human
We're on the trail again, dad. This fellow we've got is posing as Hal's cousin and he's advising us to go back home.
gpt
You say you are V A X?
human
Yes,
gpt
What is your name?
human
Alvin Baker.
gpt
Where do you live?
human
At Port Hope.
gpt
Where are you now?
human
On the river with some friends.
gpt
Have you any relatives in the United States?
human
Yes.
gpt
Where do they live?
human
In New York.
gpt
New York City?
human
No--State.
gpt
What city?
human
I have forgotten.
gpt
Is it Rochester?
human
I do not know.
gpt
Is it Oswego?
human
I am not certain.
gpt
Have you a cousin named Hal?
human
Yes.
gpt
What is his last name?
human
Baker.
gpt
Have you any relatives named Stone?
human
I think so.
gpt
Is the name Hal Stone familiar to you?
human
Never met the gentleman.
gpt
Then your name is not Alvin Baker?
human
Maybe you know my name better than I do.
gpt
No, but I know just as well as you do that you are not Alvin Baker.
human
How do you know that?
gpt
Because Alvin Baker is my cousin. I am Hal Stone, and I live in Oswego, New York.
human
I do not believe you. You are an impostor.
gpt
Let me tell you a secret. I have penetrated your plot. You are an enemy of my cousin. There was no wager between him and you, but you don't want us to find him. You had better keep out of the atmosphere or I will have you arrested on a charge of disorderly conduct in the air.
human
V A X, V A X, V A X,
gpt
I cornered him, proved he was an impostor, and now he won't talk to me any more,
human
Well, that disposes of him for the time being, at least,
gpt
But leaves a mystery as to his identity, put in Bud with a
human
No, I don't think there's any question as to his identity.
gpt
Have you worked it out by mathematics, dad?
human
Yes, by sines and cosines.
gpt
What are sines and cosines?
human
You'll find out when you go to college and study trigonometry,
gpt
Oh, I've seen those words, Cub answered, with some of his alleged characteristic
human
.
gpt
You spell sine, s-i-n-e, and cosine, c-o-s-i-n-e.
human
Exactly, smiled Mr. Perry.
gpt
Those are terms used in higher mathematics. But, in order that you youthful minds may not work too hard over my trick, I'll admit that in my mind I spelled sine s-i-g-n, and cosine, c-o-s-i-g-n.
human
No use to try to get ahead of my father, Cub declared, shaking his head.
gpt
He could prove that water runs uphill by mathematics. He means the signs and cosigns indicate that--. What do they indicate, dad? We got off the question just because you wanted to carry your point with a pun.
human
I meant to say that this fellow whom you cornered and chased out of the air is one of the fellows who hazed Hal's cousin by marooning him on this island,
gpt
Gee! that never occurred to me, exclaimed Cub, swinging his long arm with a snap of his finger like the crack of a whip.
human
I bet anything you're right.
gpt
We get one step nearer every time we make a move,
human
Yes, but the question is, how many steps do we have to take before we settle this--this--mystery?
gpt
Don't look ahead so far, Mr. Perry warned.
human
Here's a rule in such matters that applies to all men--and boys--of small or large capability. Be careful never to look ahead so far you can't see the step you are in the act of taking.
gpt
All right, Cub assented.
human
What is the next step for us to take?
gpt
Find out who the fellows are that hazed Hal's cousin.
human
Yes, that's a good suggestion, though it'll probably require several steps to gain that information. Still, you're not looking so far ahead, when you propose that move, as to be unable to see your first step.
gpt
Why not try to get in touch with some amateur in Cousin Alvin's home town by wireless?
human
That's the very thing I was in hope one of you would propose, Mr. Perry replied.
gpt
You boys haven't by any means exhausted the possibilities of your radio outfit.
human
We have no Canadian call book, said Hal,