Letting the engine run a few minutes to warm up Jerry went over it all carefully and applied oil where it seemed to need it. He watched the feed cups on the cylinders and saw that they were working properly.
“I guess we can start off on the low gear,” he announced as he grasped the lever and advanced the spark a trifle to make the explosions come more rapidly.
The screw began to revolve and, at the stern of the Dartaway there came a swirl of foam as the blades beat the water.
“Here we go!” cried Bob. “This is something like! It’s got an automobile beat a mile!”
“Don’t say anything against automobiles,” cautioned Jerry. “Ours stood by us well.”
“So it did,” agreed Bob. “But this is simply immense!”
Up the river they went, and about a mile from the float they passed a rowboat containing two boys and two girls.
Toot! Toot! Toot!
A shrill whistle sent a blast out as Ned pulled the cord which operated it. The occupants of the rowboat looked up and waved their hands.