But midway between the doors of the two houses he encountered Chick, who was on his way to him; and they stopped there in the tiny yard to discuss the events of the night.
"Well?" said the detective quickly, to his assistant.
"What has happened on your side of the fence?"
"It's all over," was the smiling reply.
"Did they break into the house?"
"Yes."
"How many of them?"
"Twenty."
"I got one more than you did. We have twenty-one."
"Pretty nearly evened the thing up in making their attack didn't they, Nick?"
"So it seems. Did Mustushimi, by any chance, go around your way, Chick?"
"No; I haven't seen him."
"He succeeded in getting away from me."
"That is too bad."
"But we will get him, all right, before the night is over, or, at least, early in the day to come. He can't get very far away, and I will make those fellows talk, even if I have to give them the shocks all over again."
"I think, Nick," said. the assistant, "that the fellow we captured first-the one that Patsy got for you-will be the best one to question. He confessed that he was second in command to Mustushimi himself. If we had him here, we could make him talk without torturing the others with more current."
"That is perhaps so. What is he? A Jap?"
"No; a Frenchman."
"We will send for him or go to him. Where is Patsy? I haven't seen a sign of him since he struck that fellow, in front of the Arlington."
"Patsy is here. He was standing outside the house when the men made the attack on me, and he came in as soon as they were caught."
"I wonder if he was thoughtful enough to have a conveyance handy anywhere?"
"Yes; there is one outside the door now."
"All right. That is good. Send Patsy for Mustushimi's lieutenant at once. Have him bring the man directly to me."
"All right. I'll attend to it now."
"And, Chick?"
"Yes?"
"There is no telephone in this house behind me. There is one in yours."
"Yes."
"Call up headquarters, and tell them there all that has happened. Ask the major to send around a wagon or two-enough to cart away about forty men. He will be delighted. We ought to get these fellows out of the neighborhood as soon as possible. Tell Patsy to send his carriage around to my door and to come through the houses and speak to me before he goes after the Frenchman."
"All right."
Nick returned then to the senator, and found that conditions had not changed in any way during his short absence and presently Patsy appeared, grinning when he looked down upon the crestfallen faces of the captured spies.
"Nice lot, ain't they?" he said. "Gee, chief, but it was funny, from my standpoint. I was just outside the other house while it was all happening. I thought that was the place for me, for I did not know that Chick had Gordon with him, and I did know that the senator was with you. I thought Chick might need me, when it came to the typing-up act."
"Quite right. Now, Patsy, Chick says that the first man captured- the one you put out of business, is Mustushimi's lieutenant."
"That's correct."
"I want you to go after him and bring him here at once. How long will it take you?"
"Between twenty minutes and half an hour."
"Get him here as soon as you can. I want to make him talk."
"Put you on the track of Mustushimi?"
"Yes. I am not sure that the rank and file of his followers would know where he would be apt to hide; but it is likely that the Frenchman will know. And I am bound to get that man, and at once; else my work is not half done. I'd like to finish it all up to-night, if possible; and I think I will."
CHAPTER X.
NICK CARTER MAKES A MAN TALK.
It was an interesting coincidence that Patsy arrived at the house with his prisoner just a few moments before the police came from headquarters to take the men away, and so it happened that there were six uniformed officers grouped around Nick-to say nothing of his own friends, and of the bound prisoners on the floor-when Mustushimi's lieutenant was brought before him to be questioned.
He was a tall, lithe, clean-limbed, rather swarthy but withal handsome Frenchman. He still showed the mark made by Patsy's fist, and whenever he glanced toward the latter there was an ugly gleam in his eyes, as if he would like nothing better than to have an opportunity of repaying that blow with considerable interest.
"Your name!" demanded the detective curtly; but the fellow smiled at him, and replied:
"Find out, mistaire."
"I will," said Nick. "Senator, hand me the end of that wire you saw me attaching to the switchboard a moment ago. This chap hasn't had a taste of our medicine, as yet. I think he would like some of it. Patsy?"
"Yes, sir."
"Take your place at the switchboard. When I say 'One!' move the lever to the third notch. When I say 'Two!' move it to the fourth notch, and, after that, as I count upward, move it one notch at hold up my hand for you to stop."
"All right, chief."
Nick took the wires in his hand-there were two of them-and one of them he fastened to the Frenchman's left hand, so that the bulb at the end of it was exactly in his palm. The man had to be held while Nick did this, but it was accomplished after a moment; and then the detective stood in front of him with the other wire in his grasp, for it was insulated, of course.
"Now, you Frenchman, attend to me!" he ordered. "What is your name?"
"I have a dozen," was the smiling reply. "I don't know that I particularly object to giving you one of them. You may call me Dumont."
"That will answer very well for the present. Now answer what I shall ask you, and do it clearly, or you shall be made to suffer."
"Perhaps I will answer you, and perhaps I won't. We will see about that," was the impertinent reply.
"Baron Mustushimi is your chief, is he not?"
"I don't know the gentleman," replied the Frenchman.
Nick stepped forward quickly toward him and touched the bulb, at the end of the wire he carried, to the Frenchman's hand, which had been tied beside his body so that he could not use it.
"One!" he called out to Patsy, and the young assistant moved the lever over three notches. Instantly the Frenchman started, and a surprised look of pain came into his eyes; but he controlled himself admirably, and straightened up again as if nothing had happened.
"Answer the question," said Nick sternly.
"I do not know the--"
"Two!" the detective called out, and the lever was moved another notch.
The Frenchman writhed, but remained silent, after waiting a moment Nick said:
"Three!"
The Frenchman writhed now terribly; the blood rushed to his face, turning it almost to a hue of purple. He gritted his teeth, and he found voice enough to curse roundly.
"Four!" said the detective; and the Frenchman almost screamed out, so suddenly, did the additional shock come.
"Five!" counted the detective mercilessly, without waiting this time; and the Frenchman groaned aloud.
"Six! Seven! Eight!"
A wild scream rang through the room. The French-man's arms and legs were twisted almost out of shape, and after a second he shrieked:
"Mercy? Mercy!"
The detective raised his hand, and instantly Patsy turned off all the current-and the reaction was so great that instantly the Frenchman dropped to the floor, limp and nerveless, and with a loud sigh of intense relief. Nick Carter waited a moment, and then he asked calmly:
"Are you satisfied, Dumont?"
"Yes; oh, yes.
"You don't care for any more of that, do you?"
"No; oh, no."
"Will you reply to my questions now?"