"And meanwhile, what do you suppose is going to happen to me?" thundered Durmont. "Haven't you ambition enough to look around your wire and see if you can find the trouble?"
"Lineman's paid to look up trouble; I'm not," was the surly answer.
Durmont was furious, but what he was about to say was cut off by a quiet voice at his elbow.
"I noticed linemen repairing wires upon the main road, that's where this wire is open. If you have any message you are in a hurry to send, perhaps I can help you out."
Durmont turned to see a colored boy of fifteen whose entrance he had not noticed.
"What can you do about it?" he asked contemptuously, "take it into town in an ox team?"
"I can send it by wireless, if that is sufficiently quick."
Durmont turned to the operator at the table.
"Is there a wireless near here?"
"He owns one, you'll have to do business with him on that," said the youth with a grin at Durmont's unconcealed prejudice.