,*APT] ,,II

,TOM'S ,9DI6];E

  8,DID Y MAKE ? MA*9E YRF80 ASK$ !
/RANG] ( ,TOM1 Z ! "Y 9V5TOR "W$ AT !
DAMAG$ "P ( 8 CRAFT4
  ,MR4 ,DAMON _H AL ALI<T$1 TAK5 (F 8
GO7LES1 & 0 LOOK+ AL(T1 ": ! >MY
AIRCRAFT 7 GO+ "? V>I\S EVOLU;NS1 & D[N
2L1 ": ! "Y SOLDI]S 7 DRILL+ "U S*
3DI;NS1 Z F> Z POSSI#1 Z !Y MI<T MEET )
:5 "S ( _! NUMB] W5T 8OV] ! TOP40 ,MR4
,DAMON 0 MURMUR+ 6HMF S* REM>KS Z3
  8,B.S MY F.TA9 P56 LOOK AT T *AP TURN+
UPSIDE D[N6 ,B.S MY 9KWELL60
  8,I BEG YR P>DON10 REM>K$ ,TOM ,SWIFT1
FOLL[+ ! REM>K (! MAN1 ^: FACE HE 0 TRY+
6RECALL4 ,X 0 N T ,TOM _H N HE>D ! "Q1 B
HE 0 TRY+ 6GA9 "T 2F ANSW]+4
  8,I ASK$ IF Y MADE ? MA*9E YRF10 W5T
ON ! MAN1 Z HE PE]$ AB AT ! ,HAWK4 8,X
ISN'T L ANY ,I'VE "E SE5 2F1 & ,I "K
"S?+ AB AIR%IPS4 ,X HAS "S NEW WR9KLES
ON X1 & ,I ?"\ Y MI<T H EVOLV$ !M YRF4
,N T X'S AN AMATEUR A6AIR1 0ANY M1NS60
HE A4$ HA/ILY1 Z IF FE>+ ! "Y 9V5TOR
MI<T RES5T ! IMPLIC,N T 8 MA*9E 0 A
HOME-MADE PRODUCT
  8,YES1 ,I ORIG9AT$ ?10 ANSW]$ ,TOM1 Z
HE PUT A NEW TURN-BUCKLE 9 PLACE2 8B ,I
DIDN'T ACTU,Y 3/RUCT X--T IS1 EXCEPT =
"S SMALL "PS4 ,X 0 MADE 9 ! %OP--0
  8,OV] AT ! >MY 3/RUC;N PLANT1 ,I
PRESUME10 9T]RUPT$ ! MAN QKLY1 Z HE
MO;N$ T[>D ! BIG FACTORY1 N F> F
,%OPTON1 ": AIRCRAFT = ,UNCLE ,SAM'S
,>MY 7 2+ TURN$ \ 0! HUNDR$S4
  8,MI<T Z WELL LET HM ?9K T10 MUS$
,TOM2 8AT L1/ UNTIL ,I C FIGURE \ :O HE
IS & :AT HE WANTS40
  8,? IS DI6]5T F MO/ ( ^? UP "!10 &!
/RANG] PO9T$ T[>D ! CIRCL+ CRAFT ON HI<4
8,A BIT M SPE$Y1 ,I GUESS1 ISN'T X80
  8,WELL1 YES1 9 A WAY10 AGRE$ ,TOM1 :O
0 L5D+ OV] 8 CRAFT4 ,HE /OLE A SIDE LOOK
AT ! MAN4 ,! FACE 0 2COM+ M & M FAMILI>1
YET "S?+ AB X PUZZL$ ,TOM ,SWIFT4
  8,I'VE SE5 HM 2F1 & YET HE DIDN'T LOOK
L T10 ?"\ ! "Y 9V5TOR4 8,X'S DI6]5T1
"SH[4 ,N[ :Y %D MY MEMORY PLAY ME A
TRICK L ?8 ,:O 9 ! _W C HE BE80
  ,TOM /RAI<T5$ UP1 & TOSS$ A MONKEY
WR5* 96! TOOL BOX4
  8,GET "EY?+ FIX$80 ASK$ ! /RANG]4
  8,I ?9K S10 &! "Y 9V5TOR TRI$ 6MAKE 8
ANSW] PL1SANT4 8,X 0 ONLY A SMALL BR1K1
EASILY FIX$40
  8,!N Y'LL 2 ON YR WAY AG80
  8,YES4 ,>E Y R1DY80 CALL$ ,TOM 6,MR4
,DAMON4
  8,B.S MY "TTA#1 YES6 ,I DIDN'T ?9K Y'D
/>T BACK AG S SOON4 ,"!'S "O "Y FELL[ UP
"! :O HAS LOOP$ ! LOOP ?REE "TS1 & ,I
EXPECT HM 6FALL ANY M9UTE40

8,OH1 ,I GUESS HE "KS 8 BUSI;S10 ,TOM SD
  EASILY4
8,WE'LL 2 GETT+ BACK N[40

  8,"O MO;T60 CALL$ ! MAN4 8,I BEG YR
P>DON = TR\BL+ Y1 B Y SEEM 6BE A
ME*ANIC1 & T'S J ! SORT ( MAN ,I'M LOOK+
=4 ,>E Y OP5 6AN (F] 6D "S 9V5TIVE &
3/RUCTIVE "W80
  ,TOM 0 ON 8 GU>D 9/ANTLY4
  8,WELL1 ,I C'T SAY T ,I AM10 HE
ANSW]$4 8,I AM PRETTY BUSY--0
  8,? WD PAY WELL10 W5T ON ! MAN EAG]LY4
8,I AM A /RANG] >.D "H1 B ,I C FURNI%
SATISFACTORY REF];ES4 ,I AM 9 NE$ (A GD
ME*ANIC1 AN 9V5TOR Z WELL1 :O C D :AT Y
SEEM 6H D"O S WELL4 ,I _H HOPES ( GETT+
"S "O AT ! >MY PLANT0

8,I GUESS !Y'RE N LETT+ ANY ( _! M5 G10
  SD
,TOM1 Z ,MR4 ,DAMON CLIMB$ 6HIS S1T 9 !
  ,HAWK4

  8,NO1 ,I SOON F.D T \4 ,B ,I ?"\ P]H
Y--0
  ,TOM %OOK 8 H1D4
  8,I'M SORRY10 HE ANSW]$1 8B ,I'M
O!RWISE 5GAG$1 & V BUSY40
  8,"O MO;T60 CALL$ ! MAN1 Z HE SAW ,TOM
AB 6/>T 8,IS ! ,SWIFT ,-PANY PLANT F> F
"H80
  ,TOM FELT "S?+ L A ?RILL G "? HM4 ,"!
0 AN UNEXPECT$ NOTE 9 ! MAN'S VOICE4 ,!
FACE (! "Y 9V5TOR LI<T5$1 &! D\BTS MELT$
AWAY4
  8,NO1 X ISN'T F>10 ,TOM ANSW]$1 %\T+
6BE HE>D ABV ! CRACKL+ BANGS (! MOTOR4
,& !N1 Z ! CRAFT SO>$ 96! AIR1 HE CRI$
EXULT+LY3
  8,I H X6 ,I "K :O HE IS6 ,! SC.DREL6
,8 BE>D FOOL$ ME1 & HE PROBABLY DIDN'T
"K ME ) ^! GO7LES ON4 ,B N[ ,I "K HM60

8,B.S MY CAL5D>60 CRI$ ,MR4 ,DAMON4
  8,:AT >E Y
TALK+ AB80

  ,B ,TOM DID N ANSW]1 =! R1SON T J !N !
,HAWK FELL 96AN 8AIR POCKET10 & NE$$ ALL
8 ATT5;N 6/RAI<T5 H] \ & GET H] ON A
LEVEL C\RSE AG4
  ,& :ILE ,TOM ,SWIFT IS ?US 5GAG$ 9
SPE$+ 8 AIRCRAFT AL;G ! UPP] REGIONS
T[>D 8 HOME1 X W TAKE B A FEW MO;TS
6ACQUA9T MY NEW R1D]S ) "S?+ (! HI/ORY
(! "Y 9V5TOR4 ,^? :O H R1D ! PREVI\S
BOOKS 9 ? S]IES NE$ 2 TOLD NO?+ AB \R
H]O4
  ,TOM ,SWIFT 0 AN 9V5TOR ( NOTE1 Z 0 8
"F4 ,MR4 ,SWIFT 0 N[ Q AG$ & N 9 ROBU/
H1L?1 B HE 0 ACTIVE AT "TS & (T5 AID$
,TOM :5 "S KNOTTY PO9T CAME UP4
  ,TOM & 8 "F LIV$ ON ! \TSKIRTS (! T[N
( ,%OPTON1 & NE> _! HOME 7 V>I\S BUILD+S
9 : ! DI6]5T MA*9ES & APPLI.ES 7 MADE4
,TOM'S "M 0 D1D1 B ,MRS4 ,BA7]T1 !
H\SEKEEP]1 0 Z C>E;L 9 LOOK+ AF ,TOM & 8
"F Z ANY WOMAN CD BE4
  ,9 A4I;N 6^! ?REE1 ! H\SEHOLD 3SI/$ (
,ERADICATE ,SAMPSON1 AN AG$ COLOR$
S]VANT1 &1 X MI<T ALM 2 A4$1 8 MULE
,BOOM]ANG2 B ,BOOM]ANG _H MANN]S T1 AT
"TS1 DID N MAKE HM A WELCOME A4I;N 6ANY
H\SEHOLD4 ,!N "! 0 ! GIANT ,KOKU1 "O (
TWO BIG M5 ,TOM _H BR"\ BACK ) HM F ! L&
": ! "Y 9V5TOR _H BE5 HELD CAPTIVE =A
"T4
  ,! F/ BOOK ( ? S]IES IS CALL$ 8,TOM
,SWIFT & ,8 ,MOTOR ,CYCLE10 & X 0 9
ACQUIR+ POSSES.N ( T MA*9E T ,TOM MET 8
FR ,MR4 ,WAKEFIELD ,DAMON1 :O LIV$ 9 A
NEI<BOR+ T[N4 ,MR4 ,DAMON [N$ ! MOTOR
CYCLE ORIG9,Y1 B :5 X ATTEMPT$ 6CLIMB A
TREE ) HM HE SOLD X 6,TOM4
  ,TOM _H _M ADV5TURES ON ! MA*9E1 & X
/>T$ HM ON 8 9V5TIVE C>E]4 ,F !N ON HE
_H _H A S]IES ( SURPRIS+ ADV5TURES4 ,HE
_H TRAVEL$ 9 8 MOTOR BOAT1 9 AN AIR%IP1
& !N _H TAK5 6A SUBM>9E4 ,9 8 ELECTRIC
RUNAB HE %[$ :AT ! SPE$IE/ C> ON ! ROAD
,CD D1 & :5 HE S5T 8 WIRE.S MESSAGE1 !
DETAILS ( : C 2 F.D SET D[N 9 ! VOLUME (
T "N1 ,TOM SAV$ ! CA/AWAYS ( ,E>?QUAKE
,ISL&4
  ,TOM ,SWIFT _H _M O!R ?RILL+ ESCAPES1
"O F AM;G ! DIAMOND MAK]S1 & ANO!R F !
CAVES ( ICE2 & HE MADE ! QKE/ FLI<T ON
RECORD 9 8 SKY RAC]4
  ,TOM'S WIZ>D CAM]A1 8 GRT SE>*LI<T1 8
GIANT CANNON1 8 PHOTO TELEPH"O1 8 AERIAL
W>%IP &! BIG TUNNEL HE HELP$ 6DIG1 BR"\
HM CR$IT1 FAME1 & N A LL M"OY4 ,HE _H N
L;G BE5 BACK F AN EXP$I;N 6,HONDURAS1
DU2$ 8! L& ( WOND]S10 :5 HE 0 AG BUSY EN
"S ( 8 _M ID1S4 ,& X 0 6GET "S RELIEF F
8 ?"\S T HE _H TAK5 ! FLI<T ) ,MR4
,DAMON ON ! "D ! PRES5T /ORY OP5S4
  8,:AT >E Y S EXCIT$ AB1 ,TOM80 ASK$ 8
FR1 Z ! ,HAWK ALI<T$ NE> ! %$ HACK (! "Y
9V5TOR'S HOME4 8,B.S MY SC>F P96 B ANY
"O WD ?9K Y'D J 4COV]$ ! TRUE ME?OD (
SQU>+ ! CIRCLE40
  8,WELL1 X'S ALM Z GD Z T1 & M
PRACTICAL10 ,TOM SD1 )A SMILE1 Z HE
MO;N$ 6,KOKU 6PUT AWAY ! AIRCRAFT 8,I "K
:O T MAN IS1 N[40
  8,:AT MAN1 ,TOM80
  8,! "O :O 0 "Q+ ME :5 ,I 0 FIX+ !
AIR%IP4 ,I KEPT PUZZL+ & PUZZL+ Z 6HIS
ID5T;Y1 &1 ALL AT ONCE1 X CAME 6ME4 ,D Y
"K :O HE IS1 ,MR4 ,DAMON80
  8,NO1 ,I C'T SAY T ,I D1 ,TOM4 ,B1 Z Y
SAY1 "! 0 "S?+ VAGUELY FAMILI> AB HM4 ,X
SEEM$ Z IF ,I M/ H SE5 HM 2F1 & YET--0
  8,T'S J ! WAY X /RUCK ME4 ,:AT WD Y
SAY IF ,I TOLD Y T MAN 0 ,BLAKESON1 (
,BLAKESON & ,GR9D]1 ! RIVAL TUNNEL
3TRACTORS :O MADE S* TR\# = U80
  8,Y M1N D[N 9 ,P]U1 ,TOM80
  8,YES40
  ,MR4 ,DAMON />T$ 9 SURPRISE1 & !N
EXCLAIM$3
  8,B.S MY E> MU6L]S1 ,TOM1 B Y'RE "R6
,T 0 ,BLAKESON6 ,I DIDN'T "K HM ) 8
BE>D1 B T 0 ,BLAKESON1 ALL "R6 ,B.S MY
FOOT-W>M]6 ,:AT D Y SUPPOSE HE IS DO+
>.D "H80
  8,I DON'T "K1 ,MR4 ,DAMON1 B ,I'D GIVE
A GD D1L 6"K4 ,X ISN'T ANY GD1 ,I'LL
WAG] ON T4 ,HE DIDN'T SEEM 6"K ME OR Y1
EI--UN.S HE DID & DIDN'T LET ON4 ,I
SUPPOSE X 0 2C ( MY GO7LES--& Y 7 GAZ+
UP 9 ! AIR MO/ (! "T4 ,I DON'T ?9K HE
KNEW EI ( U40
  8,X DIDN'T SEEM S1 ,TOM4 ,B :AT IS HE
DO+ "H8 ,D Y ?9K HE IS "W+ AT ! >MY
CAMP1 OR HELP+ MAKE ,LIB]TY ,MOTORS =!
AIRCRAFT T >E GO+ 6B1T ! ,G]MANS80
  8,H>DLY4 ,HE DIDN'T SEEM 6BE 3NECT$ )!
CAMP4 ,HE WANT$ A ME*ANIC1 & H9T$ T ,I
MI<T D4 ,JOVE6 IF HE RE,Y DIDN'T "K :O
,I WAS1 & F9DS \1 SAY6 WON'T HE 2
SURPRIS$80
  8,R10 AGRE$ ,MR ,DAMON4 8,WELL1 ,TOM1
,I BAD A NICE LL RIDE4 ,& N[ ,I M/ 2
GETT+ BACK4 ,B IF Y 3TEMPLATE A TRIP
ANY":1 DON'T =GET 6LET ME "K40
  8,I DON'T C.T ON GO+ ANY": SOON10 ,TOM
ANSW]$4 8,I H "S?+ ON H& T W O3UPY ALL
MY "T1 ?\< ,I DON'T J L X4 ,H["E1 ,I'M
GO+ 6D MY BE/10 & HE WAV$ GD-BYE 6,MR4
,DAMON1 :O W5T (F B.S+ V>I\S "PS ( 8
ANATOMY OR CLO?+1 AN ODD HABIT HE _H4

,Z ,TOM TURN$ 6G 96! H\SE1 ! UNSETTL$
  LOOK
/ ON 8 FACE1 "S "O HAIL$ HM4

  8,I SAY1 ,TOM4 ,HELLO6 ,WAIT A M9UTE6
,I'VE GOT "S?+ 6%[ Y60
  8,OH1 HELLO1 ,N$ ,NEWTON60 ,CALL$ BACK
! "Y 9V5TOR4 8,WELL1 IF X'S ,LIB]TY
,BONDS1 Y DON'T NE$ 6%[ ME ANY1 = DAD &
,I W BUY ALL WE C )\T SEE+ !M40
  8,I "K T1 ,TOM1 & X 0 A D&Y SUBSCRIP;N
Y GAVE ME4 ,I DIDN'T -E AB T1 ?\< ,I MAY
2 >.D ! NEXT "T ,UNCLE ,SAM WANTS ! P
6DIG D[N 9 _! SOCKS4 ,? IS "S?+ DI6]5T10
& ,N$ ,NEWTON1 A "Y BANK] ( ,%OPTON &A
LIFEL;G FR ( ,TOM'S1 DREW A PAP] F 8
POCKET Z HE ADV.ED ACR ! LAWN4
  8,"!1 ,TOM ,SWIFT60 HE CRI$1 FLIPP+ \
AN ILLU/RAT$ PAGE1 EVID5TLY F "S
ILLU/RAT$ NEWSPAP]4 8,"!'S ! V LATE/ F !
O!R SIDE4 ,A ,LONDON BANK] FR ( M9E S5T
X 6ME1 & X GOT PA/ ! C5SOR ALL "R4 ,X'S
! F/ AU!NTIC PHOTOGRAPH (! NEWE/ & BI7E/
,BRITI% TANK4 ,ISN'T T A WOND]80
  ,N$ HELD UP ! PAP] : _H 9 X A FULLPAGE
PHOTOGRAPH (A MON/] TANK--^? WEIRD
MA*9ES TRAVEL+ ON 5D.S /EEL BELTS (
CAT]PILL> 3/RUC;N1 >MOR$1 RIVET$ &
PLAT$1 ) MA*9E GUNS BRI/L+ "H & "!4
  8,ISN'T T GRT1 ,TOM8 ,C Y B1T X8 ,X'S
! MO/ WOND];L MA*9E (! AGE1 EV5 C.T+ "S
( YRS4 ,C Y B1T X80
  ,TOM TOOK ! PAP] 9DI6]5TLY1 & 8 MANN]
SURPRIS$ 8 *UM4
  8,WELL1 :AT'S ! MATT]1 ,TOM80 ASK$
,N$4 8,DON'T Y ?9K T GRT8 ,:Y DON'T Y
SAY "S?+8 ,Y DON'T M1N 6SAY Y'VE SE5 T
PICTURE 2F80
  8,NO1 ,N$40
  8,!N :AT'S ! MATT] ) Y8 ,ISN'T T
WOND];L80



