Argosy All-Story Weekly, July 11, 1925 — page 14: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

i er ee ee ae a __. He went to the door, opened it and faced B+ 5%) Ravey® re A ne UE Pie he tok tee ©: = 168 At nine o’clock he looked out of his office window, aghast, at a clamorous sea of young inventors. CHAPTER IV. COMPETITION INCREASES, IEUTENANT-COMMANDER LAY- TON, the commandant, said to Lieu- tenant Worcester, Superintendent of the Yard, who occupied the adjoining office, “Look at that mob! The radio is sure a sounding board of the nation. And quick action! Whew! I was let in for that talk only last night, and said ‘ any’ morn- ing. I didn’t mean the ‘ rext’ morning. I thought I might get half a dozen boys in the course of a week, but look at ’em! There’s five hundred. How’ll I handle them? The admiral’s coming at ten, and I won’t be able to get away from him before twelve. I’d turn them all away and tell them to come back another day, but I haven’t the heart.” The two stood at the office window look- ing out. Most of the crowd were poorly dressed, but a few were evidently spruced up for the occasion. About one in three bore something in his hands or arms. “ Looks as if they had their models with them,” said Lieutenant Worcester. “I wonder if any of them has a sound idea.” ‘‘ Perhaps not,” replied the commandant, “but what difference does that make? It’s the spirit, the ambition they display. It bucks me up, really, but it’s embarrassing, this morning.” The lieutenant shrugged his shoulders. * T’m afraid you'll spend a lot of time fruit- lessly,” he ventured. “No,” the commandant returned, with conviction. ‘‘If out of that five hundred only one shows with an embryo, even if it takes ten years to develop it, the service will be well repaid for any time I give— only I haven’t the time now.” “Why not turn them over to an ensign in the draughting room to winnow them out, and then you take the finals at noon?” “Good idea. Thanks,” said the com- mandant. +. ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. the steel filings which his magnetic voice had drawn from the limitless chaff out of the invisible ether. ‘“ Boys,” said he, “I am delighted that you ‘have responded to my invitation so promptly. If you will go around the building to your right, and enter the second door, Ensign Tenflair will receive you. Later I will have the oppor- tunity myself of meeting you.” The sea became suddenly angry as if disturbed by a fierce seismic upheaval. Every boy wanted to be first, and each jammed his way toward the corner of the building, | The commandant raised his hand. “Take it easy!” he called. “No hurry. Every one will be received. You gain nothing by pushing. But be regular about it. Get in line. The first one here go to the head. After that fall behind, in turn. Now! Steady!” He closed the door and went inside. Cyrus had been directly at the door when it opened to let the officer address his audience in person. When the mob started to the side, however, he found himself partially shoved aside, though he did manage to be the second to reach the side door. Ahead of him was the young man in white collar and pressed clothes, with the huge folder of drawings. “I was here first,” said Cyrus, firmly, “and I should precede you.” The wearer of the white collar merely turned his back and the more persistently pressed close to the closed door. Cyrus laid a hand on him, saying, “ Step aside.”” In a newspaper parcel under his left arm was his device. As the one in the white collar felt him- self being forced away from the door, while behind them the crowd was mounting rapidly, he merely moved his knee up swiftly punching the parcel from under Cyrus’s arm. It fell to the ground, the string brokesand there to the gaze of all lay revealed the nest of wheels and eccentrics. Cyrus kneeled down, retied his parcel, calmly placed it by the wall, reached out and took the white-collared boy by the two arms and set him over several feet. He resisted and in doing so the folder of drawings broke and the sheets scattered. --cOomicboo “S (EO)