“No, don’t stop now, Murphy,” replied Mr. Pauling, “After everything’s cleaned up come
around to the house and we’ll hear the whole yarn, the boys are entitled to know it. I’m expecting a call to the hospital at any 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 our crowd 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 of police by Murphy’s side and all three breathed a sigh of regret that they, too, could not remain to see what exciting and interesting things were 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 to calm down and rest. Tom, of course, had been through a racking experience and was utterly exhausted nervously and physically, and Frank, who was younger and of a far more nervous temperament, had been so worried and frightened over Tom’s
plight and the uncertainty of what was occurring under the water that he had become almost hysterical when it was all over. Even Henry had experienced enough excitement to last him for some time and boylike was crazy to rush home and tell his parents all about the remarkable adventures of the afternoon.
Leaving Henry at Gramercy Square, Mr. Pauling drove the car home while Mr. Henderson went to his office and Tom and Frank, who was staying at the Pauling home while his parents were in Europe, breathed a sigh of satisfaction when they found themselves once more in the cool, quiet interior of the house on Madison Avenue.
[CHAPTER XI—HENDERSON HAS AN INTERVIEW]
When, after parting with Mr. Pauling and the boys, Mr. Henderson drove towards his office, he was in high good humor. The afternoon, thanks to the boys’ radio and Rawlins’ diving suits, had been a most eventful and highly satisfactory one. Not only had the discoveries resulted in the raid on the garage, the seizure of a vast amount of contraband and probably the breaking up of the gang of rum-runners which for so long had baffled his men and himself, but it had brought in two prisoners, one of whom at least he had recognized and was mighty glad to see.