When they finally awoke to the reality of their surroundings, Nick was clambering into the boat which contained Chick and Red Rob, and they were assisting him.
It only took a moment for him to get inside. Rob and Chick seized the oars, and Nick suddenly ordered them to pull as close to the floundering police as was safe.
In reality, he only waited to see that none of them was in danger of drowning, but he guyed them unmercifully while he waited, just the same.
“Nice evening for a bath,” he exclaimed, with a laugh.
A curse was his reply.
The three men were clinging to the overturned boat and entirely at the mercy of their enemies, had they been enemies in fact.
“Will you take us in now, or s'mother time?” continued the detective.
“I'll hunt you down, Red Rob, and I'll have you yet,” replied one of the officers.
“Bah! In the first place, I'm not Red Rob.”
“You're a liar.”