"There's the Pacha standing on the quarter-deck in full stage costume," continued Felix. "Bad luck to him!"
The Fatimé was now very near the Maud, and if the latter had not changed her course she would have collided with her. She was now abreast of her.
"Salihé, ahoy!" shouted the Pacha, who spoke good English.
"This is the Maud!" shouted Captain Scott, at the top of his lungs.
The Moorish steamer began to come about, and Felipe was ordered to put on all the steam he could raise.
CHAPTER XX
AN UNEXPECTED PERIL IN VIEW
The Fatimé was not more than fifty feet distant from the Maud, and the voice of the Pacha could be very distinctly heard when he hailed the little steamer by her old name. The reply of Scott must have been equally audible on board of the other steamer, but no attention was given to it. The distinguished Moor could not have helped seeing the name "Maud" on the pilot-house, for he had lived in England, and he could speak and write the language.
Scott had been in his employ at least a week, and he knew something about him. The one thing in particular he had learned about the Pacha was that he was obstinately persevering in whatever he undertook. If he took a fancy to obtain anything, or to accomplish anything, he stuck to it till he succeeded. The engineer and the captain of the Fatimé were Englishmen, though both of them spoke the language of Morocco well enough to enable them to discharge their duties.
Scott had been on board of the Fatimé, and had met and talked with these officers. They were paid much better wages than they could obtain at home, and were satisfied with the positions they held. They told him that, if he learned the language and did his duty, he would make his fortune. The Pacha had a respect for Englishmen; and doubtless he had learned that they would not "stand any nonsense," and that it was not prudent to offend them.