badly, I'm sorry to say. I don't need to wish them luck for they've got
either a large amount of it, or else they had some inside information."

"Your latter surmise is the correct one," said Harry. "We sent a man down
the bay to meet the steamer. People who are going to smuggle anything
rarely take pains to conceal their contraband goods till they are nearing
port. We know something about the matter, you see. Moreover, we know
would-be smugglers who don't make a profession of it are very careless,
talkative about what they are going to smuggle, and apt to give themselves
away. By sending a good, smart spotter ahead we learned all about the
people we've exposed."

"That game may work very nicely with amateurs. But it would not go with a
professional smuggler by any means."

"I quite agree with you," assented Harry.

"Well," said the Collector, "I'm quite satisfied with your performance, Mr.
Brady, and am convinced that you are the very men to run down the big
smuggler I am so anxious to see arrested."

"We'll do our best," said Old King Brady.

The Collector and the inspectors then went away.

As they were leaving the pier, the quick, keen eyes of Harry observed a
young girl on the steamer acting in a mysterious manner.

She was standing in the gangway, peering out one of the port holes and
sharply watching the departing officials.