ile he had had all
the bad luck. When he spoke of Mr. Marlin's rise from the ranks, Charley
could see plainly enough that Lumley was green with jealousy. He thought
he ought not to listen to such talk, and telling Lumley flatly that Mr.
Marlin's industry, he was sure, was the main reason for his success,
Charley turned the conversation into more agreeable channels. Finally
Charley finished coupling up his instruments and tested his spark.

"It's a slower way to talk," said the ranger as he watched Charley adjust
his spark-gap, "but I can see that it beats the telephone all hollow. Why,
a wind-storm, or a snow, or a thunder-storm can put the telephone out of
business quicker than you can say scat, and it may take hours and hours to
find the trouble and remedy it. I guess you couldn't put the wireless out
of commission, could you?"

"That's where you are wrong," smiled Charley. "A piece of iron laid across
the terminals for half an hour would put this battery completely out of
business."

How easily the telephone could be put out of business was soon shown; for
the very next day a terrific wind-storm came along, uprooting large trees,
wrenching loose great limbs which it hurled for many yards, bending flat
some of the smaller, weaker saplings and ripping its way through the
forest with a roar indescribable. Charley was with his crew brushing out
the fire trail. The wind was accompanied by some rain, and the crew sought
shelter under an overhanging ledge of rock. While they waited for the
storm to blow itself out, Charley turned the situation over in his mind.
Hurricanes were something he had never thought to ask Mr. Marlin about. He
felt sure the storm would mean some new duty for him, but he did not know
exactly what. He hesitated to ask his crew, for he did not want to betray
his ignorance. But a chance remark one of his men dropped about repairing
the telephone-line furnished a clue for Charley. He thought the matter
over, and by the time the storm had ended, Charley had come to a decision.
Right or wrong, he determined to act promptly.

"I want one of you to help me look after the telephone-line," he said,
picking out one of the crew. "The rest of you can go on with the fire
trail."

With this helper, he made his way out to the telephone-line and followed
it the entire length of his territory. In several places saplings had
blown across it. One tree, partly uprooted, was leaning against it. And in
one place the l