Bill kept on working away at his experiments at home after shop hours, with the usual violent changes in his moods. One evening after a particularly explosive outburst, which ended by his shaking a clenched fist at the carburetor, Bill shouted:
“Bill,” said Tommy, seriously, “tell your partner what the trouble is. Begin at the beginning and use words of one syllable.”
“What good will that do, you poor college dude?”
“Well, it will enable me to give you a d--d good licking with a free conscience,” said Tommy. “Did you never hear how often inventors' wives have suggested the way out by means of the little door labeled Common Sense? It is in _The Romances of Great Inventors_.”
“Well, if you can find the way out of this you are a wonder.”
“I am. Go on.” Bill looked at Tommy, who went on, cheerfully, “Be a sport; loosen up.” After a moment Bill spoke calmly, “You know heat is not enough to effect the perfect vaporization of the kerosene.”
“What would be the effect of passing a whopper of an electric current direct through the kerosene before you do anything else?”
Tommy, as he said this, looked as wise as a woman does when she offers advice because having no knowledge she can give no commands.
“I don't know,” said Bill, indifferently. Then he repeated, “I don't know,” less indifferently. Then he shouted: “I don't know, but, by heck, I'm going to find out! Now get out of here!”
“No. But I can't work with anybody round me.”
“Well,” said Bill, “I feel like a fool when I fail, and I have a rotten temper, and--and--” Bill hesitated; then his face flushed.
“Then what?” asked Tommy, curiously. “Well, I'm fond of you and I don't want to have a fight when I'm out of my head. Now will you go or will you stay?”
“I'll go. If I ever landed on the point of the chin--” And shaking his head dolefully, Tommy shook hands with Bill and left.
There was always his automobile. He took Mrs. Clayton out for a joy-ride.
A few days later Bill said to Tommy at breakfast: “Your new high-tension generator is a wonder. I can get a very high-frequency current--”
“You can?” interrupted Tommy, with a frown. He did this merely to encourage Bill, who thereupon explained:
“Of course I'm using a step-up transformer with it, and something has happened!”