[Illustration: "THERE IT IS!" CRIED JOE, AS THE MUSIC SUDDENLYBURST UPON THEIR EARS]

THE RADIO BOYS' FIRST WIRELESS

OR WINNING THE FERBERTON PRIZE

BY ALLEN CHAPMAN

FOREWORD

BY JACK BINNS

It is very appropriate at this moment when radio has taken thecountry by storm, and aroused an enthusiasm never before equaled, that the possibilities for boys in this art should be brought outin the interesting and readable manner shown in the first book ofthis series. 

Radio is still a young science, and some of the most remarkableadvances in it have been contributed by amateurs--that is, by boyexperimenters. It is never too late to start in the fascinating game, and the reward for the successful experimenter is rich both in honorand recompense. 

Just take the case of E. H. Armstrong, one of the most famous ofall the amateurs in this country. He started in as a boy at home, in Yonkers, experimenting with home-made apparatus, and discoveredthe circuit that has revolutionized radio transmission and reception. His circuit has made it possible to broadcast music, and speech, andit has brought him world-wide fame. 

He had no elaborate laboratory in which to experiment, but hepersevered and won out. Like the Radio Boys in this story, he wasconfronted with all kinds of odds, but with true American spirithe stuck to his task and triumphed. 

The attitude of the government toward the wireless amateur is wellillustrated by the expressions of Secretary of Commerce HerbertHoover, and is summed up in his declaration, "I am for the Americanboy. "

No other country in the world offers such opportunities to boyexperimenters in the radio field. The government realizes that thereis always a possibility of other important discoveries being madeby the boy experimenters, and that is the reason it encourages theamateur. 

Don't be discouraged because Edison came before you. There is stillplenty of opportunity for you to become a new Edison, and no scienceoffers the possibilities in this respect as does radio communication. 

Jack BinnsMarch 30th 1922

CONTENTS

I. THE AUTO CRASHII. TAKING CHANCESIII. WONDERS OF WIRELESSIV. MYSTERIOUS FORCESV. CROOKED WORKVI. A PRACTICAL OBJECT LESSONVII. IN THE DARKVIII. GETTING A STARTIX. WORK AND FUNX. A STEALTHY RASCALXI. CLEVER THINKINGXII. FORGING AHEADXIII. THRASHING A BULLYXIV. ON THE VERGEXV. THE FINISHING TOUCHXVI. SWEETS OF VICTORYXVII. THE FERBERTON PRIZEXVIII. FRIENDLY RIVALSXIX. A SPLENDID INSPIRATIONXX. THE TIME OF THEIR LIVESXXI. THE VOICE THAT STUTTEREDXXII. THE STOLEN SETXXIII. BATTERING IN THE DOORXXIV. ON THE TRAILXXV. THE PRIZE

THE RADIO BOYS' FIRST WIRELESS

CHAPTER I

THE AUTO CRASH

"How about it, Joe?" asked Bob Layton of his chum, Joe Atwood, asthey came out of school one afternoon, swinging their books by strapsover their shoulders. "Going up to Dr. Dale's house to-night?"

"You bet I am, " replied Joe enthusiastically. "I wouldn't miss itfor a farm. I'm keen to know more about this wireless business, andI'm sure the doctor can tell us more about it than any one else. "

"He sure does get a fellow interested, " agreed Bob. "He isn't abit preachy about it, either. Just talks to you in words you canunderstand. But all the time you know he's got a lot back of it andcould tell you ten times as much about it if you asked him. Makes youfeel safe when you listen to him. Not a bit of guesswork or anythinglike that. "

"What are you fellows chinning about?" asked Jimmy Plummer, one oftheir schoolmates, who came up to them at that moment. "You seem allworked up about something. "

"It's about that talk Dr. Dale is going to give us to-night on thewireless telephone, " answered Bob, as he edged over a little to giveJimmy room to walk beside them. "You're going, aren't you? The doctorsaid he wanted all the boys to come who could. "

"Do you suppose there'll be any eats?" asked Jimmy, who was roundand fat, and who went by the nickname of "Doughnuts" among his matesbecause of his fondness for that special delicacy. 

"Always thinking of that precious stomach of yours!" laughed Bob. "Jimmy, I'm ashamed of you. You're getting so fat now that prettysoon you won't have to walk to school. You can just roll there likea barrel. "

"You string beans are only jealous because I get more fun out ofeating than you do, " declared Jimmy, with a grin. "But eats or noeats, I'm going to hear what the doctor has to say. I got a letterthe other day from a cousin of mine out in Michigan, and he told meall about a set that he'd made and put up himself. Said he was justcrazy about it. Wanted me to go into it so that he and I might talktogether. Of course, though, I guess he was just kidding me aboutthat. Michigan's a long way off, and it takes more than a day toget there on a train. "

"Distance doesn't make much difference, " declared Bob. "Alreadythey've talked across the Atlantic Ocean. "

"Not amateurs?" objected Joe incredulously. 

"Yes, even amateurs, " affirmed Bob. "My dad was reading in the papersthe other night about a man in New Jersey who was talking to a friendnear by and told him that he was going to play a phonograph recordfor him. A man over in Scotland, over three thousand miles away, heardevery word he said and heard the music of the phonograph too. A shiptwo thousand miles out on the Atlantic heard the same record, and sodid another ship in a harbor in Central America. Of course, the papersaid, that was only a freak, and amateur sets couldn't do that oncein a million times. But it did it that time, all right. I tell you, fellows, that wireless telephone is a wonder. Talk about the storiesof the Arabian Nights! They aren't in it. "

There was a loud guffaw behind the lads, accompanied by snickers, and the friends turned around to see three boys following them. 

One of them, who was apparently the leader of the trio, was a big, unwieldy boy of sixteen, a year older and considerably larger thanBob and Joe. His eyes were close together, and he had a look ofcoarseness and arrogance that denoted the bully. Buck Looker, ashe was called--his first name was Buckley--was generally unpopularamong the boys, but as he was the son of one of the richest men ofthe town he usually had one or two cronies who hung about him for whatthey could get. One of these, Carl Lutz, an unwholesome looking boy, somewhat younger than Buck, was walking beside him, and on the sidenearer the curb was Terry Mooney, the youngest of the three, a boywhose, furtive eyes carried in them a suggestion of treachery andsneakiness. 

"What's the joke, Buck?" asked Bob coldly, as he looked from oneto the other of the sniggering faces. 

"You're the joke, " answered Buck insolently; "that is, if you believeall that stuff I heard you pulling off just now. You must be easy ifyou fall for that. "

"I wasn't talking to you, " replied Bob, restraining himself with somedifficulty. "But since you've butted in, perhaps you'll tell me justwhat it is that's so funny about the wireless telephone. "

"The whole thing is bunk, if you ask me, " replied Buck with theconfidence that so often goes with ignorance. "Telephoning withoutwires! You might as well talk of walking without legs. "

This argument seemed to him so overpowering that he swelled out hischest and looked triumphantly at his two companions, whose facesinstantly took on the same expression. 

"You made a ten strike that time, Buck, " declared Lutz, clapping himon the shoulder. 

"Hit the target right in the bull's-eye, " chimed in Terry, witha smirk. 

Bob and Joe and Jimmy looked at each other, and, despite theirresentment, had all they could do to keep from breaking into laughter. 

Buck noticed their amused expression, and his coarse face grew redand mottled. 

"Well, " he demanded, "what have you got to say to that? Am I rightor ain't I?"

"You're wrong, " replied Joe promptly. "Dead wrong. You're so farfrom the truth that you couldn't see it with a telescope. You'retalking like a ham sandwich. "

"Look out what you're saying, Joe Atwood, or I'll make you sorryfor it, " threatened Buck, as he clinched his fist, an ugly lookcoming into his eyes. 

"I apologize, " said Joe. "That is, I apologize to the hamsandwich. "

Bob laid a restraining hand on his friend's arm. 

"Easy, Joe, " he counseled. "Listen, Buck, " he went on. "Did you everhear of Marconi?"

"Sure, I did, " replied Buck. "He's the fellow that had the fightwith Julius Caesar. The one that Cleopatra was dippy about. "

"No, " said Bob patiently. "You're thinking of Mark Antony. He's beendead for more than eighteen hundred years. The man I mean is a verylive one. He's the inventor of wireless telegraphy. "

"Never heard of him, " muttered Buck sullenly. 

"Well, since you never heard of him, we'll mention some one else, "continued Bob. "I was only going to say that he's a pretty brainyfellow, and he believes in the wireless telephone. Then there'sEdison. Perhaps you've heard of him?"

"Of course I have, " blurted Buck furiously. "Say, what are you tryingto do? Make a fool of me?"

"Nature's done that already, " Joe put in, but Bob checked him. 

"I'm simply trying to show, " Bob explained, "that if we're 'easy, 'as you call it, in 'falling for that stuff, ' there are a lot of ablemen in the United States who are in the same boat with us. In factthere isn't a man of brains and education in the country who doesn'tbelieve in it. "

"Do you mean to say that I haven't any brains?" cried Buck in a fury. 

"Not exactly that, " replied Bob. "But perhaps you don't use whatbrains you have. That happens sometimes, you know. "

"I guess a fellow's got a right to his own opinions, " blustered CarlLutz, coming to the rescue of his discomfited leader. 

"Of course he has, " retorted Joe. "But when it's that kind of opinionhe ought to put on the soft pedal. Any one has a right to have a clubfoot or a hunched back or cross eyes, but he doesn't usually go roundboasting of them. "

"You're a wise bunch, I'll tell the world, " sneered Buck in lieu ofa more stinging retort. 

"Not at all, " replied Joe. "It's you that claim to be wiser thanEdison and the rest of them. But you mustn't think because you havewater on the brain that you're the whole ocean. "

The air was full of electricity and matters were tense between the twogroups when a diversion came in the form of a halloo from the otherside of the street, and Herb Fennington, a special friend of Boband Joe, came running over to greet them. They stopped for a moment, and Buck and his cronies passed on, favoring Bob, Joe and Jimmy withmalignant scowls as they did so. 

"Hello, Herb!" called Bob, as the latter came up to them, a littlebreathless from running. 

"Hello, fellows!" returned Herb, as he looked after Buck and hiscompanions. "What's up with Buck and his gang? Looked as if therewas going to be a fight about something. "

"Not so bad as that, I guess, " replied Bob, with a laugh, "thoughBuck did look as though he'd like to take a swing at us. "

"I only wish he had, " grunted Joe. "That fellow certainly gets me mad, and I wouldn't mind at all having some excuse for pitching into him. "

"What was it all about?" asked Herb, with lively curiosity. 

"He heard us talking about the wireless telephone and butted in, "explained Bob. "Practically told us we were fools for believingthat there is such a thing. "

Herb laughed outright. 

"Sounds like Buck, " he commented. "What he doesn't know would filla book. "

"A whole library you mean, " corrected Joe. 

"A library then, " agreed Herb, as the boys resumed their walk, whichhad now brought them close to the business part of the town. "But say, fellows, forget about Buck and listen to this. It's a good one thatI heard yesterday. Why is--"

He was interrupted by a shout from Bob. 

"Look, " he cried, "look at that auto! It's running wild!"

Their startled eyes followed the direction of Bob's pointing finger. 

An automobile was describing curious antics in the middle of thestreet. It made short dashes here and there, hesitated, zigzagged. Then it turned suddenly toward the curb, dashed on the sidewalkand amid a crash of broken glass plunged through the plate glasswindows of a store. 

CHAPTER II

TAKING CHANCES

There was a moment of stupefaction on the part of the boys at thesuddenness of what promised to be a tragedy. Then in a flash theycame to life. 

"There was a girl in that auto!" cried Bob, as he dashed toward thestore, the others following close on his heels. "Hurry up, fellows. She may be badly hurt. "

"More likely killed, " muttered Joe. "Don't see how any one couldlive through that. "

The store through whose windows the car had dashed was the largestpaint and hardware store in the town. The crash had resounded farand near, and people were rushing toward it from all directions. Theboys reached the place first, however. They opened the door and racedin, only to be greeted with a heavy volume of smoke, through whichflickered tongues of fire. 

In the midst of a mass of débris was standing the wrecked auto. The gasoline tank had been smashed by the impact, and the contents, luckily a small amount, had been scattered over the place and comein contact with a stove. The flames had spread to a large part ofthe paints and oils and other inflammable materials that the storecontained. One of the clerks in the place had been hit and stunnedby the car, while two others, together with the proprietor and acustomer, were making desperate attempts to beat out the flames. 

Bob's quick eye caught sight of a case of hand grenades standing nearthe entrance, and his qualities of leadership came into play at once. 

"Grab those grenades, you, Herb, and, you, Jimmy, " he cried, "andthrow them where they're most needed. Come with me, Joe, and getthat girl out of the car. Quick!"

In a twinkling, Herb and Jimmy were hurling the grenades at the pointswhere the fire seemed to have gained most headway, while Bob and Joeworked their way over the mass of boxes and wrecked fixtures to theplace where the runaway automobile had ended its mad rush. 

The plate glass windows had reached almost to the ground, so thatthe automobile with its great momentum had easily surmounted thesills and reached nearly the middle of the store. One wheel hadbeen torn off, the windshield was shattered into fragments, andthe front of the machine had been crushed in. 

In the driver's seat, still with her hand on the wheel, was the figureof a girl. No sound came from her, and from the way her body droopedforward, limp and motionless, it was evident that she was eitherunconscious or dead. The boys feared the worst, especially when theysaw a stream of blood trickling down from a wound near her temple. 

They worked at top speed, trying to reach her and draw her out fromthe driver's seat. But the bent and tangled mass of wreckage held hercaptive, and it was only after other willing hands had come to theirassistance that they were able to lift her from the car. 

They bore her to a point just outside the door, and laid her on someboxes that were hurriedly placed side by side. Her eyes were closedand she was deadly pale, the whiteness of her face being accentuatedby the blood that dripped from her wound. She was a young girl, apparently no more than twenty, and was quietly though tastefullydressed. It was evident that she still breathed, and a slightfluttering of the eyelids indicated that she was returning toconsciousness. Directly across the street was the Sterling House, named after its proprietor, and Mrs. Sterling, a motherly lookingwoman, who was among those who crowded around to look and help, recognized the girl at once. 

"Why, she's one of our guests!" she exclaimed. "Her name is Berwick--Miss Nellie Berwick--and she's been staying with us for the last threedays. Some of you bring her across to her room, and some one elsehurry and get a doctor. Oh, there's Dr. Ellis now!" she exclaimedwith great relief, as she descried a tall figure in the crowdhurrying to the side of the injured girl. 

Under the doctor's directions, Bob and Joe, assisted by two others, lifted the girl and carried her across to the hotel. And while theyare engaged in this work of helpfulness, it may be well for a betterunderstanding of our story to sketch briefly the careers of Bob andJoe and their friends and the surroundings in which they had beenbrought up. 

Bob Layton was the son of Henry Layton, the leading druggist andchemist of the town. Bob had been born and brought up in Clintonia, which was a thriving town of about ten thousand inhabitants inan Eastern state, about seventy-five miles from New York City. Itwas located on the Shagary river, a stream that afforded abundantopportunities for boating, fishing, and swimming, and was a sourceof endless pastime and recreation for the boys. 

Bob, at the time this story opens, was fifteen years old, of ratherdark complexion, and was tall and well-developed for his age. He wasvigorous and athletic and a lover of outdoor sports. His magnetism andvitality made him a "live wire, " and he was the natural leader amongthe boys with whom he associated. His nature was frank and friendly, and he was extremely popular with all those who were worth while. Withthat he had a quick temper, which he had learned, however, to keepunder control. He never looked for trouble, but at the same time henever side-stepped it, and any one who tried to bulldoze and imposeon him speedily found that he had picked out the wrong person. 

Joe Atwood, Bob's special chum, was a boy of about the same age andwas the son of Dr. Atwood, a prominent and respected physician ofthe town. Between him and Bob a warm friendship existed, and whereone was found the other was certain to be not very far off. He had afair complexion with merry blue eyes, that, however, could flash fireon occasion. As has already been seen in his interchanges with BuckLooker, he had a "quick trigger" tongue, and was likely to say a thingfirst and regret it afterward, because he had gone perhaps too far. Bob, as the more self controlled of the chums, served as a sort ofcheck on the impulsiveness of his friend, and had many times kept himout of trouble. Joe shared Bob's fondness for athletic sports, and, like him, was a leading spirit in the baseball and football teamsof the town. 

Another thing that drew the boys together was their keen interest inanything pertaining to science. Each had marked mechanical ability, and would at any time rather put a contrivance together by theirown efforts than to have it bought for them ready made. It was thisquality that had made them enthusiastic regarding the wonders of thewireless telephone. 

Herbert Fennington was a year younger than the others and the sonof one of the principal merchants of Clintonia. He was lively, fullof fun and jokes and an all-around "good fellow. "

Jimmy Plummer was fourteen, round, fat, lazy, and good-natured, anda great lover of the good things of life. His father was a carpenter, thrifty, respected and a good citizen. 

As the boys all lived on West Main Street, a pleasant, shaded streetabout a quarter of a mile from the business center of the town, and within a few doors of each other, they were naturally thrownmuch together both in the daytime and when in the evenings theyforegathered at each other's homes to study together the lessons forthe next day or to indulge in a few hours of fun and recreation. 

The boys reached the hotel with their helpless burden and carriedthe girl upstairs to her room, where Mrs. Sterling had everythingin readiness for her reception. Then the doctor took her in hand andthe boys withdrew to the lobby of the hotel, where they planned towait for a few minutes until the results of the doctor's examinationcould become known. 

Now for the first time since the excitement began they had time tothink of themselves, and when they looked at each other they couldhardly forbear from laughing outright at the picture they presented. They were begrimed with smoke and grease, their clothes were rumpledand soiled, and Bob's sleeve had been split from shoulder to elbow, where it had been caught by a jagged strip of the material of thewrecked car. 

"You look like a stoker from the hold of an ocean steamer, " gibedJoe, as he looked at the unkempt figure of his friend. 

"It's dollars to doughnuts that you look just as bad, " responded Bob, with a grin, as he made a break for the washroom, followed by hischum. In the work of washing themselves, they found that it was notonly their clothes and appearance that had suffered. Each had a numberof scratches and blisters that they had not felt during the stirringperiod of rescue but that now made their presence known. But these, after all, were trifles, and they took them as simply a part ofthe day's work. 

They had only a few minutes to wait before the tall figure of thedoctor emerged from the sick room and descended the stairs. Theexpression on his face reassured them, as they hurried forward tohear his verdict. 

"There's no danger, " he declared, as soon as he came within speakingdistance, "though how she got off as easily as she did is almost amiracle. The crushed front and top of the machine acted as a sort ofprotection for her. The cut on the side of the face must have beenmade by a splinter of flying glass from the windshield. What she issuffering principally from is shock, and that's no wonder. Even oneof you rough and ready youngsters, " he added with a smile, "wouldfind it a shock to go flying through a plate glass window. "

"Sure thing, " said Bob in reply. "I'm mighty glad to know that thingsaren't any worse with her. I didn't think when we rushed in that we'dfind her alive at all. "

"You boys deserve great credit for the quickness and decision withwhich you acted, " the doctor said gravely. "The fire might havereached her in a few seconds more. I'm told that the auto caughtfire just after you got her out. 

"By the way, " he added, as he started to leave the hotel, "she hasbeen told of the way you rescued her, and she is very grateful. Shewanted me to let you come in so that she could thank you in person, but in her present weakened state I didn't think it advisable. I toldher, though, that I would speak to you about it, and that if you sodesired you could call on her tomorrow. "

"We'll be glad to, " answered Bob, and Joe nodded his assent as thedoctor with a wave of the hand went down the steps. 

The boys followed him a moment later and went across the street toview the scene of the wreck. The fire had been put out, and the localfire company, which had been summoned to the scene, was rolling upthe hose and getting ready to depart. The proprietor and clerks ofthe store, with the aid of volunteers, had drawn the wreck of thepartly burned automobile from the store, and it stood in the street, a melancholy ruin. It was clear that as an auto its day of usefulnesswas over. 

A large crowd still lingered about the spot, discussing the accident, which by its unique features had thoroughly stirred up the town. Itwas not often that an auto took a flying leap into a store and thestory of why and how it happened was sure to furnish a topic ofdiscussion for many days to come. 

Bob and Joe, as two of the principal figures in the event, weresurrounded at once and besieged with questions. Many were thecommendations also that were showered upon them for their courageand presence of mind. 

"Oh, that wasn't much, " protested Bob. "We just happened to be closeat hand when the auto went crazy. Anybody else would have done thesame. "

"Of course they would, " broke in Buck Looker, who with his cronieswas standing close by. "People are making an awful fuss about alittle thing, it seems to me. How about the work we did in helpingto put out the fire?"

"Did you?" asked Jimmy Plummer. "That's news to me. Look at yourhands and clothes. They haven't got a mark on them. I saw youstanding around outside, and you didn't lift a finger. "

"You keep your mouth shut or I'll shut it for you, " cried Buckangrily. "You're getting altogether too fresh. "

Jimmy was about to retort, but just then there came an interruption. 

CHAPTER III

WONDERS OF WIRELESS

"How are you, boys?" asked a pleasant voice, and the lads lookedup to see Dr. Amory Dale, the pastor of the "Old First Church" ofClintonia, standing beside them. 

Most of them responded cordially, for they liked and respected him. There was no stiffness or professionalism about him to make them feelthat they were being held at a distance. He was comparatively young, somewhere in the early thirties, and had the frame and bearing ofan athlete. There were rumors that he had been a star pitcher on hiscollege baseball nine and a quarterback on a football eleven whoseexploits were still cherished in the memory of his institution. He wasa lover of the out-of-doors and there was a breeziness and vitalitythat radiated from him and made him welcome wherever he went. He keptin touch with modern science, and it was said that he would haveembraced a scientific career if he had not felt it his duty to enterthe pulpit. 

"You boys seem to have had a strenuous time of it, " he said, as helooked with an amused smile at the torn and soiled clothes of Boband Joe as well as the scratches and blisters that marked them. "Ihear that you covered yourself with glory. Tell me more about it. "

They went into all the details they knew, passing over as rapidlyas possible their own part in the affair, and Dr. Dale listenedattentively. 

"Good work, " he commented. "The occasion came and you were equal toit, and that's all that can be asked of anybody. I think I'll stepover to the Sterling House now and see if I can be of any help tothe poor girl who has had such a trying experience. By the way, boys, I hope you won't forget about that wireless talk up at my houseto-night. I'm looking for you all to come if possible, and I'll domy best to see that you have a good time. "

"We're sure of that, " replied Bob, with a smile. "And we haven't beenthinking of much else since you first asked us to come. In fact, wewere talking about it just before the accident. "

"That's good, " replied the doctor. "You coming too, Buckley?" heasked, turning to Buck, who with his cronies was standing grouchilya little apart from the others. 

Buck stammered something which could be hardly understood, but whichwas interpreted by the doctor as a negative. The minister did notpress the matter, but with a pleasant wave of the hand that includedthem all he went across the street. 

"He's a brick, isn't he?" remarked Bob, as he looked after him. 

"You bet he is, " agreed Joe emphatically. 

"All wool and a yard wide, " was Herb's tribute, as the boys, havinggathered up their books, which in the excitement had been thrownwherever they happened to fall, resumed their walk toward theirhomes, leaving Buck and his mates glowering after them. 

There was no lack of animated conversation around their supper tablesthat night. Bob's parents made no secret of the fact that they wereproud of their son's part in the day's work. Joe, too, found himselfmade much of in the family circle, not only by his father and mother, but by his sister Rose, who hovered about him forestalling his wantsand showing him a deference that would have been highly flatteringif it had not been also somewhat embarrassing. Rose, a year or soyounger than Joe, was all aflutter with the romantic possibilitiesof the affair. A young girl in distress! Joe to the rescue! Whatcould be more interesting?

"Was she pretty, Joe?" she asked. 

"Blest if I know, " her brother answered briefly. "Pass me some moreof that roast veal, Sis. It goes right to the spot. "

With a sigh, Rose complied. Joe was so practical!

Herb and Jimmy came in for a modified share of applause because ofthe help they had rendered by their prompt and efficient handlingof the fire grenades, which had held the flames under control untilthe fire department could get to the place and complete the job. 

The minister's house adjoined the big stone church, which was on WestMain Street and divided the business from the residential part ofthe street. It was a roomy, capacious structure, and at about eighto'clock that night it became a place of pilgrimage for a large numberof the boys of the town. Buck Looker and his cronies were conspicuousby their absence, but this was a relief rather than a privation. 

Bob and his friends were among the first comers. They were warmlygreeted by Dr. Dale and ushered into the large living room of theparsonage. The portières had been drawn back between the front andback rooms so that nearly the whole ground floor was thrown intoone big room. Extra chairs had been brought in so that there wereaccommodations for a large number. There were no grown people inthe gathering, for the doctor had especially confined his invitationto the boys, who, he knew, would feel more at ease in the absenceof their elders. 

"There's Talley's wagon, " remarked Jimmy, as he noted the presenceat the curb of a vehicle bearing the name of the leading catererof the town. "I'll bet we're going to have some eats. "

"And you've just come from the supper table!" exclaimed Bob. 

"He's like a trolley car, " chaffed Joe. "You can always crowd moreinto it. "

"Don't you know the doctor's going to give you a feast of reason?"asked Herb with mock gravity. 

"Reason's all right, " admitted Jimmy, "but there isn't muchnourishment in it. "

"How about a flow of soul?" asked Bob. 

"Nothing against it, " Jimmy answered, "but a flow of lemonade hasits good points too. "

From the time the boys entered the room their eyes were fixed ona box-like contrivance that was placed on a table close up againstthe wall of the further room. It had a number of polished knobs anddials and several groups of wires that seemed to lead in or out ofthe instrument. Connected with it was a horn such as was common enoughin the early days of the phonograph. There were also several pairsof what looked like telephone ear pieces lying on the table. 

They eyed it with intense curiosity, not unmixed with awe. They hadalready heard and read enough of the wireless telephone to realizethat it was one of the greatest marvels of modern times. It seemedalmost like something magical, something which, like the lamp ofAladdin, could summon genii who would be obedient to the call. 

The rooms were comfortably filled when Dr. Dale, with a genial smile, rose and took up his stand near the table. 

"Now, boys, " he said, "I've asked you to come here to-night so that wecan talk together and get a little better idea of some of the wondersof the world we are living in. One of those wonders and perhaps themost wonderful of all is the wireless telephone, " and here he laidhis hand on the box beside him. "Most of you have heard of it and wantto learn more about it. I'm going to try to explain it to you justas simply as I possibly can. And I'm not going to do all the talkingeither, for I want you to feel free to ask any questions you like. And before I do any talking worth mentioning, I'm going to give youa little idea of what the wireless telephone can do. "

The boys watched him breathlessly as he handled two of the knobs atthe side of the box. A moment later they heard the clear, vibrantnotes of a violin playing a beautiful selection from one of theoperas. The music rose and swelled in wonderful sweetness until itfilled the room, with the delicious melody and held all the hearersentranced under its spell. It was evident that only the hand ofa master could draw such exquisite music from the instrument. 

The doctor waited until the last notes had died away, and smiled withgratification as he saw the rapt look on the faces of his visitors. 

"Sounds as if it were in the next room, doesn't it?" he asked. "But that music came from Newark, New Jersey. "

"Gee, " whispered Jimmy to Bob, alongside whom he was sitting, "that's nearly a hundred miles from here. "

"But there's no need of confining ourselves to any place as nearas that, " continued the doctor. "What do you say to listening inon Pittsburg? That's only a trifle of four hundred miles or sofrom here. "

"He calls four hundred miles a trifle!" breathed Jimmy. "Pinch me, somebody. I must be dreaming. "

Joe on his other side pinched him so sharply that Jimmy almostjumped from his chair. 

"Lay off there, " he murmured indignantly. 

"S-sh, " cautioned Bob, for by this time the doctor had made anotheradjustment. 

Then into the room burst the stirring strains of the "Stars andStripes Forever" played by a band that had a national reputation. The rhythm and dash and fire of the performance were such thatthe boys had all they could do to keep their seats, and, as it was, their feet half unconsciously beat time to the music. 

"Hit you hard, did it?" smiled Dr. Dale, who, to tell the truth, hadbeen keeping time himself. "Well, I don't wonder. I'd hate to seethe time when music like that wouldn't shake you up. But now we'llgo a few hundred miles farther and see what Detroit has to give us. "

Jimmy was past speech by this time and could only look at his comradesin helpless wonder. Then the twang of a banjo sounded through therooms and to the thrumming of the strings came a voice in rich negrodialect

 "It rained all night the day I left, The next day it was dry, The sun so hot I froze to death Susanna, don't you cry. "

CHAPTER IV

MYSTERIOUS FORCES

The boys broke out in roars of laughter in which the doctor joinedheartily. 

"You see how it is, " he said, as the song came to an end. "There'shardly anything you can think of that you can't hear over the wirelesstelephone. It takes you anywhere you want to go in a fraction of asecond. In the last few minutes, we've covered quite a section of theUnited States, and with a still stronger instrument we could go rightout to the Pacific coast and hear the barking of the sea lions at theGolden Gate. "

"Wonder if we could hear the barking of the hot dogs at Coney Island, "whispered the irrepressible Herb, who would have his joke. 

Bob nudged him sharply and Herb subsided. 

"And you can pick out any kind of entertainment you want, " the doctorwent on. "The great stations from which this music was sent out haveprograms which are published every day, together with the exact timethat the selections will be given. At a given minute you can make youradjustment and listen to a violin solo, a band concert, a politicalspeech, a sermon, or anything else that you want. If it doesn't pleaseyou, you can shut it off at once, which is much easier and pleasanterthan getting up and going out from an audience. 

"We'll have some more selections later on in the evening, " hecontinued, "but now I want to explain to you how this thing is done. I can't hope to do much more than touch the surface of the subjectto-night, for I don't want to tire you out, and there'll be plenty ofother nights and days when I hope you boys will call upon me for anyinformation that you want and I can give. 

"Of course the whole thing is based on electricity, the most wonderfulthing that perhaps there is in the whole physical world. Nobody knowswhat electricity is--Mr. Edison himself doesn't know. We only knowthat it is a wonderful fluid and that the ether is full of it. Butthough we don't know what it is, scientific men have learned how todevelop and use its energy, and among other things they have harnessedit in the service of the wireless telephone. 

"Take for instance a quiet lake. It may seem absolutely still, butif you throw a stone in it you start a number of ripples that keepspreading further and further out until they break on the shore. Soif you hit a drum with a stick, sound waves are stirred up that keepspreading out very much like the ripples on the lake. 

"Now electricity is something like that. It doesn't begin to act untilyou do something to it. The impulse to ripple is in the quiet lake allthe time, but it doesn't ripple until you throw the stone in it. Thesound quality is in the drum, but you don't hear it until you hit thedrum with a stick. So you've got to put into the ether something thatdisturbs the electricity in it, something that stirs it up, and thenthis disturbance makes waves that travel on, just as the waves on thelake follow one another and just as the sound waves from the drum keeppushing each other along. 

"A man named Hertz discovered a way of stirring up this energy, snapping it, you might say, as a man snaps a whip. It was found thatthese waves could be made long enough and strong enough to go allthe way across the Atlantic Ocean, in fact to go around the world. 

"Around the world!" murmured Jimmy, and again he was tempted to asksomebody to pinch him, but remembered his previous experience andstopped just in time. 

"Now, " continued the doctor, "you may ask what this has to do withthe voice, for it is with the voice that one talks over the 'phone. The whole principle of the wireless telephone is based on the factthat sound can be transformed into electricity and then can betransformed back into sound again. I know, " he said, with a smile, "that that sounds very much like saying that you can make eggs intoan omelet and then get the omelet back into separate eggs again"--here there was an audible snicker from the boys--"but that is verymuch like what is done by the wireless, although it doesn't exactlyfit the case. 

"Now see what a wonderful increase in power you get the moment thesound waves are changed into electric waves. Sound goes at the rateof one thousand and ninety feet a second. Electrical energy travelsat the rate of one hundred and eighty-six thousand miles a second. In other words it could go around the world more than seven timesin a single second. 

"When you speak into a telephone, unless you are greatly excited, you don't use more than a fiftieth part of the power of your voice. But by the time that sound has been caught up and churned, as itwere, into electrical energy it is more than a hundred thousandtimes as loud and strong. 

"Suppose now, just as an illustration, that you were going totelephone to Europe. You'd pick up the 'phone and give your message. That sound would go in the form of a tiny electrical impulse into oneof the great sending stations on the Atlantic Coast, we'll say, andthere it would be caught up by a powerful lot of electrical machines, amplifiers, alternators, and others, that would keep making itstronger and stronger until finally it was flung out into space fromthe ends of the great wires or antennae. Out and out it would go untilit struck a lot of wires on the other side of the ocean. Then it wouldgo through another process that would gradually change the electricalimpulse back into sound again, and the man at the other end of thetelephone would hear your voice, just as one does now when you 'phoneto any one in this town. "

He paused for a moment, and there was a long drawn breath on the partof his auditors that testified to the rapt attention with which theyhad followed him into this fairyland of science. 

"So much for the theory and principle of the wireless, " resumed thedoctor. "Of course I've only scratched the surface, and if I talkedto you all night there'd be still lots left to say. But we only needto know a little about it to put it to practical use. And it is thepractical use of the wireless telephone that I'm especially interestedin for the sake of you boys. I'm satisfied that there's hardlyanything that could give you more pleasure or more benefit than foreach of you to have one of these contrivances in your own home. It'sa wonderful educator, it helps to develop your interest in science, and what will perhaps appeal to you most of all, you can have morefun with it than anything else I know of. "

Here Bob put in a question that was in the minds of many ofthe others. 

"Does it cost very much, Doctor?" he asked. 

"Not very much, " the doctor replied. "Of course, some of the morepowerful ones with vacuum tubes and other high class improvements runinto the hundreds of dollars. But some very good receiving sets--andthat's all you could use at the start, for it takes considerable timeand you have to get a license before you are permitted to transmit--can be bought for from twenty-five to seventy-five dollars. "

There was a little gasp at this, some of which was due to a feeling ofdisappointment. It seemed beyond the range of what they could save upfrom their pocket money, and while the parents of some of them werewell to do, others came from simple and frugal homes where everydollar had to be carefully counted. 

The doctor was quick to note the expression on many faces, and tookpains at once to remove any feeling of discouragement. 

"But don't let that bother you at all, " he said, "for with a littlethought and planning any one of you will be able to build a telephonereceiving set for himself at hardly any cost at all. In fact, I'd muchrather have you build one than buy one, for in that way you'll get anunderstanding of the whole thing that otherwise you might not get atall. You'd be surprised perhaps if I told you that this set here wasbuilt by me and I wouldn't exchange the experience I've had in puttingit together for a good deal of money. "

"But you knew how to do it, " put in Joe, "while we don't know thefirst thing about it. We wouldn't know how to start, even, let alonefinish one. "

"I was coming to that, " returned Dr. Dale, smiling. "As some of youknow, I've fitted up a workshop in the barn behind this house whereI do a good deal of tinkering in my spare hours. Now I'm going to askyou boys to come out there next Saturday and see me build a wirelessreceiving set from A to Z. You'll be surprised to see how much can bedone with a few things that cost very little money and with a lot ofthings that don't cost any money at all. How about it, boys?"

It was almost with a whoop that the invitation was accepted by hiseager hearers, and the minister smiled with gratification at theirenthusiasm. 

"Now that's all the talking I'm going to do tonight, " he said. "Andas talking's rather dry work, I'm going to have a little refreshment. Will you boys join me?"

Would they join him? They would and they did, and the havoc theywrought on the sandwiches and cake and ice-cream that were brought inand passed around was something to be remembered. Jimmy in particularate until his eyes bulged and fully sustained his previous reputation. And while they ate, the doctor turned on one lively selection afteranother, finishing with a selection from a jazz band that sent theminto a frenzy of laughter. 

They were still tingling with it as they finally said good-nightto the doctor and started on their way home. 

"Oh, you wireless telephone!" exclaimed Herb. 

"Isn't it a wonder?" ejaculated Joe. 

"Wonder!" repeated Bob. "It's a miracle!"

CHAPTER V

CROOKED WORK

"We've got to get busy right away and rig up wireless telephones ofour own, " continued Bob. "Of course they won't be anything like thedoctor's, but they ought to be good enough for us to get a lot of funout of them. "

"You bet we will, " agreed Joe. "Gee, I can't wait to get at it! Ifit wasn't so late I believe I'd start in figuring on it to-night. "

"Count me in on it too, " chimed in Jimmy. "In a week or so we'll besending messages everywhere. I'll be talking maybe to that cousin ofmine in Michigan. "

"Come out of your trance, Jimmy, " laughed Bob, clapping him on theshoulder. "Things don't move so fast as that. It'll be a good longtime before you'll be sending any messages. You'll have to learn allabout receiving them first; and believe me there's a good deal tolearn about that. Then before you can send any messages you have topass an examination and get a license. But for quite a time we'll haveour hands full and our ears full with attending to the receiving endof the game. One step at a time is the rule in radio, as well as inanything else that's worth while. "

"I didn't know that, " replied Jimmy, somewhat dashed by theinformation. "I had an idea that we could send just as soon aswe got our sets made. "

"How about you, Herb?" asked Bob. "You're in it with the rest of ustoo, aren't you?"

"With both feet, " replied Herb. "I think that the wireless is thegreatest thing that ever happened. But I don't know about making onefor myself. I'm all thumbs when it comes to doing any mechanical work. You fellows are handy with tools, but I have all I can do to keep outof my own way. I guess I'll ask my dad to buy me a set and let it goat that. "

"That's what you think now, " replied Joe, "but I'll bet when you seethe rest of us getting busy, you'll pitch in too and make your ownmachine. Besides, from what the doctor says, it doesn't take a geniusto put the thing together. "

They separated for the night with their heads still full of thewonders they had heard and seen, and the enthusiasm, was stillwith them when they woke the next morning. 

At the breakfast tables the conversation was divided between theirexperience of the night before and the newspaper account of the autoaccident. A good deal of space was devoted to the latter, and it wasgratifying to learn that although the damage to the store had beenconsiderable the loss was covered by insurance and that the younglady whose automobile had crashed into the store had not beenseriously injured and was expected to be around again in a few days. The coolness and courage with which Bob and Joe had acted and the partplayed by Herb and Jimmy in checking the spread of the flames were notoverlooked. The comment that went with it was warm and appreciative, so much so in fact that, while the boys were not wholly displeasedwith it, they felt, as Joe expressed it, that the reporter was"spreading it on too thick" and feared that they would have toundergo no end of "joshing" from their mates. 

Their lessons in school that day did not receive all the attentionthat was due them, for their minds were taken up pretty fully by theevents of the last twenty-four hours. But three o'clock came at last, and with it came the reminder that they were to call on their way homeat the Sterling House, in order to see Miss Berwick, in accordancewith her request of the day before. 

Bustling, motherly Mrs. Sterling greeted Bob and Joe with a smile, as they made known their errand. 

"So here are the young heroes that the paper has been making so muchfuss about, " she said mischievously, and Bob and Joe blushed to theirears. "Just wait a minute until I run up and see if Nellie is readyto receive you. "

"If it's too late, we can wait until another day, " said Bob. 

"Oh, no, " replied Mrs. Sterling. "She's been looking forward to yourcoming all day and has spoken about it a number of times. She is veryanxious to thank you both, and I'm sure it will do her good to seeyou. The doctor was here this morning and said it would be all right. Of course, it won't do to stay too long, for the poor lamb is stillrather nervous after her accident, and no wonder. Just wait here aminute. "

She disappeared, but a moment later was at the head of the stairsmotioning to them to come up. 

They were ushered into a bright, sunny room, where they found MissBerwick resting in an easy chair, propped up with pillows. 

She was a pretty girl with blue eyes and brown hair and regularfeatures. Her age appeared to be about twenty. Her face was pale, as was natural under the circumstances, but it lighted up with afriendly and grateful smile as the party, entered. 

She extended her hand to the boys in turn, as Mrs. Sterlingintroduced them. 

"You must excuse my not rising, " she said, "but I've had a rathernerve-racking experience, as no one knows better than yourselves. I want to thank you with all my heart for the way you came to myhelp when I was unable to help myself. "

"Oh, you make too much of it, Miss Berwick, " Bob replied, and Joeassented with a nod of his head. "We just had the good luck to beclose at hand, and if we hadn't done it, somebody else would. "

"That doesn't change the fact that you did it, " replied the girl. "And you took a chance of losing your lives. The gasoline tank mighthave exploded and killed us all. "

"We're mighty glad that you came out of it as well as you did, "said Bob warmly. 

"It's almost a miracle that you weren't killed, " added Joe. 

"I suppose I deserve a severe scolding for having caused all thisexcitement and damage, " was the response. "I don't know what on earthcaused the accident. There seemed to be something the matter withthe steering gear. Then I got excited and dizzy and tried to stopthe machine. What I think happened was that I put my foot on theaccelerator when I meant to put it on the brake. Then when I sawthat the car was plunging toward the window, I either fainted or wasmade unconscious later from the shock. After the first awful crashI didn't know anything more until I woke in this room and foundthe doctor bending over me. "

"You're a stranger to this town, aren't you?" asked Bob, with an ideaof getting her mind off the subject, which he could see was beginningto excite her. "Mrs. Sterling was telling us that you had only beenhere for a few days. "

"Yes, " responded the girl. "I live in the town of Lisburn, about tenmiles from here. I'm all alone in the world"--here a shade of sadnesspassed over her expressive face. "My father and mother are dead andI live with an aunt of mine. I never had any brothers or sisters. My father died some months ago and left me some property, and it wasin connection with that matter that I came to Clintonia. This is thecounty seat, you know, and I wanted to consult the records in theoffice of the County Clerk. There seems to be a terrible tangle aboutthe whole thing. Perhaps it was because I became so nervous over thematter that things went wrong yesterday. "

"I'm sorry, that you've had so much trouble, " said Bobsympathetically, "and I hope that it will all come out rightin a little while. "

"If it were just a little confusion or mistake, it probably would, "replied Miss Berwick, with a touch of despondency in her manner. "But there's dishonesty involved. I know there is, but I don't seehow I'm going to prove it. "

"Do you mean that somebody's trying to cheat you out of yourproperty?" asked Bob, with quickened interest. 

"It must be the meanest kind of a rascal that would swindle anorphan, " put in Joe indignantly. 

"I'm afraid there are only too many of that kind in the world, "replied the girl, with a faint smile in which there was no traceof mirth. "You see I've never had the least bit of business trainingand I suppose I would be easy prey. But I'm afraid I'm boring youwith my troubles, " she added, catching herself up suddenly. 

"Not at all, " replied Bob, as Joe also made a gesture of dissent. "In fact I hope you'll go right ahead and tell us all about it. Ofcourse we don't know much about law, but our fathers have lived inthis town for years and know almost everybody in the county, and theymay be able to be of some service to you. Who is the rascal that youthink is trying to cheat you out of your property?"

"I don't suppose you know him, " replied the girl, visibly cheeredby the sympathy and interest of the boys. "His name is Cassey--DanCassey, and he lives in the town of Elwood, only a few miles fromLisburn. He held a mortgage of four thousand dollars on my father'shouse. When father was taken with his last illness he was very anxiousthat the mortgage should be paid so that he could leave the house tome free and clear. He had enough money in the bank to pay it and hehad me draw it out and keep it in the house. He intended to settlethe matter himself, but death came to him before he could attendto it. 

"I knew what his wishes were, and as soon as the funeral was over Iwent to see Cassey and told him that I wanted to pay off the mortgage. I saw his eyes glisten when I told him that I had the money at hometo do it with. Of course, I realize now that I ought to have had alawyer attend to the business for me, but, as I say, I have neverhad any experience in business and I had a general idea that most menwere honest and that there'd be no trouble about it. Cassey made anappointment for me to come to his office the next day with the money. When I went there he was alone. He usually has a stenographer, butI suppose he had sent her away so that there would be no witnesses. I gave him the money in bills. "

"Then of course you got a receipt for it, " interrupted Bob. 

"No, I didn't, " replied the young girl, her face flushing. "Oh, don't think that I didn't have sense enough to ask for one, " she said, as she saw the boys look at each other in surprise. "I did ask himfor one, but he said that the mortgage itself would be a sufficientreceipt and he would go over to the bank where he kept it in hissafety deposit box and get it for me. Then he looked at his watch, and seemed surprised when he saw that it was past banking hours andtoo late to get it that day. He said he was awfully sorry, but thathe would get it for me the next day and made an appointment for me tocall and get it at his office. He seemed so sorry that he wasn't ableto give it to me on the spot that I took it for granted that it wouldbe all right and agreed to come the next day and get it. 

"I did go about noon the following day, but he wasn't there. Hisstenographer said that he had been suddenly called away to Chicago bya telegram. I asked her when he would be back, and she said that shedidn't know. Then I asked her if he had left any word or any papersfor me and she said he hadn't. I told her of my having been there theprevious day and of having paid him the money, and she looked at mein surprise and said she didn't know a thing about it. Then--"

Just at that moment Mrs. Sterling came in, and behind her was thetall form of Dr. Ellis. 

"Time's up, boys, " the physician said, with a genial smile. "Thisyoung patient of mine can't have company very long at a time justat present. It will be all right though to drop in some other time, if Miss Berwick so desires. "

"Indeed I do, " said the young girl, as the boys, in compliance withthe doctor's suggestion, arose to go. 

"And we surely will be glad to come, " responded Bob for himselfand his friend. "We are keen to hear the rest of that story. "

They said good-bye and went downstairs and out into the street. 

"Why didn't the doctor wait just five minutes more?" grumbled Joe. "He couldn't have picked out a worse minute to butt in. I'm justcrazy to know how the thing came out. "

"So am I, " agreed Bob. "But I've heard enough already to feel surethat that fellow Cassey is a double-dyed crook. He simply saw that hehad an inexperienced girl to deal with and he made the most of it. "

"I'd like to punch his nose for him, " growled Joe savagely, makinga swing in the air at an imaginary opponent. 

"Same here, " agreed Bob, "but that wouldn't get back her fourthousand. To think of a man turning a trick like that at the expenseof a young girl who had just lost her father! It doesn't seem asthough there could be such a mean fellow in the world!"

"Well, however it may seem, there is evidently one who is meanenough. "

CHAPTER VI

A PRACTICAL OBJECT LESSON

The chums were joined outside the hotel by Herb and Jimmy, who hadwaited for them during their interview. To them they narrated whatthey had learned of Miss Berwick's story. Their friends shared theirown indignation and were quite as keen as themselves to hear the endof the story. 

"What did you say the fellow's name was?" asked Herb, as the quartettewalked along Main Street. 

"Cassey, she said it was--Dan Cassey, " replied Bob. "Ever hear ofany one by that name?"

"It sounds rather familiar, " replied Herb, knitting his brows as hetried to remember. 

"Wait!" he said suddenly. "I've almost got it--Cassey! Cassey! Doesthe man stutter, do you know?"

"She didn't say anything about that, " replied Joe. "Why do you askthat question?"

"Because, " answered Herb, "I remember a man of that name a few weeksago calling at dad's store to get a bill of goods. The reason Iremember was the way he stuttered when dad was making out the bill. He tried and tried to say something, and his eyes bulged out and hischeeks got all puffed and red while he was trying to get it out. Thenhe stopped and whistled, and that seemed to help him, for then he wentright on talking, only stopping once in a while to whistle again andget a fresh start. I had to get out of the store to keep from burstingout laughing. I remember I felt rather sorry for the fellow at thetime, but if he's the fellow who's trying to do Miss Berwick out ofher money, nothing's too bad for him. "

"Suppose you ask your father what he knows about him, " suggested Bobeagerly. "He may know something that may prove of some help to thegirl, either in getting her money back or putting the fellow in jail. "

"I'll do it, " agreed Herb. "By the way, fellows, I dropped into DaveSlocum's place yesterday afternoon and found out that he had a wholestock of material for making wireless telephone sets. Said a salesmanfrom New York talked him into it, and he was wondering how he wasgoing to get rid of them. Thought he'd been stocked up with more thanhe could sell, all through the salesman's slick tongue. I told himnot to worry, that the boys would be standing in line before long andwould clean him out of stock. He seemed to think I was kidding him, but he brightened up just the same. "

"Dave's got a pleasant surprise coming to him, " grinned Joe. "Justour bunch alone will make quite a hole in his stock. "

"You bet, " agreed Bob, as, having reached his gate, he said good-byeto his mates and went in. "Don't forget to ask your dad about thatCassey fellow, " he called out after Herb. 

That Herb did not forget was proved when he overtook his friendsthe next morning on the way to school. 

"I asked dad about Cassey, " were his first words, after greetings hadbeen exchanged. "He said he thought very likely the man was the oneyou had in mind, for this stuttering fellow came from Elwood and hisfirst name was Daniel. It's hardly likely there'd be two men of thesame name in that little town. "

"Did your father know anything about what kind of fellow he was?"asked Joe. 

"Dad said that he had the reputation of being tricky and hard-fisted, "answered Herb. "But as far as he knew he hadn't been caught inanything yet that could put him in jail. He went up in the air whenI told him about Miss Berwick, and said he'd like to get hold of thefellow and break his neck. He thinks Miss Berwick ought to get a goodlawyer and bring the rascal into court. But at the same time he thinksshe may have a hard time proving her case, as she hasn't any receiptor any witnesses. She could simply say she'd paid him and he couldsay she hadn't. All he'd have to do would be to stand pat and put itup to her to prove her case. And how is she going to do it?"

"Do you mean to say that he could get away with a thing as raw asthat?" asked Joe, in a white heat. 

"He might, " declared Bob. "Things just as rank have been pulled offagain and again. But at any rate she ought to get after him rightaway. She's a dead loser as things stand, and if she can only getthe rascal in court she may have a chance. Perhaps he hasn't coveredhis trail as well as he thinks he has, and when a good lawyer getsto questioning him the truth may come out. In any case it's the onlyway that will give her a ghost of a chance. "

The days passed by swiftly until Saturday came and with it theopportunity the boys had looked forward to of going to Dr. Dale'sworkshop and getting a few practical points on the making of awireless telephone set. 

They found the doctor at a bench that he had rigged up in his barn. On the wall was arranged a large variety of tools and on the benchwere strewn several coils of wire and a number of objects the nameand use of which the boys did not know. 

The doctor, who was in his shirt sleeves, extended a hearty welcometo the boys, who ranged themselves about him, and whose numbers wereconstantly augmented by newcomers until the barn was well filled. 

"What I want to do to-day, boys, " he said, "is to show you how easyand simple it is to put up a wireless telephone receiving set withouthaving to spend very much money. 

"Now the first thing you have to get and put up is the aerial, " heremarked, as he unwound a large coil of copper wire. "You want abouta hundred or a hundred and twenty feet of that. You can extend ithorizontally for about fifty feet, say, for instance, from the sideor back of your house to the barn or the garage, and then have it goup as high as it can go. The upper end doesn't have to be in the outerair, for the sound will come along it if it's in the attic. Still it'sbetter to have it outside if possible. The lower end of the wire hasto be connected with the ground in some way, and you can fix thatby attaching it to a water pipe or any other pipe that runs into theground. A good way is to let it down the side of the house and putit through the cellar window and fasten it to a pipe. 

"After you have your aerial you want to get the rest of the apparatustogether. The first thing to do is to get a baseboard which will serveas the bottom of the receiving box. Something like this, " and he puthis hand on a board about eighteen inches long, twelve inches wide, and about an inch thick. "This is the platform, as it were, on whichthe different parts of the apparatus are to rest. 

"Now since your ear alone can't detect the waves that are coming toand along your aerial, you have to have a sort of electrical ear thatwill do this for you. Here it is, " and he picked up a piece of crystaland a wire of phosphor bronze. "When this wire comes in contact withthis bit of crystal the mysterious waves become audible vibrations. 

"But this isn't enough. You've got to get in tune with the sendingstation in order to understand the sounds you hear. When yourvibration frequency is the same as that from which the message issent, you can hear as clearly as though the voice or instrument werein the next room. Now here's a piece of a curtain pole that's abouta foot and a half long. You see that I've wound around its entirelength, except for about a half inch at either end, a coil of wire. This is called the inductance coil. You will notice that the wire iscovered with cotton except for this little strip of wire extendinglengthwise where I've scraped the cotton off with sandpaper so as toaccommodate the sliding contacts. These sliding contacts can be madefrom curtain rings with holes punched in them, through which arepassed copper rivets. These rivets press against the bare path ofthe coil and can be moved to and fro until you find the exact pointwhere your set is in tune with the sending station. "

CHAPTER VII

IN THE DARK

"Now, " continued Dr. Dale, as he glanced round the circle of eagerfaces, alight with interest in the subject, "we're getting prettyclose to the time when one picks up the receiver and begins to listenin. 

"But as the electric vibrations, if left alone, would have a good dealof trouble in passing through the telephone receiver, we must have acondenser to help them out. This is very easily made by gluing a pieceof tinfoil about one and a half inches square to each side of a sheetof mica. Then you must have two strips of tinfoil, one extending fromeach side of the mica. If you haven't any mica, a sheet of ordinarywriting paper will do, though the mica is better. 

"The telephone receiver you will have to buy, as a satisfactory onecan't very well be made by an amateur. The receiver ought to have ahigh resistance to get the best results. 

"There, " he said, as he laid the telephone receiver on the bench, "those are the essential things you have to have in order to makea set of your own. With these things only, it will of course be asimple set and have a limited range. There are a hundred improvementsof one kind or another that you'll learn about as you get more expert, and these can be added from time to time. But the special thing Iwanted to prove to you to-day was that it would take only a very smallexpenditure of money to get this material together. You see how manythings I've used that any one of you can find about the house, suchas tinfoil, curtain poles, curtain rings, wood for the box, and so on. The wire needed for your tuning coil and your aerial can be obtainedfor less than a dollar. The detector, including the crystal, can begot for another dollar. An excellent receiver can be bought for twodollars. A few minor things will be needed at perhaps five or tencents each. Altogether the cost of the set can be brought withinfive dollars. "

This was good news to the boys, many of whom began at once a mentalcalculation as to the amount of their pocket money, while others beganto figure on odd jobs that might bring them in the required amount, in the event that their parents would not supply the money. 

With a few deft movements the doctor attached the various parts ofthe apparatus to their proper places on the baseboard. There wasnot time that day to put up the aerial, but he gave them practicalillustrations of how to use the detector by pressing the point of thewire firmly against the crystal, how to slide the rings back and forthuntil they found the point of greatest loudness and clearness, and allother points essential to using the set successfully. Not all the boyscaught on to all that was involved, but to the majority it was madereasonably clear. To Bob and Joe, who had followed every point ofthe demonstration with the keenest attention, the operation of thereceiving set was made as clear as crystal, and they had no doubtof their ability to construct a set for themselves. Herb's attentionhad wandered somewhat, because in the back of his mind there stilllurked the idea of buying a set ready made. Jimmy had been somewhatdistracted by looking about in various parts of the barn to see if hecould detect the presence of any "eats, " and his ideas were somewhathazy in consequence. 

"Well, boys, " at last said the doctor, with a smile, "I guess we'llcall it a day. But remember that if at any time you are puzzled andwant more information all you have to do is to come and ask me. I'llgladly lay aside my work any time to help you youngsters out. "

The boys thoroughly appreciated the doctor's cordiality and thedemonstration that he had given them, and most of them took occasionto tell him so as they said good-bye to him and filed out of theextemporized workshop. 

"He certainly does make things clear, " said Bob enthusiastically, as he and his friends made their way toward their homes. 

"Not only that, but he makes you want to do them, " said Joe. "Afterseeing and hearing him this afternoon, I'd ten times rather makea set than buy one. "

Jimmy agreed with them, and even Herb seemed ready to reconsider theidea of getting one ready made, though he was not yet quite preparedto surrender. 

"All of you come over to my house to-night, " said Bob, as they nearedtheir homes. "We haven't got the materials yet, but we can go overagain what the doctor told us to-day and make sure that we've got itall straight in our minds. What one forgets, the other may remember. Then when we do get the stuff we can put a little snap and speed intomaking the set. "

"That will be bully, " replied Joe, and the others agreed with him. "For my part, " Joe continued, "I count every day lost that we haveto go without it. I sure am becoming a radio fan. "

It turned out that Herb was prevented from coming by unexpectedcompany but the others were there. Their talk that night was animatedand enthusiastic, so much so in fact that the time passed more quicklythan they imagined, and they were surprised when the clock struckeleven. 

"By the way, " said Jimmy, as he was preparing to leave with the rest, "I had a run in with Buck Looker when I was coming here to-night, and he said he was going to lay for me and do me up. "

"He did, did he?" asked Bob. "What was he sore about?"

"Oh, he's had a grouch ever since the day of the fire, " replied Jimmy. "You remember that when he spoke of the work he'd been doing to helpput out the fire, I spoke up and said that he hadn't done a thing. He's had it in for me ever since. He bumped against me on purposeto-night just as I was coming in the gate, and when I called him downfor it he said he was going to lay for me and change my face. "

"The big bully!" exclaimed Bob. "Just wait here a minute while I gointo the next room. "

The adjoining room was dark and commanded a view of the street infront, while Bob himself could look out of the window without beingseen. Some large shade trees were on the other side of the street, and as Bob's eyes became accustomed to the darkness, he could dimlydescry three forms lurking in the shadows. One of them he felt surewas Buck, and he felt reasonably certain that the others were CarlLutz and Terrence Mooney, Buck's boon companions. 

"I guess Buck and his gang are hanging around all right, " heannounced, as he returned to the other room and reported hisdiscovery. "But he's going to get a little surprise party. I tell youwhat we'll do. You go out of the front door alone, Jimmy. Joe and Iwill stand there in the light from the hall lamp and say good-night. Then we'll close the door, and you stand on the stoop a minute, buttoning your coat, and then go slowly down the walk. That will giveJoe and me a chance to slip around through the back in the darknessand get behind the bushes near the gate. Leave the rest to us. "

"And what we'll do will be a plenty, " added Joe. 

Jimmy thought well of this plan, and agreed to do his part. 

They followed out this program to the letter. As Jimmy came down thewalk, the lurking figures across the street came out from the shadowof the trees and over toward him. 

"I've got you now, Jimmy Plummer, " snarled the voice of Buck Looker. "I told you I was going to take some of the freshness out of you, and now I'm going to tan your hide. "

"Does it take three of you to do it?" asked Jimmy. 

"None of your lip now, " growled Buck, as he clenched his fist. "I'm going to have the fun of doing it myself. "

With one spring Bob vaulted over the low fence. 

"You've got another guess coming, Buck Looker, " he said coolly. 

The bully started back in surprise and consternation, which was notdiminished when Joe followed his friend's example and stood at hisside. 

"What are you butting in for?" Buck snapped, as soon as he recoveredhis breath. 

"Because I choose to, " answered Bob. "Because I won't stand by and seeyou hit a fellow half your size. If it's fighting you're looking for, I'll give you all the fighting you want right here and now. If yourgang want to mix in, Joe will take care of Lutz and Jimmy can lookafter Mooney. But I'll take you on myself. How about it? Is it a go?"

He advanced on Buck, and before his flashing eyes those of the bullywavered and fell. 

"I--I'll settle with you some other time, " he stammered, retreatingtoward the middle of the street. 

"No time like the present, " challenged Bob, but as Buck, mutteringthreats, still continued to retreat, while his cronies slunk awaywith him, Bob gave a little laugh and came back to his friends. 

"All right, Jimmy, " he chuckled. "I guess your face won't be changedto-night. Buck seems to have changed his mind. "

CHAPTER VIII

GETTING A START

The idea of having their own radio outfit and being able to hear allthe wonderful things going on in the air about them so fascinated theboys that they could talk or think of little else. Even Jimmy Plummerbecame so excited that his mother declared he was actually forgettingto eat, a statement that his father flatly refused to believe atfirst, until he escorted his rotund son to the nearest scale anddiscovered the astonishing fact that he had really lost two pounds. 

"You see how it is, Dad, " said Jimmy, mournfully. "If you don't giveme the money to get some wireless stuff I'll just pine away and die. "

"It wouldn't hurt you to pine away about twenty pounds, anyway, " saidhis father, with a twinkle in his eye. "But I suppose if you've setyour heart on it I might as well come across now as later and savemyself from being pestered to death. How much do you suppose you'llneed to get started?"

"The other fellows are figuring that about five dollars apiece willbuy most of the things we'll need--at first, anyway, " he added, witha careful eye to the future. 

"All right, here it is, " said Mr. Plummer. "And I suppose the nextthing we know you'll be breaking your neck falling off the roofwhile you're trying to put up aerials, or whatever it is they callthe contraptions. "

"Leave that to me, " said Jimmy. "And I'll bet you'll get lots of funout of this too, Dad, when we get it going. "

"Well, maybe so, " said his father. "But I don't take much stock inthe whole business. Some wonderful things happen these days, though, and you may be able to change my mind. "

"I'm sure I will, " said Jimmy, with conviction. "And if you had heardwhat I did at Doctor Dale's house, I'll bet you'd want a radio outfitas much as I do. "

"Well, go ahead and see what you can do, Son. If you can really getthe thing working, so much the better. "

The next day Jimmy lost no time in hunting up his friends and tellingthem of his good fortune. He found that the others had not been farbehind him in procuring the necessary cash. That afternoon they alldescended on the hardware store, whose proprietor had laid in a stockof the materials that would be likely to be needed in the constructionof simple radio outfits. The hardware merchant was glad to see them, but somewhat surprised also. 

"Gosh!" he exclaimed, when he learned what the boys had come for. "When that salesman from New York talked me into stocking up withall that stuff, I never thought I'd get a sale for it in the nextten years. And now here's all you youngsters coming in here afterit with money in your fists. "

"Yes, and you'd better lay in a whole lot more of it, Dave, " saidBob Layton. "It won't be long before everybody in this town will bewanting a wireless radio outfit. "

"Well, I guess I've got enough in the store now to start you fellowson your way, " said Dave Slocum, the proprietor. "Now, what all do youneed?"

There followed a time of much consultation and anxious questioningbefore all the enthusiastic young experimenters were satisfied thatthey were getting the most useful things their limited amount ofcapital would buy. Dave Slocum sold more feet of copper wire in thatone afternoon than he had in the previous five years, not to mentioninsulators, resistance wire, detectors, head sets, and all the otherparaphernalia necessary to the beginner. At last all the variouspurchases were tied into neat bundles, and the excited boys swarmedout into the street. 

"Let's go to my house and get started right away, " proposed Bob. "It will be quite a job to get the aerial strung, and the soonerwe do it the better it will suit me. "

The others were of the same mind, and they made the distance to theLayton home "on the jump" with Jimmy puffing valiantly in the rearin a desperate endeavor to keep up with his more active comrades. 

"Gee!" he exclaimed, staggering up the steps to the cool veranda, "you fellows must think I'm a candidate for Marathon runner at thenext Olympic games, the way you hit it up coming here. "

"I don't know about the Marathon race, " said Joe, "but I do thinkwe could enter you in the long distance pie-eating contest, withouthaving any doubts of your winning away out in front of the field. "

"Well, I don't want to boast, but I think I could do myself proud, "admitted Jimmy. "I don't think I ever really got enough pie to satisfyme yet. "

"Never mind about pies now, " said Herb. "The question before the houseis to get an aerial strung from Bob's house to the barn. What's thebest way to get up on the roof, Bob?"

"There's a trap door in the roof not far from the chimney, " repliedBob. "I was thinking that we could make a mast and lash it to thechimney. That would give us one secure anchorage for the aerial, and the other we can fasten to the roof of the barn easily enough. "

"What are we going to make the mast out of?" inquired Joe. 

"There's a nice piece of four by four lumber out in the barn, " repliedBob. "I was thinking that we could leave it square at the bottom andplane it off round at the top, so as to look better. I don't see whythat won't fill the bill all right. "

"Sounds all right, " said Herb, and, with Bob leading, all fourboys piled out to the big barn back of the house. Bob produced hisscantling and hunted up a big plane. Then the boys set to with awill, and in a short time had the rough timber nicely smoothed off, with a slight taper toward the top. Then they screwed in a largehook, bought for the purpose, and after providing themselves witha generous length of rope, repaired to the roof of the house. 

As Bob had told them, there was a large scuttle leading from theattic onto the roof, and one after another they clambered out throughthis. The roof sloped gently at this point, and while they foundit necessary to be careful, they had little difficulty in reachingthe chimney. Before erecting the mast they fastened one end ofthe aerial over the hook in it. The aerial consisted of a single, number fourteen, hard drawn copper wire, insulated at each end by anearthenware insulator having two hooks embedded in it. One of thesehooks went over the hook in the mast, while the other had the end ofthe wire attached to it. A similar insulator was provided at the otherend of the wire, thus preventing its becoming grounded to the houseor barn. 

Having hooked up one end of their aerial, the boys erected the mastagainst the chimney, and lashed it firmly in position with the ropethey had brought up. 

"There!" exclaimed Bob, when everything was fixed to his liking, "thatmast looks as though it might stay put a while. Now let's rig up oneon the barn, and we'll have the first part of our job done, anyway. "

Clambering back to the scuttle, the boys dropped through to the atticfloor and hurried downstairs. It was beginning to get dark, and asthey wanted to get the aerial up while daylight lasted, everythingwent with a rush. Poor Jimmy thought more than once of his father'sprophecy that he would lose weight in such strenuous activities, buthe was as anxious to receive the first radio signals as any of theothers, so he followed the headlong pace the others set withouta murmur. 

Of course there was no convenient chimney on the barn to act as asupport for the mast, but they finally rigged up a mast at one end ofthe barn, nailing it securely to the siding boards. Then they drew thecopper wire through the hook in the insulator until there was just alittle slack, cut off the wire, and wound it securely. Then they allgazed with pride at their handiwork, and had the comfortable feelingthat comes of work well done. 

"Hooray!" shouted Jimmy. "That's what I call a good job, and itdidn't take us such a long time, either. "

"Yes, but that's only the beginning, " said Joe. "I only wish we hadmore time to-night. I feel as though I'd like to keep right on nowand not stop until we're actually receiving. "

"You'd be pretty hungry if you tried to do it, " remarked Jimmy. "Tohear you talk, you'd think making a receiving set was about as hardas taking a run around the block. "

"It isn't much harder than for you to take a run around the block, "laughed Herb. "You were puffing like a steam engine while we werecoming up from the store this afternoon. If you don't cut down onthe eats, Doughnuts, you'll have to get around in a wheel chair. You won't even be able to walk, let alone run. "

"There you go, " complained Jimmy, in an aggrieved tone. "Just becauseI'm not as skinny as you fellows, you think that I eat more than youdo. Nobody could eat more than you do, Herb, and live to tell thestory. "

"I don't have to tell any stories along that line, " retorted Herb, with a laugh. "My friends do that for me. "

"I'll bet they do, " grumbled Jimmy. "I get some result out of whatI eat, anyway, and that's more than you can say. "

"Oh, I can say it, all right, but probably nobody would believe me, "admitted Herb. 

"Right you are, Herb, old boy!"

"When you two fellows are all through arguing, maybe we can go up andhook on our leading-in wire to the aerial, " said Joe, impatiently. "We ought to get that much done before dark, anyway. "

"I don't know about that, Joe, " objected Bob. "It's almost dark now, and we could do it better and easier in the daylight. What do yousay if you all come around after supper and we'll dope out a wiringdiagram and maybe make a start on building the tuning coil. "

Joe reluctantly consented to this, and the four companions separatedfor the time being, after promising to return to Bob's house thatevening. And true to their promise, the boys had all returned tothe Layton home by eight o'clock that evening, full of enthusiasmfor the task that lay before them. Mr. Layton was mildly interestedin the radiophone project, but after a few questions he retired tothe library with the evening paper, leaving the boys to their owndevices. 

CHAPTER IX

WORK AND FUN

"Well, fellows, " said Bob, "here we are, all set for a busy evening. What shall we do first?"

"What I'd suggest, " said Jimmy, "would be for everybody to have alittle milk chocolate, just to start things off right, " and heproduced a huge bar of that toothsome confection and passed itaround, with an earnest invitation to everybody to "help himself. "

"It isn't such a bad idea, at that, " admitted Bob, breaking off achunk that made Jimmy gasp. The others imitated his example, and bythe time the bar of chocolate got back to Jimmy it had shrunken sogreatly that the last named individual gazed at it mournfully. 

"Gee whillikins!" he exclaimed, "you fellows certainly do likechocolate, though, don't you?"

"I do, anyway, " said Herb, laughing at the rueful expression on hisfriend's face. "Have you got any more when that's gone, Doughnuts?"

"No, I haven't. But if I had you can bet I'd hold on to it, " saidJimmy. "How do you expect me to work if I don't have anything tokeep my strength up?"

"Who said we expected you to work?" demanded Joe. "I'm sure wewouldn't be so foolish, would we, fellows?"

"Oh, I don't know, " retorted Jimmy. "You're foolish enough foranything else, so why not that?"

"Well, if you say so, I suppose that settles it, " said Joe. "But, anyway, as long as Jimmy was so careless as not to bring more candyalong, I suppose we'd better get to work. "

"Shall we get the tuning coil started?" suggested Bob. "It willtake us quite some time to do that, but we might get the core woundto-night, anyway. "

As there was no objection to this, they all went down to the cellar, where Bob had rigged up a work bench and had a pretty complete stockof tools. Jimmy's father had made them a wooden form on which to windthe wire. This core was nothing but a plain cylinder of wood, aboutthree inches in diameter and ten inches long. For Christmas, the yearbefore, Mr. Layton had given Bob a small but accurately made benchlathe, operated by a foot pedal, and Bob mounted the roller betweenthe lathe centers, holding one end in the chuck jaws. Then he produceda narrow roll of stout wrapping paper, such as is used for windingaround automobile tires, and a bottle of shellac, together with asmall, fine-haired brush. 

"First thing, " he said, "we want to wind a few layers of shellackedpaper on this core. Suppose I turn the core, you let the paper unwindonto it, Joe, and you can shellac the paper as it unrolls, Herb. "

"That leaves me with nothing to do but boss the job, " said Jimmy, "and I don't see why I can't do that as well lying down as standingup, so here goes, " and he stretched out luxuriously on an old sofa. "This must have been put here just for me, I guess, " he continued, with a sigh of perfect contentment. "Get busy, you laborers, andflash a little speed. "

"We haven't got time to come and throw you off that sofa just now, "said Bob. "But as soon as we get through with this job you'll vacatepretty quick. Are you fellows ready to start now?"

"I've been ready for the last half hour, " said Joe. "Start that jiggerof yours going, and let's see what happens. "

Bob put a dab of shellac on one end of the paper to get it started, stuck the end on the wooden core, and then started winding the paperonto it at a slow speed. Joe moved the roll of paper back and forthto wind it smoothly and evenly, while Herb shellacked for all he wasworth, giving himself almost as liberal a dose of the sticky gum ashe gave the paper. It was not long before the core was neatly wrapped, and Bob stopped his lathe. 

"That looks fine, " he said, eyeing the job critically. "Now, whilethat shellac is drying out a bit, let's see if we can't coax Doughnutsto get up off that couch. "

All three boys made a dive for their luckless companion, but he was upand off before they could reach him, with a nimbleness that would nothave disgraced a jack rabbit. 

"No, you don't!" he exclaimed. "I beat you to it. I suppose it makesyou feel jealous to see me resting once in a while, instead of slavingmy head off as usual. If you Indians had your way I'd be worn to ashadow in no time. "

"It's easy to see we don't have our way much, then, " laughed Herb. "You've got a long way to go before you get in the shadow class, Jim. "

"It can't be too far to suit me, " responded that youth. "But what Iwant to know is, is that tuning coil wound yet? Seems to me you takea lot of time to do a simple thing like that. "

"You'd better sing small, or first thing you know you'll find yourselfin the coal bin, " threatened Joe. "How about throwing him in just forluck, fellows?"

"You've got a funny idea of what luck is, " said Jimmy. "I never didcare much for coal bins. Thank you just the same. "

"You're welcome, " retorted Joe. Then to Bob: "Do you think we canwind the wire on now, Bob?"

"Why, I guess so, " said Bob, testing the shellac with his finger. "It's getting pretty tacky now; so if we wind the wire on right awaythe shellac will help to hold it in place when it dries. "

"Well, start up the old coffee mill, then, " said Herb. "If we can getthe wire on as slick as we did the paper, it won't be half bad. "

But the wire was a more difficult thing to work, as they soon found. It required the greatest care to get the wire to lie smooth and closewithout any space between coils. More than once they had to unwindseveral coils and rewind them before they finally got the whole corewound in a satisfactory manner. But at last it was finished, all coilswound smooth and close, and the boys gazed at it with pardonablepride. 

"That doesn't look as bad as it might, does it?" said Bob. 

"I should say not!" exclaimed Joe. "The last time I was in New YorkI saw a coil like that in an electrical store window. I didn't knowthen what it was for, but as far as I can remember, it didn't lookmuch better than this one. "

"We probably couldn't have made as good a job of it if Bob hadn'thad that lathe, " said Herb. 

"Well, I don't know, " said Bob. "It would have taken us longer, butI think we could have done it about as well in the end. Now thatwe've got the core wound, we'll have to mount it with a couple ofsliding contacts, but I guess we'd better not try to do anything moreto-night. It's getting pretty late. And, besides, mother said she'dleave an apple pie and some milk in the ice box, and I'm beginningto feel as though that would taste pretty good. "

CHAPTER X

A STEALTHY RASCAL

"Did you really say pie, Bob?" asked Jimmy in a rapturous voice. "And apple pie at that? Or was it all only a beautiful dream?"

"There's only one way to find out, and that's to go and see, " saidBob. "Last man up gets the smallest piece, " and he made a dash forthe stairs, closely followed by the others. Poor Jimmy, in spite ofa surprising burst of speed on his part, was the last one up, andarrived out of breath, but ready to argue against Bob's dictum. 

"Don't you know that if there's a small piece it's up to the host totake it?" he asked Bob, who by that time had secured the pie and wascutting it. "If you were really polite you wouldn't eat any of thatpie at all. You'd give all your time to seeing that we had plenty. "

"Yes, but I'm not that polite, " said Bob. "I think I deserve creditfor not waiting till you had all gone home and then eating the wholething myself. That's probably what you'd do, Doughnuts, if you werein my place. "

"I wouldn't either, " disclaimed Jimmy indignantly. 

"Of course he wouldn't eat it after we'd gone, " grinned Herb. "And if you coax me real hard, I'll tell you why. "

"All right, I'll bite, " said Joe. "Why wouldn't Doughnuts eat the pieafter we'd gone home?"

"Because he would have eaten it all before we even got here, " repliedHerb, with a shout of laughter. "Ask me a harder one next time. "

"I suppose you think that's real smart, don't you?" remarked Jimmysarcastically. "But I don't care what you say, as long as there ispie like this in the world, " and he bit off a huge mouthful with anexpression of perfect ecstasy on his round countenance. 

"It is pretty easy to take, " admitted Herb, as he proceeded to disposeof his share in a workmanlike manner. "This is regular angel's food, Bob. "

"Yes, it was made especially for me, " said Bob, trying to look likean angel, but falling considerably short of the mark. It is hard forany one to look very angelic with a big piece of apple pie in onehand and a glass of milk in the other. 

"Suppose you cut out the angel business and hand me over another pieceof that pie, " suggested Jimmy. "If you're an angel, Bob, I hope to diea horrible death from slow starvation, and I can't say any more thanthat, can I?"

"You'd better speak nicely to me, or you won't get another piece, "threatened Bob, holding a wedge of pie temptingly in Jimmy'sdirection. "Am I an angel, Doughnuts, or not? Yes--pie. No--no pie. "

"Of course you are, Bob, and you know I always loved you. " Bob passedhim the pie, and Jimmy clutched it securely. 

"Thanks, you big hobo, " he grinned. 

"There's gratitude for you, " said Bob, appealing to the others. "Heknows the pie is all gone now, so he thinks he can insult me and getaway with it. "

"So I can, " said Jimmy complacently. "You know you could never getalong without my advice and help, Bob. You need somebody around youwith brains, to make up for Joe and Herb. "

"That pie must have gone to your head, " said Joe. "We'd better tryto get him home where they can take care of him, Herb. He'll probablybe telling us he's Napoleon, if we let him get a little crazier. "

"I'm going right away, anyway, " said Jimmy, hunting back of the doorfor his cap. "I worked so hard making that tuning coil that I'm allin. I'll need a good night's sleep to set me on my feet again. So long, fellows, " and he went away whistling. 

The others followed soon after, after agreeing to meet the nextafternoon to mount the tuning coil. 

As Bob and Joe were on their way home from school the following daythey caught sight of Miss Berwick sitting on the porch of the hotel, enjoying the bright spring sunshine. She nodded to them brightly andinvited them to come up on the porch. They were quick to accept theinvitation, and as they dropped into seats beside her they were gladto note that there was more color in her cheeks than when they hadseen her last. 

"No need of asking whether you are feeling better, " remarked Bob. "One can tell that by just looking at you. "

"Oh yes, " replied Miss Berwick with a smile. "I'll soon be as wellas ever, thanks to the good doctoring and nursing I've had. "

"It was too bad that the doctor came in just when he did the otherday, " said Joe. "We were keen to hear the rest of your story aboutthat fellow Cassey. Has anything turned up to tell you where he isand what he is doing?"

"Not a thing, " replied the girl, with a tinge of sadness in her tone. "From the moment I paid him that money, I've never laid eyes on him. For some days after he was said to have left for Chicago, I hauntedhis office, hoping that with every mail there might be a lettereither to me or his stenographer explaining the matter and settingit right. I tried to get his Chicago address, but his stenographersaid she didn't know it, and I think it likely enough she was tellingthe truth. I've looked through the records here to see if he hadtransferred the mortgage, but it still stands in his name, as far asthe records go. I have clung to the hope that possibly he had writtento me and that the letter had gone astray. But I guess I'm justfooling myself. I'm going to put the whole thing in the hands of alawyer and have Cassey brought to justice if I can. But I'm afraidit'll be a case of locking the stable door after the horse is stolen. "

"Don't get downhearted, " urged Bob. "I have an idea that you'll getyour money or the mortgage. Slicker rascals than he have been caught, no matter how carefully they covered their tracks. There's usuallyone little thing they've forgotten that leads to their getting nabbedat last. "

"Let's hope so, " replied Miss Berwick, but none too confidently. "But now tell me something about yourselves. It isn't fair thatmy troubles should take up all the conversation. "

The boys told her of their radio experiments, and she listened withthe keenest interest. 

"That reminds me, " she said. "I noticed a radio telephone set in thisman Cassey's office. His stenographer told me that that was his onerecreation. "

"You find them everywhere, " replied Bob. "They'll soon be a featurein almost every home and business office. But we'll have to go now, "he said, as he rose to his feet, while Joe followed his example. "Good afternoon. And don't forget what I said. I feel you'll getyour money or you'll get your mortgage. "

CHAPTER XI

CLEVER THINKING

The radio boys were at Bob's house on the dot, all but Jimmy, who tohis great disgust had to do some work for his father, and so could notcome. 

"I suppose we'll have to try to get along someway without his valuableassistance, " said Herb. "When he told me he couldn't get here thisafternoon he certainly felt sore about it. "

"I guess I know how he feels, all right, " said Joe. "It would prettynear break his heart not to be able to work on this radio stuff now. I'm crazy for the time to come when we can pick our first message ormusic out of the air. "

"I guess you're no more anxious for that to happen than we are, " saidBob. "Let's go downstairs and see what we can do. "

They all made their way to Bob's workroom in the basement, where theyfound the core well dried and the wire as firmly set on it as the mostparticular workman could desire. 

"Good enough!" exclaimed Bob, examining the core with loving pride. "We'll get this set up in a jiffy, and then we can make thecondenser. "

Working together, the boys soon had two square blocks sawn out as endpieces, and they centered the core on these and screwed it fast. Thenthey drilled holes in the two upper corners of the square end piecesto fit two brass rods they had bought at the hardware store. Theserods carried each a small sliding spring, or contact, which rubbedalong the length of the tuning coil, one on each side. After they hadbolted the brass rods securely in place, the coil was ready for use, except that the boys had first to scrape off the insulating enamel inthe path of the sliding contacts, so that they could reach the coppercoils. A sharp pen knife soon effected this, and the boys foundthemselves possessed of a neat, substantial tuning coil, at a costof only a fraction of what it would have been if they had had to buya coil already made. And in addition they had the satisfaction thatcomes of a good job well done, which more than compensated them forthe labor involved. 

"That begins to look like business, " exulted Joe. "We'll be puttingMr. Edison out of business pretty soon. "

"Yes, it's lucky he can't see that tuning coil, " laughed Bob, "he'dbe looking up the want ads in the papers, sure. "

"Oh, that coil won't be a patch on the condenser we're going to make, "declared Herb. 

"I know we've got to have a condenser, but I'm blessed if I reallyunderstand what it is for, " said Joe. "I know the doctor told usabout it, but I guess I didn't get a very clear idea of what it wasall about. "

"I'm not very clear on it either, " admitted Bob. "But from what hesaid and what I've read, it seems to be a sort of equalizer, for theelectric current, storing it up when it's strong and giving it outwhen it's weak. It prevents the current getting too strong at timesand burning something out. "

"That's the way I understood it, too, " said Herb. "And Dr. Dalesaid that in the larger sets they have what they call a variablecondenser, so that they can get more or less damping action accordingto the strength of the incoming current waves. "

"I guess I get the idea, " said Joe. "But it's a pretty complicatedthing when you first tackle it, isn't it?"

"Yes, but it's just like almost anything else, probably--it's easywhen you know how, " said Bob. 

"It tells here how to make the condenser, " said Herb, who had beenlooking over an instruction book that the boys had bought. "But itsays the best thing to use for the plates is tinfoil. Now, where arewe going to get the tinfoil from, I'd like to know!"

"If you want to know real badly, I'll tell you, " said Bob. "Right outof that box over in the corner. Just wait a minute and I'll show you. "

Bob stepped swiftly over to the box in question and produced a bigball of tinfoil, composed of separate sheets tightly packed together. 

"When I was a kid I used to collect this stuff and sell it to thejunkman, " he said. "This ball never got big enough for that, and Iforgot all about it until a few days ago when I happened to comeacross it and thought that it would be just the thing for us to usenow. We can easily peel off all the sheets we need, I guess. Some ofthem are damaged, but there are enough whole ones to do our trick. "

"Gee, that's fine!" said Joe. "Pry off some, Bob, and let's see ifit will serve. "

With his knife Bob pried away at likely looking places, and soon hadseveral large sheets off. These, when smoothed out, looked good enoughfor any purpose. 

"How many does the book say we'll need, Herb?" asked Bob. 

"It says eight or ten, each one about four inches square, " answeredHerb. "And it says they have to be separated by paraffined paper. How are we going to get hold of some of that?"

"Paraffine wax is what they use to seal fruit jars, " said Joe. "We ought to be able to get some of that easy enough. "

"Mother had a big cake of it last summer!" cried Bob. "Maybe she hassome of it left. Wait here and I'll ask her, " and he dashed up thestairs three steps at a time. 

In a few minutes he returned, having obtained not only the wax buta small sauce pan in which to melt it. 

"I thought I'd bring this along, so as to have it, " he said; "butit's so near supper time that I don't think we'll have a chance todo much more--right now, anyway. What do you say if we knock offnow and do some more work this evening after supper?"

"Gee, I never thought it was that late, " said Herb. "If Jimmy hadbeen here, I suppose he would have been talking about supper forthe last hour or so, and we'd have known what time it was. "

"Well, I'll be here for one, " said Joe, "and I'll stop at Jimmy'shouse on the way home and tell him to get around, too. "

"I'll come too, " said Herb. "And, Joe, while you're about it, tellJimmy to be sure and bring another chunk of chocolate, only biggerthan the one he had last night. "

"I'll be sure to mention that, " grinned Joe. "But I don't thinkhe'll do it, just the same. "

Bob went upstairs with them, and Herb and Joe went away together, after promising to come back as soon after supper as possible. Afterthey had gone, Bob could not resist the temptation to go down and gazewith an approving eye on the shiny new tuner they had made, and dreamof the many wonderful sounds that would soon come drifting in throughthat gleaming bit of mechanism. 

CHAPTER XII

FORGING AHEAD

The Laytons had hardly finished supper that evening before Jimmy'scheery whistle was heard outside, and Bob jumped up to let him in. 

"Come in, old timer, " Bob called to him. "Where's the rest ofthe bunch?"

"Oh, I guess they'll be along pretty soon, " said Jimmy. "I guess I'ma bit early, but I was so anxious to get around that I couldn't waitto come at a respectable time. I suppose I should be boning down forto-morrow's lessons, but I'd never be able to get my mind on themuntil we get our outfit going. "

"I feel the same way, " said Bob. "But at the rate we're going nowit won't be very long. "

"Joe told me you finished the tuning coil this afternoon, " saidJimmy. "I don't understand how you ever did it without my being hereto tell you how, though. "

"Oh, we managed to patch it up some way, " laughed Bob. "Come on downand look at it, and see if it's good enough to suit you. "

"Lead me to it, " said Jimmy, and the two boys went downstairs. 

"Say, that's a pippin, " said Jimmy, as Bob switched on the light andhe caught sight of the finished tuner. "I couldn't have done it bettermyself. You've certainly made a first class job of it. "

"We thought it wasn't so bad, " admitted Bob modestly. "Especiallywhen one stops to think that you weren't here to give us the benefitof your advice. "

"That's the most surprising thing about it, " said Jimmy. "But nowthat I'm here to-night, why, we can go right ahead and get a lot done. Seems to me it must be about time for Joe and Herb to show up. "

As though in answer to this thought, they heard a tuneful duet, and a moment later came a vigorous ring on the doorbell. 

"You go up and let them in, will you, Doughnuts?" said Bob. "I wantto melt this paraffine and get things started right away. "

"Sure I will!" And Jimmy hastened off, returning a few minutes laterwith the missing members of the quartette. 

"It's about time you got here, " said Jimmy. "Bob and I were wonderingif we'd have to do all the work by our lonesome, as usual. "

"Gee, you don't know what work means, " returned Joe scornfully. "Last evening you pretty near wore a hole in that old couch restingon it, and this afternoon you were enjoying yourself, helping yourfather instead of coming here and doing a little honest work for achange. "

"Oh, yes, I enjoyed myself a lot!" exclaimed Jimmy. "I sawed enoughone inch planks this afternoon to make either one of you loafers cryfor help! And then you talk about my having enjoyed myself!"

"Well, if you worked so hard, maybe your dad gave you enough moneyfor it to buy a respectable piece of chocolate with instead of thatmeasly little sample you brought around last night, " said Herb. 

"You're right he did, and here it is, " said Jimmy. And from under hiscoat he produced an immense slab of delicious looking chocolate thatmust have weighed all of a pound. 

The shout that went up from his three friends might well have startledthe family upstairs. 

"Jimmy, we've got to hand it to you; you're a good sport, " cried Bob, laughing. "I never really thought you'd ever bring any more, afterthe way we ate what you had last night. "

"I'm glad that you admit that you ate more than your share, " saidJimmy, severely. "But I thought I'd bring enough around to-night, hoping there might be a little piece left over for me. "

"I think that since he's so generous we ought to let him have a realbig piece, " said Joe. 

"Yes, " grinned Herb. "But remember that chocolate candy is about theworst thing a fat person can eat. It might be better for Doughnuts, after all, if we took this away from him right away. I'd rather getsick myself eating it than see him get any fatter. "

"Say, how do you get that way?" demanded Jimmy in an aggrieved tone. "I've never been able yet to get hold of enough candy to make me toofat, and if I should, I'm the one that ought to worry about it. "

"It looks to me as though there's enough there for all of us for aweek, " said Bob. "Let's break it up and put it in this box over here, and then anybody who wants any can help himself. "

"That's fair enough, " said Jimmy. "But I'll bet anything it won't lastthis bunch any week. If you were all like me it might, but I supposethat's too much to ask. "

"I don't think that's asking very much, do you, fellows?" said Joe, with an exasperating grin. 

"Wow!" exclaimed Herb, laughing. "That has all the appearance of adirty dig, Joe. If I were you I wouldn't let him have a scrap of thatchocolate, Jimmy. "

"I suppose I shouldn't. I ought to let him chew on a piece of thatparaffine that Bob's melting. He's so foolish sometimes that I don'tthink he'd ever know the difference. "

"Well, we can't all of us be wise, " said Joe. "But I've got a hunchthat I'd rather have the chocolate, so here goes, " and he helpedhimself to a generous piece. "When are you going to have that waxcooked good and tender, Bob?"

"Suppose you leave the wax to me, and you get busy cutting out somesquares of tinfoil and paper, " suggested Bob. "This wax will be donea long time before you're ready for it. "

"All right, I'll do it, " said Joe. "I don't suppose there's anybodyin the world can beat me at cutting out squares of paper. There maybe some things I can't do, but I sure shine at that. "

"Yes, I guess you can do that all right, " admitted Bob. "But I can'tbe real sure until you give us a demonstration. "

"Here goes, then, " replied Joe. "How big do they want to be?"

"Four inches square, the book says, and I suppose the man that wroteit knew what he was talking about, " said Bob. "That will do to starton, anyway. "

Joe carefully measured a square of paper to the required dimensions, and then used it as a pattern in cutting out the others. He soon hada number of neat squares ready, which he handed to Bob, who immersedthem in the melted wax. 

While the paper was soaking this up, Joe cut out a correspondingnumber of tinfoil squares, leaving a projecting tongue on each oneto serve as a terminal. 

"You're an expert at carpenter work, Doughnuts, " said Bob. "If youfeel as ambitious as usual you can cut a couple of squares out ofthat oak plank over in the corner. We'll need them for end piecesto this condenser. "

"Oh, that will be lots of fun, " said Jimmy, who had been castinglonging glances toward the old sofa. "I'd a good deal rather sawsome more wood than take it easy. How big shall I make them?"

"About five inches each way, I should say, " answered Bob, reflectively. "That will give us room to drill holes in each cornerto put the clamping bolts through. In that drawer under the tableyou'll find some drills. I think a three-sixteenth drill ought to beall right. There are four brass bolts in that bag on the table, andyou can measure them and see what size drill you'll need. I boughtthem for three-sixteenth, anyway. "

"You go ahead and cut out the pieces, Jimmy, " said Herb. "I'll do thereal hard work, like measuring the bolts and picking out the drill. Then when you get the end pieces cut out, the drill will be all readyfor you to put the holes through. "

Jimmy gave him a withering glance, but rolled up his sleeves and setto work. Once started he made the sawdust fly, and before very longhad two stout looking pieces of solid oak cut out. 

"Where's your drill, Herb?" he inquired then. "Don't tell me youhaven't got that ready yet!"

"All ready and waiting, " was the reply, and Herb handed over therequired tool. "Go to it, and see that you make a first class jobof it. "

Clamping both pieces of wood in the vise, Jimmy ran the sharp handdrill through in a workmanlike manner, and then viewed his work withpardonable pride. 

"There you are, " he said. "If this condenser doesn't condense, itwon't be because it hasn't got two good end pieces, anyway. "

"It's funny that you should have to condense electricity, " said Herb, with a twinkle in his eye. "It's just the same as milk, isn't it?"

"Yes, it isn't, " said Bob. "Another wise remark like that, and you'llfind yourself out in the wide, wide world, young fellow. "

"I should say so, " said Joe. "That was a fierce one, Herb. "

"Well, I'll promise to be good, " returned Herb. "But I still thinkthat was a pretty fine joke, only you fellows haven't got enoughsense of humor to appreciate it. "

"We've got sense enough not to appreciate it, anyway, " said Jimmy. "It's weakened me so that I'll have to have another piece of chocolateto brace me up, " and he suited the action to the word. 

"When you've all had all the candy you want, we can go ahead and makethis condenser, " said Bob. "Don't let me hurry you, though. "

"No chance of your hurrying me, " replied Jimmy. "I'm so all in nowI can hardly move. But Herb and Joe will do anything you want themto. They've been taking it easy, right along, so they shouldn't mindworking a little now. "

"Jimmy has done more work to-night than I've seen him do altogether inthe last six months, " said Joe. "So we'd better let him rest himselfawhile now. He's apt to get sick if we don't. "

"Well, I guess this paper has soaked up all the wax it's going to, sowe can go ahead with the rest of it, " said Bob, as he started fishingsquares of impregnated paper out of the saucepan. 

He laid one sheet on one of the blocks that Jimmy had cut out, andon top of that laid a sheet of tinfoil, then another sheet of paperand one of tinfoil, alternating in this way until he had a numberof sheets lined up. The little tabs or projections on each sheet oftinfoil he arranged in opposite directions, so that half of them couldbe attached to a wire on one side of the condenser and half to a wireon the other side. Then he placed the other wooden block on top ofthe whole thing, passed the four screws through, one at each corner, and tightened them up evenly. This squeezed all superfluous paraffinefrom between the plates, and held the whole assembly very securelyand neatly. 

"That looks fine so far, " said Jimmy, critically. "But how do youmean to connect up all those tabs on the plates?"

"I guess about the only way will be to solder them, " replied Bob. "I used to have a soldering iron around here somewhere. " He rummagedin the big drawer under the bench and soon produced the iron, whichhe then proceeded to heat over a gas flame. 

"While that iron's heating, I might as well follow Jimmy's exampleand rest, " said Bob, throwing himself down on the sofa. "I've beenthinking we haven't heard much lately of Buck Looker or any of hisgang. Has anybody heard what he's up to now?"

"I saw him only this afternoon, " said Joe. "He had Lutz and Mooneywith him, of course, and they all looked at me as though they'd likenothing better than to heave a brick at me when I wasn't looking. Buck asked me how the wireless 'phone was coming along, and when Itold him that we had our aerial up and expected to be receiving stuffwithin a few days, he seemed surprised. "

"What did he say?" asked Herb. 

"Oh, he just predicted that we'd never get it working, and as I didn'tfeel like arguing with him, I started on. I hadn't gone far thoughwhen that little sneak, Terry, yelled after me: 'Hey, Atwood, don'tforget that all that goes up must come down. ' The others snickered, and I had half a mind to go back and make him tell me what he meant. But then I thought he wasn't worth bothering with, and I went on home. What do you suppose he meant, anyway?"

Bob thought a moment before replying. 

"You say you told him that we had our aerial up?" he asked, at length. 

"Yes, I did tell him that. "

"Well, it would be just like them to try to pull down our wires, ifthey thought they could get away with it. Maybe that's what Terrymeant about 'all that goes up must come down. ' What do you think?"

"Say!" exclaimed Joe, leaping to his feet, "I'll bet that was justwhat he meant, the little sneak. But he'd never have nerve enoughto try anything like that himself. "

"Maybe not. But I think Buck Looker might, " said Bob. "If he does, I only hope I'll have the luck to catch him at it. "

"Those fellows need a good licking, and it's up to us to give it tothem, " said Herb indignantly. "I'm game to do my share any time. "

"Oh, well, it may have been just some nonsense of Terry's. Butwe'd better be on our guard, anyway, " said Bob, rising to get thesoldering iron. "Whew! but this is hot now, all right. I'll let itcool a bit, and get the condenser ready for soldering. "

CHAPTER XIII

THRASHING A BULLY

Stripping a length of copper wire, Bob nipped off two short lengthswith his pliers and fastened them to opposite sides of the condenserwith small staples. Then he brought all the tinfoil plate terminalson each side in contact with the wire on that side, and connected theterminals with their respective wires with a small drop of solder oneach. Then he produced a roll of ordinary bicycle tire tape and woundthe whole thing neatly in this, leaving only the ends of the twocopper wires projecting a distance of perhaps a quarter of an inch. 

"There!" he exclaimed, "we can solder our other wires up to them whenwe come to connect up the set. It isn't very fancy, but it ought todo the work. "

"Gee, Bob, you must have been studying up on this, " said Jimmy. "Tolook at your work, any one would think you'd been doing this all yourlife. "

"I did look it up after you fellows went home last night, " admittedBob. "This condenser isn't made just the way they say, but theprinciple is the same, and I guess that is the main thing. "

"We won't worry about how it's made if it only works, " said Joe, "and I guess it will do that all right. "

"We'll hope so, anyway, " said Bob. "But there's only one way to findout, and that's to hook our set up and see if we get signals through. And if we do--oh boy!"

"I'll bet it will work like a charm, " said Jimmy enthusiastically. "We haven't got to make much more now, have we?"

"We've got to make a panel and mount all these inventions on it, "said Herbert. 

"That won't take very long, " said Bob. "Of course, we can't do itto-night, but to-morrow's Saturday, and if we get started early wemay be able to fix things up so that we can hear something to-morrownight. Saturday night is the time they usually send out the biggestnumber of musical selections, and if we have luck we may be able tolisten in on them. "

"Wow!" exclaimed Herb. "Won't that be the greatest thing that everhappened? You can't start too early to suit me. "

"Nine o'clock's early enough, " said Bob. "Everybody come around herethen and we'll make things hum. There's still plenty to do, but weought to get it finished before that. "

The boys were so excited at the prospect of actually operating theirset the following evening that they could hardly sit still two minutesat a time. They laughed and joked and speculated on what would be thefirst thing they would hear through the air, and finally Bob's guestsstarted home in an hilarious mood. 

Bob himself cleaned up his bench a bit after the others had gone, andthen went upstairs to his bedroom, which had a window in the rear ofthe house. He had just started to undress when he thought he heard apeculiar noise outside. At once the thought of what Joe had said abouthis encounter with Buck Looker and his companions leaped into hismind, and he crossed swiftly to the window and looked out. 

It had been cloudy all the evening, but now, the clouds were beginningto break away, allowing bursts of moonlight to shine through atintervals. When Bob first looked out of the window, the moon wasobscured by a ragged patch of cloud and he could barely make out thedim outline of the barn. But as the cloud passed on and the moon beganto shine through the thinning fringe of vapor, Bob saw an indistinctfigure on the roof, and as the moon came out more strongly he couldsee that the figure was tinkering with the end of the aerial that wasfastened to the barn. 

Bob had no difficulty in recognizing Buck Looker, and without more adohe made for the back stairs leading down to the kitchen. Hot rage wasin his heart and a resolve to have it out with the bully once and forall. Noiselessly he unfastened the kitchen door and passed out intothe night, approaching the barn with as little noise as an Indian. 

Buck Looker was entirely unconscious of his approach, and was stillfussing with the aerial when Bob's voice reached him, pleasant enough, but with a steely note in it that almost made the bully lose his holdon the roof. 

"Hello, Buck!" said Bob. "What are you doing up there?"

For a few moments the shock of hearing Bob's voice so unexpectedlyunnerved Buck completely, and he could do nothing but peer down atBob with an expression of guilt and dismay on his coarse face. 

"Why--why--" he gasped at last, making an effort to pull himselftogether. "Why, you see, Bob, I--I just thought I'd like to see howyou fastened this thing up. Lutz and I were thinking of putting oneup ourselves, and we wanted to find out how to do it, " he went on, glibly. 

"Come on down off that roof and take your medicine, " said Bob, ignoring this flimsy excuse. "You've had a licking coming to youfor a long time, and now you're going to get it. "

"Maybe you'll be sorry when I do come down, " blustered Buck. "Youlet me alone though, and I won't hurt you. "

"Shut up and come down, " said Bob grimly. "You've got to come downsooner or later, and you can bet I'll be waiting here for you whenyou arrive. "

The bully hesitated for a time, but his position on the roof wasprecarious, and he saw that Bob was in earnest and meant to wait forhim. He summoned up what little courage he could, therefore, and cameslowly down a ladder that he had reared against the side of the barnfurthest from the house. 

Bob waited until Looker was fairly on the ground before making amove. While descending the ladder Buck had made up his mind to runfor it as soon as he reached the ground, for he had little liking foran encounter with Bob, although many times he had talked big aboutwhat he was going to do to him some day. But Bob had no intention ofletting him escape so easily, and as Buck put his foot on the groundand turned with the intention of running, Bob was on him with the furyof a wildcat. Buck was prepared for this too, and when he saw that hewas fairly cornered started to fight back. 

Looker was bigger and heavier than Bob, and for a time held his own, but Bob had the memory of more than one wrong to avenge, and a gallantspirit that took no heed of blows received so long as he could punishhis enemy. 

For many minutes they fought back and forth, giving and taking infierce fashion. Buck landed one or two heavy blows, but Bob only shookhis head and bored in more fiercely than ever. He rained blows on theretreating bully, who was soon getting enough and more than enough. At length Bob saw an opening, and quick as a flash a fist shot up andcaught Looker square under the jaw. The bully's head rocked back, hisknees sagged under him, and he dropped limply to the ground. Panting, Bob stood over him, waiting for Looker to get to his feet again, butwhen after a few seconds the bully opened his eyes, there was no signof fight left in them. 

"Get up, you big blowhard!" panted Bob. "I'm not through withyou yet. "

But Buck Looker was through, abjectly and entirely through. 

"Have a heart, Bob, " he whined. "I don't want to fight any more. My jaw feels as though it was broken. "

"I hope it is!" said Bob. "You big bully! What do you mean by climbingup on my barn and trying to wreck my aerial?"

"I won't ever try to monkey with it again, honest I won't!"whined Buck. 

"You'd better not, " advised Bob grimly. "And when you see yourfriends, tell them I'll do the same to them that I've done to youif they come around here. They'd better keep off these premisesunless they're looking for trouble. "

"I'll tell them to keep hands off, " promised Buck, nursing hisinjured jaw. "Will you promise not to hit me if I get up?"

"Yes, get up and get out of here, " said Bob, disgustedly, and heturned his back contemptuously on the bully and started for the house. As he turned his back, Buck scrambled to his feet with a look ofmalignant hatred on his face and looked about him, apparently insearch of some object he could use as a weapon. Fortunately there wasnothing handy that he could use as such, and after stealthily shakinghis fist at Bob he sneaked off toward town, one hand still holdinghis injured jaw. 

After washing his face in cold water, Bob saw that he had receivedonly a few minor scratches and bruises. 

"I guess I taught that big bully a lesson that he won't forget in ahurry, " he reflected. "It will be a long time before he or any of hissneaking friends will come tampering with our wireless again. He's hadthat licking coming to him for a long time, and I'm glad I was luckyenough to be the one to give it to him. "

Tired out by the encounter, Bob turned in and slept soundly untilawakened by the morning sun streaming in through the open window. 

CHAPTER XIV

ON THE VERGE

Bob felt sore and stiff as a result of the moonlight battle, but heshowed little visible sign of it, although there was enough to excitequestioning at the breakfast table. Bob narrated what had taken place, and the family was very indignant over Buck's invasion of theirproperty. 

"If you hadn't given young Looker such a sound trouncing I wouldmake a complaint to his father, " said Mr. Layton. "But under thecircumstances I guess there is no need to say anything further aboutit. His misdeeds seem to have brought their own punishment somewhatsooner than is usual, " he added, with a twinkle in his eye. 

"Yes, I don't think he'll come bothering around here in a hurry, Dad, " said Bob. "I always thought he had a streak of yellow in him, and now I'm sure of it. "

"Most bullies have, " observed Mr. Layton, as he rose to go down tothe store. "I'm glad you caught him at it before he had a chance todo any damage, because I'm getting interested in that radio businessmyself. If you boys really get it going with the apparatus thatyou've made yourselves you'll deserve a lot of credit. "

"Well, we'll soon know whether it works or not, " said Bob. "We hopeto have it in shape to test out to-night. "

"So soon?" said Mr. Layton, surprised. "That will be fine! I hope youwon't be disappointed, " and he went out on his way down to the store. 

He had been gone hardly half an hour when Bob heard a cheerful chorusof whistles outside, and knew that his friends had arrived bright andearly, as they had promised. 

"Here we are, right on the job, " said Jimmy, as Bob opened the doorfor them. "But say, what's happened to you? You look as though you'dbeen in a fight. "

"There's nothing surprising about that, because I have been ina fight, " replied Bob, grinning. 

"With whom?" they all asked at once. 

"An old friend of ours--dear old Buck Looker, " responded Bob. 

"Well, what--what--when did you see him to fight with him?"stuttered Jimmy. 

"It all happened last night after you fellows had gone home, " saidBob, and then gave them an account of how he had surprised the bullyand the fight that had followed. 

"Well!" exclaimed Joe, drawing a long breath when Bob had finished, "I'm glad you gave him a good licking, Bob. I envy you because youhad the chance first. I'd like to get a look at Buck now. "

"I imagine he'll keep out of sight for a few days, " returned Bob. "I don't think I improved his beauty any. "

"I wonder if he had time to damage the aerial any, " said Herb. "Haveyou taken a look at it yet, Bob?"

"No, I haven't been up, " said Bob. "We might do that now, I suppose. "

Accordingly the four boys climbed up on the barn, using the sameladder that Buck Looker had used the night before. They found thatBuck, with his customary lack of brains, had failed to provide himselfwith a pair of wire cutters, with which he could have easily clippedthe aerial, but instead had tried to unwind the wire from theinsulator eyelet with his fingers. He had succeeded in getting itpartially unfastened before Bob had interrupted him, but it took theboys only a few moments with a pair of pliers to rewind it, leavingeverything as strong as before. 

"That just shows how little brain power that fellow has, " said Joe. "What good would it have done him if he had got the aerial down?It wouldn't have taken us long to put it up again. "

"Just for the satisfaction of boasting about it, I suppose, " saidHerb. "But I guess he won't say much, about this affair. He'll calmdown for some time to come, anyway. "

"We'd never have heard the last of it from that bunch if they hadbeen able to put something over on us, " said Bob. "But never mindthat crowd now. Let's get to work on our panel and see if we can'tget things hitched up in time for the Saturday evening concert. I'm crazy to get the thing actually finished now. "

"No more than I am, " said Joe. "Let's go!" His three chums all feltvery much at home in Bob's workroom, and knew where to find thevarious tools almost as well as Bob did himself. Jimmy was given thejob of sawing a panel board out of an oak plank, while the othersbusied themselves with stripping the insulation from lengths of wireand scraping the bared ends to be sure of a good, clean connection. Bob also cleaned and tinned his soldering iron, in preparation forthe numerous soldered joints that it would be necessary to make. 

"It seems to me you rest an awful lot in between strokes, Doughnuts, "said Herbert to that perspiring individual. "Why don't you keep righton sawing until you get through? It seems to me that would be a lotbetter than the way you're doing it. "

"If you don't like the way I'm doing this, just come and do ityourself, " was the indignant reply. "I'd like to see you saw throughtwenty inches of seven-eighths oak without stopping. You always seemto get all the soft jobs, anyhow. Whenever there's anything real hardto do, like this job, for instance, it gets wished on me. "

"That's because we know you like hard work, " said Bob, laughing. 

"Well, I get it whether I like it or not, " complained Jimmy. "Butit's almost done now, so I'll finish it quickly and prevent any ofyou fellows having to do some real work. "

"Jimmy's certainly good at that, you have to admit it, " said Joe. "I could just stand here all day and admire the way he does it. "

But for once the fat boy refused to rise to the bait, and keptdoggedly on until at last he had a neat twenty inch square cutout of the big plank. 

"There you are, Bob, " said Jimmy, panting. "Now see if you can'tfind some heavy job for these two Indians here. "

"I'd like to, first rate, " laughed Bob, "but I guess you've aboutfinished up the last of the hard jobs. Of course, we've still got todrill a lot of holes in that piece of wood, but that's easy enough. "

"If you give me your word it's easy, I'll tackle it, " said Herb. "Where do we want the holes, Bob?"

"I don't know yet, " said Bob. "We've got to arrange the differentparts on the panel first, and find out just where we want them beforewe drill a single hole. I don't want to have to change things aroundafter we put holes in the board and spoil the appearance of it. "

He laid the board on the bench, and arranged the tuning coil, thecrystal detector, the condenser, and the terminals for the head phoneplugs in what he thought should be their proper positions, and thencalled for advice on this layout. 

"If anybody can think of a better way to set these things up, let himspeak now or forever hold his peace, " said he. 

"That looks all right to me, " returned Joe, eyeing the outfitcritically. "But we'll have to raise the panel up an inch or two soas to give room underneath for wires and connections, shan't we?"

"Right you are!" exclaimed Bob. "There's another job for you, Jimmy. We'll have to have two cleats to go underneath and raise the wholebusiness up. "

"I thought it was about time for something else to come along for me, "grumbled Jimmy. "Just when I was thinking of lying down and resting, too. "

"Oh, that's nothing, " laughed Herb. "There never is a time when you'renot thinking of lying down and resting, so don't let that worry you. "

"Of course there are other times, " said Joe, while Jimmy was stillstruggling to find a crushing answer to Herb's attack. "I'm surprisedat you, Herb! How about all the times he's thinking of getting up andeating'"

"Gosh, that was a bad mistake, " said Herb, with mock seriousness. "I did you an injustice, Doughnuts, and I apologize. "

"You two will never get to be old, " said Jimmy, picking up his trustysaw. "You're altogether too smart to live, I'm afraid. "

"Oh, I don't think there's any need to worry about that, " said Bob, casually, coming to Jimmy's aid. "I think myself they'll probablylive to be a hundred. "

"Wow!" exclaimed Joe. "That was a wicked wallop, Bob. "

"It's no more than you deserve, " said Jimmy. "A good wallop with thebusiness end of a gas pipe would be about the best thing that couldhappen to some people. "

"I'm glad he doesn't mean us, Joe, " said Herb, with a wink at hisfriend. 

"Never mind whom I mean, " said Jimmy. 

"Here are your cleats, so you can get busy and screw them on to theback of that panel. I'll lie down on the couch and watch you to seethat you don't make any mistakes. "

"No danger of that, " said Herb. "I couldn't make a mistake if I tried. Wait till I get hold of a screw driver and watch my speed. "

"You'll probably make a mistake without trying, " said Jimmy, "but Isuppose there's no use trying to give you good advice, so go ahead. "

However, Herb justified his modest estimate of himself this time, forhe soon had the cleats strongly fastened to the back of the panel, raising it two inches, which gave plenty of clearance for wires andscrew heads underneath. 

"That will make a better job of it, anyway, " said Bob. "I was figuringon running the wires on the top side, but if we put them underneathit will look neater, although it will take longer to do it. "

"We might as well do it up brown now that we've got this far, " saidJoe, and the others were of the same opinion. 

The boys arranged the various pieces of apparatus to theirsatisfaction, and then drilled holes through and bolted them securelyto the back. This also took a little more time than merely to screwthem to the face of the panel, but made a more secure and lastingpiece of work. 

They were still drilling holes and clamping down nuts when Mrs. Laytoncalled down to tell them that lunch was ready. 

"Gosh! is it lunch time already?" exclaimed Joe. "It seems as thoughwe had hardly got started yet. "

"I guess it is, just the same, " said Bob. "Let's wash our hands, and eat. "

"This seems like rubbing it in, though, " protested Herb. "We've almostbeen living here at your house lately, Bob, and now we're putting yourmother to the trouble of getting lunch for us. I think we ought to gohome and come around later. "

"Oh, nonsense, " said Bob. "Mother's got everything all ready now, andshe'd feel bad if you didn't stay. Come on up, " and he set the exampleby making for the stairs. 

"Oh, well, if you insist, " said Herb. "But I bet when Mrs. Layton seeswhat we do to the eats, she'll never ask us again. "

"Oh, she's used to seeing them disappear pretty fast, " said Bob, "andI don't think anything will surprise her now. "

Mrs. Layton made the outside boys welcome with a few cheery words, and all sat down to a lunch in which fresh sliced ham, hot biscuits, and honey played a conspicuous part. Mrs. Layton was famous as a goodcook, and it is certain that the present patrons of her art did notlack in appreciation. Before they got through, the table was sweptalmost clear of eatables, and even the insatiable Jimmy appearedsatisfied, so much so that he appeared to have difficulty in risingwith the others. 

"I guess we don't have to tell you how much we enjoyed everything, Mrs. Layton, " said Herb. "Actions speak louder than words, you know. "

"I'm glad you liked it, " she said. "I guess you'll all be able to getalong till supper time now, " she added, with a smile. 

"Let's go out on the grass awhile, " proposed Jimmy. "I've got to liedown and rest a bit before I can do anything else. You slaves can workif you want to, but not for little Jimmy. "

It must be confessed that the others felt about the same way, so theyall went out and lay on the soft grass under a big apple tree thatgrew near the kitchen door. 

"Ah, this is the life!" sighed Jimmy, as he stretched out luxuriouslyon his back and gazed up at the cloud-flecked sky. 

"It isn't so bad, " admitted Bob, biting on tender blades of younggrass. "But I'd enjoy it more if we had our outfit together andworking. "

"It won't take long to finish it now, do you think?" asked Joe. 

"Not unless we strike a snag somewhere, " said Bob. "After we geteverything assembled, we've still got to run our leading-in wiredown to my bedroom. But I don't think that will take us very long. "

"By ginger, I just can't loaf around until we do get it working!"exclaimed Joe, springing to his feet. "Come on, fellows, let's getbusy. We can take it easy after we have everything fixed up. "

"I'm with you, " said Bob. "I feel the same way myself. "

Herb jumped up too, but the only sound from Jimmy was a raucoussnore ending in a gurgle. 

"Poor old Jimmy!" said Bob. "We've had him working hard the lastfew days, and I suppose he's tired out. Let him sleep awhile. "

So Jimmy was left to blissful slumber, and the others returnedto their fascinating task. 

CHAPTER XV

THE FINISHING TOUCH

The three chums set to work with a will, cutting, stripping, andsoldering wires, and while the afternoon was still young they madetheir last connection and found themselves possessed of a realhonest-to-goodness radio receiving outfit, not quite so beautifullyfinished and polished off as a set bought readymade in a store, perhaps, but still serviceable and practical. 

"Hooray!" shouted all three together, so loudly that the soundreached Jimmy, still lying on the grass, and roused him from hisblissful slumber. 

"What's the matter here?" he asked a few moments later, comingsleepily down the stairs. "Is the place on fire, or what?"

"No, but we've got the whole set together at last, and we thoughtwe were entitled to a yell or two, " explained Bob. 

"Gee, that's fine! I didn't mean to sleep so long. Why didn't youwake me sooner?"

"You seemed to be enjoying that snooze so much that we hated todisturb you, " said Bob "There wasn't very much you could have done, anyway. "

"Well, I certainly feel a lot better, " said Jimmy, with a prodigiousyawn. "What's the next thing on the program?"

"All we've got to do now is to hook up our leading-in wire and groundwire and we'll be all set, " said Bob. "I've got a fine big table in mybedroom, and I was thinking that that would be a fine place to mountall our things and keep them together. "

This was agreeable to all concerned, so they repaired forthwith toBob's room. This was situated on the top floor, and, as it happened, almost under the scuttle leading onto the roof. This made itcomparatively easy to connect up with the antenna, as all they hadto do was to bring the leading-in wire through the frame of thescuttle, drill a hole through the attic floor and the ceiling ofBob's room, and drop the insulated leading-in wire through. To makeit perfectly safe, they surrounded the wire, where it passed throughthe scuttle and ceiling, with a fire proof asbestos bushing or sleeve. In this work they received some advice from Dr. Dale, who chancedto drop in. 

All this work took some time, and it was nearly dark when they hadmade all their connections, including the ground connection to awater pipe. 

On one corner of Bob's big table they had inserted a small knife-bladeswitch in the leading-in wire, so that the set could be disconnectedfrom the aerial when not in use, or during storms so as to guardagainst lightning. 

When all was finished the boys viewed the result of so many hoursof hard work and planning with mingled feelings of delight at itsbusiness-like appearance and apprehension that, after all, it mightnot work. 

"Gee, I'm almost afraid to try it, " said Bob. "But we've got to findout what rotten radio constructors we are some time, so here goes, "and he produced his set of head phones. So did Joe and Herb, butJimmy was struck with a sudden unpleasant thought. 

"Great Scott!" he exclaimed. "I've gone and left my set home. I'llget it and come back as soon as I can, " and he dived precipitatelyout of the room. 

"He didn't need to be in such a hurry, " laughed Bob. "We could havetaken turns with ours. "

"Well, let's connect up, anyway, and see if we can hear anything, "said Joe. "There's no use waiting until Jimmy gets back. It won'ttake him a long while, and likely enough he'll be back before weraise any signals, anyway. "

"Well, pull up your chairs, and we'll plug in, " said Bob, adjustingthe ear phones over his head. 

"I saw in this morning's paper that the Newark broadcasting stationwas going to send out an orchestra concert this afternoon, and ifour set is any good we ought to hear part of it. "

They all adjusted their ear phones and then drew up chairs andinserted the plugs in the spring sockets designed for their reception. They had connected four pairs of these sockets in parallel, so thatall four head sets could be used at once. 

Now was the crucial moment, and the boys waited breathlessly forsome sound to come out of the air to them. 

CHAPTER XVI

SWEETS OF VICTORY

Bob set one of the sliders about at the middle of the tuning coil, and set the other--the one connected to the leading-in wire--aboutopposite. Then he adjusted the sharp pointed wire on the detectoruntil the point was just touching the crystal. Still there was nosound in the ear phones, and the boys looked at one another in bitterdisappointment. Bob moved the antenna slider slowly along the tuningcoil, and suddenly, faint, but very clear, the boys heard the openingchords of an overture played by a famous orchestra nearly a hundredmiles away! Sweet and resonant the distant music rose and fell, growing in tone and volume as Bob manipulated the contacts along thecoil. The boys sat spellbound listening to this miracle, to this soulstirring music that seemed as though it must surely be coming fromsome other world. Hardly breathing, they listened until the lastblended chords whispered away into space, and then looked at eachother like people just awakened from a dream. 

Bob was the first to speak. 

"I think we can call our set a success, fellows, " he said, witha quiet smile. 

"Bob, that was simply wonderful!" cried Joe, jumping up and pacingabout the room in his excitement. "Why, we can sit here and hearthat orchestra just as well as though we were in the same hall withit. It seems like a fairy tale. "

"So it is, " said Bob. "Only this is a fairy tale that came true. I wish Jimmy had been here to listen in with us. "

"He's here now, anyway, " said a familiar voice, and Jimmy burstinto the room, puffing and blowing. "Does it work, fellows? Tellme about it. "

"I should say it did work!" replied Joe. "We just heard a wonderfulselection played by a big orchestra. It must be the Newarkbroadcasting station, as they had promised a concert for thisafternoon. "

"I missed it, then, didn't I?" said Jimmy, with a downcast face. 

"Yes, but they'll play something else pretty soon, " said Herb. "Plugin with your ear phones, and maybe you'll hear something to cheeryou up. "

"It will take quite a good deal, " said Jimmy, "after hoofing it allthe way to my house and back on the double quick. I'll bet that triptook ten pounds off me, if it took an ounce. "

"That won't hurt you any, " said Joe, with a total lack of sympathyfor his friend's trials. "Hurry up and plug in here, so that we'llbe ready for the next number on the program. "

"Oh, all right, all right, " said Jimmy, adjusting his phones. "IfI'm not ready, just tell 'em to wait. "

The absurdity of this idea raised a laugh, which was suddenlycut short as the first notes of a rousing march came ringing intothe earphones. Every note was true and distinct as before, withpractically no interference, and when the last note had died awaythe boys rose and as though actuated by one impulse, executed animpromptu war dance. 

When they had quieted down somewhat, Bob rushed downstairs andbrought his mother up to hear her first radio concert. She wasrather incredulous at first, but when the first notes of a violinsolo reached her ears, her expression suddenly changed, and whenthe selection was over she was almost as enthusiastic as the boysthemselves. 

"That was simply wonderful!" she exclaimed. "I never imagined youwould be able to hear anything half as distinctly as that. "

"I'll bet you never thought you'd hear anything over our home-madeset, now did you?" accused Bob. 

Mrs. Layton looked a trifle guilty. "I never thought you'd get itworking so soon nor so perfectly, " she confessed. "But now that youhave, I certainly congratulate you. "

They all listened for some time for something else to come in overthe aerial, but apparently the concert was over, for they could hearnothing but a confused murmur, with here and there some fragment ofa sentence coming out clear above the general confusion. This wasprobably due to the sending being so distant as to be almost beyondtheir range. Just before supper time they heard a message from a shipat sea, and Joe, Herb, and Jimmy could hardly tear themselves awayto go home to supper. They finally got started, however, promisingto return as soon as they could after supper, so as to be in timefor the evening concert. 

After they had gone, Bob called up Doctor Dale, and told him of thesuccessful outcome of their experiment. The minister was delighted. 

"That's great work!" he exclaimed heartily. "So the set works well, does it?"

"Yes, sir, it certainly does, " said Bob. "Of course it's not as goodas yours, and we can't tune out interference very well. But it doesall that I hoped it would, and more. I wish you could get around tohear it when you get a chance. "

"I tell you what I'll do, " said the doctor. "I have an expert radioman visiting me here this evening. How would it be if I droppedaround some time during the evening, and brought him with me?"

"Fine!" exclaimed Bob, delighted at the prospect of talking withan experienced radio man. "We'll all be looking for you, sir. "

Bob was delighted over the doctor's promise, and told his friendsabout it as soon as they arrived that evening. They were allequally pleased. 

"He can tell us just what we need to know, " commented Joe. "You candig a lot of stuff out of books, but lots of times just the questionyou want answered doesn't seem to be in them. "

The boys had just raised the Newark station, end were listening tothe first number on the program, a soprano solo, when the ministerand his friend arrived. He introduced the stranger as Mr. Brandon, and the latter immediately made himself at home. 

"I hear you fellows got your set working first crack out of the box, "he said, as they were going upstairs. "You're luckier than I was withmy first one, because I had a lot of trouble before I got my firstsignal through. I fooled around a long time before I found out whatthe trouble was, too. "

"What was it?" asked Bob. 

"I finally found that the water pipes were insulated from the streetpipes, as they are in some houses, so that I really didn't have anyground at all, even though my ground wire was connected with a pipein the bathroom. I might have been looking for the trouble yet if afriend of mine hadn't given me a tip what to look for. "

By this time they had reached Bob's room, and Dr. Dale and Mr. Brandoninspected the boys' outfit with great interest. 

"Pretty good for beginners, isn't it, Brandon?" said the ministerat length, when they had gone over the thing at length and Bob hadexplained the way they had made the different units. 

"I should say so, " acquiesced the expert. "They've made up one ofthe neatest amateur jobs I've seen in a long time. Let's see how itsounds. "

He and the doctor donned head phones, and Mr. Brandon manipulated thetuning coil and the crystal detector with a deftness that spoke oflong experience. He showed the boys how they might get even clearerand louder tones than any they had yet obtained by adjusting thedetector until the best possible contact was obtained with thecrystal. 

"You could hear better with a more elaborate set, of course, " he said, "but you get mighty good results with what you've got. Of course, you're range is limited to less than two hundred miles with this set, and your tuning range is limited, too. But you've made a fine start, and with this as a foundation you can go on adding equipment, if youlike, until you have a first class receiving station. "

"Yes, and after we get a little more experience, we want to try ourhand at sending, too, " said Joe. 

"Well, that's a more complicated undertaking, " said Mr. Brandon. "But there's no reason why you shouldn't, if you are willing togo to the trouble to learn the international code and take anexamination. You have to be able to receive ten words a minute, you know, to get a license. "

"I suppose you're an expert both sending and receiving, " said Bob. 

"I ought to know something about it by this time, " said Mr. Brandon. "Uncle Sam has me working for him now as radio inspector, so I'msupposed to know something about it. "

"Mr. Brandon was with the aviation radio branch of the service duringthe war, " explained Dr. Dale, "and he has seen radio telephony developfrom almost nothing to what it is to-day. "

"Yes, it was the war that speeded up the growth of radio, " said Mr. Brandon. "It revolutionized war in the air, and made it possible tocontrol the movements of airplanes in a way that had never, beendreamed of before. "

"You must have had some mighty interesting and exciting work, "ventured Herb. 

"All of that, " admitted Dr. Dale's friend, with a smile. "Once ourwhole station was wrecked by a bomb dropped on it from an enemy plane. Luckily, we all had time to duck out before the bomb landed, but therewasn't anything left of our fine station but a big hole in the groundand bits of apparatus scattered around over the landscape. There werevery few dull moments in that life. "

"It doesn't sound very dull, " said Bob, laughing. 

"I can assure you it wasn't, " said the radio expert. "But in the caseI was telling you about, our airmen brought down the fellow who haddropped the bomb, which made us feel a little better. "

"There's some interesting stuff coming in now, " said Dr. Dale, whohad been listening in at the receiving set. "They're sending out newsbulletins now, and I'd advise you to listen for a bit. It's awayahead of reading a newspaper, I assure you. "

"Besides being easier on the eyes, " grinned Mr. Brandon. "Let's hearwhat it's all about. "

Sitting at ease, they heard many important news items of the dayrecorded. There was a little interference from an amateur sender, but they finally managed to eliminate this almost entirely bymanipulation of the tuning coil. 

"I know that fellow, " said Brandon. "I was inspecting his outfitjust a few days ago. He's got a pretty good amateur set, too. He'slocated in Cooperstown, not twenty miles from here. "

"My, you must know every station in this part of the country!"exclaimed Joe, surprised. 

"It's my business to know them all, " said Brandon. "And if anybodytakes a chance and tries to send without a license, it's up to meto locate him and tell him what's what. "

"It must be hard to locate them, isn't it?" asked Jimmy. 

"Sometimes it is, " returned the radio inspector. "I'm tracing downa couple now, and hope to land them within a few days. "

The little company had some further interesting talk, and then, asit was getting rather late, Dr. Dale and his friend rose to go. 

"I'm glad to have met all you fellows, " said the radio expert, shaking hands all around. "If there's anything I can do to helpyou along at any time, Dr. Dale can tell you where to find me, and I'll be glad to be of service. "

The boys thanked their visitor heartily, and promised to availthemselves of his offer in case they found that they needed help. Then Bob saw the visitors to the door, and returned to his friends. 

"We're mighty lucky to have met a man like that, who knows this gamefrom start to finish, " said Joe. "I'd give a lot to know what he doesabout it. "

"You never will know as much, " said Jimmy. "Mr. Brandon is a smartman. "

"Meaning that I'm not, I suppose?" said Joe. "Well, there's no needof my being smart as long as you're around with your keen young mind. "

"It's nice of you to say so, " said Jimmy, choosing to ignore thesarcasm in Joe's tone. "I never expected to hear you admit it, though. "

"I'll have to get you two Indians a pair of boxing gloves, and letyou settle your arguments that way, pretty soon, " came from Bob. 

"Nothing doing, " said Jimmy. "Boxing is too much like work, and it'stime to go home, anyway, " and he rose to look for his hat. "Anybodycoming my way?"

"Well, if there were any more messages coming in, I'd ask Bob to letme stay all night, " said Joe. "But as it is, I suppose I might as wellgo, too. Coming, Herb?"

"Yes, I suppose I'll have to. "

"Not at all, " put in Jimmy. "I'm sure Mrs. Layton would just loveto have you two fellows planted on her for a life time. "

"Nothing doing!" declared Bob, laughing. 

In a few moments three tuneful whistlers were making their wayhomeward, with hearts elated at the success of their first ventureinto the wide field of radio telephony. 

CHAPTER XVII

THE FERBERTON PRIZE

For several days nothing of special interest happened in Clintonia. Buck Looker made his appearance about the streets, one eye covered bya black patch. This he explained to his cronies by telling them thathe wore the patch to keep out the sun, but even they had to take thiswith a large grain of salt, as Bob's friends took pains to let thereal cause of Buck's trouble be known. Buck knew that he was not'getting away' with his excuse, and the knowledge made him more surlyand unpleasant than before. In the course of a few days he was ableto discard the patch, but unfortunately he could not discard his meanand revengeful nature so easily, and his mind was continually occupiedwith plans to "get even. "

"We'll put that crowd out of business some way, you see if we don't, "said Buck to Carl Lutz. 

"I'd like to do it, all right, but I don't see just how we're goingto manage it, " replied Lutz. "If Bob Layton can lick you, he can lickany of our bunch, so we don't want to get into trouble with themuntil we've got a sure thing. "

Buck agreed heartily with this unsportsmanlike attitude, but had moreconfidence in fortune. 

"Don't worry about that, " he said. "We'll get our chance all right!And then won't we rub it into Bob Layton and his crowd!" and his facewore even a more ugly and sinister look than usual. 

For the next few days the boys' radio set was in much demand. Ofcourse all their immediate relatives had to listen in, as it iscalled, and they also invited many of their friends, both boys andgirls, to try it. 

"Oh, it's too wonderful for anything, " declared Joe's sister Rose. "To think of getting all that music from such a distance!"

"Yes, and that splendid sermon Sunday afternoon!" exclaimed Mrs. Plummer. "I declare, if Dr. Dale doesn't look out they'll make itso nobody will have to go to meeting any more. "

"I've certainly got to hand it to you boys, " was Doctor Atwood'scomment. "I didn't think you could really do it. This radio businessis going to change everything. Why, a person living away off in thecountry can listen in on the finest of concerts, lectures, sermonsand everything else. And pick up all the very latest news in thebargain. "

One day Bob had to go out of town on an errand for his father and hewas allowed to take Joe along. At the out-of-town railroad stationthey quite unexpectedly ran into Nellie Berwick. The girl hadrecovered from the shock of the automobile accident but lookedmuch downcast. 

"No, I haven't heard from Dan Cassey yet, " she said, in reply toa question from Bob. 

"Then he didn't come back?" questioned Joe. 

"No--or, if he did, he is keeping in hiding. I guess my money isgone, " and the girl heaved a deep sigh. 

"The rascal, the dirty rascal!" was Bob's comment, after they hadleft Miss Berwick. "Oh, how I would like to hand him over to thepolice!"

"Yes, but give him a good licking first, " added his chum. 

While Buck Looker was still racking his brains for an appropriate formof punishment for Bob and his chums, a most interesting thing happenedto the radio boys. The Representative in Congress of the district inwhich Clintonia was located, Mr. Ferberton, came out with an offer ofa prize of one hundred dolllars for the best amateur wireless outfitmade by any boy in his district, and a second prize of fifty dollars. It was stipulated that the entire set, outside of the head phones, must be made by the boy himself, with out any assistance fromgrown-ups. A time limit of three weeks was allowed, at the end ofwhich time each set submitted was to be tried out by a committeecomposed of prominent business men and radio experts, and the prizesawarded to those getting the best results and making the neatestappearance. 

It may be imagined what effect this offer had on the four radio boys. The announcement was made at the high school one day, and from thattime on the boys were engrossed with the idea of winning the covetedprize. 

"Just think of the honor it would be, let alone the hundred dollars, "said Bob. "Whoever wins that prize will be known through the entireState. "

"I wouldn't care much who got the honor, so long as I got firstprize, " said Jimmy, avariciously. "What I couldn't do with all thatmoney--yum, yum!"

"Yes, or even fifty dollars wouldn't be anything to sneeze at, " saidJoe. "I give you fellows notice right here that you'll have to stepmighty lively to beat yours truly to one of those fat plums. "

"Gee, you'll never have a chance, " said Jimmy. "Why, my set will beso good that it will probably win both prizes. Nobody else will havea look in. "

"All you'll win will be the nickel plated necktie for trying, " saidHerb. "If you really want to see the winner of the first prize, justgaze steadily in my direction, " and he grinned. 

"I'm not saying anything, but that doesn't prove that I'm notthinking a lot, " said Bob. "Never leave little Bob Layton out of itwhen there's a prize hanging around to be picked. "

"It would be just like your beastly luck to win it, " said Jimmy. 

"There won't be much luck about this, I guess, " said Joe. "By thetime the judges get through picking the winner, the chances are itwill take a pretty nifty set to pull down first prize--or second, either, for that matter, " he added. "There's a lot of fellowstrying for it, I hear. "

"Well, as far as we four go, we all start even, " continued Bob. "All that we know about radio we learned together, so nobody hasa head start on the other. "

"That doesn't help me much, " said Herb. "What I need is a big headstart. I think I'll enjoy myself working the set we have already, and let you fellows slave your heads off trying for prizes. I knowI'd never win one in a thousand years, anyway. "

"Oh, you might--in a thousand years, " put in Jimmy, wickedly;"not any sooner than that, though. "

"Oh, who asked you to put in your two cents' worth, you old croaker?"said Herb, giving Jimmy a poke in his well padded ribs. "I'll win thatprize just as well by not working as you will by working. You knowyou're too fat and lazy, to make up a set all by your lonesome. "

"I'm not too lazy to try, anyway, " returned the fat boy, "and that'smore than some people can say. "

"He's got you there, Herb, " laughed Bob. "Why don't you start inand make a try for it, anyway?"

"Nothing doing, " said Herb. "If I took the trouble to make a wirelessoutfit good enough to cop that prize, I'd expect them to pay me athousand dollars for it instead of a measly little hundred. "

"To hear you talk, anyone would think that hundred dollar bills grewon trees, " said Joe. "I'll bet any money you never saw a hundreddollars all at one time, in your life. "

"To tell you the truth, " said Herb, "I don't really believe there'sthat much money in the whole world. I must admit I've never seen it, anyway. "

"You'll see it when I show it to you, " said Jimmy, with more showof confidence, it must be admitted, than he really felt. 

"Well, remember we're all pals, " said Herb. "If you win that prize, Jimmy, I get half, don't I?"

"Yes, you don't. I might blow you to an ice cream soda, but outsideof that, my boy--nothing doing. "

One day the hardware dealer of whom they had purchased their suppliescalled Bob, Joe and Jimmy into his establishment. 

"Got something to show you, " he declared importantly. "New box set, just from New York, and sells for only twenty-two fifty. Better thanany you can make. Want to try it? There's a concert coming in fromSpringfield right now. "

"Yes, sir, we'd like to try it, and it's good of you to let us, "answered Bob. "But we believe in making our own sets. That's morethan half the fun. "

"Yes, but just wait till you hear this box set, " urged the dealer. "Then maybe you'll want to own one. A professional set is alwaysbetter than an amateur one, you know. "

The boys didn't know but they did not say so. They followed the manto a back room of his establishment, where the box set rested on aplain but heavy table. 

"There are the ear phones, help yourselves, " he said. "I've got towait on that customer that just came in. "

The three radio boys proceeded to make themselves at home around thetable. They adjusted the ear phones and listened intently. There wasnot a sound. 

"Guess the concert is over, " observed Doughnuts. 

"Wait till I make a few adjustments, " put in Bob, and proceeded totune up as best he could. He had been reading his book of instructionscarefully of late, so went to work with a good deal of intelligence. 

"There it is!" cried Joe, as the music suddenly burst upon their ears. "Listen, fellows! They are playing Dixie!"

"And it sounds mighty good, " added Jimmy enthusiastically. 

"But no better than it would on our set at home, " put in Bob, quickly. 

"Not a bit, " added Joe, loyally. 

The three lads listened to another selection and then the storekeeperjoined them. 

"Isn't that grand?" said he. "I'll bet you can't make a box as goodas that. "

"Maybe we'll make something better, " said Bob. "You come up to ourplace some day and listen to what we have. "

"Then you don't think you want a box?" And the shopkeeper's voiceindicated his disappointment. 

"Not just yet anyway, " answered Bob. 

"We'd rather buy the parts from you and make our own, " added Joe. "Besides, we want to try for the Ferberton prizes. "

"Oh, that's it. Well, when you want anything, come to me, " concludedthe dealer. 

CHAPTER XVIII

FRIENDLY RIVALS

The radio boys, Herb excepted, finally decided each to make his ownset without any consultation with any of the others, and submit itto be judged strictly on its merits. 

"Three weeks ought to give us plenty of time, " said Bob. "I'm goingto do a lot of experimenting before I start in to make the real set. Of course, the one we've already got belongs to all of us equally, and you fellows know you can come and use it any time you feel likeit. "

"Your mother will be putting us out if we spend much more time atyour house, " replied Joe. "It seems as though we have just aboutbeen living there lately. "

"Oh, don't let that worry you, " said Bob. "You know you're welcomeat any time. Besides, we won't have to put all our time on the newsets, either. We can have plenty of fun in the evening with ourpresent one. "

The boys finally agreed to build their sets each by himself, andto say nothing about any features or improvements that they mightincorporate in it. They were all enthusiastic over their chances, although they knew that the winners would have to overcome a lotof first-class opposition. 

Herb felt sorry at times that he had not started a set of his own, but his was an easy-going disposition that took things as they came, and while the other boys were studying all the books they could findon the subject and consulting Dr. Dale, Mr. Brandon having departed, he was listening to music and talk over the original set, andenjoying himself generally. 

"You go ahead and have all the fun you want now, " said Joe one time, when Herb was teasing him about working so hard. "My fun will comelater. "

"Yes--if you win the prize, " said Herb. "But if you don't, you won'tbe any better off than I am, and you'll be out all your work besides. "

"Not a bit of it, " denied Joe. "Even if I don't win either prize, myset will be returned to me after the judging is over, and I'll havethat to show for my trouble, anyway. "

"Maybe you will, if they don't tear it all apart while they're lookingit over, " said Herb. 

"Aw, forget it, " advised Joe. "If I don't get anything out of it butthe experience, I won't think that I've wasted my time. "

"Well, that's the spirit, all right, " said Herb. "Go to it. But youought to have heard the concert I heard last evening while you slaveswere working your heads off. "

"Yes, but when I get this outfit of mine working, I'll be able to heareverything a lot better than you can with the set we've got now, " saidJoe. "I've got some good kinks out of a radio magazine that I'm goingto put in mine, and it's going to be a regular humdinger. "

"Oh, all right, all right, " said Herb, laughing. "That's the verything that Jimmy was telling me only this afternoon. He's puttinga lot of sure fire extras on his set, too. I don't think there willbe enough prizes to go around. "

"I don't care whether there are or not, so long as I get one, " saidJoe, with frank selfishness. "One is all I want. "

"That's probably exactly one more than you'll get, " grinned Herb. "But you may astonish us all by working up something really decent. Funny things like that do happen, sometimes. "

"'It's easier to criticize than to create, '" quoted Joe. "Likewise, 'he who laughs last, irritates. ' If those two wise old sayings don'thold you for a while, I'll try to think up a few more for you. "

"Oh, don't bother, that's plenty, " laughed Herb. "It doesn't takemany of those to satisfy me. "

"Well, I'll have to leave you to your troubles, " said Joe. "Now thatI've got this idea in my noodle, I won't be able to rest until I getit worked up. 

"Say, wait a minute, " said Herb. "I heard a swell joke to-day, andI know you'll enjoy it. There was an Irishman and a Jew--" but atthis formidable opening Joe rushed out, slamming the door behind him. "Well, it's his loss, " thought Herb. "But it is a crackerjack story, just the same. I'll have to go and find Bob and tell it to him. "

He found Bob hard at work at his bench downstairs. 

"Hey, Bob, want to hear a good joke?" he asked. 

"Nope, " said his friend, with discouraging brevity. 

"Gee!" exclaimed Herb, "you're as bad as Joe. You neither of youseem to appreciate high-class humor any more. "

"Oh, we appreciate high-class humor all right, " said Bob, with awicked grin. "It's only your kind that we can't stand for. "

"Bang!" exclaimed Herbert. "That settles it. Any one of you knockerswho wants to hear that story now will have to come to me and ask forit. "

"That's all right, Herb. Just you hold on to it until we do. Maybeit will improve with a little aging. "

"This story is so good that it can't be improved. But I'm going homenow, so if you want to give yourself the pleasure of hearing it, you'd better say so right away. "

"No, I'll get along somehow without it, " answered Bob. "But maybeJimmy would like to hear it. Have you tried it on him?"

"No, and what's more, I'm not going to. I've lost my confidence inthat story now. I guess it can't be so good after all. "

"Probably not, " agreed Bob gravely. 

"Oh, get out!" cried Herb. "I'm going home!" and he departedindignantly, slamming the door behind him. 

CHAPTER XIX

A SPLENDID INSPIRATION

"Say, fellows, I've been thinking about something, " said Bobseriously, so seriously, in fact, that the three boys who had beenlolling on the grass turned over and regarded him with interest. 

"Gosh, did you hear what he said?" asked Herb, with a grin. "He'sgot an idea, fellows. Hold your hats, I bet it's a bear. "

"Spill it, Bob, " came from Jimmy, lazily. 

"Gee, he sure is a wonder, that boy, " said Joe, regarding his friendadmiringly. "I've never known him to run out of ideas yet. Not butwhat some of 'em are rotten, " he added, grinning. The next minutehe dodged a clump of moist earth thrown his way by the good-naturedBob, the result being that the missile landed square upon Jimmy'sunoffending head. 

The boys roared while poor Jimmy patiently brushed the dirt off, inquiring in injured accents what the big idea was, anyway. 

"Good work, fellows, " crowed Herb joyfully. "That's bully slap-stickwork all right. You have a movie star beat a mile already. "

"Say, cut out the comedy, will you, Herb?" asked Joe impatiently. "I want to hear about this great idea of Bob's. "

"I didn't say it was great, did I?" demanded Bob modestly. "It'sjust an idea, that's all. "

"Well, shoot, " demanded Herb laconically. 

Bob was silent for a moment, wondering just how he could best expressthe thought that had suddenly come to him; just a little afraid thatthe others might laugh at him. And where is the boy who does not dreadbeing laughed at more than anything else in the world?

The day had been unusually warm for the time of the year, and theradio boys, turning their backs upon the town, had started out fora long hike into the woods. The heat, together with a visit to thedoughnut jar just before meeting the boys, had wearied Jimmy, andhe had been the first to suggest a rest. And so, having come acrossa talkative little brook, hidden deep in the heart of the woodland, the boys had been content to follow Jimmy's suggestion. 

Sprawled on the mossy ground in various ungraceful, though comfortablepositions, the boys lazily watched the hurrying little brook, throwinga pebble into it now and then and talking of the thing that almostalways filled their minds these days--their radio outfits. 

At last, urged on by the boys, Bob made public his idea. 

"Why, I was just thinking--" he said slowly. "I was just thinkinghow awfully slow things must be for the poor shut-ins--"

"What?" demanded Herb curiously. 

Bob frowned. It bothered him to be interrupted, especially when itwas hard to express what he felt. 

"Shut-ins, " he repeated impatiently. "People who can't get out andhave fun like us fellows. "

"Oh, you mean cripples like Joel Banks, " said Herb with relief. 

"Gee, did you just find that out?" murmured Jimmy, turning over onhis stomach and wondering if he really ought to have eaten that lastdoughnut. "Some folks are awful stupid. "

Herb showed a strong desire to avenge this insult, but Joe quelledthe threatened riot. 

"Cut out the rough stuff, can't you, fellows?" he asked disgustedly. "Give Bob a chance. "

"Well, " Bob continued during the temporary quiet that ensued, "I wasjust thinking what a mighty fine thing it would be for these poorfolks who never have any fun if they could have a radio attachmentin their own houses so that no matter how crippled they were, theycould listen to a concert or the news, or any old thing they wantedto, without going outside their houses. "

"It sure would be fine, " said Joe, a little puzzled as to what Bobwas driving at but loyally certain that, whatever the idea, his chumwas sure to be in the right. 

"I don't get you at all, " complained Jimmy, finally deciding that hereally should have left that last doughnut alone, there was beginningto be a mighty uncomfortable sensation somewhere in the center of hisbeing. "Radio probably would be a fine thing for cripples but, gee, we're not cripples--yet. "

"Who said anything about us?" demanded Bob, disgruntled. "I neversaid we were cripples, did I?"

"Well, spill the rest of it, " groaned Jimmy as he shifted from oneside to the other in the hope of relieving the pain that gnawed athis vitals. "What's the big idea?"

"I was wondering, " said Bob, sitting up and growing excited as hisvague plan began to take shape, "if we couldn't get some of thesepoor folks together and give 'em the time of their lives. "

The boys stared at him and Herb shook his head sorrowfully. 

"Gone plain loco, " he explained to the other boys, with a significanttap on his forehead. "They say life's pretty hard inside that asylum, too. "

"Loco, nothing!" cried Joe, beginning to understand Bob's idea andgrowing excited in his turn. "You're the one that's loco, you poorfish, only you haven't sense enough to know it. Where would we givethis entertainment, Bob? At your house?" he asked, turning to hischum while Herb grinned at the suffering Jimmy. 

"Now, they've both got it, " he said dolefully. 

"Well, I wish 'em joy of it, " grumbled Jimmy. 

"Why, I thought of that at first, " Bob said in reply to Joe'squestion. "Only with our instruments we have to use the ear piecesso that only a few could listen at a time. "

"That would be pretty slow for the rest of them, " Joe finishedunderstandingly. 

Bob nodded eagerly. 

"Sure thing, " he said, sitting up and flinging the hair back outof his eyes. "I knew you'd catch the idea, Joe. "

"Say, I know what we'll do, " broke in Herb excitedly. "How abouttaking all these poor lame ducks to Doctor Dale's house. He has ahorn attachment--"

"And they could all hear the concert at once! Hooray!" cried Jimmy, momentarily forgetting his pain in excitement. "You've got a prettygood head piece after all, Bob. "

"Yes, and a minute ago you were laughing at me, " said Bob, aggrieved. 

"Well, say, " cried Joe, who was ever a boy of action, "what's thematter with our getting busy on this right away? Let's go and seeDoctor Dale--"

"What's your big rush?" Jimmy protested feebly, appalled by theprospect of immediate action. "There's a lot of things we don't knowabout this business yet. "

"Sure, sit down and talk it over, " urged Herb placatingly. "No usegettin' all worked up over this thing, you know. Say, " he added, with a sudden light in his, eye, "that reminds me of a joke I heard. "But a roar of protest from the other boys drowned his voice. 

"Gag him, some one, can't you?" Joe's voice was heard above theuproar. "The last joke he tried to work off on us was so old ithad false teeth. "

"Gee, " cried Herb, finally released and disgruntled. "It's plainto be seen real humor is wasted on this gang. "

The boys let it go at that and eagerly plunged into a discussionof the proposed concert. 

"Who do we know that we can invite?" Joe asked practically. "The only'shut in' I know is poor old Joel Banks. He's a fine old boy--wentall through the Civil War with colors flying. He's awfully old now, and so crippled with rheumatism he can't leave the house. "

"Fine!" crowed Herb irrepressibly. "Here's the first of our lamelucks. "

"Joel Banks isn't any lame duck! I'll have you know that right now, "cried Joe hotly. "He's one of the finest old gentlemen you ever wantto see, and a hero at that. My dad says he would take his hat offto him any day in the week. "

"All right, all right, " said Herb quickly. "Don't go off the handle. I didn't know you were so strong for the old boy. Who's next on thelist?" he asked, turning to Bob. 

"Why, " said Bob uncertainly, "I know quite a few poor kids who werecrippled in that infantile paralysis epidemic--"

"Sure, so do I, " broke in Jimmy, interested. "How about little DickWinters and his sister?"

"Fine!" cried Bob. "And I know a couple more I could pick up. Nowlet's see! That makes--Gee, how many is it?"

"About five;" Joe figured for him. "That's enough, isn't it. "

"Y-yes, " said Bob doubtfully. "Only your friend, the old war veteran, might not like to be squeezed in with a lot of kids, that way. "

"I can fix that easily, " said Jimmy, importantly. "What's the matterwith asking Aunty Bixby?"

"Who's she?" asked Bob, with interest. 

"She's an old lady, a sort of spinster, I guess, " Jimmy explained. "She lives all by herself, and I guess she gets kind of lonesomesometimes. She's kind of deaf, though, " he added doubtfully. 

"Deaf!" repeated Bob, with a frown. "How can she listen to radiothen, if she's deaf?"

"Oh, she has a trumpet, " Jimmy hastened to explain. "She sticks it inher ear like this, " and he made a gesture with his hands at the sametime distorting his face into such a comical imitation of a deafperson doing his best to listen that the other boys shouted withlaughter. "Oh, she can hear, all right, " Jimmy finished confidently. 

"Well, then, that makes six, " said Bob briskly. "Now we've got to makeup our minds how we are going to get them to Doctor Dale's house. "

"Maybe dad will let me take the big car, " said Joe, his eyes shiningwith the sheer daring of the thought. "He is so crazy about radiohimself these days that he will pretty nearly stand on his head tohelp anybody who takes an interest in it. "

"I guess all our dads are bricks about radio, " declared Jimmy stoutly. "Mine said the other night he was mighty glad to have a youngster thathad sense enough to pick out something really good to waste his timeon. "

"Waste, is right, " said Herb and then stared upward through the treesas Jimmy's indignant stare was fixed upon him. 

"Stop scrapping, fellows, " said Bob, jumping to his feet and shakingoff some of the twigs and damp earth that stuck to him. "Let's getbusy and find Doctor Dale. If he won't let us have his house thenthis thing is all off. "

"Swell chance, his not letting us have his house, " said Jimmy, gettingpainfully to his feet and shaking himself for all the world like a fatpuppy dog. "He's the greatest sport going. "

"He sure is, " Bob agreed as they swung off at a great pace throughthe woods. "If it hadn't been for him we probably wouldn't have knownanything about radio. "

For a while they were quiet, their minds busy with plans forperfecting their own radio outfits, their imaginations athrillwith anticipation of the wonders they were yet to perform. 

Then Herb suddenly broke into their dreams with a very practicalquestion. 

"Boys, I just happened to think--"

"'Happened' is right, " murmured Jimmy, with a grin. 

"Even if Joe does get his dad's car, " Herb went on, unmoved, "it'sonly a seven passenger, and there will be ten of us, counting thelame ducks. "

"Oh, that'll be all right, " said Bob confidently. "We'll hirea jitney of some sort down at the livery. "

Thereupon they all plunged into a lively discussion of plans forthe concert, and so absorbed were they that they found themselveswalking down Main Street before they had any idea that they werenear the town. 

As they neared the big stone church on the corner they espied afamiliar figure mounting the steps of the parsonage. 

"Hooray!" shouted Bob, starting on a run down the street. "Justin the nick of time, fellows. There's the doctor himself!"

CHAPTER XX

THE TIME OF THEIR LIVES

Doctor Dale heard their shout and waited with his genial smile tillthe four boys came panting up to him. 

"We've got a sort of idea, Doctor Dale, " explained Bob, stammering inhis eagerness. "And--and we would like to speak to you about it ifyou have time. "

"I can always spare some for you boys, " the doctor assured himheartily. "Come on in, fellows, and let's hear about this idea. Something connected with radio, I suppose?"

"Yes, sir, " answered Bob, as Doctor Dale opened the parsonage doorand the boys crowded eagerly after him into the cozy study. 

The doctor listened with interest while Bob outlined the plan to him, assisted by frequent interruptions from the other boys. 

And if the chums had expected enthusiasm from this good friend oftheirs, they were certainly not disappointed. The doctor was jubilantover the idea and readily consented to giving his time unreservedlyfor the purpose of making the affair a great success. 

They set the date of the concert for the next day, which wasSaturday, and added the names of several others to the list of thoseto be invited. A few minutes later the minister's callers departedgleefully, a warmer feeling than ever in their hearts for DoctorAmory Dale. 

"You've got the right idea, boys, " the latter called after them, standing at the top of the steps to see them off. "Give happinessto others and you will find true happiness for yourselves. "

So far everything had gone swimmingly, and when the next morningthe boys arose to find the sun shining brightly they thought thatthe fates had been almost too good to them. 

"Something sure will happen before night, " Jimmy muttered gloomily, as he made his way down to the dining room, from which issued atempting aroma of bacon. "It's all too good to be true. " But then, Jimmy always did feel grumpy before breakfast. 

The boys each found his own family as enthusiastic as Doctor Dalehad been about the great plan, and Bob's mother even hugged himimpulsively as she passed behind his chair. Bob was almost ashamedof the happiness that welled in his heart. Of course a fellow offifteen was too big to be hugged as a general thing, but, somehow, one's mother was different. 

After breakfast he started down town to see about the jitney, metJoe on the way, and the two boys went on together, talking excitedlyof their preparations. 

"Dad says I can have the big car and the garage man will run it, "Joe informed him gleefully. "Gee, I was never so surprised in mylife. All he said was 'take it, my son, and Heaven grant you neverwant it for a worse purpose. ' Great old sport, dad is. "

"Gee, that's great, " said Bob. "Now if we can only find some old busthat looks as if it will stand up for a mile or two, everything willbe dandy. "

After much kicking of tires and anxious examination, the boys didactually manage to find a Ford machine that promised, with more orless reservations, to do its duty, and, after engaging it with adriver for one-thirty that afternoon, they walked importantly fromthe shop, much to the amusement of the garage man. 

"Fine set of kids, " he muttered, shaking his head admiringly as hereturned to the machine that he was repairing. "Always full of pepand ginger whenever you see 'em. They'll go a long way, those kidswill. "

In spite of various gloomy predictions, at one-thirty that afternoonthere was still not a cloud in the sky and the breath of the sunsmote downward almost as hotly as it would in midsummer. 

Gayly the four boys started off in the two cars, eager to pick upthe poor shut-ins of their acquaintance and give them the time oftheir lives. 

Their first stop was at the lonely little cottage of Joel Banks, CivilWar veteran. His housekeeper let them in, a quaint little woman withpink cheeks and white hair and a spotless white apron tied around hercomfortable waist. 

When the boys made known their errand to her she departed in a flutterof pleased surprise to prepare "the colonel" for his treat. In a fewmoments more the old gentleman appeared, leaning heavily upon thehousekeeper, a stout cane grasped stiffly in his knotted fingers. 

He gazed at the boys for a moment with dim eyes, then suddenly a gleamshot into them and he smiled. 

"Reckoning on giving me a treat, are you, boys?" he asked. Somethingmust have caught in his throat, for he cleared it hastily. "Well, that's mighty fine of you. Been a long time since anybody took thatmuch interest in old Joel Banks. "

Joe introduced his friends in hurried, boy fashion, and a moment laterthey were helping the old gentleman out of the house and into theautomobile, at the same time pouring into his interested ears suchtales of the marvels of radio telephony that it was a wonder they didnot talk the veteran deaf. 

In the confusion Bob managed to whisper instructions to Joe. 

"We'll put the kids in your car, " he said hurriedly. "There will bemore room for them, and then they won't bother the old folks. And havethe man drive slowly, " he added. "This old bus isn't long on springs, and I don't want to jolt 'em up too much. Take it easy, Joe. "

"All right, " agreed the latter, and a moment later they were glidingcautiously over the smooth roads on their way to the home of littleDick Winters and his sister Rose. 

The children were deliriously happy at the prospect of a little changeand excitement, and there were tears in their mother's eyes as shehelped the boys lift the children into the comfortable back seat ofthe Atwood car. 

"God bless those boys!" whispered the woman, as the two cars spedaway down the road. 

Still further on the boys picked up several more crippled boys andgirls, and then turned off a hot and dusty side road to call forAunty Bixby. 

Secretly the boys were a little afraid of this formidable old woman, and they wondered rather nervously whether or not she would break upthe party. 

When Jimmy, who was sitting beside Bob in the flivver, pointed outthe white, ivy-grown house where the old woman lived, Bob nudged himnervously. 

"Remember, you've got to take care of her, " he said, noticing thatJimmy himself looked rather worried. "You were the one who spokeabout her--"

"Gee, you don't need to rub it in, do you"' growled the fat boy as hesqueezed himself through the door and stepped gingerly onto the dustyroad. "Better let me go in alone. She might get scared if she saw thewhole bunch of us, and maybe she wouldn't come at all. "

In his heart Bob thought that that might not be such a terrible thing, but he kept quiet. A fellow ought to be thankful for small blessings. Think how much worse it would be if he, and not Jimmy, were forced tobreak the news to Aunty Bixby. 

The big car came to a stop beside the Ford, and all the boys watchedwith interest as Jimmy ascended the steps of the porch, rang the bell, and a moment later, disappeared into the house. 

But as the time passed and he still failed to emerge they began to geta little uneasy about him. Finally Bob let himself out of the car andwent to consult with Joe and Herb. 

They had just about decided to make a raid upon the house and rescuepoor Jimmy when the subject of discussion himself appeared, lookingvery red and flustered and out of sorts. 

The boys were about to make a concerted rush upon him, but he wavedthem back violently. 

"She's coming, " he said in a hoarse tone somewhere between a whisperand a shout. "Get back there, you fellows. "

They got back just in time to see Aunty Bixby herself emerge. Bobgave one look and his heart sank into his boots. 

"Gee!" he muttered and there was anger in his eye. "Just wait tillI get Doughnuts Plummer alone somewhere. "

Meanwhile Aunty Bixby was limping down upon them with all sails set, her stiff silk dress billowing out about her and her little hat setsecurely on her determined head, while Jimmy puffed along behind her. 

With rare presence of mind Bob jumped out, opened the door of the carand offered to assist the old woman. His reward was a cold stare thatmade him feel like a baby caught with the jelly jar. 

"No, thank you, young man, " said Aunty Bixby. "I am quite capableof climbing into this--er--horrible thing, unassisted. "

Bob shot a wild glare at Jimmy, who hovered in the background, butat the look of utter misery on the latter's face, even Bob's hardheart was softened. 

As the old woman rustled into the car Joel Banks moved overcourteously, but there was a gleam of amusement in his eye thatpuzzled Bob. How could he know that the old gentleman was havingthe time of his life?

Bob nudged Jimmy, bidding him do his duty and introduce the two oldpeople, and, to do poor Jimmy justice, he really did do his best. ButAunty Bixby could not get the name straight, even with the assistanceof her ear trumpet. 

"Not that it matters in the least, " said the old woman irritably, settling back with a grim expression on her face. "Now if you willtake my advice and get started, young man, I would be very muchobliged to you. "

As the chauffeur felt for the starter and threw in the clutch Bob wasdesperately conscious of the old woman's accusing gaze on the backof his head. 

"Say, " he growled at Jimmy, huddled miserably in the seat beside him, "you sure did play a bonehead trick this time. She'll just spoil thefun for all of us. "

"Ah, cut it out, " retorted Jimmy, wriggling uncomfortably. "She reallyisn't half bad once you get to know her. "

"Neither is poison, " snorted Bob, as the car chugged wearily once ortwice, then settled down to business. "If we ever get out of thisalive, we'll be lucky. "

However, maybe it was the sunshine, or maybe it was Joel Banks'conversation that wrought the change in her. Be that as it may, AuntyBixby unbent surprisingly in the next few minutes. Bob and Jimmy keptan interested eye on the back seat where Joel Banks patiently shouteddry jokes into the old woman's trumpet to the accompaniment of thelatter's amused cackle. 

"You see!" Jimmy said proudly. "I told you she wasn't half bad if youonly got to know her. "

And then, just when they were within half a mile of their destinationthe miserable thing happened. There was a sharp explosion and anominous whistling of escaping air. 

The driver stopped the car, got out and regarded the flat tire witha frown of despair. 

"Now what's the matter?" demanded Aunty Bixby, irritably adding, with an air almost of triumph: "I always did say I hated the drattedthings. "

How the chauffeur managed to get that tire changed the boys neverafterward knew. Somehow or other he accomplished it and finally thecar reached Doctor Dale's house without any further mishaps. 

They found the doctor awaiting them, and in his courteous way hewelcomed the guests of the afternoon, welcoming each one in turnand helping the radio boys to see that each one was made ascomfortable as possible. 

Little Dick Winters and Rose and even the older crippled boys werea trifle awed by the dignity of the occasion and the strangenessof their surroundings, but beneath the boys' merry joking and thedoctor's friendly manner they soon got rid of this feeling andprepared to enjoy themselves to the limit. 

Mr. Joel Banks was intensely interested in the radio apparatus, asking intelligent questions, to which the boys eagerly replied. So interested were they in the mechanical end that Dr. Dale finallyinformed them that if they expected to listen in at any concert thatafternoon they had better get to it without further delay. 

Aunty Bixby, listening anxiously through her ear trumpet, noddedemphatically at this suggestion. 

"Yes, " she said in her high, chronically irritable voice, "let's getalong with it. I want to see what that horn-shaped contraption can do. Looks to me like nothin' so much's an old fashioned phonygraph. "

"It's far more wonderful than any phonograph, " the doctor told hergood-naturedly. Then turning to Bob, directed: "Let her go, Bob. It's just time to catch that concert in Pittsburgh. "

Bob obeyed, and then the fun began. For an hour that seemed only aminute in length all listened to a concert of exquisite music bothvocal and instrumental, a concert given by some of the world's greatartists and plucked from the air for their benefit. 

Once Aunty Bixby dropped her trumpet and was heard to murmur somethinglike "drat the thing!" But Jimmy gruntingly got down on his kneesand retrieved the instrument from its hiding place under a chair. Then, finding she had missed part of a violin selection, the oldwoman exclaimed irritably. 

"There, I missed that. Have them play it over again!"

The boys looked at each other, then looked suddenly away, tryingtheir best to control the corners of their mouths. 

However, when the concert was over and the last soprano solo, flowingso truly through the horn-shaped amplifier, died away into silencethey saw that Aunty Bixby's bright old eyes were wet. 

"Drat the thing!" she said, feeling blindly for a handkerchief. "Never heard tell o' such foolishness, making a body cry aboutnothing!"

Joel Banks sat with a knotted hand over his eyes, dreaming old dreamsof days long past, days when he was young and athrill with the joyof living. 

"How about a little dance music now?" asked Bob, glancing over atDoctor Dale, who nodded his consent. 

"Surely, " he replied. "We have to have some dance music nowadaysto please the young folks. "

The little cripples received this suggestion with enthusiasm andfairly shouted with delight as the snappy tune of the latest fox trotfloated into the room. 

"That's the stuff!" shouted Dick Winters, and the boys grinnedat him. 

Later they had a minstrel show that sent them all into gales oflaughter. Joel Banks and Aunty Bixby were as sorry as the youngfolks when it was over. 

Then suddenly, without warning, the stirring strains of the StarSpangled Banner filled the room, played by a master band. Suddenly, as though by some common instinct, all eyes were turned upon JoelBanks. There was a light in the old veteran's eyes, a straighteningof his whole sagging figure. 

He tried to rise, faltered, felt two pairs of strong young armslifting him, supporting him, as Bob and Joe sprang to his aid. Hestood there, his hand at stiff salute, in his old eyes the fire ofbattle, until the last stirring note died away and the music wasstill. Then he sank into a chair, shaking his old head feebly. 

"Those were the days!" he muttered under his breath. "Those werethe good old days!"

And so the concert finally came to a close and the boys took theirhappily weary guests home through the mellow late afternoon, promisingto do the whole thing over some day. 

"They sure seemed to enjoy themselves, " said Bob as the radio boysstarted toward home. "Aunty Bixby is a nice old lady, and as for JoelBanks--"

"Say, isn't he a dandy?" Joe demanded, and this time Herb and Jimmychimed in:

"He sure is!"

CHAPTER XXI

THE VOICE THAT STUTTERED

The following Saturday evening the radio boys were once more assembledat Bob's house. They were in high spirits, having prepared all theirlessons for the following Monday, and were out for an evening's funwith their radio outfit. It was too early for the regular concert tostart, but they were experimenting with the set, shifting the slidersaround on the tuning coil in an effort to catch some of the messagessent out by near-by amateurs. It was sometimes great fun to listen inon these conversations, and often they wished that they had a sendingset so that they could answer some of the remarks passed out by theambitious senders. 

For some time they had picked up nothing of interest, and were wishingfor the time to come when the concert was to start, when suddenly avoice they had never heard before came out of the air. The boys gazedat each other in astonishment for a few moments, and then broke intoirrepressible laughter. For the voice belonged to a man who stutteredterribly, and the effect was ludicrous indeed. The strange voicerasped and stuttered its difficult way along, until some one whopossessed a sending as well as a receiving set, interrupted. 

"Hey there!" it said. "You're engine's missing, old timer. Let itcool off a bit and then try again. "

This was evidently heard by the stutterer, for he became excited, and that did not help him much. 

"S-s-shut up, y-y-you big b-b-boob, " he finally managed to get out, in an infuriated tone. 

"I may be a boob, but I can talk straight, anyway, " replied theamateur. 

This so infuriated the stuttering man that he was absolutely unableto say anything for a few moments, while the boys, with muchmerriment, waited expectantly for the forthcoming answer. 

"S-s-s-shut up, w-w-will you?" exploded the unfortunate stuttererat last. "J-j-just you w-w-w-w--" but he was unable to finish thesentence until he stopped and gave vent to a long whistle, afterwhich he was able to proceed. 

At the sound of the whistle Bob suddenly stopped laughing and sat upstraight in his chair. 

"Say, fellows!" he exclaimed, "do you remember what Herb told usabout the man named Dan Cassey?"

"Jerusalem!" exclaimed Joe, "I remember Herb said he stuttered andhad to whistle to go on, and if that doesn't describe this bird I'lleat my hat!"

Jimmy and Herb himself caught the idea, at the same time, and theygazed speculatively at each other. There was more recriminationbetween the stutterer and his tormentor, and the boys listenedattentively, hoping to get some clue to the whereabouts of theafflicted one's station. But they could get no hint of this, andfinally the voice ceased, leaving them full of hope but with littlethat was definite to found their suspicions on. 

"Of course, it may not mean anything at all, " said Bob. "This DanCassey isn't the only man in the world who stutters. "

"No, but there can't be many who are as bad as he is, " said Joe, grinning at the recollection, even though his mind was occupied withmore serious thoughts. "But it will certainly be worth our while totry to locate this person and find out what name he answers to. "

The others were of the same opinion, and they listened for somerepetition of the voice in the hope that its possessor might dropsome clue to his identity, but although they missed most of theconcert by trying to catch the talk of the object of their interest, they heard no further word of him that evening nor for many moreto come. 

The next morning but one when Bob joined his companions it was plainto see that he was bursting with news. 

"Say, fellows, " was his salutation, "did any of you read in themorning papers of the big Radio Show that is opening up in New YorkCity?"

They had to confess that they were innocent of any such knowledge. 

"It opens to-morrow, " went on Bob. "They say it's going to be oneof the biggest things that ever happened. A regular rip-roaring, honest-to-goodness show. They'll have all the latest improvementsin radio sets and all kinds of inventions and lectures by men whoknow all about it, and automobiles that run by wireless without anydrivers--"

"For the love of Pete, " interrupted Joe, "go a little easy and let ustake it in a little at a time. Any one would think you were the barkerat a sideshow. Where is this wonderful thing to be?"

"On the roof of one of the big New York hotels, " answered Bob. "Iforget the name just now, but it's one of the biggest in the city. What do you say, fellows, to taking it in? We ought to get all sortsof ideas that will help us in making our sets. "

"Count me in, " replied Joe promptly. "That is, if my folks will letme go, and I think they will. "

"Don't leave out little Jimmy, " remarked that individual. 

"Me too, " added Herb. "That is, if dad will see it the same wayI do. "

"I guess our folks won't kick, " Bob conjectured confidently. "I noticethat they're getting almost as much interested in the game as we are. Besides we won't have to stay in the city over night. The show's inthe afternoon as well as the evening and we can be home before teno'clock. "

"We'll put it up to them anyway, " replied Joe. They did "put it up"to their parents with such effect that their consent was readilyobtained, though strict promises were exacted that they would spendonly the afternoon in the city and take the early evening train forhome. 

It was a hilarious group that made their way to the city the next day, full of eager expectations of the wonders to be seen, expectationsthat were realized to the full. 

From the moment the boys crowded into the jammed elevators and wereshot to the enclosed roof in which the exhibition was held theyenjoyed one continuous round of pleasure and excitement. The place wasthronged, and, as a matter of fact, many late comers were turned awayfor lack of room. But the boys wound in and out like eels, and therewere very few things worth seeing that eluded their eager eyes. Impressions crowded in upon them so thick and fast that it was notuntil later that they were fully able to appreciate the wonders thatwere being displayed for their benefit. 

They listened to talks from men skilled in radio work, they wanderedabout to the many booths where information was given about everythingconnected with wireless, they studied various types of coils, transformers, vacuum tubes, switches, aerials, terminals, everythingin fact that ambitious young amateurs could wish to know. 

There was the identical apparatus with its marvelously sensitivereceiver, which, while installed in Scotland, had correctly registeredsignals from an amateur radio station in America. 

A little later they stood entranced in the Convention Hall before anew, beautifully modeled radio amplifier, so massive that the volumeof music it poured forth actually seemed to cause vibration in thewalls of the great room in which they stood. 

One of the most interesting features was the radio-controlledautomobile. The crowd before this almost incredible invention wasso dense that the operator was handicapped in his demonstration. 

The car was about seven feet in length, with a cylindrical mass ofwire rising about six feet above its body. It was upon this that theswiftly moving car caught signals from antennae stretched across thehall. The boys watched, fascinated, as the inventor, opening andclosing the switches in its mechanism by use of a radio wave of onehundred and thirty-five metres in length, caused the small car toback out of its garage and run about the hall without a driver, delivering papers and messages, afterward returning to the garage. 

Then they saw the transmitters that could shoot radio messages intospace, and hung entranced over the moving pictures of what happensin a vacuum tube. Nothing escaped them, and they "did" the showthoroughly, so thoroughly in fact that at the end they were, as Joeexpressed it, "all in. "

"Gee, I knew that show was going to be great, " remarked Bob happily, as they were returning home on the train. "But I didn't have anyidea that it was going to be such a whale. "

"It was a pippin, " agreed Joe, as he snuggled back still furtherin his seat. 

Jimmy sighed gustily. 

"What's the matter, Doughnuts?" asked Bob. 

"I was just pitying, " replied Jimmy, "the poor boobs who didn'tsee it. "

"And that's no joke!" said Joe. "Seeing all those things is goingto be a big help toward winning those prizes. "

"Who said I was joking?" retorted Jimmy. "I wasn't. That show wasthe dandiest thing I ever saw. "

CHAPTER XXII

THE STOLEN SET

Meanwhile, Bob, Joe and Jimmy were working like beavers on theirprize sets, and were making great progress. Mr. Ferberton's offerhad aroused great interest in the town, and several other boys wereworking for the coveted prizes. The knowledge of this only spurredthe radio boys to greater efforts, and they began to acquire a deeperinsight into the mysteries of radio work with every day that passed. They began to talk so learnedly of condensers and detectors that Herbwished more than once that he had started to make a set of his own, and he was at last driven in self defense to study up on the subjectso as not to be left too far behind. 

Almost two weeks had passed since they first started work on the prizesets when one evening Doughnuts came rushing into Bob's workroom withwoe writ large on his round countenance. 

"What do you think, Bob!" he burst out. "Some crook has stolenmy set. "

"Stolen your set!" echoed Bob. "What in the world do you mean?"

"Just that, " went on poor Jimmy. "I had it in my father's shop backof the house. I was working on it last night, and when I went outthis evening, it was gone. "

"Was anything else stolen?" asked Bob. 

"No. That's the funny thing about it, " replied Jimmy. "Nothing wastouched but my set. "

"Then it looks to me as though Buck Looker or one of his crowd hadtaken it, " said Bob, after thinking a few minutes. "You know theyhave it in for us, and they'd do anything to harm us. "

"Yes, but if that's so, why should they steal my set instead of yoursor Joe's?" argued Jimmy. 

"Probably because it was easier to steal yours, " said Bob. "We keepour sets in the house, while yours, being in a shed at the back, would be a lot easier to get away with. "

"Jimminy crickets! I'll bet you're right, " exclaimed Jimmy. "It wouldbe just the kind of dirty trick they'd be likely to play, too. "

"If it's Buck Looker and his crowd that's responsible for this, we'llhave your set back or know the reason why, " said Bob, throwing downhis tools. "Let's go around and get the others, and we'll have acouncil of war. "

A peculiar whistle outside their friends' houses brought them outat once, and when they were all together Jimmy told them about hismisfortune. They were as indignant as Bob, and had little doubt thatBuck Looker was the author of the outrage. 

"It's dollars to doughnuts that gang's got it, " said Bob. "Now, whena thing needs to be done, it's usually best to do it right away. We've got to get Jimmy's set back, and I've got an idea where wecan find it. "

"Where?" they all asked in chorus. 

"Well, you know that crowd often hang out in that shack back of TerryMooney's house--the place that his father built to keep an automobilein, and then could never get enough money to buy the automobile. Theyspend a lot of their time there. And if they've taken Jimmy's outfit, that's the place they'd naturally keep it. They wouldn't want to takeit into any of their homes, because then their folks wound likely findout about it and make them give it up. "

"Gee, I believe you're right!" exclaimed Joe. "Let's go there rightaway and accuse them of it. "

"Better yet, let's go there and take it away from them, " proposed Bob, with a grim set to his mouth. "Are you with me?"

For answer they all started off in the direction of Terry Mooney'shouse, and as they went, Bob outlined a plan of attack. 

"We'll scout around first, and see if they're in the place, " he said. "If they are, we may be able to get a look inside and see if there isany sign of Jimmy's outfit. If they've got it, we can decide the bestway to take it away from them after we get there. "

CHAPTER XXIII

BATTERING IN THE DOOR

Ten minutes of brisk walking brought the radio boys to their goal. The Mooney family inhabited a large but dilapidated house, in the rearof which was the small building that the head of the Mooney familyhad erected in a moment when his enthusiasm had far outrun his bankaccount. He had never been able to buy a car to put in the building, and his son and his cronies had found it an ideal place to meet, smoke cheap cigarettes, and plot mischief. 

As they neared this shack, the radio boys kept in the shadows andapproached noiselessly, it being Bob's plan to take the gang bysurprise, if possible. Besides, he wanted to be absolutely sure thatJimmy's stolen set was in the building before making any further move. 

Noiselessly as shadows, the boys crept up to the shack until theywere close enough to hear voices inside. They could easily recognizeBuck Looker's arrogant voice, and at times the whining replies ofTerry and Carl. 

There was only one small window in the building, and that was coveredby a square of cloth. At the end of the shack opposite the window weretwo large doors, both closed. An electric light cord had been strungfrom the house, supplying current to one or more lamps inside theshack. The four radio boys prowled about the building, trying to findsome place from which they could get a view of the interior. At lastJoe found a place where a crack in a plank allowed them to see in. 

All three of the gang were inside, seated on rickety chairs abouta rough pine table. And on this table, sure enough, was the missingradio outfit!

Jimmy clenched his fists when he saw this, and was for an immediateattack. But Bob had a more crafty scheme in his head. 

"Here's a better stunt, " he said, drawing his friends off to a littledistance so that they could talk without running the chance of beingoverheard. 

"If we break in on them, they might make trouble for us later, " saidBob. "But if we put their light out first, we'll be able to get holdof Jimmy's outfit without their really knowing who's doing it. "

"Cut the electric light cord, you mean?" said Joe, getting the idealike a flash. 

"That's the idea, " said Bob. "Suppose you cut the cord, Jimmy, and thesecond you do, we'll all rush those front doors. They've probably got'em locked but if we land heavily enough I don't think that will stopus. I'll make for the table and grab Jim's outfit, and when you hearme whistle twice you'll know I've got it, and we'll get out. They'llprobably be fighting each other in the dark for a while before theyeven know we're gone. "

"Bob, I take off my hat to you, " said Joe admiringly. "We'll work itjust as you say. "

Doughnuts had a pair of wire cutters with him, which he had used whenworking on his set. Silent as ghosts, the four friends crept back tothe shack, and Jimmy carefully separated the two wires of the cableand caught one of them between the jaws of his cutter. 

"When the light goes out, we rush, " whispered Bob. "Give us a fewseconds to get set, Jimmy, and then cut!"

Bob, Joe, and Herb withdrew about ten feet from the big front doorsand waited tensely for the light to go out. 

A scarcely audible click, and the shack was plunged in darkness. 

Like projectiles shot from a gun, the boys hurled themselves againstthe doors, landing with a crashing impact that shattered the lockinto fragments and tore one of the doors bodily from its rusty hinges. Shouts of terror rose from the panic-stricken bullies inside, takencompletely by surprise with no idea of what had come upon them. Theradio boys scattered them head over heels as they made for the table, and the shack was a pandemonium of shouts, cries, and the crash ofoverturned chairs. It was the work of only a few seconds for Bob toreach Jimmy's radio set, and having secured this, he whistled twiceto signify success, and made for the door. 

Meanwhile, as he had foreseen, the bullies, tangled in a heap on thefloor, were grappling with each other, pounding away at whatever camehandiest to their fists. The radio boys, having got what they cameafter, left the gang struggling in the dark, and made their way backto Jimmy's house, doubled up with laughter at times, as they thoughtof the ludicrous discomfiture of their foes. 

CHAPTER XXIV

ON THE TRAIL

"Gosh!" exclaimed Herb, wiping tears of merriment from his eyes. "I'llnever forget this night if I live to be a hundred. Oh, my, but thatwas rich!"

"Those fellows will learn after a while that it doesn't pay to get gaywith this bunch, " said Joe. "I think we let them off easy for stealingDoughnuts' outfit, as it is. We might have landed them a few swiftones while we were there. "

"They saved us even that trouble, " Bob pointed out. "They werepunching each other hard enough to suit any one. "

"That's right, " said Joe, laughing. "I guess by this time they'resorry they stole that set. "

"I'm mighty grateful to you fellows for helping me get this back, "said Jimmy, looking lovingly at his set, which had escaped with hardlya scratch. "When I found it was gone, I pretty nearly gave it up forlost. "

"'One for all and all for one, '" quoted Bob. "We'll teach Buck Lookerand his set to let us alone, if it's possible to teach them anything. But I suppose we might as well run along now, because it's gettingpretty late. "

"I happen to know that there's a big pan of rice pudding in the icebox, " said Jimmy. "It may be late, but it's never too late for that, is it?"

"Lead us to it!" the other three chanted in unison, and in a shorttime the rice pudding was only a memory. Then the boys said good-nightand parted, each to his own home, well satisfied with the result oftheir adventure. 

Bob and Joe were walking down Main Street the next day, when they metBuck Looker and Carl Lutz, both looking very much the worse for wear. 

Joe stopped and gazed at them in apparent astonishment. 

"Why, what have you fellows been doing, anyway?" he inquired. "Youlook as though you had had an argument with a steam roller. "

"Yes, and the steam roller must have won, " grinned Bob. 

"You know well enough what happened to us, " growled Buck Lookermalignantly. "If ever you fellows come around our clubhouse again, we'll make you wish you hadn't. "

"Clubhouse?" queried Joe innocently. "What does he mean, Bob?I didn't know he and Lutz had a clubhouse. "

"I mean that garage back of the Mooney's place, " said Buck irately. "That's our clubhouse, and you fellows had better not try any roughhouse there again, or there'll be trouble. "

"Oh, I know the place he means, " said Bob, after making a pretence ofpuzzled thinking. "He means that tumbled-down shack where Mr. Mooneykeeps his garden tools. I'm sure we'd never want to go near a placelike that, would we, Joe?"

"Of course not, " said Joe. "I wouldn't ask a respectable dog to gonear that place. "

Looker and Lutz had been growing angrier all the time during thisdialogue, but after their recent experiences with the radio boysthey did not quite dare resort to open hostilities. But if lookscould have killed, Bob and Joe would have dropped dead on the spot. 

"If you've got anything to say, now's the time to say it, " said Bob, gazing steadily at the bullies with a look in his eyes that madethem shift uneasily. 

"We're in a big hurry, or we'd tend to you right now, " blusteredBuck. "Come on, Carl. We'll fix them some other time. "

"No time like the present, you know, " said Joe. 

But the two bullies had little inclination for a fair fight, as theyhad a pretty shrewd suspicion of how they would fare in that event. With ugly sidewise looks they passed on, leaving Bob and Joe inpossession of the field. 

"They're beginning to think we're bad medicine, " said Joe. "A littlemore training, Bob, and they'll even be afraid to talk back to us. "

"Looks that way, doesn't it, " said Bob, laughing. 

The two radio boys went on to their destination, which was thehardware store, where they both wanted to buy some wire and othersupplies. What was their surprise, when they went inside, to findFrank Brandon, the radio inspector, talking to the proprietor. 

As the boys entered, Brandon glanced at them, and then, as recognitioncame into his eyes, he extended his hand. 

"Hello, there!" he exclaimed. "How have you been since I saw you?How's the wireless coming on?"

"It's O K, " said Bob. "We're both trying for the Ferberton prize, you know. "

"That's fine, " said Brandon heartily. "The prizes are to be given outpretty soon, aren't they?"

"Yes. And we're both hoping that if one of us doesn't get it, theother will, " said Joe. "If neither one gets it, it won't be anythingagainst you, " said Brandon. "I hear there are a lot of sets entered, and some of the fellows who have made them have been at the gamea lot longer than you have. "

"We're doing a lot of hoping, anyway, " said Bob. "Are they keepingyou pretty busy these days?"

"I should say so, " said the radio inspector. "There's one fellowin particular that I'm having a lot of trouble with. I've got hislocation approximately, but in the neighborhood where he should beI haven't been able to locate any antennae to indicate the presenceof a radio station. Usually it's easy enough, but this fellow seemsto be a sly fox. "

"How in the world do you locate an unauthorized station, anyway?"queried Bob. 

"In each district in which there is a radio inspector we have whatwe call directional finders. These consist of a combination of a loopaerial and a compass and a radio receiving set. We have complete mapsof the district. When the man we're after is sending, we swing theloop aerial around until the signals reach their loudest tone. Thena reading is taken on the compass. This action is repeated severaltimes, after which we turn the loop so as to tune out all sound. During the silent period a line is drawn on the map at right anglesto the direction of the loop. This line indicates the direction fromwhich the sounds are coming. This takes place at the same time at allthree stations, and where the lines on the map intersect is the pointwhere the offender can be found. "

"But I suppose that location isn't very exact, is it?" asked Bob. 

"No; but it's usually exact enough, " said Brandon. "We go to the placeindicated on the map, and look about in the neighborhood for aerials. Anybody owning them has to show his license, if he has one, and if hehasn't--well, that's the man we're after. "

"Simple enough, " commented Bob. "But when you don't know how it'sdone, it seems like looking for a needle in a haystack. "

"Yes, and by all the rules it should be easier than usual to locatethis offender, " said the radio inspector, "because he has apeculiarity that marks him out. "

"I'll bet I know what it is, too, " said Bob quickly. 

"You do?" said Brandon, surprised. 

"He stutters badly, and then has to whistle before he can go on, doesn't he?" said Bob. 

"That's the man, all right, " said Brandon. "Do you know anythingabout him?"

"Well, if he's the man we think he is, we don't know much good abouthim, " said Bob, and he proceeded to tell Brandon about Dan Casseyand the mean way he had tricked Nellie Berwick and stolen her money. 

"So you see you're not the only one looking for the stuttering man, "said Bob, in conclusion. "We'd like pretty well to find out wherehe is ourselves. "

"But what makes you think this man I'm looking for is the same oneyou're after?" asked Brandon. 

"In the first place, there aren't many people who stutter so badly, "said Bob. "And in the second place, Miss Berwick told us that shesaw some radio apparatus on his desk when she was in his office. "

"That certainly goes a long way in hitching up the two, " said theinspector thoughtfully. "Now, " he continued, after studying a fewminutes longer, "I have a proposition to make. I've checked up mycalculations, and I'm going to have another try at locating this manto-morrow. As you're both interested in finding him, too, why not gowith me and help me? Between the three of us we ought to find him. "

"Nothing could suit me better!" exclaimed Bob. "How about you, Joe?"

"Fine, " replied his chum. "To-morrow's Saturday, so we can go allright. But don't forget that we want to be back when the prizewinners are announced, " he said, struck by a sudden thought. 

"Oh, it won't take us very long to get on the ground, " said Brandon. "I figure this man we're after is somewhere in Lansdale, and you knowthat isn't more than a two hours' run by automobile. If we haven'tfound him by the time you should be leaving in order to get back hereon time, you two can come back by train, and I'll stay there. Butif we get an early start I think the three of us, working together, should locate our man pretty quickly. Lansdale isn't a very largeplace, you know. "

"I can start as early as you like, " said Bob. "How about you, Joe?"

"That goes for me, too, " said Joe. "Set your own time, Mr. Brandon. "

"Well, then, suppose you both meet me at Hall's garage at eight sharpto-morrow morning, " proposed Frank Brandon. "I'll hire a good car andbe all ready to start by that time. "

"We'll be there on the dot, " promised Bob, and they all shook handson the bargain. 

Bob and Joe made their purchases, said goodbye to the radio inspector, and left the store excitedly discussing their chances of locating therascal Cassey and perhaps recovering Nellie Berwick's stolen money. When they parted to go home, each renewed his promise to be on timethe following morning, and went his way filled with hope that at lastthe scoundrel would perhaps be brought to justice. 

"But I wish we could be sure that that old rascal would be caught upwith and be made to give back Miss Berwick's money, " reflected Bob, as he turned in at his own home. "She's in Clintonia again. I saw herat a distance to-day. "

CHAPTER XXV

THE PRIZE

But before going to bed that night, Bob had an idea which he proceededat once to put into execution, with the result that there were somelively telephone exchanges and considerable excitement in variousquarters. 

The fruit of his work was seen the following morning, when, onreaching Hall's garage, Mr. Brandon, instead of finding only the twoboys waiting for him, found also Miss Nellie Berwick and a Mr. EdgarWilson, a keen, wide-awake lawyer of Clintonia, whom Miss Berwickhad retained to look after her interests. 

"I tried to get you also on the telephone last night, Mr. Brandon, "Bob explained, after introductions had been made, "but I couldn't findyou in. So I took the liberty of asking Miss Berwick and Mr. Wilson togo along with us on the chance that we might round up Dan Cassey. "

"That's all right, " responded Mr. Brandon warmly. "The boys havealready told me, Miss Berwick, of the dastardly trick that fellowplayed on you, and I shall be only too happy to have you and yourlawyer go along with us. It would give me the keenest satisfactionto see that fellow get his deserts. "

Miss Berwick thanked him heartily and the party took their placesin the automobile, which held five persons comfortably and was ofa modern type. That it was speedy was soon proved by the way it spedalong the road under the skillful guidance of Mr. Brandon. A raintwo days before had laid the dust, and the roads were in perfectcondition. In a surprisingly short time they had come in sight ofLansdale, a little village on the coast. 

They stopped at the post-office and Brandon climbed out of the carand went in. The postmaster eyed him warily, and was at first somewhatdisinclined to give any information, but the sight of the badge thatproclaimed Mr. Brandon a government official unloosed his tongue andhe talked freely. 

"Know anybody about here by the name of Cassey?" asked Mr. Brandon. 

"Cassey? Cassey?" repeated the postmaster ruminatively. "No, there'snobody of that name around here. Or if there is, he's never been tothis office to get his mail. "

"The man I'm speaking of stutters--stutters badly, " said theinspector. "Is there any one like that in town?"

"Just one, " replied the postmaster. "And he stutters enough for adozen. Worst case I ever knew. Gets all tangled up and has to whistleto go on. But his name's Reddy. "

"Has he been here long?" pursued the inspector. 

"Oh, a matter of a month or two, " was the reply. "Never saw himbefore this year. Thought perhaps he was one of the early birdsof the summer visitors that was rushing the season. "

"Where does he live?" asked Mr. Brandon. 

"Just a little way up the street, " replied the postmaster. "Cometo the window here and I'll show you the house. "

He pointed out a little cottage of rather dilapidated aspect, abovewhich the keen eye of Mr. Brandon saw the end of an aerial. 

He thanked the postmaster and went out to his party. 

"I think we have our game bagged all right, " he remarked, andrejoiced to see the light that came into Miss Berwick's eyes, "but of course I'm not sure as yet. "

He told them the result of his inquiries, and they were delighted. 

"I tell you what I think we had better do, " he suggested. "I proposethat we leave the automobile here and go up to the house on foot. Three of us will go in, while Miss Berwick and Mr. Wilson will stayout of sight at the side of the house until they get the sign toenter. The surprise may lead to confession and restitution if properlymanaged. "

The others signified their consent to this and proceeded toward thehouse. Miss Berwick and her lawyer stood at the side, where they couldnot be seen from the door, and the inspector, followed by the boys, mounted the steps and rang the bell. 

There was a moment's delay and then the door opened. A short thick-setman stood there with his hand on the knob. He wore large horn glasses, which may have been because of defective sight or possibly as adisguise. The eyes behind the glasses were furtive and shifty, andthe mouth was mean and avaricious. 

"Is this Mr. Reddy?" asked the inspector politely. 

"Th-th-that's my name, " answered the man. "W-what can I dof-f-for you?"

"That depends, " replied Mr. Brandon. "I called to see you on a matterof business. May I come in?"

The man eyed his visitors with a look of apprehension and annoyance, but finally assented with a nod of his head and led the way into asmall and meagerly furnished living room. 

"I see that you have a radio set here, " remarked Mr. Brandon, seatinghimself and looking around the room. 

"Y-y-y-yes, " stuttered the man. "W-what about it?"

The inspector threw back his coat and showed his badge. At the sightof this symbol of authority the man gave a violent start. 

"I happen to be a radio telephone inspector, " explained Mr. Brandon. 

"O-oh, " said the man, visibly relieved that it was no worse. "W-whydo you want to see me?"

"Because you've been violating the government regulations, " repliedthe inspector sternly. "There have been a number of complaintsagainst you, and you've got yourself into serious trouble. "

As he spoke he crossed his legs, which was the sign agreed on, andunseen by the man who during this conversation had had his back towardthe boys, Bob tiptoed out to the street and beckoned to Miss Berwickand her lawyer, who followed him promptly and softly into the room. 

"I'm s-s-sorry, " the man was saying at the moment. "I d-d-d-didn'tmean--"

Just then Bob slammed the door shut with a bang. The man jumped, and as he turned about came face to face with Miss Berwick, whostood regarding him with a look of scorn. 

So startled was the man that his glasses dropped from his nose andhe had to grasp a chair to hold himself steady. His face turned agreenish hue and rank fright came into his narrow eyes. 

"How do you do, Mr. Cassey?" asked Miss Berwick. "Do you happen tohave my mortgage with you?"

"Mr. Cassey?" repeated Mr. Brandon with affected surprise. "He toldme his name was Reddy. How about it?" he asked, and his voice had thering of steel. "Have you been trying to deceive a government officer?"

The detected rascal dropped weakly into the chair whose back he hadbeen holding. He seemed near total collapse. 

"Come now, " said Mr. Wilson, stepping forward and tapping him on theshoulder, "the game's up, Cassey. We've got you at last. The moneyor the mortgage, Cassey. Come across with one or the other and comeacross quick. It's that or jail. Take your choice. "

Dan Cassey, shaking in every limb, tried to temporize, and stuttereduntil he got red in the face and seemed on the point of apoplexy. But the lawyer was inflexible, and at last Cassey took a key fromhis pocket and opened a drawer from which he took a paper and handedit over to Mr. Wilson. The latter ran his eyes over it and his facelighted up with satisfaction. 

"It's the mortgage, all right, " he said, as he handed it over tohis client. "That settles his account with you, Miss Berwick, andI congratulate you. But it doesn't settle his account with the law. You contemptible scoundrel, " he said, addressing Cassey, "you oughtto serve a good long term for this. "

Cassey, utterly broken, fell on his knees at this and fairly beggedfor mercy. He stuttered so horribly that the boys would have had tolaugh if it had not been for the tragedy of the wretched creaturegroveling in such abasement. 

Miss Berwick intervened and held a conference with her lawyer ina low voice. 

"Well, " said the latter finally, "of course, if you refuse to makea charge against him, there's nothing to do but to let him go, though he ought to be sent to jail as a warning to others. Get up, you worm, " he continued, addressing Cassey, "and thank your starsthat Miss Berwick's generosity keeps you from getting the punishmentyou so richly deserve. "

They left him there in his shame and disgrace, and went back to theircar, after Mr. Brandon had warned the rascal that any repetition ofhis minor offense would bring down swift penalty, from the government. 

It was a happy party that rode back to Clintonia. There were tearsin Miss Berwick's eyes as she thanked again and again the boys whofor the second time had done her such a signal service. And Bob andJoe had a Sense of satisfaction and exhilaration that was beyondall words to express. 

On their way they passed through Ocean Point, a summer colony wheremany of the residents of Clintonia had cottages. It was on theseashore and every foot of it was familiar to the boys, whose ownparents spent a part of the summer there every year. 

"It won't be long now before we'll be on this old stamping ground ofours, " remarked Joe, as he looked at the surf breaking on the shore. "It will be good to be here again. "

"Right you are, " replied Bob. "And we'll bring our radio sets along. This summer will be more interesting than any we've known before. "

How fully that prophecy was carried out, and how exciting were theadventures that awaited the boys will be told in the second book ofthis series, to be entitled: "The Radio Boys at Ocean Point; Or, The Message That Saved the Ship. "

Herb and Jimmy were as delighted as their chums when they heard ofthe way that Cassey had been trapped and forced to make restitution. But many of the details had to be postponed until another time, forjust now their thoughts were full of the Ferberton prize which wasto be awarded that night, and for which they were busy in makingtheir final preparations. 

The town hall that night was crowded, and many had to be contentwith standing room. Upon the platform were numerous wirelesstelephone sets that had been received for the competition. 

Mr. Ferberton himself presided at the gathering. He made a mostinteresting address, in which he dealt with the wonders of wirelessand gave a review of its latest developments. His own set, which wasone of the largest and most powerful the radio boys had ever seen, had been installed on the platform with a large horn attached, andfor an hour and a half, while waiting for the prizes to be awarded, the auditors were regaled with a delightful concert. 

In the meantime, a committee of three radio experts had been examiningthe sets submitted in competition. They subjected them to varioustests, taking into account the care displayed in workmanship, theingenuity shown in the choice of materials, and the clearness of tonediscerned when each in turn was connected with the aerial and put toa practical test. The choice was difficult, for many of them showedsurprising excellence for amateurs. 

At last, however, the awards were decided on, and Mr. Ferberton, holding the list in his hand, advanced to the edge of the platform. The silence became so intense that one could almost have hearda pin drop. 

"The first prize, " he said after a few words of introduction, "is awarded to Robert Layton. "

There was a roar of applause, for no one in town was more popularthan Bob. 

"The second prize goes to Joseph Atwood, " continued Mr. Ferberton, and again the hall rocked with applause. 

"If there had been a third prize, " the speaker concluded, "it wouldhave been awarded to James Plummer. As it is, he receives honorablemention. " And Jimmy too had his share of the cheering and handclapping. 

Long after the lights were out and the audience dispersed, the chumssat on Bob's porch, elated and hilarious. 

"I'm the only rank outsider, " grinned Herb. "I take off my hat tothe rest of the bunch. You're the fellows!"

"You needn't take it off to me, " laughed Jimmy. "I got only honorablemention, and there isn't much nourishment in that. Not half as muchas there is in a doughnut. I could have used that money, too. "

"What are you two bloated plutocrats thinking of?" asked Herb of Boband Joe, who had let the others do most of the talking. 

"Radio, " replied Joe. 

"The most wonderful thing in the world, " declared Bob. 

THE END

 * * * * *

THE RADIO BOYS SERIES

(Trademark Registered)

By ALLEN CHAPMAN

Author of the "Railroad Series, " Etc. 

ILLUSTRATED. INDIVIDUAL COLORED WRAPPERS FOR EACH STORY. 

A new series for boys giving full details of radio work, both insending and receiving--telling how small and large amateur setscan be made and operated, and how some boys got a lot of fun andadventure out of what they did. Each volume from first to last isso thoroughly fascinating, so strictly up-to-date and accurate, we feel sure all lads will peruse them with great delight. 

Each volume has a Foreword by Jack Binns, the well-known radioexpert of the New York Tribune. 

THE RADIO BOYS' FIRST WIRELESS;Or, Winning the Ferberton Prize. 

THE RADIO BOYS AT OCEAN POINT;Or, The Message That Saved the Ship. 

THE RADIO BOYS AT THE SENDING STATION;Or, Making Good in the Wireless Room. 

THE RADIO BOYS AT MOUNTAIN PASS;Or, The Midnight Call for Assistance. 

THE RADIO BOYS TRAILING A VOICE;Or, Solving a Wireless Mystery. 

THE RADIO BOYS WITH THE FOREST RANGERS;Or, The Great Fire on Spruce Mountain. 

GROSSET & DUNLAP. PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK

 * * * * *

THE TOM SWIFT SERIES

By VICTOR APPLETON

UNIFORM STYLE OF BINDING. INDIVIDUAL COLORED WRAPPERS. 

These spirited tales, convey in a realistic way, the wonderfuladvances inland and sea locomotion. Stories like these are impressedupon the memory and their reading is productive only of good. 

TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR CYCLETOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR BOATTOM SWIFT AND HIS AIRSHIPTOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOATTOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RUNABOUTTOM SWIFT AND HIS WIRELESS MESSAGETOM SWIFT AMONG THE DIAMOND MAKERSTOM SWIFT IN THE CAVES OF ICETOM SWIFT AND HIS SKY RACERTOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RIFLETOM SWIFT IN THE CITY OF GOLDTOM SWIFT AND HIS AIR GLIDERTOM SWIFT IN CAPTIVITYTOM SWIFT AND HIS WIZARD CAMERATOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHTTOM SWIFT AND HIS GIANT CANNONTOM SWIFT AND HIS PHOTO TELEPHONETOM SWIFT AND HIS AERIAL WARSHIPTOM SWIFT AND HIS BIG TUNNELTOM SWIFT IN THE LAND OF WONDERSTOM SWIFT AND HIS WAR TANKTOM SWIFT AND HIS AIR SCOUTTOM SWIFT AND HIS UNDERSEA SEARCHTOM SWIFT AMONG THE FIRE FIGHTERSTOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVE

GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK

 * * * * *

THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS SERIES

BY VICTOR APPLETON

UNIFORM STYLE OF BINDING. INDIVIDUAL COLORED WRAPPERS. 

Moving pictures and photo plays are famous the world over, and in thisline of books the reader is given a full description of how the filmsare made--the scenes of little dramas, indoors and out, trick picturesto satisfy the curious, soul-stirring pictures of city affairs, lifein the Wild West, among the cowboys and Indians, thrilling rescuesalong the seacoast, the daring of picture hunters in the jungle amongsavage beasts, and the great risks run in picturing conditions in aland of earthquakes. The volumes teem with adventures and will befound interesting from first chapter to last. 

THE MOVING PICTURE BOYSTHE MOVING PICTURE BOYS IN THE WESTTHE MOVING PICTURE BOYS ON THE COASTTHE MOVING PICTURE BOYS IN THE JUNGLETHE MOVING PICTURE BOYS IN EARTHQUAKE LANDTHE MOVING PICTURE BOYS AND THE FLOODTHE MOVING PICTURE BOYS AT PANAMATHE MOVING PICTURE BOYS UNDER THE SEATHE MOVING PICTURE BOYS ON THE WAR FRONTTHE MOVING PICTURE BOYS ON FRENCH BATTLEFIELDSMOVING PICTURE BOYS' FIRST SHOWHOUSEMOVING PICTURE BOYS AT SEASIDE PARKMOVING PICTURE BOYS ON BROADWAYTHE MOVING PICTURE BOYS' OUTDOOR EXHIBITIONTHE MOVING PICTURE BOYS' NEW IDEA

GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK

 * * * * *

THE OUTDOOR CHUMS SERIES

BY CAPTAIN QUINCY ALLEN

The outdoor chums are four wide-awake lads, sons of wealthy men ofa small city located on a lake. The boys love outdoor life, and aregreatly interested in hunting, fishing, and picture taking. They havemotor cycles, motor boats, canoes, etc. , and during their vacationsgo everywhere and have all sorts of thrilling adventures. The storiesgive full directions for camping out, how to fish, how to hunt wildanimals and prepare the skins for stuffing, how to manage a canoe, how to swim, etc. Full of the spirit of outdoor life. 

THE OUTDOOR CHUMSOr The First Tour of the Rod, Gun and Camera Club. 

THE OUTDOOR CHUMS ON THE LAKEOr Lively Adventures on Wildcat Island. 

THE OUTDOOR CHUMS IN THE FORESTOr Laying the Ghost of Oak Ridge. 

THE OUTDOOR CHUMS ON THE GULFOr Rescuing the Lost Balloonists. 

THE OUTDOOR CHUMS AFTER BIG GAMEOr Perilous Adventures in the Wilderness. 

THE OUTDOOR CHUMS ON A HOUSEBOATOr The Rivals of the Mississippi. 

THE OUTDOOR CHUMS IN THE BIG WOODSOr The Rival Hunters at Lumber Run. 

THE OUTDOOR CHUMS AT CABIN POINTOr The Golden Cup Mystery. 

12mo. Averaging 240 pages. Illustrated. Handsomely bound in Cloth. 

GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK

 * * * * *

THE BOYS OF COLUMBIA HIGH SERIES

By GRAHAM B. FORBES

Never was there a cleaner, brighter, more manly boy than Frank Allen, the hero of this series of boys' tales, and never was there a bettercrowd of lads to associate with than the students of the SchoolAll boys will read these stories with deep interest. The rivalrybetween the towns along the river was of the keenest, and plots andcounterplots to win the champions, at baseball, at football, at boatracing, at track athletics, and at ice hockey, were without number. Any lad reading one volume of this series will surely want the others. 

THE BOYS OF COLUMBIA HIGHOr The All Around Rivals of the School

THE BOYS OF COLUMBIA HIGH ON THE DIAMONDOr Winning Out by Pluck

THE BOYS OF COLUMBIA HIGH ON THE RIVEROr The Boat Race Plot that Failed

THE BOYS OF COLUMBIA HIGH ON THE GRIDIRONOr The Struggle for the Silver Cup

THE BOYS OF COLUMBIA HIGH ON THE ICEOr Out for the Hockey Championship

THE BOYS OF COLUMBIA HIGH IN TRACK ATHLETICSOr A Long Run that Won

THE BOYS OF COLUMBIA HIGH IN WINTER SPORTSOr Stirring Doings on Skates and Iceboats

12mo. Illustrated. Handsomely broad in cloth, with coverdesign and wrappers in colors. 

GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK

 * * * * *

THE FAMOUS ROVER BOYS SERIES

BY ARTHUR M. WINFIELD(Edward Stratemeyer)

American Stories of American Boys and Girls

NEARLY THREE MILLION COPIES SOLD OF THIS SERIES

12mo. CLOTH. UNIFORM STYLE OF BINDING. COLORED WRAPPERS. 

THE ROVER BOYS AT SCHOOLTHE ROVER BOYS ON THE OCEANTHE ROVER BOYS IN THE JUNGLETHE ROVER BOYS OUT WESTTHE ROVER BOYS ON THE GREAT LAKESTHE ROVER BOYS IN THE MOUNTAINSTHE ROVER BOYS ON LAND AND SEATHE ROVER BOYS IN CAMPTHE ROVER BOYS ON THE RIVERTHE ROVER BOYS ON THE PLAINSTHE ROVER BOYS IN SOUTHERN WATERTHE ROVER BOYS ON THE FARMTHE ROVER BOYS ON TREASURE ISLETHE ROVER BOYS AT COLLEGETHE ROVER BOYS DOWN EASTTHE ROVER BOYS IN THE AIRTHE ROVER BOYS IN NEW YORKTHE ROVER BOYS IN ALASKATHE ROVER BOYS IN BUSINESSTHE ROVER BOYS ON A TOURTHE ROVER BOYS AT COLBY HALLTHE ROVER BOYS ON SNOWSHOE ISLANDTHE ROVER BOYS UNDER CANVASTHE ROVER BOYS ON A HUNTTHE ROVER BOYS IN THE LAND OF LUCKTHE ROVER BOYS AT BIG HORN RANCH

GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK

 * * * * *

THE PUTNAM HALL STORIES

Companion Stories to the Famous Rover Boys Series

By ARTHUR M. WINFIELD(Edward Stratemeyer)

UNIFORM STYLE OF BINDING. INDIVIDUAL COLORED WRAPPERS. 

Being the adventures of lively young fellows at a Military Academy. Open air sports have always been popular with boys and these storiesthat mingle adventure with fact will appeal to every manly boy. 

THE MYSTERY OF PUTNAM HALLOr The School Chums' Strange Discovery

The particulars of the mystery and the solution of it are veryinteresting reading. 

CAMPING OUT DAYS AT PUTNAM HALLOr The Secret of the Old Mill

A story full of vim and vigor, telling what the cadets did duringthe summer encampment, including a visit to a mysterious old mill, said to be haunted. The book has a wealth of fun in it. 

THE REBELLION AT PUTNAM HALLOr The Rival Runaways

The boys had good reasons for running away during Captain Putnam'sabsence. They had plenty of fun and several queer adventures. 

THE CHAMPIONS OF PUTNAM HALLOr Bound to Win Out

In this volume the Cadets of Putnam Hall show what they can do invarious teen rivalries on the athletic field and elsewhere. Thereis one victory which leads to a most unlooked-for discovery. 

THE CADETS OF PUTNAM HALLOr Good Times in School and Out

The Cadets are lively, flesh-and-blood fellows, bound to make friendsfrom the start. There are some keen rivalries, in school and out, andsomething is told of a remarkable midnight feast and a hazing with anunexpected ending. 

THE RIVALS OF PUTNAM HALLOr Fun and Sport Afloat and Ashore

It is a lively, rattling, breezy story of school life in this country, written by one who knows all about its pleasures and its perplexities, its glorious excitements, and its chilling disappointments. 

GROSSET and DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK