“I will, of course, but this money——”
“Oh, shut up! If you say another word about it, I’ll lam a battery coil at you—‘b’gorry’—as Mr. Hooper says. Well, now, reckon I’d better turn up and thread some more binding posts.”
CHAPTER VI
ANOTHER FELLOW
It was in and over the work of the boys’ shop that Bill and Gus first met the Italian student. Among the upper classmen they had noticed a small, olive-skinned, black-eyed chap, with a rather solemn face, who appeared to be very reticent. It was said that he was a close and a bright student who, though not lacking for money, took little interest in sports, belonging only to the “bruisers,” as the boxing class was called. One afternoon, with Gandy, who was getting a radio set made, the stranger appeared and stood in the doorway, gazing at the busy workers. At first neither of the radio experts saw him. Then he advanced.
“I have the desire very much to make for myself complete a radio getter—ah—what you call? Yes, a receiver.” He addressed Gus, who was laying out the hook-up for a crystal set.
“There’s nothing very hard about it,” Gus replied, looking up with his ready smile and scrutinizing the Italian boy.
“You pay the right here, the privilege; is that not so?”