“It is dead!” he cried. “Somebody has tampered with it in my absence!”
“What!” exclaimed Lord Hastings excitedly, then added more coolly. “What is the matter with it?”
“I can’t tell yet, sir. I shall have to look it over.”
“Then do so at once!”
Frank and Lord Hastings remained quiet while the operator sought to determine the cause of the trouble.
Finally the operator stood up and faced them.
“It’s no use, sir,” he said. “The whole apparatus is out of commission. It can’t be repaired in less than twenty-four hours.”
“Impossible!” cried Lord Hastings. “It must be repaired. That message must be sent!”
“I am sorry, sir,” replied the operator, “but it is utterly impossible to repair the damage in less than the time I have mentioned.”
Lord Hastings was silent for some moments.