“Curves and all,” smiled Jack.
“And how fast does this stuff—the electric waves, I mean—travel?” asked the young engineer.
“Well,” said Jack, “it is estimated that a message from this side of the Atlantic would reach the Irish coast in about one-nineteenth of a second.”
“Oh, get out! I’m not going to swallow that.”
“It is true, just the same,” said Jack. “I know it is hard to believe; lots of things about wireless are.”
“Well, I mean to learn all about it I can.”
“You’ll find it well worth your while.”
“I believe that it is the most fascinating thing I’ve ever tackled.”
“In the meantime, I wish I could raise a ship,” grumbled Jack, again sending out his call.
“If we were sinking or in urgent difficulties right now, would you stick on the job till we raised some rescue ship?”