“What do you know about the new radio developments which have been made recently by the War Department?” he asked.
Bob’s surprise was reflected in the look which flashed across his face. There had been only the vaguest of rumors that startling radio advancements had been made by War Department engineers. It had been only thin talk in the department. The clerks mentioning it on several occasions when they had been alone.
“I’ve heard some talk that rather surprising advancements have been made,” said Bob, “but there has been nothing definite known. Of course, some of the clerks have been talking about it.”
“But no one has any definite information. As far as you know, the plans have not been filed in the vaults,” Merritt Hughes was pressing hard for an answer, but Bob could only shake his head.
“This division handles most of the radio data,” he said, “but nothing new has been placed in the vaults here for weeks. I’m simply cleaning up routine stuff.”
“If new plans and data were filed, you might handle them,” persisted his uncle.
“That’s quite likely, but I wouldn’t know the contents. Everything comes in under seal and with a key number and only the engineers know the key and the contents of the sealed package.”
“Still, you might have a hunch when the papers are important?”
“I might. There is always talk in the department. But I would have no way of actually knowing what was going through my hands.”
“I was afraid of that,” admitted his uncle. “It makes things all the harder. If you only knew when the plans were going through you would be in a position to use every precaution.”