Part 5 (1/2)

”That _is_ funny!” declared Tom, when, a moment later, the boys were listening to a telephone conversation coming to them through Henry's set. ”Say,” he continued, ”there isn't much privacy nowadays, is there?

Why, if you could amplify that enough, every one could hear everything that was going on over the telephones.”

”Yes, and to think we were so close to getting that other chap's talk and never realized it,” said Frank. ”Mr. Henderson must think we are great radio fans! I'll bet he had a mighty good laugh at our expense after we left.”

”Well, we'll not be fooled again,” declared Tom. ”If that fellow begins talking to-night we'll nail him, too.”

”But we can't locate him,” objected Henry. ”So what good will it do?”

”That's so,” admitted Tom. ”But the main thing is to hear what he says.

Then perhaps we can make sense out of it.”

”Say,” suddenly exclaimed Henry, ”did you fellows notice that every time we heard those messages the fellow mentioned a flower? First 'twas 'Azalia' and then 'Magnolia' and then 'Hibiscus' and last time 'twas 'Frangi Pani.' I'd like to know what that meant.”

”I hadn't thought of that,” said Tom. ”Of course Azalia and Magnolia and Hibiscus are flowers, but what's Frangi Pani-sounds like some sort of j.a.panese thing to me. I guess this fellow must be talking about boats.

Lots of s.h.i.+ps are named after flowers, you know.”

”Well, he must have a whole fleet then,” said Henry.

”Perhaps it's perfumes or he may be in the flower business,” suggested Frank with a laugh.

”Perhaps we'll get the answer to that when we hear his mate,” said Tom.

”Hope we hear him to-night,” remarked Henry. ”Say, what do you think of this scheme?”

For some time the boys forgot all else in examining a new hook-up which Henry had devised and at last left him with final cautions to be at his instruments that evening and each night thereafter until they again heard the unknown speakers.

But it was several nights before the mysterious messages again greeted their ears. Then Frank and Tom caught them at the same instant and both boys gave a little start and looked at each other in surprise, for the first word they heard was ”Tuberose.” Once more the name of a flower had entered into the conversation and mentally wondering what in the world this meant the two boys slipped the receiver of the desk telephone from its hook. Hardly had they done so when they almost jumped, as clear and loud, they heard a human voice; but the next instant their spirits sank to zero and they glanced at each other with disgusted expressions, for instead of the voice of the man they had expected to hear they heard a woman's voice and her words were: ”Number, please?”

With a savage jerk, Tom hung up the receiver.

”Gee!” he exclaimed. ”Of course we'd get _her_. I'll bet Mr. Henderson knew that and just tried to jolly us. Now what _are_ we going to do? If we-h.e.l.lo! What's that?”

Clearly to his ears, and interrupting the words of the mysterious man whom they had almost forgotten in their disappointment, came another voice, evidently that of a woman, and pitched in high tones. ”Oh, yes!”

it exclaimed. ”I'm _so_ glad, my dear. Do you know-” Tom drew his hand from the desk phone on which it had been resting and the words trailed off into a faint indistinct buzz. Tom and Frank grinned.

”Well, it works!” e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Frank. ”Of course it doesn't make any difference if the receiver is off or not-we aren't getting waves over wires. Henry kept the receiver on to-day, didn't he?”

”I don't know,” replied Tom. ”But say, we've got to get busy. That chap's been talking for the last five minutes and we haven't put down a thing he's said.”

Trying to make up for lost time, the two boys jotted down the words that came in, now and then placing a hand on the desk phone to see if they could hear the other party to the conversation, but each time the nasal voice of the woman, gossiping with a friend, was all that came to them.

Then the man's voice ceased and after a few moments' wait the boys rose from their seats.

”Darn that old hen!” exclaimed Tom, petulantly. ”How the d.i.c.kens could a fellow expect to hear anything with her tongue going like a house afire?”

”Just think what it'll be when every one's talking by radio,” chuckled Frank. ”And won't the women have the time of their lives hearing all their neighbors' gossip?”

”Government'll have to license 'em to talk, I guess,” muttered Tom.

”Come on, let's go over to Henry's and see if he had any better luck.”