one o' your electrical fellers explaining to a landlubber t'other
evenin' that electricity could only run along wires when the _circuit
was closed_, by which he meant to say that it would fly from a battery
and travel along a wire ever so far, if only that wire was to turn right
round and run back to the same battery again. Now, if that's so, seems
to me that when you've got your cable to Newfoundland you'll have to run
another one back again to Ireland before it'll work."

"Ah, Slagg, that would indeed be the case," returned Robin, "were it not
that we have discovered the important fact that the earth--the round
globe on which we stand--itself acts the part of a grand conductor. So
we have only to send down _earth-wires_ at the two ends--one into the
earth of Ireland, the other into the earth of Newfoundland, and
straightway the circuit is closed, and the electricity generated in our
batteries passes through the cable from earth to earth."

"Robin," said Slagg doubtingly, "d'you expect me for to believe _that_?"

"Indeed I do," said Robin simply.

"Then you're greener than I took you for. No offence meant, but it's my
opinion some o' these 'cute electricians has bin tryin' the width of
your swallow."

"No, you are mistaken," returned Robin earnestly; "I have read the fact
in many books. The books differ in their opinions as to the causes and
nature of the fact, but not as to the fact itself."

It was evident that Robin looked upon this as an unanswerable argument,
and his friend seemed perplexed.

"Well, I don' know how it is," he said, after a pause, "but I do believe
that this here wonderful electricity is fit for a'most anything, an'
that we'll have it revoloosionising everything afore long--I do indeed."

The intelligent reader who has noted the gigantic strides which we have
recently made in electric lighting of late will observe that Slagg,
unwittingly, had become almost prophetic at this time.

"We're going along splendidly now," said Mr Smith, coming up to Robin
that evening while he was conversing with Slagg, who immediately
retired.--"Who is that youth? He seems very fond of you; I've observed
that he makes up to you whenever you chance to be on deck together."

"He is one of the steward's lads, sir; I met him accidentally in the
train; but I suspect the fondness is chiefly on my side. He was very
kind to me when I first came on board, and I really think he is an
intelligent, good fellow--a s