Walter and the Wireless

o

e dogs, exercising them, and making fresh their quarters before he breakfasted himself. Afterward, despite the score of odd duties with which the morning was filled, he contrived to do many little k

, but at night insisted upon extending his giant frame before the boy's doorsill from which vantage ground neither threats nor persuasions

nd serenely passed them over to some one else to be ministered unto, nevertheless they apparently sensed the arrangement was one of convenience and returned

he frolicked about Walter's feet and accepted food from his hand it was more because s

would have accepted the services of any other maid or valet. They seemed to be conscious of their pedigree and claim attention as their right. An

end together. Not infrequently, when the eager yelps of the dogs heralded the fact that they were off for their afternoon run, the New Yor

uld discuss boa

interest

day when, with Achilles prancing far ahead and Boy Blue, Jack Horner,

response. "I've a brother who is an

ns voiced both surprise and

-two or

really send and r

sure

id he

irst message. You should have seen Bob! He was crazy and came rushing straight home to make Ma drop everything she was doing and go down to Hicks's. Now Mother was elbow-deep in bread and declared she couldn't spoil her biscuit for any wireless on earth. Besides, she had never had any faith in the thing. You see, Bob had teased her for wireless money and she had told him time and time again it was dollars thrown into a hole. My father used t

asked Dick w

replied Walter, smiling

he was chattering of induction coils, wave lengths, and antenna. It makes me yawn now to think of it. My goodness, weren't Ma and I sick to death of hearing nothing but radio! Bob would rush in

ies and wire, and me pitching into him for forgetting to chop the kindl

aughed, this time w

a to the receivers and that such sounds never could come through the air. Finally they did succeed in getting her to half believe they were telling her the truth and were not just working her for money. But when they tried to explain

oys ch

oud of your brother

hiefly thinks about is the danger Bob is in o

urf and sent them circling into the air, now raced back to his friends

he, "your brother tau

ete training, by any means. The war gave him that. When it broke out he enlisted in the navy, and because he was partially equipped in radio they sent him off posthaste to a wireless school. At the time he was crazy because his dream was to get across and be in the fighting. To sit at home studying was the last thing he wanted t

y are the A1 men and every first-class ship is obliged by law to have aboard it two of them. Then there are the second-class certificate fellows who practically have as much radio but cannot hit such a gait, and can only manage to send between twelve and nineteen words a minute. They can go on first-class ships provided more skilled operators are aboard. Sometimes, even, they substitute for them under supervision. Their chief jobs, howe

were so many rules ab

ready to trot it out on request. You can't get by with bluffing. If an operator is found to be unfamiliar with the rules, or is discovered breaking any of them, his certificate can be withdrawn. No chap wants to risk that, especially if he is trying to earn his living b

ld be som

has to be so, because in case of accident he would be the person responsible for sending out distress cal

d Dick. "But why such a

be charted in black and white or

fall into line and do as our

government and the two countries involved settle their dispute by arbitration. It is too delicate a matter for others to butt in on, for some blunderer might offend anoth

t's

tfit, and that they fulfil the requirements of the government whose flag they fly. Should any trouble arise when they are in a foreign port they can be asked to produce this license; and if th

nment didn't know anyt

at contain not only the name and nationality of all ships but even the

owed to take up their own quarrel if

o, if everybody rolled up his sleeves and pitched into the other fellow when things went wrong. Governments are supposed to be more slow-moving, fair, and impartial. And anyhow, it is their job to look out for their own citizens and see they are squarely treated. Bob says it is a more dignified way than for individuals to fight out their ow

parently he knows in a general way just how you a

t it," acqui

the dogs, the

about all this," Dic

off to me. He likes to talk when he's home and I like to listen. It's interesting

the moist sand and watched

a fairly has to haul me along by the hair or I'd never go to school. I barely skinned t

offender a sym

d. "I'm crazy about machinery. It's fun to tinker with it-take it to pieces

wo grease-st

he motor boats. What I want now is a wireless outfit. I'm going to strike Dad for one my birthday. It comes the last of

d at the casualness

Or it sometimes brought with it a book and a box of candy. Never by any chance did its felicitations expand into a gift so colossal as a wi

commented, thinking, perhaps, the oth

ar, and the year before-let me think-oh, the pups!" He pointed to the Airedales, a str

ness admitted slowly, the contrast in the

tinued Dick, with the indifference of one to whom such presents brou

lter. "I think, though, that if Bob

forgotten him. So he

ts off for a da

down in a wireless station listening for mess

asses and have their hours carefully mapped out for them. There are three different varieties of shipboard stations, for example. Some have constant service; that is, operators are always listening while the ship is underway. T

just suit th

. "The government defines their hours when their lice

" said Dick. "And t

ves," Walter replied. "There are several dif

about them, then," retorted

h, if you want me to, I'll pass on what I know. But to-day I guess we ought to be hiking back. It

hillocks, through pine-shaded stretches of woods, along the road walled in with June roses they raced and chased, stopping now and again to look back and make certain that their masters were following. Whe

ver, then lured by hunger, desert thei

es at the kennels just as His H

he noticed they sniffed excitedl

arked he aloud. "Well, no matter. You

d passed through into the pen where the Pekingese,

d the fluffy-coated gro

ze-winner up to the big house or took her for a ride in the car. Therefore, although her b

d, he sauntered t

chauffeurs with them. Even Jerry was nowhere about; and the gardeners were far down on the so

was actually lonely. With uncertain step the boy loitered in the sun, glancing at the expanse of sea and at a knockabout that heele

broken by the siren horns of approaching motors and the Cro

up to the veranda, meet the family, and bring Lola

was at the steps almost as soon a

ghing guests, Nancy and Mr. an

venports, you see, and brought them home for the evening. I think, Mrs. Davenport, you remember my son, Richard. Nancy, take Janet

s about to go indoors when the mi

h to see me?

take Lola down

Is sh

ht you h

ind

t be here at

leave her with the maids

t come fr

e wasn'

ma'

you s

sit

y, didn't you l

took her when you went t

did

give the key to a

ourse

ounced Walter, a tremor of t

ust be. Where el

n't k

reassuringly. "Lola is such a tiny dog she often gets h

y unfastened the wire gate that led into the enclosure where the Pekingese were kept.