Tom Swift And The Visitor From Planet X doc

                TomSwiftandthe VisitorfromPlanetX    VictorAppletonII                    TomSwiftJr.andhisassociatesatSwiftEnterpriseswaitbreathlessly forwhatmaywellbethemostimportantscientificeventinhistory— the arrival of the visitor from Planet X—a visitor in the form of energy. But there are factions at work determined to snatch the energy, which Tom has named Exman, from the young scientist‐ inventor‘s grasp. First, a series of unexplainable, devastating earthquakesthreatentodestroyagoodportionoftheearth,andTom suspectstheBrungarianrebelswhoobviouslywouldliketocapture Exmanandusethespacevisitortofurthertheirownevilpurposes.  With the  security of Enterprises and Exman at stake, Tom creates two of his greatest inventions—a Quakelizor to counteract the simulated earth tremors, and a container or “body” to house the energyfromouterspace.  If the earthquakes cannot be stopped, the entire world will be threatened by destruction, and the Brungarian forces will conquer the earth. HowTom utilizes all his scientificknowledge to produce swift‐action re sults and outwit the Brungarians makes one of the mostexcitingTomSwiftadventurestodate.                 TOMSWIFTANDTHE  VISITORFROMPLANETX  By  VICTORAPPLETONII                                            TheraiderstransferredExmantotheenemysub    CONTENTS   1TheEarthquake  2TheMysteriousHitchhiker  3ReportfromInterpol  4AnotherTremor!  5SecretCache  6BrungarianCoup  7WallofWater!  8ASuspectTalks  9TheCaveMonster  10EnergyfromPlanetX  11AnElectricalChristening  12ExmanTakesOrders  13DisasterStrikes  14Air‐borneHijackers  15Kidnaped!  16AUniqueExperiment  17AnUrgentWarning  18EarthquakeIsland  19AFiendishMachine  20TheRobotSpy‘sStory    TomSwiftandtheVisitorfromPlanetX 1 CHAPTERI  THEEARTHQUAKE  “Tom, we‘re having a problem with the gyro‐stabilizer,” said Mark Faber, gray‐haired president of the Faber Electronics Company. “Hopeyoucanfindoutwhat‘swrong.”  The eighteen‐year‐old inventoraccepted the challenge witha smile. “I‘llbegladtotry,sir,”hereplied.  Bud Barclay, a dark‐haired young flier and Tom Swift Jr.‘s closest friend, chuckled. “If anyone can get the bugs out of your new invention,geniusboyherewilldoit!”  The two boys followed Mr. Faber and his engineers to a wooden building which was tightly guarded. Inside, a secret rocket‐ telemeteringdevicewasmountedonitsteststand.  “As you know, Tom,” Mr. Faber began, “the usual conditions of rocketflightwillbe—”  He broke off with a gasp of astonishment as the whole building suddenlybegantoshake.  “Goodgrief!”Budexclaimed.“Thisisn‘tpartofyourtesting routine, isit?”  His question was drowned out by cries of alarm and the sound of cracking glass. The walls and roof we re shuddering and creaking, andtheconcretefloorwasheavingundertheirfeet.  “Lookout!Theteststand‘sbreakingloose!”Tomwarned.  Mr.Faberandtwoofhis mentriedfranticallytobracetheheavytest stand whichheld the telemetering device. Another engineer rushed toward the door to see what was happening outside. Before he reachedit,anothershockknockedallofthemofftheirfeet.  Electronic equipment cascaded from the wall shelves, and a heavy‐ dutychain hoistcameloosefromitsoverheadtrack,plungingtothe floorwithaterrifyingcrash. TomSwiftandtheVisitorfromPlanetX 2                “Anearthquake!”Tomgasped.  Bud, meanwhile, clawed a handhold on a wire screen enclosing an aircompressorandpulledhimselftohisfeet.Butthenextmomenta third, more violent tremor rocked the building,knocking him over. “Theroof!It‘scavingin!”heheardsomeonescream.  As hiseyes flashedupward inpanic, Bud caughta brief glimpseof the ponderous test stand with the priceless telemeter tilting to one side.Aninstantlateritcrashedover,pinningMarkFaberbeneathit!  Bud threw up his arms to protect himself, but too late! A falling beamcaughthimonthe backoftheheadandtheyoungflierblacked out.  For minutes, no one stirred among the  wreckage. Then Tom, who had beenstunned by some fallingdebris, raised himself to a sitting position.  “Good night!” Tom‘s eyes focused in horror on the wreckage envelopedbystill‐billowingdust.  The skywasvisiblethroughseveralgapingholesintheroof,which wassaggingdangerouslyonitssupporting trusses.Onlytwothirds ofthewallswerestillstanding.  [...]... 6  Tom Swift and the Visitor from Planet X Mr.  Swift s  eyes  twinkled.  “None  of  those,”  he  replied  as  the boys  stared, mystified.    7  Tom Swift and the Visitor from Planet X CHAPTER II    THE MYSTERIOUS HITCHHIKER    Tom and Bud were bursting with curiosity. Although the Swifts had  been  in  radio  contact  with  creatures  from outer  space  for  many  months, this was the most exciting news yet! ... move him,” Tom decided. “We‘ll get an ambulance.”    Of  the four  other  company  engineers,  two  were  now  stirring  and partly  conscious.  The boys  found  a  first‐aid  cabinet  and gave  what  3  Tom Swift and the Visitor from Planet X help they could to them and the other two men. Then Tom taped a  bandage on Bud‘s scalp wound.    “Let‘s see if we can find a telephone and call the local hospital,” Tom ... recalled  the exciting  events  of  the past  months, Mr. Swift returned to the living room.    Tom and Bud leaned forward in their chairs. “Well, boys,” Mr. Swift said, “as I started to tell you, the space receiver picked up a message  9  Tom Swift and the Visitor from Planet X today  from our  unknown  planetary  friends.  The message  informed  us that they are sending a visitor to earth—a visitor consisting of pure ... and said he‘d had a call from Washington, asking us to stand by the videophone at one‐thirty sharp.”    Ames arrived in person shortly before the scheduled time. Moments  later, a red signal flashed on the control board of the Swifts’ private  TV network. Tom flicked on the videophone and two men appeared  on the screen.  18  Tom Swift and the Visitor from Planet X One  was  Blake,  the Swifts’  Washington, ... up  to  the 13  Tom Swift and the Visitor from Planet X gate  and beamed  his  electronic  key  at  the hidden  mechanism.  Instantly the gate swung open, then closed again automatically after  the car passed through.    Tom parked  in  his  usual  spot.  The stranger  kept  his  hand  in  his  pocket,  still  covering  Tom but  glancing  around  cautiously.  The sprawling  experimental  station ... red and silver  replica  of  Tom s  first  rocket  ship,  17  Tom Swift and the Visitor from Planet X the Star Spear; a blue plastic model of the jetmarine in which he had  fought a band of undersea pirates; and also a gleaming silvery model  of Tom s latest, unique space craft, the Cosmic Sailer.    Because  of  his  father‘s  absence  in  Washington,  the burden  of  administering  the vast  experimental ... months  ago,  the space  creatures  had  sent  their  first  communication  in  the form  of  mathematical  symbols  carved  on  a  black missile which had landed on the grounds of Swift Enterprises.    Tom and his  father  had  decoded  the symbols  and beamed  out  a  reply  over  a  powerful  radio  transmitter.  Later  messages  had  been  8  Tom Swift and the Visitor from Planet X picked up by radio telescope and converted to appear as symbols on ... gestured with his thumb for a ride.    11  Tom Swift and the Visitor from Planet X “Sorry, mister,” Tom reflected, “but I‘ve had trouble with hitchhikers  before!”  He  shook  his  head  to  let  the man  know  that  he  did  not  intend to stop.    To  the young  inventor‘s  amazement,  the pedestrian  deliberately  stepped onto the road—squarely in the path of Tom s oncoming car!    Tom jammed on the brakes, and the silver sports car screeched to a ... “Mark Faber is not expected to live,” the elder inventor reported. “A  pity. He‘s a great scientist.”    Tom nodded  unhappily.  Sandy,  to  take  her  brother‘s  mind  off  the disaster,  said,  “Dad,  tell  Tom and Bud  about  the visitor who‘s  coming.”    “A visitor? ” Tom looked at his father.    From another planet, ” Mr. Swift revealed.    Both boys were amazed and excited. “Wow!” Bud gasped. “Male or ... quickly pinned his other arm and drove a knee into the man‘s solar  plexus.    “Jest lie quiet now, you varmint, or you may git yourself roughed up  a bit,” Chow warned, then added, “Who is he, Tom? ”    15  Tom Swift and the Visitor from Planet X “Search me. He stopped my car on the road and forced me to drive  him in through the private gate. Boy, was I ever glad to see you, old‐ timer!”    Tom emptied  out  the clip  of  shells.  Then  he  searched  the stranger  . and gave what Tom Swift and the Visitor from Planet X 4 helpthey could to them and the other two men.Then Tom taped a bandageonBud‘sscalpwound.  “Let‘sseeifwecanfindatelephone and call the localhospital,” Tom said.  “Right!”Budresponded.  They. the Brungarians makes one of the mostexciting Tom Swift adventurestodate.                 TOM SWIFT AND THE  VISITOR FROM PLANET X  By  VICTORAPPLETONII                                            The raiderstransferredExmanto the enemysub    CONTENTS   1 The Earthquake  2 The MysteriousHitchhiker  3Report from Interpol  4AnotherTremor!  5SecretCache  6BrungarianCoup  7WallofWater!  8ASuspectTalks  9 The CaveMonster  10Energy from Planet X  11AnElectricalChristening  12ExmanTakesOrders  13DisasterStrikes  14Air‐borneHijackers  15Kidnaped!  16AUniqueExperiment  17AnUrgentWarning  18EarthquakeIsland  19AFiendishMachine  20 The RobotSpy‘sStory    Tom Swift and the Visitor from Planet X 1 CHAPTERI  THE EARTHQUAKE  Tom, 