Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1895-05-02

. could he conceal the launch and vet
{ have her ut hand when wanted?
! wondered what should do myself II
! were in his shoes. could only think
Of one way Of doing IT, | might hand
. the launch over to some boatbuilder
: or repairer, with directions to make a
i triAing change in her She would then
, be removed to his shed or yard, and so
be eifectually concealed, while at the
, same time | could have her Mt a few
, hours notice"
, THAT seems simple enough"
ut is Just these very simple things
, which are extremely liable to be over
! looked. However, | determined to act
on the idea started at once in this
harmless seaman's rig and inquired at
all tho yards down the river, drew
, blank at fifteen, but ut the sixteenth
, Jacobson's-l learned that the Aurora
had been handed over to them two
days ago by wooden-legged man,
with some trivial directions as TO her
rudder There amt naught amlss
with her ruddcr,' said the foreman.
There she lies, with the red strcalts.
At that moment who should come down
but Mordecai Smith, the missing
owner? lie was rather the worse
for liquor. ! should not, of course,
have known him, but he beloved
out his name and the name Of his
launch i want her tonight ut eight
o'clock said he atcight o'clock sharp,
mind, for have two gentlemen who
won't be kept waiting They had evil
IDENTIFY paid him well, for he was very
flush Of money, chucling shillings
about to the men. followed him some
distance, but he subsidized in I'M ale
house; SO went back to the yard, and,
happening TO pick up one Of my boys
on the way, stationed him Il, a sentry
over the launch. He is to stand at the
waters edge and wave his handkerchief
to us when they start, We shall be
lying Off in the stream, and II will bea
strange thing II we do not take men,
treasure and alL
"you have Planned II all very nently,
whether they are the right men or
not said Jones' "but II the affair
were in my hands should have had
n body of police In Jacobson's yard,
and arrested them when they came
down.
(which would have been never. This
man Small is II pretty shrewd fellow.
lie would send scout on ahead, and II
anything made him suspicious he
would lie snug for another week. =
"l!ut you might have stuck to
Mordeeai Smith, md so been led to
their hiding-pluce,' said |.
SIN that case should have wasted
my day, | think that 1t is hundred
to one against Smith knowing where
they live As long as he has liquor
and good pay, why should he ask qucs-
tons? They send him messages what
to do. No, | thought over every pos
siblc course, and this is the best
While this conversation had been
proceeding, we had been shooting the
long series Of bridges which span the
Thames. As we passed the city the last
rays Of the sun were gliding the cross
upon the summit Of st. Paul's. 1t was
twilight before we reached the tower.
"That Is Jacobsons yard" said
Holmes, pointing to II bristle Of masts
md rigging on the Surrey side.
Cruise gently up and down here under
cover Of this string Of lighters" lie
took a pair Of night glasses from his
pocket and gaaed some time at the
shore. II see my sentry at his post"
no remarked, "but no sign of hand
kerchief.'
Suppose we go down stream short
way and lie in wait for them' said
Jones, eagerly, We were all eager by
this time, even the policemen and stok.
crs, who had very vague idea of what
was going forward,
ave have no right to take any,
thing for granted" Holmes answered.
ut is certainly ten to one that they go
down stream, but we cannot be certain.
From this point we can SEQ the on.
trance to the yard, and they can hardly
see us 1t will be clear night and
plenty Of light, We must stay where
we are. See how the folk swarm over
yonder In the gaslight"
They are coming from work in the
yard"
"Dirty-looking rascals, but | sup
pose every one has some little immortal
spark concealed about him. You
would not think It, to look at them.
There is no priori probability about
It, A strange enigma is mani"
"Some one calls him soul concealed
in an animal | suggested.
"Winwood Reade Is good upon the
subject" said Holmes. "llc remarks
that while the individual man Is an
insoluble puzzle, In the aggregate he
becomes mathematical certainty.
You can, for example, never foretell
what any one man will do, but you can
say with precision what an average
number will b up to. Individuals
vary, but percentages remain constant
So says the statistician, But do see
handkerchief? Surely there is white
tlutter over yonder,"
YES, 1t is your boy" Icrled. ~ can
see him plainly"
"And there is the Aurora" exclaimed
Holmes, and going like the devill
Full speed ahead, engineer. Make
after that launch with the yellow
light. BY heaven, shall never for
give myself II she proves to have the
heels of usl"
She had slipped unseen through the
yard entrance and passed behind two
Or three small craft, so that she had
fairly rot her sneed IN beforo ,ve saw