Larry mentioned where he wanted to be landed, and got in the boat. The oarsman said he would take him as near the place on the hill as he could go.
“You’ll have to walk the rest of the way,” the improvised ferryman said.
“I’m willing,” replied the boy.
He found that the operator had set up a small tent, and was busy over his instruments, which he had attached to the telegraph line that passed over the brow of the hill.
“How soon can you take messages?” asked Larry.
“Oh, it’s you, eh?” asked the operator. “You were my last customer in the old place, and you’re the first one in the new.”
“Will you soon be ready?” asked Larry.
“In about an hour,” was the reply.
The man busied himself over his instruments, connecting them to batteries he had procured and then adjusting them. Next he climbed a telegraph pole and “cut in” as it is called on the main line, fastening the wire from his machines to the regular line. Larry watched him with interest.
“I’ll soon be ready for you,” said the man.