[2] A report involving dismissal.
"I shouldn't wonder," remarked Stonewell, drily.
"Stonewell, I'm obliged to you, and I'll tell you right now I won't give Drake another chance to report me for Frenching; I'm awfully sorry the thing happened. I'll tell him I'll do the square thing hereafter."
In the meantime Robert and Peters had gone aboard the "Nevada"; Lenn saw them coming. "Come up above," he said to them; "I've something to show you." When Robert saw what this something was he was delighted. Lenn had fitted up the forward starboard six-pounder gun with the gun sights they had talked about.
"I've bore sighted the gun, Mr. Drake. Just train the gun on that white stone on the shore over there; look through your peep-sight and get the gun exactly on it. All right. Now shift your eye to the bore; the bore sights are in the gun. Now what do you say?"
"It's wonderful," cried Robert; "are these bore sights in the exact centre of the gun?"
"Within a hair's breadth."
"Both the new gun sights and the bore sights are pointing at the white stone. The stone is over half a mile away. That means the line of the gun sights is parallel to the axis of the gun, doesn't it?"
"It does, indeed," replied Lenn, much pleased with Robert's enthusiastic approval.
"Let me see," insisted Peters, pushing Robert away from the breech of the gun. "Gee, but this is splendid," he called out a moment later. "Say, Bob, if you keep this quiet you'll make the gunnery record next June."