"I would moor one on each side of the steamer, put a couple of timbers across them, pass a chain under the bow and stern of the sunken hull, and make fast to the timbers. Then I would let the water into the canal-boats, and sink them down to the rails. When I got them down as deep as I could, I would tighten the chains, till they bore taut on the timbers. Do you understand it, Lawry?"
"Certainly; I know all about the plan," replied the young pilot, with a smile.
"I don't believe you do," said Ben incredulously. "What would you do next?"
"Pump the water out of the two canal-boats, which would take about two days' time."
"You could rig extra pumps."
"Three of us, with three pumps, couldn't pump them out in two days."
"Well, the job is done when you have pumped them out."
"When you get the water out of the boats, you will have raised the steamer but three or four feet at most."
"Six feet, at least, for the canal-boats will come up where they were before."
"No; they won't; the weight of the steamer will press them down two or three feet."