“This is Mercer,” answered Roy.
“Glad to know you,” flashed back the operator on the Tioga. “Where you from?”
“This is my first job,” said Roy.
“Well, you’re right on the job and you send well.”
“Thanks,” answered Roy. “Come see me. When do you expect to get in?”
“Tuesday evening. Take a message for Lansford.”
Roy took down the message and said good-night to Patterson. He made a grimace at the thought of again facing “the old dragon,” as he mentally styled his superior. But before he could lay aside his receivers he heard Arlington preparing to send out the ten o’clock time signal and the day’s weather news.
“I’ll just take the weather-report,” he thought, as he set his watch, “and give it to Captain Lansford along with this message.”
Then the weather signals sounded. Rapidly Roy jotted them down: “USWB-T 02813—DB 04221—H 03622—C 03042—K 00223—P 03347.” (Wind off Atlantic Coast—north of Sandy Hook moderate northerly winds with fair weather—Hatteras to Florida Straits moderate northerly and easterly winds. Moderate showers Tuesday east Gulf Coast. Fresh to moderately strong winds over north portion with rain—moderate northeast and east winds over south portion.)