Part 3 (2/2)
The boys looked at each other Della surreptitiously squeezed Frank's hand beneath the table This pro The Brownell place was one of the delightful bugaboos of their childhood Old Captain Brownell, a Yankee whaling skipper, was long since dead The house had stood boarded up and untenanted for years Tradition declared he had co the period of his whaling voyages and that, having retired uncaught, he had coreat house in order to hide there from some of his old associates whom he had cheated, but that they had found and slain hihost, it was said in the countryside, which haunted the place
”Yes,” replied Mr Temple, in answer to Mr Hampton's question
”Starfish Cove and all that land around there, where Bob found this secret radio plant located, is part of the Brownell property”
”And who is thisthe question in all minds
”I don't even know his name,” confessed Mr Tes told me by McKay, a real estate dealer in the city who had the Brownell property on his list for a long tiht the place impressed him as a man who only recently had come into the possession of money, and he wondered what he wanted with the Brownell property The newly-rich e, he doesn't want to buy a country home away off somewhere, in an out of the way nook, where people can't see him He wants to be seen
”This man, on the contrary, apparently wanted seclusion--and he wanted a place in a secluded spot on the seacoast That was his i requirement So McKay sold him the Brownell place
”Afterward, said McKay, he learned the nener had put up signs all around the property, warning away trespassers McKay said he even understood guards were to be employed to keep out intruders”
”On the landward side of that old Brownell place, Dad, they've built a high fence of heavy strands of wire on steel poles,” said Bob ”I bumped into it the other day They haven't quite reached the shore with it, however, although I suppose they intend to”
”Well, this is interesting,” said Mr Hahtful
”What, Dad?” asked Jack
”Oh,” said his father ”New York undoubtedly is the center of powerful groups ofliquor illicitly into the country Much of the liquor is brought by shi+p froled ashore in various ways Perhaps, the old Brownell house, built by a pirate of yesterday, is the home of a modern pirate, who directs activities from this secluded spot”
CHAPTER IV
ON THE TRAIL
After a rather late breakfast nextvacation, the boys were under no necessity to rise early and being healthy lads took full measure of sleep, Jack appeared at the Temple home, and the three went into conference Mr Te firm, had left early for the city by automobile Mr Hauest
”Fellows,” said Jack, ”when I got up this ood to be overlooked”
Frank's eyes brightened
”Just the way I feel about it,” he declared ”I told Bob ere dressing that ere in luck, because right at theto look as if ere in for a dull suBob yawned
”Oh, you fellows don't knohen you have a good thing,” he said ”I suppose you want to go and stir up a lot of trouble as you did last suh alone?”
They were in the sitting roo up a handy pillow pro chum with it and then sat on hi tussle ”He's always like this when he gets up in the ement followed, from which Jack discreetly kept apart
Presently, when the couch was a wreck and Bob had Frank over his knees and was preparing to belabor him, Jack interfered