human
You appear to be taking great interest in that useless invention,
gpt
I didn't think you were coming creeping back like that, he exclaimed,
human
Have you any reason to fear being spied upon?
gpt
Me? No, not the least. That's a funny question.
human
I want to tell you, Thurman, that my invention is not yet completed and therefore, of course, is not patented. I was pretty free with you in describing it, and I shall trust to your honor not to talk about it to anyone.
gpt
Certainly not, blustered Thurman.
human
I'm not that sort of a chap.
gpt
So it's not patented, eh? he muttered to himself.
human
That will help. It's an idea there that ought to be worth a pot of money.
gpt
It's code--somebody sending code! exclaimed Jack, and then the next instant,
human
Hello, navy, he chattered with the wireless key,
gpt
Who is this?
human
Oh, just a fellow who was listening,
gpt
Butting in, you mean. But say, how did you ever get on to our sending? We were using eccentric wave-lengths to keep our talk a secret.
human
I'll have to keep how I caught your talk a secret, too, for the present, old man.
gpt
Great Scott! It isn't possible that you've solved the problem of a universal detector. Why, that's a thing the navy sharps have been working on for years.
human
I can't say how I caught your message,
gpt
You'll have to tell if the government gets after you, was the reply.
human
Uncle Sam isn't going to have a fellow running round loose with anything like that.
gpt
What do you mean?
human
That you will be forbidden to use it.
gpt
Is that so?
human
Yes, that's so. I'm going to make out a report for my superiors about it right now. You're pretty fresh.
gpt
Put that in the report, too,
human
You'll find it's no joke to monkey with the government,