Page:The Wireless Operator with the U.S. Coast Guard.djvu/219

 “Is that so?” pressed the captain.

“We found him fast asleep, as he says,” spoke up the quartermaster.

The commander turned. slowly to Henry. “The responsibility seems to be up to you,” he said.

“It seems so, sir,” replied Henry. “Yet that set was all right when I used it just before I came to the bridge. When I got back and attempted to send with it again, it went wrong. Certainly I ought to be entitled to the benefit of the doubt.”

The captain looked at him searchingly. “I didn’t think you were the sort of boy who would try to crawl out of a difficulty instead of standing up and facing it,” said the commander.

“Nor am I,” cried Henry. “If I had done the least thing to cause trouble with the wireless, sir, I would tell you frankly and take the consequences. But I did nothing—absolutely nothing. I can’t help feeling that somebody tampered with it.”

“Who would dare do such a thing?” demanded the captain.

“I don’t know. I don’t accuse anybody. But I know too much about wireless outfits to believe that this one suddenly went bad without a cause.’

“We will investigate the whole matter thor