"We're all hoping that you'll be stationed here permanently," said Bob, as all paused in front of Mr. Brandon's hotel. "We'd hate to see you transferred away from here."

"That's mighty nice to hear," said the radio expert, and his tone left no doubt that he was in earnest. "You may believe that I'll do my best to stay here, anyway. This is the center of a pretty large territory, and the wireless business is growing so fast that it's possible I'll be able to. We'll make the most of the time I'm here, anyway."

"You bet we will," said Bob. "We'll be looking for you at the station to-morrow, anyway, but if you're not there we'll tell Larry why you couldn't come."

The boys said good-night to Frank Brandon, and started on the short walk to Main Street and their homes.



CHAPTER XVIII

NEW HOPE

"I told Larry to come on the twelve-fifty train to-morrow," said Bob. "We can get together when we come out of church, and we'll have plenty of time then to walk to the station. We don't want to take any chances of Larry's getting in without any one to meet him."

"Not on your life," agreed Joe, emphatically. "But how are we going to get him to the hotel, Bob? I know we can't get dad's car. He's too awfully busy just now. It isn't much of a walk from the station, but it's too far for Larry just yet, isn't it?"

"Let's all chip in and hire a taxi," proposed Bob. "It won't cost us much, and I guess we can all squeeze into one easily enough."

"I'm game," said Joe. "I can hang onto the spare tire if there isn't room enough inside."

"I guess that won't be necessary," laughed Bob. "Of course, Jimmy takes up a little extra room, but then Herb brings it back to average again."

It was agreed that they should hire a taxicab according to Bob's suggestion, and then the boys said "so-long" and dispersed to their homes.

The following day they met at the church door, as they had agreed, and walked rapidly down to the station. It was a glorious day, with just a hint of frost in the air, and all the boys were in high spirits. They found it hard to remember that it was Sunday and that they must act accordingly, but managed to get to the station with a due amount of decorum.

The train was a few minutes late, but the time did not seem long to them. They hired a taxicab in advance, and by the time that transaction was finished they could see the train in the distance. As it drew into the station, they eagerly scanned the alighting passengers. Larry was one of the last to alight, and the boys were almost beginning to fear that he was not on the train when they spied him on the last car. With one accord they rushed in that direction, and in a few seconds Larry found himself on the platform, with the boys bombarding him with questions and congratulations.

"How did it seem to be performing for the benefit of about half a million people at one time?" inquired Joe.

"Not very different from performing for only a few," laughed Larry. "I wasn't worrying much about the half million. What was bothering me was to please just one—Mr. Allard."

"I suppose that's about the size of it," agreed Bob, as they started toward the taxicab. "I guess he was satisfied, though, wasn't he?"

"Well, he didn't say much directly, but he took me on permanently, and is going to pay me almost twice as much as Chasson did; so I guess that's a pretty good indication that he likes the act," replied Larry. "But where are you Indians taking me to, anyway?"

"Don't ask questions, but just come along," said Bob. "We've got a taxi waiting here, and Mr. Brandon has hired a room for you at his hotel, so you see you've got nothing to worry about."

"It certainly looks that way," agreed Larry. "Well, I'm in the hands of my friends. I'll be good and do as I'm told."

"You'd better, until you get your strength back," threatened Bob. "We can lick you easily now, you know, so you'd better speak nicely to us."

"Well, when people treat me to a ride in a taxicab, I speak nicely to them anyway, so that they'll be encouraged to do it again," said Larry. "So, you see, I have a double incentive."

"You'd better make the most of this ride," laughed Joe. "When you begin to get your pay checks, we'll expect you to hire the taxicabs, shan't we, fellows?"

"You bet we will," said Jimmy. "This is the life! Taxicabs must have been made especially for me, I like to ride in them so."

"It's too bad Tim can't be with us now," said Bob. "Have you heard how he is getting along lately, Larry?"

"Oh, that reminds me!" exclaimed Larry. "You can bet your bottom dollar I've heard from him lately. Not an hour after I had gone through my act last night I got a telegram from him congratulating me. It seems that he was listening in at a radio set somewhere, and I guess it must have pretty nearly knocked him off his pins when he heard the announcer give my name. As soon as I finished he must have rushed out and sent the telegram. Here it is, and you can read it for yourselves."

He fished through his pockets, and at last produced the crumpled slip of yellow paper.

Bob took it up and read aloud.

"Fine work, old man. Keep it up. Have got engagement, too. More by letter. Tim."

"Good for him!" exclaimed Bob. "We were speaking about him last night, and wondering how he was making out. I'm mighty glad to hear that he has landed an engagement."

"So am I," said Larry. "Although, now that I've got one, he would have had half of what I made until he did drop into something. It's always been share and share alike with us."

By this time the taxicab had reached the hotel, and the boys helped Larry out. He was regaining his strength rapidly now, and his friends were delighted to note the improvement in him.

"You won't need that crutch much longer, Larry, I can see that," Bob told him.

"I hope not," responded Larry. "And won't it be a happy day when I can throw it into the discard? Believe me, it's a terrible thing to have to rely on one."

"I hope we never have to make the experiment," said Bob, soberly. "But you're mighty lucky to be getting along the way you are. When they first took you to the hospital, the doctor didn't think you'd pull through. He didn't say so in so many words, but we could see that he thought it."

"I don't doubt it," said Larry, as they slowly mounted the steps leading to the lobby. "You can believe that I felt as though the roof had caved in on top of me."

At that moment a tall boy passed them rapidly, going out of the door into the street. It was Buck Looker, and he had passed the others without recognizing them.

"Did you ever hear any more from Buck?" questioned Bob of Larry.

"No," and Larry's face clouded. "But I suppose he still thinks me guilty of that robbery."

"Forget Buck!" cried Joe. "He isn't worth worrying about."

"Perhaps not. Just the same, I wish that matter was cleared up. I hate to have a cloud over my name," answered Larry seriously.



CHAPTER XIX

LISTENING IN

Larry registered at the desk, and then they were whisked up in the elevator to the lad's room. Bob had inquired at the desk for Frank Brandon, but was informed that he had left early that morning and had left word for the boys that he would not be back in Clintonia before the following evening.

Larry's room was only two removed from that of the radio expert, and was fairly large and comfortably furnished. The young actor was delighted when he saw it.

"Say, this is great!" he exclaimed. "This has got the hospital beat a thousand ways. If the eats are only as good as the room, I'll be in clover."

"You won't find anything the matter with the eats," said Bob. "This hotel has a reputation for setting a good table, and I don't think you'll have any fault to find with it."

"When I get my first pay check, we'll try it out together," promised Larry. "You'll all be my guests, for a change, and we'll make the chef step around a bit."

"Hooray!" crowed Jimmy, "that's the kind of talk I like to hear, Larry. It certainly sounds like sweet music to me."

"It is rather pleasant," added Bob. "All you've got to do is set a date, Larry, and we'll be there with nickel-plated appetites and cast iron digestions."

"You fellows haven't said much about your radio lately. How is it coming along? I'm afraid you've spent so much time on me lately, that you've gotten behind on that new set you were telling me about."

"No, that's coming along all right," said Bob. "We haven't set any hard and fast date to have it finished, you know. We've all had to bone down pretty hard at school this term, too."

"Could you hear me plainly last evening?" inquired Larry.

"If you'd been sitting in the room with us, it couldn't have sounded any different," Joe assured him. "Doctor Dale has a good set for shorter ranges, but except under very favorable conditions he can't get the distant stations, like Detroit, for instance."

"Do you expect to be able to hear Detroit?"

"We'll be able to hear any station in the Eastern States," Bob informed him. "This is going to be a set that is a set, Larry."

"Well, so much the better," said Larry. "If you can hear as far as that, you won't have to live in fear of not hearing my performance only a few miles away. I know it would break your hearts if you couldn't."

"It makes me sad just to think of such a terrible thing," sighed Herb. "Wait till I get my handkerchief, fellows, and mop up the flowing tears."

"Aw, chase yourself," grinned Larry. "The only thing that would bother you radio bugs if you didn't hear me, would be the fear that your blamed old set wasn't working just right. You'd be down under the table fussing around with a few thousand wires, but you'd never stop to think that maybe I'd been fired by the manager, or run over by a trolley car."

"Oh, we'd never have to worry about you," said Joe. "You've heard the old saying that 'only the good die young.'"

"I certainly have," admitted Larry. "And that probably explains why that stage scenery didn't kill me outright. It's been rather a mystery to me why it didn't, but you've put me wise to the real reason."

"It will do for want of a better one, anyway,'" laughed Bob.

"If we can once get you interested in radio, Larry, you'll be as stuck on it as any of us," said Joe. "It's interesting right from the beginning, but when you dig into it a bit, it gets more fascinating all the time."

"Oh, I'm interested in radio all right, don't male any mistake about that," returned Larry, with a twinkle in his eye. "It's my meal ticket now, you know."

"Yes, but I mean in the way of recreation," persisted Joe.

"Yes, I suppose it must be mighty interesting, for a fact," admitted Larry, more seriously. "Just wait until I get strong again, and maybe I'll take it up in earnest. I've seen enough of it to realize that there are wonderful possibilities in it, anyway."

"Well, we'll be glad to initiate you any time you say the word," offered Bob. "We don't know enough about it to keep us awake at night, but we can probably explain a few things to you."

"Oh, I'll ask questions until you wish you'd never mentioned radio to me," laughed Larry. "If I do take it up, I'll have to start at the beginning."

"That's where most everybody starts," announced Jimmy. "You won't be a bit worse off than we were, will he, fellows?"

"I should say not," answered Bob. "When we started, we hardly knew the difference between an antenna and a ground wire. We had our own troubles at first; and we're still having them, as far as that goes. There always seems to be something new coming up that you have to work out."

"If I keep on getting good pay from the broadcasting station, I'll be able to buy a set, anyway," said Larry. "What's the use of working so hard over one, when you can buy them all made up? All you have to do is hook them up to a small antenna, and you get your music right off the bat."

But the radio boys all scouted this idea.

"Of course you can buy one all made up," said Bob. "But there's not half the fun in operating that kind of set as there is in one that you've made yourself. And besides, you can get a lot better results when you've made the thing yourself and understand just what's in it and how it works. If you don't get good results some evening, you know where to look for the trouble."

"It's like driving an automobile when you don't understand the mechanism," added Joe. "As long as everything goes all right you go sailing along, but let something go wrong, and you're up a tree right away. You haven't any idea of where to look for the trouble."

"All right, all right," laughed Larry. "Don't shoot, and I'll promise never to mention it again."

"See that you keep it, then," said Bob, laughing. "But anybody who buys a made-up set isn't entitled to be called a real radio fan; at least, we don't think so."

"I suppose you're right," agreed Larry. "It must be half the fun of the game when you do the job yourself. But remember that everybody can't build elaborate sets the way you fellows do, even if they want to. They haven't got the knack."

"I suppose that's so," conceded Bob. "But almost anybody that can drive a nail straight can do it. It's mostly a matter of hard work and a little study."

"Well, when I get a little stronger, maybe I'll take a fling at it," said Larry. "But just at present, the only thing I can think about is getting something to eat. I had a pretty early breakfast, and now I'm rather anxious to try some of that good cooking you tell me this hotel is famous for."

"My!" exclaimed Bob, jumping to his feet. "I'm glad you mentioned dinner, Larry. I'll have to take it on the run if I'm going to get home in time for dinner. They're always sore if I'm late, too."

"And to think that I overlooked such an important thing as Sunday dinner!" ejaculated Jimmy, searching frantically around for his cap. "I only hope I can last out until I get home," he went on. "If I do, it will only be on account of my strong will power. I'm afraid poor old Herb hasn't much chance to pull through."

"Huh!" snorted Herb. "If you had to depend on will power to get you home, you'd never get a block away from here. You'll get home all right, but the thing that gets you there will be the thought of how good the chicken and apple pie are going to taste."

"Well, nobody could have a stronger motive than that, after all," said Jimmy. "Confound this elevator, anyway. I guess it's never going to come up. You fellows can wait if you want to, but I'm going to walk down. I know I'll get there, then."

"Doughnuts does have a good idea once in a while," said Joe. "I'll do the same thing." The others were nothing loath, so they shook hands with Larry and clattered down the long flights of stairs at high speed, for, as Bob said, it would never do to let the elevator beat them down after all.



CHAPTER XX

THE WONDERFUL SCIENCE

The boys arrived at the street floor breathless but triumphant, and started in the direction of home at so brisk a pace that poor Jimmy had some difficulty in keeping up. He was in as much of a hurry as any of the others, however, and by great effort managed to keep up with his companions.

"After this, we all should be eligible to go in a walking race," laughed Bob, as they paused a minute at his door. "Can you all get around this evening and listen to some radio? I've got to get out some lessons this afternoon, and I guess you have, too."

"I should say so!" exclaimed Joe. "You know how much chance we had to do them yesterday, and I've got a good three hours' work ahead of me. I guess I can get around this evening all right, though."

Herb and Jimmy both said that they would be on hand, and then they went on, separating as each reached his own home.

Shortly after supper that evening they all met at the Layton home according to appointment. As it was Sunday, they did not do any work on their new set, but the whole Layton family gathered around the loud speaker that evening, as a prominent preacher was to deliver a sermon by radio, and they were all eager to hear it.

Before the sermon there was an organ recital, and they heard this perfectly, after the boys had succeeded in tuning out one or two amateurs who sometimes made them trouble. Of course, everybody enjoyed the recital, and also the sermon, which was delivered in very effective style.

"This is certainly being up to date," commented Mr. Layton, when the sermon was over. "When I was the same age as you boys, I was expected to be in church every Sunday evening without fail. But now it does not seem quite so necessary, when it is possible to have religious services right in the home, as we have had them this evening. I think the Layton family is indebted to you boys, as the chances are neither Mrs. Layton nor I would ever have become interested in it if Bob and you hadn't introduced us to it."

"I'll bet you never thought much of it when we first started to build an amateur set, now did you, Dad?" accused Bob.

"As I don't see any way out of it, I suppose I'll have to confess that you're right," laughed Mr. Layton. "But you must remember that you boys were among the first to take up wireless in Clintonia, and at that time nobody in town had thought anything about it. I guess we didn't realize its possibilities."

"It was a surprise to me when that first set that you boys made really worked," admitted Mrs. Layton. "I remember that it sounded very nice right from the start, too."

"Yes, that was a good old set," said Bob. "It didn't satisfy us for long, though. It was all right under favorable conditions, but you couldn't do much tuning with it."

"Not only that, but the range was pretty limited, too," chimed in Joe. "When I think of all the planning we had to do before we got it made, I feel like laughing."

"It was no laughing matter then, though," said Herb. "If it hadn't worked, we'd have been a pretty disappointed crowd."

"I'll never forget the sensation when that first music came in over our set," said Bob. "It was certainly a grand and glorious feeling. I only hope our new set comes up to scratch as well as that one did."

"I guess there isn't much doubt about the new set," observed Joe, confidently. "It will just have to work."

"Look out," laughed Mr. Layton. "Don't forget the old saying, that 'pride goeth before a fall.'"

"Yes, we may have an awful bump coming to us, I suppose," said Joe. "But we'd be awfully sore if it didn't work, after all the labor we've put on it."

"We'll make it work, all right," predicted Bob. "Maybe not on the very first trial, but we'll get it going in the end, I'll bet a cookie."

"I surely hope it will be all right, because I know how bad you would all feel if it didn't," said Mrs. Layton. "I never knew boys would work so hard at anything, just for the sake of the fun they expect to get out of it."

"They may get a good deal more than just fun out of it," remarked Mr. Layton, seriously. "It looks to me as though radiophony were only just starting at present, and it seems certain that it offers a big field for any one who has the desire and ability to take up that line of work. It may turn out to be a fine thing for them later on."

"I suppose that's very true," said his wife, thoughtfully. "Although that side of it never occurred to me before."

After a little further conversation, Joe, Herb, and Jimmy said good-night and took their leave, thinking, as they walked home, of what Mr. Layton had said. They had all entertained the same idea before, but his words had encouraged them. Why not? Surely there must be many openings in so large a field for bright and ambitious young fellows, and in their dreams that night the boys had visions of fame and fortune attained through the medium of wireless telephony.

They were discussing this the next afternoon on their way home from school, when their speculations were brought to an abrupt end by the sight of Larry hobbling down the street toward them as fast as he could travel with his crutch, his face flushed and his free arm wildly waving.



CHAPTER XXI

THE VANISHING CROOKS

The radio boys broke into a run, and soon reached their excited friend.

"What's the matter, Larry?" asked Bob. "You look as though you had just seen a ghost. What's the trouble?"

"I wish you'd gotten here a few minutes sooner!" panted Larry. "Confound this blamed crutch of mine. How can anybody hope to make any speed with one of these things?"

"He can't," said Bob. "But hurry up and tell us what's eating you."

"I just saw the fellows that were in that motor boat when it ran us down!" exclaimed Larry.

"You did?" cried the radio boys in chorus. "Did you try to stop them?"

"Of course I did," replied Larry. "But they evidently recognized me, for they gave me one look, and then started off at top speed. I tried to run after them, but I'm too blamed crippled yet to do much speeding, and of course they got away clean. If you fellows had come along three minutes sooner, we could have caught them, I think."

"They can't have got very far yet, then," said Bob. "Which way did they go? It may not be too late to catch them even now."

"They went around that corner," answered Larry, pointing with his crutch. "I got there as soon as I could, but by the time I arrived there was no sign of them."

"I'm afraid we haven't much chance to catch them now, but we might as well try, anyway," said Bob. "Judging from the direction they took, it looks as though they might have headed for the station. Suppose we each take a different street, and work down to the station, keeping our eyes open as we go along? Even if we don't succeed in catching them, we may find somebody who knows them and can give us some information."

"Sounds good to me," agreed Joe, briefly, and the others also assented to Bob's plan.

"I'll go straight down High Street, then," said Bob, decisively. "You take Jerome Avenue, Joe. You take Van Ness Avenue, Herb. And you take Southern Boulevard, Jimmy. They all run together near the station, and we can meet there. So-long, Larry. Whether we learn anything or not, we'll come back to the hotel and let you know all about it."

"All right, then, I'll be waiting for you," said Larry, with a wave of his hand. "I only wish that I could help you, but I'm a lame horse yet. Good luck, anyway."

The radio boys set out at top speed, each one hunting high and low along the street assigned to him, and asking questions of every one he met. But the strangers seemed to have vanished into thin air, for, hunt as they would, the boys could find no trace of them. At the railroad station they learned that a train had left for New York only a few minutes before, but the ticket agent said he did not remember selling tickets to any men such as the boys described.

"That doesn't prove anything, though," he said, as he noted their disappointment. "I sell so many tickets here during the day that I don't notice who buys them much. The only time I'd be likely to notice anything would be if the parties were excited or nervous, and I don't remember anything like that this afternoon."

The boys thanked him, and left the station.

"That's too bad," said Bob. "I would have given a lot to have caught those fellows for Larry. People that are mean and selfish enough to upset a boat and then not even try to rescue the people in it, ought to get what's coming to them."

"I'd certainly have enjoyed taking a swift punch or two at them myself," agreed Joe.

"Well, if we didn't catch them, it wasn't for lack of trying," said Herb. "People looked at me as though they thought I was crazy when I asked them questions about the fellows we were after. I didn't even know enough about them to describe them."

"My idea was that they'd probably keep on running even after they'd gotten away from Larry, and in that case somebody would have been sure to notice them," explained Bob. "It looks as though they were wise enough to slow down as soon as they thought they were safely away, though."

"No use crying over spilt milk," said Jimmy philosophically. "Let's go back to Larry and report 'nothing doing.'"

"I suppose that's about all we can do," agreed Bob. "We'll keep a sharp lookout on the way back, and we may find something, after all."

But this hope was doomed to disappointment. There was no sign of the rascals they sought, and there was no help for it but to tell Larry of their lack of success.

The latter was naturally greatly disappointed, but he put a cheerful face on the matter.

"When they once got away from me, I gave up hope of catching them, for this time, anyway," he said. "Clintonia is getting to be such a big town that it's easy for people to lose themselves in it. The only thing to do is hope for better luck next time. I'm mighty grateful to you fellows for trying so hard to find them, too."

"Don't thank us for doing nothing," said Bob, a little ruefully. "If we had caught those rascals, it would have been different."

"Oh, it was just hard luck that you fellows didn't come along a few minutes sooner. We'd have got them then, sure. But I've got a hunch that we'll run across them again."

"I'll bet you traveled faster with that stick of yours than you ever thought you could, didn't you?" asked Herb, with a grin.

"I guess I did," laughed Larry. "I must have looked funny hopping along there. But it won't be long now before I'll be traveling around on my own two feet again."

"You're certainly looking better every time I see you," remarked Bob. "I guess you'll be plenty strong enough to start in at steady work at the broadcasting station next week, won't you?"

"Oh, sure," responded Larry. "I could do it this week, as far as that goes."

"Don't get too ambitious," said Joe. "A week's rest here will do you all kinds of good."

"Do you find the grub as good as we told you it would be?" asked Jimmy.

"It's simply heavenly," said Larry, solemnly.

"Say!" exclaimed Bob, suddenly, "have any of you Indians happened to think what next Monday is?"

"Sure," said Herb, flippantly. "It's the day after next Sunday. Ask me something harder next time."

"That's right," said Bob, giving him a withering glance. "As our friend Herbert says, it is the day after Sunday, but it also happens to be Columbus Day, and therefore a holiday. How did we ever come to forget that?"

"Hooray!" they shouted, and with one accord linked arms and executed an impromptu dance.

"That being so, let's go with Larry when he reports for work," proposed Joe. "Who's game to do it?"

"I'm with you!" exclaimed Bob. "We can see that Larry gets there all right, and maybe Mr. Allard will show us over the station. We were in such a hurry when we were there before that we couldn't see very much."

"I'd like to go first rate," said Herb. "But I'm so far behind on my French that I'm afraid I'll have to stay at home and make up for lost time. I'm 'way back in math., too."

"I won't be able to go either, I'm afraid," said Jimmy, dolefully. "Dad has just taken a big contract, and I've promised to help him all my spare time next week. I'd forgotten about Monday being a holiday, though," he added, truthfully.

"Well, if you can't, that's all there is to it," said Bob. "Maybe you'll change your minds before then, though."

"I don't want you to come just on my account, fellows," said Larry. "Of course, I'd love to have you come, but I don't want you to think you've got to."

"It isn't that at all," Bob assured him. "In the first place, it will be fun to take the trip, and then, if we get a chance to look around the station, we may get some good tips for our new set."

"Well," said Larry, doubtfully, "since you put it that way, it will be great to have you come with me. I guess I've got influence enough around there already to show you the inside works."

"All right, then, we'll consider that settled," said Bob. "Joe and I will call for you early in the afternoon. By that time Mr. Brandon will be back, and maybe he'll come, too."

The radio inspector returned the next day, but he could not promise to accompany the little party, as he had to attend a meeting at headquarters the following Monday.



CHAPTER XXII

BROADCASTING MARVELS

The remainder of the week sped quickly by, and almost before the boys realized it the holiday had arrived. Larry spent the morning at Bob's house, where he watched Bob and Joe working on the new set, and kept his promise to ask questions.

"It doesn't do me much good, though," he said, fairly puzzled at last. "That's about the most mysterious looking box of tricks that I've ever had the hard luck to look at. What are all those dials and knobs for? Do you keep your money in there, or what?"

"You must think they are combination locks," laughed Bob. "This knob here controls a condenser, and this one a transformer."

"But how do you know what to do with them?" asked the bewildered Larry. "How do you know which one to turn and which one to leave alone?"

"You don't," laughed Bob. "You may have an idea about where they should be placed, but it's different every evening."

"Yes, and during the evening, too," added Joe. "You have to keep adjusting all the time to get the best results."

"Well, if it depended on me, I'm afraid I'd only get the worst results," said Larry. "It all looks terribly complicated to me."

"You don't have to worry much about it, anyway," said Joe. "All you have to do is whistle into the transmitter, and it's up to us to hear you. We have to do all the work."

"It's a lucky thing for me that it is that way," said Larry. "If I had to learn all about radio before I could give my act, I'd probably starve to death first."

"Radio is just like everything else," said Bob. "It looks very mysterious and difficult to an outsider, but when you get into it a little way and understand the rudiments, it begins to look a lot simpler. It wouldn't take you very long to catch on to it. Especially a smart lad like you," he added, with a grin.

"Cut out the comedy," said Larry. "Any time I get a compliment from you or Joe, I know there's a nigger in the woodpile somewhere."

"The trouble with you is, you're too modest," said Joe. "When we do say something good about you, you think we're only kidding."

"I don't think—I know," replied Larry, grinning. "I suppose, though, that radio must be pretty easy, or you fellows wouldn't know so much about it."

"That remark has all the appearance of a dirty dig," said Bob. "But I suppose we can't land on him until he gets entirely well, can we, Joe?"

"No, let him live a little while longer," replied his friend. "We'll get even for that knock, though, Larry, my boy."

"I won't lie awake at night worrying about it, anyway," replied Larry. "But I'm not going to interfere with your work any more. Just go ahead as though I weren't here, and I'll try to learn something by watching what you do."

Bob and Joe worked steadily then until Mrs. Layton called to them to come up to lunch.

"Toot! toot!" went Larry, imitating faithfully a factory whistle blowing for twelve o'clock. "Time to knock off, you laborers. If you work any longer I won't let you belong to the union any more."

"No danger of that," said Bob. "I've been feeling hungry ever since ten o'clock, so I'm not going to lose any time now. Come on up and we'll see what mother's got for us."

They found a lunch waiting for them that would have made a dyspeptic hungry, and they attacked it in a workmanlike manner that drew an approving comment from Mrs. Layton.

"I declare it's some satisfaction to get a meal for you boys," she declared. "You certainly eat as though you enjoyed it."

"There's no camouflage about that, Mother; we do enjoy it," answered Bob.

"We wouldn't be human if we didn't enjoy it, that's fairly certain," said Larry. "The meals at the hotel are pretty good, but they're not in the same class with this lunch at all."

"I know they have a reputation for setting a good table there," said Mrs. Layton. "I hope you fare as well in the city. You'll board there, I suppose, won't you?"

"Yes, I expect to," said Larry. "Mr. Allard, the manager, recommended me to a good place near the station, and I guess they won't let me starve to death there."

"Let us hope not," smiled Mrs. Layton. "Any time you are in Clintonia, we'd be very glad to have you visit us, you know. I suppose Bob has told you that, though."

"I certainly did!" exclaimed her son. "I have a hunch that after eating a while in boarding houses a good home-cooked meal must be a welcome change."

"I'll say it is," assented Larry. "But there are one or two good restaurants fairly near the station, anyway, so in case I get tired of the food at the boarding house, I can switch to a restaurant for a while."

"That sounds like jumping from the frying pan into the fire," grinned Joe.

"I suppose it is something along that line," assented Larry, with a rueful laugh. "But what is a poor fellow to do?"

"I suppose it can't be helped," assented Bob, as he finished his dessert. "But now, fellows, there doesn't seem to be anything more to eat, so I guess we'd better be moving if we're going to catch the two o'clock train."

"That shows you how much gratitude I can expect from him," said Mrs. Layton, laughingly appealing to the others. "'Eat and run' seems to be his motto these days."

"Well, there's always so much to be done, it would keep anybody on the jump," protested Bob. "I don't seem to be fading away under the strain, though, do I?"

"No. And while your appetite continues the way it is, I guess I shan't need to worry about you," replied Mrs. Layton.

Larry and Joe said good-by to their hostess, and then all three boys started for the station. They had good fortune in catching the trolley that ran to the railroad station, and just had time to get their tickets before the train pulled in.

It was more than a two-hours' run to the point where they must change cars, but it seemed to them that they had hardly gotten settled in their seats before it was time to get off. Larry told them many comical stories of his experiences while traveling from town to town and funny incidents that had occurred at rehearsals and during performances.

"You get pretty tired of traveling all the time, though," Larry remarked at length. "This engagement you fellows and Mr. Brandon have gotten for me is certainly a relief. I'd be mighty glad to have it, even if I hadn't been hurt. I've had enough of jumping around all over the country to suit me for a while."

"I'll bet it does get mighty tiresome," assented Bob, as the boys rose to get out. "But here we are, and as the train doesn't go any further, I suppose we might as well get off."

"That isn't a bad idea," said Joe. "I suppose there's no use trying to persuade the conductor to go on a little further."

"I don't imagine you'd better even think of it," said Larry. "I've got a hunch that he'd only get peeved if you did."

"Well, then, I'll take your advice," grinned Joe.

As they emerged from the terminal into the street at their final destination, Joe asked:

"But how are we going to find this place, Larry? Do you know the way?"

"No, but I know how to find somebody who does," replied Larry, and he signaled to a taxicab driver.

"Nix, Larry, nix!" expostulated Bob. "We can get there on the trolleys. You'd better save your cash."

"You fellows blew me to a taxi ride when I landed in Clintonia the last time, so I'm going to do the same for you," said Larry, obstinately. "No use in kicking now, so just forget it."

During this brief dialogue the taxi had approached them, and now stopped as the driver swung open the door.

"Hop in, fellows," directed Larry, and then he gave the driver directions to drive to the big broadcasting station.

With a jerk and a rattle they were off, and there ensued an exciting ten minutes as the taxicab scooted through the traffic, shooting across streets, and missing collisions by the narrowest of margins a dozen times in the course of the brief journey. The boys held on tight to prevent being thrown from their seats, and they all heaved sighs of relief when at length the vehicle came to a sudden halt in front of the big broadcasting station.

"Whew!" exclaimed Bob. "I don't know what this will cost you, Larry, but whatever it is, you get your money's worth of excitement, anyway. Taking a ride in one of those things is like going out to commit suicide."

"That's nothin'," grinned the driver, who had overheard this remark. "We was takin' it easy all de way. If you guys had been in a hurry, now, I might have shown you a little speed."

"Well, you did pretty well, as it was," said Bob. "You were in a hurry, if we weren't."

Larry paid the man, and he was off at top speed and had disappeared around a corner before Larry had fairly put his change away.

"That must be a great life, driving a taxi all day in a big city," said Larry. "But let's go in, and see if we can find the boss. I hope he'll act tip nice and show you fellows the whole works. I'll go around with you and try to look wise, but I won't have any idea of what it's all about."

Entering the office, they had little difficulty in seeing the manager, and he readily consented to have the boys look over the station, turning them over to an assistant, as he was too busy to take them around himself.

Mr. Reed, the assistant, did not appear particularly pleased with his assignment at first, but when he found that the boys were well grounded in radio, his attitude changed.

"I get tired of showing people around who don't know a thing about radio, and do nothing but ask fool questions," he explained. "But when I get some one who knows the subject and can understand what I'm showing him, that's a different matter."

He showed them over the sending station from the studio to the roof. The boys listened with the keenest interest as he described to them the methods by which the broadcasting was carried on, which every night delighted hundreds of thousands of people within range of the station.

In a little room close to the roof they saw the sending apparatus which really did the work. There was a series of five vacuum bulbs through which the current passed, receiving a vastly greater amplification from each, until from the final one it climbed into the antenna and was flung into space. To the casual onlooker they would have seemed like simply so many ordinary electric bulbs arranged in a row and glowing with, perhaps, unusual brilliance.

But the boys knew that they were vastly more than this. Where the electric light tube would have contained only the filament, these tubes at which they were looking contained also a plate and a grid—the latter being that magical invention which had worked a complete revolution in the science of radio and had made broadcasting possible. From the heated filament electrons were shot off in a stream toward the plate, and by the wonder-working intervention of the grid were amplified immeasurably in power and then passed on to the other tube, which in turn passed it on to a third, and so on until the sound that had started as the ordinary tone of a human voice had been magnified many thousands of times. This little series of tubes was able to make the crawl of a fly sound like the tread of an elephant and there is no doubt that a time will come when through this agency the drop of a pin in New York City can be heard in San Francisco.

The boys were so fascinated with the possibilities contained in the apparatus that it was only with reluctance that they left the roof and went to the studio. This they found to be a long, rather narrow room, wholly without windows, and with the floors covered with the heaviest of rugs. The reason for this, as their guide explained, was to shut out all possible sound except that which it was desired to transmit over the radio.

"What is the idea of having no windows?" asked Bob.

"So there shall be no vibration from the window panes," replied Mr. Reed. "I tell you, boys, this broadcasting hasn't been a matter of days, but is the development of months of the hardest kind of work and experiment. We have had to test, reject, and sift all possible suggestions in order to reach perfection. I don't mean by that to say that we have reached it yet, but we're on the way. New problems are coming up all the time, and we are kept busy trying to solve them.

"It seems a simple thing," he went on, "to talk or sing into that microphone," pointing to a little disk-like instrument about the height of a man's head. "But even there the least miscalculation may wholly spoil the effect of the speech or the music. Now, in a theater, the actor is at least twenty feet or so from the nearest of his audience and the sounds that he makes in drawing in his breath are not perceptible. If he stayed too close to the microphone, however, that drawing in of breath, or some other little peculiarity of his delivery, would be so plainly heard that it would interfere with the effect of his performance. So, with certain instruments. A flute, for instance, has no mechanical stops, so a flute player can stand comparatively near the microphone. The player of a cornet, however, must stand some distance back or else the clicking of the stops of his instrument will interfere with his music. These are only a few of the difficulties that we meet and have to guard against. There are dozens of others that require just as much vigilance to guard against in order to get a perfect performance. It's a pleasure to explain these things to you, boys, for you catch on quickly."

"We're a long way from being experts," said Bob, "but we've done quite a good deal of radio work and built several sets of our own, so we can at least ask intelligent questions."

"Well, fire away, and I'll try to answer them," replied Mr. Reed. "You may be able to stick me, though."

He said this as a joke, but before they had completed a tour of the building the boys had asked him some posers that he was at a loss to answer.

"I almost think you fellows should be taking me around," he said at last. "Blamed if I don't think you know as much as I do about it."



CHAPTER XXIII

THE FIRST VENTURE

"They're regular sharks, those boys," said Larry, who was thoroughly enjoying Mr. Reed's discomfiture. "I think they'd be able to stick Mr. Edison, I'll be blest if I don't."

"Nonsense," laughed Bob. "We're only asking about things we don't understand ourselves. You know the did saying, 'a fool can ask more questions than a wise man can answer.'"

"Hey, there, speak for yourself!" exclaimed Joe. "You may be a fool, but don't class me under that heading."

"I was only speaking figuratively, as the profs say," laughed Bob. "I don't want you to take me too literally, of course."

"All I've got to say is, that you're both pretty well up on radio," said Mr. Reed. "Are you a shark too, Larry?"

"Not I," answered Larry. "I've been trying to learn something about it since I met Bob and Joe here, but I can't say that I've made much progress. Besides, you can't do much learning in a hospital," he added, with a rueful laugh.

"It isn't what you would call an ideal place," admitted Mr. Reed. "But now that you're working here, you ought to pick it up pretty soon."

"I'm going to make a real try at it now," promised Larry. "It's a shame to be so ignorant about the business that's giving you a living."

"Yes, but I don't see where our knowledge of radio is bringing us much cash," said Joe.

"How about that hundred and fifty dollars we won between us in prizes?" Bob reminded him. "That was quite a little cash, wasn't it?"

"That's a long time ago, though," returned Joe. "I wish I knew some way to pick up a little extra change now. Christmas is not very far off, and heaven knows how I'm going to buy anybody any present."

"Can you do anything in the way of a song or a recitation?" asked Mr. Reed. "I know Mr. Allard needs one or two short bits to fill out the programme to-night, but I don't suppose you could do anything of that sort, could you?"

"I'm afraid not," replied Joe. "I know two or three recitations that I learned for the elocution class, but I'm afraid that's about the full extent of my entertaining power. If I tried to sing, folks would think that some accident had happened to their apparatus."

"A good recitation or two might be just what the boss is looking for," returned Mr. Reed. "It Couldn't do any harm to ask him about it, anyway. What is your specialty, Layton?"

"There's no such thing," laughed Bob. "As an entertainer, I'd be a terrible frost."

"I'm not so sure of that," said the other. "Suppose we look up Mr. Allard, anyway, and see what he has to say."

"I'll try anything once," said Bob. "I suppose it can't do any harm to try, anyway."

"If you can get away with it, why not pick up a few dollars?" asked Larry. "It isn't like facing a big audience, you know. The audience is there, all right, but you don't see them, and it's easier to forget about them than in a theater."

"I wouldn't try it for a farm in a theater," said Joe. "But I guess I could work up nerve enough to talk into that sending apparatus. It won't be as bad as reciting in the auditorium at high school, at any rate."

"Don't bank too much on it," warned their conductor. "Mr. Allard may not think well of the plan, or he may have found some one else by this time."

"I'll be satisfied either way," said Bob, philosophically. "I'd like to make a little money, all right; but, on the other hand, I'm beginning to get stage fright already. If Mr. Allard turns us down it will be a relief, after all."

But the manager, when interviewed, seemed relieved at the prospect of having their services.

"I think I can use you both very nicely this evening," he said. "Of course, I'll have to hear your stuff before I can tell. Suppose you let us hear one or two of your recitations, Mr. Atwood."

"All right," grinned Joe. "You'll probably give me the hook before I get through, though; but you can't say I didn't warn you."

"We'll take a chance," smiled the manager. "Do your worst."

Thus exhorted, Joe recited a humorous piece he had learned recently for delivery in the elocution class, and he recited it very well, too. When he had finished Mr. Allard called for more, and Joe obliged with the only other selection in his repertoire.

"That's first rate," said the manager, when he had finished. "I think that ought to go all right. I think I'll give you ten or fifteen minutes on the bill. Now, how about you, Mr. Layton? What's your specialty?"

"I don't own such a thing," grinned Bob. "I know one piece that I learned for elocution, the same as Joe, but you wouldn't want two of the same variety on the bill."

"No, that's true," agreed Mr. Allard. "Let's see, now," and he thought a minute or two.

"How would this do?" he exclaimed at length. "We've got all sorts of books here with jokes and riddles in them. Suppose we pick out a few good conundrums, and you can learn them and the answers between now and seven o'clock. Then, right at the beginning of the bedtime stuff, you give the riddles, and we'll announce that the answers aren't to be given until the very end of the performance. That will keep them guessing all through it, and keep them interested. Then at the end you can give the answers. How does that strike you?"

"I'm game," replied Bob, grinning. "I guess if I bone down to it I can learn a few by then."

"You won't even have to memorize them, if you don't want to," said Mr. Allard. "You can read them right off if you'd rather. Your audience won't be able to see what you're doing, you know."

"That would probably be better," agreed Bob. "Then there won't be any chance of my forgetting the answers. Think of how tough it would be on the kids if I gave them a riddle and then forgot the answer. That would be a terrible trick to play on them."

"Well, you can suit yourself about that," returned Mr. Allard. "It's almost six o'clock now, so perhaps you'd better go out and get a bite to eat right now. I'll pick out a few good conundrums, and you'd better get back as soon as you can and study them up a bit."

"All right," said Bob. "We'll make it snappy."

He and Joe and Larry went out and had a quick meal at the nearest restaurant.

"You fellows have broken into the entertaining game with your usual speed," remarked Larry. "Who would have imagined this morning that you would be on the broadcasting programme this evening?"

"We wouldn't have been, one time out of a hundred," answered Bob. "If one of the regulars hadn't been sick, we never would have gotten a look in."

"'It's an ill wind that blows nobody any good,'" quoted Joe. "We'll make our car fare out of this, and something over. It's lucky I happened to speak as I did to Mr. Reed."

"But say!" exclaimed Bob, struck by a sudden thought. "Won't Jimmy and Herb be knocked silly when they hear our voices this evening? They won't be able to believe their ears."

"You said it," declared Joe. "But the worst of it is, we won't be there to see their faces at the time. I'd give the evening's profits to see them then."

"It will be a scream, all right," agreed Larry, with a chuckle. "You two will have it all over all the other radio fans in Clintonia when you get back. They'll be green with envy."

"I guess it will make them sit up and take notice," assented Bob. "Just make out Lon Beardsley won't be sore. This will be a terrible blow to him."

"It's a good thing it isn't the other way around," said Joe. "If it were Lon who was on the broadcasting programme, we'd never hear the last of it. You'd be hearing about it ten years from now."

The three friends finished their meal and returned to the broadcasting station, where Mr. Allard was waiting for Bob with the riddles that he had selected.

"Here are a few funny ones," he said. "You can practice up on the delivery of them, and Larry will give you some pointers about the best way to say them. I don't imagine you'll have any trouble when the time comes."



CHAPTER XXIV

WINNING OUT

"It seems to me he takes a lot for granted," said Bob, after the manager had left the room. "How does he know that both of us won't get rattled right in the middle of the thing and ball up the whole programme?"

"I guess it's because he's heard something about both you and Joe from Mr. Brandon, and he's pretty sure you'll come up to the scratch," said Larry. "That's the way I figure it out, anyway."

"Well, we'll do the best we can to live up to our reputation, if that's the case," said Bob. "I'll read these things aloud the way I think they should go, Larry, and you correct me if I'm wrong."

"Go ahead," replied Larry. "You've been telling me so much about radio that I ought to be willing to tell you something about how to put a joke over."

Bob settled down to his task in earnest then, and for an hour rehearsed the jokes with Larry, who drilled him in the most effective way to tell them to advantage.

"There!" exclaimed Larry, at the end of that time. "I think you ought to get by all right now, Bob. You're doing fine."

"Well, if they don't like me, I can't help it," said Bob. "At any rate, they won't be able to throw any dead cats at me. That's one big advantage that radio entertainers have."

"That's true enough," laughed Larry, "although I hadn't thought about it before. Maybe I'd have had a poor pussy cat wrapped about my neck before this if I'd been doing my act in a regular theater."

"Nonsense!" replied Bob. "Nobody threw anything at you when you were acting in a regular theater, did he?"

"No," admitted Larry. "That is, nothing except big bunches of American Beauty roses," he hastily added.

"Oh, of course, that's understood," gibed Joe. "I suppose you had to hire a big truck every evening to cart them away."

"Yes, every evening," grinned Larry. "And the applause——good gracious! The people for blocks around used to complain about it."

"You don't get much applause now," laughed Bob. "How does it seem to perform for the benefit of a telephone transmitter instead of an audience?"

"It never bothered me much," replied Larry. "It seems to be pretty hard for some of the actors, though, especially the comedians. When they spring a funny joke they're used to hearing their audience laugh, and when they don't hear anything, they get peeved sometimes. They can't get used to the blank silence after their best efforts."

"I can easily understand how it would have that effect," said Bob. "It might save them a lot of trouble, though. Take the case of a black-face artist. He wouldn't need to put on any make-up at all, if he didn't want to."

"But if they don't, they don't feel natural, and it's apt to spoil their act. An actor is pretty temperamental, you know."

"Well, I'm beginning to feel that way myself," sighed Joe. "I wish it were time for us to spring our stuff on an unsuspecting public and get it over with. It must be pretty near time for the first number now, isn't it?"

"It sure is," answered Larry. "We'd better go on up to the transmitting room. The worst crime a public performer can commit is to be late, you know."

"And to think that I'm the poor fellow that's supposed to open the show!" exclaimed Bob.

"My, I'll be as glad to get it over with as you will, Joe."

"That's saying a mouthful," replied his friend. "Oh, what a relief it will be!"

"If the audience can stand it, you two ought to be able to," said Larry, cruelly. "Quit your worrying."

"I guess if the audience can stand you, it won't mind us," returned Bob, giving Larry a friendly poke in the ribs. "Guess that will hold you a little while, old timer."

Before Larry could think of a suitable retort they had entered the transmitting room, and he had to postpone his reply for the time being.

Mr. Allard was already there.

"How do you feel?" he asked them, in greeting. "Probably a trifle nervous?"

"Just a little bit," Bob admitted. "I think we'll make out all right, though."

"Good!" replied the manager. "Don't get rattled, and you'll go over all right. From what Mr. Brandon has told me, you don't either of you rattle easily, though."

"We're ready any time you are, sir," was Bob's comment.

"All right, then," said Mr. Allard, crisply. "It's time now, Morton," addressing the announcer. "You can go ahead and announce Layton's act."

This the announcer did, and then, tense with excitement but thoroughly master of himself, Bob stepped to the transmitter and propounded the first of his conundrums. With book in hand, Larry stood at his elbow to prompt him in case he forgot anything, but his friendly services were not needed. Bob went through the whole list without a mistake and with no fumbling, speaking clearly and distinctly into the transmitter. Although he could not see his audience, he nevertheless sensed the listening thousands, and felt the lift and exhilaration that come to the successful entertainer. His part in the programme was short, a scant ten minutes, but he enjoyed every minute of it.

When he had asked the last riddle, he stepped back, and mopped big drops of perspiration from his face.

"Whew!" he exclaimed. "I'm glad that's over, although it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be."

"You've got to go all through it again when you give the answers," Larry reminded him, cruelly.

"I guess I can stand it," said Bob. "Did I do it all right?"

"Sure you did," they all assured him. "It was good work."

In a little while the time came for Joe to give his recitations, and he, too, did good work. It was easy to see that the manager was pleased with both of them, and, indeed, he did not hesitate to say so.

"If you fellows didn't live so far away, I'd be glad to make you a regular part of the programme," he told them later. "You both have a good delivery, and I can see that Brandon was right when he said you didn't lack nerve. It's too bad you don't live in this town."

"I don't think we could do much along that line just now, anyway," said Bob, much pleased. "Between high school and building radio sets we don't have much time left over. We appreciate your giving us a chance on the bill to-night, though. We never dreamed of such a thing when we left the house this morning."

"I can't wait to get back to Clintonia to see what Herb and Jimmy have to say," remarked Joe. "I'll bet their eyes are sticking out now like a crab's."

The boys then said good-night to Mr. Allard and Larry, and took a somewhat hurried departure, as they had very little time left in which to make the last train for Clintonia.

Meantime, Herb and Jimmy had been treated to the surprise of their lives. Shortly after supper Jimmy had whistled the familiar call in front of Herb's house, and when his friend had emerged had invited him to come to his house that evening.

"You know I've got my set rigged up now," he said, "the one that I entered for the Ferberton prize. It didn't win the prize, but it's a pretty good set all the same. There's a good radio programme on for this evening, and I suppose you want to hear it as much as I do."

"Yes, I certainly do," answered Herb. "Besides, if we hear Larry, we'll know that the three of them arrived at the other end on time. It will be almost as good as having them right here with us."

"Get your coat on, then, and we'll be going," said Jimmy. "It's not so far from seven o'clock, now."

Herb ran back into the house, and, emerging shortly afterward, joined his friend, and they set out for Jimmy's house.

"Conditions ought to be ideal for radio to-night," Herb remarked, as they walked along. "It's clear as a bell. There won't be enough static to-night to bother any one."

"So much the better," said Jimmy. "That set of mine doesn't get very good results when the static is bad. I thought it was the real thing once, but compared with the sets we've made since, I can see where it might be a lot better."

"Well, there aren't many things that are so good that they can't be improved," remarked Herb. "I suppose even if I set out to make a perfect set, I might fall a little short of the mark somewhere."

"That seems almost impossible, but of course you ought to know," replied Jimmy, with a grin,

"I only wish we had our set finished that we're working on now," said Herb. "Then we ought to get real results."

"It won't take us so very long now," returned Jimmy. "Most of the hard work is done, and all we have to do now is to assemble it, I guess we can get busy at that pretty soon now."

"The sooner the better," answered Herb. "It seems to me that we've been at it an awfully long while."

"Not so long when you consider all the work that there is to a set like that," said Jimmy. "But here we are, and I'm beginning to feel hungry again, although it isn't very long since I had supper. I think I'll hunt around in the kitchen and see if I can't find a few doughnuts. I'm pretty sure that there are some left in the crock."

"I don't see how there can be, if you knew they were there," laughed Herb. "But I hope you do find some. Your mother's doughnuts have a reputation, you know."

"We'll go up to my room first, and then I'll have a look," said Jimmy.

Herb had hardly gotten his coat off before Jimmy returned with several golden brown doughnuts.

"Here we are," he said, triumphantly. "Now to enjoy the radio!"

Herb had brought a pair of ear phones with him, and he and Jimmy connected their phones in series, so that they could both listen at the same time.

They had hardly got settled when they heard the resonant tones of the announcer.

"Mr. Robert Layton will ask a number of conundrums, the answers to come later." So spoke the announcer.

Herb and Jimmy gazed at each other open-mouthed.

"Wh-what did he say?" gasped Jimmy, at length. "Did you hear it the same as I did, Herb?"

"He said Robert Layton, all right!" exclaimed Herb. "What do you suppose——" But here he was interrupted by the well known voice of their friend.

"Give me a pencil!" exclaimed Herb. "I'll guess those before the answers come, or die trying. We can't let Bob get away with this altogether."

"I should say not!" agreed Jimmy, as Herb started scribbling furiously. "I can't believe yet that it's really Bob talking. How do you suppose he ever got on the programme?"

Herb shook his head without stopping his writing, and at last had all the riddles written down.

"Never mind the rest of the programme," he said. "We'll try to solve these things first."

But while they were still struggling to find answers to the knotty riddles, they nearly went over backward in their chairs as another familiar name sounded in their ears. The announcer was giving Joe's name this time, and all Herb and Jimmy could do was to sit and look at each other and mutter inarticulately as Joe recited his selections. When they were over, both boys took off their head phones and gazed solemnly at each other.

"Can you beat it?" asked Herb at length, in a bewildered way.

"Nope," responded Jimmy. "I'm not even going to try. Just think of those two Indians actually getting on a broadcasting programme! I'm knocked so hard that I'll have to eat another doughnut to set me straight again. Finish 'em up, Herb."

And Herb "finished 'em up" while they both ruminated on the incomprehensible vagaries of fate.

"We've got to go over and see 'em do it," declared Jimmy.

"Right you are," returned his chum. "I won't believe it till I see it with my own eyes."

They saw it with their own eyes a week later when the radio boys gave a second performance which was even more successful than the first, since they had got over the nervousness that affected them at the start. The manager renewed his importunities for them to take a regular engagement, assuring them that they had made a decided hit. The best the boys could see their way clear to agree to, however, was to appear one night in each week, and this programme was carried out for the several weeks ensuing, with ever-increasing ability on the part of Bob and Joe and marked satisfaction to the manager of the sending station.



CHAPTER XXV

SOLVING THE MYSTERY

One night after another performance all of the radio boys were waiting in the railroad station when Larry, who had stepped to the news stand to buy a paper, came hurrying back to where they were sitting.

"I've spotted the men who ran me down in the motor boat!" he gasped. "They're talking together over in that corner!"

"Are you sure?" asked Bob, as he looked in the direction indicated.

"Dead sure," declared Larry. "The look I had at them as the motor boat was making for me is engraved on my memory so that I couldn't forget it if I wanted to. Now's the chance to get those fellows jugged. You know the police were looking for them after they ran us down and there's a warrant out for their arrest. The police didn't have their names, so the warrant read for John Doe and Richard Roe. We've got to act quickly, as they may get up to take a train at any minute."

"Keep your eye on them while I get a station policeman," admonished Bob, as he hurried off.

He found the officer, who listened attentively as he told his story. Then he walked with Bob toward the men who were still engaged in earnest conversation.

As the officer's eyes fell upon them, he gave a start.

"That's Red Pete and Bud McCaffrey, two of the oldest crooks in the business," he said. "They're wanted for more things than that affair of yours. It will be a feather in my cap if I gather them in."

He tightened his grip on the club as he came close to the two men. They looked up at him, and a startled look came into their eyes as they saw his uniform.

"Hello, Pete. Hello, McCaffrey," he greeted them. "I guess you'd better come right along to headquarters. The Chief would like to have a talk with you."

With a snarl the men leaped to their feet and sought to get past the officer. He was too quick for one of them, whom he grabbed by the collar and reduced to submission by two cracks with his club. The other eluded him, however, and promised to make good his escape. But quick as a flash Bob thrust out his foot and tripped him, at the same time falling upon him.

The fall knocked the breath out of the fugitive, and Bob had no trouble in holding him until Joe and the other boys came up, together with another policeman, who had been attracted by the fracas. A patrol wagon was summoned and the prisoners were conveyed to the nearest police station, where they and the bags they had carried were searched in the presence of the boys, who had missed their train in order to be present and give what information they could about the motor boat affair.

The bags were found to contain, among jewelry and other things that were apparently the proceeds of robberies, a number of pawntickets calling for stickpins, watches and other articles which the police lieutenant at the desk announced would be looked up by some of his men. The prisoners were locked up to await a court examination, and the boys, after having given their names and addresses in case they were wanted later on as witnesses, left for home in a state of high excitement over the stirring events of the night.

Bob kept in touch with the case, and a few days later came rushing up to his friends in high glee.

"What do you think, fellows?" he announced. "After the extra performance I gave to-day at the broadcasting station, I dropped in at the police station and had a look at some of the loot the police had gathered up on the strength of the pawntickets. And among them what do you think I saw?"

"The Crown Jewels of England," guessed Herb.

Bob withered him with a look.

"The stickpins and watches of Buck Looker and Carl Lutz!" announced Bob impressively. "Their initials were on the watches."

"Glory be!" cried Larry, who was present. "That clears me in that matter. I know none of you fellows believed Buck's dirty fling, but all the same I've felt uncomfortable ever since."

"Now you'll get a nice letter of apology from Mr. Buck Looker—I don't think," remarked Joe.

The information was conveyed to Buck and Lutz, and they identified and recovered their property. But as Joe had predicted, not a word of apology for their unfounded charges was received from either one of the pair.

Not long afterward the arrested men were convicted and sentenced to long prison terms. It developed that they were old offenders who made a specialty of robbery at summer resorts.

Larry grew steadily better and there was every prospect that his lameness would in time wholly disappear. But he was doing so well at the broadcasting station that he determined to give up any further idea of vaudeville and devote himself to radio, going to a technical school in the meantime to perfect his education. Tim steadily advanced in his chosen vocation, and the boys heard from him frequently. No one rejoiced more than they when they learned that he was at last in the big-time circuit.

During all these events the boys had been busy at developing the receiving set, and at last it was finished to their satisfaction. In the course of their work they gathered a large amount of familiarity with radio which proved of immense value later on, as will be seen in the next volume of this series, entitled: "The Radio Boys at Mountain Pass; Or, The Midnight Call For Assistance."

The special set that represented the advance they had made in radio reception included the regenerative principle. This feature added immensely to the sensitiveness of the set. It consisted of a coil, variously known as the tickler, the intensity coil, and the regeneration coil. It involved three controls, the wave-length tuning, the regenerative coil, and the filament rheostat. The result of the combination was not only that the radio frequency waves could be carried over into the plate circuit, but that they could be amplified there by the energy derived from the local battery in the plate circuit without change of frequency or wave form, and that they could be fed into the grid circuit, where they increased the potential variations on the grid so that the operation constantly repeated itself.

This "feed-back" regeneration enormously increased the loudness of the receiving signals, and its value to the boys was demonstrated one night when the air was unusually free of static and they clearly heard the signals from Nauen, Germany, and the Eiffel Tower, Paris. They looked at each other incredulously at first, and then as they heard the signals again too certainly to admit of doubt, they jumped to their feet, clapped each other on the shoulder, and fairly went wild with delight.

"The first boys in this old town to pick up a message from Europe!" cried Joe. "What next?"

"Asia perhaps," suggested Jimmy.

"Then Australia," ventured Herb.

"Or Mars," predicted Bob. "Who knows?" he added, as he saw the smile of doubt on his comrades' faces. "Marconi thought he might, and he's no dreamer. What is impossible to radio?"

THE END



This Isn't All

Would you like to know what became of the good friends you have made in this book?

Would you like to read other stories continuing their adventures and experiences, or other books quite as entertaining by the same author?

On the reverse side of the wrapper which comes with this book, you will find a wonderful list of stories which you can buy at the same store where you got this book.

Don't throw away the Wrapper

Use it as a handy catalog of the books you want some day to have. But in case you do mislay it, write to the Publishers for a complete catalog.



The Radio Boys Series

(Trademark Registered)

By ALLEN CHAPMAN

Author of the "Railroad Series," Etc.

Individual Colored Wrappers. Illustrated.

Every Volume Complete in Itself.

A new series for boys giving full details of radio work, both in sending and receiving—telling how small and large amateur sets can be made and operated, and how some boys got a lot of fun and adventure out of what they did. Each volume from first to last is so 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 radio expert.

THE RADIO BOYS' FIRST WIRELESS THE RADIO BOYS AT OCEAN POINT THE RADIO BOYS AT THE SENDING STATION THE RADIO BOYS AT MOUNTAIN PASS THE RADIO BOYS TRAILING A VOICE THE RADIO BOYS WITH THE FOREST RANGERS THE RADIO BOYS WITH THE ICEBERG PATROL THE RADIO BOYS WITH THE FLOOD FIGHTERS THE RADIO BOYS ON SIGNAL ISLAND THE RADIO BOYS IN GOLD VALLEY

Grosset & Dunlap, Publishers, New York



THE TOM SWIFT SERIES BY VICTOR APPLETON

Uniform Style of Binding. Individual Colored Wrappers. Every Volume Complete in Itself.

Every boy possesses some form of inventive genius. Tom Swift is a bright, ingenious boy and his inventions and adventures make the most interesting kind of reading.

TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR CYCLE TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR BOAT TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIRSHIP TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RUNABOUT TOM SWIFT AND HIS WIRELESS MESSAGE TOM SWIFT AMONG THE DIAMOND MAKERS TOM SWIFT IN THE CAVES OF ICE TOM SWIFT AND HIS SKY RACER TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RIFLE TOM SWIFT IN THE CITY OF GOLD TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIR GLIDER TOM SWIFT IN CAPTIVITY TOM SWIFT AND HIS WIZARD CAMERA TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT TOM SWIFT AND HIS GIANT CANNON TOM SWIFT AND HIS PHOTO TELEPHONE TOM SWIFT AND HIS AERIAL WARSHIP TOM SWIFT AND HIS BIG TUNNEL TOM SWIFT IN THE LAND OF WONDERS TOM SWIFT AND HIS WAR TANK TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIR SCOUT TOM SWIFT AND HIS UNDERSEA SEARCH TOM SWIFT AMONG THE FIRE FIGHTERS TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVE TOM SWIFT AND HIS FLYING BOAT TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT OIL GUSHER TOM SWIFT AND HIS CHEST OF SECRETS TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIRLINE EXPRESS

Grosset & Dunlap, Publishers, New York



THE DON STURDY SERIES by VICTOR APPLETON

Individual Colored Wrappers and Text Illustrations by WALTER S. ROGERS Every Volume Complete in Itself.

In company with his uncles, one a mighty hunter and the other a noted scientist, Don Sturdy travels far and wide, gaining much useful knowledge and meeting many thrilling adventures.

DON STURDY ON THE DESERT OF MYSTERY;

An engrossing tale of the Sahara Desert, of encounters with wild animals and crafty Arabs.

DON STURDY WITH THE BIG SNAKE HUNTERS;

Don's uncle, the hunter, took an order for some of the biggest snakes to be found in South America—to be delivered alive!

DON STURDY IN THE TOMBS OF GOLD;

A fascinating tale of exploration and adventure in the Valley of Kings in Egypt.

DON STURDY ACROSS THE NORTH POLE;

A great polar blizzard nearly wrecks the airship of the explorers.

DON STURDY IN THE LAND OF VOLCANOES;

An absorbing tale of adventures among the volcanoes of Alaska.

DON STURDY IN THE PORT OF LOST SHIPS;

This story is just full of exciting and fearful experiences on the sea.

DON STURDY AMONG THE GORILLAS;

A thrilling story of adventure in darkest Africa. Don is carried over a mighty waterfall into the heart of gorilla land.

GROSSET & DUNLAP, Publishers, NEW YORK

THE END