Just as he turned, the inventor barely failed to overhear something that
Jack muttered in an aside to Hal.

"What's that you're saying, Benson?" demanded David Pollard.

"Oh, nothing much, sir," replied Jack, quickly. "I'm not foreman here,
nor much of anything, for that matter."

"Were you expressing an opinion about this pipe business?"

"Ye-es, sir."

"You agree with me that the pipe can be cut properly at the machine
shop of this yard?" insisted the inventor. It was strange to ask
such 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."