Page:The Wireless Operator with the U.S. Coast Guard.djvu/224

 The chief electrician drew it out of his drawer and passed it to his fellow wireless man.

Roy turned the coil slowly around in his hand, examining it searchingly. It was a coil with a corded covering. Apparently nothing was wrong with it. There was no external evidence of inner deterioration. When he had turned it around several times, Roy handed it back to Mr. Sharp.

“It’s odd,” he commented. “I never had a coil burn out for me. But I suppose there must have been some weak spot in the insulation, and finally it gave way under the high voltage. Most anything will burn out in time.”

“When I have opportunity,” said the chief electrician, “I shall take it to pieces. I’m curious to know how it went bad. If one coil will do that, another might. I might be caught at sea that way some time and be in a bad fix.”

“I’d do it without fail,” urged Roy. “You want to find out why that coil went bad.”

“I’ll have to,” assented Mr. Sharp, “for the captain will make a thorough investigation of the matter.”

They remained in the wireless shack, the two radio men chatting about their experiences at sea, until young Black came in to take his turn on watch. He had gone back to his rest after being disturbed by Henry and Belford. Now Henry