histle took up the tune with intense violence, causing a
rush to the train, in which the two lads--like many other friends--were
abruptly parted for a season.

CHAPTER SIX.

TELLS OF OUR HERO'S VISIT TO THE GREAT CABLE.

Robin Wright returned home with a bounding heart. Since his electrical
appointment he had become, figuratively speaking, an indiarubber ball--a
sort of human "squash." His heart bounded; his feet bounded; if his
head had fallen off, it also would have bounded, no doubt.

On arriving he found his father's elder brother--a retired sea-captain
of the merchant service--on a visit to the family.

There was not a more favourite uncle in the kingdom than uncle Rik--thus
had his name of Richard been abbreviated by the Wright family. Uncle
Rik was an old bachelor and as bald as a baby--more so than many babies.
He was good-humoured and liberal-hearted, but a settled unbeliever in
the world's progress. He idolised the "good old times," and quite
pleasantly scorned the present.

"So, so, Robin," he said, grasping our hero by both hands (and uncle
Rik's grasp was no joke), "you're goin' in for batteries--galvanic
batteries an' wires, are you? Well, lad, I always thought you more or
less of a fool, but I never thought you such a born idiot as that comes
to."

"Yes, uncle," said Robin, with a pleasant laugh, for he was used to the
old captain's plain language, "I'm going to be an electrician."

"Bah! pooh!--an electrician!" exclaimed uncle Rik with vehemence, "as
well set up for a magician at once."

"Indeed he won't be far short of that," said Mrs Wright, who was seated
at the tea-table with her husband and Madge--"at least," she added, "if
all be true that we hear of this wonderful science."

"If only half of it be true," interjected Mr Wright.

"But it _ain't_ true," said Captain Rik firmly. "They talk a deal of
stuff about it, more than nine-tenths of which is lies--pure fable. I
don't believe in electricity; more than that, I don't believe in steam.
Batteries and boilers are both bosh!"

"But, uncle, you can't deny that they exist," said Robin.

"Of course not," replied the captain. "I know as well as you do--maybe
better--that there's a heap o' telegraph-wires rove about the world like
great spiders' webs, and that there are steamboats hummin' an' buzzin'--
ay, an' bu'stin' too--all over the ocean, like huge wasps, an' a pretty
mess they make of it too among them! Why, there was a po