Everybody looked with all their eyes. Even Mr. Loudon, who had often
examined telegraphic apparatus, took a great interest in this, and the
negroes thought there was never anything so wonderful. Especially were
those delighted who owned stock.

"Some o' dat dar's mine," said a shiny-faced black boy. "Wonder ef dat
little door-knob's my sheer."

"You go 'long, dar," said Dick Ford, giving him a punch in the ribs with
his elbow. "Dat little shiny screw's 'bout as much as you own."

As for the members of the Board, they were radiant. There was the
telegraphic apparatus (or a part of it) of the Crooked Creek Telegraph
Company, and here were the officers!

Each one of them, except Brandeth Price, explained some portion of the
instruments to some of the bystanders.

As for Brandeth, he had not an idea what was to be done with anything.
But he had a vote in the Board. He never forgot that.

"Can't ye work it a little, Mah'sr Harry!" asked Gregory Montague.

"Dat's so!" cried a dozen voices. "Jist let's see her run a little,
Mah'sr Harry, please!" Even Kate wanted to see how the things worked.

Harry explained that he couldn't "run it" until he had arranged the
battery and had made a great many preparations, and he greatly
disappointed the assembly by informing them that all that was to be done
that day was to put the instruments in their respective houses (or
stations, as the boys now began to call the cabins), and to put up the
cases which were to protect them when not in use. These cases were like
small closets, with movable tops, and there was great fear that they
would not fit over the tables that had been brought from Hetertown.

On the next day, Mr. Lyons had promised to come over and show them how
to begin the work.

"There'll be plenty for you fellows to do," said Harry, "when we put up
the wires."

CHAPTER XIX.

CONSTRUCTING THE LINE.

The next day was a day of hard work for the Board of Managers. Mr.
Lyons, who took the greatest interest in the enterprise, got another
operator to take his place at the Hetertown station, and came over to
help the boys.

Under his direction, and with his help, they arranged the instruments
and the batteries, sunk the ground-wires, and, in a general way, put the
office-apparatus in working order. When night came, there were still
some things that remained to be done in the two stations, but the main
part of the office arrangements had been satisfactorily con