"Good!" exclaimed Scott, to whom the answer appeared to be extremely satisfactory, and to stimulate very strongly his hopefulness, though he had not yet developed to his companions his plan for escaping from the Fatimé, if her speed proved to be greater than that of the Maud, as it would naturally be expected to be. "Go back to the engine, Felipe, and run it for all it is worth." "All it is worth?" repeated the Spaniard, interrogatively. "Make the steamer go as fast as you can," added Louis, taking Felipe by the arm and leading him back to the engine-room. "All it is worth means very fast, _doce nudos la hora_", said Felipe, as he entered his apartment. "Not always," replied Louis, laughing; "but that will do for the present." "I think I have got the hang of the thing now," said Captain Scott, as Louis and Felix returned to the forecastle. "If we don't wax that fellow, I will quit guessing and go to New England to learn how." "On board of the Guardian-Mother inferiors are not allowed to ask questions in the line of duty. I don't know how you are going to manage this business, Captain Scott, and I am unable to guess whether you will wax him or not." "I will tell you all about it in due time; but I am busy just now, and you must excuse me," replied Scott, who had before taken the wheel himself. Louis was satisfied, and kept a sharp lookout for the steamer astern. CHAPTER XXI EUCHRING THE GRAND MOGUL Felipe Garcia, as the engineer of the Maud, had now a tremendous stimulant in the discharge of his duty, and Louis was only afraid he would overdo it. When the boat seemed to be in danger of shaking herself to pieces under the pressure applied to her, he went to the engine-room to inspect the steam-gage. "No danger," said Felipe confidently; and the visitor could find none in the gage. He cautioned the engineer to be very careful, assuring him that it would be worse to be scalded to death with the steam than to be captured by the Pacha. Felipe shook his head, and seemed to have some doubts about the truth of the proposition. Louis went back to the pilot-house. He informed the captain that the engineer was driving the engine "for all it was worth." "I have been running for that tower on Point Malabata," said the captain, as Louis placed himself at the window. "You are going very close to the shore, and you can see for yourself that the tide is getting low," said Louis, after he had taken an observation ahead. "So much the better," added Scott. "I suppose the soundings on this chart are given at mean low water, as on all the others I have used." "Low water would be very mean if we should get aground here," suggested Louis, who could not help being a little nervous about the boiler and about the close proximity of the shore.