Page:The Wireless Operator with the U.S. Coast Guard.djvu/205

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A Catastrophe
197

lieved. He sat back in his chair, satisfied that all was right.

After breakfast Belford came on duty, according to agreement. He expressed his surprise at findng Henry in the wireless shack. Henry told him what had happened. Young Belford frowned deeply.

“Be careful, Harper,” he said. “I never trusted Black. He might try to do you some harm.”

“T don’t see how he could,” said Henry. “There are too many people about.”

“Just the same I wouldn’t spend too much time out on deck after dark. There’s seldom any one out there except the watch forward.”

“I’m sorry it happened,” remarked Henry. “I hate to tell on him.”

“But you must,” urged Belford. “If you don’t, he’ll think he has scared you out of it. Then he’ll be worse than ever. And he ought to be punished, if only to make him more careful in future. You can’t tell what might happen if the wireless watch goes to sleep.”

“I shall report him, of course, but, none the less, I dislike to do it. It almost makes me feel like the spy he said I was.”

“Don’t feel that way. What you are doing you are doing for the safety of the ship.”

Henry surrendered the watch to Belford and