A small boat raced across the harbor, heading toward the Battery. It must have been magically powered, for I saw neither oars nor sails. I handed the binoculars to Alec and pointed out the boat. “It’s military,” he said after looking at it for a while. “They’re wearing uniforms, and they’ve got something in the boat with them. Looks like a chest. I’ll wager they’re bringing the payroll over from Governor’s Island.”

“In the darkness? And by boat, when they have airships?”

“They’ll be as stealthy as possible when hauling around large sums of money.” Alec called to Everett, “Bring us over the fort. I want to see if there’s any activity there.”

He returned the binoculars to me while he went to direct Everett. We’d passed the small boat and were nearly back over land. Behind the fort lurked another boat, hidden where it wouldn’t be visible either to the fort or to the approaching craft. It looked like a pleasure yacht, but it bore no lights. I was about to remark on it when I noticed movement on the ground by the fort.

At first, I thought it must be my imagination, or perhaps the shadows of trees stirred by the night breeze, because I soon lost sight of the figures I thought I’d seen. But then they crept forward as the payroll boat tied up behind the fort. That seemed odd. I would have thought anyone meeting that boat would come fully armed and show themselves.

I leaned as far forward as I dared and adjusted the binoculars, trying to bring more detail into view. The figures on the ground stepped out of hiding, and I cried out in dismay, for I recognized them—or, rather, I recognized their masks. The Masked Bandits were stealing the military payroll.

In Which I Assist Robbers and Revolutionaries

IN WHICH I ASSIST ROBBERS AND REVOLUTIONARIES

“It’s the Bandits!” I cried out, then wished I’d kept silent when Alec rushed over and took the binoculars from me. While he scanned the ground below, I stared in frustration at the nearly featureless darkness that was all I could see without the binoculars.

“A robbery? Outta sight!” Mick enthused.

“Wait, are they using magic to freeze the couriers?” Alec muttered, frowning through the binoculars.

“Of course they are. They’re magisters,” I said, so distracted by worry that I spoke without thinking.

Alec pulled the binoculars away from his eyes to stare quizzically at me. “The Masked Bandits are magisters? How do you know?”

It was too late to take it back, so I explained, “They once robbed a train I was on, and they used magic then.”