“None—the d——d meddlers. But what’s the last knock from them fellers, cap?” asked Farley.
“What? This: Scotland Yard has cabled me that George Macdonnell is on board the Thuringia, which lands here from Havre to-morrow, if on time. Macdonnell has got a lot of ‘dust,’ no doubt, and he’s cabled that I’d better get to him ahead of the Pinkertons. He expects me to help him out. That’s good enough; but what’s messed me up is the word I’ve got that that devil, Bob Pinkerton, who some folks say is honest and the police are crooks, has hired a tug and gone down the bay to meet the ship—out at sea, if necessary.”
“What will you do about it?” asked Farley.
“What’ll I do?” cried Irving; “what I should have been doing, instead of blowing here—order the patrol boat this minute, ready for a sea trip if necessary, Farley. I’ll go them one better. Don’t waste a minute. Get a double crew aboard, extra engineers and pilots, provisions for three days—anything, everything, to get away and beat out Bob Pinkerton’s mix-ins, curse ’em—the dogs.” Farley started for the door, but Irving called him back.
“Now, Farley, it means dollars, thousands, perhaps, to us if we get to Macdonnell first, so I can’t tell you to be too careful. Have the Seneca steamed up as I have ordered—in less than an hour. I’ll be at the Battery long before that.”
“I’ll fill the bill, cap; did I ever fail you?”
“I’m warning you—that’s all. Now hustle!” And Farley was gone in an instant. Immediately Irving called together several of his trusted followers, and made hurried preparations for a race down New York Bay after Pinkerton’s tugboat.
This was midway of the year 1873. Early in that year, the great Bank of England forgeries by the Bidwell brothers, Macdonnell, Noyes, and others almost as notorious, were first committed and carried along for several months. Finally discovery came, and the forger band scattered. Macdonnell fled from London to France and took ship for America, but, having quarrelled with his mistress, was betrayed by her. He had always acted “on the square” with the New York police Bank Ring, and, believing them faithful, had cabled to Captain Irving to get first hand on him. Macdonnell had something like eighty-three thousand dollars in United States government bonds in his pockets and one hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars in cash and bonds hidden in soiled linen in the bottom of his trunk. This was his share of the million and a half which the forger band had gotten from the Bank of England. It can be readily surmised why Captain Irving was extremely anxious to reach him before the Pinkertons.
Irving was at the pier, ready and fuming, before the Seneca had been properly steamed up and provisioned. He raced about, fore and aft, and created more than a little confusion and consequent delay. Finally the pilot believed he was ready, and Phil Farley said he was certain of it.
“Extra pilots and engineers aboard?” asked the captain.