reased her distance from us; but according to
the commander's orders I have directed Felipe to run her not more than
eight or nine knots," replied the captain of the Maud. "How far ahead of
the Guardian-Mother is the pirate, Felix?"

"Not more than a mile, as nearly as I can make it out," replied Felix.
"But she is making the fur fly, and if the pirate don't want her to come
alongside of her, or get a position where her people can overlook her
deck, she will change her course within the next ten minutes;" and the
lookoutman returned to his place in the bow.

"It is lucky for that pirate that your humble servant is not in command
of the Guardian-Mother," said Captain Scott.

"Do you think yourself competent to command a steamer like the
Guardian-Mother, my dear fellow?" asked Louis, with a rather quizzical
expression on his face.

"I know I am!" exclaimed Captain Scott emphatically; and he did not lack
confidence in himself. "Why not? If I can navigate the Maud, I could do
the same with the Guardian-Mother; for the size of the vessel don't make
any difference in the navigation as long as both of them go out to sea
off soundings. I suppose you doubt what I say?"

"I do not; for I am not a qualified judge in the matter," replied
Louis, who was considerably surprised at the amount of confidence the
captain of eighteen years of age had in himself. "But why is it lucky
for the pirate that Captain Ringgold, instead of Captain Scott, happens
to be in command of the ship?"

"Because I should serve her as the commander did another steamer of
about the size of the pirate, on the run of the ship from Bermuda to
Nassau, I believe it was, for I was not on board at the time," replied
the captain, with decision enough in his tones and manner to indicate
that he would do what he suggested. "I have heard Flix tell all about
the affair; and in his estimation Hercules and General Grant were
nothing at all compared with Captain Ringgold, when he tells the story.
I think he believes the commander is the greatest man that is or ever
was in this world, with the possible exception of yourself."

"That steamer was sailing illegally under the name of the Maud, for her
proper name was the Viking; but Captain Ringgold ran into her and
smashed a big hole in her port bow."

"As I would in one of the bows of the pirate."

"But there was a reason for it; I was a prisoner on board of that Maud,
or Viking--captured as this pirate would serve me