“See here,” cried Larry. “If this fellow were the only one concerned I wouldn’t condescend to satisfy him. But I have some friends here,” indicating the radio boys, “and for their sakes I’m going to establish my innocence beyond any doubt. Come right in to one of the private rooms here and search me thoroughly. As for this fellow,” glaring at Buck, “I’ll settle with him at another time.”
The party adjourned to a room, and a thorough search resulted in showing that none of the missing articles was on Larry or Tim.
“Now I’ll settle with you,” cried Larry, making a rush at Buck. But he was restrained by the house detective who held him while Buck and his crony slunk away.
The radio boys gathered around their new friends and condoled with them over the unfounded accusation.
“He’ll pay me for that yet,” declared Larry, who had been wrought up to a high pitch of excitement. 44
“Here’s hoping you’ll get a hack at him,” said Joe. “Did you notice that there wasn’t a word of apology for having made a false charge against you?”
“Did you ever know him to do a decent thing?” asked Bob scornfully. “That’s Buck Looker to a dot.”
The next morning Bob was over at Joe’s bungalow when Mr. and Mrs. Rockwell called with Mary to thank the Atwoods for the care they had given Mary when she was brought from the water, and also to express their gratitude to the boys, whose quickness and resource had saved her life.
Mary, a pretty girl, had entirely recovered, and was profuse in her thanks to Bob and Joe, which were echoed by her parents, who laid so much stress upon their bravery that the boys blushed to the ears.
“You are making altogether too much of it,” Bob protested, and Joe agreed.