The many strong-walled receivers for compressed air had been placed, and were now being more securely fitted and connected by the workmen.  The final work on the compressed air apparatus was yet to be done by a special crew of workmen who were soon to come down from New York.  A powerful, compact plant for compressing air was a part of this outfit.

Right up in the bow of the “Pollard” was the tube through which a Whitehead torpedo, fourteen feet in length, could be started on its destructive journey by means of compressed air force.  One torpedo was to be carried in the tube, six others in special lockers on either side.

Back of the torpedo room was the rather cramped engine room in which were the gasoline and electric motors, other machinery and work-benches.  Then came the central cabin, some twenty feet long and about ten feet wide.  Here was a table, while the seats at the side could be arranged also as berths.  Out of the cabin, aft, led a narrow passageway.  Off this, on either side, were a narrow galley, cupboards, ice-box and toilet room.  Nearer the stern were two compact state-rooms, one intended for two “line” or “deck” officers, the other for two engineer officers.  There were other features about the “Pollard” that will be described as need arises.

For more than an hour the entire gang had been at work, though Joshua Owen had seen to it that Jack and Hal had nothing more to do than lift or hold heavy articles, fetch tools, etc.  Still both boys stood this good-humoredly, paying strict attention to orders.  David Pollard, watching them at times, and guessing how they might feel under such treatment, found his good opinion of the two newcomers still rising.

Stopping their work, when the order came, the workmen lighted their pipes.  Jack and Hal, not liking the clouds of tobacco smoke, ran up the spiral staircase to the manhole, stepping, out upon the platform.  As they did so they encountered a man of about thirty years of age who had just reached the platform deck from the shed flooring.

“Hullo, what are you two doing here?” questioned the new arrival, looking the boys over keenly.

“Are you Mr. Farnum?” asked Benson.

“Yes.  Well?”

“Mr. Pollard put us to work here, Mr. Farnum.”

“Oh!  That’s all right, then,” replied the owner of the yard, amiably, and entered the conning tower.

“Tumble down here, you two lazy young roustabouts!” sounded Owen’s voice a few minutes later.

“We seem to have made a hit with our foreman, don’t we?” chuckled Jack to his chum.

“Mr. Owen,” Pollard was saying to the foreman, as the boys rejoined the crew below, “we can’t stand the ringing of hammers all the time, so, for the next job, I think you’d better fit some of the feed pipes connecting the gasoline tanks with the motor.”

“All right, sir,” replied Josh Owen, briefly.  He turned to order Jaggers and O’brien to bring forward one of the longer pieces of feed pipe.  This the foreman helped to fit in place.