"On this 'ere ledge a man has got to speak for himself, else there's danger of forgettin' whether or no he's alive," Mr. Peters replied in a placid tone. "It ain't often I get a chance for horn-blowin', owin' to the noise you an' Cap'n Eph make about yourselves. What do you say to havin' a try at the motor, Sonny?"
Sidney looked toward Captain Eph inquiringly, and the latter replied.
"I can't see as there's anything to hinder, pervidin' you don't run outside the cove. All you want to know is whether it's in workin' order, an' that shouldn't take many minutes. If it so be that we do run over to the mainland, it's my opinion that the voyage can be begun within the next twenty-four hours, for this 'ere fog storm is about at an end, 'cordin' to the looks of things."
Therefore it was that as soon as Sidney had eaten dinner he went to the narrow opening in the rocks where the motor boat was moored at such a distance from the foot of the ways that there could be no danger the waves would dash her against the timbers.
Mr. Peters hauled the little craft in so that the lad could leap aboard from the rocks, and while he examined the motor according to the instructions of the West Wind's engineer, Captain Eph and Uncle Zenas came down on the reef as spectators.
It was not necessary to spend many minutes in order to learn if the machinery was in working order. When Sidney applied the spark which ignites the gas, the screw immediately began to revolve, and he had no difficulty in sending her ahead or astern at will.
"I reckon there's no great need of your spendin' very much time over that end of the business," the keeper said in a tone of satisfaction. "You an' Sammy had better give the engine a thorough cleanin', an' when that has been done I'll try to answer the questions you asked this mornin' about the light, if you come up into the lantern."
Then Captain Eph went back to the tower, and when the two were busily engaged obeying orders, Mr. Peters asked curiously:
"What did the cap'n mean, Sonny, about answerin' your questions?"
"I wanted to know about the lens," Sidney replied. "I can't understand why it is any better to have all those glass rings around the light, which make so much work for the cleaners, than it would be if it was one solid globe."