Every eye followed them. Willie was the last one out of the door. He paused a moment in the hallway. And in that moment he heard a perfect babel of voices within the restaurant. Apparently every man in the place was talking at full speed.
“They’re discussing us,” thought Willie. Then he followed his companions down-stairs.
It took the party but a few minutes to get back to the Lycoming. As they climbed up to the wireless cabin, they met a young man coming down. He wore the uniform of a wireless operator.
“Hello, Reynolds,” cried Roy, springing forward and holding out his hand to the visitor. “I’m mighty glad to see you. Can’t you come back and stay a while?”
“Sure,” said the visitor. “That’s what I came for. I had a little time off and thought I’d come over for a chat.”
The purser stepped forward and shook hands warmly with the visitor. Then Roy presented Willie.
“Mr. Reynolds,” he said, “I am glad to make you acquainted with my old friend, Willie Brown. Willie belongs to the Wireless Patrol you have heard me tell about. He’s a fine wireless man, so we have much in common.”
Then turning to Willie, Roy continued, “Willie, Mr. Reynolds is the wireless man on the Ward liner Morro Castle. We got acquainted down in Galveston, and we’ve become pretty good friends. You see our boats run up and down the coast. Usually we are within talking distance of each other, and when our work is out of the way, we often chat at long range. We keep each other posted as to what is happening along the route.”
Willie and Mr. Reynolds shook hands warmly. “I’m mighty glad to know you, Mr. Reynolds,” said Willie. “I’m glad to know any of Roy’s friends, for he and Mr. Robbins are almost the only people I know in New York. And I’m especially glad you are a wireless man. I’ve got my own wireless set here, but, besides Roy, I have no one near that I can talk to. Maybe I can talk to you when you’re near port.”
“I’d be delighted,” said Reynolds. “And when I’m not near port, too, if we can reach each other. How far can your set carry?”