“No, but you’ve undertaken to float her, Chips,” said Poole. “I wouldn’t reckon on being Don Ramon’s head naval architect and engineer just yet.”
“No, sir, I don’t,” said the carpenter seriously. “But anyhow we’ll set the screw free before we trouble any more about that leakage;” and in a very business-like way he carried out the boatswain’s plans, connecting the cable with the capstan, and winding it off; but it was so damaged by grinding against the edges of the opening that it parted five different times before it was all off, to the boatswain’s great disgust.
“What have you got to say about the leakage, Mr Burnett, sir?” whispered the carpenter after the cable task was ended, and the fans of the propeller showed clearly in the water just below the surface, and had been set whirling round in both directions to churn up the water, and prove that the shaft had not been wrenched or dragged from its bearings.
“Nothing at present, Chips,” replied the middy.
“Because I’d take it kindly, sir, if you’d drop a fellow a hint or two. This is a big job, sir, and means my making or my breaking, sir.”
“But you shouldn’t ask me, my man,” replied the middy. “You are old and experienced, while I’m only a boy.”
“Yes, sir, I knows that,” said the man; “but you’re come out of a gunboat, sir, and you’ve got your head screwed on the right way, sir. I never see a young gent with such a head as yours, nor yet one as was screwed on so tight.”
“Oh, nonsense, Chips,” cried the boy, flushing. “It’s your job, not mine.”
“Nay, sir, it aren’t nonsense, it’s sound sense. I like a bit of the first as well as any man when larking helps to make hard work go easy. Often enough a bit o’ fun acts like ile to a hard job, but it won’t ile this one. And as I said afore, sir, I’d take it kindly if you’d put in a word now and then over the rest o’ the job same as you did over the cable.”
“But you ought to consult with Mr Burgess or the captain, my man,” said Fitz, uneasily.