"What's the matter?" cried Ned. "Something go wrong?"
"A little," admitted Tom, with a rueful look on his face. "Those recoil checks didn't work as well in practice as they did in theory."
"Are you sure they are strong enough?" asked Lieutenant Marbury.
"I thought so," spoke Tom. "I'll put more tension on the spring next time."
"Bless my watch chain!" cried Mr. Damon. "You aren't going to fire those guns again; are you, Tom?"
"Why not? We can't tell what's the matter, nor get things right without experimenting. There's no danger."
"No danger! Don't you call nearly upsetting the ship danger?"
"Oh, well, if she turns over she'll right herself again," Tom said. "The center of gravity is low, you see. She can't float in any position but right side up, though she may turn over once or twice."
"Excuse me!" said Mr. Damon firmly. "I'd rather go down, if it's all the same to you. If my wife ever knew I was here I'd never hear the last of it!"
"We'll go down soon," Tom promised. "But I must fire a couple of shots more. You wouldn't call the recoil checks a success, would you?" and the young inventor appealed to the government inspector.