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Boys Loyalty, byWayne Whipple andS. F. Aaron

Project Gutenberg's Radio Boys Loyalty, byWayne Whipple and S. F. Aaron his eBoo! is"or the use o" anyone any#here at no costand #ith al$ost no restrictions #hatsoe%er.&ou $ay copy it, gi%e it a#ay or reuse itunder the ter$s o" the Project Gutenberg

License included #ith this eBoo! or online at###.gutenberg.org

itle( Radio Boys Loyalty Bill Bro#n Listens )n

Author( Wayne Whipple S. F. Aaron

Release *ate( +une -, --/ 01Boo! 234356

Language( 1nglish

7haracter set encoding( )S8//39

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@erry Wat!ins #as telling $eC his cousin #entthere. Lost a ne# hat the third day, a pair o"glasses the "ourth and $ost o" his clothes the

E"th. ;is dad has a lot o" dough, so he needn'tha%e $inded, but that #on't be the case #ithus. ) guess it's $e "or carrying a gun.@

@)" they're $ean enough to pic! on you, oldscout, )'ll carry one, too, but ) thin! you'll beeDe$pt. )" )'$ to be a %icti$, ) rec!on )'ll ha%eto grin and ta!e@

@=oC you #on't, either. We'%e co$e here tostudynot to "ooland #e ha%en't got $oneyto spend on ruined duds just to grati"y a lot o"chu$ps. here are better things, too, than agunC not so crude and not illegal.@

@) can i$agine,@ laughed Gus, and turnedagain to #atch the Ieeting landscape.

he chu$s journeyed in silence then, their$inds busy conjecturing #hat theireDperiences and ad%entures #ere to be, a"terthey beca$e students o" the arshalltonechnical School, #hich they #ere rapidly

approaching and "ro$ #hich they held highhopes o" gaining $uch !no#ledge. heinstitution, despite its $odest na$e, #asnothing less than a uni%ersity o" broadconstructi%e teaching, #ith depart$ents o"

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engineering, electricity, che$istry, $anualtraining and biology.

)t #as #ithin the Erst t#o o" thesedepart$ents that Willia$ Bro#n andAugustus Grier #ere to concentrate their$ental eorts. hey had, as already related,earned this longhoped"or opportunity to gaintechnical !no#ledge and training by sho#ing#hat they could do along these lines. heyhad installed a s$all #aterpo#er plant andan electric lighting syste$ "or the ;ooperestate, and had also #on greater credit "orconstructing highclass radio recei%ersthrough #hich they had heard a no lesspersonage than ho$as A. 1dison spea!. heboys had been sa%ing their earnings to $eettech school eDpenses "or at least a year. heir

high school records, good co$$on sense andscientiEc inclinations had been such as torecei%e the plaudits o" their teacher, Pro"essorGray, and the $e$bers o" their class.

)ntense application and $ental "orcecharacteriHed Willia$ Bro#n, #ho #as called

@Billy@ by the high school girlsEne, bright$inded young #o$enand @Bill@ by the boys.;e #as just Bill to nearly e%eryone. ;is"riends re"erred to hi$ as the school geniusCand such he had pro%ed to be on $ore than

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one occasion. hough co$pelled by a t#istedleg to use a crutch and to abstain "ro$strenuous physical participation in sports, he

#as a "a%orite. All sa# his #orth, andPro"essor Gray said o" hi$ that he possessedthe $ind o" a philosopher and theeDpressi%eness o" a poet.

7heer"ul, delighting in the strength o" others,Bill's natural lo%e o" "riendly contests andad$iration "or physical pro#ess i$pelled hi$to adopt as his best chu$ Gus Grier, #ho had$uch in co$$on #ith hi$ concerning$echanical $atters. Gus #as in $any thingsal$ost the eDact counterpart o" the la$e boy.

Gus #as bright, shre#d, practical, reticent. ;ehad the sort o" $entality that $ade hi$ a

good "ollo#er, #ith enough nati%e #it todisco%er his o#n li$itations and toac!no#ledge Bill's superior characteristics.Both displayed that loyalty o" "riendship#hose rare Juality has $ade notable history.So$eti$es their class$ates called the boys*a%id and +onathan, or *a$on and PythiasC

so$eti$es, the head and body, the "or$erre"erring to Bill and the latter, #ith no lessad$iration, to Gus because o" his splendidathletic ability. he $uscles o" Gus #ere Juiteas re$ar!able in their #ay as Bill's brainsC

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and both boys #ere $odest, aiding oneanother in e%ery ti$e o" need, doubling alltheir eorts #ith the ter$ @#e,@ #hich Bill

used o"tenest.

)" Bill $astered a $ental proble$ it #as( @Wedid it by this $ethod.@ )" Gus entered upon atrial o" strength or physical s!ill it #as( @We'lldo our best,@ and then( @Well, #e #on, but it#as no cinch@in de"erence to the eorts o" abeaten opponent. All this #as a $atter o"course. And no#, regarding the present,either "riend $ight ha%e said, @We'%e passedour eDa$s and #e're going to ech.@

@Guil"ordK Guil"ordK All out "or arshalltonK@shouted the bra!e$an, and in hal" a $inutethe boys #ere cli$bing into a taDi bound "or

the schoolC in hal" an hour they #ere "acingthe great buildings #hich stood "or so $uchlearning, and in hal" a day they had$atriculated and #ere o" the student body.

CHAPTER II

F88L1*@7o$e here Juic! and #atch thisK@

@What's going on )'%e got this letter@

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@his is so$e li%elier than letter #riting, Bill,@Gus declared, and a $o$ent later Bill #as o"the sa$e $ind.

he boys gaHed out o" the #indo# o" theirroo$ in the school dor$itory to #itness anupperclass reception o" one o" the "resh$en,a lad o" al$ost tender years, yet hus!y and o"undoubted good nature. ;e #as eDpensi%elydressed to begin #ith, a little "oppish inappearance e%en, and it #as !no#n that hispeople #ere %ery #ealthy. Such as he, then,could #ell aord the sacriEce de$anded o"hi$ to beco$e a $e$ber in high standing o"the arshallton student body. Whate%er #asdone, short o" actual physical injury, $ustcontribute to the %iolently initiated youth'sgeneral gloriEcation, at least this #as the

popular i$pression. )t occurred to but "e# to$a!e serious objections to that #hich #ascusto$ary in the school.

;aHing, long since taboo or "orbidden in $anyeducational institutions, #as still a part o"arshallton ech, by reason o" the belie" that

a high $entality and %irile spirit de$andedthe eDtre$e $ental and physical sho#do#n#hich haHing is #rongly supposed to bringout. hough se%ere enough, perhaps theinitiations #ere not so terrible as to call "or

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$uch co$plaint.

@By crac!y, that's rottenK@ eDclai$ed Gus, ashe #atched the progress o" the aair.

@Worse than $eanK@ agreed Bill.

his co$$ent #as called "orth as the %icti$,in his eorts to escape "ro$ his tor$entors,had his coat and %est torn "ro$ hi$. )n a littleti$e his shirt #as reduced to ribbons. A Ene

gold #atch and its bro!en chain lay on theground a$ong the "eet o" the struggling boys,and an unsuspecting heel soon reduced theti$epiece to little $ore %alue than the $etalin the case. A #allet slid out o" a poc!et anddisgorged "ro$ its "olds considerable cashand paper, so$e o" #hich the bystanders

gathered up #ith $uch diculty. he"resh$an's pana$a, !ic!ed about in the dust,#as not rescued until it rese$bled anuprooted #eed.

@We #ouldn't enjoy being treated that #ay,@co$$ented Gus, the senti$ental.

@We couldn't aord it,@ a$ended Bill, thepractical. @hat sort o" thing $ay be #ellenough "or rich "ello#s, though ) thin! it'sran! "oolishness at any ti$e. But, Gus, #e'%egot to dodge it in so$e #ay.@

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Gus $ade no reply. ;e #as thin!ing that hischu$ #as right, but, still interested in theeDcite$ent #ithout, he le"t the usual

#hate%erit$ustbe #ith Bill. When Bill spo!eagain, so$e "e# $inutes a"ter the #ellhaHedyouth had $ade a geta#ay, Gus listened#ith interest.

@We can get the $aterials,@ Bill Enished, @andit #on't ta!e long to do the #or!.@

And it did not. ;a%ing procured a per$it "ro$the pro"essor o" physicsand no one couldha%e re"used Bill #ith his con%incing tonguethe boys returned #ell loaded to their roo$.hey too! "ro$ a paper pac!ing boD, #hosecontents had been hidden "ro$ the curious, alot o" #ire, so$e s#itches, so$e acid and a

nu$ber o" storage battery cells.

8n their #ay "ro$ the central building thechu$s had been stopped by a nu$ber o"upper class$en. )t #as $ida"ternoon, anoptional study or playti$e, and just the hour"or bre#ing $ischie". his is #hat happened.

@7o$e on there, FreeportersK Put do#n thoseboDesC #e ha%e a little business to transact#ith you,@ the spo!es$an called.

Gus gaHed cal$ly at the E%e $ilitant youths

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in "ront o" hi$. Without undue egotis$, hepossessed an easy conEdence, and he !ne#that, barring so$e bu$ps and scratches, that

bunch #ould need assistance in haHing hi$.;e #ould ha%e co$plied "orth#ith, had notBill gi%en an ulti$atu$. With a s$all boDunder his le"t ar$, he shi"ted his crutch to hisle"t Engers and slipped the "ree hand into hispoc!et, dra#ing "orth about the #ic!edestloo!ing pistol that any thug #ould use. he

E%e began bac!ing a#ay, the spo!es$anturning Juite pale and the others, no doubt,"eeling $uch as he loo!ed.

@Would you )ndians #ant to haHe $e@ Billas!ed.

@A#, no. &ou're eDe$pt, o" course. We don't

bother #ith cripples, !ids, old ladies nornatural cri$inals.@ his atte$pt to be #ittytrailed o #ea!ly.

@Well, $y "riend here is carrying glass and #ecan't tarry no#. Any inter"erence #ith hi$ #illresult in $y turning cri$inal instanter, and

)'$ !een to do so. Go on, Gus.@Gus #ent on, and Bill, #ith #eapon still inhand, "ollo#ed a"ter. ;e turned to call bac! tothe Iabbergasted E%e(

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@&ou can End us in our roo$ any ti$e a"ter today. Getting haHed is really great sport, and#e #on't pull any guns on you thenK@

;ardly hal" an hour elapsed be"ore thereca$e a !noc! at the door o" the roo$occupied by Bill and Gus. A $o$ent be"ore,Gus had been do#n to get a pair o" pliers thathad dropped out o" the #indo# and t#o #ideeyed lads in the hall#ay had hailed hi$(

@hat crutchthu$per that roo$s #ith you isin "or the G. B.,@ one had said and the otherhad added(

@Say, he $ust be a bla$ed "ool to carry a gunand pull it here. 'PreD' #on't stand "or that.@

Bill called a @7o$e in@ in ans#er to the !noc!,and no less than President Field and Pro"essorWhitco$b, both loo!ing %ery stern, entered.

@Bro#n and Grier, ) ha%e heard #ith real painand %ery great surprise, a"ter the letter "ro$Pro"essor Gray highly reco$$ending you t#olads, that you ha%e so soon sho#n utter

disregard "or the rules, the standing, thedecency o" our institution by carrying anddra#ing a deadly #eapon, a pistol, and onslight pro%ocation. his is deser%ing o" instanteDpul@

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@Sure is, *octor Field, i" it #ere so. But it isn't.And please, also, do not hold the idea that it#as on slight pro%ocation. hey #ere going to

haHe us, or rather Gus here, *octor. We hadjust seen so$ething o" this sort, #ith theresult that Fle$ing, o" 7hicago, had a ruinedsuit and pana$a, a Ene #atch destroyed, anda lot o" $oney and papers probably lost. Weca$e here to studyC our $eans are li$itedC i"#e $et #ith such a disaster our Enances

#ouldn't stand it and #e'd ha%e to go ho$eCthat's all there is to it. =o#, ) can't oer you acigar, *octor, because you don't and ) don'ts$o!e, but i" ) did )'d probably carry the$ inthis case.@

With that Bill dre# "orth the nic!eled pistolagain, snapped it open and disclosed a rather

uniJue cigar case #hich he eDtended to#ardthe $en.

@8h, you $ean that this thing #as@

@+ust that, *octor. ) hope #e ha%e respect "orthe institution to #hich #e ha%e co$e "or a

$uch needed and #anted education. But )sa# no har$ in "ooling those chaps #ho thin!they ha%e the right to co$pel us to lose a loto" ti$e and $oney. A$ ) right@

President Field #as hu$anC he tilted bac! his

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head and laughed $ost heartily, nudging thepro"essor also, in Juite a boyish #ay.

@We are greatly relie%ed, and ) #ish you hadscared those young rascals $ore than youdid. Pro"essor, #e shall si$ply ha%e to put astop to this haHingstop it under pain o"dis$issal. And this jo!e, no#it should be$entioned at chapel, eh ) really #ant tothan! you, young gentle$en, "or doing theschool a distinct "a%or.@

@We hope to add to the jo!e so$e#hat by to$orro#, i" you #ill !indly hold up that haHingban "or one day.@

@And ho# is that, $ay ) as!@

@Would you $ind i" #e !eep it a s$all secretuntil then We can pro$ise to re"rain "ro$anything dread"ul.@

@But then #e@

@Please, *octor. his, i" you #ill trust us, #illdo $ore real good than anything the "aculty

can do in the #ay o" verboten. +ust t#enty"our hours, *octor.@

@Well, #ell, #e shall see. Fro$ #hat Gray#rote, ) thin! #e $ay trust you. Goode%ening, boys.@

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CHAPTER III

;AM1*

At the long supper table in the spaciousbase$ent o" the dor$itory, $any curiousglances #ere ai$ed at Bill and Gus, and $anya terse re$ar! #as shot at the$ respectingtheir departure "ro$ the honorable #ays andthe rules o" the school. ost pronounced #erethe eDpressions o" #onder o%er the "act thatthe carrier o" concealed #eapons had notbeen eDpelled, or suspended at once. Finally asopho$ore #hose inIuence see$ed to count$ost ga%e %oice to the pre%ailing senti$ent(

@Well, ) $ust say i" that gun had been pulledon $e, )'d ha%e $ade the cad use it.@

@)'ll bet you #ould, too, SieboldK@ declared anad$irer.

Bill got on his "eet and there #as an instanthush. here #as so$ething to eDpect "ro$the daring and apparently success"ul gun$an.;e laughed, and that also charged the

at$osphere. When he spo!e he had undi%idedattention(

@&ou #ould ha%e run li!e any other scaredpuppy,@ Bill said to Siebold. @We #ould ha%e

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listened to you !iyiing "or about a $ile. Say,loo! here, you haHers( &ou're a bunch o" $utsK;ear $e he #hole lot o" you couldn't haHe

anybody that puts up a Eght, i" you playedany#ay "air and ga%e a little notice. We'll gi%eyou a dare, Siebold, you and all your deputies,though ) suppose you'll send the$ and hangbac! yoursel". We'll be ready to ta!e all thehaHing you "ello#s can gi%e to$orro#a"ternoon at about three o'cloc!C only there

isn't one o" you #ho #ill ha%e the ner%e tosho# up. 8h, 'no #eapons' hat #as only acigar case ) pulled on you today. )t #ouldn'tshoot, but, by crac!y, it #or!edK@ And Billlaughed, #ith Gus and a "e# others #hoad$ired the boy's ner%e.

here #as a sensation at once. =e%er be"ore

in the history o" the school had a "resh$andared the upper class$en to haHe hi$, or hadna$ed the ti$e and place. Would such a planhold out

)t #ould, and it did. he %ery no%elty o" thething had assured it, as Bill eDpected. So$e

little ti$e be"ore the hour gi%en, a nu$ber o"#ouldbe spectators began to gather in thehall#ay, as Bill and Gus, studying in theirroo$, could tell "ro$ the tra$ping o" "eetoutside their door. hen there #as the louder

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tra$p o" "eet co$ing nearer and #ithout apreli$inary call or !noc! the door Ie# open.he chu$s loo!ed up "ro$ their boo!s #ith

#ell si$ulated surprise. )n the door#ay andcro#ding behind stood se%eral upperclass$en and easy conEdence #as #ritten allo%er their eager "aces.

@7o$e right in, gentle$enC #e are at yourser%ice,@ said Bill.

@;o, $enK What's this Wire entangle$ents@

he Juestion #as opportuneC Ii$silystretched across in "ront o" the attac!ingparty and about shoulder high #ere so$ecopper #ires, and about eJually spaced belo##ere others. )t could be seen that these

oered no serious chec!, as anyone couldspread the$ apart and push through. )t #ase%idently #ith this intention that the haHers"airly struggled through the door in the eorto" each to be Erstat least hal" a doHenyouths had their hands on the #ires. hen Billleaned bac! against the #all and his hand

ca$e in contact #ith a button.Pande$oniu$K 7ries o" distress, yells o"so$ething $ore than disco$"ort, ho#ls o"dis$ay, calls "or succorthe S 8 S in otherthan code signals. his #as a %ery pretty

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chorus increased by so$e others #ho, hastilyco$ing to the rescue, also beca$e entangled.he rest, chieIy onloo!ers, re"rained "ro$ too

close acJuaintance #ith the %ery apparentcause o" all the trouble. But the truly crucialpart o" the crisis #as due to the "act thatthose #ho suered by contact #ith the #ires"ound it i$possible to get a#ay "ro$ thesource o" distress.

CHAPTER IVG88* W)LL A=* F)N

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But there #as one "ello#, Albert Shurtlie", #hoso deeply resented the electric shoc!ing thathis desire "or instant retaliation robbed hi$ o"

caution. ;e #as co$ing right o%er the #iresagain and did get partly through be"oreanother touch o" the #all button ga%e hi$ asecond siege o" #rithing. he others loo!edon in #onder, con%inced that the best thingthey could do #as to re$ain Juiescent. Gussaid(

@Let up on hi$, Bill, and i" he #ants to co$ethrough@

Again the button. he still "urious sopho$oredid get past the #ires and #as going to $a!ea rush at Bill #hen Gus stood in his #ay.

@=o#, please. &ou ought to go a little slo#.@hat #as a #ay Gus had in $a!ing a protestagainst #hat $ight end in a scrap. But#ithout "urther ado, Shurtlie", #ho #asco$$only !no#n as @Scrapper Bert,@ let Iyan angry Est right at Gus' eDposed ja#.

)" the electrically charged #ires had surprised

the $ischie"$a!ing upper class$en, thesudden collapsing o" their Estic cha$pionshoc!ed the$ e%en $ore. Scrapper Bert #asrather noted "or his pro#ess. =o one cared toput on the glo%es #ith hi$, nor to gain his

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displeasure. o see the ne# boy, a @$easly"resh$an,@ not as tall, as hea%y nor as old asBert, catch the assailant's harddri%en Est in

the pal$ o" an instantly eDtended hand andthen let dri%e #ith his o#n right a neat, shortar$ uppercut that got Bert just #here he had$eant to get Gus, #as a needed lesson to thes$ug conceit that too o"ten goes #ith addedschool years. Bert, "ro$ a seat on the Ioor,#hich he had ta!en #ithout choice o" the

spot, regarded his opponent through hal"closed eyes #ith a certain nonchalance, hisanger Ied. ;e slo#ly got to his "eet, cli$bedbac! through the #ires #ithout "urtherthought as to their being charged, and stood#ith his co$panions, Juite sub$issi%e and$ute.

As usual on all occasions de$anding #ords,Bill's tongue #as loosened(

@Loo! here, "ello#s, #e #ant to gi%e you theright dope on this thing( &ou see #e are hereto studyto try and go through i" our $oneyholds out. 8ur people are not rich and, li!e

o$ 1dison #hen he #as a boy, #e'%e got tohustle on short allo#ance. And #e really can'taord to be haHed, as you did that ne# chapyesterday. )" #e had to buy ne# clothes and#atches and caps, #e'd ha%e to Juit school

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see And #e !ne# you ne%er $issed anybody$uch, so #e naturally, as!ing your pardon,got up this nice little reception "or you. =o# to

get right do#n to brass tac!s, you see ourposition and respect ite%eryone o" youand,putting yoursel%es in our position, you don'tbla$e us, nor hold any grudgesC isn't thatso@

Siebold, spo!es$an, $ade reply, a"terthin!ing a little.

@8h, #ell, ) suppose all is "air in #ar. &ou'%ehad your innings no#, o" course, but #e'llha%e ours later.@ And then he added( @We'llget you.@

Fro$ #hat *octor Field said, Bill and Gus

!ne# better. ;aHing #ould be bro!en up onpain o" eDpulsion, as it should be in all schools#here the attendance is "or businesspurposes, the getting o" a technical educationas a $eans o" li%elihood. he boys "elt thatperhaps in a college art course, #hereeducation beco$es $uch play on the part o"

#elltodo lads, class "racases, bo#l Eghts,initiations and the li!e $ay not be a$iss, butthey did not intend to let open brutality robthe$ o" their chance to study. And, ho#e%ersure they "elt that Siebold's threat #as idle,

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there #ould be a satis"action in #inning theiro#n Eght.

@=o#, that's just #hat #e #ant to tal! to you"ello#s about,@ Bill declared. @&ou don't #antto thin! about 'getting' us. We #ant you tocall this all o and "or goodC #e #ant you togi%e your #ord on itC see@

@=oC #e can't@ began Siebold.

@Won't, eh@ Bill's #ords ca$e sharp andclear. @Well, then, ta!e a little $ore treat$ent"or your bla$ed "oolishness.@ And Bill touchedanother button.

he contortions, the #rithings, the shrie!sand cries that "ollo#ed Juite surpassed the"or$er eDhibitions. he #ell#orn #oolen rugthat Etted "ro$ #all to #all across the end o"the roo$ #here stood the se%en see$ed tobe charged #ith red hot needles. Suddenlythese ceased to leap and ju$p and burnC theold rug and the hidden #ires under it #ereagain Juiescent. But the strident %oices o" theaOicted prisoners #ere not silenced, though

the late la$entings #ere gi%en o%er to a$edley o" conde$nations, appeals andpleadings.

@Say, go a little slo# on thisK@

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@7all it o, con"ound youK@

@Are you trying to electrocute us@

@Say, Bro#n, please@

@Let's call it Juits, "ello#sK@

@We'll call it Juits i" you #ant. ) suppose #e'%egot to hand it to you t#o.@ his last "ro$Siebold.

@Going to call it all o, then Gi%e us your#ordK We can't belie%e that any "ello#s inarshallton ech #ould go bac! on their#ord.@ Bill #as s$iling genially.

@hat can't be called in Juestion. All o. &ou'reeDe$pt.@ here #as a general acJuiescence

to this. he door slo#ly and to the se%en Juite$ysteriously s#ung openC the se%en startedto Ele out.

@Goodby, "ello#s, and no hard "eelings. We#ere only ha%ing a little "un #ith you as you#ere going to ha%e #ith us. &ou can't@

@Well, but you t#o ha%e still got tore$e$ber,@ said Siebold, sha!ing his Enger atBill and Gus, @that you are "reshies and $ust!eep in your places. &ou'%e got a little thebetter o" us this ti$e, but@

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@Golly, *an,@ spo!e up a "ello# haHer, @a littlethe better Stri!es $e #e'%e all been goodand lic!ed and these chaps ought to get the

credit "or@ he %oice died a#ay along thehall and Bill turned to his chu$.

@We don't #ant any credit, do #e, Gus But#e #ill get it just the sa$e #hen this getsout. ) sort o' thin! our little stoc! has gone upabout one thousand percentu$, e%en though#e are"reshies.@

his pro%ed Juite correct. )n a "e# $inutes alot o" "resh$en had cro#ded into the roo$and there #as a sprin!ling o" sophs also.uestioned eagerly, Bill eDplained Juite "reelythe purpose o" the encounter and its result.Whereupon a big, "at soph declared Juite

%ehe$ently(

@;uhK hey #ere easily lic!ed. =o pluc!.&ou're luc!y to ha%e run into a bunch o"Juitters.@

@&ou #ouldn't ha%e Juit, eh, +u$bo@ %enturedanother, grinning.

@;uhK =othing li!e this contraption@ beganthe hus!y "ello#, ad%ancing and laying hishand on the top cross #ire.

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@=ot e%en "or a little thing li!e this@ JueriedBill, reaching the #all button.

@8#K BlaHesK uitK *on'tK 8h, darnK StopKurnitoK 1eeeeK ;elpK@ And the instantthe stabbing current ceased, Fatty "ell bac!"ro$ it and glared at Bill.

@&ou really can't bla$e the$ "or Juitting, canyou@ as!ed Bill, and "or ans#er the hus!ysoph turned and Ied "ro$ the roo$, "ollo#ed

by the jeering laughter o" the cro#d.

And that ended it. A"ter Bill had as!ed thecro#d i" any or all o" the$ #anted to test the@con%incer,@ as he called the electricalrigging, he bade the onloo!ers #ho Elled thehall#ay a pleasant au revoir, and Gus again

pulled the strings that closed the door.

CHAPTER V

FA1 A=* F)=A=71S

=othing could ha%e ta!en place to put thelads "ro$ Freeport on the pedestal o" "a$e

$ore noticeably than this eDperi$ent. heyhad easily and $odestly staged a co$pletebrea!do#n o" the haHing habit at arshalltonech. Strangely perhaps there #as no bla$enor suspicion put upon Bill and Gus "or the

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subseJuent edict "ro$ the "aculty "orbiddingit. hat see$ed to be considered a naturala"ter$ath to the ne#s o" the electrical

reception o" the haHers.

he stunt did $ore than earn the boys a largeshare o" "a$e. )t $ade the$ so deser%edlypopular, e%en #ith $ost o" the upperclass$en, that they soon counted a good$any "riends and a considerable nu$ber o"patrons "or radio construction. )t is a ratherodd "act that $ethods already $astered bythose o" their o#n age appeal to boys $orethan the teachings o" their elders. So,although the students #ere getting, or hadgot, the theory o" radio acti%ity and thepractice o" #ireless "ully stued into the$,they turned o"ten to Bill and Gus "or help.

here #ere a nu$ber o" the #elltodo, e%ena$ong the seniors, #ho #anted radiorecei%ers $ade, or coaching in $a!ing theiro#n, and to this Bill and Gus responded out o"school hours, #ith the consent o" thepresident, thus earning a good $any dollars.

So as not to inter"ere in any #ay #ith theschoolshop progra$, and not to cro#d thoselads #ho #ere Ending the roo$ in the shopand the tools to their ad%antage, Bill and Gusrented an unused storeroo$ in the base$ent

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o" the dor$itory. hey cleared it out, sent "ortheir o#n tools at Freeport, purchased othersa "ootpo#er lathe, a jigsa# and a hand #all

drilland put up so$e benches. Besides#or!ing therein the$sel%es, they chargedalso the $odest price o" t#entyE%e cents anhour to others $echanically inclined.

he liberal$inded school "aculty "ound no"ault #ith an arrange$ent #hich could only$ean a $ore thorough learning and a Enerco$radeship a$ong the students. hepro"essors, #ho o"ten %isited and e%en #or!edin the little shopso$e o" the$ paying theirJuota alsoca$e to re"er "a$iliarly to theplace as the @co$$ercial and salesdepart$ent.@

Pro"essor Grant, the %ery able teacher o"physics, #ho possessed "ar $ore theoretical!no#ledge than practice, ga%e the boys $any%aluable ideas out o" class, and got so$ehi$sel", being also a deadhead. And Search,the $anualtraining teacher, #ho !ne# theuse o" tools as a bee !no#s honey, got a "e#

ideas #hile i$parting $any, as he also #as$ade #elco$e to tin!er around the boys'shop.

hese #ere truly strenuous days and #ee!s

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@Sorry, $y boyC you'%e certainly got a #ic!edright and you can use the other.@

@)'d #ant to use both,@ asserted Gus,laughing.

As "or Bill, the hours each day and all o"Saturday spent in the shop suced "oreDerciseC the rest #as spent in study, brie"eating and no $ore sleep than he needed.And nearly e%ery $o$ent that could be

spared "ound both boys in their shop.

hey had under #ay the construction o" E%eradio recei%ers o" the Ener type, "or each o"#hich they #ould get siDty dollars, the$aterials costing about E"teen dollars. heserecei%ers #ere eJual to $ore than a thousand

$iles, #ith strong, durable batteries and %ery#ide a$pliEcation. As #ith their Erst radioand the one "or their good old "riend, r.;ooper, they $ade nearly all the partsthe$sel%es, e%en to the s#itch ar$s,contacts, buHHer and binding posts, cutting allthreads #ith a Ene set o" standard taps and

dies.hey also had t#o crystal sets to $a!e, "or#hich they charged t#enty dollars each, and$ade a proEt o" se%enteen dollars o%er thecost o" the $aterials.

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he $ost interesting #as the $a!ing o" "ourportable sets, #ith %acuu$ tube detectorsand loop aQrials not o%er siD inches in

dia$eter, each pac!ed in s$all, neatly $ade#ooden cases about the siHe o" an ordinarypaper shoe boD, the lids #hen opened "or$ingthe upright panels and the loop aQrials hingedto open out and upright. Being rather uniJuein design, and satis"ying "ads "or unusualconstruction, the boys "elt they should get at

least E"ty dollars "or each o" these sets, the$aterials costing about t#el%e dollars.

1arning enough in this #ay to help the$along %ery nicely #ith their schooling, andbeing $ore deeply interested in their #or!than in anything else, it #as not surprisingthat Bill and Gus "ound little ti$e "or play.

When they had Enished one o" the larger andt#o cheaper sets, that upon installation at"raternity and boarding houses #ere "ound to#or! $ost satis"actorily, the cash #as Juic!lypaid o%er. Bill di%ided it eJually and handedhal" to Gus.

@=o, you don't, old "ello#K@ Gus de$urred.@&ou get this and you can pay $e a sort o"#ages i" you #ant to, or you needn't. &ou didall o" the planning, the@ ;e got no "urther "or

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Bill started in #ith this indignant tirade(

@&ou're a "atheaded, heterogeneous,Juadrangular parallelepipedonK What are youtrying to get through your top!not, any#ay*on't #e al#ays #or! together )sn't it apartnership@

@ButerBill@

@'Butter bill' Sure. his #ill pay our bread bill,

too, and our entire board bill "or so$e ti$e.And #hat #e'll get out o" these other sets #illsee us through all o" neDt year nicely, #ithout#orrying. hen so$ething #ill turn up "or thethird year. =o#, then, #ill you #rite to 7otton Staples "or that additional #ire, or shall )@

@) #ill, o" course, but this $oney@

@8h, shut upK )" you say another #ord aboutit, )'ll la$ a battery coil at you'b'gorry'asr. ;ooper says. Well, no#, rec!on )'d betterturn up and thread so$e $ore binding posts.@

CHAPTER VI

A=8;1R F1LL8W

)t #as in and o%er the #or! o" the boys' shopthat Bill and Gus Erst $et the )talian student.A$ong the upper class$en they had noticed

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a s$all, oli%es!inned, blac!eyed chap, #itha rather sole$n "ace, #ho appeared to be%ery reticent. )t #as said that he #as a close

and a bright student #ho, though not lac!ing"or $oney, too! little interest in sports,belonging only to the @bruisers,@ as the boDingclass #as called. 8ne a"ternoon, #ith Gandy,#ho #as getting a radio set $ade, thestranger appeared and stood in the door#ay,gaHing at the busy #or!ers. At Erst neither o"

the radio eDperts sa# hi$. hen he ad%anced.@) ha%e the desire %ery $uch to $a!e "or$ysel" co$plete a radio getterah#hat youcall &es, a recei%er.@ ;e addressed Gus, #ho#as laying out the hoo!up "or a crystal set.

@here's nothing %ery hard about it,@ Gus

replied, loo!ing up #ith his ready s$ile andscrutiniHing the )talian boy.

@&ou pay the right here, the pri%ilegeC is thatnot so@

@&es, #e rent the roo$,@ said Gus.

@Ah, soC but ) $ean@ he ne#co$er turnedpartly to#ard Bill #ho dre# near at the$o$ent and had o%erheard the Juestion.

@&ou $ean #e charge those #ho #or! here

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&es, "or the use o" our tools and $achines, butnot "or any hints and ad%ice #e can gi%e. heschool shop is at your $ercy, too, #ithout

charge, as you !no#.@ Bill also siHed up hisJuestioner #ith a certain curiosity and #aspleasantly i$pressed.

@) do not li!e the school shop. here are so%ery $any concon#hat you call it &es,conIicting. ) should li!epre"erchoose toco$e here, i" ) $ay do so.@

@7o$e along. &ou !eep account o" your o#nti$e here, and you can pay us #hen you li!e.&ou can get your o#n $aterials, or #e can getthe$ "or you at the prices #e pay. We boughtup so$e old pieces o" "urniture cheap to cutup "or bases and cabinetsenough #alnut to

$a!e a hundred. =o charge "or it. ;elpyoursel".@

@&ou are, ) #ish to say it, %eree liber!indgenerous. )t is too little that you paycharge, )$ean it. ) #ill as! "or your $aterials and ) #illco$$encebeginstart, eh on to$orro#.

Will that be satis"y@@Any old ti$e. )" #e are not here, #al! in andgo to it. 7hec! your hours up on this pad,see What is your na$e@

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@Anthony Sabaste it is. ) a$ called ony by$ost. y country it is )taly, but A$erican )no# a$. y "ather is o" the cityli%ing there.

;ere, no#, ) #ill pay you E%e dollars onacc@

@=o, you #on't,@ said Bill. @We'd rather ha%eyou pay a"ter a #hile and you can see thatthe #or! goes all right. ;ere, )'ll sho# you theropes.@

@Ropes But ) care not to $a!ebuild a ship. )tis a radio@

@8h, sure, ) get youC but that's only slang. &ouha%e been here long enough, ) should guess"ro$ your tal!, to get on to our A$erican gu.Well, #e're glad to !no# you, r.@

@Sabaste, but ) best li!e) pre"er calling $eony. )t $eans in your language, ) get on to it,as Ene, grand, "atnobut s#ell outso$ebody $uch, eh@

@)t does, sureK )'ll introduce $y partner,Augustus GrierC Gus "or short, or he'll get

$ad. hey call $e Bill Bro#n, generally"orgetting the Bro#n, e%en here at school,#here '$ost e%eryone gets his last na$e.First na$es are $ore "riendly.@

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@) li!e it, too. )n $y nati%e it is $ore $ostlySignor, e%en to young#hat you call it >ids,as us, eh@ ony s$iled genially, his "ace

lighting up $ost agreeably. @So$e they call$e 'Wop,' or 'Sphagetti'.@

he boys learned that the intelligent young"oreigner #as in the graduating class #hichhad escaped a lot o" practical radio #or!C thathe !ept $uch to hi$sel", either because o" areal or "ancied notion that social lines $ightbe dra#n against hi$, or because he #asnaturally unsocial. But a"ter he began the$a!ing o" a radio set and ca$e in dailycontact #ith Bill and Gus, the young )taliansee$ed to gro# a little out o" hi$sel",beco$ing less reticent and secluded. hegood "ello#ship o" t#o lads a little younger

than he, both gi%ing hi$ "riendship andconEdence, laughing at his errors o" speech inper"ect good nature and #ithout ridicule, andat their o#n "oibles as #ell, co$pelled the)talian boy to li!e the country o" his adoption$uch better than he had be"ore. his heeDpressed to Gus(

@&ou li!e $eno, ) $ean ) you li!e. &es, that is$a!ing to laugh, eh Funny, %ery. Well, )$ean to say it, you and Bill %ery $uch also.Why not &ou lo%e the li%e. &ou lo%e the study.

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&ou $a!e the happiness. &ou ha%e the greatthe large, eh the big heart. All to you is niceand Ene and it is eJual to the doing, but you

say it, it is #orth the #hile. his $a!es good#ill and !ind thoughts to others, also byothersnoC "ro$ others. &ou are li!e one dolcepicture in $y ho$e. )t is by t#o little birds"abricating their nest and all the ti$e thusthey are o" song, singing, gay #ith li%ing and#or!ing, helping so $uch al#ays also to $a!e

all the country, this old #orld happy andsatis"ycontent. So, to $yto $e, you arereally it, eh &ou are the real thing.@

@)" Bill had heard you say all this, ony, he'ddeclare you're both an orator and a poet,@said Gus, laughing.

@And neither a$ ). But o" $y country thereare $any o" such, and o" learning also,science, the great learning. any large $eno" the yesterday and $any o" the today also.)n this #or!, too, the Erst, "or is notarconi@

@Say that na$e to Bill and hear hi$ shoutso$e praises.@

@So And #ill Bill spea! goodnoblehigh o"Signor arconi hen ), too, can spea! nobleo" Signor 1dison, the A$erican. But #hat say

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no# i" ) can tell it to you that $y "ather, he isone sure and big "riend o" Signor arconi. 8urho$e, in )talia, #hat you callthe estate o"

us, it is not $uch a great distance "ro$ Signorarconi o" his estate. 8"ten ) ha%e seen hi$.And so you understand@

@By crac!yK Radio $ust ha%e been in the airo%er there and you caught itK@ declared Gus.@=obody could ha%e it do#n any $ore patthan you ha%e. Bill and ) ha%e got so$edandy ideas "ro$ you.@

@hat #e ha%e,@ agreed Bill, thu$ping in.@What is it no#, Gus, that our "riend@

@Why, Bill, ony !no#s arconiK +ust telling$e about it.@ And Gus #ent on brieIy to

repeat that #hich the )talian had related. Bill,to use a terse but slangy ter$, proceeded togo up in the air.

@Why, holy cats, ony, you are "ro$hence"orth the cheeseK his school has gone#ireless $ad,you !no# that,and thecountry is pretty $uch in the sa$e ED, and

"or the reason that radio is about the biggestthing in the #orld. And, "ello#s, this just Ets.We are doing thingse%erybody isin radioand no# #e are goingthis school is goingtohonor the situation i" #e can start it that #ay.

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For, "ello#s, arconi's yacht, the Elettra, is in=e# &or! ;arbor, #ith arconi on board $osto" the ti$e. And ony, #e'll get *octor Field to

let us ha%e a #hac! at the trans$itter andyou can tal! to your "riend, or telegraph yourdad and ha%e hi$ co$e up and radiophonearconi. And then #e'll listen in "or his reply,"or )'%e read he's a#"ully Ene and goodnatured. )sn't that so@

@)t is so, sure and indeedK@ declared the )talianyouth. @) a$ o%erenjoyedC you say so, ehthat #e shall do this. Let us no# go, upon this$o$ent, and tal! to the good doctor. here#ill be no lecturing at this ti$e o%er thecasting abroad@

@he broadcasting trans$itter =o, #e can

surely get a #hac! at it.@

CHAPTER VII

1SSAG1S

*octor Field, $uch interested, acco$paniedthe boys to the school broadcasting roo$,

and a"ter deter$ining "ro$ so$e data athand the #a%e lengths that #ould berecei%able on the arconi yacht, ony begantal!ing earnestly, al$ost too rapidly, into thehorn, the crac! and buHHing o" the battery

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charges $a!ing a sound li!e that o" a riIegallery. he president, Bill and Gus also hadrecei%ing 'phones cla$ped to their ears.

@)" he doesn't $ind, you $ight as! hi$ toreply in 1nglish, please,@ reJuested the*octor, and ony nodded.

And presently a reply did co$e, though in)talian. ony got it, at so$e little lengthC then#ith a gesture o" disappoint$ent he turned to

the others(

@)t is an attendan assister. ;e in"or$s $ethat the #ireless #iHard, Signor arconi,#ho$ ) eDplain is a "riend to $e and $y"a$ily and he !no# our na$e, that the signoris a#ay on the earthno, on land, you say it,

attends so$e occasion, or is entertain o"A$erican "riends and he #ill not return this$any hour. So that it is no %alue, or you sayuseless, to cast #ide to hi$ again no# at this$o$ent and ) a$, as you say, deject@

hey all laughed and cheered ony #ith theassurance that there #ould be another

occasion. hen Bill oered his idea to thepresident(

@*octor, #e ha%e a notion that this radiobusiness right no# ought to ha%e a sort o"

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celebration '$ost e%ery#hereC and our school$ight set the eDa$ple. Radio is getting to bean a#"ully big thing, nearly as big as the

$o%ies. And no# here's arconi. 7ouldn't #estart a general hurrah "or radio, bring theapparatus do#n to the asse$bly roo$, ha%ea big concert, send out so$e $essages andget ony here, #ho !no#s arconi, to gi%e usa tal! on the in%entor o" the #ireless #hen he#as a boy, and that sort o" thing 8" course, i"

this #ould inter"ere #ith studies, or@@)t need not, Bro#n, it need not in the least,@agreed the president. @) li!e your ideai$$ensely and ) "oresee so$e "eatures that#e can add. Suppose #e ED it "or the latterpart o" this #ee!, handbill it in the to#n alsoand $a!e it a gala occasion. )t is another #ay

o" calling attention to the school and the !indo" #or! #e do here. &ou #ill all help Pro"essorGrant and the janitor #ith the $echanicaldetails, #hich should not ta!e long. And i"Sabaste #ill co$$unicate #ith arconi so asto $a!e sure #e can get a $essage "ro$ hi$,that #ill be the cli$aD.@

he idea pro%ed i$$ensely popular. hereare $any such plans "or calling studentstogether to instil interest in %arious thingsthat pro%e @#et blan!ets@ #hen put into

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operation, but radio, as else#here, had ta!enthe school by stor$. Separate depart$entshad been organiHed this year "or it. )t #as

eJually an interesting plaything and a sourceo" $ental gy$nastics. )t #as a $atter o"curiosity, and not to be interested, #as to beout o" the s#i$.

Bill got busy, as hardly e%er be"ore in hisstrenuous career. Because o" his uncertain1nglish, ony bal!ed at gi%ing an address onarconi, so Bill copied "acts and #rote the#hole thing out "or ony to $e$oriHe, puttingin $any o" the )talian's phrases, corrected.And getting the Elettraagain, arconi's"or$er and youth"ul neighbor #as able to$a!e a date "or a $essage "ro$ the #ireless#iHard on the e%ening o" the radio

celebration.

hat night there #as a cro#d in the asse$blyroo$. 1%ery student #as there, hal" the to#n,$any people "ro$ the country around and a"e# "riends o" the school "ro$ %ariousdistances. *octor Field introduced the

occasion brieIy. Pro"essor Grant ga%e a tal!on the history and rapid gro#th o" radioco$$unication. Pro"essor +udson, assistant inphysics, tal!ed on the @little bottles,@ as the%acuu$ tubes are o"ten called. Pro"essor

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Search tal!ed on the possible "uture o" radio.hen the *octor arose again and said(

@We #ant to ha%e $e$bers o" our studentbody, also, eDpress to you our interest in thisgreat subject. We are "ortunate to ha%e thisyear a pupil #ho, though yet a "resh$an, hassho#n an unusual grasp o" the technicalitieso" radio. ) a$ going to as! r. Willia$ Bro#nto eDplain brieIy so$e o" the $ethodse$ployed in building, or selecting, a radiorecei%ing set, such as those he has beenengaged in $a!ing here at the school. ;isassociate, r. Augustus Grier, #ho is an artist,in $echanical $atters at least, #ill aid r.Bro#n at the blac!board.@

Bill laid aside his crutch and hobbled "or#ard

to the plat"or$, "ollo#ed by Gus, #hose easy$otions #ere in direct contrast. A round o"applause greeted the boys. his #asincreased and a burst o" laughter added #henGus too! a piece o" chal! and #ith a "e# Juic!stro!es $ade #hat suggested a broadcastingstation, #ith a rooster shouting @coc!a

doodledoo@ into the trans$itter. hen hedre# a lot o" HigHag lines to indicate the;ertHian #a%es, and at the other end o" theboard, a hen listening in and registeringhorror #hen she hears the sounds translated

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into @Juac!, Juac!.@ ean#hile, Bill hadplunged headlong into his subject.

CHAPTER VIIIRA*)8 GAL8R1

@A good $any "ol!s,@ said Bill, @get scared#hen they thin! about radio construction. hebig #ords co$e at the$ all in a bunch li!e alot o" bees, and it is to dodge. And #hen they

go to the dictionary they are lost "or sure.Potentio$eter, %ario$eter, %ariocoupler, radio"reJuency, a$pliEcation, loop aQrials, audionand gridsno, ) a$ not saying these #ords tosho# o. hey are only a part o" radioter$inology. And you'%e got to get 'e$, or you$ight as #ell ta!e radio theory and

construction on "aith and be satisEed si$plyto listen in.

@Anybody can co$$it these #ords to $e$ory#ithout a dictionary, and that's #here $ypartner shines. ;e has heard the big #ords so$uch that he tal!s the$ in his sleep, and he

ought to !no# all their $eanings, but the one$ost his siHe is 'grid.'@

;ere Gus dre# a $uch scared boy, #ith hairon end and !nees !noc!ing together,surrounded by a lot o" the #ords that Bill had

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pronounced. hen Bill, putting his hand to theside o" his $outh and leaning to#ard hisaudience as though in conEdence, said in a

stage #hisper(

@;e's doing that to sho# that he !no#s ho#to spell these #ords.

@o be serious about it, i" )'$ allo#ed,@continued Bill, @this subject o" radio is a coinerin e%ery #ay. +ust thin! o" so$eone saying

so$ething in San Francisco and so$eone elsein aine listening to it, and #ithout anyspea!ing tubes, nor #ires to carry the soundalongK A good $any "ol!s are #ondering ho#it happensho# speech can be turned intoelectricity that goes shooting in all directionsand ho# this is turned bac! into speech

again.

@Well, it's done on the telephone, o%er #ires.he %oice in the recei%er is turned intoelectric energy that passes o%er the #ires andat the other end turns again into soundseDactly li!e the %oice that started it. But

so$ebody "ound out that this sa$e energycould be shot into the air in all directions andcarried any distance, $aybe as "ar as thestars, and then #hen pretty $uch the sa$eprinciples #ere applied to this as to the

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telephone, #ith so$e $ore apparatus to sendand catch the energy, #hy, then, that #as#ireless.

@)t is really too bad, #ith all the useless shortsyllables in our language going to #aste, thatthe "ello#s #ho got up the ter$s "or radio#or! couldn't ha%e used #ords li!e 'grid,' "orinstance. hey could ha%e called a%ariocoupler a 'gol,' a potentio$eter a 'dit,' aninduction coil a 'li$,' li$ and a %ariablecondenser #ould loo! just as pretty i" it #ere#ritten out as a 'sos'but noK hey "orgot thegood eDa$ple set by the grid, the %olt andthe oh$ and they #ent and used ja#brea!ers.

@)'ll tell you another thing that $a!es thiselectro$oti%e "orce as used in #ireless easier

to understand. )t is the sun and its light. Agreat scientist, *octor Stein$etH, says thatlight and electric #a%es are the sa$e thing.Perhaps they are, though they surely #or!dierently under dierent conditions. But i"the sun has an a#"ul lot o" heat it can't send itninetyE%e $illion $ilesnot in reasonK he

heat only $a!es light and that light tra%elsthrough space. )t reaches the at$osphere o"our earth and is con%erted into heat again.Perhaps light o" the sun and stars and thereIected light o" the planets do not shine

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through space as light, but as radio #a%esthat either by our at$osphere, or by ourelectrical conditions here are con%erted into

light again,but this is hardly open to proo"e%en.@

Bill glanced at the blac!boardC Gus had dra#na big sun, #ith radiating rays, a grinning "ace,a s$all body #ith one short leg and t#ogesturing hands and had labeled it @BillBro#n, radio radiator.@ Bill $ade a $otion o"his thu$b to#ard the caricature, then spreadhis hands in $oc! despair, but not #ithout aside glance eDpressing pride in hislieutenant's per"or$ance, all o" #hich pleasedthe audience i$$ensely.

hen Bill proceeded( @his electro$oti%e

"orce #hich tra%els around and through ourlittle earth is #hat #e can actually eDperi$ent#ith. We do not !no# just #hat it is, but #eare Ending out pretty "ast #hat it #ill do.Perhaps there is hardly any li$it to #hat it #illdo. )t is generated "or po#er and light andheat, "or carrying signals and sounds o%er

#ires and through the air. What neDt +ustno# #e ha%e got all the thin!ing #e can doabout radio. )t is the siDth #onder thatelectricity has sprung upon us. ) guess #e#on't include electrocution.

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@=o#, there's no use going into technicalitiesabout construction, that's a thing that $ustbe studied out and thought o%er, not $ussed

up in a tal! li!e this. )'ll say this $uch,ho#e%er, it is the %acuu$ or audion tubedetector that gi%es results, and theapplication o" a loud spea!er is only possible#ith a %acuu$ or audion tube. )t is as easy tobuild a %acuu$ tube set as a crystal set andonly a %ery little $ore eDpensi%e. So, #hether

you are building or buying a set, $a!e it agood set, so$ething that you can hear #ith agood $any hundred $iles.

@=o#, you can buy the parts and build arecei%ing set that #ill generally gi%e $oresatis"action than a bought set.@ Bill steppedo%er to the blac!board and too! up a pointer.

@) $ay need this "or this partner o" $ine i" hepersists in caricaturing $e instead o" dra#ing#hat #e #ant. We'll $a!e things about "ourti$es as big as they ought to be. &ou can usean aQrial outdoors, #hich e%erybody no#understands, or, just as #ell and a lot handier,a loop aQrial indoors, the bigger the better,

but t#o "eet in dia$eter is big enough.

@;ere is your base and upright panel and thisis the #ay to hoo! up or #ire the parts. ;ere'syour aQrial and its ground, bet#een #hich is

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placed your %ariable condenser and tuningcoil, thus, o here bet#een condenser andcoil co$es the #ire to your %acuu$ tube, #ith

its EDed condenser and grid leads, the #irebeing connected directly to the grid, #hilehere the #ire "ro$ the tube plate is connected#ith the siD%olt storage battery and in turn#ith the phones, li!e this. hen, "ro$ thephones to the ground #ire, the #ire is carriedthus through a secondary dry cell battery, on

each side o" #hich the #ires are ta!en o to arheostat, though $y partner has s!etched thisto loo! $ore li!e a bird a"ter a caterpillar.

@) a$ not going to tell you ho# to $a!e allthese partsi" ) did you'd probably go tosleep, i" you are not hal" #ay there already.So, i" you can't End out ho# to $a!e the

parts, or contri%e the$ in so$e #ay yoursel",#hy, then, you'd better buy the$. 8nly youcan $a!e the base and do the #iring,attaching and so "orth. 1%en $y partner cando that i" he is #atched pretty closelyC it isal$ost as easy as $a!ing a s!etch o" it.

@)" any o" you really #ant to !no# ho# to builda radio set in a practical, getthere #ay, allyou'll ha%e to do is to get *octor Field'sconsent and co$e round to our shop in thebase$ent o" the school dor$itory and #e

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#on't soa! you $uch. ) than! you all "or yourattention.@

Tery #ar$ applause indicated the appro%al o"the audience, as Bill and Gus le"t theplat"or$. Again the president arose to say(

@Another o" our students has a $essage "orus in regard to radio. A$ong the notablepioneers and probably one to gi%e the subjectits greatest practical i$petus is Willia$

arconi, #hose na$e is "a$iliar to you all.he great in%entor is no# an honored guest o"this country, his yacht Elettralying o ourshores. )t see$s doubly Etting that $ore thanspecial $ention should be $ade o" hi$, andas r. Antonio Sabaste #as, in his nati%e land,a neighbor o" arconi, his "ather being really

a "riend o" the #iHard, ) thin! #e shall listen#ith pleasure to #hat this student o" theschool has to say.@

CHAPTER I

AR78=)

@y nati%e country,@ said ony, spea!ing %eryslo#ly in an eort to get the construction o"his sentences in accordance #ith Bill'scoaching and as per his #ritten arrange$ent,@is )talyC $y adopted country is A$erica. ) say

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both #ith pride, and there"ore you cani$agine #ith #hat delight ) spea! about oneo" the greatest o" )talians and one o" the

greatest a$ong the scientists o" the #orld, toA$ericans #ho perhaps $ost appreciate and$a!e use o" his disco%eries.

@Gugliel$o arconi li%ed not "ar "ro$Bologna. ;is "ather's estate is called 'TillaGrione.' =ot "ar "ro$ these $any acres #as$y "or$er ho$e, and $y "ather, #ho is alittle older than Signor arconi, !ne# hi$#ell, as #ell indeed as anyone $ight !no#one #ho #as "ro$ boyhood a rather shy,retiring "ello#, #ith a $ind gi%en o%er largelyto $echanical eDperi$ents and caring %erylittle "or play"ello#s.

@Signor arconi, the elder, #as proud o" hisson's tendencies and ga%e hi$ $echanicaltoys #hen Gugliel$o #as only a little "ello#.;is $other #as a beauti"ul 1nglish or )rishlady and she also encouraged her son in histastes. 1lectricity had a strange "ascination"or the boy and as he gre# older and began to

grasp the theories and $ethods e$ployed inits use he addressed hi$sel" $ore and $oreto electrical pheno$ena, ne%er being content#ith $ere per"or$ances, but being eager to!no# the precise $ethods o" application and

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eect.

@At Erst Gugliel$o had tutors and he led the$a $erry chase to !eep up #ith his Juestions.hen, #hen still young, he #as sent to anad%anced school in Leghorn, later enteringthe

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indolent li%es and he could ha%e done thesa$e thing. here"ore, #hat credit is dueGugliel$o "or the great success he has

achie%edK

@While Gugliel$o #as still in his teens heturned his "ather's estate into a %astlaboratory and eDperi$enting station. ;isgreat success see$ed to co$e "ro$ using alloutdoors as his #or!shop.

@)n this #ay he learned the $agic o" sound#a%es and %ibrations, so that he could sendhis 'telegra$s' #ithout a #ire. ;is ErsteDperi$ents #ere "or only a "e# yards. henhe $ade the distance longer and longer, littleby little, till at the end o" E%e years o"constant, perse%ering trial, #ith thousands o"

"ailures to be sure, he sent an air $essaget#o $iles.

@8" course, people $ade "un o" hi$. heythought he #as a cran!, i" not do#nrightcraHy and said that his "ather #as %ery "oolishindeed to encourage hi$ in #asting so $uch

ti$e and $oney in a #ay that e%ery person#ith co$$on sense could see #as #orse than$erely si$ple.

@Gugliel$o set his rude trans$ittingapparatus on a pole on one side o" a Eeld and

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on the other side a corresponding pole #asset up and connected #ith a recei%ingapparatus.

@he young in%entor's interest $ust ha%ebeen !een and his hopes high as he sat and#atched "or the tic! o" his recordinginstru$ent, that he !ne# should co$e "ro$the spar! sent across the Eeld. Wee!s hadbeen spent in the building o" theseinstru$ents, no# to be tested.

@Suddenly the orse sounder began to recordthe distant trans$ission and the boy's heartga%e an eDultant boundthe Erst #ireless$essage had been sent and recei%ed.

@any eDperi$ents "ollo#ed. Tarying heights

o" poles #ere used and it #as "ound that thedistance could be increased in proportion tothe altitude o" the poles.

@)n these Erst eDperi$ents o" the youngin%entor he used practically the sa$e$ethods that he e$ploys today. hetrans$itting apparatus consisted o" electric

batteries, an induction coil by #hich the "orceo" the current is increased, a telegrapher's!ey to $a!e and brea! the circuit. Batteries#ere connected #ith the induction coil andthe telegrapher's !ey #as placed bet#een the

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battery and the coil.

@8ne spar! $ade a single dot, a strea$ o"spar!s the dash o" the orse telegraphiccode, and #ith this crude apparatus,so$eti$es "ailing to record the signals,arconi labored #ith gro#ing "aith. ;e !ne#he #as on the right trac! and perse%ered.When he had succeeded in sending a$essage t#o $iles through the air, Gugliel$odeter$ined that it could be t#o hundred, ort#o thousand $iles, but he chose a shorterdistance to pro%e his theory. ;e #ent to the1nglish 7hannel and be"ore long the #orld#as astounded to learn that this youngstranger and eDperi$enter had sent a#ireless $essage o%er thirty $iles. A littlelater dispatches #ere sent through the air

across the 1nglish 7hannel and recei%ed "ro$the )sle o" Wight to Land's 1nd, $ore than onehundred and eighty $iles distant.

@his youth, t#entyone years old, hadsucceeded in acco$plishing a "eat thepossibilities o" #hich can hardly yet be

concei%ed. hen arconi ca$e to London toupbuild and lin! nation to nation $ore closely.;e #as #ell recei%ed in 1ngland and beganhis "urther #or! #ith all the encourage$entpossible. A series o" tests "ollo#ed that #ere

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astounding. essages #ere sent through#alls, houses, through hill and dale, pro%ingbeyond a doubt that the electric #a%es

penetrate e%erything.

@A "e# years later, #hen arconi #as t#enty"our, he $ade #ireless reports o" the >ingstonregatta "or e%ening papers in *ublin, )reland.his attracted ueen Tictoria's attention ather su$$er residence at 8sborne ;ouse, alsoon the )sle o" Wight. At this ti$e the Prince o"Wales, #ho a"ter#ard beca$e >ing 1d#ardthe Se%enth, #as ill on his yacht. his #assoon connected #ith the ueen's su$$ercastle and one hundred and E"ty $essagespassed bet#een the suering prince and hisroyal $other.

@All these #ireless $ar%elsthey see$ed$iracles then$ade Willia$ arconi #orld"a$ous be"ore he Enished his t#entyE"thyear.

@But Gugliel$o) li!e the )talian pronunciationo" his na$e better,@ continued ony, @"or ) a$

a"raid, i" ) did gee%e the 1nglish "or$, ) shouldturn it into Beel.@ ;e s$iled at our hero #hohad co$e do#n "ro$ the plat"or$ to a "rontseat and sat listening intently, and Bill Bro#nshoo! his head deprecatingly.

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@Gugliel$o did not cease #ith these triu$phs.=o, not he. ;e sa# success only in greaterdistances and he #ent at this proble$ #ith

his usual Juiet deter$ination. ;e $ade noannounce$ents, but sailed "or the )sland o"=e#"oundland and there he set up hisinstru$ents in an old barrac!s at the $outho" the harbor near St. +ohns. )n a "e# days hispreparations #ere $ade, Juite secretly. ;isplans #ere co$$unicated to no one, eDcept

his assistants, "or he !ne# there #ould be thegeneral s!epticis$ concerning his eort tosend #ireless $essages across the Atlantic8cean, but he "elt assured o" success. Atrans$itting station had been establishednear Poldhu, 7orn#all, the south#estern pointo" 1ngland. he aQrial #ires #ere on $asts

t#o hundred and ten "eet high.@As an aQrial Gugliel$o sent up a large !ite$ade o" ba$boo and sil!, Io#n on a #ire, o"courseC the #ind increased, snapping the #ireand blo#ing the !ite into the ocean.hereupon Gugliel$o used a balloon Elled#ith hydrogen gas and sent it up #hen the

#eather #as clear, but the balloon bro!ea#ay and disappeared.

@)t #as on *ece$ber , 9- that he sent upanother !ite. his held at an ele%ation o"

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nearly "our hundred "eet, and then, a"terha%ing cabled his assistants to begin sendingcertain signals pre%iously agreed upon, at a

certain hour in the a"ternoon and continuinguntil night, Gugliel$o $ade allo#ance "or thedierence in ti$e and sat #ith the telephonerecei%er at his ear, listening, #ondering,hope"ul. )t $ust ha%e been a $o$ent o"al$ost pain"ul eDpectation. ;e loo!ed out"ro$ his position high on the cli and could

see the di$, roc!y outlines o" 7ape Spear, the$ost eastern point o" the =orth A$ericancontinent. Beyond this rolled the blue Atlantic,t#o thousand $iles across #hich #as thecoast o" the British )sles. 8nly t#o persons#ere present in the old barrac!roo$ besidesthe in%entor. here #ere no reportersno one

had been apprised o" the atte$pt. arconi's"aith in the success o" his eDperi$ent #asunsha!en. ;e belie%ed "ro$ the Erst that he#ould get signals across the great stretch o"ocean.

@Suddenly there #as the sharp clic! o" theinstru$ent that could only co$e "ro$ so$e

electric disturbanceC but it #as not the signal.arconi, #ithout eDcite$ent, as!ed r. >e$p,the assistant, to ta!e the telephone recei%erconnected #ith the instru$ent and listen "or ati$e. A $o$ent later, "aintly, yet distinctly

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and un$ista!ably, ca$e the three clic!sindicating the dots o" the letter S, accordingto the orse code, the signal that had been

agreed upon #ith the assistants on the1nglish coast. A "e# $inutes later $oresignals ca$e and the in%entor and hisassistant assured the$sel%es again and againthat there could be no $ista!e. hus #astested success"ully one o" the great scientiEcdisco%eries.

@hen the achie%e$ent #as gi%en to thepublic, a"ter t#o days o" repeated signaling.he honors that #ere at once heaped uponarconi #ould ha%e turned the head o"anyone less $odest and sane. Fro$ e%eryJuarter o" the #orld ca$e plaudits. he cableco$pany, "earing injury to its business,

de$anded that he cease operations in itsterritory, #hich #as a high co$pli$ent,indeed. he people o" the 7olony o"=e#"oundland honored hi$, #ondering at hisyouthC he #as then only t#entyse%en, but aneDperi$enter o" #ide !no#ledge.

@Such #as the practical achie%e$ent upon agreat disco%ery reached by arconi the )talianand no#, $ore correctly, the cos$opolitan.hough he still $a!es his ho$e in his nati%eland, he belongs to all countries, to all

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oceans, "or it is e%ery#here no# that his greatdisco%ery is $ade use o". =o need "or $e to$ention the present day uses o" #ireless

telegraphy and radio co$$unication aidedgreatly by the in%entions o" others. But it is toarconi these o#e their initial adoption.@

CHAPTER

A 1SSAG1

A round o" applause #as gi%en the )talian ladas he #as about to lea%e the plat"or$.Suddenly ony stopped and held up his hand"or silence.

@&ou $ust notah, applaud to $e "or thisspea!ing. ) ha%e the inspire to do it, yes, but

not the #ords entire. So it is $y "riend Bro#n#ho set $e correct on the #ords and thespeeching. We are then both eJually thespeechers, $y "riend Bill Bro#n and ).@

he applause #as continued no#,a goodlynu$ber appreciated the honesty o" thisdeclaration. ony had ta!en his seat. he

president arose and began to tal! again, butcould not be heard "or so$e $ischie"$a!ingstudents #ho !ept up the rac!et.

Gus leaned o%er and spo!e to ony and then

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to Bill. Without $ore ado Bill got up, grabbedony's hand and the t#o got out on the Ioor,"aced about and bo#ed. he clapping too! a

spas$odic leap and ceased.

Bill pushed ony a#ay "ro$ hi$ and li$pedbac! se%eral "eet. hen he put his hollo#edEst to his $outh and shouted into it(

@his is broadcasting station P * K ) hope youare listening inK@

ony caught the idea at once and put his handto his ear. Bill continued(

@Stri!es $e this cro#d here is craHyK A noisybunchK aybe they thin! #e're candidates "or$ayor, or so$ethingK his radio business isso$e pu$p!insC eh, boy )'d radiophone youa $essage in )talian, only )'%e le"t $ydictionary at ho$eK Well, ) guess they'%eloo!ed at us long enough no#, so let's s#itchoK@

A$id laughter, the boys returned to theirseats.

@his is a gala occasion,@ said *octor Field,@and you $ust bear #ith the eDuberance o"our youth"ul enthusiasts. We ha%e one otherinteresting eDperience "or you, de$onstrating

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the #onders o" radio. =o#, then, r. Sabaste,i" you #ill@

ony and Gus Juic!ly le"t the roo$. Presently,through the open door and "ro$ abo%e, sharp,crac!ing sounds so$ething li!e $iniaturepistol shots #ere heard. here #as also adroning buHH and the sound o" a loudspea!ing %oice, the #ords unrecogniHed. hepresident added(

@r. Sabaste is no# broadcasting a $essage,in )talian, to the yacht Elettra, outside =e#&or! harbor. ;e pre%iously appointed this hourto send such a co$$unication to none otherthan SignorWillia$ arconi, as!ing hi$ "or a$essage to our school. We hope Sabaste $aybe success"ul.@

)n a "e# $o$ents the sounds "ro$ thetrans$itter in the broadcasting roo$ ceased.here ca$e a brie" period o" eDpectantsilence, so$e o" the audience staring aboutuncertainly, others $ore intelligently loo!ingat the big horn o" the recei%er on the plat"or$

table. he ti$e lengthened. )t threatened togro# a little tedious. hen as ony and Gushastily appeared in the door#ay, the sound o"a hu$an %oice and good, clear 1nglish #ordse$anated "ro$ the horn.

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@he yacht Elettra, arconi spea!ing. yyoung "riend, the son o" $y "riend Sabaste,no# a citiHen o" A$erica, has as!ed $e to

send a #ord o" greeting to the arshalltonechnical 7ollege,) hope ) ha%e the na$ecorrectly. ) con"ess $y being called on see$srather unusual, but yet ) a$ glad to be able toco$$unicate #ith an A$erican educationalinstitution, especially one de%oted to physical!no#ledge, $echanics and electricity.

@)t is not unli!ely you ha%e a$ong yourstudents so$e "uture great in%entorsperhaps so$e 1dison, Bell or orseti$e #illonly deter$ine this. A$erica is a nation o"in%entorsthe leaders in this $echanical age.Study, close application, the not too stringentadherence to "or$ulU and old $ethods are

bound to #in. )nspiration, %ision, the seiHingo" opportunities to i$pro%e, the #ish to gainso$ething desiredthese are the !eynotes tosuccess in the Eeld o" $echanical endea%orand scientiEc disco%ery. )n the #ords o" one o"the greatest A$ericans #ho had %isions anddid things( ')t is up to you.' ) #ish your school

and its students e%ery success.@

he %oice in the horn ceased to be heard.here #as a $o$ent o" breathless silence, ase%eryone in the audience, #ith attention

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ri%eted on the radio recei%er, listened "orother #ords to "ollo#. hen once again the*octor #as on his "eet.

@We shall later radio our gratitude to r.arconi "or this !ind and help"ul $essage#hich is a Etting cli$aD to our #irelesscelebration. We "eel that our students ha%ebeen beneEted and inspired and #e hope youha%e all been entertained. Good night.@

CHAPTER I

F1

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to be the chie" instigator o" the tendency tobelittle Bill, aided by one Luigi alatesta, aSicilian. Siebold ne%er had "orgi%en Bill and

Gus "or the electrical trap sprung on hishaHing party. ;e had a certain "ollo#ing thatshared $ost o" his opinions and plans.

alatesta #as also a soph, #ith a %erydecided penchant "or getting into trouble andsho#ing te$per. )t $ight ha%e been eDpectedthat bet#een the only t#o nati%es o" )taly inthe school there #ould be at least so$e"raternal "eeling, but these lads appearedinstincti%ely to a%oid each other, and ony'sbeing a senior, $ade this easily possible onhis part. alatesta, seeing that Bill and Gus#ere both eDceedingly "riendly #ith ony,see$ed to ta!e especial pleasure in $a!ing

conte$ptuous re$ar!s concerning all three,or in $a!ing oensi%e, insulting gestures thatthey could not help seeing. At Erst this #asaltogether puHHling because the $oti%e #asnot apparent. )t beca$e $ore e%ident,ho#e%er, "ollo#ing an incident.

Bill and ony #ere co$ing "ro$ the schoollibrary, to be "ollo#ed later by Gus, #hore$ained to add so$e notes. he subject #ith#hich they #ere all #restling co%ered%olt$eter tests and relati%e a$perage,

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principally #ith regard to batteryconstruction. he boys #ere building theiro#n batteries and $ust $a!e no $ista!es.

Bill #as thu$ping along, tal!ing, and onylistening, as usual. hey ca$e through thedouble s#inging doors o" the dor$itory on the#ay to the shop and passed a s$all group o"upper class$en in the hall#ay, alatestaa$ong the$, holding "orth. he t#o #entdo#n the base$ent stair#ay, a door closedbehind the$ and they #ere alone. onystopped.

@) $ay as! you, mio amico, you did see that"ello#, $y country$an, up there@

Bill nodded, #ondering.

@Well, it is so,@ continued ony, @that he#atches usyou because o" $e, and $ebecause o"to tell you it is so$ething, shall )&es, it #ill gi%e $e satis"y. hat alatestaLuigi his na$e it is#hy you thin! he co$eson this school ) #ill say he co$es to spy to$e. Perhaps you thin! this is absurd Juite,

but not so. )n )taly his people and $y peopleare at Eghtingno, you call it 'scrap,' eh We$a!e #ar, by "a$ily. y $other's people, oneo" the years long ago, !ill one o" this "ello#'speople at the to#n festaand they see! to !ill

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all her people and $y "ather's people ta!e nopart!no# nothing. But #hen $y "ather $eet$y $other and they are declared to $arry,

then the alatesta Eght #ith hi$ and hispeople. )s it not strange and %ery ridiculo

@And no# ) a$ co$e to the "a$ily #arbecause no $ore longer a little child and thisLuigi he s#ear he loo! a"ter $e here inA$erica, and already ) see the poniard li"tedto stri!e at $y breast, but ) shall dodge andthen $aybe use $y o#n, though hating the%endetta"euds. Why shall all this be ;o#ha%e ) $ade anger and stri"e #ith theseassassins But to reason #ith the$ is to in%itea $ore insult than death. &ou understand $ytelling@

@Sure ) do,@ said Bill. @)t is #hat #e call in thiscountry a "eud, but it is rotten. Why don't yougo to the *octor and@

@8h, noK y "riend Bill, you cannot intend so.hat #ould be poltroneco#ardK We Eght#ithout people stoppingto end, i" $ust be.@

@But a "ello# li!e thatto co$e to school herejust@

@8h, but he is s$art, Luigi alatesta, and tohi$ learning is also good, though so$e o" his

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people are lo# and $any years ago they #ereo" the banditti. And so$e #ere o" the boatbuilders and so$e #ere rich.@

he boys had reached the shop and #ere stillalone. Bill "orgot his lo%ed proble$s in tryingto co$prehend this state o" aairs.

@But ) can't understand ho# such a thingcould really be,@ he said. @We ha%e the blac!hand, it is true, but@

@Ah, no, this the blac! hand is ne%erK@declared ony. @his is o" "a$iliesnot to rob,though $aybe they do rob in ti$e and as! o"ranso$s. Such #as done by so$e alatestao" $y $other's cousin and he #as lost to us,ne%er returning.@

@But, con"ound it, ony, here he #ouldn'tdare@

@;ere he #ill dare $ore than in )taly, becausethere all #ho $a!e "a$ily #ars are suspectand $any such Juit and ha%e beco$e "riends#hen ti$e goes, but other "orgetta ne%er.

his Luigi he "orgetta ne%er, and $aybe you#ill see. We$y "ather thought #e had le"tbehind this Eghting, but to this country alsoco$e alatesta, "or s$all is the #orld andlarge is hate.@

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Bill pondered this and turned to his #or!, butdropped his tools in a $o$ent, eDplaining toony that there #ere other Egures they $ust

ha%e "or calculating the strength o" thebattery and he #ould go bac! and tell Gus.

Bill reached the base$ent stairs, and in analco%e, alone, as though see!ing to hide, #asthe "ello# Luigi. ;e turned sharply, "acing Billand glaring in e%ident resent$ent at thelatter's broad, curious stare. hen the Sicilianspo!e(

@Well, you see $e. ) it is, "resh$an. Stare at$e so$e $ore as i" ) #ere so$ething to stepon and ) #ill gi%e you $ore reason to stare.@

@What's the $atter #ith you, you, you@

de$anded Bill, stopping short and $uchincensed.

@AhK Wop Guinea *ago Sphagettso ) a$insultais it And by a shortlegK@

@)'d rather ha%e short legs than short brain.@

@) li!e you so #ell ) s$ash you in the "aceK@Suiting the action to the #ord Luigi ad%ancedupon Bill, #ho turned and s#ung his crutch$enacingly.

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What then #ould ha%e occurred it isi$possible to sur$ise, "or the crippled boy#as handy #ith the "a$iliar i$ple$ent that

so readily could be used as a #eapon, thoughthe )talian #as sturdier, hea%ier and $ucholderin "act, although s$all, he #as al$ost a$an.

But just at the $o$ent there #as a Juic!,descending "oot"all on the stair and the dooropened. Gus, #ith #ide eyes, stared at thenear and uneJual co$batants.

@;old onK@ said the big "ello#, glaring. he)talian hesitated, though but "or a $o$ent.@&ou #ouldn't really hit a "ello# #ho is la$e,#ould you@

@Ah, get a#ayK Go oK@ snarled alatesta,atte$pting to thrust Gus aside as thestrapping youth stepped in "ront o" hi$. Butthe thrust #as "utile and then Luigi, gro#ing"urious, struc! at Gus a po#er"ul blo#. he"ello# #as $uscular and Juic!, but there #asno thought behind the blo#. And there #as in

contrast a s$ile on the "ace o" the easy,athletic A$erican.

he )talian's Est #as clutched by a readyhand, $uch as a baseball #ould ha%e beencaught, and then a %ery dierently directed

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Est shot out and ca$e in contact #ith Luigi'supper sto$achhe got that generally Enalsolar pleDus blo#. Luigi ga%e a so"t, aching

grunt and san! to his !nees, then to hiselbo#s and rolled o%er on his side, in a hal"$inute $ore sitting up and gaHing around,but still in pain. ;e #as again alone.

CHAPTER II

1SS

@) suppose no# #e'll all get blo#n up, orpoisoned, or so$ething,@ Bill said to ony,a"ter telling o" the eclipse o" Luigi alatesta.

@8h, noC the alatesta are "oe$en #orthy o"our steel, to agree by an 1nglish poetC is it

not@@'Foe$an #orthy o" a steal,' ) guess you$ean,@ laughed Gus.

@&es, that's $ore li!e it. ) #ouldn't trust thatpig"aced %illain across a tenacre lot #ith atencent pieceK@ declared Bill.

@he soul o" honor doesn't d#ell in a hus!yguy #ho'd stri!e a cripple,@ said Gus. @And )bet a co# he's going to stir up $ore troublearound here be"ore he Juits $aneu%ering.@

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ony $ade no reply, but stood "or a long ti$e,gaHing at the Ioor. Presently only the soundo" tools and $achines #as heard in the shop.

)t is not probable that Luigi told o" the preciseoutco$e o" his clash #ith Bill and Gus, thoughhe $ay ha%e said enough to inIuencesopho$ore senti$ent against Bill's standingin the school. At any rate, the "eeling gre# instrength and spread until it beca$e a subjecto" co$$ent a$ong "resh$en and seniors#ho #ere inclined to sy$pathiHe #ith thebrainy and !een#itted la$e boy. At least hehad $any "riends, both high and lo#, and$ost o" the teachers ad$ired hi$ openly.

So "ar the senti$ent had been rather $oredoubt"ul and erratic than deter$ined. here

had been nothing to #arrant the assu$ptionthat Bill thought hi$sel" $ore intelligent thanthe sopho$ores, or $e$bers o" his o#n class.;is radio !no#ledge #as so$e#hat a thingapart and in that he shared #ith the lessobtrusi%e Gus.

And then the lightning struc!, suddenly andhard. 8nce each #ee! an outsider "ro$ theengineering depart$ent o" so$e bigindustrial plant, or large uni%ersity, lecturedto the entire student body o" the arshallton

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ech in the asse$blyroo$, and there #ereso$e o" these tal!ers #ho got $uch pleasureout o" it. =ot only #as it interesting to hold

"orth to a lot o" eager, responsi%e boys onsubjects that elicited their curiosity, as thebuilding o" great da$s and bridges, thetunneling under $ountains, the erection o"$ighty $achines, but it #as also di%erting tohear their %arious co$$ents #hich also led toa co$parati%e esti$ate o" their

understanding.*a%idson, chie" $echanical engineer o" agreat $ill building corporation, #as especiallyinterested in the personal eJuationconcerning the students, particularly a"ter BillBro#n bad as!ed hi$ a lot o" Juestions, so$eo" #hich he had replied to rather la$ely. 1%en

$ore as a $atter o" getting bac! at thisyoung in%estigator #ho sat #ith a crutch heldbe"ore hi$ and regarded these replies #ith as$ile than "or the desire to $easure $inds,*a%idson gathered a "e# catch proble$s that#ere stu$pers, and upon his third %isit, a"tertal!ing a#hile he s#itched o on the subject

o" proble$s, short cuts to solutions and thenput a Juestion, loo!ing hard at Bill, as thoughuttering a challenge.

@=o#, ho# #ould you go about it,@ he shot at

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his audience, @i" you #ere as!ed to $easurethe cubic contents o" an electric light bulb@

A nu$ber o" s$iles greeted the JuestionCthese $ay ha%e been "ro$ lads $ostly in thead%anced courses #ho !ne# the tric!. helecturer as!ed "or hands to be raised by those#ho thought they could do it, and noting #ithsatis"action that the crippled boy #as nota$ong the nu$ber #ho responded, he beganhearing the$, one at a ti$e.

@easure it outside and allo# "or thethic!ness o" the glass,@ said one "ello#.

@But ho# about the carbon inside@ as!ed*a%idson.

@Brea! the glass and $easure the loop,@called out a soph.

@;o# $any o" you #ould go at it in that #ay@

A nu$ber o" hands #ent up, so$e ratherreluctantly, as though their o#ners scented atric!.

*a%idson still eyed the cripple. @;o# #ouldyou do it@ he as!ed.

Bill shoo! his head and said, @)t is that oldtric! o" 1dison's and it's dead easy. ) guess a

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good $any o" our "ello#s !no# about it. &ousi$ply punch a hole in the bulb, Ell it #ith#ater, pour it bac! and $easure the #ater.@

@&esC that's right. )t is really the only sure#ay,@ said the $an, his $anner sho#ingdisappoint$ent.

@8h, noC it isn't, begging your pardon. 8h, no,not the only #ay,@ said Bill.

@Well, no#, ho# else@

@Put #ater in a graduated glass, stic! the bulbin up to the plaster seal and note theincrease. hen brea! the glass and the carbonand put that in separately, deducting the lasta$ount "ro$ the Erst.@

*a%idson scratched his head. @&esC that #oulddo it, o" course, too, but@

@But you said the other #as the only #ay,@insisted Bill.

@8h, #ell, the only Juic! and sure #ay. 8"course, there are other $ethods.@

@)'$ sorry to ha%e to disagree #ith you, but$y $ethod is just as sure and Juic!er.@

@)t $ight doit $ight doK &ou see$ to be

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ready #ith short cuts in $echanics. ;o##ould you Juic!ly di%ide a board se%enteenand threeeighths inches #ide into E%e eJual

parts 7an anyone here do it@

@hat's easy,@ said Bill.

@Well, then, ho# about this one )" a pintcup@

@&our Juestion about di%iding the board is too

interesting to pass o%er so hastily,@interrupted Pro"essor Search. @)" you #illpardon $e, ) #ould suggest that Bro#n go tothe board and de$onstrate it.@

@Will you let Grier do it ;e !no#s that oldtric!, and he is handier #ith the chal! than ).@

Gus #ent "or#ard, too! a t#o"oot rule "ro$his poc!et and laying o t#o parallel linesse%enteen and threeeighths inches apart,laid the rule diagonally across the$ so thatthe space #ould $easure t#enty inches. henhe tic!ed o at the Egures "our, eight, t#el%eand siDteen. Laying the rule straight across

"ro$ an outer line to the Erst tic! he turnedand announced(

@1ach space is practically three and E"teenthirtyseconds inches.@

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his brought "orth so$ething li!e applause,along #ith $any %ery audible re$ar!s, suchas( @Pretty cute.@ @;andy.@ @Where'd he get

it@ @7an't "ool either o" 'e$, can you@ @hose"ello#s are practical, that's sure.@

r. *a%idson s$iled sort o" absently. ;e hadto gi%e appro%al, but dropped the Juestionrather abruptly, going bac! to his lastproble$.

@=o#, see i" you can tell $e this( ) ha%e a hal"pint cup e%en "ull o" #ater, the liJuid eDactlyle%el #ith the edge o" the glass. About ho#$any oneinch brads $ust ) drop into the cupbe"ore the #ater o%erIo#s Water, youunderstandnot oil, nor $olasses. his is anold eDperi$ent and it concerns a #ell!no#n

physical la#. )" anyone has seen it done he#ill !indly re$ain silent. =o#, #ho #ill $a!e aguess as to the nu$ber o" nails@

1%ery bro# #as #rin!led, eDcept those o" a"e# conclusion ju$pers o" #ho$ there $ustbe so$e in e%ery cro#d. 8ne o" these latter

"ello#s shouted at once( @About a hal" doHenand it'll slop o%erK@

@)t'll ta!e only one or t#o,@ said another.

@=ot $ore than a doHen, any#ay.@

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But the others, $ostly lads capable o" real$ental eDercise, #ere all cudgeling theirbrains. )t #as a subject #hich had $uch to be

ta!en into consideration. Presently one seniorspo!e up(

@)t ought to ta!e $ore than an ounce o"the$.@

@=early as $uch, any#ay.@

@ore. hat'll "ool you $ightily.@

@)t loo!s as though a "e# brads #ould do it,but it #ill ta!e a lot.@

@And #hy@ as!ed r. *a%idson. @7o$e, #hatdo you say about this@ ;e again appealed toBill, turning then also to Gus.

@Well, sir, ) thin! ) can see that it #ill ta!enearly all o" that boD o" brads, perhaps ahundred. )t is a $atter o" cohesion and e%en#ater possesses that, so that to o%erIo#, it#ill ha%e to rise a good deal abo%e the ri$.he area o" the glass plus the rise that #ill be

reJuired "or the o%erIo# #ill be, in solidcontents, easily as $uch as that boD o"loosely Elled bradsC i" they #ere $elted do#nthey #ouldn't be greater than the #ater area.)t is a good deal li!e the loading o" a boat( the

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displace$ent is a uni"or$, co$pact $assC theload is a ju$ble #ith $ore air space than$aterial. And it is li!e the Ioating o" a hea%y

iron pot.@

For ans#er the lecturer turned and dre# ahal"pint o" #ater in a glass, brought "ro$ hispoc!et a boD o" brads and began dropping,one at a ti$e and counting, the$ into the#ater. here #as pro"ound silence. As thenu$ber increased, reaching abo%e t#o scoreo" the s$all nails, there began to be heardco$$ents here and there.

@Mo#ieK Who'd a thun! it@

@Better just du$p 'e$ all in and start o%er.@

@*on't rec!on those nails are soa!ing the#ater upC eh@

@)" it #ere $olasses you could Ell it hal" "ull o"brads be"ore it #ould slop o%er.@

@Say, loo!, he's up to siDtyK Would you belie%ethat@

@;ey there, Fatty, you guessed one nailC didn'tyou@

@SiDtyeight, siDtynine, se%entyC loo!s to $eli!e a spill pretty soon.@

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@When the "reshet starts@

@)t'll dro#n a lot o" people.@

r. *a%idson stopped dropping the nails intothe tu$bler and held up his hand.

@here it goes, boysthe Erst drop o%erK1ightyt#o brads. &ou can see #ho guessedbest. he cohesion o" the liJuid eDplains it, asour young "riend here has said. )'$ glad you

ha%e one thin!er a$ong you. =o# ) #ant totell you so$ething about the installation o"$achinery by indi%idual $otors dri%en by acentral generator, as co$pared to the dri%e"ro$ a $ill long countersha"t and pulleys.@And he proceeded #ith his tal!.

&es, the lightning had struc!. Fro$ this$o$ent the respect sho#n to Bill, and to Gusalso, by those #ho had no desire to doother#ise #as really al$ost o%erdone, hisclass$ates being generally proud o" hi$, andthe teachers and seniors pleased to ha%e hi$a $e$ber o" the school. But the sophs $ostlygre# $ore inclined to consider both boys a

$enace to their peace o" $ind.

CHAPTER III

W8R>

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@) $ust ha%e to report to you the utter spoil o"your shop and your #or!C also $y o#nco$pleteK@ Such #as the breathta!ing

re$ar! o" ony Sabaste, as he stuc! his headinto the roo$ o" Bill and Gus and regardedthe boys at their studies soon a"ter daylight.

With no $ore than a #ord o" surprise or doubtthe young $echanics "ollo#ed their )talian"riend into the base$ent and #ere not long inEnding his #ords true.

he cro#n plate o" the drill had been bro!enin t#o #ith a ha$$er and probably the sa$e$eans had been used to crac! the lathepulley and s$ash so$e o" the tools. aterials#ere not har$ed, but the #or! just begun ont#o ne# radio sets o" the better %alue, along

#ith ony's eorts, #as reduced to splinters.

he door o" the shop had ne%er been loc!edCthe $iscreant had entered in the night andengaged in the #or! o" destruction.

@Well, #ho@ began Bill.

@Ah, say not that Juestion,@ said ony. @*o notyou !no# )s there a doubtC e%en one ) ha%eno ene$y in the school but one, and #hoelse@

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@8h, sure, anyone but "riendly, innocent Bill#ould !no#. alatesta, o" course.@

Gus #as ready #ith short cuts to na$es as#ell as to proble$s, his genius "or detectionha%ing been pro%ed in a li!e instance, be"orethis. ;e #ent o%er and pic!ed up a ha$$er,holding it by the head and scanning thehandle.

@;ere, ) suppose, are so$e thu$b prints,@ he

saidC @it only re$ains "or us to get hold o"@

Gus #as interrupted by the sudden entranceo" a $e$ber o" the senior class, +i$ La$bert,#ho had but a "e# days be"ore co$pleted acrystal radio set in the shop. ;e gaHed abouthi$.

@About as ) thought. his is rotten, "ello#s,and i" ) !no# anything, it is going to be paid"or.@

@Who #ill@ began Bill.

@Let $e tell you. ) roo$ right abo%e here, as

you !no#. Late last night, %ery late, probablyto#ard $orning, ) #as #a!ened by a noise. )listened and heard the sound o" a blo# that#as surely do#n here. hen ) heard so$e$ore noises, $uOed, though,the Ioor, you

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!no#, is Ereproo"ed and thic!. ) didn't #a!eS$ith, but ) got up and #ent to the door andloo!ed out. ) hadn't been there t#o $inutes

be"ore ) #as a#are that so$eone ca$e up outo" the base$ent and #as standing in the hall.) thin! he $ust ha%e suspected so$ething,"or he ca$e along to#ard $y door and ) gotinside and closed it, #ith $y hand on the!nob so as not to clic! the latch. hen ) "elt apressure on the doorthe "ello# had the ner%e

to try it. ;e #anted to see i" it #as open,probably thin!ing it #as le"t ajar and he $ayha%e seen the light "ro$ the #indo#, pulled itopen then and there he #aspretty $uchthrough the door be"ore ) closed it. Well, ) justsurprised, ) guess.@

@Who, #ho@ "ro$ Bill.

@Why, alatesta, o" course,@ said Gus, #ithpositi%e Enality.

@Say, young "ello#, you'%e got it. Goodguesser. ;e $ust ha%e so$e grudgeagainst@

@What said he ;o# eDplain@ de$andedony, %isibly eDcited, his dar! eyes glittering#ith #rath.

@=ot a #ord. +ust grinned and turned a#ay as

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cool as a glacier and $osied o. Said )( 'Well,#hat are you a"ter' But he $ade no replyand beat it.@

@)" this isn't the li$itK@ Bill eDclai$ed.

@)t'll be his li$itK 7o$e onK he *octor is anearly riser and #e'll see hi$ at once,@La$bert urged.

@But #e aren't going to sJueal on a@ Bill's

loyalty to school practices #as eDtre$e.

@8h, yes you are in this caseK his is no pran!.)t's a cri$e, and it #ould be another to !eep itto $ysel". Loyalty to the school de$ands that#e sJueal. o be sure #e ha%e onlycircu$stantial e%idence@

@=o, actual,@ said Gus, holding up theha$$er. @Let's get the $an and #e'll do therest #ith so$e in!, a piece o" paper and a$agni"ying glass.@

@GloryK hat's the cheeseK ) ne%er thought o"that,@ La$bert said, leading the #ay out o"

the building and to the oce, discussing thecase "urther on the #ay. he boys $et the*octor returning "ro$ an early $orning #al!,#hich #as a habit #ith hi$, and #ithin theoce he hea