There was that prison cell in Joliet all vacant for his coming; and he must protect the shady peace of the Albion House near James Slip.

Altogether, there was no help for it; Steamboat Dan must yield to his destiny of stool pigeon or pay the penalty in stripes.

Wherefore he appeared faithfully when called, and told Inspector Val of Storri's preparations.

The _Zulu Queen_, rich in stores, her bunkers choked with coal, waited only to be fired up; those men who were to sail her had been secured; her papers and her captain's papers as well as those of her engineer were ready.
The one thing now was Storri's signal; and with that all hands would go aboard, get up steam, and point the sable cutwater of the _Zulu Queen_ for Washington.
Steamboat Dan informed Inspector Val of nothing which the thief-taker's sagacity or vigilance had not anticipated.

But Inspector Val clung to the safe theory that, whether for his facts or deductions, he could not have too much confirmatory proof; wherefore he was prone to put Steamboat Dan to frequent question.