The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1911-02-05


ing. You are drunk and are making an
exhibition of yourself. Go below"
Go below!" he shrieked, you have the
audacity to talk to me in that way on
my own boat. IN teach you and your
piratical gang a lesson they'll never for
get"
And he did
The tug by which he had come out
from the city had departed. The Hortense
was alone in the roadstead. The major,
drunk or sober, was master of the gov
eminent tug. He ordered the twenty mil
lionares and the members of the COM
mite off the deck and into the cabin.
They had to go. Once inside he ordered
the door locked. The cabin was rather
small for SO large a party. 1t seemed
more cramped, more stuffy, more uncom-
Portable a little later when they discov-
cred the Hortence had been turned and
was heading out between the jetties once
more
1.-THE man is mad" cad the Prince of
the House of Oil. "Where is he going?'
He was going to sea it seemed. The
men in the cabin pounded on window
until the major came to them.
Lou are HtdtiHS obt " sea- oiiS VI
them said to him in concilatory tone
'"These gentlemen are to leave by their
specia! train at p. m. They will be late
If you don't turn back
Late! Turn back" said the major
you pirates talk to me of Especial train
You re on special train now of your own
selection, and you'll stay aboard until
I'm good and ready to have you return
All the lords of Wall street could not help
you now" ~
The IIortence rose and dipped In the
swell The jetties that were so inter
esting before had no interest to the
twenty millonaires now They thought
of their special train. They thought of
their stomachs, for the sea had aroused
a most decided appetite. But more than
all else they thought of the wild man
who had them almost at his mercy. He
was remarkably powerful. The captain
Of the tug was in moral and physical fear
of him.
What did the drinls-in1amed man pro-
pose doing? If they broke the windows
OF the little cabin or broke through the
stout door there would undoubtedly be
bloodshed. The major was armed. He
had expressed regret that he did not have
irons SO he could chain the whole party
up How far would his madness carry
him ?This was nice situation for some of
ca to be placed in. They were being
kidnapped, being taken to sea by an IT.
responsible creature. What would Wall
street do in the morning if they were
reported missing. What would Wall street
do Tiff disaster came to them? There
would be panic.
The Hortense rose and dipped more and
more the further out into the Gulf she
went. To add to the distress of the twen-
fU million tho in ba ba1
developed into a storm. The wind was
rising, the sea was roughening and the
sky was becoming dark.
Darkness adds intensity to any unpleas-
ant situation. To the credit Of the twenty
millionaires be it said that they bore
their suffering with pretty good spirit
Occasionally they pounded on the door
or windows. Sometimes the major
responded. He was pleaded with, caioled,
argued with, but to no purpose. He had
stormed about the wharf at Galveston
too long after he discovered the Hor-
tense had been taken without his per-
mission to be softened by such pleadings
as they were making. For outraging his
feelings they would have to pay in full.
The Prince of the House of Oil, with
calm, philosophical mind, studied the situ-
alton as he had studied many problems,
and when he was satisfied that he had
solved it he announced the fact.
Gentlemen" he said, I'VE must sum-
mon the major no more. Each appeal
adds only to his sense of satisfaction
We must be patient. The storm may
appease him, may cool his wrath. may
bring him to his senses sooner than any
pleading by u.s.
1t was hard to follow his advice, but
they did it. Down In their hearts they
registered vows as to the revenge they
would have If they ever reached land
again. The roughness of the sea was a
distressing circumstance, especially to
such of the millionaires as were not good
sailors. Now and then one of the party
would consult his watch. 1t became so
dark after time that they had to light
matches to see the hands
A little after D. m. one of the million
aires made a discovery.
We've turned; we're going bacl<!' he
cried. See the lights way off in the dis
lance? 1t must be the city,"
Far away they could discern lights As
the tug dipped they would disappear. AS
1t rose they would be In viewA sight that
was almost prayer of thanksgiving
went up from the twenty millionaires.
Never did those masters of money watch
the ticker more intently than they did
the distant lights. Every minute now
brought them nearer to deliverance and
with every minute their spirits rose
1t was nearly 3 p. m. when the twenty
millionaires scrambled ashore at the Brick
wharf. They were ravenously hungry
and bitterly angry, for the major had
said things when he released them that
added fuel to their wrath. Some of those
millionaires vowed they never would trust
precious lives In a boat again.
The whole party hurried to the Tre-
mont hotel and there a hasty meal was
prepared. Whatever hurt they had suf-
fered certainly did not extend to their APP
petites. Never had they eaten so hun
griy, so heartily, since the days of their
youth. But once their hunger was APP
peased they were eager to have the major
punished. His offense was one that must
be brought to the attention of the Pres
ident of the United States at once. The
great lawyer who accompanied the money
princes on their trip was delegated to
draw up statement to he telegraphed to
Washington, and while he was thus en-
gagged the Prince of the House of Oil
went with his private secretary to read
some kilograms that had been received
while the twenty millionaires were view
ing the ieties
One of the kilograms brought a1ush
49, = 4