ers. He had just unfolded to his two particular
chums his plan of connecting all their houses with a telegraph line, and
the boys agreed that a telegraph line was precisely the thing they
needed.

"I'm ready to begin right away," said Harry Barker. "The sooner we have
it working, the better."

"It's very easily learned," Tom continued. "You can learn the alphabet
in an hour or two, and after a week's practice you can read the sounder
slowly. Our houses stand just right for it, too."

Tom was certainly correct about that. Their houses were in a cluster in
the suburbs of Westbridge, two on one side of the broad avenue, and one
just across the way, with only about five hundred feet of space between
them.

"It would be a grand thing," Joe said, after deliberating a little, "but
I don't know whether I can get father to advance me the cash. That canoe
about used up my money, and I may have trouble to get any money for a
while."

"No, you won't!" Tom exclaimed, very decidedly. "You'll not have any
trouble at all to get money for a telegraph line. I've thought that all
out. You see, this thing is not just a toy to play with; it's for real
use. You know what the worst drawback is to living here half a mile out
of town; it's burglars, isn't it? That's what we always have to be
looking out for, specially since they broke into your house two years
ago, and took all your silverware. And I'd like to know what better
burglar alarm we could have than a telegraph line between our houses."

The three families all took kindly to the telegraph idea, for they said
that it would be a great convenience to them in asking and answering
questions, and would save them many a step. Besides, if a burglar should
visit any of the houses it would be such a consolation to know that they
could call assistance in a few seconds. Tom and Harry put little tables
close by their beds to hold the key and sounder, but Joe had to make
other arrangements. His mother was afraid to have the wire so close to
his head for fear it might conduct the lightning when there was a
thunderstorm, so it was decided that his work-room over the kitchen
should also be his telegraph-office. That was the room where he kept his
printing-press and his carpenter's bench, and the turning lathe that he
had saved up for months to buy.

This work-room was too far from Joe's sleeping-room for him to hear the
click of the sounder if the other boys should call him at night; but
Harr