“Did you notice it?” asked Chick.
“No,” said Nick. “I noticed nothing in the man’s habits of movement that indicated it.”
The two now turned to the west, leaving Patsy to continue his shadow of Masson alone.
This shadow led to a club some distance down Fifth Avenue, in front of which stood two men, one of whom respectfully saluted Masson as he came up.
Masson walked directly to the man, and said, abruptly:
“There will be nothing doing, Denton, until to-morrow night. Then I want steam up and everything ready for a three or four weeks’ cruise. I want the launch to be at the old pier as early as eight o’clock, although I may not be there to meet it until ten.
“Now, Denton, I want no mistakes. The same men manning the launch that we have had before. I want the crew off the deck when I go aboard. You alone are to have the watch from nine to twelve.
“I shall be here at the club until midnight. After that I shall be at home until to-morrow. You can reach me any time to-morrow here at the club if you have need to.”
Masson was about to go into the clubhouse, and the two men to whom he was talking had moved off a short distance, when a third man came running up, saying:
“There is a mistake, Mr. Masson. The funeral does not take place to-morrow, but the day after.”