During all this excitement, Patsy was trying to find out where Chick was.
Patsy had found Nick and Lieutenant Brockton, in charge of the squad that was to take part in the raid, sitting in the captain’s room, smoking and wondering how long it would be before Chick would give them the signal.
They had expected it by telephone—that having been the orders to Chick—and the lieutenant hardly ever took his eyes off the instrument on the desk before him.
When Patsy came bounding in, after a brief explanation to the sergeant behind the desk, Nick was glad his young assistant had taken this course. It enabled Nick, as well as the lieutenant, to get a better idea of the situation than if they had had it over a wire. Besides, this way made it certain there could not be any “leak.”
Lieutenant Brockton did not quite like putting himself and the policemen told off to him under the orders of Nick Carter. But the detective would not consent to any other arrangement, and the lieutenant was obliged to comply. He could not afford to antagonize Carter, who seemed to have a knowledge of everything in the underworld, although he never boasted of it.
As they hurried to the house on foot—for Nick would not allow the use of a patrol wagon, which would have attracted general attention—Patsy gave the detective a very good idea of the general plan of the house.
“It’s just a few little things that ought to make it easier to put one over on the gang,” he explained. “You can’t know too much about a house when you are going to get in suddenlike,” he added, with his usual good-humored grin.
“You’re quite right, Patsy,” agreed Nick. “And, as you say, the point we have to look out for particularly is at the back. They might go scooting over the back fence and get away by the other street.”
Lieutenant Brockton stationed a couple of his youngest and most agile men in the back yard. They were down the alley at the side, and climbed over the side fence.
A third man was placed in the alley, to remain there, and two more went into the front yard, below the level of the street. It was one of these two who afterward distinguished himself by capturing Chick.