“He will hold his men in the background, and he will go alone to investigate, and call in his aids at the right moment.”

“Ah!  I see! and you will play against him?”

“If I am not interfered with I will.”

“How do you know he has not been here?”

“I know he has not been here.”

“Two men were here.”

“Yes, I was on their track.  I know who they were.”

CHAPTER XLII.

Rigby did not for a moment appear to suspect the truthfulness of the detective’s story.

“Who were they?” he demanded.

“Detectives.”

“And Vance was one of them?”

“No.”

“Were they connected with him?”

“That I cannot answer.”

“And what do you propose to do,”

“Lay around for my man, if I am not interfered with.  It is my game to appear as one of the gang, and that will give me a chance to get well in on his trail when he comes.”

“I can fix that part of the business for you.”

“That is all I want; but, if I am to be jumped at every time I make a move, I’ll get away.”

“You were hiding around here?”

“Yes.”

“Why didn’t you cone out openly?”

“I was waiting to got a chance to see you alone.  I did not want to be known to all your friends—­you never can tell who, will talk too much.”

“Our men don’t talk.”

“Some of them must have talked.”

“What makes you think so?”

“How, else would Vance find out about the death of old Tom Pearce?”

“The death of Tom Pearce is as much a mystery to our men as to anyone else.”

“Vance thinks your men did it.”

“How do you know?”

“I’ve lain on his track, and overheard him talking with the United States District Attorney.”

“Our men know nothing, about the death of Tom Pearce.”

“Have they a suspicion?”

“I have not heard them say.”

“I wish I had a point on that affair.”

“Why?”

“It would give me a sure hitch on Vance.”

“It’s a good scheme; I will talk with the boys and see if any of them have any suspicion.”

“What will you tell them about me?”

“Oh, I will fix that all right.”

“They must not bother me.”

“You will not be bothered.”

“That’s all right; go and see if you can pick up any points.”

The detective was left alone; he was really only working the game to learn all he could about the death of old Tom Pearce, and all he wished to know was whether the smugglers had killed the old man or not; if they were innocent, he knew just in what direction to look for the assassin, and also where to look for the beautiful Renie.

Meantime the gang were anxiously waiting to hear the result of Rigby’s conference with the man whom they had caught eavesdropping around the tavern.