"I wish to see him particularly."

"Cam I not attend to the business for Mr. M----?"

"No sir; I must see Mr. M---- personally."

"Can you call again?"

"I will wait."

"He may be engaged a long time."

"I cannot help it, I must see him to-day, and it does not make much difference; I am in no hurry, I can wait as well as not."

The clerk walked away and our hero edged toward the office situated at the rear of the store, and seated himself upon a case of goods, resting directly against the office part.i.tion.

A gla.s.s casing only separated the detective from the members of the firm and the master of the "Nancy," and he could overhear all that pa.s.sed.

The clerk meantime was busy in the forward part of the store, and paid no heed to the stupid-looking countryman.

Spencer Vance was well repaid for his risks. He overheard the names of several firms, and got down facts which made it a dead open and shut case.

At length he recognized that the conference was about reaching a conclusion, and he came another sharp trick.

CHAPTER x.x.x.

As our readers have discerned, the detective had no desire to see the member of the firm whom he had asked for; it had been merely a game to gain an opportunity to listen to what occurred between the capitalists and the master of the "Nancy."

When Vance saw that the conference was about terminating, he walked to the front of the store, and said:

"I will not wait; I will call in again."

"If your business is important you had better wait. He can not be engaged a much longer time."

"I will call again."

"Very well."

The detective walked out. He had "coppered" all he required for the time being. He took up his position a short distance from the store, and awaited the reappearance of Denman upon the street. He was not compelled to wait very long, as the master of the "Nancy" soon appeared, and the detective fell upon his trail.

Denman walked up town a short distance, and stopped in a well-known bar-room, and the detective again got in on a little wait. The master of the "Nancy" did not remain long in the bar-room, and soon again appeared upon the street, when the detective approached him.

"h.e.l.lo, King," called Vance, "haven't you gone back yet?"

The master of the "Nancy" turned and recognized the countryman whom he had called a "crank" on the train.

"Where did you come from?"

"I saw you come out of that place, and I thought I'd like to have a few words with you."

"I have no time."

"Oh, yes; you call spare a few moments."

"Probably you know my business better than I do."

"I know you're in no hurry; you're not going out on the island to-night."

"I am not going out on the island to-night?"

"Well, you're a 'no-such-thing'!"

"Come and have a beer?"

"I have no time, I tell you."

"It will not take you a minute; and I've something to tell you."

"You've something to tell me?"

"Yes."

"What have you to say to me?"

"Something very important."

"What are you giving me now?"

"Facts. Cone along; I've a surprise for you."

The master of the "Nancy" was amused and at the same time mystified. He could not dream what the countryman could have to say to him.

"Come along," said Vance.

"You have something to tell me?"

"Yes."

"Tell me here."

"No; I want to sit down. It's a long story."

A curious look came over the smuggler's face, and, for the first time, a faint suspicion crossed his mind. "Where will we go?" he asked.

"Oh, here's a place."