Part 3 (1/2)

”I'lad to do it--if Cub's father and our fathers let us go”

”We've all got so to do, there's no doubt o' that,” Cub admitted; ”but I hope we'll succeed I'll talk to father in theat the breakfast table and call you fellows up an' let you knohat he says Now I'll call Mr Robinson Crusoe again and tell 'i and let 'i the ”island prisoner” again, for the latter aiting eagerly for a ard, saying nothing about the plan of himself and his two radio friends He merely told ”Mr Crusoe” that he would do the best he could for hi the hour Then Bud and Hal went their separate ways ho Cub called Hal on the telephone and inquired:

”hello, Hal, did you talk to your folks about our plan?”

”Yes,” was the reply; ”and I just got through talking with Bud over the wire before you called up”

”Well, how does it stand?”

”His folks won't let hio unless so with us”

”Hooray! in!” yelled Cub ”Father thinks it's a peach of an adventure and he's alht He says 'yes'

with a capital Y, and he'll go along with us He says he's been wanting a vacation with some pep in it for quite a while, and this scheo, father and I are going anyway So get busy as fast as you can We're off this afternoon, as early as we can get ready I've already sent a wireless to Crusoe that we're co to call Bud now Be over here as soon as you can and help us get ready”

CHAPTER IV

The Catwhisker

The Catwhisker, a neat gasoline power boat of the cruiser type left the private dock of the Perry hoo early in the afternoon with the three radio boys and Mr Perry on board This had meant some rapid work by the members of the ”rescue party” in preparation for the trip, for it was necessary for the in the line of provisions and the transportation of a nuether with one co wireless outfit The hook-up of this outfit, on the boat, however, was left for a more leisurely occupation after all other preparations for the cruise were completed and they ell on their way

The name Catwhisker harked back to the days when radio, or wireless telegraphy, was in its infancy in the experience of the three boys whose adventures are the inspiration of this voluht the motor boat at a time when his son and the latter's two chu with crystal outfits, and the na-wires used to make contact with the crystals in their detectors No doubt, it was the catchiness of the word, as well as its association with their hobby, that appealed to theeneral search for a na, with a bea the after deck Ae deck on which were ine controls Under this and the after deck were the engine-rooalley, and forward of these were the cabin and two small staterooms At the bow and in the stern were two tall slim masts that had been erected solely for the extension of a radio aerial The hull was painted white with a blue stripe e-deck level and the water line

Cub and his father were real chuh ordinarily a man of very neat appearance, on the present occasion had discarded his usual sartorial excellence and appeared on the Catwhisker in clothes easily associated with cotton waste and oil cans

Indeed, he could take care of the engine quite as well as his son, as an a his full share, of all the ”overall and apron tasks” on board

Mr Perry took charge of the wheel and engine controls of the yacht at the beginning of the cruise, so that his son and the other two boys were left free to perfect the hook-up of the radio set supplied by Hal First, tires, attached to spreaders at both ends, were extended between the two h one of the s of the cabin On a fixed table near thisthey anchored fir set, in order that these ed if the lake should becoh As the apparatus was supplied with two steps of aht also a loud-tone horn to facilitate occasional parlor entertainra range in the course of their cruise

Hal's outfit was by no means as elaborate or as expensive as was Cub's, but it was sufficient to receive radiophone prograest stations 300 or 400spark of his code transmitter had earned for him a wide acquaintance in amateur circles

Before they started, Cub had another dot-and-dash tete-a-tete with ”Mr

Crusoe”, acquainting the latter with the latest develop hiularly at half-hour intervals if the more limited set they would take with them proved insufficient to reach him from the start

”When we reach the Thousand Islands, ill get busy with our loop aerial and find you by radio compass,” he promised

The er with the ”island prisoner,” was on hand with a un stream derisive waves, but Cub refused to pay any attention to hiarded that fellow's version of the affair as utterly unworthy of consideration, but, for the tier for the adventure, which ht be spoiled if his father beca hoax

The boys took regular turns at the radio table in the cabin that afternoon and found the occupation of listening-inthan it had been at their hoes, but because of the s Even the multitude of static interferences that swarmed the atmosphere on this, the first oppressively hot day of the season, were co coil, condenser, and detector, so confidently, although with poor success, that Mr Perry pronounced them all ”princes of patience”