Presently he dropped into the chill waters of the river and struck out for the boat, not very far away, which displayed the red light from the mast. Not one rope, but a dozen hung from the chains at the prow, and the millionaire had little difficulty in making his way to the deck.
For a moment he saw no one about the vessel, then a bushy head was lifted above a hatchway and a pair of surly eyes turned toward the intruder. Havens stepped forward and spoke.
“Good-evening,” he said in his best society manner.
The head was followed out of the hatchway by a short, broad, hulking figure. The face of the man was short and broad like his body. The jaw, which was set like that of a bulldog, was outlined against a rim of red whiskers growing down on his neck.
“What do you want?” the fellow demanded in an angry tone.
“Why,” Havens replied, “I was mooning about the pier and fell into the river. I shall want to be set ashore presently.”
“You’ll go ashore the way you came on board!”
The man flashed ugly eyes at the millionaire. Havens felt the necessity at that time of propitiating the man, for the reason that he wanted to remain hidden on board the vessel until daylight. He believed that a search all through that section would be made for him as soon as his escape had been discovered. He knew, too, that the attempt to pass through that section of the city in the middle of the night would be dangerous to any person having the appearance of wealth.
“Well,” Havens said, presently, “I’d like a drink of water, if you have such a thing on board, and I’m willing to pay liberally for your trouble.”
“Water cold, eh?” snarled the other.