with an arm flung over his shoulders. The damage to their
airplane was felt keenly by both. Captain Folsom, with a pitying
glance at them, entered the station.

"Put on that headpiece," said Jack, motioning.

The other complied.

"By George," he cried, a moment later.

CHAPTER X

A NIGHT EXPEDITION

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