Jimmy’s father was a carpenter and contractor, and he must have fed Jimmy well, for the latter was fat and chunky and notorious for his appetite, especially for doughnuts, of which his mother made most excellent specimens. Jimmy appreciated them so well and so often that he had gained the nickname of “Doughnuts,” the fitness of which was recognized by all who knew him.
While the four friends would have been congenial mates under any circumstances, they were drawn still more closely together by their joint interest in radio. They had been strongly attracted towards that marvelous science when its wonders first burst upon the world, and with every succeeding development of its magic qualities their interest had deepened and strengthened. They soon got to a point where it absorbed most of the time they could spare from their school studies and their sleep, and this became so apparent that they had been given the name of the “Radio Boys,” by which they were frequently referred to.
It is an honor sometimes to have enemies, and the Radio Boys were not without that honor. The tougher element of the youth of Clintonia had as their leader a fellow named Buck Looker, who, though his father was one of the richest men in the town, chose to associate with low companions. Two of them especially, Carl Lutz and Terence Mooney, were often with him and helped him carry out the tricks that Looker planned. The trio were united in a common hatred of the Radio Boys, upon whom they had tried to put over many scurvy schemes. The fact that these had been circumvented as a rule made them all the more bitter in their enmity.
One of the most valued friends of the Radio Boys was Doctor Amory Dale, the pastor of the Old First Church of Clintonia. The doctor had been a star athlete in his college days and still retained the youthful spirit and outlook that kept him in close sympathy with the boys. He was also deeply versed in the mystery of radio, and had been of great assistance to the Radio Boys in giving them pointers on the new science. Again and again they had brought their problems to him, and he had helped them solve them.
The Radio Boys won prizes in a competition for the best home-made radio sets; they were instrumental in tracking down by means of radio a rascal who had defrauded an orphan girl, and this involved them in a host of thrilling adventures. How this all came about is told in the first book of this series, entitled: “The Radio Boys’ First Wireless; or, Winning the Ferberton Prize.”
In other volumes are described their further exciting experiences in the realm of radio. At the seaside, where they had carried their radio sets, they learned a lot about the communication between the shore and ships, and in a terrible storm were able by a message to save the vessel on which their own people were voyaging. They also were instrumental in rescuing people who had been run down by a stolen motorboat and in balking another scheme of Buck Looker’s. A little while later, they had the fascinating experience of being placed on a sending program and broadcasting their work to hundreds of thousands of hearers. Turning from the sea to the woods, they were able to overhear and expose a scoundrelly plot of financial sharpers and to secure the return to jail of desperate escaped convicts.
In the volume immediately preceding the present one, the boys gained some insight into the methods of the Forestry Service of the United States Government and served for a while with the hardy men who have saved from the flames uncounted acres of the national domain. They themselves were trapped in a terrible forest fire, and the adroitness and presence of mind with which they saved themselves from what looked like certain death are narrated in the book entitled: “The Radio Boys with the Forest Rangers; or, The Great Fire on Spruce Mountain.”
Now to return to the boys as they stood by the wrecked automobile, appalled by the stream of fire that was running from the broken gasoline tank and threatening the lives of the injured occupants.
“Quick!” cried Bob, conquering his consternation. “Jimmy, you and Herb gather all the dirt you can and throw it on the fire. Joe, lend a hand with this joist and smash in the door.”
Herb and Jimmy set to work frantically. They had no implements, and were forced to use their hands, which were soon scratched and bleeding, though in their excitement they took no note of that.