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for you—there is nothing more to say."
    "Please, Señor Rigoledo," said Mr. Swift in a calming tone of voice. "Allow me to withdraw my ill-chosen words. Your request is obviously made with great sincerity. And it seems we are already involved."
    Rigoledo smiled so readily that Tom wondered if his indignation had been more act than reality. "We need the help of you Swifts and your wonderful inventions," continued Señor Rigoledo as he pressed his case, "both to locate our missing scientists and to investigate the presence of uranium deposits."
    "I’d like to do it!" Tom exclaimed, no longer able to hold back. "It would be the perfect field test for the Flying Lab!"
    Mr. Swift, still cautious, asked whether the Montaguayan government had tried to find the scientists.
    "Yes, but we have not succeeded," the South American replied. "We believe the involvement of Americans would give pause to the rebels, if you see. After all, our children learn about the first Tom Swift in their schools!"
    Tom was more eager than ever to go. He wanted go rescue Barry Roberts before the man might he tortured into working for the rebels!
    "You’ve made an eloquent case," Mr. Swift said. "We’ll give you a formal answer before your departure. But you should know that the new aircraft and its instruments will not be ready for another two weeks or so. In that time a lot can happen in Verano."
    "Es verdad! It is true!" their caller agreed. "I will keep you informed, of course. But I am sure our scientists will not give in to the rebels and help them find the uranium before then. They will hold out as long as they can."
    "You mean, they won’t give in until they’re forced to," said Tom.
    Rigoledo nodded. "I shudder to think of those five scientists being tortured into helping the enemy. And now, I should take my leave of you."
    As they shook hands all around, Tom said, "Whatever we decide for the moment, I know the Sky Queen will someday pay a visit to your country and help your people safely develop their resources."
    "Ah, the enthusiasm of youth!" Rigoledo beamed. "Magnifico! And now, if I may humble myself, there is perhaps just one thing more. Before I go, I should like to see this Flying Lab you praise like the angels!"
    Mr. Swift glanced at Tom, as if to say, It’s up to you. Tom felt that the Flying Lab was not ready to be exhibited. However, because of Rigoledo’s governmental position and the scientific renown of Hemispak, the young inventor decided to give him a preview of the giant skyship.
    In the hangar Rigoledo’s reaction was both amazing and amusing. After his first voluble praise, he seemed at a loss for words. But finally he murmured: "It is esplendido! But now I must leave."
    As the Swifts walked to the main gate with him, he remarked, "Ah, I see over there the big hole from the meteor. We read about it even in Cristobal, our capital city. You know," Rigoledo added, "even scientists can be great gossips."
    "What do you mean?" asked Tom.
    "A silly rumor," the man replied, pausing inside the gate. "Somehow it goes around that this was not a meteor at all, but something mysterious—a machine! Bah! But it is amusing."
    Tom and his father were thunderstruck! But they took care not to react until their visitor was out of sight.
    "How could the news have gotten out?" Tom shook his head in frustrated disbelief.
    "People always speculate," his father replied. "It may be no more than that. Or it may be that one of the employees who was nearby while RobiTec was ‘sniffing’ couldn’t resist dropping hints here and there, despite our instructions."
    "I suppose there’s no use fretting about it," Tom said. "Besides, I’ll bet we crack the space code before we take off, and then we can release the data to the world."
    Tom gave his father a sly look, and Mr. Swift chuckled. They both knew that the decision had been made. Barring some unforeseen development, the Sky Queen would soon be heading south into adventure—and