Walter and the Wireless

o

springs and summers. Certain it was that when easterly storms swept the marshes and lashed the harbor into foam; when every boat that struggled out of the channel returned whitened to the gunwale with ice, there

cap over his ears, and rushed for school with a velocity that almost equaled the scudding schooners whose

fringing the small fresh-water ponds mellowed to bronze before one's very eyes; the dull reaches of salt grass turned emerald; the steely tint of the

as no longer frigid. And then, before you knew it, you were hauling out your fishing tackle and looking over your flies; inspecting the old dory and calking her seams with a coat of fresh paint. Then came the raking of the le

ing? Ah, a boy never lacked amusement now! He wriggled into his bathing suit directly after breakfast and was off to the shore to swim, fish, or sail, or do any of t

ongregated daily to smoke, swap j

uld protest. "Where was you fetched up, man? Tote the durn t

er of the audie

ddie? Never in the world! What are you so scrimpin' of it for? Slither it on

asked for it or not and for the most part the counsel was sound and helpful. There you heard also tales of tempests, wrecks, strange ports, and sea ser

od if you lived at Lovell's Harbor. And while you were sandwiching in work and fun what an education you got! Why, it was better than a dozen schools. Not only did you learn to swim like a spaniel, pull a strong oar, hoist a sail, and gain an understanding of winds and tides, but also you came to handle tools

nked the town-bred boy in all-round practical skill. They may not have cut such a fine figure at golf or dancing; perhaps they did not excel at Latin or French; bu

onge his active young mind had soaked up a deal no books could have given him. You would best beware how you

fter the dogs. Jerry was an old resident of Lovell's Harbor, and having watched the boy grow up, he unquestionably knew what he was about. That the

ied when on the morning following Walter rounded the

ffered me the other day," announced he,

young

all you

ou come?" g

is temples. His skin was tanned to the hue of old hickory and deep down in its furrows were lines of white. He had a big nose that was always sunburned, powerful hands with a reddish fuzz on their backs, and gnar

. The finest

ertion. Possibly had this mate of the Mollie D. foreseen into what straits his boast was to lead him he might not have expressed it so baldly in all the naked glory of blue ink; but with the sentiment once immortalized what choice had he but to defend it? Therefore, being no coward

rhaven, had gone down with the rest, Jerry had abandoned the sea. It was not the perils of the deep, nevertheless, that had driven him land

r and there he had stayed ever since. For several seasons he had taken out sailing parties of summer boarders or piloted amateur fishermen out to the Ledges; but the timidity and lack of sophistication of these city patrons at length so rasped his nerves that he gave up

ambling gait and twinkling blue eyes. Moreover, the New Yorker happened to be in search of just such a man to look out for his interests when he was

oglike fidelity he began mildly to urge on the lagging carpenters; but presently, magnificent in his wrath, he rose above them, whiplash in hand, and drove them forward. His watery blue eyes followed every stick of timber, every foot of piping, every nail that was placed. There was n

tagged along at his employer's heels, proudly calling notice first to one skillful bit of work and then to another. The house and all that concerned it became his hobby. It was to him what the Mollie D. had been, the primary interest of his life.

ing of garages, boathouses, and bathhouses. By this time Mr. Crowninshield would willingly have

faithfulness in others; and if he were not merciful to those who came under his dictatorship at least no one of them could deny that he was just. Hence Walter King did not shrink from the pro

hen school closes tow

tle of it when I was a shaver. Not a day goes by that I don't wish I'd had my chance. I shipped to sea when I was only twelve-would go-nothing would stop me-and I've been knocking round ever sinc

hether Jerry's little blue eyes had bored their w

job. You much better stay ashore and--" he stopped as if at a loss

going to do," replied His Highnes

e earth! Why, when I was your age, I was swung up in a hammock between decks with not an inch of space that I could call my own. If I wanted to stow away anything I hadn't a place to put it where it wasn't common proper

se," Walter ventured to pr

reful how you make it g

idea you meant to

e got to understand, young one, that it's to be square on both sides. You're to do no shirking; if you do you'll get fired so quick yo

ve th

aul up anchor and be off

ll me exactly what

ill, it won't wholly cover your duties. The thing for you to do is to keep your eyes peeled and look alive. Watch out

ll

ed the caretaker kindly. "Towards the end of June, then, I'll be on the lookout

they be?" in

to see

ike to

an as well as not; only they ain't fixed u

shan'

at the eagerness

on," said he, as he took a key out of a glass case on

is, not

me advent

a bright glan

es

good mother up to now; and bless your stars, too, that since you are going to st

e and his misty eye

opped before a door in the hall above. With a turn of the key it swung open, disclosing

suit your Highn

ammered Walter, almost

ing the narrow hall. "They may josh you some at first. That's part of starting out in the world. Keep a civil tongue in your head and if you don't mind 'em they'll soon quit. If they don't it's up to you to find the way to get on with 'em. Half of life is learning to shy round the corners of the folks about you. And old Tim, who used to be

the d

be up at that hour. You'll find the dogs fitted out comfortable as the rest of us. They've a fine enclosure to stay in when they want to be out of doors; a big airy room if it's better to have 'em under cover; steam heat when it's cold; and blankets and brushes without end. Sometimes Lola, the pet of 'em all, sleeps up at

ing about taking care o

ou'd had a d

y of these. He was just a dog. All yo

t more to do for these critter

gan the boy, alarmed by

m is to eat, and how much; and where they're all to sleep. And if she don't Miss Nancy or Mr. Dick will. You'll get yards and yards of directions before you're through," chuckled Jerry

co

ond rings, and thousand-dollar dogs they don't move him an inch. He just treats 'em same's he would anything else and often it's the best plan. Instead of losing his head, and standing wringing his hands 'cause the prize roses have got bugs on 'em he sets to work and kills the bugs; sprays the plants same's he would ordinary bushes, and they go to growing again like any other civilized f

ed His Highness rueful

the pups when there was no one else; and cert

me abo

own lots of times-you must have.

kly. "In the summer he drives past our house almo

and have to say so. Likely you've seen him fluking through the main street in his racer. She's a trim little thing and could go like the wind if his Pa hadn't forbidden letting out the engine. I reckon Mr. Crowninshield is afraid he'll either kill himself or somebody else, and I will own the thing ain't no pr

id not reply.

y?" interrogat

t, I ain't sure she couldn't outdistance some of 'em. And such an oar as she pulls! It's strong and steady as any man's. Besides that, she c

t sports than M

Guy! I never saw a woman swim as she does! Dick gets kinder peeved with her sometimes when she jollies him. But let her car play a prank and he has

er s

. Crowni

ou like a thousand of brick. She's a fair-weather sailin' craft-that's what she is; floats along nice as anything until something goes wrong and then-my soul-but she kicks up a sea. Yet with all that you'll like her. We all do. Almost everybody on the place would get down and let her walk on 'em. She has a kind of way

owninshield?" v

seen the men stand up before him with their knees shaking until you'd expect 'em to give way every second. And the master would rage and rage because they'd done something he didn't want done. And then, like a hurricane that's blown itself out, he'll calm down and the next you know he's given you a smile that's made you forget all the rest of it. That's him all over. Learn not to be afraid of him, that's the only thing to do. He wouldn't hurt a fly really. He just gets to blusterin' and tearin' round from force of habit. It don't mean

y pa

ave an idea, I guess, what you're going to be up against here," concluded the caretaker, taking out his pipe and cramming it with tobacco. "If there's anything else you want to know now's your chance, for after to-day I am never going to open my lips again about any of the Crowninshie

er n

hrong of misgivings. Suppose he was not able to ho