Alittleafterdarkwebeatoncemoreaboutthepoint，andcreptcautiouslytowardthemouthofthePearlLochs，whereJimandIhadarrangedIwastomeetthesmugglers。Thenightwashappilyobscure，thewatersmooth。Weshowed，accordingtoinstructions，nolightondeck：onlyaredlanterndroppedfromeithercatheadtowithinacoupleoffeetofthewater。Alookoutwasstationedonthebowspritend，anotherinthecrosstrees；
andthewholeship’scompanycrowdedforward，scoutingforenemiesorfriends。Itwasnowthecrucialmomentofourenterprise；wewerenowriskinglibertyandcredit；andthatforasumsosmalltoamaninmybankruptsituation，thatIcouldhavelaughedaloudinbitterness。Butthepiecehadbeenarranged，andwemustplayittothefinish。
Forsomewhile，wesawnothingbutthedarkmountainoutlineoftheisland，thetorchesofnativefishermenglitteringhereandtherealongtheforeshore，andrightinthemidstthatclusterofbravelightswithwhichthetownofHonoluluadvertisesitselftotheseaward。Presentlyaruddystarappearedinshoreofus，andseemedtodrawnearunsteadily。Thiswastheanticipatedsignal；andwemadehastetoshowthecountersign，loweringawhitelightfromthequarter，extinguishingthetwoothers，andlayingtheschoonerincontinentlyto。Thestarapproachedslowly；thesoundsofoarsandofmen’sspeechcametousacrossthewater；andthenavoicehailedus。
“IsthatMr。Dodd？”
“Yes。”Ireturned。“IsJimPinkertonthere？”