She had steam up and was all ready for her journey to meet the
_Kentigern_. That vessel had been reported east of Fire Island and
would be well across the bar by eight o'clock. She would anchor on the
bar for the night, and it was there that Captain Jim Skelly meant to
board her in order to forestall any possible scheme that wily Captain
Barney might devise to gain the bridge of the freighter.
As Dan paddled noiselessly around the other side of the pier, they
could see the pipe lights of the Quinn's crew. Finally the rowboat
turned straight under the pier, threading its way among the greasy
green piles. Reaching under the seat, Dan drew out a stout inch line.
"When I back in on the _Quinn_," he whispered, "make that line fast to
the rudder post. We'll let her tow us to the _Kentigern_."
"What!" hissed Captain Barney, and his face turned pale. But it was
only for a second, after which he chuckled.
Slowly, gently, quietly, the rowboat slid among the green piles until
the stern of the big tug loomed overhead. When it was within reach
Captain Barney leaned out, made one end of the line fast to the tug's
rudder post and then, paying out about twenty feet, he fastened the
other end to the bitts in the bow of the rowboat.
It seemed an hour's waiting before the _Quinn's_ crew cast off the
lines, but in reality it was not more than ten minutes.
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