"They're both engaged at present," was the answer. "Wait here, and I'll tell them."
"Get out of my road!" growled the operative, pulling back the lapel of his coat sufficiently to afford a glimpse of his badge. "I'll see them where they are," and before the guardian of the scale house door had recovered from his astonishment Carr was well across the portals.
The first thing that caught his eye was the figure of a man bending over the weight beam of one of the big scales, while another man was making some adjustments on the other side of the apparatus.
Derwent, who was facing the door, was the first to see Carr, but before he could warn his companion, the special agent was on top of them.
"Who are you? What business have you in here?" demanded the government weigher.
"Carr is my name," replied Dick. "Possibly you've heard of me. If so, you know my business. Catching sugar crooks!"
Derwent's face went white for a moment and then flushed a deep red. Mahoney, however, failed to alter his position. He remained bending over the weight beam, his finger nails scratching at something underneath.
"Straighten up there!" ordered Carr. "You—Mahoney—I mean! Straighten up!"
"I'll see you in hell first!" snapped the other.
"You'll be there soon enough if you don't get up!" was Carr's reply, as his left hand emerged from his coat pocket, bringing to light the blue-steel barrel of a forty-five. "Get—"