Now they heard ships at sea, first one and then another. The Mallory liner _Lampasas_, somewhere off the Atlantic Coast, was sending out messages for passengers. Nearer at hand, another coastwise steamer, the _Cherokee_, of the Clyde Line, was calling her New York office. From far out on the ocean came other voices. The White Star liner _Majestic_, largest vessel afloat, was relaying commercial messages received from ships far behind her on the highway from Europe to America. The Cunarder _Berengaria_ was informing its New York office about some repairs made to its bow plates after a slight collision off the English coast. The _Kroonland_ was shrieking out a call for the _City of Paris_, but getting no reply. Very, very faintly sounded in their receivers a whispering message from the Atlantic Transport steamer _Minnetonka_. “She must be far out on the ocean,” said Roy, after he had told Willie what ship was calling. “We can barely hear her.” For a long time they sat silent before the wireless table, listening to the myriad voices in the air. Then a step was heard, and the door of the wireless house opened. The purser appeared at the door. “Come in,” cried Roy, and he was about to snatch the receivers from his head and jump up to welcome his visitor, when a message that was sounding in his ear held him motionless. “Watch for J. Simonski. Diamonds,” said the message. “Did you hear that, Willie?” called Roy. “That’s a message from the White Star liner _Majestic_. It’s from a treasury agent aboard, and he’s tipping off the Secret Service here to watch for a smuggler named Simonski. They’ll nab that gentleman at the pier, when he tries to bring his diamonds ashore.” “Is that how they do it?” cried Willie. “Why, that’s as easy as rolling off a log.” “Yes—after you know how,” said Roy. “The agent on the ship has somehow got to find out that Simonski has the diamonds, before he can inform on him.” “And that,” said Willie, “is a gray horse of another color. Gee! I wonder how he did it.” Roy threw down his receivers, and rose to welcome the purser. Willie switched off his instrument and followed Roy’s example. He was introduced to the purser. Presently Roy turned another switch, juggled some buttons on a black box, and music began to sound. At one end of his table, partly concealed by a screen-like partition, was a radio outfit. The purser had come up to listen to the evening’s radio entertainment and Roy had tuned in to WJZ, the broadcasting station at Newark. Presently Sam brought some cakes and hot coffee, and the three friends sat for a long time listening to the music. Then the purser went down to his quarters, and Willie and Roy crowded into Roy’s bunk. But it was a long time before Willie could get to sleep. He was thinking of the morrow, and what it might possibly mean to him. CHAPTER IV THE CAPTURE OF THE WOOL SMUGGLERS