Breaking in was simple.  He tried the windows opening on the main wide porch.  One window slid up.  He went inside, Jill following.

The ham radio outfit was in the cellar.  Like most radio hams, this one had battery-powered equipment as a matter of public responsibility.  In case of storm or disaster when power lines are down, the ham operators of the United States can function as emergency communication systems, working without outside power.  This operator was equipped as membership in the organization required.

Lockley warmed up the tubes.  He tuned to a general call frequency.  He began to say, “May Day!  May Day!  May Day!” in a level voice.  This emergency call has precedence over all other calls but S.O.S., which has an identical meaning.  But “May Day” is more distinct and unmistakable when heard faintly.

There were answers within minutes.  Lockley snapped for them to stay tuned while he called for others.  He had half a dozen hams waiting curiously when he began to broadcast what he wanted the world to know.

He told it as briefly and as convincingly as he could.  Then he said, “Over” and threw the reception switch for questions.

There were no questions.  His broadcast had been jammed.  Some other station or stations were transmitting pure static with deafening volume, evidently from somewhere nearby.  Lockley could not tell when it had begun.  It could have been from the instant he began to speak.  It was very likely that not one really useful word had been heard anywhere.

But a direction finder could have betrayed his position.

CHAPTER 8

It was a ticklish job getting the car out of the garage and into the street.  Lockley was afraid that starting the motor would make a noise which in the silence of the town’s absolute abandonment could be heard for a long way.  The grinding of the starter, though, lasted only for seconds.  It might make men listen, but they could hardly locate it before the motor caught and ran quietly.  Also, the trailer-truck was still in motion and making its own noise.  Of course it was probably posting watchers and listeners here and there to try to find Lockley and Jill.

So Lockley backed the car into the street as silently as was possible.  He did not turn on the lights.  He stopped, headed away from the area in which the truck rumbled.  He sent the car forward at a crawl.  Then an idea occurred to him and cold chills ran down his spine.  It is possible to use a short wave receiver to pick up the ignition sparks of a car.  Normally such sparkings are grounded so the car’s own radio will work.  But sometimes a radio is out of order.  It was characteristic of Lockley’s acquired distrust of luck and chance that he thought of so unlikely a disaster.

He eased the car into motion, straining his ears for any sign that the truck reacted.  Then he moved the car slowly away from the business district.  It required enormous self-control to go slowly.  While among the lighted streets the urge to flee at top speed was strong.  But he clenched his teeth.  A car makes much less noise when barely in motion.  He made it drift as silently as a wraith under the trees and the street lamps.