Scotty yawned, and Rick took the opportunity to suggest, "Let's go to bed."
"I'm with you."
The boys excused themselves and in a short time were settled down for the night. Rick fell asleep almost instantly.
He awoke with Scotty shouting in his ear. "Let's go, Rick! Trouble!"
Rick was on his feet, into trousers and shoes before he was fully awake. Scotty had already dashed into the corridor. Rick joined him and the rest of the scientists, who were standing in a group in front of Jeffrey Williams' room. The white-haired scientist was holding a handkerchief to a bloody bruise on his head. Rick hurried up just in time to hear him tell the group:
"I don't know what happened. My door wasn't locked, so anyone could have come in. I didn't see a soul. I must have dozed off."
"What's going on?" Rick demanded.
His father answered. "Someone came into Jeff's room and slugged him, apparently while he was dozing over the tracings. Both the tracings and the sketch are gone!"