“Yes,” said Bob, grimly. “A couple of them.”
And at that a plan of procedure which his mind had been busy upon all the time that he had been answering the boy’s questions took shape and, picking up a hammer and a metal bar, he began striking them together in front of the broadcaster.
“Clang, clang,” rang the strokes in the little room, until it sounded like a smithy. The boy stood with open mouth. It was hot, and the perspiration poured down Bob’s face in runlets. But still he hammered on. Once he paused to pick up the headpiece from the table and clap the phones to his ears. Then he resumed operations. For a moment or two he would bang away, then wait, listening; then he would start banging again.
At last the boy could not restrain himself any more. He plucked Bob by a sleeve.
“Senor, what is it?”
“Morse,” flung out Bob. “Keep quiet a minute. Think I’ve got ’em.”
He listened, and a triumphant grin overspread his features. Then, rapidly, with hammer and metal bar, he again resumed telegraphing. Finally, laying his makeshift key aside, he spoke rapidly into the transmitter. “I’ll be waiting,” he said, “speed up.”
CHAPTER XV.
BOB HAS AN IDEA.
From that ordeal Bob sat back with a smile of triumph upon his face. Hot it was, beastly hot, and the very tautness of his nerves during the time when he had sought unavailingly to gain the attention of the American aviation field had brought out the perspiration stinging on his body. But he had succeeded, he had gained the ear of a wireless operator and help had been promised him in as short a time as it would take to journey in high-powered motor cars to his present whereabouts. Therefore, he could afford to forget the wretched discomfort of his body, and did so.
Why he had used the Morse code he could not have told. Something had impelled him to do so, some warning or inner prompting not to call in English lest, perchance, there should be someone tuning in on the Mexican side of the Border who would hear and understand. A certain risk he must run in using Morse, yet a considerably lessened risk.