“It isn’t likely the old pirate will try to chase us this time,” said Dan. “He won’t have a tug handy as he did at Sanstable.”
“Well, we won’t run any risks,” said Nelson. “As soon as Spencer’s aboard we’ll make tracks.”
And so it was settled. But the plan was discussed and rediscussed many times during the afternoon. Time went very slowly. At four they took a run around the Battery and up the North River for a ways, as Nelson said, to see that the engine worked all right, but in reality, I think, to relieve the suspense of waiting. They had dinner ashore at a funny little _café_, on South Street, frequented principally by the better class of officers and sailors from the ships and steamboats along the adjacent waterfront. What they had was good, if plain, and they did full justice to it. Bob settled the bill at the little desk near the door when they had finished and the others went on out to the sidewalk. When Bob rejoined them his face showed that something had disturbed him.
“What’s up?” asked Nelson. For answer Bob seized him by the arm and hurried him away from in front of the restaurant, the others following.
“Captain Sander,” said Bob, when they were some distance away. “He was sitting at the table between the desk and the window!”
“I don’t believe so. He had a paper propped up in front of him and he never looked up after I noticed him. I wish, though, we’d gone somewhere else for supper.”
“Yes,” agreed Dan, “it would have been better even to have eaten Tommy’s cooking!”
At half-past seven the _Vagabond_ chugged up to the end of the next pier to that at which the _Henry Nellis_ lay. The launch showed no lights. Seated in the cockpit the four waited silently and impatiently for the hands of the clock in the cabin to approach the half hour after nine. After two bells had struck Dan went down every five minutes or so, struck a match and looked at the clock. Finally he came back and whispered: “Nine-twenty-five, Nel!”
Bob went to the wheel and Nelson disappeared into the engine room. The single line which had held them to the side of a big lighter came away and the propeller churned the water. Out into the stream went the _Vagabond_. Then, when she was opposite the _Henry Nellis_, Bob swung the wheel over and she headed for the darkness of the dock. While still some distance out the engine was shut off and the launch slid quietly into the gloom, headed for the side of the schooner which lay dimly outlined in the darkness.