But what I was thinking about was a design for a larger boat of the kind, with a propeller attached to it which could be worked by lever." "By a lever ?" "Perhaps you have seen a lame man working a bicycle by a lever-- well, after that principle.

There would be a steel rod with cog- wheels, and one man could work the lever as the lame cyclist does without the labour of rowing." Venning waited nervously for the criticism.
"At any rate the lever would be a relief after the paddles," said Mr.Hume, gravely.
"But that is not all," continued the inventor, hastily.

"I would rig up a light American windmill amidships, which could work the screw and get more speed with a following wind in conjunction with a sail rigged up forward." "Bravo, my boy!" said Mr.Hume, laughing.

"How many revolutions of the screw to the minute do you expect to get out of your windmill ?" "That depends on the power of the wind, sir.

Do you think it is a mad scheme ?" "It would impress the natives," said Compton, "and at any rate we could start wheat-milling, you know, in case we came to the end of our resources." "There's no wheat in Central Africa, you duffer! Besides, sir, it's mainly a question of gear.