six o'clock
Chuckling , Tom began drawing up a list of supplies for the expedition . Bud helped with the details , after which Tom phoned the underground hangar and the Swifts ' rocket base at Fearing Island to give the orders for the next day . Crewmen were also detailed for the trip . It was six o'clock when the two boys finally piled into Tom 's low-slung sports car and drove to the Swifts ' big , pleasant house on the outskirts of Shopton . Sandra , Tom 's blond , vivacious sister , greeted them at the door . `` About time ! '' she teased .