Jones had been fitted, in common with many modern sailing vessels,
with a "donkey engine" for trimming the heavy sails and hoisting
cargo, which was operated by a gasolene engine. Several cans of
gasolene formed part of the engine's equipment. This solved the
problem of fuel and for the rest--though Bill had never run a
launch--the manufacturer's directions seemed explicit enough. These
directions Bill discovered stored away in a locker of the tiny craft.
He spent the rest of the day reading them carefully and going over
every part of the engine till he had familiarized himself with the
function of each.

After a good night's rest, the next day he set about laying in a stock
of provisions and filling several kegs with water from the ship's
tanks. This done, and the little vessel's gasolene receptacle filled
and her lubricating devices furnished from the supply intended for
oiling the "donkey engine" of the Jones, Bill was ready to start.
Ready, that is, except for the fact that as yet he had not considered
how he was going to get the launch over the side.

For a time this seemed an insurmountable problem, but Bill had all the
ingenuity of a sailor. With a small "jack" he tilted first one end of
the launch and then the other and passed slings under it. Then he
rigged a block and tackle to the mizzen-mast, and heaved on it till he
had dragged the launch along the deck on rollers, made by sawing a
spare spar into lengths, and hoisted it up on the poop deck. Then,
detaching his tackle from the mast, he swung the boom overside with
his tackle attached to its outer end. The end of the tackle was once
more made fast to the slings supporting the launch and Bill attached
another rope to her which was then belayed around the mast, in order
to prevent the little craft swinging out to the end of the boom as