American Boys Afloat by Oliver Optic

Louis had applied for permission to make the excursion to Tangier on his own account, though he knew it would be exceedingly agreeable to the other members of the ship's company, for it would give them practice in their duties. He had spoken to the commander about the engineer; and he had promptly consented to ship another oiler, for it was enough for Felipe to run the engine of the Maud and take proper care of it, as it was a very nice piece of machinery. At the same time he added fifty per cent to the wages of this officer.

He had ordered Mr. Sage to provide a suitable lunch for the steamer; for it was thirty miles to Tangier, and it would require at least seven hours for the Maud to go there and return, and the excursionists would get hungry before they came back.

"But why can't we go with them, Captain Ringgold? " asked Mrs. Belgrave. "It will certainly be a very pleasant trip, and there must be something there to see."

"I thought of going to Tangier in the Guardian-Mother," replied the commander; "but you have seen a specimen of Mohammedan places at Mogadore, and I have reserved most of that species of sights for Constantinople, where you will see them in their full glory and on a large scale. Then the boys are going over there simply to experiment with their new organization and see how it works, and I think they would prefer to be alone. Besides, Tangier is in Morocco; and it is remotely possible that Ali-Noury Pacha may be there, for it is over three weeks since the Fatimé went out to sea through the Strait."

"I am quite satisfied to remain," replied the lady.

"Very likely the boys will not land at all at Tangier, for they have no time to do so."

"I certainly don't want to go there if there is the least danger of meeting the Pacha," added Mrs. Belgrave.

The rich, powerful, and distinguished Pacha had taken a fancy to Blanche, the beautiful daughter of Mr. Woolridge, and had followed the party to Gibraltar in the Fatimé, his large steam-yacht; but the Guardian-Mother had avoided her, and had actually run away from her.

"I have a little business in the city this afternoon, and we will go ashore in the barge if you wish to visit the place again."

"I don't think much of the place itself, but it is interesting to look at the people of various nations that one meets in the street there; and I want to do a little shopping," added the lady.

Lunch was served at noon that day. The bunkers of the Maud had been filled with coal, and she was all ready to get under way. The big four were very much excited, and they disposed of their mid-day meal very hastily. They would not have thought to take their overcoats if the anxious mothers of two of them had not insisted that they should do so. Felipe had been at work on the engine, with which he was more familiar than with any other, for he had served as engineer when she was in the service of the Pacha.

"The Mah-ood," he began when Louis went on board, pronouncing the name of the steamer as he read it on the sign.

"No, no! " exclaimed Louis, laughing heartily. "You have translated the word into Spanish or Turkish; " and he proceeded to drill the engineer in the pronunciation of the new name of the craft.

"The Maud," he repeated for the twentieth time.

"That will do very well, Felipe."

"The Maud used to make ten knots an hour when I worked for the Pacha," he continued. "I shall make her do so now."

"All right; but always be on the safe side."

"What you call the safe side? " asked Felipe, whose English was still very much at fault, especially in its idioms, though he did very well in simple conversation.

"Don't burst the boiler," laughed Louis.

He promised not to do so. Morris, the pilot, was in the pilot-house, where he had been at work a considerable part of his time in putting everything there in order and according to his own fancy, for he felt that this was his domain. Captain Scott was on the promenade deck, and he had prepared himself for his present duties.