p around him.

COME BOTH. BAD TROUBLES. AM IN DANGER. MY BOSS, CARL BRADLEY,
DISAPPEARED. GOVERNMENT WILL ASK SCIENTIFIC FATHER DO SPECIAL WORK.
MUST TAKE. GET JOBS, MEET ME HONG KONG GOLDEN MOUSE. WATCH CHINESE
WITH GLASS EYE, HE DANGEROUS. AND BEWARE LONG SHADOW.

CHAPTER III

Heavy Water

Hartson Brant walked swiftly to the telephone and picked it up.

"What's the matter, Dad?" Rick asked quickly. The scientist had a
strange look on his face.

"Give me the telegraph office," Hartson Brant said. He put his hand over
the mouthpiece. "I'll tell you in a moment. I want to get a wire off
immediately." He spoke into the phone again. "Western Union? This is
Spindrift, Brant speaking. I want to send a straight telegram. Yes. To
Steven Ames."

Rick gasped. Steve Ames was the young intelligence officer of JANIG, the
secret Army-Navy group charged with protecting the security of American
government secrets. The Spindrift group of scientists had worked with
Steve in solving _The Whispering Box Mystery_.

Scotty's fingers bit into Rick's arm.

Hartson Brant gave the address. "Here's the message. 'Have reconsidered
your request basis of new information just received here. Urge you come
or phone at once.' That's it. Sign it 'Brant, Spindrift.' Yes. Charge to
this number."

He waited until the telegraph office had read back the message, then
hung up and turned to the waiting group.

"Three days ago I had a phone call from Steve Ames. He asked if I could
undertake a special job for the government that would require me to go
overseas at once for an indefinite time. I was forced to decline because
obviously I can't leave now with these staff changes about to take
place."

The scientist knocked the ashes out of his pipe, his face thoughtful.

"Steve wouldn't take no for an answer. He insisted that the job was of
the utmost importance, and he added that it concerned an old college
chum of mine." He paused. "His name is Carl Bradley."

Rick's eyes met Scotty's.

"He said it was an urgent job, but that he would give me a few days to
think it over, to see if I couldn't rearrange my affairs in some way. I
assured him it was no use, that I couldn't possibly leave, but he said
to take until Saturday to consider it. That's tomorrow."

Rick whistled. "Some timing."

"It's a lot more than mere coincidence," Hartson Brant said. "But I
don't know any more about it than what I've told you."

"Who i