The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

"TAE /AARINE. REVIEW "IN THE MERCHANT SERVICE" "It looks as though we'll have to pack that valve-stem gland," says the junior engineer to the third, for about the tenth time in the last hour of the watch. The third looks dubiously in the direction of one of the feed pumps, the pump being more or less invisi- ble in the clouds of vapor hovering in its vicinity, though the rythmic howl. proceeding from _ the leaking Ve Wy ih yA We 2 a Ve roe ) wi WCC HAT CeCe ere ne iN t ' 4 WE it ( 'hte WAALS his shipmates, he always goes on duty in the belief that the man he is relieving is concealing something from him. Likewise, the engineer who has finished his four hours in the boiler rooms, hustling the men along and carrying a passable quantity of water in the gage glass, or in the. engine room, getting the most he can out of the engines and nursing the auxiliar- ies, strongly suspects that the reliev- "SWAB "ER AGAIN,' SAYS THE THIRD. gland makes its presence known and felt. It seems a pity to have to stop the pump just as the engines are turn- "ing up so good, and, at the same time, it is anything but a pleasant task to pack the glands after the watches are changed. aie "Can you nip up the gland nuts a bit?' asks. the 'third, as he proceeds with the filling-in of the log sheet. "Nip nothin," answers his dis- gusted subordinate, "there is nothin' to nip up." He thinks, somehow, that. his superior officer's suggestions are sadly lacking in originality. "Try swabbing her," advises the third, and his obedient assistant pro- ceeds to borrow a swab brush and pot from the oiler on the middle plat- form. In a few moments, thanks to the liberal application of the brush, the howling partially subsides, and the engineers on duty look relieved. f the gland is like that at eight bells, Il will be well. 3 oo t is strange that no matter how ch the marinc engineer may love ing engineer is coming down the lad- ders to look for trouble. Man's in- humanity to man, etc. Eight bells arrive, and with them the relieving watch. The pump, with the usual cussedness of its kind, has again broke forth, wailing at each stroke. The third and his junior, though closely watching the actions of the fourth and his junior, have assumed attitudes of careless indiffer- ence. The casual observer might not notice that their range of vision does not include the feed pumps. Why should it, huh? ; After a brief whispered conversa- tion with his assistant the fourth re- turns to 'the starting platform, a sar- donic smile lighting up his otherwise handsome features. "What's the matter the oes with cuckoo?" he asks blithely, adding, "is she exhausting to the atmosphere?" "Oh, you mean that pump," re- sponds the third, "she is blowing--a little--isn't she? See what's the mat- ter with that pump." This latter re- superiors. 47 mark is addressed to his junior, who wonders how he can do it. Never- theless, he approaches the pump, the third lingering a moment to explain the pump's peculiarities. For a few moments they glare in unison at the offending valve-stem gland, trying to hypnotize it into si- lence, lat vain: "Swab 'er,' whispers the third hoarsely. "T. did," answers 'his dutiful assist- ant. : "Swab "er again," says the third. He does not notice the delighted face of the fourth, who is watching their ac- tions from the boiler room door. The junior swabs again, for a moment muffling the wailing gland. Again, in vain. There is a brief, but fierce, argu- ment between the third and fourth, in which the juniors take no slight interest, and' it is decided to shut down the pump to pack the gland. With some considerable snarling and no little clatter the changing over of the feed pumps and shutting down are accomplished, and work com- mences on the gland. "How are you making out, Smith," the fourth remarks, after watching for a féw seconds the third trying to dislodge some "soft" packing--now of flint-like material--from the stuffing box, eee The steam valve of the pump is leaking, and steam is hissing gently ~ through the gland. There is also an occasional trickle of hot water de- scending on the fingers of the third, as he gouges into the packing with the tongue of a file. To his credit be it said that his language might be worse. : "Nearly finished?" This question from the fourth, like its predecessor, is ignored. The new. soft packing absolutely refuses to enter the gland, and, having been liberally greased, is difficult to handle. The third and his assistant; each with an old file or two, narrowly escape stabbing one another occasionally as they wrestle with the pliant and slippery packing. And time is flying. "D'ye notice that my steam's going to hell?' demands the exasperated fourth, as the third rests from his labors to drink of some cold coffee in a battered tin pail. His assistant is fanning himself with his cap as he tries to gauge the amount of coffee still in the can. The oiler, who owns the coffee, is also looking anxious. He has misjudged the capacity of hig' "Well, let's get it over,' says the se