It did not take long for the taxi to run up to the detective’s home. In less than half an hour from the time they saw Patsy in the yawl with Potter, Carter was in his usual seat behind his big table, reading a short telephone message which had come about an hour before, and which the butler, who knew a great deal of the detective’s business, had taken and left for him, in the shape of a written note, on his table.
The note read, in the words that had come over the wire:
“This is Patsy. Have man. More later. Just coming over from Jersey City to New York.”
Nick read the memorandum two or three times, considering as he did so. Then a slight smile broke over his thoughtful countenance, as he looked at Chick and murmured:
“Patsy must have got to a telephone just before he entered the boat with Potter.”
“But how the dickens did he get into a boat with Potter?” asked Chick, in a puzzled tone.
“My theory is that Patsy traced Potter down to the river in some way, saw that he wanted a boat to get across without having to take the ferry, and quickly took advantage of the situation.”
“Patsy is smart enough to do that,” admitted Chick.
“Of course he is. He knows everybody along the river front. It wouldn’t be much of a feat for him to get possession of a yawl and pretend to Potter that he was the owner.”
“By George! That’s what it looks like!”