sawdust.

The man laughed, shrugged his shoulders, and asked:

"Veil, sair, you ees satisfied?"

There was a look of disgust on Harry's face and he cried:

"He has cleverly duped us and the girl got away with the valuables."

Old King Brady was furious.

"Confound her!" he roared. "Come--search this man thoroughly, and if he has
not got any contraband stuff, we'll search the ship and arrest the girl."

Harry turned La Croix's pockets inside out.

Nothing was found upon his person.

Then they searched the room.

Still nothing came to light and Harry said:

"He has nothing with him."

"Very well. The girl has, then."

"Now, Monsieur, I hope you see zat you wrong me?" said La Croix.

Old King Brady gave him a peculiar look, shook his finger at the Frenchman
and replied in angry tones:

"We know you, La Croix. You are the worst smuggler in this port. It won't
be long before we run you in for your crooked work."

"Ah--how you can say zat?" innocently asked the man.

"We have no time to discuss the matter now, for we are very anxious to nab
your daughter Clara," said the old detective. "But you will meet us again
very soon. Then look out!"

They hastened out of the stateroom.

Once outside Harry whispered hastily:

"You go ahead and I'll fool him."

He thereupon slipped into an adjoining room.

Old King Brady knew at once what the boy wanted to do, and he left the
cabin and began to search the ship for the girl.

La Croix was peering cautiously from the room he was in and seeing the old
detective disappearing out the door, he emerged.

Watching Old King Brady to see that his own actions were not observed, the
smuggler finally left the steamer with Harry at his heels in a change of
appearance which even his keen eyes failed to penetrate.

Old King Brady saw them depart.

He transformed his own appearance.

Both he and Harry now had assumed their natural looks.

There was a big white felt hat on the old detective's head, his frock coat
of dark-blue was buttoned up to the neck, around which there now was a
standing collar and an old-fashioned stock and on his hands were cotton
gloves.

The boy's suit of brown plaid, and a bicycle cap on his head, were much
different from the reverse side of his clothing and the other hat he had
worn.

In the street Harry saw the man hail a cab and get in.

He saw his partner and beckoned to him.

When they met, Harry asked eagerly:

"Did you find the gi