CHAPTER III--"SPOOKS!"
"Spooks?" repeated Tom, with a stare of wonder.
"Spooks," echoed Ben, edging a trifle away from the open trap door.
"Call it that," said Mr. Edson, with a quiet smile. "Perhaps I hadbetter say--mysterious happenings."
"What may they be, Mr. Edson?" inquired Ben, always interested in anysensational disclosures.
"Well, first--let me see," and the speaker reached over for a slip ofdocuments held with others in a paper clip on the table; "yes, here itis--'Donner.'"
"Who's he?" inquired Tom, puzzled.
"Say rather what is he?" corrected Mr. Edson. "Frankly, I don't know."
"It's a name," observed Ben; "a man's name, isn't it?"
"I don't know that," responded Mr. Edson.
"Neither do the other fellows on the circuit. Perhaps I'd betterexplain, though, so when this Donner comes along you will be preparedfor him."
"Yes, you have excited our curiosity and we'll be on the lookout," saidTom.
"Well, for nearly three weeks, at odd and unexpected times, with nosense or reason to it, no call or 'sine,' abruptly and mysteriously zip!the wires have gone, and in floats a jumbled, erratic message."
"As how?" propounded Ben.
"'Donner.' That always, first. It may be an explanation, it may be aname, it may mean nothing, but all the same splutter--splutter! on shecomes. At first it was spelled out slowly, lamely, sometimes wrong, andthen corrected as if an amateur beginner was at the other end of theline."
"And that was all--'Donner'" questioned Ben, aggravatingly consumed withcuriosity.
"Not after a few days. Then 'Donner' began to add something of amessage. That, too, was a jumble, wrong dots and dashes and all that.Finally, though, this queer crank of a sender began to say somethingabout a boy."
"A boy?" murmured the engrossed Ben.
"It looked as if he was trying to describe some one. However, as I say,his sending was so faulty that not much could be made out of it. It gotclearer, but no more coherent and enlightening. I tried to trace thesender. So did others on the circuit. I got in touch with Seagrove."
"What did they say? Mr. Edson?" asked Tom.
"They confessed themselves fully as much puzzled as I was. The lastthree or four days 'Donner' has gotten into action trying to tellsomething about money. First it was a hundred dollars, then two hundred,then five, and about an hour since the same old string of jangled talkcame in over the receiver: 'Donner boy--a thousand dollars.'"
"How strange," commented Tom.
"Oh, you'll get some of it," declared Mr. Edson. "Early in the morningabout daylight, always at noon, sometimes just about dusk, the messagecomes through the air."
"How do you explain it?" submitted Tom.
"Why, I have to think it is some person who has rigged up an old stationsomewhere in range, and is trying to tell something he is too ignorantto express clearly. Pay no attention to it as a serious circumstance. Itis only one of the freaks of the wireless experience."
"That's one of the spooks you told about?" inquired Ben.
"Yes," nodded Mr. Edson.
"Any more?"
"Something more tangible this time," observed Mr. Edson. "For about aweek some one has invaded my den here nights regularly."
"Maybe this same mysterious 'Donner'" suggested Ben.
"Hardly. You see, I am pretty regular in my hours here. I have come onat about eight in the morning and leave at six in the evening always."
"And the second spook you speak about?" interrogated Tom.
"Puts in an appearance after my departure in the night time. Here's thegist of it: Every morning when I come down here, the ground under thewindmill for a space of about fifty feet is swept as clean as a ballroomfloor."
"Yes, I've noticed that," observed Tom.
"I leave the den up here in some slight disorder evenings, preferring toput it in shape in the morning. Well," declared Mr. Edson, "I find itall cleaned up for me."
"You don't say so!" ejaculated Ben.
"Nothing is touched about the apparatus, my papers are not disturbed.One night I carelessly forgot my pocketbook. I found it placed carefullyon the paper tab with the contents intact."
"Well, that's a helpful, honest, useful kind of a spook, isn't it, now?"cried Ben.
"I think this harmless intruder sleeps on the floor here nights," saidMr. Edson. "Anyhow, I've apprised you of the mysteries as well as theexcellencies of Station Z. I must be going, Barnes," added Mr. Edson,consulting his watch and arising and taking up his satchel from a cornerof the room. "Think over my proposition."
"I certainly shall," declared Tom, quickly.
"It's a dandy chance," remarked Ben.
"Use your best intelligence and judgment in running the business hereuntil I come back," added Mr. Edson. "You can come down to the housewith me if you like and get some stuff that will help you rig up yourhome-made wireless."
"All right," assented Tom, "I'd like to do that."
The professional operator followed his young guests down the ladder,locking the trap door padlock and tendering the key to Tom.
"You're in charge now," he said in a pleasant way.
Tom's finger tips tingled with pleasure at the possession of the key,and Ben's eyes brightened with glowing anticipations.
The boys waited outside on a bench on the porch of Mr. Edson's boardinghouse when they reached that place. He went up to his room and soonreturned with an oblong box.
"You'll find the stuff in there I told you about," he explained.
"Many thanks," said Tom.
"I'm in that, too!" echoed Ben. "I only hope we can really rig up aplant at my house like you talk about," he added eagerly.
"That will be easy," advised Mr. Edson. "And now good-by, my youngfriends, and good luck."
Mr. Edson shook hands in a friendly way with Tom and Ben. The boysstarted down the village street in the direction of the Barnes home.
Ben walked as if he were treading on air. His comrade, carrying the box,was thoughtfully going over the great fund of information he hadobtained in the preceding two hours.
"I say!" he spoke suddenly, coming to a halt.
"What's up?" challenged Ben.
"I was thinking it would be handier to leave this box at the station."
"I'm sure it would. You see, it's nearer our place," counselled Beneagerly, glad of any excuse that would take them back to the fascinatinginfluence of Station Z.
They faced about and proceeded back over the course they had come.
"Look here, Tom," broke in Ben on the thoughts of his comrade, "are yougoing to try and raise that hundred dollars?"
"Yes, if possible."
"Wish I could help you. Going to ask your father?"
"No," replied Tom. "In the first place, I don't think he would let mehave it. You know he calls my craze after wireless, as he terms it, alla fad,--says I'd better think of getting through school before I take upoutside things."
"Yes, I know."
"Then again," continued Tom, "I have a sort of pride of starting inbusiness life on my own resources."
"But you've got to have some money help."
"I've thought of that, and I'll tell you what I'll do. You remember myAunt Samantha?"
"Down at Westport?"
"Exactly. I have always been a favorite of hers. Many a time she hashinted at all the money she is going to leave me in her will some day.Many a time, too, after a visit to our house, she has reminded me thatany time I need help to write her."
"And you're going to?"
"Yes," replied Tom, "just as soon as I get home this evening. I'm goingto offer her my note, and I mean to pay it, too."
"Say, Tom," cried his loyal companion, "I'll endorse for you."
Tom had to laugh outright at the proposal.
Then, seeing that he had hurt Ben's feelings, he said kindly:
"That's all right, Ben; you mean well, but if Aunt Samantha won't let mehave the money alone,
she won't give it to the two of us."
It had been growing dusk as the chums proceeded on their way. Theypassed through the village and beyond it, and finally approached thewireless station. Tom was fumbling in his pocket for the key to the trapdoor when Ben suddenly caught his arm.
"Tom, hold on!"
"What's the matter?" questioned Tom.
"Look yonder!"
Ben pointed directly at the old windmill framework. Both staredintently.
Climbing up one of the outer girders was a boy. As he reached the levelof the window of the little aerial room aloft, he swung towards it, insome deft way lifted or pried up the sash, and disappeared suddenly fromview.
BEN POINTED DIRECTLY AT THE OLD WINDMILL FRAMEWORK.]