ose from the desk as they entered and regarded them
inquiringly.

Jack wasted no time on preliminaries, but after introducing himself
and his companions, stated their mission. They wanted to know who was
the man who had bought the old Brownell place, and what was known
about him.

His name? Mr. Higginbotham could not recall it. He doubted whether
there was a record of it at hand. The old Brownell place? Yes, he
remembered the property. Why were the young men interested.

Sharp-eyed Frank detected a slight start at Jack's query. Moreover, he
thought there was an air of guarded watchfulness about Higginbotham,
for no apparent reason. That mysterious sixth sense which so often had
been of value in the past now came to the fore. Before Jack could
reply, he took over the conversation.

"Oh," said he, lightly, "being neighbors, we were just curious, we
wondered who had bought the haunted house. That's all. My uncle, Mr.
Temple, is a friend of Mr. McKay. So, being near, we thought we would
stop in and ask him. That's all. Sorry to have bothered you. Good
day."

And taking the bewildered Jack and Bob by their arms, he gently
propelled them to the door.

CHAPTER V

PURSUING THE "RADIO" PLANE

Not before they had reached the street did Frank vouchsafe an
explanation of his amazing conduct. Then Jack, refusing to be put
aside any more, gripped him by the arm and swung him about so that
they stood face to face.

"Out with it, now," he demanded. "Why did you hurry us away from that
office? And why didn't you tell Mr. Higginbotham our reason for trying
to discover something about this man who has taken the Brownell
place?"

Big Bob quizzically regarded his smaller companion.

"Guess I know," he said. "Frank had another hunch. Didn't you?"

"Yes," confessed Frank, "and that's about all I had to go on, too. But
it was a strong one. Something inside of me kept saying that man
Higginbotham wasn't to be trusted. There was a look in his eyes,
watchful and cunning. And he made a little start when we asked him
about the Brownell place. I don't know. There was nothing definite,
nothing I can point out to you now. I feel almost ashamed of myself,
as a matter of fact."

Bob put an arm over his shoulder.

"You needn't," he said. "Forget it. I'll put my faith in your hunches
every time. Well, what'll we do now? Look up the Secret Service men,
or have lunch first?"

"Let's eat," said Jack.

He was a bit out of sorts