Part 20 (2/2)

”Just what is that?”

”Well, at present you know a s.h.i.+p can only receive wireless messages from a s.h.i.+p that is 'in tune' with her own radio apparatus. The Universal Detector should make it possible to catch every wireless sound. I am very anxious, if I perfect it, to get it adopted in the navy. It would be of great value in time of war, for by its use every message sent by an enemy, even if they were purposely put 'out of tune,'

could be caught.”

”By the way, speaking of the navy, did you hear from Captain Simms?”

”Yes; he is still up at Musky Bay. Some difficulties in the code have arisen, and he will not be through with his work for two weeks or more yet, he says.”

”No more attempts to steal his work, or to spy on him?”

”He doesn't mention any. I guess we're through with the Judson crowd.”

”Looks that way. What a gang of thorough-paced rascals they were.”

”I guess Judson's business must be in a bad way to make him take such desperate chances to recoup by landing that contract.”

”I suppose that's it.”

Raynor lifted his eyes to the s.h.i.+p's clock above Jack's operating instruments.

”By Jove, almost eight bells! I've got to go on watch. This is my first job as second engineer, and I mean to keep things on the jump. Well, so long, old fellow.”

”See you this evening,” said Jack, as Raynor hurried off.

Jack soon became very busy. The air was full of all sorts of messages.

Besides that, his cabin was crowded with men and women who wished to file last messages to those they left behind them. He worked steadily through the afternoon, catching meteorological radios as well as information from other steamers scattered along the Atlantic lane.

He knew that he might expect hard work and plenty of it all that day.

There would be no chance for him to experiment with his Universal Detector. About dusk, Harvey Thurman, his a.s.sistant, came into the wireless room to relieve him while he went to dinner.

Thurman was a short, thick-set young man, with a flabby, pallid face and s.h.i.+fty eyes. He had got his job on the new liner through a ”pull” that he possessed through a distant relations.h.i.+p with Mr. Jukes. Jack had not met him before, and, since they had been on board, they had exchanged only a few words, but he instinctively felt that he and Thurman were not going to make very good s.h.i.+pmates.

As Jack relinquished the head-receivers and the key to his ”relief,”

Thurman's gaze rested on the Universal Detector.

”What's that?” he demanded.

”Oh, just a little idea I'm working on,” said Jack, ”a new invention. If I can perfect it, it may be valuable.”

”Yes, but what is it? What's it for?” persisted Thurman.

Jack explained what he hoped to accomplish with the instrument, and an instant later was sorry he had done so, for he noticed an expression of cupidity creep into Thurman's eyes. The youth persisted in asking a host of questions, and Jack, having started to explain, could not very well refuse to answer. Besides, inventors are notoriously garrulous about their brain children, and Jack, even though he did not like Thurman, soon found himself talking away at a great rate.

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