“An hour and a half. Maybe an hour, if we are not delayed,” replied the Secret Service man.
“I’ll be back in an hour and a half, and perhaps sooner,” said Mr. Morgan.
His stenographer nodded comprehension, and the three investigators left the office. This time the office boy not only had his eyes open, but his mouth as well. “Gee!” he muttered, “I wonder what’s up.”
Straight across the island the three investigators went hustling. A very few minutes brought them to the East River piers of the Coastwise Steamship Company. A tug, with steam up, was moored at the end of one of these piers. Through the great pier shed went Mr. Morgan and his two companions. The executive nodded greetings to employees as he went. Arrived at the end of the pier, the three leaped aboard the tug.
“Good-morning, Mr. Morgan,” said the pilot. “Where do you want to go?”
“Take us down to the pier where our lighters are. Make fast to the Dixie and take her out into the stream. You can pull down between Governor’s Island and Brooklyn. This gentleman wants to examine that boat.”
Lines were cast off, the pilot rang a bell, and the tug’s propeller began to churn the water. Slowly the tug drew away from the pier. In a very short time she was abreast of the barge wharf. The pilot nosed his way in beside the Dixie. The latter’s captain was on her deck.
“Catch these lines and make fast,” called a hand on the tug, as he threw a hawser toward the Dixie.
The Dixie’s captain caught it and made it fast. Then he caught and fastened a second line forward.
“We’re going to pull down the river,” said the tug captain, leaning out of the pilot-house. “Just cast off.”