The Dock Rats of New York | Page 8

heart,
and I'd rather die than any harm should come to her; and again I don't
like to stand in her way; while according to this letter from the old
woman, written nigh on to thirteen years ago, I've no right to let her
pass from my possession."
The mutterings of the old man were interrupted by a loud rap at his
rickety door.
"Come in!" called the old smuggler.
The door opened, and a roughly dressed man strode into the cabin.
"Hello, Pearce! I see you are here to meet me."
"Yes, Mr. Garcia, I'm waiting for you."
Mr. Garcia took a seat by the table opposite the old smuggler, and saw
the latter crumple the letter, and put it in his pocket.
"Eh, old man, what's that your hiding?"
"Nothing that will interest you, sir; it's only an old letter from my dead
wife, sent to me many years ago when she was visiting some of her
friends over in Connecticut."
"How about this Government officer who has been prowling around
here?" was the next question which fell from Garcia's lips.

"Well, that's more than I can tell you, but he'll be fixed to-night,
whoever he is! Yes, sir, he'll not cause the lads any trouble, they've
'tumbled' to him! too soon."
"They've tumbled, eh?"
"Yes; and they got up a false cruise to-night on purpose to carry him
out to sea."
"How was it the boys chanced to 'drop' to him?"
"Renie did the business."
"Renie did the business?" ejaculated the man.
"Yes, sir; she went through him. She is a wonderful girl, she is, but I
don't think she really meant to give the fellow away, but we caught her
in a trap."
"You caught her in a trap?"
"Yes."
"How?"
"Well, she was sending a message to warn the detective of his danger,
and the letter was intercepted, and so we got into the whole business. I
tell you the fellows were mad, and had it been anybody but Renie
they'd never have sent another message."
"Does Renie know her letter was intercepted?"
"I don't think she does."
"Why would she want to give the Government officer the 'tip'?"
"No telling about these women, sir, no telling about them; you see this
man is a good-looking chap, a very handsome fellow, and he's a daring
man, too, and a splendid sailor! It's a pity he wasn't one of the crew. I

tell you he saved the lives of all the lads one night off the coast; but he's
doomed! He'll never save nobody again!"
"Has he been making love to the girl?"
"No; I reckon he's never seen her, but she's seen him; you see Renie
goes under cover sometimes, and she wanders along the shore for hours,
and one night she came upon the detective when he was holding a
parley with a pal from the city; the gal 'laid low' and overheard all that
was said, and at the same time she 'nipped' a letter which the man
dropped from his jacket, and thus got down on the whole business; but
somehow her heart went ag'in giving the man away, and she writes a
letter ready to deliver to him; and by ginger, she mislaid her letter, and
my nephew, a rattling little chap, 'nipped' it and gave it to the Cap, and
the whole business was out!"
"You are sure there has been no acquaintance between the detective
and your daughter?"
"Yes; I am sure of that."
"Why are you sure?"
"Well, I've Renie's word, and that gal would die before she would tell a
lie; no, sir, she's never spoke to him, and as she never has, she never
will, for his accounts will all be cleared tonight! the lads will have a
dead open and shut on him."
"I reckon you've been deceived," said Garcia.
"How so?"
"That gal has known more of this man than you think. She would not
warn a stranger that his life, was in peril, especially when that stranger
was her father's foe."
"Well, it don't make any difference. She will never see him again!"
"We can't tell about that."

"What do you mean?"
"I'll bet a thousand dollars the man didn't go off on the cruise tonight!"
"Yes, he did."
"Did you see him aboard?"
"No: but I know he went."
"That girl would know that the letter was lost."
"Yes, very likely."
"Well, she'd take some other measures to warn the man; you've been
deceived, old man!"
"I hope you're mistaken, or it will be bad for Renie. I tell you the men
will be raging mad if the detective slips through their nets to-night."
"They will be, and now you recognize the necessity of turning the girl
over to me."
"I've been thinking over that