Soon
they saw the result. The pursuing planes suddenly peeled off and sped
away in the direction from which they had first appeared.
"Whew!" Bud wiped his hand across his face and drew it away moist with
perspiration. "How do you like that?"
Tom chuckled with relief. "I like it fine, fly boy. But I was sure
worried there for a while!"
Less than an hour later, the big cargo jet touched down at the San
Rosario airport. An armed guard was on hand to greet the boys, under
command of an officer named Captain Sanchez. He had brought along a work
crew of soldiers and also a geology expert, Professor Leone, from the
island's small technical school.
"I have selected a spot on the eastern shore of the island," the
professor told Tom. He unrolled a map and explained the site.
"Excellent," Tom agreed.
The Quakelizor parts, communications equipment, and small atomic earth
blaster were quickly unloaded and transported to the site by trucks. In
three hours the installation was finished.
Tom, who spoke Spanish fairly well, explained to a small group of San
Rosario military technicians how the quake deflector worked. He also
detailed one of his own men to stay on as trouble shooter for the setup.
"And now," said Captain Sanchez, beaming, "we must relax and celebrate
the friendship of our two countries."
Tom and Bud, though eager to get home, hesitated to hurt the friendly
officer's feelings.
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