Part 5 (2/2)

Park Row also was crowded, the noon hour crowds of workers, fro skyscrapers of the financial district to the south, loitering in City Hall Park and sauntering up and down the thoroughfare to which the park gives its name Jack and Bob felt their spirits react to the impulse of the busy life around them, but the sensitive Frank, who hated crowds, becaed his co,” he said, ”and let'sThe quicker I'm out of this mass of humanity, the better pleased I'll be These crowds of New Yorkers don't give a fellow a chance to take a deep breath for fear he'll crush in so in at a tall office building, near lower Broadith old St Paul's and its churchyard, filled noith loitering clerks spending their dinner hour araves, just across the way

Once more an express elevator whisked the trio skyward At the fourteenth floor they alighted, lass door of which bore no lettering except the number ”12,” and entered

”Inspector Condon, please,” said Jack, to a fat young ar, who sat in his shi+rtsleeves at a desk, reading through a ot to his feet, and held out his hand He had a jolly face which broke into a grin of welcome, as he extended his hand

”That's me,” he said

Jack was rather taken aback He had not expected toa man in a position of such responsibility This e Passing over his astonishment, however, Jack introduced himself and his coiven him a year before by Inspector Burton, when they left Washi+ngton, but which heretofore had not been presented

”So,” said Inspector Condon, reading the note on the back of the card; ”you are the three chaps who lad to meet you Sit down What can I do for you?”

”That remains to be seen,” said Jack ”However, we have run into soht be interested So if you have time to listen, we'll spin the yarn”

”All the tienially

”Shoot”

Thereupon, Jack proceeded to relate the story of the secret radio plant, the mysterious plane probably controlled by radio and thus able to operate in silence, and the facts as they had obtained the the occupant of the old Brownell place known as the ”haunted house”

”Ha,” said Inspector Condon; ”if that fellow is a liquor sht, all right”

And he laughed uproariously at his own joke

”But, now, boys,” he added, sobering; ”an investigation into this matter would be somewhat outside of my province However, I'll place this information before the prohibition enforceet it, I can assure you Letto us with your information”

After a fewwhich Inspector Condon made a note of their names and addresses, the boys left

At the door, Jack turned for a last word

”If we can be of any help,” he said, ”call on us We have a radio plant and an airplane at our command, and, besides, are ad forhim on the shoulder ”Well, that's a kind offer, and I'll pass it along to the proper people to handle this matter If they need any help, you'll hear frorow under their feet on this case”

When once aze lifted to the clock in the tower of St Paul's Two o'clock

”Well, we haven't gotten very far with our adventure,” he said, a bit dispiritedly ”I thought ould start soive us a bit of excitement But, apparently, all we have done has been to let the whole business slip out of our hands”

”Oh, forget it,” said Frank irritably The noise, the heat and the bustle of the city had irritated his nerves ”Coet out of this I hate all this hurly-burly If we take the Subway over to the Flatbush Avenue ter Island Railroad, we'll just about have time to make an express to Mineola”

The roar of the Subas not conducive to conversation, and little further was said until the trio boarded the train in Brooklyn, and pulled out for the short run to Mineola Early editions of several afternoon newspapers were purchased at the terlance at the day's happenings when once ensconced in the train