h a question of a boy helper, but David Pollard, facing a delay
in the launching of his craft, was ready to jump at any hope.

Jack Benson hesitated.

"I want a reply," persisted Mr. Pollard.

"Why, yes," Jack admitted. "I don't want to be forward, but I feel
pretty sure the pipe can be measured both for its own length and the
length it ought to be. If there's a good metal saw over at the machine
shop, and a thread cutter, this pipe ought to be ready for safe fitting
in half an hour."

"That's the way it looks to me, too," broke in Mr. Farnum. "Send the
pipe over, anyway, with the proper measurements, and Partridge can tell
you what's what."

"I won't make the measurements. I won't have anything to do with
it, or be responsible for a botched job," snarled the foreman.

"You don't have to, then," replied Farnum, taking a spring steel tape
from his pocket. "Benson, you seem to have a clear-headed idea of what
you're talking about. Take the measurements. This tape has been
standardized."

It was not a matter of great difficulty. Jack, with his chum's aid,
soon had the measurements taken.

"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.