Part 7 (1/2)
”Are you sure?”
”I know my instruments pretty well; and I've had experience enough so I can tell by the sound of the sending about how far off they come from.”
”And this was from somewhere about one to two hundred miles away, you think?”
”Yes, sir.”
”Do you know whether any other instruments caught this?”
”No, only mine.” He was very positive.
”How do you know?”
”Mr. McCarthy had me inquire.”
”How do you account for it?”
”I don't know, except that maybe my instrument happened to be just tuned to catch it. That's another reason I know it was from far off. The farther away the sending instrument, the nearer exactly it has to be tuned to the receiving instrument. If it was nearer, 'most anybody'd get it.”
Percy Darrow nodded.
”That's all, I guess. No, hold on. Did any of these come between six and eight last evening?”
For the first time the operator smiled.
”No, sir; my instrument was dead.”
He went out.
”Well?” growled McCarthy.
”I don't know; but I can see more trouble.”
”Let him turn off his juice,” bl.u.s.tered the boss; ”we'll be ready, next time.”
Percy Darrow smiled.
”Will you?” he contented himself by saying. Then, after a moment's pause, he added, ”I'll agree to stop this fellow if you'll give me an absolutely free hand. I'll even agree to find him.”
”What do you want?”
”I want a job, a good engineering-construction job, for a friend of mine.”
”What can he do?”
”He can learn. I want a good honest place where he can learn under a good man.”
”Who is he?”