As for the members of the Board, they were radiant. There was the telegraphic apparatus (or a part of it) of the Crooked Creek Telegraph Company, and here were the officers!
Each one of them, except Brandeth Price, explained some portion of the instruments to some of the bystanders.
As for Brandeth, he had not an idea what was to be done with anything. But he had a vote in the Board. He never forgot that.
"Can't ye work it a little, Mah'sr Harry!" asked Gregory Montague.
"Dat's so!" cried a dozen voices. "Jist let's see her run a little, Mah'sr Harry, please!" Even Kate wanted to see how the things worked.
Harry explained that he couldn't "run it" until he had arranged the battery and had made a great many preparations, and he greatly disappointed the assembly by informing them that all that was to be done that day was to put the instruments in their respective houses (or stations, as the boys now began to call the cabins), and to put up the cases which were to protect them when not in use. These cases were like small closets, with movable tops, and there was great fear that they would not fit over the tables that had been brought from Hetertown.
On the next day, Mr. Lyons had promised to come over and show them how to begin the work.
"There'll be plenty for you fellows to do," said Harry, "when we put up the wires."