imple but tasty supper, warmed up on an electric hot
plate in the cabin.

"What do you think, skipper? Are we out of luck?" Bud asked as they ate.

"Our space friends haven't let us down yet," Tom replied. "I'm sure they
won't this time." Though he didn't say so aloud, Tom was worried that
their Brungarian enemies might have managed to divert and capture the
energy.

Mr. Swift seemed to read Tom's thoughts. "Let's hope no hitch has
occurred," he said quietly.

The sun went down. Twilight slowly deepened. The trees on the hillside
faded from view in the gathering darkness.

"_There it is!_" Bud yelled suddenly.

Electrified, the four sprang up in an instant. A speck of light was
sailing across the sky! But their faces fell as it drew closer.

"Only an airplane," Bud grumbled.

At ten o'clock Mr. Swift gave a weary yawn. "The spirit is willing but
the flesh is weak," he confessed. "I got only two hours of sleep on the
space wheel, and apparently last night wasn't enough to catch up. Sorry,
fellows."

"Why don't you go home, Dad? Hit the hay," Tom said sympathetically.

Promising to take a turn on watch if the vigil continued through the
next day, Mr. Swift drove off in his car.

Time dragged by slowly as the three remaining watchers chatted and
looked hopefully at the stars. Eventually Chow propped himself against a
tree and dropped off to sleep to the accompaniment of low-droning
snores. Bud too began to drowse.

It was long past midnight when Tom suddenly caught sight of a moving
light in the sky. He stiffened and held his breath. Another false alarm?

But no! A glowing, faintly bluish mass with a comet tail of luminous
orange red was slowly proceeding through the pattern of stars!

"Hey, fellows! Wake up!" Tom shouted. He sprang to his feet and
unlatched a single point of the star head. Within seconds, Bud and Chow
were both wide awake, as excited as Tom. The blue nebulous mass moved
closer and closer. The three watchers were speechless with awe.

As the ball of energy descended toward them, it lit up the whole scene.
The hillside looked almost as if it were on fire. The earth vibrated,
and the air had the sharp smell of ozone. This was followed by a
frightening clatter and rumble. The force of the energy was sweeping
down rocks, gravel, and shrubbery in a hillside avalanche!

"Look out!" Chow shrieked. "We'll be pulverized in this rock stampede!"
He streaked for cover as a huge boulder came plunging