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"Guess I gunned my new skin-diving jet a bit too hard," Tom said sheepishly. "It was almost a K.O. for me!" Mr. Swift asked Tom about the invention. After explaining how it worked, Tom added with a grin, "Maybe you'd better hang around, Dad, until I install some sort of density-control gadget for my hydrolung. Then I can go up or down, or stay at any level easily."

There was no doubt he had uncovered the nose cone of the missile which had re-entered the earth's atmosphere tailfirst! Meanwhile, Bud, keeping watch on the enemy submarine, had seen a shadowy figure glide from its air lock and head in Tom's direction. Bud donned a hydrolung and followed. "What's that he's carrying?" Bud wondered.

"But you'll need a tank for the helium, won't you?" Bud objected. Tom shook his head. "Enough can be compressed into a small capsule to supply the wearer's needs. Remember, it can be used over and over again." "Pretty neat," Bud commented. By morning Tom felt thoroughly recovered. He insisted upon flying back to Enterprises to make the necessary changes in his hydrolung.

Using microelectronic components, he was able to reduce all the units to amazingly small size. Next, Tom began tailoring himself a completely new skin-diving suit. Mask, ion-drive jet, and the various hydrolung units were molded into the plastic, with no loose wires or tubes showing. Monday morning he was ready to try the outfit.

"We're a fine couple of fish," he said. Tom chuckled wryly. "Live fish, anyhow." "In my case, thanks to you," Bud said. "Forget it, pal. The score's about even, I should think," Tom said, recalling the many life-or-death adventures they had shared. Bud was thrilled to hear of Tom's electronic hydrolung.

At the rear was a power port for inserting a small solar battery. "What about this little tuning knob?" Sandy asked. "That's the rate control for adjusting the output frequency to the wearer's breathing rate." Tom added, "I've decided to call the whole apparatus an 'electronic hydrolung." Chow pushed back his ten-gallon hat and scratched his head dubiously.

"With Tom's hydrolung and a knife to hunt his own food, he could practically live in the sea!" "That's no farfetched dream, Bud." Tom's steel-blue eyes flashed at the thought of new fields of scientific conquest. "This discovery of Dad's and Doc Simpson's opens up some really amazing possibilities."

"Looks as though we'll have to build some sort of net enclosure around and over our farm," Mr. Swift said, after they had climbed back into the boat. "But at least your hydrolung device is a great success, son!" Tom was thoughtful. "Dad, I wonder if the fish would eat those plants from space which you've been growing under salt water?"

"Boy, we can really explore now!" After the boys had returned to Enterprises, Tom phoned Arv Hanson and asked that a duplicate of the hydrolung be turned out in the shop as soon as possible. It was ready the following Monday morning, so Tom suggested to his father that the two visit the proposed underwater site and make some sample plantings. "Great idea, son," Mr. Swift agreed.

I'll join you later but first," Tom added mysteriously, "I have another job to attend to." Bud's curiosity was instantly aroused. "Don't tell me you have a new trick up your nautical sleeve to fox the Brungarians?" Tom grinned. "That's the general idea. I hope to give hydrolung divers the same protection that your jetmarine has." "You mean make them invisible to sonar?"