As Tom was about to leave his office, to put into effect his
new resolution to make a casual inspection of the other shops, he
met Koku, the giant, coming in. Koku's hands and face were black
with oil and machine filings.
"Well, what have you been doing?" Tom wanted to know. "Did you
have an accident?" For Koku had no knowledge of machinery, and
could not even be trusted to tighten up a simple nut by himself.
But if some one stood near him, and directed him how to apply his
enormous strength, Koku could do more than several machines.
"No accident, Master," he replied. "I help man lift that
hammer-hammer thing that pounds so. It get stuck!"
"What, the hammer of the drop forger?" cried Tom. "Was that out
of order again?"
"Him stuck," explained Koku simply.
There was an automatic trip-hammer in one of the shops, used
for pounding out drop forgings, and this hammer seemed to take
especial delight in getting out of order. Very often it jammed,
or "stuck," as Koku described it, and if the hammer could not be
forced back on the channel or upright guide-plates, it meant that
it must be taken apart, and valuable time lost.
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