"I'm going to try," said Allan, and as soon as supper was over, he left the house and hastened uptown to the Public Library, where he asked for a book on telegraphy. He was just leaving the building with the coveted volume under his arm, when somebody clapped him on the shoulder, and he turned to find Jim Anderson at his side. "I say," cried the latter, "this is luck! Where you going?" "I was just starting for home," said Allan. "I'll go with you," said Jim, promptly wheeling into step beside him and locking arms. "That is, if you don't mind." "Mind!" cried Allan. "You know I'm glad to have you." "All right then," said Jim, laughing. "That's a great load off my mind. What's that book you're hugging so lovingly?" "It's a book on telegraphy," and Allan showed him the title. "Going to study it?" "Yes; it didn't take me long to find out that to amount to anything in the offices, one has to understand what all that chatter is about." "Right you are," assented Jim, "but you'll find it mighty hard work learning it from a book. It'll be a good deal like learning to eat without any food to practise on. Have you got an instrument?" "No. But of course I'll get one." "Look here!" cried Jim, excitedly, struck by a sudden idea; "I have it! My brother Bob has two instruments stored away in the attic, batteries and everything. He's the operator at Belpre now, and hasn't any more use for them than a dog has for two tails. He'll be glad to let us have them--glad to know that his lazy brother's improving his spare time. Why can't we rig up a line from your house to mine, and learn together? I'm pretty sure I can get some old wire down at the shops for almost nothing." "That's a great idea," said Allan, admiringly; "if we can only carry it out. Where do you live? Is it very far?" "Well, it's quite a way; but I think we can manage it," said Jim. "Suppose we look over the ground." "All right; only wait till I take this book home; I live just over yonder," and a moment later they were at the gate. "Won't you come in?" "No, not this time; it'll soon be dark and we'll have to step out pretty lively." "I won't be but a minute," said Allan; and he wasn't.