The Bradys and the Girl Smuggler | Page 5

you geet eet, Clara?"
"Yes, papa," replied the girl in a low, pleasant tone of voice. "After I left you on Maiden Lane, I came right here and mingled with the throng waiting to meet the various passengers. As soon as the gangplank was down, I slipped aboard and met the steward. He had the parcel and gave it to me."
"Open eet so we can distribute ze jewelry about our pairsons. Zen we geet ze sings ashore ver' easy, an' no wong weel see ze package bulge out our clothing. Mon Dieu, but I vas ver'--vot you call--ze--ze--worried."
The crackling of paper was heard.
For a few moments afterward there ensued a deep silence.
Old King Brady silently beckoned to Harry and they retreated a few paces.
"I'm going right in after La Croix," he whispered.
"We've got him dead to rights," replied the boy.
"Are you prepared for a fight?"
"Oh, yes. I've got a powerful persuader in my hip pocket."
"Then come on with me."
He strode forward and pushed the stateroom door open.
It opened inward and as the room was very small, it pushed La Croix against the two bunks and wrung the startled cry from his lips:
"Look out, Clara!"
The girl glared at the detectives and demanded:
"What do you want in here?"
"That man!" said Harry, pointing at her father.
"What for?"
"Smuggling!"
"He isn't!"
"We'll search him and see."
The Bradys grasped the excited Frenchman.
His clothing in the region of his stomach was bulging suspiciously and Old King Brady slapped the spot and demanded:
"What have you got there?"
"Nosing!" protested La Croix. "Zees ees an outrage, sair!"
"Oh, I don't know!" laughed Harry.
"Clara!" roared the man. "Go tell ze captaine, quick, to come 'ere."
The girl slipped out the door and vanished.
Left alone with the man, the detectives laughed and Harry said:
"Unbutton your coat and vest."
"_Sacre!_ For why?" growled La Croix.
"We want to see what you've got stuffed in there."
"Gentlemen, you wrong me!"
"Bosh! Open up quick, or we'll do it for you."
La Croix reluctantly opened his vest and a package dropped out.
He then was of normal size.
"This is what we are after!" laughed Harry, picking up the parcel.
"But, Monsieur, eet ees only a worthless--"
"Silence, sir!"
And Harry opened the mysterious parcel.
It was filled with sawdust.
The man laughed, shrugged his shoulders, and asked:
"Veil, sair, you ees satisfied?"
There was a look of disgust on Harry's face and he cried:
"He has cleverly duped us and the girl got away with the valuables."
Old King Brady was furious.
"Confound her!" he roared. "Come--search this man thoroughly, and if he has not got any contraband stuff, we'll search the ship and arrest the girl."
Harry turned La Croix's pockets inside out.
Nothing was found upon his person.
Then they searched the room.
Still nothing came to light and Harry said:
"He has nothing with him."
"Very well. The girl has, then."
"Now, Monsieur, I hope you see zat you wrong me?" said La Croix.
Old King Brady gave him a peculiar look, shook his finger at the Frenchman and replied in angry tones:
"We know you, La Croix. You are the worst smuggler in this port. It won't be long before we run you in for your crooked work."
"Ah--how you can say zat?" innocently asked the man.
"We have no time to discuss the matter now, for we are very anxious to nab your daughter Clara," said the old detective. "But you will meet us again very soon. Then look out!"
They hastened out of the stateroom.
Once outside Harry whispered hastily:
"You go ahead and I'll fool him."
He thereupon slipped into an adjoining room.
Old King Brady knew at once what the boy wanted to do, and he left the cabin and began to search the ship for the girl.
La Croix was peering cautiously from the room he was in and seeing the old detective disappearing out the door, he emerged.
Watching Old King Brady to see that his own actions were not observed, the smuggler finally left the steamer with Harry at his heels in a change of appearance which even his keen eyes failed to penetrate.
Old King Brady saw them depart.
He transformed his own appearance.
Both he and Harry now had assumed their natural looks.
There was a big white felt hat on the old detective's head, his frock coat of dark-blue was buttoned up to the neck, around which there now was a standing collar and an old-fashioned stock and on his hands were cotton gloves.
The boy's suit of brown plaid, and a bicycle cap on his head, were much different from the reverse side of his clothing and the other hat he had worn.
In the street Harry saw the man hail a cab and get in.
He saw his partner and beckoned to him.
When they met, Harry asked eagerly:
"Did you find the girl?"
"No. She must have hurried from the steamer."
"Well, La Croix is bound to meet her now."
"Of course."
"Our plan is to keep him shadowed."
"See if we can't get a cab, too."
They pursued the carriage on