“But the bonnet is what I’m afraid of,” the captain said; “the bonnet you know is the part that fits around the shaft, that the blades are fastened to. If that should be cracked, it might drop off at any minute and then we’d be helpless. However, we’ll go on if the board will let us.” There was an interval of two days between the arrival of the Smeaton Tower at San Juan and the convening of the Board of Survey. This time Dick used to the best advantage on shore, driving out to the sugar and coffee plantations, making himself acquainted with the people and their mode of life, and riding over the railway. “It’s the people I like best to write about,” he often said to himself, “because they are what the reader takes most interest in. Suppose I should try to write a glowing description of one of those mountain-peaks? How many readers would care anything about it? But everybody is interested in the way the people of other countries live. I don’t want to be one of the glowing-sunset writers, all color and no substance.” On the third day the members of the Board of Survey visited the ship. The British consul had selected three shipmasters who were altogether satisfactory to Captain Godfree. One was Captain Fraser, of the steamship Caribbee; another was the good-natured captain of a fine Spanish steamer lying in the harbor; and the third was a real live Yankee skipper from Maine, whose schooner was waiting for a cargo of sugar. Dick and the captain naturally made everything as pleasant for the board as they could. A fine lunch was spread on the cabin table, to which they immediately sat down. The three shipmasters spent half an hour in looking over the vessel, rowed around to the propeller in a small boat, asked to have the engines moved, went down into the hold, and retired to the cabin with Dick and Captain Godfree, to make out their report. Dick, as had been anticipated, was asked to act as their clerk. “I think we can say that the propeller is damaged but still serviceable,” said Captain Fraser, who was the spokesman. Dick put that down; the consul had sent out the proper blanks for the report, and only the board’s findings had to be written in. “And--and”-- “Engines moved and found in good order?” Dick suggested. “Yes, put that in,” Captain Fraser said. “And you can say that we have inspected the hull and find it fairly tight--with very little cement started. And you might add that we find that--that”-- Captain Fraser looked inquiringly at his fellows. “That the ship is seaworthy and able to proceed on her voyage?” Dick suggested. “Y-e-s,” Captain Fraser said, looking inquiringly at the others, who both nodded. “Yes, you can put that in, with a recommendation that she be docked on her arrival in New York.” It was all down in a minute, and Dick filled out the duplicate copy to be filed with the consul, and the members of the board signed them both.