III
A TINKER WHO MADE GOOD
Most telegraph operators, young operators especially, have a number ofover-the-wire friends. Alex Ward's particular telegraph chum was JackOrr, or "OR," as he knew him on the wire, a lad of just his own age, sonof the proprietor of the drug-store in which the town, or commercial,office was located at Haddowville, a small place at the end of the line.The two boys had become warm friends through "sending" for one another'simprovement in "reading," in the evenings when the wire was idle; butalso because of the similarities of taste they had discovered. Both werefond of experimenting, and learning the "why and wherefore" of thingselectrical.
And not infrequently they got themselves into trouble, as younginvestigators will.
One evening that summer, the instruments being silent, Jack, atHaddowville, bethought himself of taking the relay, the main receivinginstrument, to pieces, to discover exactly how the wire connections inthe base were arranged. To think with Jack was to act. Half an hour laterhis father, entering with an important message, found Jack with theinstrument in a dozen pieces.
Mr. Orr viewed the muss with consternation. Then he spoke sharply. "Jack,if that relay is not together again, and working, in five minutes, I'lltake you out to the woodshed!" Needless to say, Jack threw himself intothe restoring of the instrument with ardor, while his father stood grimlyby. And fortunately the relay was in its place again, and clicking,within the prescribed time.
"But don't let me ever catch you tinkering with the instruments again,"said Jack's father warningly, as he gave Jack the message to send."Another time it'll be the woodshed whether you get them together or no.Remember!"
Shortly after midnight the night following Jack suddenly found himselfsitting up in bed, wondering what had awakened him. From the street belowcame the sound of running feet, simultaneously the window lighted with ayellow glare, and with a bound and an exclamation of "Fire!" Jack wasacross the room and peering out.
"Jones' coal sheds! Or the station!" he ejaculated, and in a moment wasback at the bedside, dressing as only a boy can dress for a fire. Runningto his parents' bedroom he told them of his going, and was down thestairs and out into the street in a trice.
Dim figures of men and other boys were hurrying by in the direction ofthe town fire-hall, a block distant, and on the run Jack also headedthither. For to help pull the fire-engine or hose-cart to a fire was theardent hobby of every lad in town.
A half dozen members of the volunteer fire company and as many boys wereat the doors when Jack arrived, and the fire chief, already equipped withhelmet and speaking-trumpet, was fumbling at the lock.
"Where is it, Billy?" inquired Jack of a boy acquaintance.
"They say it's the station and freight shed, and Johnson's lumber yard,and the coal sheds--the whole shooting match," said Billy, hopefully.
"Bully!" responded Jack; who, never having seen his own home in flames,likewise regarded fires as the most thrilling sort of entertainment.
"Out of the way!" cried the chief. The big doors swung open, and with arush the little crowd divided and went at the old-fashioned hand-engineand the hose-cart. Billy and Jack secured the particular prize, the headof the engine drag-rope, and like a pair of young colts pranced out withit to its full length. Others seized it, and with the cry of "Let 'ergo!" they went rumbling forth, and swung up the street.
The hose-cart, with its automatic gong, clanged out immediately after,and the race that always occurred was on. The engine of course had thestart, but the hose-cart, a huge two-wheeled reel, about which the hosewas wound, was much lighter, and speedily was clanging abreast of them.Here, however, Big Ed. Hicks, the blacksmith, and Nick White, a coloredgiant, rushed up, dodged beneath the rope, and took their accustomedplaces at the tongue, and with a burst of speed the engine began to drawahead. Other firemen appeared from side streets and banging doorways, andtook their places on the rope, and a shout from the juvenile contingentpresently announced that the reel was falling to the rear.
Meanwhile the glare in the sky had brightened and spread; and when atlast the rumbling engine swung into the station road the whole sky wasablaze. Overhead, before a stiff wind, large embers and sparks werebeginning to fly.
With a dash the panting company swept into the station square. Beforethem the station and adjoining freight-shed were enveloped in flames fromend to end. It was apparent at once that there was no possibility ofsaving either. But with a final rush the engine-squad made for thefire-well at the corner of the square, brought up all-standing, and in ajiffy the intake pipe was unstrapped and dropped into the water. The reelclanged up, two of its crew sprang for the engine with the hose-end andcouplers, and the cart sped on, peeling the hose out behind it.
The speed with which they could get into action was a matter of pridewith the Haddowville firemen. Almost before the coupling had been made atthe engine the men and boys at the long pumping-bars were working themgently; within the minute a shout from the cart announced that the hosewas being broken, the pumpers threw themselves into the work with zest,and the next moment from the distant nozzle shot a sputtering stream.
With the other boys, Jack, though now considerably winded, was throwinghimself energetically up and down against one of the long handles. Beforemany minutes, however, the remainder of the regular enginemen appeared,and took their places, and presently Jack also was ousted.
At once he set off for a closer view of the fire. Half way he was haltedby a call.
"Hi, Jack! Come and help push the freight cars!"
The shout came from a group of boys running for the rear of the burningfreight-shed, and responding with alacrity, Jack joined them, and soon,just beyond the burning building, was pushing against the corner of aslowly moving box-car with all his might.
One car was rolled safely out of the danger zone, and Jack's partyhastened back for another. The innermost of the remaining cars, and on aseparate siding, was but a short distance from the flaming shed, andalready was blazing on the roof. Jack and several other adventurousspirits determined to tackle this one on their own account. After muchstraining they got it in motion.
Suddenly a wildly excited figure appeared rushing through the smoke, andshouted at the top of his voice, "Get back! Get back! There's blastingpowder in that car!"
In a twinkle there was a wild stampede. And but just in time. With ablinding flash and a roar like a thunderbolt, the car shot into the airin a million pieces. Many persons in the vicinity were thrown violentlyto the ground, including Jack. As he scrambled, thoroughly frightened, tohis feet, someone shouted, "Look out overhead!" and glancing up, Jack sawa shower of burning fragments high in the air.
Then rose the cry, "The wind is taking them right over the town!" Inalarm many people began leaving the square for their homes.
Jack's own home and the drug-store block were well on the other side ofthe town, however, and with no thought of anxiety Jack remained to watchthe burning station, now a solid mass of flame from ground to roof.
Presently, glancing toward the opposite corner of the square, Jack noteda general, hurried movement of the crowd there into the street. He setout to investigate. As he neared the fire-engine, still clankingvigorously, a bareheaded man rushed up and asked excitedly for the firechief. "The telephone building and a house on Essex Street, and one onthe next street back, are burning!" he cried. "Quick, and do something,or the whole town will be afire!"
Looking in the direction indicated, Jack saw a wavering glare, and with anew thrill of excitement was immediately off on the run. The telephoneexchange was one of the largest buildings in town.
As he came within sight of the new conflagration the flames already wereleaping from the roof and roaring from the upper windows. Despite theheat, the crowd before the building was clustered close about the door ofthe telephone office, and Jack hastened to join them, to learn the cause.Making his way through the throng, he reached the front as a blanketedfigure staggered, smoking, from the doorway. Someone sprang forward
andcaught the blanket from the stumbling man, at the same time crying, "Didyou get them?"
"No," gasped the telephone operator, for Jack saw it was he; "the wholeoffice is in flames. I couldn't get inside the door."
Mayor Davis, the first speaker, turned quickly about. "Then we'll rundown to Orr's and telegraph."
At once Jack understood. The mayor wished to send for help from othertowns. He sprang forward. "I'm here, Mr. Davis--Jack Orr. I'll take amessage!"
"Good!" said the mayor. "Run like the wind, my boy, and send a telegramto the mayors of Zeisler and Hammerton for help. As many steam engines asthey can spare. And have the railroad people supply a special at once.Write the message yourself, and sign my name. Tell them four more fireshave broken out, and that the whole town may be in danger."
Jack broke through the crowd, and was off like a deer.
Farther down the street he passed another building, a small dwelling,burning, with its frightened occupants and their neighbors hurryingfurniture out, and fighting the flames with buckets.
Down the next cross-street he saw flames bursting from a second house.
Then it was that the real gravity of the situation began to come home toJack. Till now it had all been only a thrilling drama--even the bearingof the mayor's urgent message had appeared rather a dramaticallyprominent stage-part he had had thrust upon him.
On he sped with redoubled speed, and turned into the main street. Thenhis alarm became genuine. Lurid flames were licking over the tree-topsdirectly ahead of him--in the direction of the store! A moment later acry of horror broke from him. It was indeed the store block!
But his own personal alarm was quickly lost in a greater. Suppose thetelegraph office also should be in flames, and he unable to reach it? Heran on madly.
He neared the store, and with hope saw that so far the flames were onlyin the second story. Men were hurrying in and out, and from thehardware-store adjoining. But as he rushed to the drug-store door a cloudof heavy smoke rolled forth, driving a group of men before it.
Among them he recognized his father.
"Dad," he cried, "can't I reach the instruments? I've a message for helpto Hammerton and Zeisler from the mayor! The 'phone office and thestation are burned. There is no other way of getting word out."
Mr. Orr had halted in consternation. "No; you couldn't get to them. Thetelegraph room is a furnace. The fire came in through the office windowsfrom the outhouse, and I closed the door from the store."
Through the haze of smoke within burst a lurid fork of flame.
"There! The fire is out through the telegraph-room door," said thedruggist. "You couldn't get near the table. And anyway, Jack, theinstruments would be useless by this time."
It was this remark that aroused Jack. "If I could rip them from the tablein any kind of shape, perhaps I could fix them up quickly so I could usethem," he thought.
To his father he said with sudden determination, "Dad, I'm going to makea try for the key and relay."
"No. I won't permit it," declared Mr. Orr decisively.
"But father, if we don't get word out the whole town may be burned,"cried Jack.
"I'll make a try myself," said Mr. Orr, and without further word loweredhis head and dashed back into the smoke.
While Jack stood anxiously awaiting his father's reappearance the ownerof the adjacent hardware-store stumbled from his doorway under a bundleof horse-blankets. With an immediate idea Jack ran toward him. "Mr.Wells, let me have some of those blankets," he said hurriedly. "We wantto try and reach the telegraph instruments. They are the only hope forgetting word out of town for help. Father is in after them, but I don'tthink he can reach them with nothing over him."
The merchant promptly threw the whole bundle to the ground. "Helpyourself," he directed.
At the door again, he called back. "Can you use anything else?"
"No--Say, yes! A pair of leather gauntlets." The merchant disappeared,reappeared, and threw toward Jack a bundle of leather gloves. "Many asyou want," he shouted.
Catching them up and two of the blankets, Jack sprang back for their ownstore as his father reappeared.
"They can't be reached," coughed Mr. Orr. "Couldn't even get to thedoor."
"I'll try with these blankets, then," said Jack decisively. "Throw themover my head, please."
His father hesitated. "But my boy--"
"There's little danger, Dad. The blankets are thick. And I know justwhere the instruments are. And see, I'll wear these gauntlets," he added,pulling a pair over his hands.
Somewhat reluctantly Mr. Orr took the blankets and threw them over Jack'shead, and on the run Jack plunged into the wall of smoke.
With one gloved hand outstretched he found the telegraph-room door, andthe knob. He pressed against it, and with a crash and then a roar thedoor collapsed before him. But without a moment's hesitation he darted onwithin, groped his way to the table, found the relay, and with adesperate wrench tore it from its place. The next moment he dashedblindly into his father's arms at the outer door, and threw the smokingblankets and sizzling, burning relay to the sidewalk.
"Water on it quick," gasped Jack, pointing to the instrument. Catching itup in a corner of one of the blankets Mr. Orr ran with it to ahorse-trough in front, and plunged it into the water.
As he returned Jack was drawing on a second pair of gauntlets.
"Jack, you're not going back!" said his father sharply.
"I want the key, Dad."
"Look there." Glancing within Jack saw that the whole rear of the storewas now enveloped in flames.
"And it would be of no use in any case. Look at this," said Mr. Orr,holding up the smoking relay.
The instrument did indeed look a hopeless wreck as Jack took it. The basewas cracked and charred, the rubber jacket about the magnet-coils wasfrizzled and warped, the fine wire connections beneath were gone, and thearmature spring was missing.
But Jack was not one to give up while a single hope remained. "I couldimprovise a key," he said, and with decision hastily sought the hardwaremerchant.
"Mr. Wells, did you save any screw-drivers?" he asked.
"In a box down there. Help yourself."
Running thither Jack found the tool, and immediately began taking therelay apart.
An exclamation of disappointment greeted the discovery that the finecopper wire within one of the coil-jackets had been melted into a solidmass. On ripping open the sizzled jacket of the other, however, Jackfound the silk covering the wire to be only scorched, and determined todo the best he could with the one magnet.
Removing the relay entirely from the burned base, he secured a thin pieceof board from one of the boxes near him, from the miscellaneous tools inanother box found a gimlet, and made the necessary perforations. And soonhe had the brass coil-frame mounted.
Meantime Mr. Orr, not for a moment thinking Jack could do anything withthe charred instrument, had joined the crowd of men and women watchingthe burning building from across the street.
"Father! Here, please!" called Jack.
In some wonder Mr. Orr responded, and with him the hardware merchant.
"Have you a rubber band in your pocket?" asked Jack. "I want it for thearmature spring."
"Why you are really not doing anything with it, Jack!" exclaimed hisfather.
"Yes, sir. I think I can make it go," responded Jack with a little touchof elation. "And with only one magnet. But have you the rubber?"
"Here," said Mr. Wells, snapping a rubber band from his pocketbook. "Thisdo?"
"Just the thing. Thanks." And while the two men looked on, Jack securedone end of the elastic to the little hook on the armature, and knottedthe other about the tension thumb-screw.
That done, Jack caught up a hammer and smashed the useless coil topieces, from the wreck, secured several intact ends of the fine wire, andwith them quickly restored the burnt connections between the magnet andthe binding-posts. And with a cry, half of jubilation and half of nervousexcitement, he caught up the now
roughly-restored instrument and rantoward an iron gas street-lamp. In the roadway a short distance from thelamp-post lay the burned-off end of the telegraph wire. Placing theinstrument on the sidewalk, Jack ran for the wire, and dragged it also tothe post.
Then, as the crowd, following his father and the hardware merchant,gathered about him, they saw him secure a piece of wire about the ironlamp-post, then to the instrument; and, dropping to a sitting position,place the instrument on his knees, catch up the telegraph line, and holdit to the other side of the relay.
Jack's low cry of disappointment was echoed by his father. "No use. I wasafraid of it, my boy," said Mr. Orr resignedly.
There was a disturbance on the outskirts of the crowd, and the mayorappeared pushing his way through. "Didn't you get that message off,Jack?" he cried excitedly.
"The fire was too quick for us," said Mr. Orr. "Jack risked his lifegetting out one of the instruments. But it has proved useless."
"Oh say! Now I know what's the matter!" With the cry Jack sprang to hisfeet, broke through the circle about him, and sped back toward the store.The flames were now bursting from the front, but with head down he ran tothe iron door covering the street entrance to the cellar, and lifted it.A thin stream of smoke arose, then disappeared as a draft toward the rearset in. With a thankful "Good!" Jack leaped into the opening.
His father, the mayor, and several others who had rushed after inconsternation reached the sidewalk as Jack's head reappeared, followed bya green battery jar. Placing the jar on the ledge, he stooped, and raisedanother.
"What do you think you are doing?" cried his father.
"I'll explain in a minute. Take them over to the post, please." And Jackhad again disappeared.
The mayor promptly caught up the two cells, but Mr. Orr as promptlydropped through the opening and followed Jack.
"What are you trying to do?" he demanded as he groped his way to thebattery-shelf. "You can't do anything with the battery if you have noinstrument."
"The instrument is all right, Father. The line has been 'grounded' south,that's all. If we put battery on here, we can reach some office betweenhere and wherever the 'ground' is on."
"May it be so," said Mr. Orr fervently, but not hopefully, as theyhurried with four more jars to the entrance.
When they had carried out a dozen jars Jack declared the number to besufficient, and scrambling forth, they hastened back to the lamp-post.
Without delay Jack connected the cells in proper series, and removing thewire between the instrument and the iron post, substituted thebattery--zinc to the post, and copper to the instrument.
Then once more he caught up the severed end of the main-line wire, andtouched the opposite side of the instrument.
A cry of triumph, then a mighty shout, greeted the responding click.
"But what about a key, son?" said Mr. Orr.
"This, for the moment," replied Jack, and simply resting his elbow on hisknee, and tapping with the end of the wire against the brassbinding-post, he began urgently calling.
"HN, HN, HN!" he clicked. "HN, HN, HV! Rush! Qk! HN, HN!"
"Perhaps the wire is grounded between here and Hammerton," suggested hisfather breathlessly.
"Anybody answer! Qk!" sent Jack. "Does anybody hear this?"
"What's the matter? This is Z."
"Got Zeisler!" shouted Jack.
The mayor stepped forward. "Send them the message," he directed, "andhave them 'phone it to Hammerton."
Jack did so. And fifteen minutes later the cheering news ran quicklyabout the threatened town that two steam fire-engines were starting byspecial train from Hammerton immediately, would pick up another atZeisler, and would be on the scene within half an hour. All of whichreport proved true, the engines arriving on the dot--and by daylight thelast of the several different fires were under control, and the safety ofthe town was assured.
Needless to say, Jack's name played an important part in the dramaticnewspaper accounts of the conflagration--nor to add that he was theenvied hero of every other lad in town for weeks to come.
The final and particular result of the affair, however, was the offer toJack of a good position in the large commercial telegraph office atHammerton, which he at last induced his parents to permit him to accept.