The Radio Boys with the Revenue Guards Part 28

But it was in organizing the importation of liquor from the Bahamas that McKay reached his heights. He had a.s.sembled a fleet of old schooners, many of which had seen better days and lacked business, commanded by skippers who were in desperate need of money, and he had taken advantage of their necessity by making what to them were tempting offers. Some boats he had purchased outright, others chartered for long periods.

These boats would work their way up the Atlantic coast to specified points on the Jersey and Long Island coastlines. Then they would discharge their cargoes, and men waiting alongsh.o.r.e with trucks would carry the liquor to distributing points.

More recently, Captain Folsom added, McKay had begun to utilize radio.

To avoid the employment of more than a minimum force of men, was his primary object. In the first place, big crews made a steady drain in wages. Likewise, there was an added danger of mutiny when large crews were employed. The men were bound to realize that, inasmuch as he was violating the law, he could not appeal for legal retaliation in case they should seize a vessel and dispose of it and its contents.

Therefore, he decided to depend on trusty skippers, whom he paid well, and skeleton crews whom the skippers and mates could control.

Thus the radio-controlled boats, which were really not boats at all, came into existence. And for their control, the station on Long Island was established and two others, in isolated spots on the Jersey coast, were in process of construction when the end came. At the time of Higginbotham's discovery by the boys and their interference in McKay's schemes, McKay was absent in New Jersey, personally superintending the construction of the plants.

Higginbotham, in fleeing from the Brownell place, had neglected some damaging correspondence which would have betrayed McKay's ident.i.ty as the controlling power in the liquor smuggling ring. He had fled to his employer, and told him of the danger.

At the time, McKay had standing offsh.o.r.e an Eagle boat, built for submarine chasing during the World War, but which two years earlier the United States government had sold during a period of reduction of expenses. This boat he had kept in the Bahamas, but recently had brought North. He intended to use it to protect liquor runners as escort, the a.s.sumption being that, thinking it one of themselves, other boats of the "Dry Navy" would leave the vessels alone.

How he had obtained possession of the naval uniforms for his men Captain Folsom did not know. However, the doughty captain a.s.sumed McKay probably had bought discarded uniforms in some manner, or else had had them made on order.

When Higginbotham reached him with the news, after working his way through Brooklyn and New York in disguise, having lain hidden several days in order to avoid the first heat of the search which he knew would be made for him, McKay had decided to go to the Brownell place in the sub chaser. He figured its appearance would disarm the suspicions of the guards left by Lieutenant Summers, and that his men in uniform would get close enough before their ident.i.ties were discovered to carry the place without force. Their superior numbers would compel surrender on the part of a handful of guards.

Such proved to be the case. One of the guards, however, escaped and, making his way to the Hampton radio station, had sent out the call which brought the Nark to the scene just as McKay was making his escape.

CHAPTER XXVI

CONCLUSION

The boys received great praise for their part in breaking up the plot, and bringing the perpetrators to book. For them, the balance of the summer went quietly. The escaping thieves who had stolen their speed boat had made their way to McKay's retreat in New Jersey, and there later the boat was recovered. In it, all spent many pleasant hours.

The budding romance between Marjorie Faulkner and big Bob developed considerably during the balance of her stay at the Temple home, which lasted for several more weeks. They were together much of the time, walking, swimming, boating, flying. For the damaged airplane was repaired and Bob took the young girl frequently aloft.

All five young people took part jointly in many affairs, but Bob got Marjorie to himself as much as possible. The others chaffed them a good deal, but as the banter was all good-natured, it was not resented.

Della and Frank, too, drew more closely together that summer. They had lived in the same house for years, and had grown up together. Now as they stood on the verge of young manhood and young womanhood, a subtle change in their relations of comrades.h.i.+p came to pa.s.s. They were still good pals, but there was something deeper in their feelings for each other.

Jack sighed one night, as he and his chums sat alone on the beach, after a late plunge. The girls had gone visiting with Mrs. Temple.

"Here's Frank," he said, "getting thicker every day with Della. Here's old Bob, who has lost his head over Marjorie. I'm left out in the cold."

"Well, why don't you go back to capture Senorita Rafaela?" asked Bob, slyly. "When we flew away from her ranch that day, you said you were going to come back for her, you know."

Bob's reference was to the daughter of Don Fernandez y Calomares, an aristocrat of pure Castilian blood living in a palace in the Sonora mountains in Old Mexico. The previous summer, the Don as leader of a faction of Mexican rebels had kidnapped Jack's father, mining engineer in charge of oil properties in New Mexico, and carried him prisoner to his retreat. Thereby, the Don had hoped to embroil the United States with President Obregon of Mexico, perhaps to bring about American intervention, all of which would be of benefit to the rebel cause. Mr.

Temple, however, had decided the kidnapping of his friend and business a.s.sociate should be kept secret, in order to prevent American intervention which he considered would be harmful to both countries.

The boys had gone into Old Mexico and, through a series of exciting adventures as related in "The Radio Boys on the Mexican Border," had effected Mr. Hampton's rescue. Jack had fallen victim to the charms of the Don's daughter.

Now, at Bob's words, Jack said nothing, but looked away over the moonlit water.

Well, his thoughts often when he was alone were concerned with the fascinating Spanish girl. Even the pa.s.sage of a year's time had not served to efface her image from his memory. Someday----

"Come on," said he, jumping up, and pus.h.i.+ng his two companions over into the sand. "Beat you home."

He darted away, and they tore after him.

At the end of the summer, all three boys went away to Yale at New Haven, Conn. Jack was in his second year, a Soph.o.m.ore. Bob and Frank entered as Freshmen.

During their college year, all three kept alive their interest in radio, and followed every new development. Jack even went further, inventing a revolutionary device for the application of radio. Of that, there is no s.p.a.ce to speak now. But in an account of their further adventures it will be properly introduced.

The following vacation period, Mr. Hampton went to Peru in connection with the development of rich mining properties in a new region, and took Jack with him. Frank and Bob pleaded so hard for permission to accompany the Hamptons that Mr. Temple gave his consent.

There, an amazing series of adventures befell them. But they will be duly recorded in "The Radio Boys Search for the Incas' Treasure."

The End

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THE RADIO BOYS' SEARCH FOR THE INCA'S TREASURE

THE RADIO BOYS RESCUE THE LOST ALASKA EXPEDITION

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[Ill.u.s.tration]