113CHAPTER XIIA GLAD ANNOUNCEMENT
“We’ll go and see Larry as soon as we get out of school to-morrow, and see what he says about it,” said Bob. “But I guess there’s no doubt of what he’ll want to do. I know he’s mighty worried about the future. He told me he didn’t have much money saved up, and what he did have must be about gone by this time.”
“You do that,” agreed Brandon. “And if he thinks favorably of the idea, I’ll find time to go with him and you to the station I spoke of, and give him an introduction to the manager and see that he gets a try-out.”
“That’s mighty good of you, Mr. Brandon,” said Joe. “Larry is such a fine fellow that when you get to know him you’ll feel as interested in seeing him get along as we are.”
“That’s likely enough,” said Brandon. “Anyway, if we didn’t help each other out a little, this old world wouldn’t be much of a place to live in.”
After a little further conversation, Brandon rose to go. “I’ve got a pretty busy day ahead of114me to-morrow, so I think I’d better turn in rather early to-night,” he said. “Just give me a call at the hotel any time you want me, or, better yet, come and pay me a visit in person. You know you’ll always be welcome.”
“You bet we’ll come,” promised Jimmy.
“Jimmy’s thinking of some special milk chocolate you gave him once, and is hoping you may have some more of it,” laughed Joe.
“I wasn’t thinking anything of the kind!” exclaimed Jimmy, indignantly. “What do you think I am, anyway?”
“We’d hate to tell you that,” said Herb, with a wicked grin. “It would hurt your feelings too much, Doughnuts.”
“I think I know what chocolate he refers to,” said Brandon, laughing. “And I don’t wonder that you remember it, Jimmy. It certainly was good, but I’m afraid you won’t be able to find any more like it around here. It was sent to me from Vermont by a married sister of mine who lives there.”
“Poor old Jimmy!” exclaimed Bob. “You’re out of luck this time, old timer. If you had only known that, you wouldn’t have had to make that heartbreaking search all over Clintonia.”
“Oh, I didn’t mind it so much,” said his good-natured friend. “I had a lot of fun sampling all the different varieties, anyway.”115
“I’ll say you did,” said Herb. “I’ll bet you were glad of an excuse.”
“Don’t need an excuse,” retorted Jimmy. “I guess there’s no law against eating chocolate, is there?”
“If there were, you’d be serving a life sentence now,” said Joe, heartlessly.
“From the way you talk, I guess you don’t like chocolate, so you won’t want any of this,” and Jimmy proceeded to unwrap a sizable bundle that he had brought with him, but had forgotten in the excitement of Brandon’s visit.
“I didn’t say that, did I?” asked Joe, in a tone of injured innocence.
“No such luck,” said Jimmy. “Maybe if you didn’t want any, the rest of us might get enough for once. But I suppose you’ll want it all, as usual.”
“Nothing of the kind,” denied Joe. “I’m perfectly willing to go on a fifty-fifty basis. Half for me and half for the rest is all I ask. That’s perfectly fair, isn’t it?”
“It’s fair enough for you, perhaps, but it doesn’t make much of a hit with us,” laughed Bob. “Don’t take any notice of him, Jimmy. Just take your knife and break that chocolate up into lumps, and let’s find out what it tastes like.”
“You’d better wait a few minutes and sample this, Mr. Brandon,” said Jimmy, doing as Bob116directed. “I’ll guarantee that it’s the best to be gotten in Clintonia, anyway. I’ve shopped around this town looking for your brand of chocolate until I’m an expert in that line.”
The chocolate disappeared as if by magic, and Frank Brandon rose once more to go.
“I’m really going this time,” he laughed. “It won’t make any difference if you bring out a dozen packages, Jimmy.”
“I only wish I had ’em to bring out,” sighed that individual.
“I wish you had, too,” said Herb. “Why didn’t you get some more while you were about it, Doughnuts?”
“You fellows are certainly hard to please,” laughed Brandon. “But I must go now. I hope you’ll all drop into the hotel when you get a chance, and we’ll smooth out some more radio kinks. I have some good books in my trunk, too, that might be of some help.”
“We’ll be glad to come,” said Bob, heartily. “We’ll all drop in some evening around the first of the week, shan’t we, fellows?”
Of course, they all agreed to this, and then Brandon took his leave, accompanied by Joe and Herb and Jimmy as far as their respective homes.
The next day the radio boys were eager to tell Larry about the conversation they had had with Frank Brandon concerning him, and the bright117prospects the radio man had held out for his successful employment. They could hardly wait for three o’clock to come, and the bell had hardly rung when they were all out in the street ready to make a quick trip to the hospital.
“Come on, fellows,” called Bob. “They say that bad news travels fast, but let’s prove that good news can hit it up once in a while, too. I’ll bet old Larry will be happier this evening than he has been for a long time.”
“That speed stuff is all right for you fellows, but don’t forget that I’m built more for comfort than speed,” grumbled Jimmy. “Set your own pace, though, Bob, and I’ll try to keep up, even if it kills me.”
“It will be more apt to do you good,” said Herb, as they all set off at a brisk dog trot. “There’s no doubt that you need more exercise than you get, Doughnuts.”
“I get more than I want already,” said Jimmy, who was beginning to puff and pant. The others had no mercy on him, though, and when at last they reached the hospital poor Doughnuts was, as he himself said, “all in.”
Larry was glad to see them. He was feeling rather blue for, in a roundabout way, a report had reached him that Buck Looker was still connecting himself and Tim with the loss of the watch and other things of value at the hotel dance.118Buck had intimated that the two vaudeville performers might have passed the stolen things over to some confederate.
“It’s certainly wonderful to have you fellows spend so much of your time with a poor old cripple like me,” he said, with a smile in which there was a trace of tears. “I don’t know what I’d ever do if you didn’t. Tim’s a good sort about writing, but I am lonesome and every hour seems to me like a day.”
“What do you mean, ’old cripple’?” scoffed Bob. “Why, the doctor says he’ll have you out of here and as good as ever in a little while.”
“A ’little while’ may mean almost anything,” said Larry, with a sad smile. “But I’m not kicking, you understand,” he added, quickly. “I know I’m mighty lucky to be alive.”
“You’re not only alive, but you’re going to be mighty busy pretty soon, if you happen to feel like holding down a good job,” said Bob.
119CHAPTER XIIIFULL OF PROMISE
“What do you mean ’good job’?” asked Larry, incredulously, and yet with a note of hope in his voice. “You know I can’t even get around easily yet.”
“Yes, but you’re getting stronger every day,” argued Bob. “In a week or so you won’t know yourself. Now, here’s the proposition we’ve got for you,” and Bob proceeded to outline the plan that they had worked out the previous evening. As he proceeded, a light came into the sick boy’s eyes that had not been there since the accident, and a touch of color crept into his cheeks.
“Say!” he broke out, when Bob had finished, “you fellows are about the best friends that anybody ever had.”
“Oh, nonsense!” exclaimed Bob. “Why, you know well enough that you’d do anything in the world for one of us if our positions were reversed.”
“Well, it will be simply wonderful for me,”120said Larry. “Of course, though, I may be counting the chickens before they are hatched. The manager of the station may not like my act, you know.”
“It’s more a question of whether the public will like it or not,” said Joe. “Mr. Brandon seems to be sure that the manager will give you a try-out, and I guess they’ll soon find out whether your act is popular or not. Judging from the applause you got in the theater that night, I should certainly say it was.”
“I only wish I were strong enough to go right away,” said Larry. “But I guess I won’t be able to go this week, anyway.”
“We didn’t suppose you would,” said Bob. “But Mr. Brandon is going to make his headquarters in Clintonia for several weeks, so you don’t have to worry about that. As soon as the doctor says you can make the trip, we’ll see if we can’t borrow or beg an automobile somewhere, and make the trip to the sending station in style.”
“Now that I’ve got something to look forward to, I’ll get well in a hurry,” Larry assured him.
“Let’s see if you can still make the little birdies jealous by singing their songs better than they can,” suggested Jimmy.
“You certainly flatter me, but I’ll do the best I can,” laughed Larry. “What shall it be first?”
“How about the mocking bird?” suggested121Herb. “I think that’s one of the prettiest ones, Larry. I never heard a southern mocking bird, but if it sounds like that, I’m going to take a trip to Dixieland some day just to hear one.”
“I never heard one, either,” confessed Larry, with a grin.
“You didn’t!” they all exclaimed. “Where did you learn it, then?”
“A professional bird imitator taught me most of the notes,” said Larry. “Of course, I didn’t need any lessons to imitate the cute little canary bird, and the robin’s notes and a few others I learned by listening to the birds themselves. I suppose it would be best to learn them all that way, if you could, but I never had the time or the money to go traveling all over the country.”
“Well, we’re still waiting for the mocking bird,” Herb reminded him. “I’ll sing ‘Listen to the Mocking Bird,’ and you come in at the proper places with the bird effects.”
“Nobody asked you to sing, did they?” asked Jimmy.
“No, they didn’t; but I’m going to sing, anyway,” answered Herb, and he started the first bars of the well known song.
“We might as well all sing, then,” said Bob. “We can’t make it any worse than Herb’s singing, anyway,” so they all joined in the song. At the end of each line they paused, and Larry gave the122proper bird notes and trills. The result was not half bad, and before they had finished other convalescent patients had come into the room and were listening appreciatively. The boys all had their backs to the door, and did not know they had an audience until they came to the end of the song and there was a round of applause for their effort.
They all whirled around in some surprise.
“I didn’t know we were making anybody suffer but ourselves,” laughed Bob. “It must be pretty hard on you folks.”
“It sounded fine,” said one. “We enjoyed it. Why don’t you try something else?”
“Couldn’t think of it,” said Bob. “Besides, I guess that’s about the only song we all know except the ’Star Spangled Banner,’ and there aren’t any bird songs in that. You give them some more imitations, though, Larry. You will be all the better for the practice, anyway.”
“Anything to oblige,” grinned Larry, and went through his whole repertoire, while the little audience applauded freely.
“There! that’s all I know,” said Larry at last, when he had imitated every kind of bird he could think of. “I’ll have to get busy and learn some more, I guess.”
“We didn’t know we had such a talented young man in the place,” said one elderly gentleman.123“You’ll have to entertain us every day while you’re here, young man.”
“Well, if you folks can stand it, I can,” laughed Larry. “I’ll always be glad to oblige, I’m sure.”
His appreciative listeners thanked him, and gradually drifted out of the room.
“You made a hit, Larry,” said Bob. “It’s just as I tell you. Your art is a novelty, and people are tickled to death with it. You won’t have to worry about making good when you get your try-out at the broadcasting station.”
“I hope you’re right,” said Larry. “I can’t wait until I’m strong enough, to take the trip. Anyway, I’ll have something to look forward to now.”
The time had passed so quickly that the boys could hardly believe it when Bob looked at his watch and told them it was nearly six o’clock.
“Good-night!” exclaimed Joe. “We’ll all be late for supper now. Guess we’ll have to say good-bye and beat it, Larry.”
“I suppose so,” said Larry, regretfully. “I want to thank you all again for what you’ve done for me, and believe me, I appreciate it.”
They all shook hands with him, and then started for home at a brisk pace.
“Seems to me we’re always in a hurry,” complained Jimmy. “You pretty near run my legs off getting here, and now I’ve got to repeat the124performance going home, or else get a cold supper when I get there. I wonder why I’m always out of luck that way.”
“You’d better save your breath, instead of wasting it in kicking,” Joe admonished him. “You’ll need it all before you get home, I’ll tell you. Let’s hit it up a little faster, fellows. Jimmy wants to get home before his supper gets cold, so we’ll have to see that he gets there.”
“Come on, Doughnuts, step on the throttle,” cried Herb. “Show us what you really can do.”
“Nothing doing,” panted Jimmy. “My throttle’s wide open now. You fellows go ahead if you’re in such a hurry.”
“I guess there’s no such rush as that,” said Bob, slowing down to a pace more suited to Jimmy’s limited speed. “Take it easy, old man. We’re not going to a fire, after all.”
125CHAPTER XIVAN IMPROMPTU FEAST
“Anybody would think we were, to look at us,” puffed Jimmy. “Whew, I’m all in!” and he slowed down to a walk.
“Well, we’re almost home, anyway,” said Bob. “Take your time, Jimmy. We’d hate to have you die of apoplexy.”
“You wouldn’t hate it nearly as much as I would,” said Jimmy, beginning to get his breath again. “Just think of what the world would lose if anything were to happen to me.”
“It’s too terrible to think about,” said Bob, with mock gravity. “I suppose the old world would stop spinning if you should kick the bucket, Jimmy.”
“Maybe not as bad as that,” interposed Herb. “But a lot of doughnut manufacturers would have to go out of business, I know that.”
“Aw, you know too much!” exclaimed Jimmy, scornfully. “At least, you think you do, which is worse. I don’t see what you have to go to high126school for, anyway. You know all there is to know, already.”
“I don’t know but what you’re right,” agreed Herb, complacently. “But the trouble is, I can’t seem to get the teachers to believe it. Maybe you’ll be nice enough to explain things to them to-morrow, Jimmy?”
“Explain nothing!” exclaimed Jimmy. “They’d soon think I was as foolish as you, and I’d hate to get a rep. like that.”
“Harsh words,” laughed Bob. “You fellows had better quit saying nice things about one another, or you’ll be mixing it first thing you know.”
“No chance,” denied Herbert, with a grin. “I’m too hungry to think of scrapping, and I’ll bet Jimmy is too. How about it, old pal?”
“I should say so!” agreed Jimmy. “Thank heaven we’re almost home. If we had much further to go, I guess you’d have to carry me.”
They were indeed almost home by this time, and branched off to their respective houses. Though they were all late, they managed to make up for lost time in the way of eating and their mothers had reason to be thankful that they were not late very often.
An interesting bit of information came about this time in the news conveyed by Mr. Rockwell to Mr. Layton, whom he had chanced to meet on a train, that the motor boat which had run down127Larry and his companions had been found in a remote inlet some distance down the coast, where it had evidently been deserted by the men who had stolen it. From sundry papers that had been left on the boat, through an oversight of the rascals, it was gathered that they were members of a gang of hotel thieves who had been “working” the hotels at the summer resorts along the coast, where a long list of unsolved robberies had been perpetrated. The police were working on the case, but the thieves had not yet been apprehended.
“Well,” said Bob, when he heard the news, “it’s good to know that Mr. Wentworth got his motor boat back anyway. But I won’t be satisfied till I hear that the police have landed the thieves.”
“Same here,” said Joe. “But it’s like looking for a needle in a haystack. They may be out on the Pacific coast by this time.”
The boys worked hard on their big set for the next few days, spending all the time on it that they could spare from their studies. They found time, however, to visit Mr. Brandon, as they had promised, and had a royal good time in his rooms at the hotel. They laughed and joked and talked radio to their hearts’ content. Toward the end of the evening Mr. Brandon called on Jimmy for some expert advice.
“Jimmy,” he said, “I’ve been thinking that a little—or rather, a lot—of ice cream and cake128would go well. What is your honest opinion on the subject?”
“I don’t think you could have a much better idea, no matter how hard you tried,” said Jimmy, gravely.
“Probably not,” agreed Brandon, with a twinkle in his eyes. “Now, as we’re agreed as to that, can I call on you for advice and assistance?”
“You certainly can,” said Jimmy, slightly mystified, but ready for anything, nevertheless.
“Well, then, to come to the point, will you go out with me and give me the benefit of your expert advice as to the best place in this neighborhood to buy the aforementioned ice cream and cake?”
“You bet I will,” said Jimmy, with alacrity. “And without seeming to boast,” he added, “you couldn’t have picked out any one who knows more about that particular subject than yours truly.”
“All right, I suppose I’ll have to believe you,” laughed Frank Brandon. “I have every confidence in you, Jimmy.”
As the event proved, this confidence was not misplaced. Both the ice cream and cake were all that heart could wish, and moreover were served in generous quantities. At the end of the feast they all expressed themselves as perfectly satisfied with Jimmy’s selections, and Bob moved129that they give him and Mr. Brandon a vote of thanks.
“If Uncle Sam lets me stay in Clintonia long enough, we’ll have to have another party like this,” said Brandon. “And maybe by that time your sick friend will be well enough to come. I’d surely be glad to see him, if he can and would care to. By the way, when will he be well enough for us to take him to the broadcasting station?”
“We were out to see him yesterday,” answered Bob; “and it’s wonderful the improvement he’s made since we told him about our plans for him. He looked a hundred per cent. better, and the doctor told him he could go Saturday afternoon, if he kept on making the same progress.”
“Fine!” exclaimed the wireless man. “I usually have Saturday afternoons off, and if you boys want to take him then, it will be all right for me, unless something very important comes up that I can’t sidetrack.”
“That suits us,” said Bob. “I spoke to Doctor Dale about Larry the other day, and he volunteered to drive us to the station in his car. That was some offer, wasn’t it?”
“It’s no more than I’d expect of him,” said Brandon. “Right after we first talked about that plan I wrote to the manager of the station, Mr. Allard, and he said to bring your friend along by130all means. He’s on the lookout for talent, as I told you, and will be only too glad to give him a trial.”
“That sounds promising,” said Bob. “What do you say if we stop at the hospital to-morrow afternoon, fellows, and tell Larry about it and find out if he’ll be strong enough to go?”
“I’m afraid you’ll have to count me out,” said Jimmy. “I’ve got some work I’ll have to do for dad, if we’re going to be away Saturday afternoon. But you fellows go anyway, and tell him I was sorry that I couldn’t get there.”
“We’ll do that then, and count on you sure for Saturday afternoon,” said Bob.
“Oh, sure thing! I’ll be with you then,” promised Jimmy. “I wouldn’t miss that for a farm.”
That matter being satisfactorily settled, the boys said good-night to their host, after assuring him that they had had a “bang-up” time. Their leave-taking must have wakened any light sleepers in the hotel, but they got out at last and headed for home, all of them enthusiastic in praise of their friend Frank Brandon.
“I only wish we could have had Larry here to-night,” said Joe, regretfully. “I’ll bet he’d have enjoyed it first rate. But I suppose there’ll be plenty of other times.”
“I wish Mr. Brandon were going to be stationed in Clintonia all the time,” said Bob. “He’s been131such a good friend to us that I’ll feel mighty bad if he has to go away again.”
They all felt the same way, and said so.
“But there’s no use crossing that bridge until we come to it,” said Joe, philosophically. “As long as he’s covering this territory, he’ll make his headquarters in Clintonia, that’s pretty certain.”
The next day the boys met as they had planned, immediately after school was out, and headed directly for the hospital and their convalescent friend. What with jokes and laughter the distance seemed short enough. Needless to say, Larry was overjoyed to see them.
“I certainly look forward to having you fellows visit me,” he said. “You’re as welcome as letters from home. I get pretty blue sitting around here by my lonesome all day.”
“How do you feel to-day?” asked Bob. “Do you feel well enough to go after a soft job next Saturday?”
“I never did feel so sick that I couldn’t go after a job that was guaranteed to be soft,” grinned Larry.
“All right, then,” laughed Bob. “Be ready to go next Saturday afternoon. We’ll call for you in Doctor Dale’s automobile. He’s promised to take the whole bunch of us to the broadcasting station.”132
“Pretty soft,” said Larry. “How do you fellows come to rate an automobile?”
“Oh, we’ve got a big drag around this town,” replied Bob. “I guess they’d give us the Town Hall if we asked for it.”
“You hate yourselves, don’t you?” asked Larry.
“That isn’t as big a claim as it may seem,” remarked Joe. “The Town Hall is so old that I think they’d be glad of an excuse to give it away. But they won’t build a new one until the old one falls down.”
“That’s the way with all these bush league towns,” remarked Larry, with a wicked grin.
“You’re getting well all right,” laughed Bob. “When you begin knocking again it’s a sure sign that you’re getting back to form.”
“You bet I am,” returned Larry. “I’ll be as good as ever in a little while. Now that I can begin to see where the next square meal is coming from, it gives me some incentive to get well.”
“Well, it’s fine to hear you say so,” declared Bob. “We’ll call for you around one o’clock Saturday, and we’ll be at the station about four. Then if you don’t convince them that your imitation of bird songs is better than the little birdies themselves, we’ll murder you.”
“I wish I could get in as solid with every audience133I play to as I am with you fellows,” said Larry. “Life would be one grand, sweet song.”
“You’ll get in solid enough to be able to drag down good pay, don’t worry about that,” replied Joe.
“Well, we’ll know more about it after Saturday afternoon,” said Larry. “Until then, hope hard.”
This seemed to sum up the situation fairly well, and after a little further conversation the radio boys said good-by to their friend and took their leave, delighted over his improved condition.
Improved not only in body but in mind. The pain of his physical hurts had been hard enough for Larry to bear, but this was little compared to the mental worry he had been undergoing ever since the accident had interfered with his money-earning power and threatened to make him a cripple for life.
During his brief engagement with the Chasson show he had loyally sent home to his mother every dollar he could save from his salary over and above his necessary expenses, which by rigid economy he kept as low as possible. But much of this his mother had been compelled to use to pay debts incurred during his previous period of idleness, and he knew that she had very little on hand. Her enfeebled condition had added to his anxiety, and he had had many hours of mental134anguish as he looked toward the dark and lowering future.
Now, however, he saw light, and his heart went out in the warmest gratitude toward the good friends who had come to his help in his extremity and made it possible to see a rainbow in the skies that had been so full of clouds.
“Now, if I could only prove that Tim and I weren’t guilty of that robbery at the hotel dance, I would be all right,” Larry told himself. He felt sure that the evil-minded Buck Looker was still holding that happening against him.
The days intervening until Saturday sped quickly. Dr. Dale was true to the promise he had made Bob, and was ready with his car when the radio boys assembled at his house. Since Bob had told him about Larry’s unfortunate condition, the doctor had interested himself in the case and had been to visit Larry once or twice at the hospital. He had conceived a liking for the injured boy, which had made him accede all the more readily to Bob’s request for the automobile.
135CHAPTER XVGETTING A TRIAL
Doctor Dale met the boys at the door as they came up.
“I’ll be ready in a few minutes,” he told them, as he admitted them to the parlor. “Make yourselves comfortable while I get my hat and coat on, and we’ll get started.”
He left the room, only to reappear a few moments later in full motoring regalia.
“All ready,” he announced. “Come on out to the garage and we’ll get started. Mr. Brandon called me up this morning, and he’ll be waiting for us at his hotel.”
The boys piled into the big seven passenger touring car and were whisked down to Mr. Brandon’s hotel. He was ready and waiting and jumped into the car almost before it had stopped. From there they sped quickly to the hospital, and Bob and Joe helped Larry into the car.
“This is certainly a wonderful day for me,” said Larry. “I don’t know how I’ll ever be able136to thank you folks for all that you have done for me.”
“Don’t even try to,” said Bob. “Don’t worry about it, and we’ll agree not to.”
“Well, we’ll let it go at that,” said Larry. “But if I don’t say any more, you’ll know I’m grateful, anyway.”
“You’ve got nothing to be grateful about yet,” Joe reminded him. “They may throw you out, and that’s nothing to be thankful for.”
“Ouch!” exclaimed Larry. “Please don’t mention it.”
“Don’t cross that bridge till we come to it,” advised Jimmy. “I’ve got some chocolate almond bars that I’ll guarantee will make you forget all your troubles while you’re eating them.”
“That’s Jimmy’s remedy for all troubles,” said Herb. “Eat and forget them is his motto.”
“Well, it isn’t such a bad one,” remarked Frank Brandon. “I’ve often known my troubles to look a lot less serious after a square meal.”
“You bet,” agreed Jimmy. “I know Ialwaysfeel better myself after a square meal.”
“I guess we all do,” said Dr. Dale. “And that reminds me that I want you all to come to my house for supper to-night after we get back.”
“I guess we’ll be glad to go all right,” said the radio expert. “But when you see what we137do to the food, you’ll probably be sorry you asked us.”
“I’ll take a chance on that,” laughed Dr. Dale. “I generally have a pretty good appetite myself after a motoring trip, and you young fellows will have to step some to beat me.”
“Well, we’ll back Jimmy against any entry,” grinned Bob. “We plan to enter him in a pie-eating contest some day, and when we do we’ll bet a lot of money on him to win.”
“I’ll do my best to justify your confidence,” retorted Jimmy. “I wouldn’t mind backing myself with a small piece of change. Pies just seem to be my natural prey.”
“Wait till I get well again,” said Larry. “And you’ll have some competition from me. It has always been my highest ambition to be around some day when a pie wagon gets hit by an automobile.”
“Jerusalem!” said Jimmy. “That would be heaven on earth, wouldn’t it?”
“That’s probably your idea of it,” said Joe. “I suppose you’d rather have streets paved with pie than with gold.”
“Oh, well, what’s the use of talking about it?” sighed Jimmy. “It’s all too good to be true anyway.”
“It’s a wonder you fellows wouldn’t cut out that talk and look at the landscape a little,” said138Bob. “You’re missing some pretty fine scenery.”
“It is beautiful,” remarked Frank Brandon. “It’s too bad we haven’t got further to go, as long as Doctor Dale is buying the gasoline.”
“Oh, it’s cheap at any price,” laughed Dr. Dale. “I don’t know what I would ever do without this car.”
The miles rolled rapidly behind them, and before they realized it they were on the outskirts of New York. The boys thoroughly enjoyed the ride through the city; probably more than did Dr. Dale, to whom the heavy traffic was anything but a pleasure. They finally reached the downtown ferries, however, and after a slight wait in line, got on a boat. The boys were absorbed by the busy scene presented by the river which was covered with craft of all descriptions. The big ferryboat edged its way across the river without mishap and bumped into its slip. The traffic on the New Jersey side was hardly less dense than that which they had encountered in New York, but Dr. Dale skillfully threaded his way through it and after a drive through narrow streets lined by foundries and factories, and across the broad meadows, and past more places of business, they at last drew up before the big broadcasting station.
“Well, here we are,” said Dr. Dale, relaxing139after the strain of traffic driving. “How do you feel, Larry? Strong for anything?”
“I’m a little shaky, but I guess I’ll get through with it all right,” replied Larry. “Just lead me to it.”
The boys assisted him into the radio station, where Mr. Brandon introduced them all to the manager, Mr. Allard.
“You’re just in time,” said the latter. “We need somebody to substitute in our program to-night, as one of the regular performers is ill. Come up to the sending room and we’ll give your young friend a trial.”
“Go to it, old boy,” encouraged Bob, in a whisper. “Show him what’s what. Remember that we’re all rooting for you.”
Larry pressed his hand, but had no time to answer before they were ushered up to the sending room. One wall of this apartment was covered with complicated-looking electrical apparatus, a good deal of which the boys recognized but which appeared very mysterious to poor Larry.
“For testing purposes, our apparatus is so rigged up that we can hear, in this room, exactly what goes out over the wires,” the manager explained. “If you gentlemen will sit at that table over there, and all put on headphones, you can hear your friend’s performance exactly as it will140sound to everybody else who is listening to this station.”
“Did you get that?” whispered the irrepressible Herb. “He called us gentlemen.”
“Shut up,” whispered Bob. “He didn’t mean you, anyway.”
Following the manager’s instructions, Larry took up his position at a short distance from an instrument called a microphone, and at a signal from Mr. Allard commenced his bird imitations.
The manager had donned earphones like all the rest, and the little company listened with varying emotions as Larry went through his repertoire. His friends were praying fervently for his success and were delighted as they realized that he was surpassing any of his previous efforts. The manager’s attitude was critical, but as Larry went from one imitation to another the boys could see from the expression of his face that he was pleased. Larry rose to his opportunity nobly, and as he realized that he was making a good impression added trills and notes that he had never thought of before. By the time he had finished, all doubt had vanished from Mr. Allard’s mind.
“I guess we can use you all right, young man,” he said. “Do you think you can fill in this evening? I need somebody to round out the bedtime141programme at seven o’clock, and I imagine your act ought to go well at that time.”
“Anything you say, sir,” answered Larry, “will suit me.”
“I can put you up here for to-night,” volunteered Mr. Allard. “And if you don’t feel strong enough to work regularly for a week or so, you can go back to-morrow and report for your regular performance a week from to-day.”
“I think that would be best,” put in Frank Brandon. “I imagine Mr. Bartlett will need at least another week before he’ll be able to work steadily.”
Larry was but little older than the radio boys, and Herb was in an ecstasy of delight over Brandon’s “Mr. Bartlett.”
“But if you stay here to-night you’ll miss having dinner at Doctor Dale’s house!” cried Jimmy, impulsively.
“Guess it can’t be helped,” said Larry, with a laugh, in which the others joined. “Business before pleasure, you know, Jimmy.”
“That’s what dad always tells me, too,” grumbled Jimmy. “But personally, I’d rather have the pleasure first, and let the business take its chance afterward.”
“Don’t you believe it,” said Mr. Allard. “There are too many people doing that already.142It’s a system that will never help you to put money in the bank, my boy.”
“He’ll probably find that out for himself sooner or later,” said Mr. Brandon. “I used to feel the same way, but I’ve got over it.”
“We’ll all be sorry that you can’t be with us to-night, Larry,” said Dr. Dale, kindly. “But we’ll be home in time to listen to your first radio performance this evening, so you’ll know that we’re hearing you just the same as though we were in this room with you.”
“I’ll be sure of that, Doctor Dale,” said Larry. “But I know I’ll be missing a fine supper at your house, and you know how I’d like to be there. I’ll be back in Clintonia to-morrow, anyway.”
“But how are you going to travel back alone?” asked Bob. “You’re not strong enough to go sailing around all by your lonesome yet.”
“Don’t let that worry you,” replied Mr. Allard. “I’ll see that somebody goes to the train with him, and I guess one of you fellows won’t mind meeting him at the train at the other end.”
“I rather guess not,” said Bob, emphatically. “We’ll be there with bells on, Larry; you can bet on that.”
“It seems as though I’m making you all a lot of trouble,” said Larry. “I guess I could get along all right.”
“We’ll be there, so there’s no use of your143saying any more about it,” said Bob, in a voice of finality. “How about it, fellows?”
All the radio boys were of the same mind, so Larry was forced to give in.
“But if you’re going to get back to Clintonia in time to hear my act at seven o’clock, you’ll have to leave pretty soon,” he said. “I’m not going to detain you here any longer.”
“I’m afraid we will have to be going,” said Dr. Dale, glancing at his watch. “The ferries are apt to be crowded at this hour, too. But we’ll wish you all success at your new venture, Larry. If you always do as well as you did this afternoon, you’ll soon be acquiring a big reputation.”
They all shook hands with Larry and Mr. Allard, and went out to where Dr. Dale’s automobile was waiting for them.
“I guess Larry was right when he said we’d have to make time going back,” said Mr. Brandon. “It’s three o’clock now, which doesn’t leave us much of a margin.”
“That’s very true,” conceded Dr. Dale. “But if we can have any luck in getting over the ferry and through New York traffic, we’ll make it. Once out of the city, and I’ll show you what my car can do in the way of eating up miles.”
144CHAPTER XVISPEED
Fortunately they met with very little delay in crossing the ferry, and Dr. Dale, in going through New York, avoided as far as possible the more congested thoroughfares. In a comparatively short time they had reached the outskirts, and Dr. Dale began to speed up a bit. As they reached the more open country, Dr. Dale opened the throttle wider, and the big car responded with a dash and power that delighted the boys. Mile after mile they reeled off, the wind whistling in their ears and making conversation difficult. The boys did not mind this, however, as they were enjoying the excitement of speed too much to have any desire to talk.
Slowing down for the towns, but speeding up again on the open road, the big car put mile after mile behind it, until the boys began to recognize the towns they passed through.
“Say!” yelled Joe, trying to make himself heard above the roar of the motor and the whistling145of the wind, “aren’t we making time, though? At this rate we’ll get home with time to spare.”
“You bet!” shouted Bob. “Isn’t this a peach of a ride?”
“Only about six miles more to Clintonia,” shouted Frank Brandon, from the front seat which he shared with Dr. Dale.
Most of that six miles consisted of new concrete state road as smooth and level as a billiard table. Up and up crept the speedometer needle, and the big car seemed to be fairly flying. Fences and trees flashed past them, and the smooth road seemed like a river flowing toward them. The boys were intoxicated with the wild thrill and exhilaration of speed, and laughed and shouted and pounded each other on the back. For several miles the speedometer needle never receded, and not until the roofs and church steeples of Clintonia were visible in the distance did Dr. Dale slacken pace and bring the big machine down to a sedate twenty-five miles an hour.
“Well, how did you like that?” he inquired, turning around for a moment to glance at the excited boys. “Was that fast enough to please you?”
“It was great!” declared Bob. “This car can certainly step along when you want it to.”
“We’ll be at my house in less than ten minutes.146I hope you all feel as though you could eat a little something.”
“Eat!” exclaimed Jimmy, in heartfelt tones. “Why, I’m so hungry I’ve been tempted to start in and eat the upholstery once or twice.”
“Please don’t,” laughed Dr. Dale. “It’s too expensive, besides being indigestible. Control yourself for a few minutes, and I’ll promise you something much better than leather to eat.”
“All right, then, I’ll do the best I can,” promised Jimmy, with a grin.
“We have to pass Antonio’s shoe repairing store before we get to Doctor Dale’s house, and if you like, I’ll get out and buy you a nice big chunk of sole leather, Jimmy,” suggested Joe. “If you really want something along that line, it seems a shame not to let you have it.”
“Thanks all the same, but I wouldn’t like to put you to all that trouble,” said Jimmy, with elaborate politeness.
Joe was about to protest that he would not mind the trouble in the least, but before he had time to the car drew up in front of Dr. Dale’s house.
Mrs. Dale was waiting for them on the front porch.
“I was beginning to get worried over you,” she said. “But I suppose you found it quite a long trip, didn’t you?”147
“I can’t say that it seemed very long to us,” replied Mr. Brandon, smiling. “When you’re in a car, you don’t seem to think of the time much.”
“Yes, I’ve noticed that myself,” she admitted. “But you’ve arrived in time for supper, and that’s the main thing. How did your young friend make out? Didn’t you bring him back with you?”
“No, they intend to include him in the bedtime programme for kiddies this evening,” explained Brandon. “It starts at seven o’clock, and Larry’s performance should come in about half past seven. We’ll just about have time to eat before we start listening for him.”
In a very few minutes they were all seated about Dr. Dale’s hospitable table, and it is hardly necessary to record the fact that they did full justice to their hostess’ cooking. As they neared the end of the meal, Dr. Dale glanced at his watch.
“I know it is considered very impolite to hurry one’s guests,” he said; “but just the same, it is so near now to the time that Larry is scheduled that I propose that we postpone dessert until after we have heard him. Then we can take our time, and do both Larry and the dessert full justice.”
They all acceded laughingly to this proposition, and a few minutes later filed into the room where the doctor kept his radio apparatus. His set was148equipped with a loud talking device, so that individual headphones were not necessary.
With a few touches he adjusted his coils and condensers, and had no difficulty in picking up the broadcasting station. At the moment some one was telling a “bedtime story” for the little folks, and, as it happened, this was the last thing on the programme preceding Larry’s act.
When the narrator had finished, there came a short pause, and then the familiar voice of the announcer.
“The next number on this programme will be a novelty, an imitation of various bird calls and songs, given by Mr. Larry Bartlett.”
The sonorous voice of the announcer ceased, and the little group in Dr. Dale’s house waited expectantly for the first notes of their friend’s performance.
“Hooray!” shouted Jimmy, as the first notes of the mocking bird’s song floated clear and true from the horn. “Hooray for Larry, the champion whistler of the universe!”
The others laughed at his enthusiasm, but they were almost as excited themselves. When at last their friend concluded his performance with a trill and a flourish, they all gave the three cheers that Jimmy had suggested, and wished they had a sending set so that they could congratulate Larry on the spot.149
“That surely sounded well,” said Dr. Dale, when their delight had somewhat subsided. “This may be the beginning of big things for Larry, because it will not take him long to become known when he has an audience of somewhere around a half a million people every evening.”
“That’s true enough,” said Frank Brandon. “But it seems hard to realize that science has really made such a thing possible.”
“I’m ready to believe that nothing is impossible these days,” said Dr. Dale. “If I read in the paper some day that we had got into wireless communication with Mars, I should believe it easily enough. In fact, I’d hardly feel surprised.”
“I’m sure I shouldn’t,” agreed the radio expert. “A person has to have a receptive mind to keep up with these quick-moving times.”
“You’re right,” agreed Dr. Dale. “But now, as we’ve heard Larry and feel reasonably sure that his performance has been a success, I propose that we go back and have our dessert. Does that meet with your approval, Jimmy?”
“Does it!” exclaimed Jimmy. “I should say so. I never feel as though I’d really had anything much to eat unless I have dessert to top off with.”
“After the dinner you ate, I don’t really150believe you could feel hungry, even if you didn’t have dessert,” said Herbert.
“That must be just one of your phony jokes,” said Jimmy. “You know I was sitting beside you, Herb, and I felt pretty lucky to get anything to eat at all. Anybody within three places of you on each side doesn’t have much of a show, you know.”
“It’s no use you’re talking that way,” said Herbert. “Everybody here knows you too well, Doughnuts. You’ve got a reputation as an eats hound that you’ll never be able to live down.”
“Oh, well, I don’t care,” said Jimmy, soothed by the sight of a big apple pie that was on the table. “That’s better than having a reputation for making punk jokes like yours. If I eat too much, I’m the only one that gets a stomach ache from it, but your jokes give everybody a pain.”