"
"To upset the anchor over the bow, you mean?" asked Andy.
"Just that," came Frank's reply. "If anything happens to the machinery
you'll hear a series of quick whistles from Felipe. The boat won't even
have a chance to lose headway before over plumps the big mudhook, and
we'll just take a rest out in the river until repairs can be made again
by Engineer McClintock and his assistants."
Andy looked at his chum admiringly.
"Blessed if you don't just think of everything!" he said; "and get
ready long before it happens. However do you do it, Frank?"
"Oh, it's easy, once you make up your mind," laughed the other. "I took
to it long before this new Boy Scout movement started. You know they've
got as their leading motto the words: 'Be prepared.' And there never was
a better slogan ever given to boys. Think how many things might be
avoided if we were always prepared."
"Yes, I've given the subject much thought," grumbled Andy; "but somehow
I seem to slip up when it comes to the critical time. I stay awake
eleven hours, and just when I doze off in the twelfth watch the blamed
thing happens! It's always that way, seems to me. How can a fellow stay
awake all the time, tell me that?"
"Oh, rats! There's no need of that. Just fix things so you'll be aroused
when it comes along, and be ready to turn the tables."
So they talked away into the afternoon.
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