distance. Thing’s not functioning any more.”
“Any bombs inside?” Nellie asked.
“Nope,” replied the clean-cut young agent. “Did find a nice radio sending set, very compact and efficient.” He reached out to tap the robot’s chest. “Right in here, about the spot where his heart’d be if he were human.”
“What we’re on to,” said Benson, “seems to be a very elaborate and ambitious scheme to find out all about the United States’ anti-rocket defense plans.”
“That’s my guess,” said Early. “We’ve known for a long time that the Axis powers have perfected a long-range missile. Bases for launching the things are already showing up along the French coast.”
“England is a more likely target,” said, the little blonde.
“Sure, but you know darn well Hitler’d like to use them on us, too,” said Early. “So we’ve been operating on the premise that they may have, or may eventually work out, a way to deliver a rocket all the way across the Atlantic. Men like Kirby Macauley and Edward Kessell, top scientists and industrialists, have been meeting very secretly for the past few weeks to map out a defense for America in the event that rockets are used against us.”
“I’ve known about the project for nearly a month,” said the Avenger. “The security, however, has been very good. There hasn’t been a hint of the anti-rocket undertaking drifting around the rumor circuits.”
“So we thought,” said Early.
“Then how did our robot maker know all about it, know who was being consulted and where and when the meetings were being held?” asked the Avenger, frowning at the now deathlike robot.
Nellie said, “Either the security isn’t as hot as you surmise or—”
“No, that’s not possible,” said Early. “You’re suggesting there’s a leak within the project itself.” He shook his head. “The top men on this thing have been checked out and screened eight ways from Sunday. One very good man we wanted to use was dropped simply because he had a drunken driving violation on his record from back in 1934 when he was a senior in college. No, I really don’t think—”
“Okay, so how does our puppet master do it?” persisted Nellie.
“Can’t tell you,” admitted the government man.
The Avenger had opened a panel in the side of the robot. As he examined the intricate workings, he said, “I think it might be a good idea, Don, to make another check of your top project people. The people who made this robot know a great deal about what’s been going on. The most likely conclusion is, as Nellie suggests, that they have a man on the inside. Not only that . . . this gadget here must have taken considerable time to construct.”
“He had all of Macauley’s mannerisms down pat, too,” added Nellie.
“Meaning,” said Benson, “that they must have known that Macauley and Kessell were going to be on the project practically from the moment they were selected, from the first meeting weeks ago.”
“Maybe,” said Early. “Since we don’t know how these things are manufactured, we can’t positively say they haven’t got a way to whip one up in a couple days.”
“This robot took time to construct,” said the Avenger. He probed its interior a bit more. “Same kind of components as were used in the MacMurdie simulacrum. Smitty has been checking on the possible sources of those. Nellie, maybe you better check him out.”
“Righto.” She carried her two-way radio in her purse. Activating it now, she signaled Smitty’s particular receiver and indicated she wanted to speak to him.
“Wish I could talk my chief into letting us use something like that,” said Early.
From out of the tiny receiver came Smitty’s gruff voice. “Smitty here. What gives?”
“This is Nellie. Dick wants to know if—”
“Yeah, I’m on to something. I had a go round with a pair of heavies and trailed them here. I think they’re having a little tête-à-tête with their
“Any bombs inside?” Nellie asked.
“Nope,” replied the clean-cut young agent. “Did find a nice radio sending set, very compact and efficient.” He reached out to tap the robot’s chest. “Right in here, about the spot where his heart’d be if he were human.”
“What we’re on to,” said Benson, “seems to be a very elaborate and ambitious scheme to find out all about the United States’ anti-rocket defense plans.”
“That’s my guess,” said Early. “We’ve known for a long time that the Axis powers have perfected a long-range missile. Bases for launching the things are already showing up along the French coast.”
“England is a more likely target,” said, the little blonde.
“Sure, but you know darn well Hitler’d like to use them on us, too,” said Early. “So we’ve been operating on the premise that they may have, or may eventually work out, a way to deliver a rocket all the way across the Atlantic. Men like Kirby Macauley and Edward Kessell, top scientists and industrialists, have been meeting very secretly for the past few weeks to map out a defense for America in the event that rockets are used against us.”
“I’ve known about the project for nearly a month,” said the Avenger. “The security, however, has been very good. There hasn’t been a hint of the anti-rocket undertaking drifting around the rumor circuits.”
“So we thought,” said Early.
“Then how did our robot maker know all about it, know who was being consulted and where and when the meetings were being held?” asked the Avenger, frowning at the now deathlike robot.
Nellie said, “Either the security isn’t as hot as you surmise or—”
“No, that’s not possible,” said Early. “You’re suggesting there’s a leak within the project itself.” He shook his head. “The top men on this thing have been checked out and screened eight ways from Sunday. One very good man we wanted to use was dropped simply because he had a drunken driving violation on his record from back in 1934 when he was a senior in college. No, I really don’t think—”
“Okay, so how does our puppet master do it?” persisted Nellie.
“Can’t tell you,” admitted the government man.
The Avenger had opened a panel in the side of the robot. As he examined the intricate workings, he said, “I think it might be a good idea, Don, to make another check of your top project people. The people who made this robot know a great deal about what’s been going on. The most likely conclusion is, as Nellie suggests, that they have a man on the inside. Not only that . . . this gadget here must have taken considerable time to construct.”
“He had all of Macauley’s mannerisms down pat, too,” added Nellie.
“Meaning,” said Benson, “that they must have known that Macauley and Kessell were going to be on the project practically from the moment they were selected, from the first meeting weeks ago.”
“Maybe,” said Early. “Since we don’t know how these things are manufactured, we can’t positively say they haven’t got a way to whip one up in a couple days.”
“This robot took time to construct,” said the Avenger. He probed its interior a bit more. “Same kind of components as were used in the MacMurdie simulacrum. Smitty has been checking on the possible sources of those. Nellie, maybe you better check him out.”
“Righto.” She carried her two-way radio in her purse. Activating it now, she signaled Smitty’s particular receiver and indicated she wanted to speak to him.
“Wish I could talk my chief into letting us use something like that,” said Early.
From out of the tiny receiver came Smitty’s gruff voice. “Smitty here. What gives?”
“This is Nellie. Dick wants to know if—”
“Yeah, I’m on to something. I had a go round with a pair of heavies and trailed them here. I think they’re having a little tête-à-tête with their
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