nce the country became 'dry.' Well, it's a long
story, and I won't spin out the details. But, as soon as the
prohibition law went into effect, in every city in the country
bootleggers sprang up. Many, of course, were of the lawless type that
are always engaged in breaking the laws. Others, however, were people
who ordinarily would not be regarded as law-violators. In this case,
though, they felt that an injustice had been done, that human liberty
had been violated, in the foisting of prohibition on the country. They
felt it was a matter the individual should be permitted to decide for
himself, whether he should take a drink of liquor or not, you know.

"These people, therefore, did not regard it as a crime to break the
law.

"Another salve to conscience, moreover, was the fact that tremendous
sums of money were to be made out of bootlegging. Liquor was selling
for prices that were simply enormous. It still is, of course, but I am
speaking about the beginnings of things. People who never had drunk
liquor in any quantities before, now would buy a case of whiskey or
wine, and pay $100 a case and up for it, and consider themselves lucky
to get it. They would boast quietly to friends about having obtained a
case of liquor.

"The bootlegging industry, accordingly, has grown to astonishing
proportions to-day. Right in New York City are men who are rated as
millionaires, who a few years ago did not have a penny, and they have
acquired their money through liquor smuggling.

"At first these bootleggers operated individually, and elsewhere in
the Nation that is still largely their method. But here in New York
there have been increasing evidences lately that some organizing
genius had taken charge of the situation and was swiftly bending other
bootleggers to his will. For some time, we have been of the opinion
that a syndicate or ring, probably controlled and directed by one man,
was responsible for most of the liquor smuggling here."

"And do you believe," interrupted Frank, "that this man who has bought
the old Brownell place may be that central figure?"

Captain Folsom nodded.

"It is entirely possible," he said. "Moreover, what you have told me
about the construction of a secret radio plant, and about the
appearance of this radio-controlled airplane, fits in with certain
other facts which have puzzled us a good deal lately."

"How so?" asked Jack.

"For one thing," said Captain Folsom, "my colleague, Lieutenant
Summ