“This is a make and break engine isn’t it?”
“Yep, but mostly break,” the lanky boy laughed.
Jack was busy removing a brass plate from the top of the engine which covered the timing gear. He then opened the pet cocks and slowly turned the fly wheel.
“She seems to explode all right, but wait a minute till I get this side plate off so I can see when the pistons are up. There, that’s better. Number one is hitting at just the right time but number two is a trifle too soon,” he declared after turning the engine over a few more times. “That timing arm has been bent a little. Guess we’ll have to take it off and straighten it.”
It took but a minute to take the piece out and with a strong pair of pliers Jack carefully bent the arm very slightly.
“There, now let’s see what she’ll do,” he said as soon as he had replaced the lever.
He gave the wheel a couple of turns and the engine began purring as though it had never had the slightest intention of stopping.
“Well, what do you know about that?” the lanky boy gasped.
“It’s no more than I expected,” the Cherub grinned. “Didn’t I tell you he could fix it if it could be fixed. He’s the original Mr. Fixit around these parts.”
Jack Golden laughed.