He grabbed up a megaphone. “Stop!” he roared. “Or we’ll fire.” The response was a shot from the foremost rum runner. “Down!” cried the Chief. “Shoot and shoot to hit.” The crew sank to the deck and whipping out their weapons, opened fire. A shot must have gone true, for the leading rum runner faltered, swerved from her course, and was almost run down by a sister boat. The fleeing fleet was thrown into confusion. “We’re going to get them,” shouted the Chief, firing as fast as he could aim. For a moment the rum runners fell off in speed. The _Surveyor_ gained on them fast. “Stop!” again shouted the Chief. “In the name of the law, stop!” In reply a burly fellow stepped to the side of the foremost rum runner, raised a rifle, aimed carefully, and fired. There was a crash overhead and the Surveyor’s searchlight winked out. Again the rum runners’ motors roared and the fleet power boats drew away from the pursuing squadron. The _Surveyor_ swung in pursuit. At the same moment another power boat was heard roaring up the channel, close to the western shore. “A ruse!” cried the Chief. “They tried to fool us. Three of them came up the eastern shore while a fourth came along the other side and made a light to draw us across the river. If we had gone, I suppose she would have joined the three on this side. But they got through, though they didn’t fool us. Our watch was in vain.” “Don’t say that,” replied Willie. “We’re going to get them yet.” “How?” said the Chief. “In a night like this? They can run rings around us.” “Listen!” said Willie. “Did you see that fellow who shot our light out?” “Sure I saw him.” “Do you know who he was?” “Of course not.” “Well, I do. He had on a red necktie. I caught a flash of it as he leveled his gun. I couldn’t see his face well for his cap was pulled down and he was too far away. But I saw the red at his neck. That’s ‘Red’ Anderson. I know where he hangs out and I’ll bet a dollar I know where he’s heading for.” “Where?” said the Chief. “The barge pier on the East River. That’s his hangout. It would be the easiest place in the world for him to land a cargo, for all those bargemen work together.” The Chief turned to the man at the helm. “Full speed for the Battery,” he ordered. “We’ll land there and cut across to the barge pier. Then the fleet can sail up the East River and take these fellows in the rear while we approach from the land side. We’ll get them yet—providing Willie is right. Break out your lights. It’s too dangerous to run dark on a night like this.” The lights of the _Surveyor_ blazed forth. The Chief turned to Willie. “Call up the fleet,” he said, “and order them to the Battery landing at top speed.” A moment later the little fleet was surging through the boisterous waters, their lights now agleam, in a final effort to take the smugglers. At the Battery landing the force divided. Half of the men leaped ashore. The others stayed aboard to man the little fleet. Signals were arranged.