Robot Trouble Read Free

way,” whispered Trip, shining his flashlight to their right.
    Clink!
    It was nothing, really; the tiniest of sounds. But when Ray heard it he felt his stomach twist into a hard little ball. Tiny as it was, that sound had no business at all in a warehouse that was supposed to be abandoned! He switched off his flashlight and grabbed Trip’s arm.
    â€œDid you hear that?”
    â€œI heard,” replied Trip, clicking off his own light. He licked his lips nervously, straining to see through the sudden darkness.
    â€œWhat do you think it was?”
    â€œI don’t know. But I don’t like it.” Trip paused, then added, “I wish you weren’t so clumsy!”
    Ray felt himself blush. He hadn’t meant to stumble over that box! In fact, he had been making an extra effort to be quiet.
    â€œIt’s coming this way,” whispered Trip. “Do me a favor and don’t move!”
    â€œI’m frozen in my tracks!”
    Clink!
    The sound was closer this time. Trip pressed himself against the wall, fervently wishing he had never returned Ninja Experiments with Invisibility to the library.
    His wish intensified when a thin beam of light struck the floor in front of the boys.
    Pretend you’re a box! Ray ordered himself, flinching away from the light. Maybe no one will notice you .
    The sound drew closer.
    Why did I volunteer for this scrounging mission? wondered Trip miserably. I could be home eating spinach .
    Trip hated spinach. But at the moment facing a plateful of the disgusting green stuff seemed infinitely preferable to being caught by whoever was prowling the warehouse.
    Nervous as he was, the worst Ray was expecting was an angry member of Sergeant Brody’s security force. As he was wondering just how much trouble they were going to be in an ear-piercing blare shattered the stillness. Ray looked up, and began to scream. A monstrous creature with curved fangs, flashing red eyes, and a face that made sudden death seem preferable to being captured was heading straight for him, clawlike hands stretching and grasping ahead of it.
    â€œRun!” screamed Ray.
    Trip didn’t need any encouragement. He sprinted to his right like a rabbit startled by a hound.
    Ray started in the opposite direction, fell over another box, scrambled to his feet, and headed between two rows of towering shelves.
    Aside from the stumbling, this was all according to plan. After their first adventure, the gang had decided it would be a good idea to split in a situation like this. Then if one person got in trouble, the other could go for help.
    Go for help! thought Trip. Of course! What’s the matter with my brain?
    Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a small control device. I sure hope this works, he thought as he pushed the button that would send Rin Tin Stainless Steel to fetch the rest of the gang.
    He was turning to look for Ray when a pair of rough hands grabbed him from behind and snatched him into the air.

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    Laughter Here, Terror There
    Roger glanced at his watch. He was starting to worry about Trip and Ray. And he was getting peeved at Rachel, who had left forty-five minutes earlier to visit Dr. Weiskopf. This optical scanner had been her idea, and now she wouldn’t even be here to help them install it.
    â€œRats!” exclaimed Hap, who was tinkering with something on the other side of the room. Working delicately, he pulled a broken wire from the scanner’s feed unit, then rolled some fresh wire off the coil at his side. “Will somebody give me a hand with this thing?” he asked irritably as he clipped the piece of wire.
    Wendy had just gotten up to help him when something began scratching at the door. Wendy moved to open it, but Norman the Doorman—a primitive butler-bot Ray had salvaged from the scrap heap—beat her to it.
    â€œWelcome to our happy headquarters!” it said, throwing open the door.
    A small metallic form dashed through, far below