Later on the Scoutmaster learnt that the Olivette was a Government-owned motor-tug, built at Oxford, but never used, owing to the Armistice. Becoming "surplus to requirements ", she was sold to Mr. Murgatroyd, who christened her Olivette. Previously she had been designated by a number.
"Going below" meant descending a short iron ladder into a spacious cockpit, with seats and lockers under the waterways on either side. Opening aft out of the cockpit were three doors. The centre one led to a small, two-berthed cabin, with folding iron cots over lockered seats. The one great drawback was the lack of sufficient headroom—even Hepburn, the smallest of the troop, having to duck his head.
On the starboard side of the entrance to the after cabin was a neat and compact galley, equipped with an atmospheric stove and an array of pots, pans, and crocks. On the port side was a lavatory.
For'ard of the cockpit, and gained by the simple method of stooping under the towing-beam, was the engine-room, with a coach-built roof over.
"Some engine!" declared Roche enthusiastically. "Paraffin, 60—80 horse-power too."
He opened the four compression taps, and proceeded to try to turn the starting-handle.
"My word!" he ejaculated. "She is stiff. Hasn't been used for months."
"You'll have to be careful to keep clear of that fly-wheel," cautioned Mr. Armitage. "It's awfully in the way, and should anyone get mixed up with it there'll be a fatal or very serious accident. Wonder they didn't put a guard-rail to it."
A couple of feet in front of the engine was a raised platform forming the floor of a "sunk" wheel-house. The helmsman would thus be able to see across the fore-deck, although the bows of the vessel interrupted a direct view of the surface of the water within a distance of 50 feet, which was, Mr. Armitage pointed out, a decided disadvantage when entering a lock.
"However," he added optimistically, "we'll soon get used to that."