II27-1966-TOM SWIFT and His Subocean Geotron by Victor Appleton II

Author:Victor Appleton II [pseud.] [Appleton, Victor II]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap
Published: 1966-01-01T05:00:00+00:00

12. A SUSPICIOUS STRANGER

"BUD! Where are you going?" Phyl called. The two girls stared after him in astonishment, but the husky youth was soon lost from view among the throng of onlookers.

"Why do you suppose he ran off at a time like this?" Phyl asked Sandy uneasily.

"I can't imagine," Tom's sister answered. There was a tearful catch in her voice.

The girls watched Tom hopefully for signs of returning consciousness, but he did not move.

Soon the wail of a siren could be heard in the distance, and an ambulance came shrieking to a stop on the beach road. A white-uniformed intern jumped out, while two attendants hastily unloaded a stretcher. As Sandy and Phyl told about the accident, the young doctor opened his bag and began examining Tom carefully.

"No broken bones, as far as I can tell. But he may have suffered other injuries." The intern stood up and spoke to the two attendants. "Okay, fellows—get him into the ambulance."

As Tom was being lifted onto the stretcher, Bud ran up.

"Where have you been?" Sandy asked.

"I'll explain later. What about Tom?"

"The doctor can't tell yet."

Bud watched anxiously as his pal was placed in the ambulance, then told Sandy and Phyl, "Change your clothes and we'll drive to the hospital."

Sandy telephoned her parents before leaving the beach. Meanwhile, Bud had returned the Blitz and the kite to the boathouse. As they sped off in his red convertible, Phyl said, "You still haven't told us where you went."

"I was chasing a fellow—but I couldn't catch him."

Sandy gave Bud a questioning look. "What fellow?"

"Maybe you didn't notice," Bud said, "but the end of the towline got washed up on the sand after we beached the boat. I saw this guy pick it up and give it a real close inspection."

"There's nothing odd about that, is there?" Phyl asked, puzzled.

"There might be, if that break in the towline was no accident."

Both girls were startled, and Sandy said, "What do you mean, Bud?"

He shrugged uneasily. "If that man tampered with the rope, he might have been checking to make sure there was no evidence left. Besides, his face looked familiar. Then I remembered where I'd seen him before."

"Where?" Phyl asked.

"On the beach, yesterday afternoon, when we were talking about getting Tom to try the kite. I've seen him somewhere before, but I can't recall where. Anyhow, when I went after him, he scrammed—on the double!"

Soon after Bud and the girls reached Shopton Hospital, Mr. and Mrs. Swift arrived. Tom had revived and was given a complete checkup, including X rays. Except for severe bruises from hitting the water, he had suffered no injury. However, the medic in charge prescribed bed rest over the weekend.

Sunday afternoon, Sandy, Phyl, and Bud came to visit the young inventor. They found him propped up with pillows, busy with pencil and paper. Sketches and computations were strewn about the bed.

"Now see here, brother dear," Sandy said. "I thought you were supposed to be resting!"

Tom grinned, like a small boy caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

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