Putnam patriot., 1911-11-03

and Myron Fladd lOunged in the ca b. fin and took turns watching through the uny portholes for some sign of life neur the mouth of the creek.
 There was nothing save an occasion al kingfsher to disturb the solitude. Hour after hour passed in tedious waiting
 Maybe he went while you were across tue bay" suggested Abel Wat 1 klns
 There wasn't five minutes I didn't | have my glasses trained on that creek" said Myron sharply. Con found him. Why cant he come outY'
 Let's go after him suggested l Abel We might as welt catch him | in there as to chase him all around Little River bay" Myron Fladd agreed. and just as the | day was fading they panied into Cedar | creek and made for its upper reaches. l There. drawn on a little pebbly beach and half hidden in the tall salt grass. | was narrow. dark gray motorboat Lounging on the deck was q long limb | ed young man. who shot to his feet as they approached Well what k it?" he asked sharply IS Fladd,s launch grounded in the soft mud
 Myron Fladd stepped ashore and
 rashpd through the grass to the side ,f the gray launch. He drew short Darreled shotgun from underneath his pilot coat and. throwing back the lapel f the garment. he flashed brief glimpse of his fireman's badge and
 ricd authoritativeIY.
 Hold ap your hauds. In the name If the law"
 The stranger theew mp his hands With one he caugEt the gun barrel and twisted the Nrapnn nut of Mrroa.s hands. with fhe other he lifted thdt stout gentleman to rhe deck of The craft br way of sir9ag grip inside the collar of his coat Nith lightning like rapidty hr snatehed up Il rope and lied lbe ambitious pirate hunter Hith dozen hard knots
 Then fHa stranger leeeied the shot gun af tae shrinking form Of Abel Watkins and hpckaaed with bong and
 
 ordered unEiHdly.
 Abel vent and was tfHsaeG qnite as neatly as hs friend Toepthr they watched thc strange young man dive into the cabin of his launch come forth with I suit ease and shrag him= self into T warm oyeraoat.
 I'll borrow your boat for awhile.
 
 had breakdown confouud it. I'll send somebody after you. Sorry cant take you along. but l'ye got an important engagement with lady. By. by He waved mocking fare well at his sputtering cuptives, push cd Iludd's boat out of the mud. leap. ad nlmhly aboard after his suit ease and was soon chuggtng quietly from sight in he gathering mist
 When all was still again Myron Fladd turned uneasiiy to nls compan. ion.
 Abel. did you recognize that fel- low? Seems ike I've seen him be- fore.
 "l don't know. Looks like chap chat WIS boarding oyer to the hotel last summer. took him out fishing once. and he gave me Sl0. heard he had lots of money | don't believe it's the same. What would he be do- ing around here this way?'
 Hes the pirate. all right" uttered Fladd gloomiy. Yet ne looks eon- foundedly like that chap that used to come and see my daughter Mabel last summer 1 told her 1 wouldn't hear of no city chaps for sons.in-lnw. and so l give him to understand. He was staying to the hotel too His name was Turner"
 Whats he got 10 do with that phantom pirate and $3O0 reward%' de manded Abel sourly. working al his bonds
 There was the sound of oars and voices of men. and presently a light blurred through The fog. and boat came cautiously up the creek. Five minutes afterward Abel Watkins and Myron Fladd were free men. and sev- oral of their neighbors were breaking the news 10 Mir Fladd that his daugb- ter Mabel had eloped in motorboat with young man of the name of Turner and ihut Mrs lsladd had said she was glad of it If Mabel was happy Somebody had telephoned one of the men that Abel and MNron were ma. rooned in Cedar creek hence their timely arrval
 lt wa Il Slont party that rewed across the che " hal in the leaking lat bottom bo ott Myrou Fmdd Was planning utl ~orts If revcaee upon his newly acquired soa=ini8W for his harsh treatment while Ahel took com sola,ion in his disappointment and ratlpue by reeollccting that a frishten- ed Deborah would gladly prepare T bountifa meal when lie returned to her
 Al Inst one of the men spoke "I see by the paper that they caught that there phantom pirate away down by Baruegate light Myron wouldn't mind having that three hundred re- ward would rOuT"
 But Myruu only gruuted irritably in reply,