The three loaded the energy container into the pickup truck which had brought it to the hillside spot.  Then Tom drove back to Enterprises and they took Exman into his private laboratory.

Here Tom attached an electrode to each side of the star head.  One electrode was safely grounded, the other connected to a Tesla coil.  Then, with all lights turned off in the laboratory, Tom threw a switch.

Instantly a dazzling arc of electricity sputtered through the darkness across the creature’s head!  The eerie display lit up the room with such impressive effect that both Bud and Chow felt their spines tingle.

“I christen you Exman!” Tom intoned.

For several moments he allowed the fiery arc to continue playing about the star head.  Then he opened the power switch and turned the room lights back on.

“Wow!  Quite a ceremony!” Bud murmured.

“After a send-off like that, I’ll be expectin’ the critter to do great things here on this lil ole planet Earth!” Chow declared fervently.

“You could be right,” Tom said.

Worn out by the long wait for their visitor from Planet X and the excitement following his arrival, Chow finally went off to his own quarters at Enterprises for a well-earned sleep.

“Guess you and I had better get some shut-eye too, pal,” Tom told Bud.  “And I think I won’t tell Dad until morning.”

  [Illustration (Tom, Bud and Chow celebrate building Exman)]

The two boys decided to bunk on cots in the small apartment adjoining Tom’s laboratory.  Exman, meanwhile, was left locked in the laboratory with a tiny “night light” showing on him.

“Just a little ray of energy to keep him company,” Tom explained with a chuckle.

Minutes later, the two boys were sound asleep.  For a while, all was silent.  Then the apartment’s telephone rang, shattering the stillness.  Tom struggled out of the depths of sleep, got up, and groped his way over to the wall phone.

“Tom Swift Jr. speaking.”

A familiar voice asked, “Did it come?”

“Oh, hi, Dad!” Tom replied, yawning.  “Yes, Exman arrived in fine shape.  We’ve put him to bed.  Tell you all about it tomorrow morning.”

“Okay, Tom.”

As Tom hung up, Bud roused and switched on a lamp.  He had awakened in time to catch only part of Tom’s words.  “Your father?” he inquired.

Tom nodded sleepily and was about to go back to bed.  But Bud, still fascinated by the space visitor, decided to have a peek at Exman.  He got up and opened the door to the laboratory.  A yell from him brought Tom rushing to his side.

“Hey!  It’s gone!”

The spot by the night light where they had left Exman was now deserted!  Tom found a wall switch and pressed it.  As light from the overhead fluorescent tubes flooded the room, the boys gave laughing cries of relief.

Ole Think Box had merely moved himself to another corner of the room!