The bunkers had all been filled up with coal, water and an abundant supply of provisions had been put on board of the Maud, and the captain and the officers had thoroughly inspected the craft in her hull, as Mr. Shafter and Mr. Sentrick had the machinery. She was said to be in perfect order in every respect. She was built of the best quality of steel. In the little pilot-house, at the request of Captain Scott, a broad table had been put in which folded up over the divan. He had been supplied with an extra compass, though there were two on board, a sextant, a parallel ruler, dividers, and all the small implements he required in working out the course after he had obtained the latitude and longitude. He had studied navigation at the high school where he lived, near the water, and had practised it in his yacht with a borrowed sextant. He was now completely equipped, and the pilot-house had become a sort of paradise to him. Louis and Morris spent the evening with their parents in the cabin; Scott and Felix were busy on board of the Maud. None of them thought of sleeping, though some of them would be on duty all night after they got under way. They were too much excited at the prospect before them to sleep. "We have got everything fixed all right now, Flix," said Scott, as they seated themselves in the cabin. "It was a big thing for Captain Ringgold to employ another engineer, for now we shall have no more bother with the machinery." "Faix, we have two Dons in the engine-room, and both of them talk Spanish. I hope they will be able to make the Maud walk Spanish." "Don John," as the captain of the little steamer had already called Donald, "seems to be a very good fellow, for I have had quite a talk with him in English. He speaks Arabic too." "Then we shall have a little gum Arabic to put in the mixture, and that will make us stick together all the more closely," added Felix. "Very good; but we were pretty well glued together before he came. Flix, let us overhaul"-- "I had an old pair of overalls I brought with me for dirty work; but I haven't had a bit of it to do, and gave them to Don John," interposed Felix. "Let us overhaul matters a little, and see how we stand, for we shall all be busy after we get under way," said Captain Scott, finishing his sentence. "We have captains enough." "Yes, for, like a bull in a china shop, one is quite enough. We have the best captain out, and the commander of the Guardian-Mother couldn't do the duty any better." "Thank you, Flix. We have two engineers, and they will take care of their department without any help from the rest of us. We have one mate, who is also the pilot, though he will do no more steering than the rest of us, outside of the engine-room. That gives us two watch officers, for as we have no second mate, the captain will have to keep his own watch." "Why don't you make Louis the second mate? He has no office, if he is the biggest fellow in the crowd," suggested Felix.