se 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.

"No difficulty, particularly, but I wish we could have paper, or
something like it. I want to make cartridges."

"I thought you had all that arranged for?"

"So I did, but it takes me a quarter of a minute to load, and I must do
better than that."

He mused a while. "We could make paper, and I think we have the
facilities at hand for doing it; but it will take quite a time to
arrange for it. Aside from that I do not, at this moment, know of
anything which will be a fair substitute."

He was chagrined at this failure. But, after all, four shots a minute
were not so bad. The perfection of the guns must await their return.

Now, let us go down to the marine works, on the shore below the
Cataract. Here were the three vessels lined up side by side, and also
the after part of the lifeboat. The shed, which was the boathouse, had
nearly all their tools, and besides the bench, was a forge and the
primitive blower which the Professor and George had made and set up.
Wood, parts of planks, thin boards, of all sorts and description, were
scattered about. It looked business-like, and Harry was intensely proud
of it.

The sail was completed, and taken down to be bent on the cable. The jib
had already been installed in place, and when the sails were hoisted and
they walked out from the shore and glanced back to get a full view, the
entire Naval Bureau congratulated itself on the magnificent appearance
of the fleet, and particularly of th