"
There was an off hand, jolly sort of style about the stranger
which rather pleased the gang of smugglers.
"What brought you down this way?"
I've been off for five years, and when I'm off on a voyage I'm
clean gone; all the doors are closed behind me. I never get
any letters, and I never send any, so it's all news to me when
I come in from the sea; and I came down here to see my
mother's cousin."
"Who is your mother's cousin, stranger?"
"Well, you fellows are running down close into a strange
craft; my relative was old Aunt Betsy, Tom Pearce's wife."
"She's dead!"
"Well, so I know now; and I came near being sent after her;
but all's well that ends well, so come, all hands, and have a
little throat burner with me."
The men were all glad enough to step up and take a snifter
with the stranger, who after so long a voyage they reckoned
must have a pocketful of the wherewithal.
We will not go further into the details of the methods pursued
by the detective to worm himself into the confidence of the
smugglers; it is sufficient to say that within two hours after
his appearance in their midst he had won all their hearts.
Our readers can form some idea of the wonderful skill,
coolness, and daring of the detective, who within twenty-four
hours walked under a new disguise right into the midst of a
gang of desperate men, who, had they recognized him as he was
known but a few hours previously, would have killed him as
they would have slain a venomous serpent.
Pages:
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79