Part 21 (1/2)

”Though they may have taken the alarm and left,” suggested Joe.

”Then we'll trace 'em!” cried his chum. ”Where is your helper, Mr.

Stanton?”

”I'll call him. I say Tom--Tom Cardiff!” he shouted up the lantern tower. ”I'll finish cleaning the lens. I've got other work for you. Come down!”

”Coming!” was the answer, and a little later a well built young fellow, muscular and of fine appearance, greeted the boys. The introduction was soon made, and the story of the lads told.

”Wreckers; eh?” exclaimed Tom Cardiff. ”I'd just like to get hold of some of the wretches,” and he stretched out his vigorous arms.

”Well, get after 'em, then!” exclaimed the old man. ”You don't want to lose any time. Telephone for the officers.”

The wire was soon busy, and arrangements made for the secret service men to come to the lighthouse. One of the life saving squad, from a station a little farther down the coast, was also engaged.

”Now you boys had better go back to your place,” said Mr. Stanton; ”and arrange to come back to-night. That's the only time to get after these fellows. They probably have finished their work, from what you told me, and they'll lay low until it's dark. Then we'll get after 'em!”

CHAPTER XVIII

FAILURE

”Boys, if you could only get moving pictures of the capture of the wreckers!”

Thus exclaimed Mr. Ringold when his two young employees told of the plans afoot and asked to be excused from work a little longer.

”It would be great,” admitted Joe.

”But we'd need a powerful light,” said Blake, ”and if we had that it would warn the men we're after.”

”That's so,” spoke the theatrical man. ”I guess it's out of the question. But you have done such wonderful work so far, that I'd like you to keep it up. A film of the capture of wreckers would make an audience sit up and take notice.”

”I guess I'll have to invent some sort of a light that would make it possible,” put in Mr. Hadley; ”but I'm afraid I can't have it ready to-night.”

”Then you don't mind if we go?” asked Blake.

”No, indeed!” exclaimed Mr. Ringold, ”and I wish you all success.”

”It's going to be a dark night,” remarked Blake, a little later, as he and Joe were on their way to the lighthouse. It was early evening, but the sky was clouding over and a wind was coming up that sent the big billows bounding up on the sand with a booming noise like the discharge of distant cannon.

”Yes, we'll have to sort of feel our way along,” said Joe. ”But I guess we can find the place, all right.”

”I hope so. But I wonder if the men will come back after the alarm we gave 'em?”

”That's hard to tell, Blake. And yet they might; for, though they saw us, they may think we were only a couple of lads out for a stroll, who accidentally stumbled on their hiding place. In that case they wouldn't think we'd give any alarm, and they'd go on with their plans.”

”That's so. Well, we'll see what happens. I hope there aren't too many of them, so that our men can handle them.”

”That Tom Cardiff can get away with a couple on his own account, and with the life saver, and the secret service men, not to mention ourselves, Blake, I guess we'll make out all right.”