Darry and Burd began to spend a good deal of their time on the yacht after that first day. Amy accused her brother of being afraid of a flank attack by Belle Ringold and Sally Moon, and he admitted that he had hoped to escape those two "troublesome kids" when he came to the island.
"I came here as the guest of little Hen Haney," he declared soberly.
"And I don't wish to be annoyed by any girls older than she is."
But he did not say this within Henrietta's hearing. The little girl went around with a very long face indeed. She seemed to think that she was going to lose her island. Even Nell Stanley, who was a general comforter at most times, could not alleviate little Henrietta's woe.
With the coming of the Stanleys, however, Henrietta became less of a trial to Jessie. For Sally Stanley was just about Henrietta's age and the two children got along splendidly together.
Bob and Fred, those lively and ingenious youngsters, made their own friends among the boys of the bungalow colony. The three girls from Roselawn--Jessie, Amy, and Nell--found plenty to do and enjoyed themselves thoroughly during the next few days. Being all interested in radio they naturally spent some time at Jessie's set. But unfortunately it did not work as well here as it had at home.
"And I do not know why," Jessie ruminated. "I have been studying up about it and the more I read the less I seem to know. There are so many different opinions about how an amateur set should be built. Do you know, sometimes I feel as though I should have an entirely different kind of outfit. There is a new super-regenerative circuit that is being talked about."
"But some people say it is not practicable for amateurs," broke in Nell.
"I've read so, anyway."
"I should like to talk with some professional--some radio expert--about that," Jessie confessed. "If I had thought before we left home I would have spoken to Mr. Blair."
"You'll have to wait until you get back, then," said Amy promptly.
"Why?" cried Nell suddenly. "There must be experts over at that Government station."
"That is so," agreed Jessie, thoughtfully. "Do you suppose they would----"
"Let's go and see," urged Nell. "I'm crazy to see the inside of that station, anyway."
"It's wireless--like the little outfit aboard the _Marigold_," Amy suggested.
"But so much bigger," Jessie chimed in eagerly. "If they admit visitors, let's go."
Mr. Norwood found out about that particular point for the girls and reported that if they went over to the station in the late afternoon the operator on duty would be glad to show them "the works" and give them all the information in his power.
The three friends went alone, for the collegians were off fishing that day on the _Marigold_. They left the little girls in Mrs. Norwood's care and slipped away about four o'clock and walked to the station, which was some distance from the bungalow colony. They had to climb the stairs in the old shaft of the lighthouse to the wireless room. The room was half darkened and they heard the snapping of the spark, and even saw the faint blue flash of it when they came to the door.
The operator, with his head harness on, was busy at his set. Jessie, at least, had spent some time trying to learn the Morse code since talking the matter over with Darry on the yacht. But although the signals the operator received were in dots and dashes, she could not understand a single thing.
"I am afraid it will take us a long time to learn," she said to Amy, sighing. "We shall have to buy a regular telegraph set and learn in that way."
"I wish you wouldn't talk about learning anything!" cried her chum.
"Vacation is slipping right away from us."
After a few moments the spark stopped snapping, the operator closed his switch and removed his harness. He wheeled around on the bench and welcomed them. He was really a very pleasant young man, and he explained many things about both the radio-telegraph and radio-telephone that the girls had not known before.
He was so friendly that Jessie ventured to ask him about the new super-regenerative circuit in which she was interested.
"Yes. I'm strong for that new thing," said the wireless operator, enthusiastically. "In the first place, it was invented by the man who originated the ordinary regenerative circuit so much in use at present, and also of the super-heterodyne circuit. I understand this new circuit permits a current amplification up to a million times, and all with three tubes. You know, to reach such a high mark with your ordinary regenerative circuit, many more tubes would be necessary."
"I understand that," said Jessie. "But can an amateur build and practically work this new circuit?"
"Why not? If you follow directions carefully. And with the new outfit a loop is just as effective an antenna as an outside aerial. They say, too, that to catch broadcasting for not more than twenty-five miles, not even a loop is needed, the circuits themselves acting as the absorbers of energy."
"I'm going to try it," declared Jessie, with more confidence. "But I feel that I understand so little about the various forms of radio, after all."
"You have nothing on me there," laughed the operator. "I am learning something new all the time. And sometimes I am astonished to find out how, after five years of work with it, I am really so ignorant."
The girls had a very interesting visit at the station; and from the operator Jessie and Amy gained some particular instruction about sending and receiving messages in the telegraph code. He received several messages from ships at sea while the girls remained in the station, and likewise relayed other messages received from inland stations both up and down the coast and to vessels far out at sea.
"It is a wonderful thing," said Nell, as the girls walked homeward. "I never realized before how great an influence wireless already was in commercial life. Why, how did the world ever get along without it before Marconi first thought of it?"
"How did the world ever get along without any other great invention?"
demanded Amy. "The sewing machine, for instance. I've got to run up a seam in one of my sports skirts, for there is no tailor, they say, nearer than the hotel. I do wish a sewing machine had been included in the furnishings of your bungalow, Jess. I hate to sew by hand."
The boys had come in before the Roselawn girls returned for dinner, and they were very enthusiastic over a plan for taking a part of the bungalow crowd on an extended sailing trip. They had met Dr. Stanley walking the beaches, and he had expressed a desire to go to sea for a day or two, and at once Darry and Burd had conceived a plan for the young folks to be included.
"The doctor is a good enough chaperon," said Darry, with a laugh. "Nell shall come. Her Aunt Freda will be down to look after the children."
"And Henrietta?" asked Jessie, hesitatingly.
"For pity's sake!" cried Darry, in some impatience. "Don't be tied down to that kid all the time. You'd think you were a grandmother."
"Well, I like that!" exclaimed Jessie. "I'm not sure that I want to go on your old yacht, Darry Drew."
"Aw, Jess----"
"Well, I'll think about it," murmured Jessie, relenting.
CHAPTER XV--HENRIETTA IN DISGRACE
Darry and Burd seemed to have little time to spend ashore these days.
They said that they had a lot to do to fix up the _Marigold_ for the proposed trip seaward. But Amy accused them of being afraid of Belle Ringold and Sally Moon.
"Belle is determined that she shall get an invitation to sail aboard your yacht, Darry," teased his sister. "Don't forget that."
"Not if we see her first," responded Burd, promptly. "And don't you ring her in on us, for if you do we'll not let you aboard the _Marigold_ either. How about it, Darry?"
"Good enough," agreed Amy's brother. "Oh, I promise not to ring Belle Ringold in on you," giggled Amy.
"It is perfectly disgraceful how you boys teach these girls slang," Mrs.
Drew remarked with a sigh.
"Why, Mother!" cried Darry, his eyes twinkling, "they teach it to us.
You accuse Burd and me wrongfully. We couldn't tell these girls a single thing."
This was at breakfast at the Norwood bungalow. After breakfast the young folks separated. But Jessie and Amy had no complaint to make about the boys. They had their own interests. This day they had agreed to explore the island with Nell Stanley as far as the hotel grounds.
They took Henrietta and Sally Stanley along, and carried a picnic lunch.