Curlie Carson Listens In

e message about the easterly breeze that blew west and I located the station at that hotel. This morning I went over to see how the place looked. It's a wonderful hotel, that one; palm

operator wanted to throw me out; said I was a fresh kid and all that. But whe

with a twenty-two caliber rifle. He just naturally didn't have the power, that's all. So I didn't tell him anything about

s to know what I'm looking at. I saw right away that he wasn't a hotel employee for he

She's leaving this morning and arranged to drop her

n a girl did pop her head out of a sixteenth

ed. Guess he thought the

s too high up for me to tell what she was like, but it made me mighty curious. I counted the windows to right and left so I c

hen, tha

"Anyone here by the name of Carson?" It ca

xclaimed Curli

epho

minute, Joe." Curlie wa

Masters. Got a bad case-extra bad. Can't understand it. Fellow's

what they use for S.O.S. at sea! It's criminal. Endangers every s

Every time I think I've got

mo

s,

r! I'll be u

, he says. Sends 600; big power. Bet it's that same hotel fellow. Gee whiz! Supposing it turned ou

top was half open, then two steps at a time sprang up a flight of stairs. Out of breath, he arrived at the fi

es Masters indicated the radio-co

umbled, "but no telling where he'll be next. He'

er here. He twisted the knob of each to the 600 mark, then, twisting the tuning knobs, lined them all up to

him," he mumbled.

was from ten to fifteen miles. He moves toward us, t

is hands. "That's a new dodge, this moving

t last he spoke again, this time quit

he sighed, "it's not our friend of the big hotel unless-unless he or she or whoever it is has taken

ittle beyond

urlie suddenly, "has he got

ge distances in air accurately. There are powerful equipment

s line of chatter. All about some 'map, ol

had come from one of the loud speakers.

nch is amazing. G

nce more as a tense look dre

en miles," h

e voice

the bir

, as if from far away, yet very dis

owed by three letters dist

e the strong voice

t this very moment some disabled ship might be struggling in a storm on the Great Lakes or even on the Atlantic, and this jumble of words would muddle up their message so its meaning would be lo

o be granted in the days that were to come, he

and placed a dot on

ut in the morning and have a look

d a thing he made it or made a way to get it. Three years previous he had wanted an automobile-wanted it awfully. And his total capita

with an idea. This idea he had put into action. The railroad had settled with the owner for

ar too, with the exception of one cog wheel, was in workable order. The remainder of the c

nd motor. This search rewarded, he had proceeded to assemble his car. And one fi

no body at all and that he must ride with his feet thrust straight o

uired an immense respect for the Humming Bird. "For," he said later, "she can hum a

hour before dinner, made his way down to the street and, having warmed up the Humming Bird

onto a gravel road. Here he threw his car over to one side and, switching on a flashli

time a heavy car with diamond-tread tires had passed along

s him," Curl

along the road. Examining the surface closely, he walked on for

like a warm scent. Can't tell, though. My friend might n

e very spot." He twirled

sed to look at a map. "Not quite here," h

e found himself on a stretch of paved road. "This is the spot from which the

ome aware of the fact that he was just before the gate of the esta

that lane. Maybe it didn't, too. J. Anson's got a son, about my age I guess. Vincent they call him. He

ut here the surface of crushed stone was so per

respassing on such an estate without some good explanation for

aught the thud-thud of hoof b

he reached the machine and assumed the attitude of one hunting

e swung along as graceful as a lark. As she came into the public

ven if it did come from

me? So there might be a girl in the case, same as there seems to be in that one over at the hotel? G

You can't fool with old Uncle Sam, not when you're end

Twice he paused to examine the tracks made the night bef

decided; "I'll stake my life on that. Now