[Illustration (Tom finds Latty’s store of weapons)]

Latty’s attempt at flight was hopeless.  Tom quickly brought him down with a flying tackle.

Later, after Latty had been manacled, Tom helped him up.  “In case you don’t know it,” the young inventory said coldly, “your friend Narko is in jail, so you may as well talk.  What’s the pitch?”

Latty was trembling and still pale.  “I—­I d-didn’t know there’d be any trouble with the cops or I’d never have done it,” he quavered.  “Narko offered me some dough to hide the guns.  I needed money, so I took him up.  That’s all there was to it.”

“How long have you known this Narko?” Tom asked.

“I met him a few days ago in a restaurant.  Believe me, I’d never laid eyes on him before.  And I wish I never had!” Latty added bitterly.

The man’s story had a ring of truth.  “All right, Officer, let’s take him in,” Tom said.  To the still-astounded Fred, he added, “We’re sorry about this.”

Two hours later Tom and Bud sat in Chief Slater’s office at Shopton police headquarters.  Captain Rock and the Shopton fire chief were also on hand.

“We’ve had troopers, detectives, and fire inspectors swarming all over Latty’s place,” Captain Rock reported.  “They examined his house, the garage, two sheds out back, and every inch of the grounds.  But there’s no indication of any place where a bomb might have been planted to cause an underground explosion in Shopton.”

The fire chief nodded confirmation.  “So that clue peters out,” he said.

With the waning of daylight, the other groups had finally abandoned their search of the Shopton area without turning up any information.  “I’ll notify the FBI immediately,” Chief Slater said.

Nevertheless, he promised that his men would continue their efforts the next day.

“Even if we find nothing more, that arms cache was worth all the trouble,” Slater added.  “The country owes you a vote of thanks, Tom.  A bunch of enemy agents could have hurt a lot of people with an arsenal like that!”

“That’s for sure,” Captain Rock agreed.  “It was a good day’s haul, Tom.”

The two boys drove back to the Swift home and had a quick shower.  Bud borrowed clean clothes from Tom.  Then they sat down to enjoy a warmed-up but tasty supper, served by Sandy and Mrs. Swift.

As they ate, the boys listened to music on the radio, interspersed with eager questions from Sandy about the bomb search.

Suddenly the radio announcer broke in.  “We interrupt this broadcast to bring you an important news bulletin!”

CHAPTER VI

BRUNGARIAN COUP

Tom, Sandy, and Bud listened as the radio announcer continued: 

“Reports just in say that Brungaria has been taken over by a rebel group.  Military aid to support the rebel coup is pouring in from Maurevia, Brungaria’s powerful province in the north.  The Brungarian prime minister, his cabinet, and all loyal administrative personnel have fled or been arrested.