"Possibly," agreed Selwyn, throwing the book into the pocket of his overalls. "We'll soon find out if it is."
The interrupted task was resumed, but in less than ten minutes the leading hand returned, accompanied by three of the regular firemen.
"You three," he announced, indicating Carr and his chums, "are to knock off and report to the Quartermaster."
Going on deck they duly reported themselves, and were conducted to a cabin on the lower bridge, their protests about having to appear in a coal-grimed state being ignored.
Within were the Captain and the Chief Engineer of the ship, while in two pieces on the table lay the lump of "coal".
"Which of you found this?" enquired the "Old Man" brusquely, indicating Malcolm's find.
"I did, sir," replied the lad. "I It rolled on my foot, and, finding it was remarkably light, I examined it."
"A thundering good job you did," rejoined the Captain. "Look here, this is in confidence--you must not mention the affair to anyone--had that thing been thrown into the furnace, the chances are that the ship would have been blown up. No. 7 bunker---- Let me see, Jephson," he continued, addressing the engineer; "that was replenished at Sierra Leone, wasn't it?"
The officer addressed consulted a memorandum.
"No, sir," he replied; "7 and 8 of No. 2 stoke-hold were bunkered at Cape Town. They hadn't been touched when we arrived at Sierra Leone."