You do not currently have permission to view the full text for this document. Please sign in to an account with an active subscription or contact support.
I was woken from an uneasy sleep when the sound of voices stopped. The silence disturbed me. It was still another quarter of an hour before I need set out. It was hopeless to try to sleep again so I set out for my tank. How dark it was and gloomy! The crew I found awake. They said they had all slept and were fit for anything. I felt they were glad to see me, and I felt glad to see them. What the devil we were all so glad about I could not imagine.
The crew cranked up and we drove some six hundred yards to our rendezvous. We had to stop five times in that short distance to let the engine cool down.
Williams had a reputation for talking bull-shit. So we were not impressed by his optimism and assurance.
“First”, he said, “we will check up once more. Has it been any better? NO Just the same in every respect – no power, short run, backfiring and finally red-hot? You're quite sure?”
“Damn fool”, I thought.
“Positively no deception, ladies and gentlemen – you have heard what these gentlemen have said? Very well then. This is a defective tank. Now watch me very carefully. First we shall retime it because it is obvious that there can be no other explanation. But this time we shall do it by measuring – from the cylinder heads. All right then – first remove the cylinder heads –”
“You mean first remove the roof of the tank don't you? We can't take the cylinder heads off without.” Williams checked up and saw this was true, but he was not going to be deterred.
“We shall have to do it through the exhaust ports. Not so good, but good enough. I always said these bloody petrol engines were no good. They should have used steam.”