The silence was broken by the armed man, who said:
"Well, mister, what are you doing spying around here?"
"Who says I'm spying around here?"
"I do."
"Well, you and I won't quarrel."
The stranger had a dead bead on the detective.
"No, stranger, you and I won't quarrel, it's easy for us to come to an understanding; just tell me who you are, and what you're doing around here, or say, your prayers as quick as you can."
"Why, what do you mean, my good man?—this ain't one of the South Sea Islands! I haven't fallen in with cannibals right here in Suffolk County, New York State!"
The detective was coming the innocent dodge, and his little lead off was most excellent, and displayed great quickness and readiness of thought.
The smuggler, as later on the stranger proved to be, was set a little back by the detective's pretended innocence, but in a moment he recovered his ideas, and said: