He believed that to be the room belonging to Captain Sparkle, and in that he was not mistaken. A short search among the effects of the room discovered to him another complete suit of the favorite costume of the pirate chieftain, blond wig and all, and he lost no time in arraying himself in them. True, there was no mustache and imperial with which to adorn his features, but neither was there need of them, since the red mask was there.
And thus it happened that when he returned to the cabin, where Kane and Chick were already awaiting him, he looked exactly as Captain Sparkle had appeared at the time when he so silently boarded the deck of the Goalong and looted the yacht.
“Now, Nick,” said Kane impatiently, “what next?”
“Wait,” replied the detective.
“Confound it! that is your inevitable reply, Carter, whenever I ask a question.”
“Well, it is usually the correct one. If Captain Sparkle returns to this cabin before he docks or anchors the Shadow, we will capture him at once, but I don’t think he will do that. Hark! The vessel is slowing down already. She has stopped. There! Do you feel that tremble through her? She is backing. And now the propeller has stopped. Good! There is a slight jar, probably made by the hull coming in contact with piling, or something like it. And there is the scraping noise she makes while she glides along against it. We have arrived, my friends. In a very few moments Captain Sparkle will be here.”
“Good!” said Kane. “I, for one, am becoming impatient.”
“Oblige me, both of you, by stepping into the passage, behind the portière, and you will not have to wait much longer.”
They did as requested, and Nick at once dropped into the chair which the captain of the pirate cruiser had so lately occupied.