"Pass the word for the chief water tender," ordered the engineer,
turning to one of the firemen.

The messenger soon came back with a pleasant-faced, stalwart man of
forty.

"Heistand," ordered the chief engineer, "give these members of the first
section, third: class, steam instruction, a thorough drill in firing."

"Aye, aye, sir," replied the chief water tender, saluting.

"Heistand's orders are mine, Mr. Dalzell," continued the
lieutenant-commander, facing Dan. "Preserve order in your section."

"Aye, aye, sir," replied Dan, saluting. Acknowledging this courtesy in
kind, the chief engineer turned and left the furnace room.

Heistand was presumably of German parentage, though he had no accent. He
struck the midshipmen as being a pleasant, wholesome fellow, though the
water tenders and firemen of the "Massachusetts" knew that he could be
extremely strict and grim at need.

"You will now, young gentlemen," began Heistand, "proceed to learn all
about priming a furnace, lighting, building, cleaning and generally
taking care of a fire. Two furnaces have been left idle for this
instruction."

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