Later on the detective made some startling and ghastly discoveries.  He came upon a box containing human bones, and he was sufficiently experienced to recognize that, in the case of the remains, ordinary, decay had been supplemented by artificial processes, and the latter discovery was a prima facie testimony in favor of the theory that the bones were those of murdered victims.

Our hero was still rummaging around when his attention was attracted by human voices, and, closing the slide of his lantern, he laid low and watched, and, a moment later, became aware that some of the crew of the “Nancy” were in the warehouse.

“I wonder,” he muttered, “if they have came to look for me here?  If they have, I reckon I’m in a tight place!”

The detective crawled toward the place where the smugglers were gathered, and he overheard their conversation.

One of them remarked.

“It’s all nonsense to look for him in here.”

“If it is Ballard, or Spencer Vance, I’d look for him in my vest pocket; either one of those men would dare to go anywhere.”

“Well, search,” commanded Ike Denman.

“Now I am a goner,” was the mental declaration of the intrepid revenue officer, while at the same time he was, resolved to take all necessary precautions.  He found a hiding place and passed a full hour of anxiety, indeed, a mental strain that would have turned a less nervy man gray.

The agony, however, passed, and he escaped discovery, and heard one of the fellows say: 

He is not in here, that is certain.”

“You’re mistaken, Charley,” muttered the detective to himself, in a spirit of reckless facetiousness,

Ike Denman appeared to be completely disheartened, and he said: 

“I tell you, my good fellows, we’re in trouble; that man has got away.”

“What will you do?”

“There is only one thing for me to do; I must go to New York and report the situation at headquarters.”

“We can get the goods away.”

“It’s easy to say we can get the goods away, but where will we take them?”

“We can load the ‘Nancy’ down with the most valuable of them.”

“That is a good idea, but you cannot get to work until to-night.”

“We can start in to-night.”

“Where will you run her when she’s loaded?”

“We can run outside and communicate.”

“Do that, and meantime I will go on to New York.  There is a one o’clock train from the station on the other side.  I will go on that train.”

“And we are to load the ‘Nancy’ to-night”

“Yes.”

The detective overheard the whole of the above conversation, and great drops of perspiration came out upon his forehead.  He was in a bad fix after all.  Should Denman get to New York ahead of him, he would lose his best grip after all.  Something must be done.  He must get over to the mainland before one o’clock, in time to take the train with Denman, at all hazards.