The engineer set the weight on the safety lever at the extreme end of the rod and ordered the stokers to shovel in more coal and turn on the blowers. Then the throttle-valve was thrown open wide. It seemed as though the propeller would be torn to pieces. It flew through the water, until every timber in the _Seneca_ was vibrating like a timbrel. The vessel had never been forced to such work. The engineer was pale and trembling, Captain Irving flushed and gleeful. The _Seneca_ was gaining again. Her nose was fairly under water half the time, and sheets of spray were flying everywhere. Those on deck were drenched to the skin. The pilot had difficulty in keeping to the course, owing to the rain of water on the pilot-house windows. “At it, men--at it--we win,” cried Irving. “Five minutes more like this, and if we’re not in hell, we’ll be alongside the ship and before those cheap dogs.” “It’s the ship we want, cap,” cried Farley, running up to Irving. “It’s the _Thuringia_.” “I know it, fool,” shouted Irving; “and we win, if this boat don’t blow up or go down.” At the same time the Pinkerton tug was gaining on the _Seneca_. She was the better boat in the smooth sea as well as the rough. Her stack was emitting clouds of black smoke, and her long, strong exhausts of steam told what great work she was doing; but the fates seemed against her. Would honesty win over corruption? We shall see. As I have said, the infernal one seemed to have control of affairs that time. The _Seneca_, losing at every revolution of her propeller, had too much of a lead to be overtaken. With a shout from Irving, she finally ran alongside the _Thuringia_. A deck-hand, under Irving’s instructions, swung a line to the steamer’s deck, where it was caught by a seaman. The pilot of the _Seneca_ ran her bow to bow with the bigger vessel, and quickly they were travelling at one speed. In the meantime, Captain Irving hailed an officer who came to the rail in much wonder. “Throw me a ladder,” he said. “I’m from the New York detective force. I’ve a warrant for some one on board. It’s a case of life and death!” In a moment he stepped on deck, closely followed by Farley. As he did so the Pinkerton tug warped up to the _Thuringia_ and there was another clamor for a ladder. A moment later the chief of the Pinkertons, followed by a lieutenant, clambered to the deck, but it was too late!