The Giggle Water was on blocks before Gerard and Harrison. Her bow faced them. Underneath they could see the custom twinned screws and the propellers. She was a rather large cabin cruiser and one that would seem to have every luxury if it were not for her illegal purpose. She was white but her construction material was revealed through a mahogany trim. Any boat owner could tell what company constructed the Giggle Water. “It’s a definitely Hacker Craft,” Gerard remarked, “I know how to work a twin engine boat because I have one.” Harrison examined the cruiser, looking over every detail. “I wonder if we can get enough speed out of it,” he remarked, “it’s sort of huge.” Gerard gently touched the hull. “The boat is a twin screw,” he said, “that means it has two engines.” He pointed to the stern. “As you can see there are two shafts with propellers and they can turn separately,” he continued, “I would be glad to have a cruiser like this.”
“Are there any problems that you can see?”
“Well, it’s a Hacker Craft and if they go fast enough their bows can rise too far out of the water for the pilot to see what’s ahead of them.”
“We can always put more weight in the bow and that should keep it low.”
“That could do it.”
“The bow is the front of the boat, right?”
“That would be correct.”
“How well does it handle?”
“This type of boat can do some crazy turns.”
“Crazy turns?”
“It can turn like it was attached to a pole at its stern.”
“What’s the stern?”
“That’s the back of the boat.”
“Oh.”
“You really know a lot about boats, don’t you?”
“Only that you shouldn’t have a sinking feeling on one.”
“That would be a problem wouldn’t it?” Gerard tittered.
“Yeah.”
“The bond is not that much so anyone can pay it so let’s do it.”
“How will we be getting it there?”
“We are right by the water so we can go that way.”
“I have to tell my men what we’re doing,” Harrison said, “but they may not get the plan that easily.”
“What do you mean?”
“Maxie was right when he described them as a bunch of Keystone Cops,” Harrison remarked, “I have a beaucoup of dimwits with me.” He did a headshake. “What do you mean?” Gerard asked. Harrison rolled his eyes. “They didn’t know enough to look for a boat at a marina when I asked them to find this one not knowing it was here,” he replied.
“That demonstrates they’re a beaucoup of dimwits.”
“I think I get what you mean.”
“What time will we be there?”
“I should be there in about three hours.”
“I think it would be the same for me.”
They headed toward the office. After paying the fine, Gerard headed toward the boat and Harrison toward the car.
Maxie answered the ringing telephone at his diner. “Where is Harrison?” Johnson said. “We need to know where you’re keeping him or we will be at your diner.”
“Where are you?”
“I’m at a telephone booth across the street.”
“Why are you across the street in a telephone booth?”
“We’re waiting for you to make a mistake.”
“What about Stan Chase?”
“One of us is watching him at the hotel.”
“And you’re at a booth across the street and ready to enter my diner whenever you think there’s trouble from us?” Maxie inquired. “You didn’t get that it was the sheriff causing the trouble?” Maxie threw up his arm. “Do me a favor and go back to Keystone, Pennsylvania,” he commented.
The call was abruptly ended. “We better get over there because he’s about to cause trouble!” Johnson shouted. “We have to do this and find the hooch!” The agents almost broke down the northern door of the diner. “Your leader is at the coast guard station in Cape May,” Maxie stated, “he’s not here at all!”
“We want to know what you know about the hooch!” Johnson shouted.
“I don’t know for nothing about that!”
Misty answered the ringing telephone. “Good!” she exclaimed. “It’s you!” She crossed with the phone to the federal agents. “It’s Sam Harrison on the line,” she told them, “and he should know what’s going on here.” She put the earpiece against her ear. “They still think Maxie is selling bootleg,” she said, “your morons are here at the diner.”
“What are they doing there?”
“They’re looking for Maxie’s Hooch.”
“For crying out loud they’re morons!”
“Maxie is going to get in a lather if they don’t get out of here,” she stated, “they almost broke down one of the doors.” Angry, Maxie stepped in from the kitchen. “I told you he was at the coast guard station in Cape May looking at a boat!” he hollered. “Go chase yourselves and get a wiggle on!” She thrust the telephone before the agents “Your guy is on the phone and wants to talk to you!” she hollered. “Get your big six mugs over here to the blower and talk to him!” They adamantly refused. “You look like you had the hair of the dog!” Johnson stated. “How much booze have you had?”
“There’s nobody home over there! You got Maxie in a lather!”
“Give me that blower,” Johnson shouted, “and now!” She handed over the phone. “Who’s on the blower?” he said. “Please state your name.”
“My name is Samuel Harrison and I want you to send the car to the Ferry Landing Marina,” Harrison said. Johnson looked confused. “Okay boss,” he said. He lowered the phone. “And I will be there with my car and further instructions,” Harrison said.
Over the waves ran the Giggle Water with Gerard at the helm. The boat performed a twin screw turn when exiting the slip and raced directly toward Ferry Landing Marina. It hugged the New Jersey Shoreline just one mile out. He was careful to keep the bow from rising too high since they were in the shipping lanes near Staten Island and the Verrazano Narrows.
Giggle Water was a solid cruiser as anyone who owned boats could tell. She handled the currents well. He practiced a few turns along the route and found the pivot point for twin screw.
Harrison was also racing toward Ferry Landing, or trying to. He found the streets of Atlantic City to be full of traffic with tourists heading to see the diving horse at the Steel Pier. People were strolling down the boardwalk, or crowding the streets while heading to hotels and speakeasies. He slowly proceeded north along Pacific Avenue, which was jammed with horse carts and automobiles. He passed the Ritz Carlton, and Resorts International Hotels. “I need to get somewhere!” he shouted. “I wish we didn’t have this traffic!” He found a telephone booth and pulled to the curb. After entering the booth he dropped coins in the device. He recited the number to Maxie’s Diner after the operator answered.
Maxie placed a ham sandwich on the counter as the telephone rang. “Misty, will you get the phone!” he shouted. Misty answered the call. “It’s Harrison,” came the voice on the other end, “I’m going to be late; too much traffic.”
“What about my father?”
“My team is down there waiting for him.”
“That’s what gives me the heebie-jeebies.”
“On second thought I should say the same thing since I should call them to wait for the boat.”
Gerard arrived to the stern faces on the federal men. They thought he was in cahoots with the enemy. Only Johnson and Chase were in the room at the Shoreline Hotel. They met the boat and hauled it in. “We are commandeering this boat,” Miller stated, “you’re in violation of the Volstead Act.” Boarding the Giggle Water, they began their search for what was not being carried. “You can take your search and shove it up your Andrew Volstead,” Gerard stated, “for crying out loud I’m on your side you buffoons!” Miller told Roland the check the hold. Roland descended into the keel only to ascend and announce “it’s empty” while standing. Miller tried to round him while descending, but they fell in. “Keystone Cops,” Gerard muttered. Miller ascended and announced, “there’s nothing in the hold!” Roland lay on the keel. “We need a medic and an ambulance!” he hollered. “The hold is empty but will somebody please get me a medic!”
Johnson answered the telephone after it rang at the Shoreline Hotel. “You have to go to the dock and get the Giggle Water,” Harrison said over the line, “the Giggle Water should be there.”
“The others are going to hold the Giggle Water until they find the hooch.”
“The boat is not carrying anything you Saps!”
“Weren’t we supposed to arrest the man in the boat?”
“He is supposed to be deputized!”
“We thought he was working with Maxie Thermopolis.”
“One of the people who’s working with us.”
“Who’s the enemy then?”
“That would be Sheriff Costello.”
“Are you sure about that?”
“Absolutely, and I was there when the other deputy shot at Maxie and that was about the bags.”
“What do you mean?”
“The deputy wanted the money from that church revival that we were returning to the townspeople,” Harrison said. Johnson understood the situation. “So the sheriff is a crook?” he asked. It all became clear. “I’ll get the harbor master on the horn and he might be able to tell the others,” Johnson said, “we need to get them away from that boat before they do something stupid.”
The harbor master dashed to the Giggle Water. “You’re not supposed to arrest this man,” he said, “this man is supposed to be deputized.” They continued searching for the spirits. “I just heard from Abraham Johnson,” he continued, “there’s a man you’re arresting named Gerard McAllister …” Gerard was already shackled by the handcuffs. “We are arresting him and plan to hold him under the eighteenth amendment,” Miller stated, “he was attempting to violate the Volstead Act.” The harbor master reared half a step in shock. “You’re not supposed to!” he shouted. “I just got the call from Agent Abraham Johnson who heard it from Samuel Harrison!” The officers ceased the arrest. “Does anyone have the keys to these cuffs?” Miller inquired. They all looked to each other inquiringly. “Are you trying to tell me that none of you have the keys to these!” he shouted. “Whose cuffs are these?” Jones raised his hand before being acknowledged. “They belong to Harrison,” he said, “he has the key.”
Maxie answered his home telephone as it rang. “I just got to the hotel,” Harrison said, “they accidentally arrested Gerard McAllister.” It was then that Maxie performed a headshake and remarked, “Sam Harrison you just left the Keystone Police Department.”
“With most of the team here nobody’s home.”
“I have to agree with you.”
“I should’ve listened to you in the first place.”
“Tell him that I’ll be down there in a few minutes.”
As Costello loaded bottles in the Lincoln, Jim Harper snapped photographs from across the street from the sheriff’s office. Costello did not see the flash or hear the shutter. “I can’t wait to put this in the enlarging machine,” Jim said.
Gerard was still handcuffed when Maxie entered the hotel room. “We can’t find the keys right now,” Harrison said, “but I’m sure they’re in the desk here somewhere.” He searched in the drawer. “Here it is,” he said, “just under the Gideon Bible.” He looked again into the drawer. “And some French postcards?” he added with a puzzled expression. “I wonder who would bring in pictures of naked women along with them.” Jones raised his hand and waited to be acknowledged. “They belong to Roland,” he remarked. Harrison rolled his eyes. “Then he should be thankful that the ambulance took him to the hospital after Miller fell on him,” he said cuttingly, “if he wasn’t injured I would injure him.”
He quickly moved to unlock the handcuffs. “My profuse apologies,” he said, “I’m among a bunch of nitwits.”
He had some business to attend to. “I’ll deputize you just before we get on the boat,” he said, “I’m going with you undercover and in disguise.”
“Don’t go in drag,” Maxie said, “it’ll drive you nuts.”
“I just might have to.”
“I don’t think we have anything that fits you so you better do some shopping.”
“Maybe you should only go with a mustache.”
“My way would be the best way.”
“I would not wear one of my wife’s dresses,” Gerard said, “maybe Misty can get him one.”
The telephone rang at the Ferry’s Landing Sheriff’s Office. The caller told Costello that Al Capone was running out of whiskey and was not sure about the telephone number for deliveries. “That would be KL5437,” he said. After the call ended he realized that was not his telephone number, but the phone number for the diner. He rushed to his Lincoln.
The federal men were in their hotel room. “Here’s the plan,” Harrison said, “I will be on the boat and you will be at the shore by the roller coaster.” He looked to McMahon. “Some time after the boat leaves the marina you go to the harbor master’s office,” he said while removing a flashlight and a slip of paper from a case and slipping them toward McMahon. “Here is the radio frequency and coordinates,” he went on, “about fifteen minutes before we enter the harbor I will signal you on the radio and then you use this to signal the others.” He began to pace. “The signal means that you should look for the boat,” he continued, “wait for me to shout then you barge through the door.”
He pointed to Miller. “You’re to stay here with Chase,” he stated, “this is the most important.”