WARNED!
Frank's surmise was communicated to Captain Folsom, and the latter at
once sent a radio message to the Custom House at New York, giving a
bare outline of the details of the raid and asking that a watch be
kept for Higginbotham. Custom House communicated with the New York
Police Department, and a guard was set at the bridges and ferries
leading from Long Island to Manhattan.
Several days elapsed, however, with Higginbotham still uncaught.
Meanwhile the next day after that eventful night, the radio-controlled
plane was found floating in the waters of Great South Bay, so near the
shore as to make it practically impossible Higginbotham had been
drowned but, on the contrary, to give rise to the belief that he had
made his way ashore. A fisherman made the discovery.
It was some twenty-five miles as the crow flies from the Brownell
place to the point where the airplane came down. That, Jack
estimated, when told of the discovery, probably was the limit of the
radio plant's radius of control. Higginbotham, therefore, had not
descended until compelled to do so.
All this, however, did not come until later. Meanwhile, after saying
farewell to the two officers, the boys returned afoot to their homes
with the understanding on Jack's part that Captain Folsom, the main
portion of whose wardrobe still was at his house, would return later.
On arrival, Jack learned that Tom Barnum already had explained the
reason for his absence to the housekeeper and, after telling her
Captain Folsom should be shown to his room on arrival, turned in and
went instantly to sleep.
As for Bob and Frank, only the servants as yet were astir at the
Temple home. And the boys, after stating only that they had been
routed out by a fire at the airplane hangar, went instantly to bed.
Once Bob was partially awakened by Della, who demanded indignantly if
he intended to sleep his young life away and commanded that he awaken
Frank in order that she and her guest might have company. Bob merely
grunted unintelligibly, and Della retired in a high state of
indignation, resolved to give the boys a "piece of her mind" when
finally they should arise.
That event, however, did not come to pass until mid-afternoon. Bob on
his sister's departure the first time had gotten up and locked the
doors of his room and that of Frank, which adjoined. Thus, although
Della several times came to the door and knocked, she received no
reply.
The "piece of her mind," however, went undelivered when once the boys
did arise, for in the absorbing story which they had to tell of the
night's occurrences, her sense of injury evaporated speedily. The
recital occupied considerable time. At its conclusion, Bob, who had
been looking so frequently at Della's guest, Marjorie Faulkner, as to
cause Frank to chuckle to himself, suggested they play tennis. But
Della protested.
"That's all we've had to do to-day while you boys slept," she said.
"We're tired of tennis. Propose something else."
"The airplane's out of commission, or I'd take you up for a flight,"
said Bob. "Wouldn't you like that, Miss Faulkner?"
"Oh, wouldn't I, just," she exclaimed. "I've never been up in an
airplane, and I'm dying to try it. What is it like? Does it make you
sick?"
Bob grinned. Before he could reply, Frank interrupted.
"Say, Bob," he exclaimed, "we ought to telephone the factory over in
Long Island City right away, and tell them to send a couple of
mechanics over here with new wings and whatever else is needed. First,
though, we ought to make a thorough inventory to see what we need."
Bob agreed, and, accompanied by the girls, they repaired to the
hangar. After returning to the house, Frank rang up the airplane
factory, and gave the necessary orders. He was told the mechanics
would arrive the next day with all that was required, but that putting
the plane into condition would take three or four days at the least.
"Just when I had it all in good shape for flying," mourned Bob, on his
chum's return. "Oh, what I'd do to that little monkey, Higginbotham,
if I had the chance."
He grinned as he uttered the threat, yet it could be seen that he was
badly cut up by the damaging of the plane. Frank said nothing, but
threw an arm over his shoulder as they walked back to the house, and
for the remainder of the journey neither had much to say, leaving it
to the girls to carry the burden of conversation.
Arrived at the house, they found Jack with Captain Folsom. The latter
was introduced to the girls, whom he had not met on his arrival the
night previous.
"I've come to say good-bye," he explained to Bob and Frank. "I have
to go back to the city, and Hampton is going to motor me to the
railway. I can't thank you fellows enough for your part in this
affair. If it hadn't been for your perspicacity, in the first place,
we might not have gotten wind of what was going on. And the way you
all fought and acted on your own initiative time and again when we
were in trouble was fine, indeed."
"You've got to come down again, Captain," said big Bob, on whom the
other had made a favorable impression.
"I'd be delighted to do so, sometime," Captain Folsom replied.
"By the way, Captain," interposed Frank, "keep us posted, will you, on
how this affair turns out? Let us know if Higginbotham is located."
"I'll do that," the other promised. "Well, good-bye."
And bowing to the girls, he crossed the lawn to Jack's side and the
two swung down the drive to where Jack had left the car parked by the
side of the main road at the gate.
On Jack's return, he informed his chums that the liquor at the
Brownell place had been removed to the Nark, the captives placed
aboard, and that then Lieutenant Summers had steamed away, leaving a
detail of men on guard at the house and the radio plant to round up
any of the smugglers who, thinking the place deserted, might straggle
back.
"He gave me a bit of advice to be passed on to you fellows," Jack
added, out of hearing of the girls. "That was, to go about armed for a
time, and to be on guard."
"Why?" asked Bob, in surprise.
"Well," Jack replied, "he said some of those fellows who escaped into
the woods undoubtedly would have it in for us for having spoiled their
plans, and that it was barely possible they might have learned where
we live and might try to waylay us. He pointed out the men were a
desperate lot, and that some of them were Italians who are notoriously
revengeful."
"Huh," grunted Bob, contemptuously.
Frank, however, showed anxiety.
"That's all right, Bob," he commented. "But Captain Folsom wouldn't
have given Jack that warning if there were no grounds for it. Look
here, Jack," he added, "Uncle George won't be home to-night. Have you
heard from your father?"
"The housekeeper received a message while I slept that he wouldn't be
out for several days," Jack replied.
"Well," said Frank, "I believe it would be a good plan for you to
sleep at our house. At any rate until your father returns home. You
can bunk in with me. I've got a big bed. Then, if anything happens at
night, we'll all be together."
"All right, I'll do that," Jack agreed. "Not that I expect anything
will occur. But, as you say, if there is trouble, it is best to be
together. Well, now let's join the girls. We've still got some
daylight left, and we might make up doubles for tennis."