out, and a few seconds later he was speeding toward the shop where
Tom had taken his position in a booth.

Ned burst in, crying out:

"Tom! What is it? What happened? What's the matter?"

There was no answer. Fearing the worst, Ned hurried to the small
booth, in one corner of the big, dimly lighted shop. He could see
Tom's lamp burning in the telephone compartment,

"Tom! Tom!" called the young banker.

Still there was no answer, and Ned, springing forward, threw open
the double, sound-proof door of the booth. Then he saw Tom lying
unconscious, with his head and arms on the table in front of him,
while the low buzzing of the electrical apparatus in the
transmitting box told that the current had not been shut off.

"Tom! Tom!" cried Ned in his chum's ear He shook him by the
shoulder,

"Are you hurt? What is the matter?"

The young inventor seemed unconscious, and for a moment Ned had a
wild idea that Tom had been shocked to death, possibly by some
crossed live wire coming in contact with the telephone circuit.

"But that couldn't have happened, or I'd have been shocked
myself," mused Ned.