and the woods rang with, "Hurrah! hurrah!
hurrah!"

The Crooked Creek Telegraph Line was a success.

CHAPTER XX.

AN IMPORTANT MEETING OF THE BOARD.

Now that the telegraphic line was built, and in good working order, it
became immediately necessary to appoint another operator, for it was
quite evident that Harry could not work both ends of the line.

It was easy enough to appoint an operator, but not so easy for such
person to work the instruments. In fact, Harry was the only individual
in the company or the neighborhood who understood the duties of a
telegrapher, and his opportunities for practice had been exceedingly
limited.

It was determined to educate an operator, and Harvey Davis was chosen as
the most suitable individual for the position. So, day after day was
spent by Harry and Harvey, the one in the cabin of "One-eyed Lewston,"
and the other in that of Aunt Judy, in steady, though often
unsatisfactory, practice in the transmission and reading of telegraphic
messages.

Of course, great interest was taken in their progress, and some members
of the Board were generally present at one or the other of the stations.
Kate often came over to Aunt Judy's cabin, and almost always there were
other persons present, each of whom, whenever there was a chance, was
eager to send a telegraphic message gratis, even if it were only across
Crooked Creek.

Sometimes neither Harry nor Harvey could make out what the other one was
trying to say, and then they would run out of the station and go down to
the bank of the creek and shout across for explanations. A great many
more intelligible messages were sent in this way, for the first few
days, than were transmitted over the wire.

Tony Kirk remarked, after a performance of this kind, "It 'pears to me
that it wasn't no use to put up that ar wire, fur two fellows could a
been app'inted, one to stand on each side o' the creek, and holler the
messages across."

But, of course, such a proceeding would have been extremely irregular.
Tony was not accustomed to the strict requirements of business.

Sometimes the messages were extremely complicated. For instance, Harry,
one day about noon, carefully telegraphed the following:

I would not go home. Perhaps you can get something to eat from Aunt
Judy.

As Harvey translated this, it read:

I would gph go rapd gradsvlt bodgghip rda goqbsjcm eat dkpx Aunt
Judy.

In answer to this, Harvey attempted to s