“The S.O.S., what’s that mean?�
“Why, it’s a call for help.�
“I see. Means Sunk or Sinkin’, eh?�
“Something like that,� smiled Raynor.
“Do dat lilly spark snake send out words jes’ like dat?� asked Pompey.
“Yes; it transmits dots and dashes to the aërials and then they form electric waves which, in time, strike other aërials and give the message.�
“All dat talk about overalls done mystify me,� muttered Pompey, “dat ’lectricity go charging frum your overalls till it hits some other feller’s overalls, is dat it?�
“Something like it,� rejoined Raynor, “but it’s aërials, not overalls.�
“Oh, hair-oils,� said Pompey, “now ah understan’s puffickly. De ’lectricity frum yo’ hair-oils hits de udder hair-oils an den de udder feller hears de same spots and splashes dat you’ve bin a sendin’ out.�
“That’s it, but make it dots and dashes instead of spots and splashes.�