whines, growls, dots-and-dashes, whistles, and musical notes. Suddenly he
gave a start that aroused the curiosity of his friends and made them more
attentive to his actions.

"Did you get that?" he shouted.

"No," replied Bud and Hal, in chorus, springing forward.

Cub was tuning excitedly back and forth about a certain, or uncertain,
wave length, which he had lost.

"Put on your 'phones," he said, putting on his own. "You may not get it
through the horn. I'm sure I got an SOS, very faint. I'm going to try to
get it again."

Bud and Hal did as directed and listened with quite as much eagerness as
that which was evident in Cub's manner. Several minutes elapsed before
the search was rewarded. Then at last, in fairly distinct, although
faint, vibrations came the distress signal again. All three heard it, and
this time Cub caught the wave "on the knob" and did not let it go.

The operator sending the distress signal was evidently pleading
desperately for attention, which nobody, it seemed, was willing to give
to him. Several times he repeated his SOS, following each repetition with
his own private call and wave length. Then he broadcast the following
message in explanation of his appeal for help:

"I am marooned on island in Lake of Thousand Isles. I landed here from a
motor boat with wireless outfit. Lake thieves stole my boat and left me
here with outfit and little food. Will starve in few days if I don't get