'The more haste the less speed,'" warned
the big brother.

It was with a peculiar thrill that Dick took his place in the wheelhouse
and rang the bell for the engine to start. Tom, below, was equally
excited as he turned on the power. There was a peculiar hissing and
bubbling, but the propeller did not turn.

"What's the matter?" called down Dick, through the speaking tube.
"Didn't you hear my signal?"

He listened for a reply, but instead of Tom's voice he heard the
fierce hissing of steam. Then, of a sudden, came a yell from Tom.

"Shut off that steam, Sam! Quick! or I'll be scalded to death!"

CHAPTER XVIII

IN PERIL OF STEAM

As quickly as he could, Dick rushed from the wheelhouse and toward
the companionway leading to the engine room.

"Vot's der madder?" bawled Hans, who was at the rail, waiting for
the steam yacht to start.

"Tom's in trouble," ejaculated the eldest Rover, and went down the
stairs four steps at a time, with the German youth behind him.

The engine room was full of steam, so that for the moment Dick could
see little. A pipe running along one side of the engine had burst,
and Tom was hemmed in a corner. To get out he would have to pass
through the furious outpouring of steam, which might scald him to death.

Not far away was Sam, frantically trying to turn the steam off. But
the youngest Rover's knowledge of engines and marine machinery was
limited and, while he fussed around, the steam in the narrow engine
room kept growing thicker and thicker.

"Get down on the floor, Tom!" yelled Dick, as he took in the situation.
"Maybe you can crawl out."

Tom did as urged, and like a snake he attempted to crawl from his
position of peril. But when he was only halfway he got stuck.

"I--I can't make it!" he panted, trying to worm along. "I--I'm too big."

"Can you go back--I see a door behind you," said Dick.

Tom went back, and as he did this Dick ran out of the engine room
and to one of the coal bunkers. Here was the door the eldest Rover
had seen. It was closed and barred and somewhat rusty, and he had to
exert all his strength to make it budge.

"Quick! quick!" came faintly from Tom. "I can't stand this much longer!"

"This way out, Tom!" called Dick, as the door at last flew open. In
the cloud of steam that rushed into the coal bunker Dick saw his
brother faintly, and caught him by the arm and pulled him forward.
In a moment more both were safe.

"Sam, are you all right?" yelle