"Since you youngsters know so much about it," growled Joshua Owen, "you two can carry the pipe over to the machine shop."
Other workmen sprang to help in passing the pipe up through the manhole and down over the side of the hull. When Jack and Hal got the pipe up on their shoulders they staggered a bit under its weight. But they were game, and started away with it.
"That's a shame," growled Mike O'brien. "Boss, leave me go 'an be helpin' the b'yes with that load."
"Go ahead," nodded Mr. Farnum. O'brien went nimbly down the ladder, placing one of his own sturdy shoulders under the forward end of the pipe, while Benson got back with Hal Hastings at the other end. In about three-quarters of an hour the trio were back, with the pipe cut to the right length, and with a new screw-thread cut at the shortened end.
"Now, you can demonstrate your own work, Benson," laughed Mr. Farnum.
"Fit the pipe yourself, and call on the men for what help you want."
At that, Joshua Owen folded his arms as he stepped back scowling. Yet when the crew, under Jack's direction, had finished fitting the pipe in place, not even this angered foreman dared say that it was not fitted properly.
The next work called for fitting some pipe-joints, and in this a red lead cement was used. One of these joint-makings fell to Benson and Hal.
"Here's yer cement," muttered the scowling Dan Jaggers, passing a rough ball of the stuff to young Benson.
"Is this the best you have?" asked Jack, eyeing the cement with disfavor.
"Yes," growled Dan, "and it's plenty good enough."