The Boys of the Wireless Part 11

"He breathes all right," reported Tom to his anxious companion. "His arm is sprained or broken, though.",

"We must get him home, Tom."

"In this storm-with no conveyance?"

"That's so. He might die, though, if we don't get a doctor."

"He's coming to," said Tom suddenly. "Mr. Barton! Mr. Barton!" called Tom gently. "Don't you know me?"

The man opened his eyes, stared vaguely, and then tried to arise. He fell back again instantly, however, with a moan of weakness.

"No use!" he gasped. "My head is splitting and I've got no strength left in me at all. It was a fearful shock, a header full force, and-the doctor!" he shouted suddenly, almost in a scream.

"What doctor, Mr. Barton?" inquired Tom solicitously.

"From Rockville."

"What about him?"

"My child-dying!" wailed the man. "Dr. Burr, the only one in Rockley Cove, is away."

"That's so, I remember hearing of that," a.s.sented Tom.

"Lights in town shut off, telephone lines all down-the doctor, quick!"

With these last words p.r.o.nounced in a painful gasp, Mr. Barton succ.u.mbed and fell back unconscious again.

"Tom, we've got to do something!" cried Harry, greatly worked up by all that was happening.

Tom's face showed the greatest anxiety and concern. The situation as revealed by the disconnected utterance of the injured man was serious and critical.

Tom pictured the storm-swept village in his mind's eye-the lights out, telephone service disrupted, and a father despairingly endeavoring to get word to the nearest doctor, five miles distant.

"Wait here, watch him," ordered Tom sharply, making up his mind what he would do.

"Can you do anything?" questioned Harry eagerly.

"I'll try," replied Tom, starting in the direction of the tower.

"The wireless!" cried Harry, his eyes snapping animatedly.

"Yes."

Tom was up the ladder and through the trap door in a hurry. He had his plan, but its success depended on two circ.u.mstances: first, if Ben Dixon was in reach of the amateur wireless outfit at the home nest; and second, if the telephone circuit the Dixon home was on, which belonged to a different system to that at Rockley Cove, was in working order.

Tom speedily gave the call to the station at the Dixon place. He did not wait for any response. He repeated the call briskly. Then he flashed off the message he had in mind. Then he repeated the message twice. Then-Tom waited.

There was a lapse of nearly ten minutes. Tom began to consider that Ben was not on duty. Suddenly there was a spitting crackle in the receiver.

"O.K.," came the slow message. "Telephone all right. Reached doctor. On way to Rockley Cove now."

"Good!" cried Tom.

CHAPTER IX-STRICTLY BUSINESS

Tom's face was hopeful and pleased as he descended through the trap door to the ground with his good news.

"How is he?" was his eager inquiry, as he stepped inside the doorway of the old tool shed.

"He's just begun to move again," reported Harry, "but he has been twisting about and moaning terribly."

"Mr. Barton! Mr. Barton!" shouted Tom in the ear of their patient, as the eyes of the latter opened and stared wildly at him.

"I remember now," spoke Mr. Barton weakly. "It's Tom Barnes?"

"Yes," a.s.sented Tom. "That's better," he added, as the man sat up.

"Don't give way again, Mr. Barton, it's all right."

"What's all right, Tom?"

"Good news. The doctor."

"Yes! yes!"

"I sent word to him."

"How could you? The telephone lines are dead."

"By wireless, to my friend, Ben Dixon, who runs a small station. He got my message. Their telephone service is all right. The doctor is now on his way to your home."

"Oh, thank you, Tom, thank you!" cried Mr. Barton fervently.

"That's great, Tom," commented Harry heartily.

"I noticed a light in the nearest house yonder," proceeded Tom. "The wind has gone down a good deal. Could you make it, do you think, Harry?"

"You mean get to the house?"

"Yes."

"Why, of course."

"Take your lantern so you won't run into anything or lose your way."

"All right. What then?"