“You said it, mister,” said the taxi man, and the cab leaped ahead as he trod heavily on the accelerator. The cab wove in and out of a web of traffic, then shot away down a dark street, took several corners on two wheels, and after threading through several narrower streets, drew up beside a well lighted corner drug store. “Wait here,” ordered Bob, jumping from the cab and hurrying into the store. Two clerks were on duty and Bob addressed himself to the older man. Motioning toward the telephone booth at the rear of the store, he fired his first question. “Give me a description of the man who put in a call from here not more than fifteen minutes ago.” The man to whom Bob addressed the question appeared to resent his intrusion, and his reply was far from courteous. “You’ve got the wrong place and besides I don’t like you.” That touched off Bob’s temper and his anger blazed. “Give me the information I want and give it to me at once or you’re going on a quick ride to jail. Who phoned from that booth?” At the same time Bob revealed the metal shield in his hand which identified him, and the entire attitude of the clerk changed. “Why didn’t you tell me you were a federal man in the first place?” he grumbled. “I want to know who made that call,” insisted Bob. “Well, I didn’t pay a whole lot of attention. There were a couple of other customers in the store. He was kind of tall, and about thirty-five I’d say.” “What kind of clothes was he wearing?” “He had on a coverall suit and a dark hat.” “How about his hair and eyes. Was there anything on his face that would make it easy to identify him?” The younger clerk spoke up. “I noticed his low, deep voice,” he said, “and there was a little scar just in front of one ear.” “Which one?” The clerk turned half away from Bob as though assuming the position in which the stranger had appeared to him. “It was the left ear,” he replied. “I’m sure about that now.” “Notice anything else about him? Did he appear nervous or in a hurry to get away?” “He wasn’t exactly nervous, but after he came out of the booth he didn’t linger around.” “Did he have a car?” “No, he walked in here, but just after he left I heard a motorboat getting under way. You know it’s less than a block to the water front.” There was no more information to be gained from the clerks in the store and Bob returned to the street where the cab was waiting. “Roll on down to the water front,” he told the driver. Chapter XXI SPECIAL AGENT NINE ★ Along the river the docks appeared deserted and there was not even a watchman in sight. Bob returned to the cab. “Wheel for the central police station and don’t lose any time,” he commanded.