Tom agreed.  “Our country owes him a lot for exposing the Brungarian rebel schemes.”

To Tom’s amazement, Exman’s “ears” picked up his murmured words, even above the babble of the spectators crowding the room.

“Your country owes you much, Tom Swift,” the creature said.  “You conceived the idea of an electronic spy and found ways to block the rebels’ destructive earthquake plans.”

As Tom flushed at the crowd’s applause, Exman continued, “Unless I am mistaken, you will soon learn that you have accomplished even more.”

Tom was mystified by this.  Meanwhile, the spectators listened spellbound as Exman went on talking, telling what he had learned of the valiant resistance efforts to overthrow the Brungarian rebels.

A short time later the telephone rang.  Tom answered, and the operator informed him that John Thurston of Central Intelligence was calling.

“Great news, Tom,” the CIA man said.  “We’ve just learned that the rightful Brungarian government forces have struck hard in the capital city and at half a dozen other points.  The rebel puppets and their troops have been crushed completely!”

Tom was enthusiastic over the news.

“That’s not all,” Thurston went on.  “In case you don’t realize it, the information which you supplied by means of your electronic spy is chiefly what enabled the government forces to win out.  They’ve promised to dismantle the rebels’ other two earthquake bases.”

As Tom hung up and relayed the electrifying news, Bud and the others burst into cheers.

“It is all due to Tom Swift and his secret assistant,” Exman said.

Tom was puzzled by the remark but had no time to ask what he meant as the people in the room crowded around to shake his hand.  Mr. and Mrs. Swift smiled proudly at their son’s latest triumph.  Phyl and Sandy expressed their feelings by giving Tom a quick kiss.

“Hey!  Where do I come in?” Bud protested.

Before the girls could answer, the door of the laboratory opened and Harlan Ames walked in, accompanied by a lean, gray-eyed young man with dark close-cropped hair. Samson Narko!

Chow let out a yelp of rage.  “Why, brand my sagebrush hash, it’s that double-crossin’ Brungarian—­”

“Hold it, Chow!” Ames cut short the outburst.  “Allow me to introduce one of America’s most effective counterespionage agents, Mr. Samson Narko!”

Tom and his friends were astounded.  Narko himself smiled somewhat uncomfortably.  “I can imagine how you all feel—­you especially, Tom.  But, believe me, I could not risk pulling my punches even when it put you all in grave peril, such as when I fired that missile across the bow of your sub.  I could only hope that Tom Swift would succeed in eluding us.”

Ames quickly briefed the others on Narko’s background.  Brungarian-born, he had received his engineering training in the United States and had learned to love America.  When he saw his own country threatened by the forces of dictatorship, he had secretly offered his services to the CIA against the rebels.  Soon afterward, the agency had approached him to become a counterspy.