“‘Conspicuous’ is good!� muttered Mike. “I wonder what in thunder it means.�
Nick Carter led the way to the spot he had selected. It was a thick mass of shrubbery only a few yards above high tide. Here he told Corrigan to sit down.
The porter obeyed—so heavily that he broke several twigs, which crackled with much more noise than Nick cared for. He gave Mike a sharp touch with the toe of his shoe.
The detective had seen some signs which had escaped his companion, and he did not want any noise. Nick subsided.
Nick took out a pair of powerful night glasses and trained them on the light-studded yacht far out in the bay.
It was something about this yacht which had attracted his attention in the first place, and which had caused him to shut off the porter so peremptorily when he had begun to protest against being gently kicked.
Nick Carter lay flat upon the ground, examining the[Pg 27] shadowy form of the yacht, and trying to satisfy himself as to the meaning of certain movements he observed.
It was a full hour before he moved to any noticeable degree, although he had shifted his position now and then, as he sought to relieve his cramped limbs.
But his night glasses had been always fixed on the yacht, and his eyes had become accustomed to the gloom so much that he could tell fairly well what the general state of affairs was on her deck.
Corrigan was about to whisper a question as a sigh of satisfaction escaped his companion. But Nick shook him off impatiently and told him to keep quite quiet.