ut by some extraterrestrial means known to their
scientists."

Tom's eyes kindled with hope. "Dad, that's a terrific idea!" he
exclaimed. "Let's try!"

A message was quickly beamed out into space. Minutes went by. Then the
machine signaled a reply. It said:

WE WILL ATTEMPT RESCUE IF YOU WILL ARC A POWERFUL RADIO BEAM
FROM POINT OF ORIGINAL EARTH LANDING TO POINT WHERE ENERGY IS
NOW.

Moments later, a further message followed, giving technical instructions
on how to project the beam. It ended:

NOTIFY US WHEN SETUP IS READY.

"Yahoo!" Chow whooped. "Brand my space guns, I reckon we'll get Ole
Think Box home safe after all!"

"He's not home yet, Chow," Tom cautioned, grinning but still tense with
worry. "Glad you said that, though. It reminds me that the first job on
our hands is to build a new think box for Exman!"

With hope alive, Tom turned icy calm and buckled down to the work at
hand. Before beginning construction of a new space robot, he contacted
Exman via the electronic brain and asked him for his exact location in
Brungaria. The answer came in precise latitude and longitude.

Next, Tom radioed instructions for the rescue plan. As soon as Exman was
notified that the invisible force from Planet X was ready to transport
his energy, he was to unlatch point five of his star head. He would then
be free to attach his energy to the rescue beam and be arced back to the
hillside spot near Enterprises, where Tom would have a new robot body
waiting.

Exman replied tersely:

MESSAGE UNDERSTOOD. WILL COMPLY.

Tom snapped out orders. "Hank! Arv! Bud! And, Dad, we can sure use your
help too! Every hour may be precious! We must construct a replica of
Exman's robot container as fast as possible!"

Every resource of Swift Enterprises was convulsed into action. But for
all their scientific miracles, the staff could not perform magic. The
complicated robot device required hours of highly skilled construction.

Darkness had fallen by the time the energy container was ready.
Meanwhile, a powerful transmitter and directional antenna had been set
up at the hillside spot. Extensive reports on the condition of the
ionosphere poured into headquarters.

The Swifts and their small group of trusted associates trucked the new
robot and the electronic brain out to the site. Tom then signaled his
space friends that he was ready. They responded with the exact time for
the rescue attempt. Tom transmitted th