"
"Good enough, you have saved your life! I'll trust your word;
if you go back on me, may the sharks soon crunch your living
bones."
"You stand here, I'll bring the man aft."
"Good enough."
The captain went forward; the detective stood calm and
patient, but his eyes were upon the master of the "Nancy." He
saw Denman speak to the men, and then he saw the crew start in
a body toward the afterdeck. Denman had proved false, the
smuggler had forfeited his word.
"It's now or never," muttered the detective, and he sprung
beside the rudder port and stood upon the stern rail. His
form towered up through the night like an apparition, as he
called in a loud tone:
"You and I will meet again, Denman. Sol Burton is a liar."
Head first the intrepid detective dove from the vessel down
into the water, and when he came to the surface he was beyond
range, as the yacht was moving along with moderate speed in
one direction, while our hero was swimming under water in an
opposite course.
"Lower away the boat!" shouted Sol Burton.
The men ran to obey, but at that moment lights were seen, and
one of the men shouted:
"It's a cutter!"
Ike Denman heard the latter shout, and commanded:
"Hold fast there the boats!"
The crew had not time to take up a boat when the cutter was
bearing down upon them.
"That man can never get ashore," said an old tar; "No living
man in full toggery can go over the side of this boat and ever
come unaided out of the sea!"
"The cutter may pick him up," suggested Sol Burton.
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