Sailing day finds the wireless operator early at his post. Long before the passengers come aboard and commence to search for their staterooms, the wireless booth is a center of activity. The machinery is carefully overhauled, supplies are looked to, and a number of test messages are sent out. The operators do not call up any one in particular at this time, but depend upon the sharp crack of the sending apparatus to tell them if everything is working properly. Every detail of the apparatus is examined, including, of course, the aérials strung from the topmasts. The tests are made fully three hours before sailing, when the operators are free until the boat leaves, almost the only carefree interval they will have until the steamer is docked on the other side of the Atlantic.