Walter and the Wireless

o

ries were slipped into the water; newly rigged yawls and knockabouts were anchored in the bay; the

pened, aired, and put in order, and even some of the houses had gayly figured ha

d to uncover the flower beds, and from morning to night trudged back and forth from the greenhouses bearing shallow boxes of seedlings which they tran

ding ribbons of blue. Certainly it was no weather to be shut up in school and boys and girls went hither with reluctant feet, checking off t

nly a half-nay, rather a quarter-of his mind on his lessons. All his thought was centered around Surfside and the novel experien

or the summer. In the fall you'd have to stay behind your class, and think of the disgrace of that! Why, I'd be ready to hide my head with shame! Money or no money, you must buck up and put the Crowninshields an

e truth of his mother's words. "I'm going to buckle down until the term is over, honest I am. It is

king of thos

lushed sh

I was

up at Surfside living with them I don't know. Whatever else you do, though, you must not fail in your lessons and at the last mo

, Ma," Wal

tart response. "Just see that y

ascended the stairs. Like the rest of Lovell's Harbor she was busy as a bee in clovertime. She had rented all

irred a vague, uncomfortable possibility in his mind. What if he were to fail in those final exams? It would be terrible. Such a disaster did not seem real. It couldn't h

, it would be like fairyland! The next instant, however, his spirits drooped. It was absurd to imagine for a moment that he was to have any part in those magic amusements. He was not going to Surfside for recreation but for work. Notwithstand

med of going aboard it ever since the day it had first steamed into the bay two summers ago? People said there was every imaginable contrivance aboard: ice-making machines, electric lights, and electric piano, goodness only knew what! Simply to s

Walter King to focus his attention on algebra, Latin, history, and physics. X + Y seemed of very littl

e of the fault was his mother's for she kept the topic

shamed of. Then you've those denim overalls, and your slicker, and Bob's outgrown pea-coat. I can't see but what you have everything you can possibly need. Do be watchful of your shoes and use them carefully, won't you, for they cost a mint of money? And remember whenever you can to work in your old duds and save your others. You can just as well as

a," returned His

f with food until you're sick. There's a time to stop, you know. Don't wait unti

," was the m

. I've spent too much money on th

e wearily

ve got your full growth and can earn money enough to pay for such foolishness you've a right to indulge in it i

u right now,

Never make a promise lightly. But just remember, laddie, that I'd far rather you didn't s

ly. Somehow going away from home sud

se I'll have my boarders and work same's you; still, there'll be times when we won't be busy and can see each other," her voice trembled a little. "Nobody will be more anxious to hear of your doings than I-remember

d for an instant she

her," protested Walter gayly. "I don't know enough. I'm no

ou," was the ambiguous retort.

e handing in if I could o

l, even if your Uncle Mark Miller has left us in the lurch and your Uncle Henry King's investments have gone bad on us. I'll be turning a tidy penny w

er face

on that spit of sand with the sea booming all around him and nothing for company but the other fellow, who's asleep whenever he's awake

oesn't

mly. "Nobody'd be any the wiser for what Bob thinks. Often at

answered His Highness cheerfull

, do you think, with his ear to that

te that.

say so jauntily that Bob doesn't mind being off there with th

ted Walter. "Why, Ma,

ignant question. "Yes, I grant he has plenty of tha

les, strawberry festivals," int

. "Folks must have something to brighten

are lively enough, acc

se that I'm talking about. It's sitting day after day and listening to the

t meaningle

t. I never did like to think of that. Should he tap once too much or too little when sending one of those dot and dash messages, thin

rained so he does

, "although I will say Bob makes fewer than most. And

times happen. However, Bob explained once that accidental shocks seldom result fatally unless the person is left too long without help. The man in charge of the radio outfit would almost neve

sniffed Mrs. King. "The point is tha

at it long enough, you can almost always bring him back to consciousness. They do just about the same things to restore him that they do for a person th

cir

is going through his

ow can

he fellow out of the way with the stick, turned him over on his back, loosened his collar and clothing, and went to work on him. You know how they always roll up a coat or something and stuff it under drowned persons' shoulders to throw their head backward? Well, they did that; and afterward they began to move his arms up and down to make him breathe. The idea is to depress and expand the chest. We learned it in our 'first aid' class. Of course there are lots of things you have to do besides, and if you

s me shiver t

n fell off the float and almost got d

hink of," was Mrs. K

you did over her t

said

now it

it wasn't any credit to me. I've always lived nea

he same-easier, if anything, because

thought

ase of making a man breath

rived t

through your head and kept in mind what you were driving at

a worrisome business having him tinkering with those wires all the t

what they're worth,"

't see but what I've got t

of the money we'll have by fall, th

last payment on the m

nk of that! We won't ev

rs. King's face but a moment l

ings to pay; there al

e? It's always hanging round wanti

Still, it was always my way to be prepared

d now and just for a chang

erself his mo

to worry anyhow, at least I've got something perfectly legitimate to worry about this summer, and you can't deny it. With one son liable to be electrocuted by wirele

the boarders," Walter declared. "Already you are simp

ad so accurately. "Seeing them isn't all there is to it by a good sight. There is f

any one to go hun

I can't say

arders will eat mo

n us! I

ss if you contrived to do that you needn't wor