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," blustered 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?"
"I'll bring him in."
A moment later Jack, in answer to a summons, entered the office.
McCarthy stared at him. "What kind of a job?" he growled.
"Something active and out of doors," Darrow answered for him; "streets,
water, engineering."
"It's a holdup," said McCarthy sullenly drawing a tablet toward himself,
and thrusting the stub of a pencil into his mouth.
Pages:
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46