The Bradys and the Girl Smuggler Part 29
They spoke to the stationmaster too, but he said they had not come down to the Battery and repeated what the gateman said.
The Bradys rode back to Grand street.
Here they made careful and endless inquiries.
All the information they could get came from the boy who had the news-stand on the corner.
He had seen the fugitives.
They had boarded a Grand street car going eastward.
He did not notice the number of the car, but thought the officers would find it down at the ferry.
Hiring a cab they were driven fast.
Reaching the ferry, several blue cars were found.
Inquiry among the conductors followed, and they presently discovered the one on whose car Clara and the spies had ridden.
He informed them that the fugitives alighted at the Bowery with transfer tickets on the uptown side.
Back went the Bradys to the Bowery.
"If we stick to their trail long enough," commented Harry, "we may finally locate them. But it's going to be a hard job."
"We'll beat the car they're in by taking the elevated," said the old detective as he dismissed the cab. "Up at the stables we may learn which car pa.s.sed Grand street quarter of an hour ago."
"It's worth while trying."
So up they went.
When they reached the stable, they were disgusted to find that the cars which pa.s.sed the corner of Grand and the Bowery about the time the smugglers boarded one, were all gone ten minutes before.
But one more course was open to the detectives.
That was to proceed to Harlem bridge on the elevated and make another effort to head off the fugitives at the terminal of the road.
Once more they started.
Each defeat whetted their appet.i.te more to capture the fugitives.
The elevated cars pa.s.sed many of the surface cars, and when the 129th street station was reached, they went down to the street.
Just as they were about to start for the surface cars, to begin making inquiries, Harry glanced over at the Harlem bridge.
To his surprise and joy he saw Clara and the four spies hurrying over the structure on foot.
"There they are at last!" he cried, pointing at the party.
Old King Brady was startled.
He saw them the next moment.
"Come on!" he cried.
Off on a run they went, and pa.s.sed out on the bridge.
The fugitives were half way over the structure and two of the men who were wounded in the legs were limping painfully.
Rushing up behind them noiselessly, Harry and his partner each grasped a man by the neck.
CHAPTER XV.
PUMPING A PRISONER.
"Gentlemen, you are our prisoners!" cried Harry.
The bursting of a bomb could not have startled the smugglers more.
With cries of affright, they glanced around and seeing who was attacking them, they were more startled than ever.
The detectives had grasped the wounded men.
Seeing their peril, the two uninjured Canadians rushed to the rescue.
With one accord, the detectives hurled their prisoners to the planks of the bridge and sprang forward eagerly to meet their foes.
The next moment the smugglers drew their pistols.
Before they could fire a shot, the detectives let their fists fly, and in a moment more a terrific fight was going on.
During the fracas Clara escaped.
Bang! went Old King Brady's powerful fist against the jaw of one of the villains, and it knocked the man flat on his back.
He was stunned.
As he fell close to the wounded man whom Harry had flung down, the old officer whipped out his handcuffs and linked the pair together.
Harry had kicked the pistol out of his opponent's hand.
The man now had to depend upon his fists.
Both he and Young King Brady met with a crash and were punching each other furiously when the old detective arose.