“He is a sailor, and a good one. He would know that she was American.”
“He might at that. But, even so, he would still be watching the sea for her return, and not paying much attention to the land approach. There, Kane; let us stop here. It will be dark now in a quarter of an hour, and then we can approach without any danger of being discovered.”
“Can you find your way, Nick, among all these rocks and pools, and along this slippery cliff, in the dark?”
“Indeed I can. I have taken all my bearings, Max. And now, there is nothing to prevent us from enjoying a smoke while we wait.”
They found a shelter under a shelving rock, where they were protected from the storm, and there they seated themselves, lighted their cigars, and disposed themselves to such comfort as they could find while they awaited the time to advance.
“Under ordinary circumstances, Max,” said the detective, “I should prefer to undertake this business to-night alone. I don’t suppose you care to be left outside, do you?”
“Not in a thousand years, Nick! No, no! I’m in this thing to a finish. And, besides, it is more than likely that you will run into some sort of a scrap inside that old rookery. If you should, you will need help, and I want to be on hand.”
“All right. Now, see if you can refrain from talking for about five minutes, while I do a little thinking. After that it will be time for us to start on.”
“Midnight would be about the proper time for burglarious enterprises, wouldn’t it?”
The detective did not reply, and Kane also lapsed into silence. So the moments passed, until, at last, suddenly the detective rose to his feet, stretched himself, yawned, threw away the stump of his cigar, and said: