“Go, then, and tell the carpenter to come to me, but don’t say a word about it to any one else.”
When the carpenter came tumbling aft he was told:
“Mr. Goodenow, I am informed there is a leak in the gunner’s room. Do you go and see what is the matter, but don’t alarm anybody and come and make your report privately to me.”
“Sir, there is nothing there,” announced the trusty carpenter, a few minutes later. “’Tis only the water washing up between the timbers that this booby has taken for a leak.”
“Oh, very well, go up on deck and see if you can keep the water from washing down below.”
“Sir, I have four people constantly keeping the hatchways secure, but there is such a weight of water upon the deck that nobody can stand it when the ship rolls.”
Just then the gunner appeared to add his bit of news.
“I thought some confounded thing was the matter, and ran directly,” wrote Lieutenant Archer.
“Well, what is the trouble here?”
“The ground tier of powder is spoiled,” lamented the faithful gunner, “and I want to show you, sir, that it is not because of any carelessness of mine in stowing it, for no powder in the world could be better stowed. Now, sir, what am I to do? If you don’t speak to Sir Hyde in my behalf, he will be angry with me.”