"By her build. She's a costly gasoline boat, and such craft usually have high-power engines in 'em."
Hal sent another message to the engineer, who, however, sent back word that he was doing the best he could until draft made the fires under the boiler hotter.
"Is the engineer dealing frankly with me, mate?" Hal asked.
"I think he is. The engineer hasn't any object in seeing you lose this race."
"We're losing it all right, anyway," grunted the young officer, noting the rapidly increasing distance between pursuer and pursued.
"There ain't really any use in your trying to finish the race, sir?" hinted the mate.
"We'll keep it up to the end."
"Right to the Mexican shore?"
"If we have to," rejoined Hal. "We may at least overhaul that boat before it has all its cargo ashore."
"But you can't perform police duty on Mexican territory," urged the mate.