Sheridan lifted a bag. “That’s a close guess,” he said. “We’ll call it seventy-five, anyway.” Rapidly he counted the bags. “Thirty-five,” he said. “That makes thirty-five times seventy-five.” He stopped and made some figures on an old envelope. “Twenty-six hundred and twenty-five pounds,” he said. “More than a ton and a quarter of cotton, Mr. Morgan. That’s a little better than five bales. It’s worth something more than $650 wholesale at present prices. Have you had any complaints about loss of cotton?” “Lots of them, but we have seldom been able to put our hands on the thieves.” “Let me suggest that you have every one of your lighters examined and measured and all space accounted for. It might be worth your while.” Then Sheridan turned to Jensen once more. “Who helped you steal this stuff?” he demanded. “Nobody,” said Jensen gruffly. “Come on, now. Cough up. Who’s in this with you?” “Not a soul,” insisted Jensen. “If you’re lying, we’ll find it out,” said Sheridan, “and it will go all the harder with you.” “Is there anything more you want to see, Mr. Sheridan?” asked the steamship man. “Not a thing. We’ve seen all there is to see.” “Then we’ll head for shore.” He gave the signal to the tug’s pilot, and in a few minutes, the party was once more ashore. Sheridan slipped a pair of handcuffs on his prisoner. “Young man,” said Mr. Morgan, turning to Willie, “I understand that we are indebted to you for this discovery and very important arrest. The continued loss of cotton has cost our line thousands of dollars in damages. Come along to the office with me. I have something for you.” “If you mean money,” said Willie, “I cannot take it.” “Why not? Is it against the rules of the Secret Service?” “I don’t know,” replied Willie. “I don’t belong to the Secret Service.” “You don’t? Then what’s all this about your being Mr. Sheridan’s assistant?” “You’re perfectly free to take anything the gentleman wants to give you,” remarked Sheridan, “but you would not be if you did belong to the Service. No Secret Service man may accept a cent for any service from any one but the government. And as for his being my assistant, Mr. Morgan, it happens this way. This lad was coming along the water-front when I was trailing wool smugglers. I needed to get a message to my office badly, but I didn’t dare take my eyes off the men I was trailing. I asked this lad to send a message for me. He never saw me before and I never saw him. But it seems that he was one of those four boys from Pennsylvania that helped to find that German secret wireless station during the war.” “I remember reading about it. So you were one of those boys, eh?” “Yes, sir,” said Willie modestly.