"
"And when you have closed up the sea-cocks?"
"Then I shall start the centrifugal pumps going to empty the
engine-room, and we'll soon have her as sound as a dollar."
Luckily the water had not, as Frank had surmised, reached the fires,
and though low there was enough pressure of steam to run the pumps
till the boys were able to work in the stoke-hold. Then both boys
set to work with a will and soon had the furnaces going full-blast,
and the steam gauges registered seventy, then eighty and then one
hundred and fifty pounds.
"There, that will do," exclaimed Frank, as, pretty well tuckered
out, they threw aside their shovels. "Now we have to wait for the
tide and reinforcements."
They had not long to wait.
Of course at the height the tide now was the reef was pretty well
covered and it would have been impossible to make a landing in the
air-ship, so Billy had chartered the power launch of the friend who
had sold them the gasoline.
Ben Stubbs and Sikaso, who had arrived late that' afternoon, were on
board the little craft and Ben's loud "Ahoy!" brought the Boy
Aviators to the rail on the jump--waving and shouting greetings.
But there were others in the launch, and among them the boys spied
several faces of bronzed men who looked thorough seamen.
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