pretty thin,
I am afraid," was Bob's characteristic reply.

"That wouldn't do for you, eh?" remarked Mr. Crowninshield with a
chuckle.

"It would not satisfy me; no, sir. As it is I cannot begin to master
what there is to be known concerning this one branch of science. Were
my head to be filled with a little of everything I should feel as if
it were a grab bag."

"Many heads are," was the laughing retort. "Still, with each
successive generation rolling up its accumulation of knowledge the
intellectual snowball is getting to be of ponderous size. History's
remedy for this malady has always been to knock the whole structure to
pieces every now and then and begin again. Perhaps we shall have to
have another period of the Dark Ages and another Renaissance to set us
right."

Thoughtfully he puffed his cigar.

"This wireless now--think of the new fields it has opened up. Not only
are our ships equipped so that they can send and receive all sorts of
messages, get their location, be informed concerning harbor entrances
and coast lines; set their compasses and clocks but soon wireless
telephones will be installed in the staterooms of all passenger
steamers so that those crossing the ocean can talk with their friends
ashore any time they may elect to do so. Of course there are times
when such a thing might have its advantages; but for tired
people--doctors and the like--who are trying to get to a spot where
they cannot be reached by business cares it will be a negative sort of
blessing. I, myself, for example, always count on my stay on shipboard
as a sort of vacation, an interval when nobody can bother me with
office matters. But if in future I must have a wireless telephone at
my bedside I shall be no more isolated than I should have been had I
remained at home. Pretty soon there will be no place under the sun
where a man can go and get peace and quiet. The Maine woods will be
full of radio outfits and the tops of distant mountains in touch with
the stock market. Even an aeroplane carries its wireless. It is
hideous to contemplate!" he sighed. "As for city life, we shall be
beset wherever we go. And if the fashion set by some of our city
police of having wires tucked away in uniforms and a wireless receiver
carried in the pocket prevails in due time even when we walk the
streets we shall all be in constant touch with our particular
headquarters."

At his rueful expression Bob could not but laugh.

"There certainly is