The Radio Boys in the Thousand Islands | Page 6

boys, and see how
near our plan is finished. It's after 10 o'clock, and I'll have to go pretty
soon. If we go, we'll need--"
"Some food," itemized Bud.
"Yes, enough for us and to feed a starving Robinson Crusoe," amended
Cub, beginning the list on a fresh sheet of paper.
"And drinking water."
"No. 2," commented Cub, as he jotted it down.
"And we ought to have a wireless set on hand," Hal suggested.
"Sure," said Cub. "You bring that and your loop aerial. This set is too
big to transfer on board very well."
"That about completes the list, doesn't it?" asked Bud.

"We'll have to have a permit," said Hal.
"Permit for what?" Bud inquired.
"A permit from Mr. Perry to go."
"You're kidding now," said Bud. "Maybe you think this is all a joke."
"I'm afraid it is, but I'll eat my words--and glad to do it--if Cub's father
and our fathers let us go."
"We've all got some persuading to do, there's no doubt o' that," Cub
admitted; "but I hope we'll succeed. I'll talk to father in the morning at
the breakfast table and call you fellows up an' let you know what he
says. Now I'll call Mr. Robinson Crusoe again and tell 'im I'll call 'im in
the morning and let 'im know what we can do."
He had no difficulty in getting the "island prisoner" again, for the latter
was waiting eagerly for a message of hope. Cub, however, was cautious
in this regard, saying nothing about the plan of himself and his two
radio friends. He merely told "Mr. Crusoe" that he would do the best he
could for him and would call him next day, specifying the hour. Then
Bud and Hal went their separate ways homeward.
At 8:30 next morning Cub called Hal on the telephone and inquired:
"Hello, Hal, did you talk to your folks about our plan?"
"Yes," was the reply; "and I just got through talking with Bud over the
wire before you called up."
"Well, how does it stand?"
"His folks won't let him go and my folks won't let me go unless some
experienced man goes along with us."
"Hooray! we win!" yelled Cub. "Father thinks it's a peach of an
adventure and he's almost as crazy over it as we were last night. He
says 'yes' with a capital Y, and he'll go along with us. He says he's been

wanting a vacation with some pep in it for quite a while, and this
scheme of ours is ninety-nine per cent pep. If you and Bud don't go,
father and I are going anyway. So get busy as fast as you can. We're off
this afternoon, as early as we can get ready. I've already sent a wireless
to Crusoe that we're coming. Good-bye; I'm going to call Bud now. Be
over here as soon as you can and help us get ready."
CHAPTER IV
The Catwhisker
The Catwhisker, a neat gasoline power boat of the cruiser type left the
private dock of the Perry home in Oswego early in the afternoon with
the three radio boys and Mr. Perry on board. This had meant some
rapid work by the members of the "rescue party" in preparation for the
trip, for it was necessary for them to do considerable buying in the line
of provisions and the transportation of a number of articles of
incidental convenience, together with one complete sending and
receiving wireless outfit. The hook-up of this outfit, on the boat,
however, was left for a more leisurely occupation after all other
preparations for the cruise were completed and they were well on their
way.
The name Catwhisker harked back to the days when radio, or wireless
telegraphy, was in its infancy in the experience of the three boys whose
adventures are the inspiration of this volume. Mr. Perry bought the
motor boat at a time when his son and the latter's two chums were busy
experimenting with crystal outfits, and the name of the cruiser was
suggested to them by the fine spring-wires used to make contact with
the crystals in their detectors. No doubt, it was the catchiness of the
word, as well as its association with their hobby, that appealed to them
in the general search for a name for the boat.
This vessel was 36 feet long, with a beam of nine feet and with a
canopy covering the after deck. Amidships was a raised bridge deck on
which were mounted and housed the wheel and engine controls. Under
this and the after deck were the engine-room and the galley, and

forward of these were the cabin and two small staterooms. At the bow
and in the stern were two tall slim masts that had been erected solely
for