This met with the unqualified approval of everybody except Herb, and then
the boys set to work on their new radio set. As this was Saturday evening,
they had no lessons to prepare, and they worked steadily until ten
o'clock. They wound transformers until Jimmy declared that it made him
dizzy even to look at them, and when the time came to stop work they all
felt that substantial progress had been made.

They agreed to meet at the theater the following Monday evening, to
witness the opening performance of the show in which their friends Larry
Bartlett and Tim Barcommon were performing, and then said good-night and
started homeward to the accompaniment of a cheerful whistled marching
tune.

There was much excitement among their classmates the following Monday, as
they had all heard about the show and most of them intended to go. When
they learned that the radio boys were acquainted with two of the
performers, the four lads were deluged with questions as to how they came
to know them.

"You fellows are getting pretty sporty, seems to me," said Lon Beardsley.
"Maybe you'll give us an introduction to your friends in the show."

"Surest thing you know," assented Bob. "I got a letter from them this
morning, and they promised to call me up around four o'clock this
afternoon. They'll probably come to our house for dinner, and we'll all go
down to the theater together."

And sure enough, Bob had hardly reached home that afternoon when the
telephone bell rang, and Larry's familiar voice came over the wire.

"Hello, Bob!" he said. "How's the boy? Did you get my letter all right?"

"I sure did," answered Bob. "It's fine to hear your voice again. We're all
tickled to death to know that you're showing in Clintonia this week. You
and Tim have got to come here for supper to-night, you know."

"We'd be glad to, if it isn't imposing on your folks," said Larry. "We
don't get many regular home dinners these days, you can bet, and it will
be a treat for us."

"All right, then, we'll be looking for you," replied Bob. "Get here as
early as you can."

This Larry promised to do, and after a little further conversation rang
off. Bob then called up the other radio boys and told them to come to his
house immediately after supper, so that they would have time for a few
words with Larry and Tim, after which they could all go down to the
theater together.

CHAPTER X

A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT

"Hello, Tim! Hello, Larry! How have