"Couldn't sleep," he explained. "Wanted to do just one more job, I guess."
Channing nodded silently.
Arden said: "Don't kid anybody. Both of you want to know why a fuse should blow on a dead line."
Farrell grinned and Channing nodded again. "I—" started Channing, but turned as the door opened.
"Thought we'd find you here," said Barney Carroll. Jim Baler added: "We got to arguing as to how and why a fuse should blow on an empty line and decided to ask you."
Arden squinted at Jim. "Did it ever occur to you that we might have been in bed?"
Barney grinned. "I figured if we were awake from wondering about it, so would you-all. So—"
Jim interrupted. "So what have you found?"
Channing shook his head. "Ask Wes," he said. "He got here first and was measuring the deflecting electrode voltages when I arrived. I note that he has a hunk of copper busbar across the main fuse terminals."
Wes smiled sheepishly. "Had to," he said. "Short was really shorted!"