With him were the two machinists, Henry Watson and James Penson. They had been busy since daylight making the ways secure.
"She goes in after breakfast," announced the professor, "and I'm going to let you christen her, Washington."
"Me? I neber christened a ship," objected the colored man.
"Nothing like learning," remarked Mr. Henderson.
"Has you got the bottle ob wine?" asked Washington.
"I guess soda water will do," said the inventor. "Now look sharp, boys. Get your breakfasts and we'll see if the ship will come up to our expectations."
No one lingered over the meal. When it was finished the professor gave Washington a few instructions about breaking the bottle over the nose of the Porpoise as she slid down to the water, for there was no bow to such a queerly shaped vessel as the submarine.
At last all was in readiness. The two machinists knocked away the last of the retaining blocks and eased the ship slightly down the well-greased timbers of the ways.
"There she goes!" cried the professor. "Break the bottle, Washington!"
"In de name ob de Stars an' Stripes, in de name of liberty, de home of the free an' de land ob de brave, I names yo' Mrs. Porpoise!" cried the colored man, but he was so long getting the words out, and so slow in swinging the bottle of soda, that the ship was quite beyond his reach when he had finished his oration. He was not to be outdone, however, and, with a quick movement he hurled the bottle at the moving ship. It struck the blunt nose squarely, and shivered to pieces.