"Ah, you are thirsty, are you?" muttered the detective, who, after all, was a humane and merciful fellow, and he proceeded to a running rill near by and got some water in a rubber cup which he always carried about him.
The man slaked his thirst, and asked:
"Where am I?"
"You are at home, I reckon."
The smuggler, at length, appeared to realize that he had been bound, and he said:
"Who tied me up this way?"
"I did."
"Why?"
"You were set to shoot me down, and I got the better of you."
"Ah, I remember."