truck came rumbling up and Tom and Bud received hearty backpats and handshakes from the others.

"Didn’t know he’d look like a blame ball o’ fire!" Chow declared. "But whatever he looks like, I’m sure glad he’s here!"

"Believe me," laughed Hank Sterling, "so are the rest of us! By the way, Exman is now a video star as well as a shooting star. We taped the whole thing very clearly."

"That’ll make George Dilling a happy man," Tom replied, his bright blue eyes sparkling with excitement. "I guess we’d better—"

Tom broke off in a gasp as the robotlike container suddenly began to move! After seeming to test its flexi-tread underpinnings, Ole Think Box started to whirl—slowly at first, then faster and faster. Spinning crazily like a huge runaway top, it darted up, down, and about the flat, weedy campground as the Enterprises team ran after it, unsure of what to do.

Tom and his companions stared in helpless amazement at the bizarre whirling-dervish display. "Great horned toads! What’s it up to?" Chow exclaimed.

"Almost seems like the energy’s trying to get out!" Bud guessed. "Something must be bothering it." At which Chow suddenly turned a shade paler.

Tom shook his head incredulously. "No reason for that. The container was absolutely empty."

Breaking his fearful silence, Chow gave a groan and slapped his forehead in dismay. "Brand my Big Dipper!" the cook said. "Mebbe Ole Think Box has gone loco! An’ it’s my own blame fault!"

"What are you talking about, Chow?" Mr. Swift asked, turning to the grizzled westerner in amazement.

Chow meekly related how he had dropped the bubble gum stick inside the robot’s head compartment. "Don’t ask me why I did it. Ya know how I am! D-Did I ruin the critter?" he asked fearfully.

Tom was thoughtful for a moment, frowning as they watched Ole Think Box continue its gyrations. The figure seemed to be calming down somewhat, although Tom could not be sure of this.

Suddenly his face brightened. A new thought had just struck the young inventor! To Chow’s amazement, Tom slapped the cook happily on the back.

The cook broke into a relieved smile. "I know that look o’ yours, Tom Swift! Yer gonna tell me how what I thought was bad-doin’s was really somethin’ good!"

"Yup! I think you’ve done me a favor, Chow!" Tom exclaimed.

"I knew I ’as smarter’n I thought! So how come?"

"You saw how Exman reacted to the gum," Tom explained. "That shows the energy really is like a brain! Even without using the special

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