"
"I should say so; and now as I've answered your questions, who
are you?"
"I am a fisherman. I ran into the cove on account of the
storm, and came over here to stay until daylight, or later if
the storm holds."
"I reckon the storm won't hold much longer; it's only a
passing tempest, and so make yourself comfortable. Will you
have a bite"
"Thank you, I had food with me in my boat."
"Will you cover a little whisky."
"I will!" came the hearty acceptance.
The two men had a long, pleasant talk, and our hero soon
learned that his new acquaintance was a really honest
fisherman--good, square man; and there are many of them on the
Long Island coast, and no truer and better men can be found in
any quarter of the globe.
When fully satisfied that the man was an honest fellow, our
hero opened up a certain subject with him.
"Taylor, did you run across a gang of smugglers in your
experience along the coast?"
"You can just bet I have run across them; and, between you and
me, it is an easy matter to put my hand on the key that locks
the door of their secret warehouse."
"You can do that?"
"I can."
"How is it you have never communicated with the Government?"
"Well, I'll tell you. I've always been afraid it might get me
into some sort of a scrape. You see, I am a man of family,
and couldn't afford to lose any time."
"I'll let you into a secret."
"All right."
"I'm a Government officer."
"Whew! is that so? Well, I might have suspected as much.
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