But two of the regular firemen now remained in the room.  These were ordered to hustle out coal before boilers B and D. Then Heistand taught the members of the section how to swing a shovel to the best advantage so as to get in a maximum of coal with the least effort.  He also illustrated two or three incorrect ways of shoveling coal.

“The idea of making coal heavers out of us!” growled a much-disgusted voice.

Dan did not see who the speaker was, but his eyes flashed as he turned and rasped out: 

“Silence in the section!  Speak only to ask for information, and then at the proper time.”

“Another young autocrat!” muttered a voice.

“Wait one moment, please, Heistand,” begged Dan.  Then, wheeling squarely about, and facing all the members of the section, he declared with emphasis: 

“If there’s any more unauthorized talking I shall feel obliged to pass the word above that discipline is in a bad way in this section.”

Then he wheeled about once more, facing the chief water tender.

“Now, young gentlemen,” resumed the chief water tender, “take your shovels and fill in lively under boilers B and D.”

Three or four times Heistand checked one or another of the midshipmen, to show him a more correct way of handling the shovel.  Yet, in good time, both furnaces were primed.

“Now, Mr. Dalzell, please detail four members of the section to follow me with their shovels and bring red coals from under another boiler.”

Dan appointed himself, Darrin, Farley and Pennington.

Burning coals were brought and thrown into each furnace, and in a little while roaring fires were going.  These, though not needed for the handling of the battleship, were permitted to burn for a while, Heistand explaining to the section practically the uses of the water gauges and the test cocks.  By this time the midshipmen’s white working clothes were liberally sprinkled with coal dust and somewhat smeared with oils.

“And now, young gentlemen, as we have no further use for these fires, you will next learn how to haul them,” announced Heistand.

This was interesting work, but hot and fast.  The implements with which the middies worked soon became red-hot at the end.  Yet, as all entered into this novel work with zest, the fires had soon been hauled out on to the floor plates.

Just as the last of this work was being done Pennington, as an apparent accident due to excess of zeal, dropped the red-hot end of his implement across the toe of Darrin’s left shoe.

In an instant the leather began to blaze.  With swift presence of mind Dave stepped his right foot on the flame, smothering it at once.

But he was “mad clean through.”

“See here, Pen,” he muttered, in a low voice, his eyes blazing fiercely into the other midshipman’s, “that is the last piece of impudence that will be tolerated from you.”