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 rear
of which was the small building that the head of the Mooney family
had erected in a moment when his enthusiasm had far outrun his bank
account. 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 and
approached noiselessly, it being Bob's plan to take the gang by
surprise, if possible. Besides, he wanted to be absolutely sure that
Jimmy's stolen set was in the building before making any further move.
Noiselessly as shadows, the boys crept up to the shack until they
were close enough to hear voices inside. They could easily recognize
Buck Looker's arrogant voice, and at times the whining replies of
Terry and Carl.
There was only one small window in the building, and that was covered
by a square of cloth. At the end of the shack opposite the window were
two large doors, both closed. An electric light cord had been strung
from the house, supplying current to one or more lamps inside the
shack. The four radio boys prowled about the building, trying to find
some place from which they could get a view of the interior. At last
Joe 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 about
a rough pine table. And on this table, sure enough, was the missing
radio outfit!
Jimmy clenched his fists when he saw this, and was for an immediate
attack. But Bob had a more crafty scheme in his head.
"Here's a better stunt," he said, drawing his friends off to a little
distance so that they could talk without running the chance of being
overheard.
"If we break in on them, they might make trouble for us later," said
Bob. "But if we put their light out first, we'll be able to get hold
of Jimmy's outfit without their really knowing who's doing it."
"Cut the electric light cord, you mean?" said Joe, getting the idea
like a flash.
"That's the idea," said Bob. "Suppose you cut the cord, Jimmy, and the
second 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 stop
us. I'll make for the table and grab Jim's outfit, and when you hear
me whistle twice you'll know I've got it, and we'll get out. They'll
probably be fighting each other in the dark for a while before they
even know we're gone."
"Bob, I take off my hat to you," said Joe admiringly. "We'll work it
just as you say."
Doughnuts had a pair of wire cutters with him, which he had used when
working on his set. Silent as ghosts, the four friends crept back to
the shack, and Jimmy carefully separated the two wires of the cable
and caught one of them between the jaws of his cutter.
"When the light goes out, we rush," whispered Bob. "Give us a few
seconds to get set, Jimmy, and then cut!"
Bob, Joe, and Herb withdrew about ten feet from the big front doors
and 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 against
the doors, landing with a crashing impact that shattered the lock
into fragments and tore one of the doors bodily from its rusty hinges.
Shouts of terror rose from the panic-stricken bullies inside, taken
completely by surprise with no idea of what had come upon them. The
radio boys scattered them head over heels as they made for the table,
and the shack was a pandemonium of shouts, cries, and the crash of
overturned chairs. It was the work of only a few seconds for Bob to
reach Jimmy's radio set, and having secured this, he whistled twice
to signify success, and made for the door.
Meanwhile, as he had foreseen, the bullies, tangled in a heap on the
floor, were grappling with each other, pounding away at whatever came
handiest to their fists. The radio boys, having got what they came
after, left the gang struggling in the dark, and made their way back
to Jimmy's house, doubled up with laughter at times, as they thought
of the ludicrous discomfiture of their foes.