"You look over that switchboard, Kelly," he winked at me, "while I test out the connections back here. There must be something wrong with the wires or there wouldn't be so many complaints."
He had gone back of the switchboard and the Negro, still unsuspicious, watched without understanding what it was all about.
"I don't know," Craig muttered finally for the benefit of the boy, "but I think I'll have to leave that tester after all. Say, if I put it here, you'll have to be careful not to let anyone meddle with it. If you do, there'll be the deuce to pay. See?"
Kennedy had already started to fasten the telegraphone to the wires he had selected from the tangle.
At last he finished and stood up.
"Don't disturb it and don't let anyone else touch it," he ordered. "Better not tell anyone—that's the best way. I'll be back for it tomorrow probably."
"Yas sah," nodded the boy, with a bow, as we went out.
We returned to the laboratory, where there seemed to be nothing we could do now except wait for something to happen.
Kennedy, however, employed the time by plunging into work, most of the time experimenting with a peculiar little coil to which ran the wires of an ordinary electric bell.
Back in the new hang-out, the Clutching Hand was laying down the law to his lieutenants and heelers, when Spike at last entered.