There was a smothered oath from the owner of the voice as the light fell full upon him, blinding him completely for the moment.
“Hands up!” ordered Nick, sternly, “or I'll bore you, see?”
They were all underneath the pier, Nick and Chick being in the boat, and the stranger, with half his body showing above a timber, upon which he was leaning; with a revolver gripped in either hand.
“Now speak 'r down you go,” continued Nick. “I mean business, I do, see? I don't want no croakers nur fly cops 'round me to-night.”
In spite of the situation the stranger laughed outright.
“That's a good one,” he said.
“What is?”
“Callin' me a cop.”
“Well, mebby you're one, an' ag'in mebby you ain't. It's best to be safest. Who are you ? Answer, 'cos I've got the drop now.”
“I'm—say, did you ever hear of Red Rob, hey?”