Evening star., 1938-05-01
INSTALLMENT III,

no use just hiding down here, "
he said to himself Reach
L ing under his bunk the boy
grabbed his hashlight. and securing q
large wrench from under the little
stove in the galley he carefully climbed
the ladder to the deck above. He
flung open the hatch cover and
turned the beam Of the flashlight on
the deck.
who's there?" he called.
For a moment there was silence
and then Hello, below" came a low
voice, and a man with his hands
showed deep in his overcoat pockets
stepped from behind the wheelhouse
Turn your light off, will you?" asked
the man, pleasantly.
Tom flashed his light briefly over
the shadowy figure. who are you,
he demanded. land what do you
want?"
The man took his hands from his
pockets. Il saw light through your
portfolio" he answered, and thought
I'd check up little"
Tom hesitated. "Are you a cop?" he
asked.
The visitor chuckled gently. Tin
connected with the police-in a way
he said. I'D like to talk with you q
minute. May I come below?" Tom
switched of his light. Sure" he said
slowly, come on down."
A S THE stranger carefully descend
= ed the ladder to the cabin Tom
quickly looked him over. He saw a
lean-faced. clean-shaven man of abcu,
80. dressed in dark suit and over
coat. Reassured, Tom smiled. SIT
down." he invited.
The man looked around. Where"
he asked. "On the bunk?"
Tom laughed. YEAH" he said
'There-or on that sofa disguised a.
a bucket" Sitting on the bunk. the
man looked up.
MY name is McDonough." he said
quickly serious I'm special agent
for the Federal Government. He looked
inquiringly at Tom. What do you
do? Work on this tug?"
Tom nodded. I'm Tom Powell
chief and only deck hand for Capt
Olsen, the owner and skipper"
I'm sorry if startled you." said
McDonough, but there have been SC
many strange things going on here on
the water front that decided I'd
better investigate the light on thii
boat"
Tom smiled "That's all right" hi
said, II wasn't too scared. Guess
there have been couple Of robberies.
McDonough looked serious. More
than robberies, Tom" he said. There's
a smuggling ring operating down here. v
Tom whistled. "Smuggling!" he
said wonderingly.
McDonough smiled family. Eyes
smuggling" he said. Ship crews
bring in contraband, and pass on the
stuff, when the ship docks. to theil
gang on shore. The shore gang dis.
poses of it, and they split the profits.
Have you caught any Of them yet?'
asked Tom.
McDonough shook his head. mo
re answered. mot yet. We think WI
know how they do it, but we haven
caught them at it. On dark or fogg!
nights. the ship crews lower the stuf
over the side Of the ship to their con
federates, waiting below in small
boats, and these men cart it ava,
under cover Of the night or the fog.
THE special agent rose. 1--WE go
to get along, Tom," he said
We'll catch them eventually, o
course, and III the meantime. 20,
could keep your eyes open. Mayb
you can help us"
Later. his visitor gone. Tom lay II
his bunk, listening to the tapping o
the quiet water against the hull o
the tug. "Smugglers," he said drow
silly to himself. wonder who the,
could be-"
Abruptly he sat upright in his bunk
"Smugglers!" he repeated. Jack ant
those men said something about stuff
coming in on some ship or other. Wha
ship was it? Oh, yes! The Primo
john"
Hastily he recalled the conversation
he had overheard. Il can't prove tina
Jack is a smuggler." he said to him
self. "but I'd be willing to bet he's a
least that ornery! I'd better hav
more proof, I guess, before I accus'
him" He lay down again in his bunk
"I'll keep my eyes open. like Mr.. Nc
Donough said," he muttered. "Mayb'
I can help"
The next morning. when Tom tolt
about his visitor, and of his own sus
picions, Capt. Olsen agreed that h
needed more proof before accusing
Jack. The work on the tug went on
as before, but the boy observed every
thing around the harbor more closely
Tom was rapidly becoming more ex
pert, and whenever a job was com
pleted, Capt. Olsen would lean out O
the wheelhouse, smoke curling from
his battered old pipe, and call good
naturedly, That's the way to do 1t
Sailor. Pretty soon when you GU
yourself, you'll bleed salt water!"
Tom would laugh and hitch up hi
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