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RADIO BOYS LOYALTY
OR
BILL BROWN LISTENS IN
BY
WAYNE WHIPPLE Author of "Radio Boys Cronies"
AND
S. F. AARON Co-author of "Radio Boys Cronies"
MADE IN U. S. A.
M. A. DONOHUE & COMPANY CHICAGO NEW YORK
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Copyright, 1922, by Hurst & Company
Printed in U. S. A.
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BILL BROWN LISTENS IN
CHAPTER I
STUDENTS
"They've got a splendid broadcasting station at the Tech, Bill."
"I know it; hence my general exuberance. And if we don't get at it oncein a while, it'll be because we can't break in."
"What do you want to shout into it first off?"
"Why, I thought you knew, Gus. I've got it all fixed, date and time, forProfessor Gray and Mr. Hooper to listen in. They're the chaps that areresponsible for our getting into the Tech and they deserve our firstmessage. I'll explain to President Field and I know he won't object."
"What's this you were telling me about hazing?" asked Gus, but as thoughreally little interested.
"Terry Watkins was telling me; his cousin went there. Lost a new hat thethird day, a pair of glasses the fourth and most of his clothes thefifth. His dad has a lot of dough, so he needn't have minded, but thatwon't be the case with us. I guess it's me for carrying a gun."
"If they're mean enough to pick on you, old scout, I'll carry one, too,but I think you'll be exempt. If I'm to be a victim, I reckon I'll haveto grin and take----"
"No; you won't, either. We've come here to study--not to fool--and wehaven't got money to spend on ruined duds just to gratify a lot ofchumps. There are better things, too, than a gun; not so crude and notillegal."
"I can imagine," laughed Gus, and turned again to watch the fleetinglandscape.
The chums journeyed in silence then, their minds busy conjecturing whattheir experiences and adventures were to be, after they became studentsof the Marshallton Technical School, which they were rapidly approachingand from which they held high hopes of gaining much knowledge. Theinstitution, despite its modest name, was nothing less than a universityof broad constructive teaching, with departments of engineering,electricity, chemistry, manual training and biology.
It was within the first two of these departments that William Brown andAugustus Grier were to concentrate their mental efforts. They had, asalready related, earned this long-hoped-for opportunity to gaintechnical knowledge and training by showing what they could do alongthese lines. They had installed a small water-power plant and anelectric lighting system for the Hooper estate, and had also won greatercredit for constructing high-class radio receivers through which theyhad heard a no less personage than Thomas A. Edison speak. The boys hadbeen saving their earnings to meet tech school expenses for at least ayear. Their high school records, good common sense and scientificinclinations had been such as to receive the plaudits of their teacher,Professor Gray, and the members of their class.
Intense application and mental force characterized William Brown, whowas called "Billy" by the high school girls--fine, bright-minded youngwomen--and "Bill" by the boys. He was just Bill to nearly everyone. Hisfriends referred to him as the school genius; and such he had proved tobe on more than one occasion. Though compelled by a twisted leg to use acrutch and to abstain from strenuous physical participation in sports,he was a favorite. All saw his worth, and Professor Gray said of himthat he possessed the mind of a philosopher and the expressiveness of apoet.
Cheerful, delighting in the strength of others, Bill's natural love offriendly contests and admiration for physical prowess impelled him toadopt as his best chum Gus Grier, who had much in common with himconcerning mechanical matters. Gus was in many things almost the exactcounterpart of the lame boy.
Gus was bright, shrewd, practical, reticent. He had the sort ofmentality that made him a good follower, with enough native wit todiscover his own limitations and to acknowledge Bill's superiorcharacteristics. Both displayed that loyalty of friendship whose rarequality has made notable history. Sometimes their classmates called theboys David and Jonathan, or Damon and Pythias; sometimes, the head andbody, the former referring to Bill and the latter, with no lessadmiration, to Gus because of his splendid athletic ability. The musclesof Gus were quite as remarkable in their way as Bill's brains; and bothboys were modest, aiding one another in every time of need, doubling alltheir efforts with the term "we," which Bill used oftenest.
If Bill mastered a mental problem it was: "We did it by this method." IfGus entered upon a trial of strength or physical skill it was: "We'll doour best," and then: "Well, we won, but it was no cinch"--in deferenceto the efforts of a beaten opponent. All this was a matter of course.And now, regarding the present, either friend might have said, "We'vepassed our exams and we're going to Tech."
"Guilford! Guilford! All out for Marshallton!" shouted the brakeman, andin half a minute the boys were climbing into a taxi bound for theschool; in half an hour they were facing the great buildings which stoodfor so much learning, and in half a day they had matriculated and wereof the student body.