e plainly showed his
exultation.

"Tell me more about it." Mrs. Brown was at once all seriousness.

Henry turned away from the stair door and explained the situation to
Mrs. Brown, who was very sober. But when Henry said that Dr. Hardy had
asked the boys to come and that he would himself be with them in New
York, the serious look vanished from Mrs. Brown's face. "That's all
right, then," she said. "If Dr. Hardy wants you and is to be there to
look after you, it is all right. I am glad Willie has the opportunity
to go. He has never been in a really big city."

Henry went on up to Willie's room and broke the news to him. And the
sounds that came down to Mrs. Brown made her laugh heartily. But it
was a laugh of sympathy. She remembered that she had once been young
herself. Presently the racket up-stairs subsided. Then came the
clatter of noisy and eager feet on the stairs. And a moment later
Henry and Willie skipped out of the door, tore through the gate, and
went racing up the street toward Roy Mercer's house.

But Roy was not at home. He was, as Henry had suspected he would be,
at work in the garage where he had been employed during the school
vacation. But Henry thought it would be well to secure permission from
Mrs. Mercer for Roy to take the trip to New York, for she was inclined
to be rather strict with Roy.

"Captain Hardy has just sent me a request for four of the boys of the
wireless patrol to come to New York," said Henry, diplomatically, "and
Roy is one of the four he wants. We came to see if he may go."

Mrs. Mercer looked at Henry keenly. "What are you going to do in New
York," she demanded, "and who's to pay the bills?"

"I don't know exactly what we're to do," said Henry, "but we're to help
the wireless service. I think they want us to listen in and pick up
low-length messages that the high-powered government stations don't
get. The government will pay our expenses."

"Humph!" said Mrs. Mercer. Then she was silent a moment in thought.
"When does Dr. Hardy want you to go?"

"He wants us to meet him in New York at two o'clock Friday afternoon.
That means we should have to leave here on the early morning train
Friday."

"I don't know about this," said Mrs. Mercer. "All play and no work is
just as bad for a boy as no play and all work. And Roy has done
nothing but play all summer. He has been at that camp of yours ever
since school closed. And besides, he is earning three dolla