Part 12 (2/2)

”Suppose you fly to Newark and have Scotty drive over Then you can pick them up at the station by car and take them to the plane If you fly them to Spindrift no one will know that Marks has even arrived

To hiht try to follow”

”We can do it,” Rick assured him ”I can land close to the city I've done it before with pontoons”

”Good Ordinarily, I'd have an agent meet theroup Call me when Marks is safely with the team”

”Will do,” Rick promised

Rick reported the conversation to his father when the scientist came in from late work in the laboratory Hartson Brant nodded wearily

”Good If Marks is on the way, that means he has anse need badly to soet is why he's co it the hard way, because it's only a few hours froet a train at a decent hour? This way, he'll spendsoather that Marks has definite ideas of his own I wouldn't care to be To him considerable trouble He's convinced this security business is a plot to inconvenience him and the other people on the project”

”He didn't seeht, Dad Scotty and I are going to bed early, because we'll have to be up at dawn”

It was really the first sound night's sleep Rick had since the invasion of Spindrift by Steve and the Morrisons Later, he had to smile at himself, because it seemed to be proof of what Scotty had said--that the real reason for his uneasiness was inactivity He adued hireat shakes as a detective, but trying to solve mysteries, whether scientific or real, was a part of him

Scotty departed first by boat a few on, then went in for a dish of cereal before taking off He had plenty of time Neas only a few minutes away in the fast little plane

He ti up to the pier near Newark as Rick taxied in after landing He got into a rowboat brought by an attendant, and tied the plane to an anchor buoy In a et some excite?”

”Yes, and because the barber has come to town If he isn't up to his neck in this business, I'll eat his hair oil on pancakes”

Scotty shuddered ”You ht at least wait until I've had nored him ”Also, the team is now asseet to shoot at”

Scotty laughed out loud ”You should see yourself,” he said, chuckling ”Since we found the barber yesterday, you've been a new le target and you're pleased Didn't it occur to you that the target is us, you sirin, too ”But who can locate the sharpshooter best? Why, the guy sitting on the bull's-eye”

Scotty parked and they walked into the station A quick check of the bulletin board told theate just as the train announcer called the arrival

Tom Dodd was one of the last off He had two suitcases under one ar Marks with the other Rick and Scotty ran to help Was the scientist ill?

Scotty took the suitcases while Rick grabbed Marks' other arht,” he said irritably

”Confound it! Rouse a man at the crack of dawn and expect him to respond like a ballet dancer to a cue Nonsense!”

Marks' appearance belied his words His face was drawn and pale, and it was obvious that his coordination wasn't very good Too of lared at the boys ”Which way is the car, please?”