III
BRIDGE AND BOAT WORK
The next day Fred and his father talked over the proposed boat, the result being that Walter Scott was asked over the telephone if he would come down in his launch to the Gregg property in the evening, as Mr. Gregg and Fred would like to see the craft, hear all about it, and find out if it had any defects that might be avoided in the building of another one. Walter said he'd be glad to sail down, and would take his sister to see Jessie. In the meantime some addresses of boat builders were handed to Fred, with instructions to write and ask for catalogues, prices of materials, and the other information usually sent out to prospective customers. Fred immediately wrote to a number of firms, including several who manufactured motors and other requisites for small launches.
A little after the city clock struck four, Jessie, who was home from school, saw The Mocking-Bird sailing down the river at good speed, with Walter, his sister Grace, and their mother on board. Fred went down to the water's edge, and helped Walter haul the boat to the unfinished landing place, where Mrs. Scott and Grace were safely landed.
Fred and Walter soon became deep in "boat talk," and kept it up until the arrival of Mr. Gregg, who began to make inquiries regarding the speed, capacity, and safety of The Mocking-Bird. All his questions were intelligently and favourably answered by Walter, a bright and earnest little fellow. He was some months the senior of Fred, but was not so strong or robust looking.
"She's just 18 feet long over all," said he, "with a 5-foot beam, a draft aft of about 18 inches, and a forward draft of 1 foot. She is fitted with a 6-horse-power gasolene engine, and her speed is from 8 to 9 miles an hour."
An illustration of her, as she appeared when partly built, is shown in [Fig. 17], where a plan and a section of her length may be seen. The manner of her construction is also shown, also the lines of ribs, portion of inside lining, position of motor, rudder, and propeller.
Fig. 17. Plan and section of The Mocking-Bird
Mr. Gregg also ascertained from Walter that his father had sent to a firm who made a business of preparing the complete wood-work for many kinds of boats on the "knockdown" system, selling the whole material ready to set up without the aid of an expert. Printed instructions came along with each boat, so that the buyer would have but little difficulty in setting up the wood-work and making it ready for use. An expert workman had been engaged by Walter's father to install the engine, line up the propeller shaft, and connect the wheel and shaft to the engine. On the arrival of the materials—within a week after the order was sent—Walter had gone to work; and inside of fourteen days, The Mocking-Bird took to the water.