y M' with
your speed boat in tow is in a fair way to be solved," he said. "Also,
I have high hopes of catching the ringleader of the liquor smugglers
whom Captain Folsom and I have been seeking."

"What? What's that?" demanded Captain Folsom, excitedly.

Lieutenant Summers nodded.

"You couldn't imagine in a thousand years where the radio call came
from," he declared, "nor what it was all about. Well, I'll not attempt
to mystify you any further. The call was from one of the guards I left
posted at the Brownell place, and he was calling, not from the
Brownell radio station, but from yours, Hampton."

"From our station?"

Jack was puzzled.

"What's the matter with his own?" asked Frank.

"Our guards have been captured by raiders dressed in naval uniform who
disembarked from a sub chaser," said Lieutenant Summers, exploding his
bombshell. "Only one man escaped. And he made his way to your station,
Hampton, found your man, Tom Barnum, there and began calling for me."

The eyes of the three boys shone, as the implication reached them. The
smugglers evidently had obtained possession of a sub chaser and
wearing U. S. naval uniforms had carried out a bold coup d'etat,
although for what purpose could not be seen at the time. It looked as
if there were a fair prospect of action, and all were excited in
consequence.

Captain Folsom, however, began hunting at once for causes.

"But why in the world should such a move have been carried out?" he
demanded. "Of course, I take it the smugglers have obtained a sub
chaser somewhere, together with uniforms. Yet why should they seek to
recapture the Brownell place? They could not hope to hold it."

Lieutenant Summers shook his head.

"It's too much for me," he declared. "It's a mystery, indeed. But I am
not going to puzzle over that phase of the matter now. What I am
interested in is in getting on the ground."

Frank, who had been lost in thought, spoke up unexpectedly.

"Captain Folsom," he said, "isn't it pretty certain such a move would
not be carried out except by a man high in the councils of the
smugglers?"

"I should imagine so."

"And he would not run the risk of discovery and capture without some
very good cause?"

"True."

"Then," said Frank, "is it possible his reason for this act is to
drive the guards away or take them prisoner in order to obtain
temporary possession of the house and remove incriminating
papers--perhaps, from some secret repository--whi