The Young Wireless Operator—As a Fire Patrol: Or, The Story of a Young Wireless Amateur Who Made Good as a Fire Patrol — John Shaqi
The Young Wireless Operator—As a Fire Patrol: Or, The Story of a Young Wireless Amateur Who Made Good as a Fire PatrolTheiss, Lewis E. (Lewis Edwin)
General
The Young Wireless Operator—As a Fire Patrol: Or, The Story of a Young Wireless Amateur Who Made Good as a Fire Patrol
Theiss, Lewis E. (Lewis Edwin)
Forest fires -- Prevention and control -- Juvenile fiction; Radio operators -- Juvenile fiction
"Gee whiz!" whispered Charley. "It's like going to an aquarium and looking
at the fish in glass cages. I never dreamed a brook could be so
interesting."
With the utmost caution they moved along the bank of the run, looking for
crayfish of suitable size. Whenever they found one, Charley focused the
flash-light on it, moving the beam so as to dazzle the creature and keep
the space behind it in darkness. And Lew would slip the coffee-pot into
the water and move it cautiously up to the crayfish, ready for a final,
quick scoop. Sometimes he was successful and sometimes the intended victim
escaped. Always the click of the metal pot against the stony bottom sent
the little creatures in the water scurrying for cover. A second after Lew
tried for the crayfish not a living thing was visible. So it was necessary
to move on along the stream. From spot to spot the two boys proceeded, now
getting a good bait, now missing one, but ever keenly enjoying the
wonderful glimpses of the life in the brook. So they continued until they
had a goodly number of crayfish.
"I believe that's enough," said Lew. "Let's get back to camp. The fellows
will be at their instruments at nine, ready to talk to us." He glanced at
his watch. "I had no idea," he cried, "that it was so late. It's almost
nine now. We'll have to hurry."
So fascinating had been the glimpses of life in the brook that time had
sped much faster than either boy realized.
They hurried back to their camp. They had taken the precaution to sling
their grub high above ground on a piece of wire, but apparently nothing
had tried to molest anything. Lew rekindled the fire in the little stone
fireplace they had built and Charley uncovered the wireless instruments
and sat down on one pack bag. The other he flung to Lew. Then he slipped
the receivers on his head, threw over his switch, and sent the bright
sparks flashing between the points of his spark-gap.
"CBWC--CBWC--CBWC--CBC," he rapped out. (Camp Brady Wireless Club, Charley
Russell calling.)
Then he sat in silence, waiting for an answer. It came promptly.
"CBC--CBC--CBC--I--I--I--GA." (Charley Russell--We're here. Go ahead.)
"Got 'em," he cried. He answered and got a reply. "They want to know why
we didn't call up last night," Charley said to Lew.
The fire in the little fireplace burned clear and bright, making a circle
of light in the dark forest. Lew sat near the fire, cross-legged on his
pack bag, thrusting an occasional stick into the flames. Charley sat by
his instrument. Rapidly he pressed the key, and the sparks flew between
the points of his gap like tiny flashes of horizontal lightning.
"Hello! Is that you, Willie?" rapped out Charley.
"Sure," came the answer. "But we're all here. Why didn't you call up last
night?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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