own?" called Skipper Tom, coming forward.

"Up!" voiced Hal. "And at racing speed, too!"

"Dutchman's gait, Joe," Hank called down unconcernedly, as soon as the
"Restless" had well cleared the dock, having swung the craft around,
heading up the river at a speed increased to twelve miles.

"Can't you crowd a lot more speed on?" demanded Hal Overton.

"Dog chasing that Dutchman, Joe," Hank sang down, and the "Restless" was
soon doing eighteen miles an hour.

"You told me your best speed was twenty-six to twenty-eight, didn't
you?" asked Hal, wheeling around as Skipper Tom Halstead joined them.

"Yes, sir."

"Can you hit up that speed without endangering the engine?"

"Yes," replied Tom, "but we'll burn a lot of gasoline doing that."

"Gasoline?" uttered Prescott contemptuously. "How many pailfuls will a
thousand dollars buy?"

"Is it as bad as that?" asked Skipper Tom quickly.

"American women's lives are at stake up at Holmesville!" returned
Overton. "Riot going on there--Mexicans against Americans."

Hank Butts didn't wait for orders.

"Joe," he yelled, bending over the engine-room doorway, "sheriff and a
bill-collector after that Dutchman!"

Joe Dawson didn't wait to be told more. He threw open everything to the
widest notch, then snatched up a bulky oil can with an unusually long
spout, and stood feeding oil to the bearings.

"The sweethearts of Mr. Prescott and Mr. Darrin are in great danger at
Holmesville," Lieutenant Hal murmured in Skipper Tom's ear.

"Jumping Jupiter!" gasped Halstead, and went down into the engine-room
in two bounds for a word with Joe.

Those standing on the deck could fairly feel the quiver with which the
"Restless" leaped forward at her best speed.

"It's like riding on an express train!" glowed Lieutenant Greg Holmes.

"No express train was ever made that's fast enough for me to-night,"
muttered Lieutenant Dick Prescott between set teeth.

The running lights were out, for it was nearly dark when the "Restless"
had left Agua Dulce. Only the movement of a switch was needed to turn
them on.

"Ever been to Holmesville?" demanded Dave Darrin, turning almost
fiercely on Tom Halstead when he showed his head on deck.

"No, sir."

"Wouldn't know the place by sight?"

"No, sir."

"Nor I, either--from the water front," groaned Darrin. "But surely you
have some chart of the river?"

Tom Halstead was already out of sight again. When he came on deck he
remarked:

"I've b