The Professor did find some samples of tourmaline, in a finely divided state, and this gem was used to polish the gun barrels, so that all the weapons were finally put into condition where they could be used. During an hour each day all took a part in practicing in a range specially prepared near the workshop. Distances were laid off accurately, and the regulation targets set up. In this manner they became accustomed to loading and firing with facility and a considerable degree of accuracy.
If anyone, not knowing the situation, had dropped in on this scene, he would have considered himself in the midst of a great naval and military camp. At the workshop were the guns, arranged in order; boxes provided for the bullets; small turned out wooden cups for powder, each cup carrying twenty little tubes of bamboo, each with a measured charge of powder, and longer bamboo tubes with percussion caps in them.
It was Harry's brilliant idea to separate each charge of powder and put it into a special tube. This tube had one end closed, and the other provided with a stopper, so that in loading the stopper could be drawn out and held by the teeth while the powder was poured into the gun. The caps were put into a bamboo tube which was just large enough to take the caps, which were dropped in, one after the other, and it can be seen that it would be an easy matter to turn the tube upside down, and thus bring out one cap at a time. This also facilitated the reloading of the gun.
During the practice with the gun one serious defect was found; and that was to remove the cap after each shot. Sometimes the body of the cap would not split, and as a result, a knife or some pointed instrument would have to be employed to dislodge it so as to make room for the new cap.
Harry found a way to remedy this. An opening was made through the stock at one side, and a sliding piece, like a collar, put over the nipple which holds the cap. A finger attached to this collar enabled the marksman to draw back the collar, and this would bring with it the cap, which would then fall out of the side opening.
All these little details may seem to be useless care, but rapidity in loading and firing, with muzzle-loaders, in an engagement might be their salvation.
A test was made of the improved firearm, to determine how fast the gun could be loaded and fired. The test made by Harry showed that it took two seconds, after a shot, to bring down the piece, and draw back the collar to release the cap; three seconds to grasp one of the powder tubes, remove the stopper and bring it to the muzzle of the gun; two seconds to pour in the powder; two seconds to drop the tube in its receptacle and grasp the bullet; two seconds to ram it home, and three seconds to put on the cap and cock the gun for firing. That was nearly a quarter of a minute.
He was very much dissatisfied with this exhibition of speed—or rather of slowness, so after considering the matter for some time, hit upon the plan of reducing the rear end of the bullet, so he could wrap a paper tube on that and tie it. Then he purposed filling the tube with powder, and closing the rear end by folding over the end of the tube. In this way he would entirely overcome the need of the little bamboo tubes for holding the powder.
But no paper was available, nor could he think of anything which could be used as a substitute. In despair he repaired to the Professor.
"What is the difficulty now?" said the Professor, with a smile.