Lewis E. Theiss

“ As Willie moved about in the throng, studying the man’s face, now from one point and now from another, he became more and more certain that the man was not only utterly unscrupulous, but also daring to a high degree and clever beyond belief.
With every moment the excitement on the boat increased. The detention at Quarantine had been brief, and the great ship was now close to her pier. Every one was making a final collection of wraps and hand baggage and saying good-bye to shipmates. Stewards and cabin boys were bustling about more busily than ever, with bags, suit cases and other hand luggage. ”

“ It has been said that one boy is worth half as much as a man, while two boys are worth nothing at all. It might have been somewhat that way with Willie, had he had a companion anywhere near his own age, for he was full of fun and mischief. But every one else in the office had outgrown his puppy days. Even so, Willie might have indulged in some harmless fun at intervals, had not the Chief’s papers been stolen. After Willie once found that the finger of suspicion pointed to him, he lost much of his natural buoyancy of spirit. ”

“ No wonder Broadway was so crowded, when building after building poured out its thousands upon thousands of workers into this one thoroughfare.
But all these majestic buildings, all these wondrous changes that had altered lower Manhattan from a forested rocky island to a magic city of cloud-touching structures, were not as remarkable as this tiny oval of grass in which Willie stood. The remarkable thing about this grass plot is that it is a grass plot. For three hundred years one change has followed hard upon the heels of another about Bowling Green. ”

“ It was indeed a good night for rum runners.
But the darkness had no terrors for the little party in the Surveyor. Rather they welcomed it. The darkness would allow them to creep the closer to their victims. Once they were near at hand, the powerful little searchlight of the Surveyor would dispel the darkness. Fog alone could cloak its beams. They would hope that fog would not form. If it did, they could only trust to luck.
On went the little fleet. Already the sub chasers were lost to sight, though the roar of their motors was still audible. ”

“ Eagerly the visiting lad caught the outstretched hand of the wireless man, and they stepped to one side, out of the way. “You’re a sight for sore eyes, Willie Brown,” said the wireless man, shaking his friend’s hand again and again. “Gee! But I sure am glad to see you.”
“You can’t be any more pleased to see me than I am to see you, Roy.” Then the little visitor drew back a pace and admired his friend. “Gee whiz!” he said. “Just look at your fine uniform. I guess it’s true that clothes make the man. Why, I heard that dock hand even call you Mister. ”

“ Poor Willie! Much sooner than he would have believed possible, he was wondering very seriously if he could find another job.
He thought the matter over a bit further and a new idea came to him. “Why, I believe that’s one of the best ways to keep the job I’ve already got,” muttered Willie. “I could see that that man went into Mr. King’s office feeling mighty good about something, though I never dreamed I had anything to do with it. Mr. King can put through a whole lot more work in an hour if he deals with people that feel good than he could if he had to talk to a lot of soreheads. ”

“ Relieved of the last shadow of suspicion, and with the confidence of his superior made plainer every day, Willie applied himself with increased energy to his tasks. Again it was fortunate for Willie that there were no other boys in the office. His feeling during the first few days after the arrest of Tom Smith was one of exultation, of almost irrepressible joy. He wanted to shout and whistle and express his feelings in noise and physical action. But there was no one to share his feelings with him. The office force consisted wholly of grown men, mostly of staid and sober habits. ”

“ Up-stream a little way ferry-boats were shuttling back and forth to Brooklyn. Occasionally a big steamer passed by. Long strings of canal-boats, towed by tugs, forged slowly along. Innumerable lighters, convoyed by other puffing tugs, buffeted the waves. Floats, bearing laden freight-cars, went clumsily past. Occasional motor-boats scooted noisily by, and even a lone oarsman in a rowboat was visible, working his way against the current.
Out on the pier went Willie. Fascinated, he gazed about him. How the stirring life before him stimulated and thrilled him. ”

“ No wonder Willie loved this wonderful waterfront, with its argosies from the seven seas; and no wonder that now, after gazing for a time at the flow of traffic before him, he darted across the street and turned south toward the Battery. Powerful memories drew him that way. He must see once more the Staten Island ferry, by which he had so often journeyed to Staten Island during that never-to-be-forgotten spy hunt. And the Aquarium, with its unbelievably odd and curious fish life; the fire-boat, lying ready to dash off to a blaze at a second’s notice ”

“ Time went faster than he dreamed it could. Willie was busy every moment. Before he knew it, the morning was almost past. Willie thought of the spittoons. He leaped to his feet and darted into the Special Agent’s office. From either side of the big mahogany desk he lifted a shining brass cuspidor and started for the door.
“Hold on there,” roared the Chief. “What in blazes are you doing with those spittoons? Don’t get so gay. There’ll be plenty of jobs worth doing, without wasting your time on cuspidors. ”

“ The night grew darker and rougher. The wind was rising. From the sea the sound of the waves came ever louder. Higher rolled the waters and the little Surveyor rocked ever more violently. But she was a seaworthy craft, and there was as yet not enough sea to drive her to shelter. Back and forth she went, across her beat, and back and forth went her companion ships through the murky night.
Minute followed minute. The patrol continued undisturbed. If possible, the night grew darker and blacker. Wisps of fog began to scud through the Narrows, driven landward by the bellowing wind. ”

“ From the pier came the rumble and rattle of little hand trucks and the crash and bang of boxes and cases, which a gang of stevedores was piling in a corner for shipment. Outside arose the roar of the street traffic—the clatter of iron shod hoofs on hard paving-stones, the throbbing and churning of innumerable motors, the rattle of trucks and wagons, and the shrill cries of newsies, street venders, taxi drivers, and baggage porters. ”

“ Far down the Narrows, and close to the western shore, there was a momentary gleam of light through the rift in the mist, as though a smoker were holding a match to his pipe in his cupped hands. Then the light was swallowed up in darkness.
“We were wrong about the sound of that motor,” said the Chief. “They must be slipping along the western shore. We must head them off. Call the other boats quick!” The Chief turned to the steersman.
“Hard about!” he called.
“Wait!” cried Willie. “That might be a light ashore. Or they might be trying to fool us. ”

“ King explained to him about the ad valorem tax on luxuries, or when Sheridan explained to him about the duties on wool and the methods of handling wool. All such knowledge helped Willie to comprehend the problems before him and to fathom the actions of people.
Indeed, Willie was learning more about human nature every day. The theft of Mr. King’s papers and the arrest of Tom Smith had jolted Willie into a keen consciousness of some phases of life about which he had previously thought little. ”

“ And Detective Sheridan reached for his pocket.
“Keep your money,” said Willie. “I won’t take it. I didn’t take the first dollar because I wanted it, but because I was so astonished when you gave me that telephone number that I forgot about everything else.”
“It’s evident that you don’t belong in New York,” said the detective with a smile, as he thrust his wallet back into his coat pocket. “If you won’t take money, perhaps I can repay you in a way you will like even better. We’re going to grab this wool-smuggling barge captain to-morrow. ”

“ In perfect comfort Willie now sat in his little retreat, watching the river life before him. Without realizing it, Willie had chosen an observation post where he could hardly be observed himself, so well was he snuggled down among the projecting lengths of lumber.
As the afternoon waned, the activities on the pier almost ceased. In fact, the place was practically deserted. Out toward the end of the pier Willie had casually noticed an old fellow who was aimlessly walking about. He appeared to be a tramp. Willie would never have given him a second thought had the man not suddenly disappeared. ”

“ There are thousands of men in the country who can’t get any jobs at all. And they are known to be experienced. Nobody knows what you can do—except the fellows of the Wireless Patrol. We all know you’re a wiz, Willie. You take my advice and grab this office boy job. Then you can show them what you can do. And once they know, you’ll get your chance all right enough. Why, the world is crying out for fellows who can deliver the goods.”
“But I don’t have any assurance that I can get even an office boy’s job, Roy. Sheridan just told me that maybe, if I grew bigger, I might have a chance.” ”

“ It had never occurred to Willie that he might have to act alone, and he did not relish the idea of being left wholly to his own resources, on that dark pier, among these rough men. But he said quietly, “I’ll do just what you tell me to.”
“I don’t know exactly what to tell you,” replied the Secret Service man. “Boys aren’t supposed to be in on this game. If they notice you they may throw you out. You’ll just have to act like a street urchin and take what comes. But if they do order you off the pier, you’d better go quick. Otherwise you might get hurt. ”

“ The latter ordered some coffee and doughnuts, ate them, paid the waiter, and went out. Nobody paid the least attention to him.
Once outside, Willie breathed freely again. Though nothing alarming had happened to him in the restaurant, he had been in a state of suppressed excitement all the time he was inside the place. Now he felt as though he could not keep quiet another instant. He wanted to run or shout or do something violent to give vent to his feelings. Yet he didn’t want to do anything that would draw undesirable attention to himself. Just then he thought of his papers. ”

“ Why, I could have had a job as an office boy years ago.”
The detective’s face hardened a bit. “I began at the bottom myself,” he said, “and so far as I know, so did every other operative in the service.”
“You don’t understand,” cried Willie. “I don’t mean that I am unwilling to begin at the bottom. But being an office boy is another thing.”
“Not necessarily,” said the detective. “They can’t take anybody into the government Secret Service as an operative until they are sure of his ability and honesty. If you can get a job in the office, you’ll get a chance to show what’s in you. ”

“ Some importations he found in the name of Habib Mahaleb, but they were not such as to excite suspicion.
But one thing Willie noticed that presently burned itself into his consciousness. From the port of Genoa repeated importations of wheat and pistachio-nuts were being sent to Marrash Roukas. The importation of pistachio-nuts seemed proper enough. But why should anybody be shipping wheat, a few hundred pounds at a time, from the Orient to America? Willie could form no theory that seemed to explain it. Right here the detective sense that was really born in him asserted itself. ”

“ Next comes Roy Mercer,” and Willie’s eyes twinkled. “He’s become famous as the wireless operator——”
Willie dodged just in time to miss a book that Roy shied at him. “Tell me something about yourself, Willie. It’s some time now since Commencement, and I suppose you have a fine job all salted away for autumn delivery. What are you going to do with yourself, Willie?”
All the joy went out of Willie’s face. His eyes sought the floor. “I—I—I—I haven’t anything in prospect, Roy,” he said gloomily.
“You’re too particular, Willie. A fellow can’t always get the job he wants just at the start.” ”

“ Willie still looked rueful. “It wouldn’t surprise me,” he said bitterly, “if I couldn’t even get a job as an office boy.”
“Maybe you wouldn’t want to be a Secret Service man after all, if you knew a little better what is involved in the work. It isn’t all fun and it isn’t all as easy as this little trick of to-day. It’s always dangerous, and sometimes it’s hard and disagreeable.”
“But how am I ever to know what it is like, if I can’t get a chance to try my hand at it?”
Detective Sheridan looked at Willie long and searchingly. ”

“ A subtle change came over the young merchant’s face. “All American,” said the clerk.
“But our American women cannot make such beautiful things,” said Willie.
“Armenians make them,” said the lad, with obvious pride. “Armenians here. All made in America.”
Willie said good-bye and went out. He felt absolutely certain the fellow had been lying to him. Otherwise, why came that crafty look into his face? “Mr. Habib Mahaleb,” muttered Willie, “I think I’ve got something on you, all right. I’m going to look into your import records and see how many pistachio-nuts and other goods you are importing. ”

“ Sheridan turned and beckoned to Willie, who scurried through the gate and followed hard on the Secret Service man’s heels.
“How are you, Mr. King?” Willie heard his companion say. “I didn’t like to butt in here this way, but I couldn’t find anybody to take a word to you.”
“Drat that office boy!” Mr. King said vehemently. “He’s never on the job when he’s needed. I’d like to see an office boy once who would attend to his job.” ”

“ The coastwise steamer Lycoming was being warped into her berth along the Hudson River in New York City. A fussy, little tug was pushing against the Lycoming’s bow, while other puffing, bustling tugs butted the great ship astern, in an effort to swing the vessel at right angles to the stream and push her into her dock. On the Lycoming’s lower deck sailors stood ready to cast great hawsers ashore the moment the ship should be within reach of the pier. ”

“ The Dixie’s captain drew in the lines that held the barge to the pier. Mr. Morgan, followed by Sheridan and Willie, stepped from the tug to the lighter.
“Your name is——” said Mr. Morgan, hesitating.
“Jensen,” replied the captain of the Dixie.
“Ah, yes. I had forgotten. Well, Jensen, this gentleman wants to buy a lighter. We’d like to sell the Dixie. But he won’t take her until he has looked her over well and seen how she behaves under tow.”
“She’s a good boat,” said Jensen, with the customary pride of a sailor in his craft. “There ain’t none better afloat.” ”