For several minutes Jack and Captain Folsom listened with strained attention while through the receivers came to their ears a series of dots and dashes which to one corresponded exactly with the similar sounds picked up by the prohibition enforcement officials on other occasions, and which to the other were meaningless and, therefore, significant.
That statement is not difficult to explain. Jack was familiar with the Morse and Continental codes. What he heard in the receivers represented neither. Therefore, either the station he had picked up and was listening-in on was sending in some mysterious code or, as was more likely, it was radiating control. And, all things considered, the latter was the more likely supposition.
Meanwhile, Bob and Frank, unaware of what was forward, sat disconsolately on the stoop outside in the warm night air, glooming over the damage to their airplane.
Finally Captain Folsom took off the headpiece and, seeing that Jack had done likewise, turned to him with an air of exasperation.
"This is maddening," he declared to Jack. "Evidently, if I know anything about it, the smugglers are landing liquor somewhere along the coast by means of a radio-controlled boat or boats."
Jack was thoughtful.
"Do you know what I think?" he asked. "I believe they are landing the liquor somewhere near us. For one thing, the sounds in the receivers are very clear and distinct. That, however, does not portend a great deal. The night is exceptionally good for sending, clear and with practically no static. But there is another thing to be considered, and it"s that I have in mind."
"What do you mean?" asked Captain Folsom.
"I am thinking of the attempt to destroy the airplane, and the probable reason for it."
"Hm."
"You see," continued Jack, "if the smugglers planned to operate to-night, and were made fearful by recent events that we either had learned anything about them or suspected them, they might decide it would be unwise to have us at large, so to speak. Suppose we were to swoop down on them in our airplane, they might think, what then? This man Higginbotham, now. He might not have been deceived by our explanation of how we came to be on hand when he was flying in his radio-controlled plane and fell into the water. Besides, and this is the biggest point of all, we had appeared at his office to try and find out who had bought the Brownell property. Oh, the more I consider it, the more I realize that he could not help but suspect that we were on the track of the liquor smugglers."
Captain Folsom nodded.
"Sound sense, all of it," he declared; "especially, your deduction that they are landing liquor near us. Look here," he added, with sudden resolution; "where does that man, Tom Barnum, sleep?"
"He has quarters opening from the power house here," said Jack, in a tone of surprise. "Why, may I ask?"
"Well, I think so well of your supposition that I want to do a bit of investigating. Barnum looks like a stout, reliant man. Besides, he knows the neighborhood. I"ll ask him to accompany me."
Jack"s eyes glittered.
"What"s the matter with us?" he demanded.
"Oh, I couldn"t think of drawing you boys into this. It might involve some little danger."
"Well," said Jack, "danger would be nothing new to us. If you do not actually forbid our accompanying you, we"ll go along. I"m keen to go.
And I can say the same for Bob and Frank without questioning them.
Besides, you must remember it was their airplane which these rascals damaged. They"ll be eager for a chance to even scores."
Captain Folsom still looked dubious.
"You are unarmed," he objected. "And we might, just might, you know, stumble into a situation where we would need to protect ourselves."
"Oh, if that"s all that stands in your way," said Jack, rising, "you need not worry. Tom Barnum keeps a whole armory of weapons here. He has at least a half dozen pistols and automatics. As for us, we are all pretty fair shots and used to handling weapons. Now, look here, Captain Folsom," he said, pleadingly, advancing and laying a hand on the other"s arm; "I know what you are saying to yourself. You are saying how foolish it would be for you to enc.u.mber yourself with three harum-scarum boys. But that is where you make a mistake. We have been through a lot of dangerous situations, all three of us and, I can tell you, we have been forced to learn to keep our wits about us. I can promise you that we would not be a hindrance."
Captain Folsom"s face cleared.
"Good," said he, heartily; "spoken like a man. I"ll be only too glad to have you fellows."
"We"ll take Tom Barnum, too," said Jack. "He can be relied on in any crisis. Wait here until I stir him up and tell the boys."
Leaving the other, Jack went outside and apprised his chums of the new plan. It was just the thing they needed to rouse them from the despondency into which contemplation of the damage to their airplane had thrown them. Then he went to Tom Barnum"s quarters. Tom had not yet returned to sleep. He was eager to join in the adventure. Bringing three or four pistols, Jack and Tom quickly rejoined the party.
"What is your idea, Captain Folsom?" Jack inquired, when all were ready to depart and everything had been made tight about the station.
"First of all, how far is it to Starfish Cove?"
"Between two and three miles," answered Bob. "But the tide is out, and we shall have good going on the hard sand, and ought to make it under forced draught in a half hour or a little more."
"Is there any other place where small boats might land conveniently, any other place reasonably near?"
The boys and Tom Barnum shook their heads.
"That"s far and away the best place," said Jack.
"Well, then, I propose that we make our way close to the Cove, and then take to the cover of the trees, which you have given me to understand, come down there close to the water."
"They fringe the beach," Bob explained.
"Good. With reasonable care we ought to be able to make our way undiscovered close enough to see what is going on, supposing a landing such as I have in mind is taking place."
"There"s armed guards on the Brownell place nowadays," interjected Tom Barnum, to whom Jack had given a brief explanation of things. "Maybe, them fellers have sentries posted."
"Well, we"ll have to exercise caution when we get close to the Cove,"
said Captain Folsom. "And now, if we are all ready, let us start.
Every second"s delay is so much time lost. They"ll be working fast. If we are to gain any information, we must hasten about it."
"Righto," said Bob, striding off. "And just let me get my hands on the sneak that tried to burn the airplane," he added, vindictively. "I"ll give that gentleman a remembrance or two of the occasion."
The others fell in, and with long strides started making their way along the sand left hard-packed by the receding tide, under the moonlight.
Bob set a terrific pace but, fortunately, all members of the party were young men and accustomed to physical exercise, and none found it any hardship to keep up with their pacemaker. On the contrary, three at least enjoyed the expedition and found their spirits uplifted by the zest of this unexpected adventure undertaken at 2 o"clock in the morning.
When they drew near the first of the two horns enclosing the little bay known as Starfish Cove, Bob pulled up, and the others came to a halt around him.
"Just ahead there," said Bob, pointing, and addressing Captain Folsom, "lies our destination. I expect it would not be wise to make our way any farther along the sands."
Captain Folsom nodded.
"Right. We"ll take to those trees up yonder. I"ll go first with Jack."
Unconsciously, he had taken to addressing the boys by their given names. "Do you others keep close behind."
In this order they started making their way through the grove, just inside the outer belt of trees. The moonlight was bright on the water and the sands, and illuminated the aisles of the grove in fairylike fashion.
"Keep low and take advantage of cover," whispered Captain Folsom, as he saw how the matter stood. And crouching and darting from tree to tree, they worked their way forward until a low exclamation from Jack halted his companion who was a bit behind him. The others came up.
"Fence," whispered Jack, succinctly.
Sure enough. There it was, just ahead, a high wire fence, the strands barbed and strung taut on steel poles.