[Illustration: THE HIGH-PRESSURE JET CAUGHT THE TENDERFOOT FULL IN THE FACE (missing from book)]
Next morning Hepburn, who was "cook of the day", could only obtain enough fresh water for half a cup of tea per head, and then only by waiting patiently at the full-open tap while the water trickled slowly.
So directly the dry meal was over the crew set to work to take the Olivette into the harbour. Here they found no vacant berth alongside the quay, but under the harbourmaster's directions they brought up against a three-masted schooner flying the Italian ensign.
"The Giuseppe Emilio," said Roche, reading the name on her stern. "She's a whacking big craft. Wonder what she's for?"
"Loading clay," replied Mr. Armitage. "There's a great quantity of clay shipped away from Poole. Stand by: here comes the hose."
As a matter of fact there were two hoses coupled together, leading from the hydrant on the quay across the Giuseppe Emilio's deck to the Olivette.
"How many gallons do you want, sir?" shouted the harbourmaster's assistant.
"Two hundred, please," replied the Scoutmaster; "we're all ready."
Roche had opened the deck-plate, and had inserted the nozzle of the hose into the three-inch pipe leading to the tank. There was a preliminary gurgle, and then like a young torrent the water poured into the tank.
"This is some stunt," declared Roche. "Better than pouring it in bucket by bucket as we usually do."