"What's an Irish castle, Flix?" asked Morris.
"A noice bit of a house tin fate shquare, wid a thatched roof and a mood flure."
"But they have water to boil their potatoes in an Irish castle," added the captain.
"Faix, they have; the foinest wather in the wurruld."
"But we mustn't stay here too long to talk; for the owner of the Guardian-Mother is at the wheel, and it is time for the starboard watch to go on duty," said Captain Scott, as he broke open a hot biscuit.
Not much ceremony was used at the meal, and it was soon finished. As the trio passed the engine-room on their way to the forecastle, a flood of Spanish speech struck their ears, and it was evident that the engineers were enjoying their morning meal. As soon as the steward saw the captain he hastened aft to rearrange the table; and Louis was served as elegantly as became the dignity of a ship-owner, though he put on no airs. He ate his breakfast alone; but he had a good appetite, for he had been up since the morning watch was called at four o'clock.
By nine o'clock Pitts had cleared the tables, and put everything in good order in the galley. His head was still full of the water-casks, and he went to the standing-room to examine them again. They were simply dried up when the water was drawn into them from the tanks. In six hours they had drained themselves empty, which was a leakage from each of only about four gallons an hour; but he wondered that Mr. Gaskette, who had superintended the work of putting them in the run, had not discovered the condition of the casks.
While he was engaged in his examination Don joined him. The engineer had slept most of the night, and he had no desire to turn in again. He looked the casks over with the steward, and declared that he could make them as tight as when they were new in fifteen minutes. He went to the engine-room, and returned with a hammer and a piece of iron in his hands. He calked the casks as though he had been a cooper all his life, and then proceeded to drive the hoops.
In less than half an hour the job was completed, and Don was sure the casks would not leak a drop. Morris and Louis went aft when they heard the sound of the hammer, and the former reported to the captain what was going on at the stern. Louis examined the casks when they were finished, and tried to penetrate the seams with the blade of his penknife; but they appeared to be perfectly tight.
"We have the casks, and all we want now is the water to fill them," said he. "Do you know anything about Alboran, Don?"