The officer approached and looked at the boys, not unkindly.
“Where are you boys started for?” he asked in excellent English.
“We are going back to New York,” replied Sidney.
“Do you live in New York?”
“No; we live in Texas.”
“Texas; that’s a big State. Let’s see your passport.”
Sidney presented that paper to the officer, who read it hastily.
“H—m,” he said, “that’s a curious passport, but I think it will do. We don’t want to stop boys, anyway.” Then turning to Captain Foster, “Your papers are all right, captain.” And he added significantly, as he went down the side, “I think there is going to be a storm; don’t let it catch you in the Straits, or you might be wrecked.”
As soon as the Turkish officer had left the ship, Captain Foster sprang to the signal-button for the engine-room and rang full speed ahead. The Princess Mary’s screws churned the water furiously, and she was soon throwing the spray back from her bows. But the captain did not appear to be satisfied; he told the man at the wheel to keep her well in the middle of the stream, and rang for greater speed. In obedience to his demands dense black smoke poured from the funnel, and the little vessel ploughed through the water faster than the boys had supposed could be possible.
“You see the Princess Mary is good for something, if she is old,” said Captain Foster proudly as he returned to the boys.