ch is about now."

"We'll omit the launch," returned Inspector Val. "Go into the drain and
give the boys the tip to skip. After that, it's up to all of you to look
out for yourselves."

"Remember, Inspector," pleaded Steamboat Dan, "you gave your word that
me an' Bill an' the gang ain't to be collared."

"Don't fear; the only one I'm after is the Russian. Jump sharp now, and
give them the office to screw."

Steamboat Dan entered the drain while Inspector Val, Richard, Mr. Duff,
and Mr. England withdrew to a little distance.

"Everybody goes free except the Russian," was Inspector Val's command to
Mr. Duff and Mr. England; "he's to be nailed."

From the drain came booming the smothered report of a pistol.

"That's the signal," said Inspector Val; "the noise of a gun will travel
miles in a tunnel. They'll be coming out now."

As he spoke, Steamboat Dan issued from the drain and fled like a shadow.
A rattle of anchor chains was heard aboard the _Zulu Queen_; she also
had taken fright.

"The others won't be here for a while," said Inspector Val. "They've got
a good ways to come, and a pitch-dark drain isn't the Bowery."

Something like ten minutes passed; suddenly, cursing and stumbling and
splashing, five men rushed from the drain's mouth and made off into the
darkness.

"Close up now," cried Inspector Val; "our party should be hard on their
heels."

Inspector Val was wrong; ten minutes, twenty minutes elapsed, and no one
to emerge from the drain. Inspector Val, placing his two aids on guard,
said that he and Richard would investigate. Bearing a dark lantern, he
took the lead and Richard followed. About twenty rods up the drain,
Inspector Val stumbled and all but pitched upon his face.

"Look out!" he cried, by way of warning.

The next moment Richard set his foot on something soft and yielding,
which exploded with a great noise.

"One of those rubber propositions," explained Inspector Val.

By the light of the lamp, and as far up the drain as his eye would
reach, Richard beheld a seemingly endless file of circular rubber
air-cushions, mates of the one Inspector Val had brought him. On the
six-inch depth of water which raced along the cushions were floating
light as corks; in the center of each reposed a canvas sack of gold. As
Steamboat Dan explained, this long line of argosies had been brought to
a standstill by laying an iron bar across so as to detain the little
rubber-rafts while the stream ran on.