CHAPTER IV
ENTER INSPECTOR BURTON
While the others still sat where he had left them, regarding each otherin speechless surprise, Inspector Burton returned, closed and locked thedoor, and resumed his chair as if nothing out of the ordinary hadoccurred.
"Thought I heard someone listening outside the door," he explained."When I opened it there was nobody in sight. Your room is only two doorsfrom an angle in the hall. So I ran to the turning and looked along thecorridor, but it was empty."
"Now, what is it?" he asked.
Mr. Temple explained, and when he had concluded, Frank once morerehearsed the scraps of conversation which he had overheard the twolow-voiced men drop on the observation platform of their train theprevious night.
Inspector Burton's eyes blazed with satisfaction. He pounded oneclenched hand into the palm of the other, repeating the gesture severaltimes.
"Good," said he. "Good."
Turning to Frank he commanded:
"Describe these men for me."
Frank complied. At the description of the man who had scrutinized Frankon the train and whom Frank believed he had seen again at breakfast,Inspector Burton uttered an exclamation.
"Do you know him?" asked Frank, eagerly.
"Indeed I do," said Inspector Burton. "I believe I saw him in the lobbydownstairs, although he did not see me as far as I could tell. He waslurking behind a pillar."
"Who is he?"
"He's a man of many aliases. Folwell will do as well as any other.'Black George' is his name in the underworld, because of his swarthycomplexion and raven black hair. He's the leader of a powerful gang ofunderworld characters, a gang with ramifications in many cities not onlyhere but on the China Coast, too. He's been responsible for manydeviltries on the Pacific Coast for years, but we have never been ableto lay anything definite at his door. It'll be a feather in the cap ofany man who can get the goods on 'Black George'."
Frank was excited, and showed it. His chums were, too. Mr. Temple couldnot restrain an exclamation.
"Then what this young man overheard will be of some value to you?" hedemanded.
"Value?" repeated Inspector Burton. "It will, indeed. Lately thesmuggling of Chinese coolies into the country has enormously increased.We know they are coming in but we cannot stop them. We suspected, ofcourse, that there was a leak somewhere in our forces. We have managedto stop the smuggling across the border on land pretty well. But all ourefforts to put a stop to bringing in of Chinese by water have beenunavailing. We have a fleet of fast revenue cutters and sub chasersoperating off the coast of Southern California, but somehow the cooliesmugglers coming up from Mexico manage to elude us in the night and landtheir human cargo in some unlocated cove whence, undoubtedly, they arewhisked inland by waiting motor cars and hidden."
"I should think you could patrol the whole coast, if necessary, andlocate the rendezvous," said Jack.
Inspector Burton shook his head with a wry smile.
"My young friend," said he, "if you knew more about the ways ofgovernment, you would think differently. We have to do a tremendousamount of work on small appropriations and with a limited force. Ours isnot a spectacular branch of the service, and the gentlemen in Congresssee no occasion to spend money on us. They prefer to spend it where itwill show. Moreover, now that the World War has increased the nationaldebt, they are shouting for economy. Instead of giving us more men andmoney, the men who hold the purse strings are cutting us down."
Mr. Temple nodded understandingly.
"But this tip about Handby," said Frank, returning to the first subject,"won't that help you?"
"It will, indeed," said Inspector Burton. "Handby is employed inSouthern California, operating out of Los Angeles and San Diego. Just toshow you how valuable I consider your information, I'll say that sincesitting here I have made up my mind to make a trip immediately to thesouth myself. Handby shall be put under surveillance at once."
"Won't you arrest him and try to make him confess?" queried Jack.
"No. That would scare off the others. I'll watch Handby in hope that hewill lead us to his associates, and thus we will be enabled to scoop ina number of the crooks and break up the smuggling ring."
"About this radio station in the cove?" said Frank. "You remember? Itold you I overheard 'Black George' telling his companion the radio atthe cove would keep in touch with the coolie boats?"
Inspector Burton nodded.
"That's important, of course," he said. "But as I told you we haven'tsufficient men to make a systematic search of the coast. We'll have todepend on Handby to betray the station to us."
"Not necessarily," interrupted Jack.
Inspector Burton glanced at him inquiringly.
"The government certainly has a powerful radio station or two out hereon the Pacific Coast," said Jack. "Hasn't it?"
"Why, yes," answered Inspector Burton. "There's a big one right here inSan Francisco. But, to tell you the truth, I've never paid muchattention to radio."
"Well, Jack has," said Mr. Temple, smiling. "He and his father are radiofans. They have several big stations of their own under specialgovernment license, on Long Island and in New Mexico. Jack probablyknows more about radio than about anything else."
"I don't know whether to take that as a compliment or a slap," laughedJack.
"A compliment, my boy, a compliment," said Mr. Temple, patting him onthe shoulder.
"Well," said Jack, "I'll confess I was caging a bit when I asked whetherthe government had stations out here. I know it has. You know, youfellows"--turning to his chums--"how dad and I have studied the history ofradio development. I remember that as far back as 1910 or 1912 theFederal Telegraph Company carried on radio experiments out here betweenstations at San Francisco, Stockton, Sacramento and Los Angeles."
"Is that so?" said Inspector Burton, regarding Jack with increasedrespect. "Well, what did you mean awhile ago when you intimated itwasn't necessary to trail Handby in order to locate the smuggling ring'sradio plant."
"Can you obtain the use of the government radio stations?" counteredJack.
"Certainly."
"Well, then, to begin with, we can obtain the approximate location ofthe smugglers' radio. Of course, they will speak in code, and probablythey will use a high wave length in order to avoid the confusion of anyamateur sending stations cutting in. Let the government stations hereand at Los Angeles tune until they pick up code. If it is weak here andstrong at Los Angeles, then the station sending code is nearer thelatter city."
"Well, that won't help us much," said Inspector Burton, disappointedly."We know, of course, that it is bound to be in the southern part of thestate, probably even below Los Angeles, in order that the coolie boatscan make their run from Mexico in one night."
"I see," said Jack, composedly. "But that wasn't the only thing I had inmind."
"What else?"
"Let an expert at solving codes listen in when once the codeconversations are picked up. He can take down what he hears. Theprobability is he can work out a solution. To a genuine expert, as Iunderstand it, there is no code that cannot be solved."
"But," objected Mr. Temple, "the code picked up and deciphered might befrom some station like yours, Jack."
"In which case you mean it would be about legitimate business?" saidJack. "But the government will have licensed stations listed, and theircodes on file. No, I believe it would be a good move to put a codeexpert at work at the Los Angeles station."
"So do I," said Inspector Burton, warmly. "I want to thank you. And Iwant to thank you, too," he added, turning to Frank. "Your informationwill undoubtedly prove to be of the very greatest value."
He rose.
"I shall have to go now," he said. "I suppose you all will be viewingthe city and taking in the sights. I wish I could stay to show it toyou. But that cannot be. What you have told me makes it necessary for meto leave at once for the south. I shall arrange my affairs here and takethe night train to Los Angeles. I may not see you
again. But I know youwill be interested in the outcome and"--turning to Mr. Temple--"if yougive me your address I promise to let you know."
Mr. Temple took out a business card and handed it to the other. Then heaccompanied him to the door.
"Good-bye," called the chums, in chorus. "Good luck."
"Well," said Bob, when his father returned, "that's that. Now, Dad, youwill want to attend to your business affairs today. What do you suggestwe do?"
"Hire a car," said his father, promptly, "and drive around the city. Beback here at five. Then we'll dress and have dinner in one of the city'sfamous restaurants. San Francisco is noted for its wonderful diningplaces. Afterward, we can all go to a theatre or just walk around andview the city at night."