"Something Happens"
"Something's going to happen to-night," Bud remarked to his three boy
friends when the four found themselves alone after the departure of the
prisoner under guard. Mr. Perry had accompanied the officer and Mr. Baker
to the yacht to aid them in arranging comfortable quarters for the night.
"What makes you think that?" Cub inquired, while he and Hal and Max all
gathered around the speaker, whose remark afforded stimulus in harmony
with the weird twilight shadows around them.
"I bet I said only what you fellows were all thinking about when I
spoke," Bud ventured by way of indirect reply.
"I felt it in my bones," Hal declared. "Bud didn't have any more reason
to think something is going to happen to-night than all of us have. If
something surprising doesn't happen, I shall be--"
"--surprised," finished Max, whereupon there was a chorus of laughter.
"Whatever happens, or doesn't happen, Hal is going to be surprised," Cub
concluded facetiously.
"I think we all will be surprised," said Bud.
"Surprise party," shouted Hal.
"Bum surprise party without any girls," Cub added.
"Well, anyway, I think we ought to keep watch here to guard against the
kind of surprise party we wouldn't like," Bud declared.
"I agree with you there, old boy," Cub put in quickly. "Whether or not
anything happens, it would be jolly to have watches and relieve one
another the way they used to do out west among the Indians and outlaws
and road agents."
"I bet they do it yet in some places out there," said Max.
"Course they do," Cub concurred. "You can't tell me that the day of
outlaws is gone. Think of the automobile bandits we have now-a-days.
They'll be raiding with airplanes next."
"No, I don't believe that," Hal objected. "They couldn't use an airplane
to any advantage. We won't have any more stage coach robbers or pirates
on the high seas, and I don't think there's any chance of much of that
sort of thing in the air, but there's a good chance for some bad doings
in the air in another way."
"How's that?" asked Max.
"We've all had some experience with it, and you ought to know what I
mean."
"Oh, I know," declared Bud. "You mean radio."
"Sure," replied Hal. "There are going to be a lot of con men at work in
the air or some way in connection with radio; you see if there are not."
"They've been at work already," said Cub. "There's been a good deal in
the papers about the games they work. But I'd like to know the truth
about the fellow who tried to keep us from coming on this trip to find
Mr. Baker's son."
"I bet he's somethin' more than a college sophomore," said Bud. "I
wouldn't be surprised if he's connected in some way with the fellows who
kidnapped our Thousand Island Crusoe."
"A big radio plot, eh?" Hal inferred.
"Maybe," Bud replied.
"What for? What could they be up to? Pretty far fetched isn't it?"
"Yes, maybe; but, you know, it's our business to think up every possible
solution and then find out which one fits the facts."
"All right, Mr. Sherlock Holmes, but where's the sense in figuring
this as a big radio plot unless we can see a sensible answer to it?"
Hal demanded.
"Yes, Bud, it's pretty far fetched," ruled the dominating Cub. "You'll
have to think up an answer to your conundrum before we can consider it.
Why should a college freshman be hazed in the manner that Mr. Baker's son
was hazed just so that some men, confederates of the hazers, could kidnap
him? And then why should one of the hazers work the kind of game that
that mysterious fellow worked to checkmate us in this rescue trip of ours
if the purpose was just to kidnap Mr. Baker's son, after all? The
sophomores had to kidnap him in the first place. Why go through all that
Robinson Crusoe nonsense if the end was to be just a plain kidnapping?"
"Then you think there's no connection between the hazing and the
kidnapping," said Bud.
"I don't see how there can be. There's nothing showed up yet that makes
it look reasonable."
As Cub was making his last statement Mr. Perry returned to the camp. The
speculative subject of discussion was then dropped for others more
immediately practical.
"What did you do with the prisoner?" Hal inquired. "Did you lock 'im up
in a stateroom?"
"That's what we did, and I don't believe there's much chance of his
getting away with an armed guard constantly near his door," Mr.
Perry replied.
"Are his hands and feet tied?" asked Cub,
"No, we decided that wasn't necessary. There's no way he could open
the door without making a noise; so we thought we'd let him rest
easy, and perhaps he'd be in a better humor in the morning and more
willing to talk."
"We've been talking the matter over and we're all afraid something's
going to happen to-night," said Hal.
"What do you think is going to happen?" asked Mr. Perry.
"We haven't any idea."
"Some more mystery, eh?" smiled the leader of the expedition. "Well, that
isn't at all surprising, in view of the gloominess of our surroundings.
Suppose we have a light on the subject. Cub, bring out the flash-lights."
The latter went into the tent and soon reappeared with four dry-battery
lights. These he laid on the table in fan-like arrangement, so that they
threw a flood of light in all directions.
"I don't feel like going to bed yet," said Cub. "Let's stay up a
while and--"
"--listen-in," finished Hal.
"Yes, let's do," exclaimed Bud eagerly.
"I wasn't thinking of that," Cub admitted; "but it's better than what I
had in mind. All right, Hal, tune 'er up. This is a peach of a night for
long distance receiving."
Hal needed no second bidding and soon he was busy with coil and detector.
Cub's "weather report" proved to be accurate, for in a few moments he
announced:
"Here's Schenectady, New York, with some opera."
Over went the switch and with the move came a hornful of vocal
resonance. They listened eagerly to the end of the program and then
Hal began to tune about for "something else doing" in the ether.
Presently he "straightened up" in an attitude of close attention, and
his radio friends all realized that he had found something of more
than ordinary interest.
"Here's a Watertown newspaper looking for information about us," he
announced excitedly after a few moments of tense listening.
The other boys sprang forward with exclamations of wonder, Bud and Cub
donning the other two phone head-pieces.
"Shall I give him the information?" Hal asked a few moments later,
turning to Mr. Perry.
"Whom is he talking to?" the latter inquired.
"Some Canadian amateur who's been listening in to us a good deal of
the time."
"I don't see why you shouldn't tell him everything, Mr. Perry. He's a
reporter, isn't he?"
"Yes, I think he has his own private set and he's looking for a
big scoop."
"Give it to him, by all means," Mr. Perry directed heartily. "Now the
whole country will be aroused over this affair."
Hal managed to attract the attention of the reporter, although he did not
know his call, and pretty soon the ether was alive with a torrent of
thrills for the ambitious representative of the Fourth Estate. For half
an hour the "radio interview" continued, during which many names and
addresses were given and dramatic details were recited in the most
approved manner of exciting spontaneity. At last, however, the close came
with an announcement from the reporter that he was going to get a motor
boat, make a dash to Friday Island, and "scoop the world". Hal gave him a
careful description of the location of the island and assured the
reporter that they probably would remain there a day or two longer.
"Now, we'd all better go to bed," Mr. Perry announced after Hal had
tapped goodnight to the Watertown scribe.
"We ought to arrange some watches first," Bud urged, unforgetful of his
prediction that something was going to happen before morning.
"Why do you think something more is going to happen?" inquired Hal.
"You're a good forecaster, Bud, for your prediction has been fulfilled
already. Something did happen when I caught that reporter and gave him
our story."
"I'll say so," Cub "slanged" wisely. "We'll all have to take our hats off
to you, tee-hee."
"Hal hasn't tee-heed for twenty-four hours in my hearing," Mr. Perry said
reprovingly.
"That's right, Cub," declared Bud. "A little while ago I heard him laugh
right down deep from his lungs."
"Out-door exercise is working wonders for him," Cub opined with deductive
superiority.
"Well, anyway," said Mr. Perry; "I agree with Bud that we ought to have
some watches to-night. I believe in taking warning from Bud's prediction.
There are five of us. Who wants the first watch?"
Nobody answered.
"I'll take the watch beginning about 1:30 o'clock," said Bud. "If
anything happens, it'll be between then and 2:30."
"Brave boy!" commented Cub solemnly. "I'll take next-best place,
immediately following your watch."
"Give me the one just before Bud's," said Hal. "There may be something
doing between now and then you know. If anybody invades the camp at 1:30
o'clock sharp, I'll call Bud and go to bed and let him repel the
invaders."
"What a methodical bunch of boys!" Mr. Perry exclaimed.
"Due to the mathematical training we've had under you, dad," Cub
explained.
"I'll take the first watch, if it suits everybody," Max announced.
"Say, father, you ought to let us have your automatic while we're on
watch," Cub suggested.
"Nothing doing," replied the cautious adult, shaking his head vigorously.
"I'd rather run the risk of being wiped out by a band of bandits than to
run the risk of your shooting one of us if we should happen to walk in
our sleep. If any of you boys see or hear anything suspicious, just call
me, and I'll do the shooting, if any is to be done. You may arm
yourselves with some good stout clubs if you wish to, however."
And so it was thus arranged, and while Max took his post on a camp chair
in front of the tent, the other four sought rest on their cots under the
canvas shelter.