g Sir Alec MacNairne's 'Wilhelmina.'"

"Good heavens!" I exclaimed, "you take it pretty calmly." But even as I
reproached him, I was conscious of an increase of speed. Alb can
regulate this by means of a long lever which goes down through the deck
to the motor.

"What makes you think it's Sir Alec?" I asked. "You can't tell yet what
the thing looks like."

"Neither can you," said Alb. "You _felt_ what it was. It's the same with
me. I feel it's 'Wilhelmina,' and I'm going to try and give her the slip
again, if I can. But honestly, if it's she, and she wants to overhaul
us, we haven't got much chance weighted down by 'Waterspin.' If it
weren't for that, I'd guarantee to let 'Wilhelmina' see nothing but our
heels."

"Let's cut 'Waterspin' adrift," I whispered, glaring at poor Toon, who
stood steering the squat little barge, with an irritatingly complacent
look on his nice face.

"Impossible, my dear fellow. But you don't mean it, of course."

"I'm capable of meaning anything," said I. "See here, old Alb, you've
pulled me through a lot of things, since you tied yourself round my
neck; pull me through this, and you shall be best man at my wedding."

"Who'll be the bride?" he asked, as I stared back at the following
craft, which was now too big to be called a speck. It was a black blot
upon the water, as upon my hopes.

"The bride?" I repeated. "Why, N--Oh, by Jove! wasn't she the one _you_
wanted at one time? You never would tell which, you know, so you can't
blame me."

"Are you engaged to her?" he asked, in rather a queer voice; and I
realized how much I was at his mercy, as, fascinated, I watched his
brown hand tighten on the wheel. If he liked, he could stop "Mascotte"
in mid sea, and let me lie at the mercy of the enemy. _I_ could do
nothing. Hendrik would obey him, not me. Even Tibe would not seize him
by the throat to please me. Tibe likes and respects Alb even more,
strange to say, than he does me.

But, to do Alb justice, he was not slowing down. On the contrary, he was
putting on speed, as much, I feared, as "Mascotte" was capable of
making.

"I'm not engaged," I admitted; "but I was going to propose to her
to-day, if this hadn't happened. For goodness' sake, hurry."

"I wonder you have the cheek to tell me that, and then ask me to hurry.
Why should I help you to get her?"

"Do you still want her?" I asked.

"More than I ever wanted or shall want anything else."

"Then it's all up with me!" I gr