say we go over and fool round with the radio a while?"
Dick yawned. "We've nothing better to do."

"All right. We can at least listen in for a spell. We've got that
far."

"You boys better not go getting that wireless all out of order while
Bob is away," cautioned Nancy. "He'd be ripping mad to get home and
find it out of commission. Father wouldn't like it, either."

"Oh, we're not going to hurt the precious radio," sniffed Dick. "Don't
you think we know anything?"

"Not much," fluted Nancy as she flounced away.

"At least she does not flatter us," grinned His Highness, quite
unruffled by the girl's frankness.

"Oh, sisters never think a fellow knows anything, especially when
they're older," Dick grumbled, as he unlocked the door of the low
building and met the blast of close, stifling air that came out.
"Scott! The place is like an oven, isn't it? Open a window, can't
you?" he continued.

"Sure! There is some heat, I'll say. Just as well we dropped round if
only to air the place out," Walter replied.

Together they switched on the current, regulated amplifier, detector,
and tuner, and each with a head receiver tight to his ears sat down.

"Whee, but it is thick, to-day!" shouted Dick. "Run the tune up, kid,
and see if we get anything."

"It is always bad a day like this," called Walter. "Besides, everybody
seems to be butting in in the morning. Infernal, isn't it?"

"Let her go up to O'Connel's pitch. It can't do any harm."

"It isn't time for him to call, is it?"

"Pretty near."

"But what good would it do even if we did get his signal?"

"We should at least know he had something to say to us."

"I should consider that a negative satisfaction," Walter replied. "It
would just be an aggravation. However, here she goes! As you say, it
can harm nobody to get the right meter."

"There's that old commercial station up the Cape," announced Dick,
presently. "That fellow is always on the job at this hour."

"Probably he has to be, poor soul," Walter returned. "We'll get rid of
him in a minute. _What was that?_"

"It is some one on our line. That's the _Siren's_ call. It's O'Connel!
Jove! What are you doing, man? What are you going to do?" asked Dick
excitedly as he saw Walter's hand go out.

"Paper! Pencil! Hurry, can't you?" gasped Walter.

"Do you mean----"

"Let's both take it down in dots and dashes. Between us we may be able
to make some sense out of it afterward. Quick!"

Clearly and evenly