Part 7 (2/2)

Ruefully, he rubbed his tingling ears Jack was doing the same Poor Frank, whose eardrums had been subjected to the same shock, also had taken a hand from the levers at the same ti now,” cried Bob

Without his headpiece, Frank could not hear the words and kept his eyes to the fore, as he swung now above the line of the shore Jack, however, also was straining his eyes to the rear, and he snatched the glasses froinbotha

CHAPTER VII

A CALL FROM HEADQUARTERS

It was not yet five o'clock when, the airplane safely stoay and the doors of the hangar closed and locked, the boys once e before we go up to the house?” proposed Frank

”There's nobody to see us We can strip down at the beach, splash around for ten minutes, and then head home It's a hot, sticky day and that trip to the city leftaway”

The others agreed to the proposal and they startedthe latest turn of events on the way

”It certainly looks as if your hunch about Higginbotham, eFrank on the shoulder

”The boy's a wonder,” agreed Bob Then, inbotham isn't the man who flew the radio-controlled plane before I mean the fellohose tracks I found in the sand That chap was peg-legged”

”That's right,” agreed Jack ”And where does Higginbothaure in this matter, anyhow? It's some ested Frank ”It's little enough that we have found out But I like mysteries First of all, Bob finds a secret radio plant, and----”

”No,” interrupted Jack ”First of all, I discover interference in the receivers at a 1,375-ht,” said Frank ”Well, second is Bob's find of the radio plant to which he is led by tracks in the sand ht at the time thata boat had been pulled up on the shore Might not that have been the indentationto o,” said Bob

”Anyhow,” continued Frank, ”we then discovered the radio plane in Starfish Cove Froer had recently bought the Brownell place, the 'haunted house,' and had built a fence about the property and set ar all the time”

By now the boys had reached the shore and well above the tidetheir clothes in heaps Frank continued talking as he shed his garo up to the city and ask Mr McKay who it was had taken the Brownell place Instead of Mr McKay we found his secretary, Higginbotha about the inbotha a schooner well off shore

”Say, fellows,” he added, as having dropped the last article of clothing, he stood prepared to plunge in; ”that inbotham must have left his office immediately after we interviewed him, and probably caer in the city, which gave hiht hi liquor plot, and he may be in it Probably, is Perhaps he was alars quiet for a while”

”That's just what he did, Bob, I do believe,” said Jack, approvingly

”I believe you've hit it”

”Oh, well, co up two handsful of wet sand he flung it at his companions