Old Specie, the Treasury Detective; or, The Harbor Lights of New York — page 111: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

OLD SPECIE. 103 The darkness was not intense, but it seemed as if _ one must be gifted with the eyes of a cat to see far ahead under such circumstances. When the two men vanished from view suddenly, he understood the facts of the case, and quietly made for the spot. It was as he suspected. A plank was loose. They had ‘simply moved it aside, and gone down through the opening. Stooping, he put his head through. A light caught his eye. “T thought as much. They could not make pro- gress here in such darkness.’’ He waited until it had gone from view. This took about five minutes. Then he, too, lowered himself carefully into the opening. When he found himself astride of a timber, and in a comfortable position, he took something out of his pocket. It proved to be a small bull’s-eye lantern. Then a match was struck, and in a brief space of time he had a means of limited illumination. This showed him what lay around. It was an uncanny sight. Under him flowed the black water, lapping the creaking piles that supported the pier. Around could be seen the stringers and cross- pieces, looking like skeleton work. : The place was damp and slimy. To move along without an accident required steady nerve and a keen eye. One would hardly enjoy a splash in that black _ current below. , (Ele) Gomichoo gS) 3