“Yes, wires. They come out of a little hole that’s been bored through the clapboards. Unless I miss my guess they run along that big limb and on up the tree trunk. Does that mean anything to you?”
“Great guns!” exclaimed Micky excitedly. “You don’t think it’s a—wireless!”
“That’s exactly what I do mean. You know as well as I do that ever since the U-boats showed up along the coast last summer, they’ve suspected that a hidden wireless was giving them information about ships and things. Don’t you remember the talk Mr. Wendell gave at the meeting a few weeks ago when he said that secret service men were busy hunting for it, but it was like looking for a needle in a haystack? He told us we must report the least thing that seemed suspicious. Jove! If this should be it, and we should the ones to find it!”
“I hated that fat man from the first,” said Ritter viciously. “I was sure there was something queer about him.”
“There is, all right,” agreed Cavvy with conviction. “If he isn’t running a secret wireless, he’s doing something else underhand. Otherwise why is he living in this tumbledown ruin away from everything? Why didn’t he answer our knocking until we pretty near broke the door down? There’s something crooked about him, you can bank on that.”
“Gee-whiz! I’ll bet you’re right, Cavvy!” exclaimed McBride. “What are you going to do? Tell Mr. Wendell, or the police?”
Cavanaugh’s face took on a faintly troubled expression. “I don’t see how we can do either just yet,” he answered. “You see, we really don’t know anything. There’s nothing but those wires to go on. If I could only get up that tree I’d be sure one way or another.”
“But you can’t do that,” said Ferris quickly. “He’d be sure to see you.”
“Not after dark,” returned Cavvy pointedly.
“What!” protested Ritter, his face falling. “Wait all that time! Why, it’d be ages. And we’d probably get wet to the skin. The rain can’t hold off much longer.”