Page:Ballantyne--The Battery and the Boiler.djvu/64

 no regular education in the science, but I hope, if you direct me what to study, that I shall improve."

"No doubt you will, my boy. Meanwhile, as the big ship won't be ready to start for some time, I want you to go to the works of the Telegraph Construction and Maintenance Company, see the making of the cable, learn all you can, and write me a careful account of all that you see and all that you think about it."

Robin could not repress a smile.

"Why, boy, what are you laughing at?" demanded Mr. Smith, somewhat sternly,

Robin blushed deep scarlet as he replied—

"Pardon me, sir, but you said I am to write down all that I think about it."

"Well, what then?"

"I—I 'm afraid, sir," stammered Robin, "that if I write down all I think about the Atlantic Cable, as well as all that I see, I shall require a very long time indeed, and a pretty large volume."

Mr. Smith gazed at our hero for some time with uplifted brows, then he shook his head slowly and frowned, then he nodded it slightly and smiled. After that he laughed, or rather chuckled, and said—

"Well, you may go now, and do what I have told you—only omitting most of what you think. A small portion of that will suffice! Don't hurry