Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
when he smiled. He seemed aloof, as though thinking of something else always and never
the conversation at hand. He was obviously very capable and was Harry's right hand man
in things nautical at least. I could imagine him more at home in a uniform, as an officer in
the navy or someone professional and not some toy boy, which he may have been in this
situation.
“Sounds like you broke a valve spring, is my guess,” he said finally. He seemed pretty sure
of his assessment.
“You know, you are probably right, Mike,” agreed Harry, smiling at him proudly. Then
turning to me he asked, “Have you tried to start it again?”
“Oh sure, several times,” interjected Gavin with a little edge to his voice. “It won't kick
over at all.”
“Do you know how to remove the tappet cover?” asked Mike, peering down at the oily old
engine.
“Yes, it's a job, but I will check that out; it does make sense, as the valve would remain
partially open during the firing stage, and there would be no chance of it starting with so
little compression. Seeing that that is the only piston, it would never fire.”
“Exactly! Quite right son,” said Harry, taking the opportunity to lean next to me and
squeeze my bare shoulder. “Boy, you've got some chest, Jonathan; I mean that as an obser-
vation not as a pass.” He winked at me. I looked warily at him and imagined seeing a black
forked tongue darting out of his thin, shapeless, white lips. “Thanks for the compliment,” I
said flatly.
“Coffee anyone?” asked Gavin, changing the subject.
“Thanks but no, we've got to head ashore; we are going to see if we can help Jesus with
his daughter. I saw him here this morning; he obviously told you about her accident. Christ,
how do you fall out of a fifty foot high coconut tree, land on your head, and still be alive?”
“That is quite amazing yeah; she's damn lucky to have survived,” added Mike thoughtfully.
When they left, I continued grappling with the engine and finally was able to remove the
tappet cover. I immediately saw the break in the tough little black spring.
“Look,” I said to Gavin, pointing it out with a screwdriver, “Looks like we are fucked. I
don't have any spares, and I know we aren't going to find one on this island. We'll have to
be towed out again and will have to sail all the way to Samoa and through the busy harbor
of Pago Pago. Hopefully they will have some spares there.”
