"Well. I'm not giving out my suspicions; but we've made a blunder in letting that fellow get away to-night; but it's all up now unless some other of the games against him work out all right." "I tell you we can run over and catch him on the mainland." "Do you think so?" "I do." "Well, there's where your head ain't level. We will never catch him now that he has got away from the coast." The men walked away and the detective fell to a big scheme. Quick as lightning he changed his appearance, worked a perfect transformation, and strolled down toward Rigby's, the old resort, of the gang before the storm of adversity set in over them. Rigby was as deeply interested in the success of the smuggling business as any man connected with it. When trade was good he had plenty of money and did a large business; but when it was bad his business decreased proportionately; up to the time of the arrest of the crew off the "Nancy" Rigby had been a passive man as far as the illicit traffic event, but when Ike Denman was in jail he sent for Rigby, and the man became an active partisan. He had been let into the scheme with the capitalists, and the glow of big money was opened up to him. A short time after the incident at the cabin of old Tom Pearce the residue of the gang began to assemble at the Rigby place. The men were in an ugly and desperate mood. Rigby had just returned from a trip to New York, where he had held a second interview with Denman. The men had been awaiting his return. Meantime the detective had stolen down to Rigby's place, and had taken up an outside position, from whence he could take note for a few seconds, and overhear what immediately followed the man's reappearance. It was a lucky move on the part of our hero, as he got the remainder of the points needful for the carrying out of his immediate plans. Rigby had just joined the waiting gang of smugglers, and upon his entrance in their midst, was greeted with the question: "What news do you bring from York?" CHAPTER XLI. Rigby did not make an immediate reply, but glanced around to see who was gathered in the place. "Come, old man, give us the news." "I am waiting to see if there are any strangers in our midst." "There are no strangers present." "That's all right; I expect some strangers." "Who do you expect?" "Well, boys, I'll tell you; I saw Denman, and he let me, into some secrets, and if luck favors, all will come out right; the Government has only one witness." "Vance?" "Yes; and if that man can be got rid of all will come out right." "Did you expect to see Vance here when you looked us over?" "No; but I expected to see one of the men who was after Vance, and you fellows must go slow if you come across any strangers on the coast." "There were two strangers on the coast this night." "There were?" "Yes." "Where were they?" "Up at the Pearce cabin."