Feeling somewhat reassured now that a definite plan of action had been decided upon, Tom resumed work on his sketches.  Although both the problem and the solution were still hazy in his mind, a few ideas began to take shape.

A radio antenna would certainly be needed, to receive or transmit signals at a distance.  And repelatron units would give the brain a way to exert force when it wanted to act.  These were devices which Tom had invented to produce a repulsion-force ray.  He had used the principle in both air and space flight.

A power plant might also be needed to generate additional energy in case the brain’s own energy was very small.  Lastly, there would have to be a control system for use either by the brain itself or by its human operators.

After an hour of work at top speed, Tom was rather pleased with one rough sketch.  He was mulling over the idea when Chow Winkler and Bud Barclay wandered into the office.  Both were impressed when Tom explained the sketch.

Chow stared at it, goggle-eyed at the thought of such a contraption “coming to life.”  “So that’s the Ole Think Box, eh?” he muttered.

Tom laughed.  “Good name, Chow!”

All three were startled as a voice suddenly broke in over the wall intercom.  It was the operator on duty at the plant’s communication center.

“Turn on your TV, skipper,” the operator suggested.  “We’ve just had a news bulletin that an earthquake tremor has been felt over in Medfield.  There’s a big plant there that makes rocket nose cones.  A mobile TV crew’s been rushed to the scene in a helicopter and they’re trying to pick up the action with a television camera.”

“Good night!  Another quake?” Bud gasped.

Tom had already rushed to the videophone.  Flicking it on, he switched to a commercial channel.  Soon a picture appeared on the screen.  It was a panoramic shot of a landscape, evidently viewed from a hovering aircraft, with a large industrial plant just below.

A TV commentator’s voice was reporting developments.  “Few visible signs of a tremor,” he said.  “As you can see, the rocket-plant personnel and the people of Medfield are making desperate attempts to evacuate.  Fortunately, most of them have already left the immediate area.”

A few cars and trucks could still be seen speeding along the ribbonlike roads within view of the hovering television camera.

“Oh—­oh!” The commentator’s voice broke in again.  “Notice that tall stack just over the plant—­see how it’s starting to tremble!...  It’s beginning to crumble!...  This must be it!”

Suddenly the whole scene seemed to explode.  Plant buildings collapsed like toy houses built of cards, while at the same time huge rocks and trees were uprooted as a yawning crack opened in the ground below.

The three watchers in Tom’s office stared in horrified dismay.  But a moment later the picture on the TV screen became jerky and distorted, then faded out completely.