“Well, he must have a whole fleet then,” said Henry.
“Perhaps it’s perfumes or he may be in the flower business,” suggested Frank with a laugh.
“Perhaps we’ll get the answer to that when we hear his mate,” said Tom.
“Hope we hear him to-night,” remarked Henry. “Say, what do you think of this scheme?”
For some time the boys forgot all else in examining
a new hook-up which Henry had devised and at last left him with final cautions to be at his instruments that evening and each night thereafter until they again heard the unknown speakers.
But it was several nights before the mysterious messages again greeted their ears. Then Frank and Tom caught them at the same instant and both boys gave a little start and looked at each other in surprise, for the first word they heard was “Tuberose.” Once more the name of a flower had entered into the conversation and mentally wondering what in the world this meant the two boys slipped the receiver of the desk telephone from its hook. Hardly had they done so when they almost jumped, as clear and loud, they heard a human voice; but the next instant their spirits sank to zero and they glanced at each other with disgusted expressions, for instead of the voice of the man they had expected to hear they heard a woman’s voice and her words were: “Number, please?”
With a savage jerk, Tom hung up the receiver.
“Gee!” he exclaimed. “Of course we’d get her. I’ll bet Mr. Henderson knew that and just tried to
jolly us. Now what are we going to do? If we—Hello! What’s that?”