; the
extremities of the vessel were lost in a blur of black. Mr. Howland
became impatient.

"What can be the matter with those fellows? Why don't they chase us
and be done with it?"

Dan touched him on the shoulder. From the outer darkness floated a
mysterious bourdon, which rapidly outgrew that definition and became a
veritable commotion. One light twinkled, then another, and still
another. Finally the swift pulsation of engines at high pressure rived
the night.

"They are coming." The Captain turned to those who had gathered on the
bridge, adding, "Now I want this place cleared, please. If this scheme
falls through, we shall have our perch raked with machine guns. Go
down on deck and either keep below, or to the side of the forward steel
deck-house, which is away from the warships--and no noise. Not a
sound! Understand?"

Virginia, Mrs. Van Vleck, Oddington, and two others of the party
decided to take their position in the shelter of the deck-house, where
they could see and yet be protected if the vessel were fired upon. All
amusement had gone from the situation for Virginia. She knew that her
father, who insisted upon remaining on the bridge, might at any moment
be placed in jeopardy. And there was another emotion, which she sought
not to deny--the Captain, what if he should fall? Ah, she did not want
that--particularly now he was risking himself, not for honor, not for
any interest of his own, but because he was her father's employee.
Then, too, she wished to study, to know him better; yes, that was what
she wanted, and she had been conscious of it all along, to see, to
learn, to know more of him. She could distinguish his tall, straight
figure against the darkness, moving swiftly.

She had forgotten about the pursuing warships and what might follow,
until her aunt tugged at her sleeve.

"They are coming, Virginia," she said.

They were indeed, and angry craft they were, a spectacle to marvel at,
viewed from the shrouded _Tampico_, lying black and motionless, with
every light out, with tarpaulins over the engine-room hatches and
gratings; with even the ventilator hoods blanketed.

"There they are!" The whisper shot through the _Tampico_ like a draft
of cold air. Virginia was quivering with excitement. She could see
the leading boat as it passed not three hundred yards away, and the
next, both spouting flames from their funnels, throwing up water, which
fell in silvery, phosphorescent sp