Nick Carter Detective Library, No. 1 | Page 6

ain't too fur," called Nick. "Climb in."
The captain returned. The boat was drawn up close to the dock, and
with a quick spring the stranger alighted upon one of the midship seats.
"Now make haste," he ordered.

"Which way, boss?"
"Down."
"How fur?"
"Go until I tell you to stop."
Nick obeyed.
The tide was with them and was running like a millrace, so that they
made quick time, and a mile was passed over in silence.
Then Nick stopped rowing.
"Say, boss," he remarked, "you said half a mile, an' we've already came
over a mile. - Is the place much furder?"
"Only a little way. Row on."
"Well, I want my five dollars afore I go any furder.
"You do, eh? Well, look at this."
He was pointing a six-shooter directly at Nick's heart.
"I'm a-lookin'," said Nick, coolly, "but that ain't no five dollars."
"Will you row on?"
"No, not till I gits me pay."
"Curse you, do as I tell you or I'll put a hole in you big enough to see
through."
Nick calmly drew the oars into the boat.
"Look ahere," he said, "wot d'ye take me fur, anyhow, boss? D'ye think
that I'm a rabbit that I'm afraid o' that pop-gun o' yourn? Not much!

Don't ye s'pose I know ye dassent use it out here at this time o' night?
"It's too early for killin', boss. I've done a job 'r two of that kind myself,
an' I'm posted. Fork over, an' I'll row ye where ye wanter go, but I'm
blowed ef I will ef ye don't, see?"
The passenger growled out something which sounded very much like a
curse, but he drew a gold piece from his pocket and flung it to Nick.
"Now go ahead," he muttered, "for I'm losing time."
"Nobody's fault but yer own," was Nick's reply, and then he seized the
oars and the boat shot ahead again.
"Easy, there, easy," said the passenger, suddenly. "Do you see that
sloop yonder?"
"I do."
"Put me aboard of her."
"Keyreckt, boss. I've had my eye on her before."
"You have, eh? Why?"
"That's my bizness, see? To have my eye on such things."
"Ah! a river pirate, eh?"
"Me? Oh, no! I'm a harbor-broker. Here you are. Ketch hold of the rail.
So."
The passenger climbed aboard of the sloop, while Nick allowed his
boat to remain just where it was.
"Well, what are you waiting for?" asked the captain.
"Fur you. Don't ye want me to take ye back?"

"No. I do not."
"Nor come after ye?"
"No."
"What are ye goin' ter do? Swim ashore?"
"Perhaps."
"Well, good-night, boss. Be keerful of the pop-gun; it may go off
sometime."
"It will be very apt to if you don't become scarce around here pretty
soon."
Nick laughed lightly and pushed his boat away from the sloop. Then he
picked up his oars and rowed away in the darkness.
"I wonder what he would say if he knew that it was Nick Carter who
rowed him down the river to-night?" thought the young detective.
Not very far away from where the sloop was anchored was another
craft of less pretentious build, although considerably larger.
It was a schooner, and Nick pointed his boat's prow directly at it.
The outlines were just visible, for the night was growing steadily
darker.
Huge clouds were rolling up from the eastward, and the detective
noticed with satisfaction that ere another half-hour the night would be
literally black.
He reached the schooner, passed it, and then ceased rowing, allowing
his boat to drift slowly back until he was thoroughly concealed behind
the black hull.
Then an entire half hour he sat there and waited.

Darker and darker grew the night.
The darkness became so intense that he could not see his hand before
his eyes, and great drops of rain began to spatter upon him.
"A perfect night for this sort of work," he mused, as he pushed his boat
free from thes schooner's side, "and unless I am greatly mistaken, I can
make fast to that sloop without being seen or heard. I'm going to try,
anyhow."
The tide was still running very strong, and it was hardly necessary for
him to do more than steer in order to reach the desired spot.
Not a thing could be seen. It seemed as though the whole world had
suddenly gone out of existence, having naught but blackness behind.
Presently he drew in his oar and went to the bow.
He was not a moment too soon.
Knowing instinctively, rather than seeing, that he was about to collide
with the hull of the sloop, he put out his right hand, and was thus
enabled to prevent the shock and noise of a collision. Certain discovery
would