The "Dock Rats" of New York; Or, The Smuggler Band's Last StandOld Sleuth
General
The "Dock Rats" of New York; Or, The Smuggler Band's Last Stand
Old Sleuth
Smuggling -- Fiction
The attorney went away to make all the arrangements for a
grand seizure. He had the names of all the principals, who
were first put under surveillance, under the "shadow" of a
number of Government officers, and then all the other
arrangements were completed.
It was seven o'clock in the evening when the special train ran
out of the depot, carrying twenty armed men besides the United
States attorney, and our hero, who was in command of the
party.
Four hours later the party were ready to embark across the bay
to the island.
Our hero met his friend Taylor.
"Well, old man, what have you to report?"
"The 'Nancy' weighed anchor only half an hour ago.
"Were you on the track of any of the crew to-day?"
"They were around the village."
"Did they drop anything?"
"Not a word."
The party were soon landed on the island. Taylor did not
accompany them, as the detective did not desire to involve his
confederate in any future trouble.
The party were marched toward the rendezvous, and had gone but
a short distance when the detective, in a low tone, ordered a
halt. He had discovered one of the smuggler sentinels, toward
whom he advanced.
The man commanded our hero to halt.
The detective came to a halt, and said:
"What do you want?"
"Where do you go?"
"Is there a war round here, that you send out sentinels to
stop quiet people?"
"Who are you and where do you go?"
"That's none of your business!"
"I give you two minutes to answer."
"Only two minutes?"
"One!" called the man.
"You're crazy!" said the detective.
"Two!" called the man.
The detective uttered a signal-whistle call, and seven or
eight men sprung forward.
The sentinel stood paralyzed.
"Why don't you call three?" demanded Vance.
The man made no reply.
"I had an idea that war had been declared, so I brought my
troop this way."
The man made a movement as though about to run away, when
Vance said:
"Don't move, my friend, or you will be dropped."
The detective advanced toward the fellow, who saw at once that
resistance was in vain.
The man was disarmed and a pair of handcuffs were slipped on
his wrists.
"The jig's up," muttered the smuggler.
"Yes, my friend, the jig is up."
The party moved on and soon came in sight of the smugglers,
who were running out goods to be put on board of the "Nancy."
The detective advanced straight into their midst.
The smugglers were taken all aback, and some of them started
to move away, when the detective called out:
"The first man that moves will be shot down!"
The men did not move.
If there had been under a leader they might have shown fight,
but as they did not know exactly what force had been brought
against them, they were afraid to open a scrimmage.
The Government attorney at a signal stepped forward, and
announced that all the men were prisoners to the United States
Government, and the wholesale handcuffing of the crew of the
"Nancy" followed.
The men did not offer any resistance, but submitted like
lambs.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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