Part 24 (2/2)

A search warrant had been obtained and the rooms entered and inspected But no papers of any sort that would give a clue to Higginbotham's connections in the liquor traffic were found A cannydocuments about

Ryan and the other prisoners had been released on bail, Ryan hie sum

”If only I could lay my hands on the principals behind this plot,”

said Captain Folso, and there is every evidence that soreat deal of money at his colers' activities came the other day when an airplane which fell into a field near Croton-on-Hudson and was abandoned by the aviator, as unhurt, was found to have carried 200 bottles of expensive Canadian liquor And a map of the route from an island in the St Lawrence near Montreal to Glen Falls, New York, thence to New York City was found in the cockpit It ell-thumbed, and showed the trip must have been made many times of late”

”But, if you do catch the principal, won't that lers for the ti a pere that soenius as you say, will take up the work?”

”Perhaps, you are right,” said Captain Folsohty queer state of affairs in our country It is one law that

Nevertheless, I feel that behind all these liquor violations in and around New York City to-day there is a man of prominence, someone who has united most of the sanized a Liquor Slers' Trust

”If we can land that man,” he added, ”ill strike a blow that will deter others for a long ti to follow his exa that the events which you boys precipitated will lead us to that her Up”

So interested were the boys in this conversation that they failed to note the near approach of the Nark to an ancient schooner They stood gazing at the crea water under the bow, caps pulled low over their eyes to protect thelare, and their radius of vision was strictly limited Noever, the speed of the Nark sensibly diazed around to see as occurring, the boys found the Nark practically at a standstill while a cable's length away rode an ancient schooner, luht airs

”By the ring-tailed caterpillar,” exclai a quaint expression current the last terton Hall, ”where did that caravel of Coluht expect the Ancient Mariner to peer over her rail Yes, and there he is”

He pointed at the figure of a whiskered skipper, wearing a dingy derby, who peered over the rail at this moment in response to a hail from the Nark

There was soestion The old schooner whose nailt as ”Molly M,”

seehost of other days Her outthrust bow, her up-cocked stern and the figurehead of a siinally but was noorn as to inal intent, was, indeed, suggestive of galleons of ancient days This figurehead jutted out beneath the bowsprit

”Heh Heh”

As the skipper of the ancient craft thus responded to the hail fro

”Lay to U S patrol boat,” returned Lieutenant Summers, impatiently

”Evidently our friend believes we have coler,” said Captain Folsom, in an aside, to the boys

But the old skipper, whose craft was drawing ahile the Nark rocked idly in the swell, with her engines barely turning over,a hand to his ear, and once more called:

”Heh Heh”

Suddenly the deck beneath the feet of the boys quivered slightly, there was the report of a three-pounder, and a shot fell across the bow of the old schooner, kicking up a feather of spray The Ancient Mariner, as Frank had dubbed him, came to life He danced up and down on his deck, where two or three other figures of seamen now appeared

He shook his fist at the Nark