“Keep your money,” said Willie. “I won’t take it. I didn’t take the first dollar because I wanted it, but because I was so astonished when you gave me that telephone number that I forgot about everything else.”
“It’s evident that you don’t belong in New York,” said the detective with a smile, as he thrust his wallet back into his coat pocket. “If you won’t take money, perhaps I can repay you in a way you will like even better. We’re going to grab this wool-smuggling barge captain to-morrow. How’d you like to have a hand in that?”
“Do you mean it?”
“Sure. You’ve had a hand in the case, and you might as well be in at the finish.”
“That will be bully!” cried Willie. “What do you want me to do?”
“Go home and keep your mouth shut. And by the way, where are you staying?”
“I’m a guest on board the Confederated liner Lycoming.”
“The deuce you are! That’s Captain Lansford’s boat. We had a case over there some time back. Some Mexicans tried to smuggle in some stuff. The police got them red-handed, but we went over to make a further investigation. They’ve got a slick young wireless man on that ship. I believe he discovered the smugglers at work.”
“That’s Roy Mercer!” cried Willie, with pride. “I’m his guest. We’re both members of the Camp Brady Wireless Patrol, and he was one of the fellows who helped run down the secret wireless here in New York.”
“I understand he’s a good one. The purser was telling me how he saved the Lycoming by wireless from colliding with another steamer in a fog.”