The Dock Rats of New York

The Dock Rats of New York, by
"Old Sleuth"

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Title: The Dock Rats of New York
Author: "Old Sleuth" Harlan Page Halsey
Release Date: March, 2004 [EBook #5248] [Yes, we are more than one

year ahead of schedule] [This file was first posted on June 11, 2002]
Edition: 10
Language: English
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*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE DOCK
RATS OF NEW YORK ***

Transcriber's Note: This book is an example of early pulp fiction. It
was published in 1908 by The Arthur Westbrook Co. as Adventure
Series No. 76. "Old Sleuth" is the pseudonym of Harlan Page Halsey
(1837-1898).

THE "DOCK RATS" OF NEW YORK OR THE SMUGGLER
BAND'S LAST STAND
BY "OLD SLEUTH"
CHAPTER I.
"Hold, Stranger!"
The words fell from beautiful lips under the most exciting
circumstances.
A boat rocked upon the calm water that murmured along the shore,
when a young man came down from the upper bank of white drift sand,
and seized the tiller rope. He had the rope in his hand, his arm was
upraised to draw the boat to his feet, when he was startled by hearing
the words with which we open our narrative.
The young man turned toward the speaker, and encountered a sight that
caused his handsome eyes to bulge with amazement.

It was a clear, cloudless night, and a half moon shed its diminished
radiance on surrounding objects, and revealed to the astonished gaze of
the young man the weird-appearing figure of a young girl.
One glance was sufficient to announce the fact that the girl was
beautiful, but alas! in what questionable shape did she appear? She was
attired in a loose gown tightened about the waist with a leathern belt,
her feet were bare, and her long hair hung unkempt upon her shoulders.
As our old-time readers know, we are not heavy on the
beauty-describing business, and we will merely declare that the girl was
indeed a lovely creature, clad in rags; but she was beautiful, and
Spencer Vance, the young man, discerned the fact at a glance, and his
amazement was the greater because of the thrilling conditions under
which re beheld so great loveliness.
The young man made no immediate answer to the girl's abrupt
salutation, but merely stood and gazed at her without any attempt to
conceal his utter astonishment.
"You must not go off in the yacht to-night!" said the girl.
"Why must I stay ashore to-night?"
"Danger is ahead of you!"
"But I am an old sailor, miss; I can take care of myself, I reckon."
The girl drew close to the young man, laid her hand upon his arm, and
in a husky voice, whispered:
"The danger comes not from the sea! You will be a victim!"
The young man let the boat line fall from his grasp, a fierce light shone
in his eyes, and there was a tremulousness, but not of fear, in his voice
as he demanded:
"Who sent you to tell me this?"

"It matters not, you are doomed if you go on the yacht to-night! never
again will your feet press the hard shore, but the waves will cast you
up!"
"Who are you, miss, and why have you come to warn me?"
A moment the girl was silent. She hung her head and appeared lost in
thought, but at length, looking up and fixing her magnificent blue eyes
upon the young man, she said:
"I do not know who I am, but I do know that if you go out on the yacht
to-night, you will never return till the waves wash your dead form to
the beach!"
"You must have some reason for coming to warn me?"
"Yes; I would save your life!"
"Why are you so deeply interested in saving my life?"
"I would warn anyone whom I knew was