CHAPTER X
RADIO WINS
As the confused sounds, the crash, the tramp of rushing feet, theexcited men's voices and Frank's high-pitched tones came dimly to Tom'sears, a deadly sickening fear swept over him. Had they escaped the menfrom the submarine only to fall into the clutches of their confederates?
He had been under a tremendous strain, he had been terribly frightened,his heart had been almost bursting with excitement and he had been underwater for much longer than ever before. The combination was too much forhim. His head swam, he reeled, swayed; fiery sparks and flashes seemedto dance before his eyes; he felt a numbness stealing over him. Wildlyhe clutched at the ladder in a last despairing effort and seemedsinking, slowly, softly into a vast billowy void.
He opened his eyes and uttered a surprised cry. He was lying on thefloor of the laboratory and his father, anxious-eyed, was bending overhim while close at hand were Frank, Henry and Rawlins. Beyond and as aconfused mass Tom's eyes saw blue-clad figures and with a start he roseto a sitting posture.
"Gosh!" he exclaimed, staring about and for the moment notcomprehending. "What's the matter, Dad? What's happened?"
"Are you all right, Tom?" asked Mr. Pauling. "We got you just in time.You fainted just as you reached the ladder top. Don't you remember?"
Tom's senses had now fully returned.
"Yes, Dad," he replied. "I do now. Did Mr. Rawlins tell you about it?Gee! We _did_ have a time! Are those men here?"
"Safe and sound, Tom!" Mr. Henderson's voice assured him. "That is, oneof 'em is. The other's in bad shape."
"Yes, Rawlins told us something of what happened," put in his father asTom rose unsteadily to his feet. "Look out, Son! You're weak yet. Sitdown or you'll go off again."
Leaning on his father's arm, Tom staggered to the proffered chair anddropped weakly into it. Then he gazed about the room and at the crowd ofmen within it.
His father and Mr. Henderson, Rawlins, Frank and Henry were there.Near-by, was a strange, heavy-jawed man and beyond, near the door, werehalf a dozen policemen. But where were the two divers they had capturedunder the river? Then Tom saw that a heavily built, tow-headed man stoodbetween two of the blue coats, his hands manacled and a sullen glare inhis piglike eyes while, half hidden beyond two stooping men, was a formstretched upon the floor. But before he could form a question his fatherwas giving quick sharp orders to the men.
"Get the Navy Yard!" he commanded, and as the heavy-jawed man jumped tothe telephone, he snapped out: "Tell the commandant that Pauling'sspeaking." Then, before the operator had even asked the number, Mr.Pauling was uttering commands to the police. "Leave a couple of men hereto guard the prisoners and get over to that block quick as you can. Getall available men you can pick up. Draw a cordon around it and don't letany one in or out. Take my car! It's up to you fellows to nab thisbunch--if they haven't got wise. On the jump now, Reilly! Take every oneand everything that seems suspicious! Get me?"
Even before his last word rang out the policemen were hurrying towardsthe street, and an instant later, Tom heard the roar of their motor andthe clang of their bell as the patrol dashed off.
"Navy Yard on the wire!" announced the man at the phone and Mr. Paulinggrabbed the receiver.
"This is Pauling!" he announced shortly. "That you, Admiral? All right!Got important matter."
Then, to Tom's amazement, his father broke into the most uttergibberish, calling out a confused but rapid list of figures and words.
"That's done!" he exclaimed, as he slammed back the receiver and turnedtowards Tom. "There'll be a dozen destroyers and chasers combing the seafor that sub within fifteen minutes." Then, with a different note in hisvoice, he asked, "Do you feel all right, Son?"
As Tom answered, his father turned towards the men bending above thefigure on the floor. "Come here when you have a chance, Doctor," hecalled. "Want you to have a look at my boy."
At his words, one of the men rose and hurried to Tom's side.
"Had a close call, my boy!" he exclaimed, as he took Tom's wrist anddrew out his watch. "Good thing Rawlins fixed up these suits so youcouldn't inhale flames. Different case with that chap yonder. He's inbad shape. Trying to fix him up to get him to hospital. Afraid there'sno hope for him though! Oh, you're O. K. Fit as a fiddle! Pulse fine!Nothing wrong with him, Pauling. Just a bit of nerves, I expect, andstrain of being down too long."
Hurrying from Tom's side he again devoted himself to the injured man.
Things were moving so rapidly that Tom was dazed and was striving hisbest to gather his wits together and to understand all that was takingplace. Mr. Henderson and Rawlins were talking earnestly in low tones,but Tom could not hear a word they said and was busy replying to hisfather's, Henry's and Frank's questions and plying them with queries inturn.
Presently Rawlins and Mr. Henderson rose and as the former came to Tom'sside the other strode across the room and, facing the prisoner, staredfixedly into his face.
"I guess you're all right, Tom," said Rawlins, the tone of his voicebetraying far more solicitude than was conveyed by his words. "You'resome kid, I'll tell the world! You'll be famous if you don't watch out.Say, old man, I'm mighty sorry I kept you down so long. Never thoughtabout you not being accustomed to it. I was so darned interested in thatsub and those men I forgot about the danger to you, Tom. And say, Mr.Henderson thinks we've made some haul! I've been telling him the wholeyarn--the Dutch talk and all the rest. Henderson thinks he recognizesthat Hun we brought up and sees a big plot behind all this. Too bad theother fellow got flames and can't talk. Your radio's all to the mustard,I'll say!"
At this moment Mr. Henderson's voice interrupted them. As he had staredsearchingly but silently at the prisoner the latter's shifty eyes hadfallen and he shuffled his feet uneasily. Then, without warning and sosuddenly Tom and the others jumped, Henderson snapped out:
"Open your mouth!"
So unexpected was the command that the prisoner, long trained to instantand implicit obedience to orders, involuntarily threw back his headopened his enormous mouth.
"Thought so!" ejaculated Mr. Henderson and then, even before thesurprised man's jaws closed, he yanked aside the fellow's denim shirtexposing the hairy freckled chest with a livid white scar diagonallyacross it.
"That's enough!" snapped out Mr. Henderson. Then, addressing Tom'sfather he remarked, "It's he, Pauling. No question of it. Good day'swork this--thanks to Rawlins' suits and Tom's under-sea radio."
"Wha-what's it all about?" demanded Tom, absolutely at a loss to graspthe meaning of all the orders, the strange telephone message and Mr.Henderson's statements. "Who _are_ the men and _what_ were they doing?"
"Never mind now," replied his father. "We'll get home first. Feel readyto go?"
"Oh, I'm all right now," declared Tom. "Only a bit tired out."
"Call for a couple of plain-clothes men to stay here," Mr. Paulingordered, turning towards the heavy-jawed man. "Don't want any onemeddling with the instruments. Keep that trap shut and bolted and don'tsleep on the job."
Then, to the surgeons, "Soon as he comes to and can talk, call me up. Ifhe says anything, write it down. Don't let any one--any one, mindyou--speak with him."
The surgeon nodded in assent and as the other man again went to thetelephone Mr. Pauling and Rawlins half lifted Tom, and, accompanied byFrank, Henry and Mr. Henderson, the party left the workshop. Already thetwo policemen had left with their prisoner and were pressing through acurious crowd which had gathered outside and which was held in check bymore stalwart, blue-coated men.
"Gosh! you've got the whole of the New York police here!" exclaimed Tom.
"Not quite that," laughed his father, "but Henderson surely did callenough of them. Guess they thought we were going to raid a liner."
"Well, you didn't name any limit," replied Mr. Henderson chuckling. "Yousaid 'call the police' and I called 'em. Might as well be on the safeside, you know."
As Mr. Pauling helped Tom into Mr. Henderson's car he saw the man w
homRawlins had captured in his spectacular battle under the river beingshoved into a patrol wagon.
"Do tell me who he is," begged Tom. "Is he a German spy?"
His father laughed. "You've forgotten the war's over and done with andthere are no spies," he replied. "No, my boy, he's not even a German.But you'll have to wait a bit before I can tell you anything more."
"Well, where did you send those policemen, then?" asked Tom. "You cantell me that."
Mr. Pauling's eyes twinkled. "They've gone to get your phantom radioman," he replied. "Henderson's men couldn't find him before, but I'llwager we located him this time. You see, Reilly happened to know aboutthat old sewer and he says it runs under the block where you located thesender of those odd messages. Henderson thinks if he finds one he'llfind the other. We'll run around past there and see if anything ishappening."
As Frank and Henry crowded into the little car, the boys saw a stretcherbearing a shrouded form being carried from their workshop to anambulance, and the next moment they were moving slowly through the crowdwhich reluctantly made way before the insistent screams of the horn.
Close behind them came another car with Mr. Henderson and Rawlins and amoment later they were through the crowd and speeding towards the blockto which Mr. Pauling had dispatched the police.
As they swung around a corner they saw a surging, densely packed throngblocking the street, while from beyond came the sounds of shouts andcries. Above the heads of the people the boys could see the glaringbrass and shining paint of two patrol cars and, moving here and there,rising and falling as if tossed about upon a troubled sea, thelow-visored, flat-topped caps of policemen.
"Can't get through there!" declared Mr. Pauling, as his horn screechedand fell on unheeding ears. "Looks like a riot!"
Mr. Henderson had leaped from his car and was beside them. "Guess themen found something," he remarked. "I'll push through and see what'sup."
With Rawlins by his side, he wedged his way into the crowd and the twowere instantly swallowed up. But a moment later they reappeared, hatsand collars awry, coats torn open, and panting.
"Whew!" exclaimed Mr. Henderson. "Might as well try to get through asolid wall. Hello! There's another wagon!"
As he spoke, a bell clanged harshly and above the heads of the mob a carcrowded with police could be seen forcing its way towards the center ofthe disturbance which appeared to be a large garage.
At this moment a huge, lumbering motor truck crept slowly from thegarage door and an angry bellow rose from the crowd. But even an EastSide mob must give way before a five-ton truck and the crowd, surgingback to make way for the truck, swept around the boys and the two carsand engulfed them like a sea of rough clothes and angry, grimy faces.
"How the dickens can we get clear now!" exclaimed Mr. Henderson, as tosave themselves from being knocked down and trampled underfoot he andRawlins leaped upon the running boards and flattened themselves againstthe body of the car.
"Expect we'll have to stick here until the crowd leaves," replied Mr.Pauling, and added, "Unless they pick us up car and all and carry usout."
Now the crowd was surging still farther back as though pressed by anirresistible force and above the bellowing, moving, multicolored wave ofhuman heads and shoulders appeared a half-dozen mounted police, theirwell-trained horses forcing back the human wall which, despite jeers,taunts, threats and imprecations, gave way steadily before them.
As the police drew near and the crowd thinned out, one of the officerscaught sight of the two cars and their occupants.
"Here you!" he shouted, urging his horse towards the car. "Get themflivvers out o' here! Right about now and move lively!"
Mr. Pauling chuckled and Mr. Henderson grinned. "Show us how!" criedback Mr. Pauling.
"No sassing back there!" stormed the policeman now riding close. "Get amove on or I'll pinch the bunch of ye for interferin' with the police,resistin' an officer and blockadin' traffic. I'll get enough chargesagainst ye to send youse to the island for a year."
Mr. Henderson and Tom's father were shaking with laughter. "Don't befoolish, officer. Don't you see we can't move?" Mr. Henderson asked.
The policeman's face grew purple with anger and he pushed his mountclose beside the car, calling to a fellow officer to help him.
Exasperated by the crowd, naturally quick-tempered and in a frenzy ofrage at these "swells," as he mentally dubbed them, defying his orders,he drew his club and raised it threateningly.
Mr. Henderson leaped from the running board to the policeman's side andin tones which even the angry blue coat recognized as authoritativeexclaimed,
"Here, that's enough from you! You'll find yourself broke if you don'tlook out. Your job's to protect citizens--not to abuse them!"
A look of mingled amazement and anger swept over the officer's face.
"An' who may youse be?" he began, hunching himself forward and shootingforth his pugnacious jaw.
Mr. Henderson stepped a bit closer and turned back the lapel of hisvest.
The sudden change in the man's attitude and expression caused the boysto burst out laughing. Surprise, incredulity, fear, and regret allspread over his big Hibernian features in turn. His half-raised armdropped to his side, he seemed to shrivel and shrink in size, his paleblue eyes seemed about to pop from between his red-lashed lids.
Then Irish humor came to his rescue. Drawing himself stiffly up hesaluted and with a twinkle in his eyes blurted out,
"B'gorra, Sir, 'tis sorry I am. But how was I to know, Sir? What withyour kelly dinted in and your tie adrift and all. Sure I'll see yethrough here in a jiffy."
The crowd had now been driven far back, and, escorted by the mountedmen, the two cars proceeded slowly up the street until opposite thegarage. A few idlers were still hovering about and were being chasedaway by blue coats, but inside the garage the boys could see a closelypacked mass of men with policemen's caps much in evidence, while thebroad doorway was blocked by officers with drawn clubs.
As Mr. Pauling brought his car to a stop, a plain-clothes man pressedthrough the line of police and hurried to the car.
"What's up?" demanded Mr. Pauling as the man came close. "Findanything?"
"Find anything!" repeated the other, his gimlet eyes fairly glisteningwith satisfaction. "You bet your--beg your pardon--I'll say we did. Gotthe whole bunch--men, cars, booze an' all. Want the story now?"
"No, don't stop now, Murphy," replied Mr. Pauling, "After everything'scleaned up come around to the house and we'll hear the whole yarn, theboys are entitled to know it. I'm expecting a call to the hospital atany time and must be on hand. Glad you got them."
"I guess I'll stay and see the fun," said Rawlins, "that is, if I may."
"Let Mr. Rawlins in, Murphy," commanded Mr. Pauling. "He's one of ourcrowd and all right. Wouldn't have got this job over without his help.See you later."
As the car drove off, the boys saw Rawlins pushing through the cordon ofpolice by Murphy's side and all three breathed a sigh of regret thatthey, too, could not remain to see what exciting and interesting thingswere taking place within the garage.
But they realized that it was no place for boys and, to tell the truth,all three were quite ready and willing to go home and have a chance tocalm down and rest. Tom, of course, had been through a rackingexperience and was utterly exhausted nervously and physically, andFrank, who was younger and of a far more nervous temperament, had beenso worried and frightened over Tom's plight and the uncertainty of whatwas occurring under the water that he had become almost hysterical whenit was all over. Even Henry had experienced enough excitement to lasthim for some time and boylike was crazy to rush home and tell hisparents all about the remarkable adventures of the afternoon.
Leaving Henry at Gramercy Square, Mr. Pauling drove the car home whileMr. Henderson went to his office and Tom and Frank, who was staying atthe Pauling home while his parents were in Europe, breathed a sigh ofsatisfaction when they found themselves once more in the cool, quietinterior of the house
on Madison Avenue.