The Raymer enterprise., 1911-03-16

ter, but he could form no idea as to
his location. Although he kept his
face in the portfolio as long as day.
light lasted in the hope Of being abls
to hail some passing craft. even thia~
slender hope failed as night descend.
ed. As a matter Of fact the Stiletto
lay on the Kentish side Of the river,
near the mouth Of the Midway. On
the second morning brilliant idea
occurred to him. At dinner the night
before his captors had served pint
Of poor claret, and the half-empty bot
tie still stood on the table.
He would use it to send a message
to the outer world! Ripping Leaf
from his pocket memorandum book
he wrote with his fountain.pen:
II am forcibly detained on a motor
boat somewhere in the lower Thames.
Come quickly to the rescue.
DANNY DALLAS"
On the other side OF the leaf he
penned these words:
Finder deliver this at once to Sir
George Kensett, Yeomanry club, Pail
Mall. London, and receive large re.
ward. DANDY DALLAS"
The slip Of paper carefully rolled.
he deftly inserted in the empty claret
bottle. rammed the cork in tightly.
tied white handkerchief round the
neck and quietly dropper 1t out OF the
portfolio. Then he sat down to pos.
sess his soul in patient waiting.
Two days passed. On the late after.
noon of the second day something
happened. There were sounds on
deck of tramping feet and the splash
Of boat In the water alongside. With
his eyes glued to the portfolio Dallas
distinctly saw his jailers rowing
smartly shOreward. That night the
motor boat was silent and deserted,
and the electric lights were not turned
on. The poor millionaire spent the
hours In hunger. cold and darkness,
hopeless and helpless. Apparently his
bottle-message had gone out to sea
unnoticed.
But not so. The man whom found
waiting at the club proved to be .
Thames waterman of the CATER Hex.
am type. plying the river. He had
picked the bottle out of the water on
an idle impulse, and knocked off its
neck thus finding the message with.
In. Half fearing that 1t might be a
hoax, he made his way to the city by
the first train
This will be about the best days
work you've ever put in" exclaimed.
How soon can you put me on the
spot where you picked this up?"
Inside O. three hours II we ketches
a fast train to Erith. | picks it up
Jest off tn powder works there" l
had him by the arm and into cab
almost before he had done speaking.
Cannon street station on the
jump" cried to the Jehu, and in half
an hour We were on a Southeastern
express
where's your boat?" inquired
when we alighted at the Erith station.
Right ere. governor" was the r,-
ply Well be aboard In arr q mo-"
Can you get couple of stout fei-
lows to help u.s." was the next query.
There's ten pounds apiece for thecf
and 50 for you
I'm your man." was the reply, AN
| knows tn right parties" AS we
struck the shingle Of the beach, Mr..
Joseph Cordell, as the werry-man de-
scribed himself. whistled twice with
his fingers between his teeth, and I'm.
mediately there rose as though out of
the water couple Of ampEibious fel.
lows who. at Cordell's command,
latch old" slid the skin into. the wa.
ter with me in her. leaping in them.
selves as she foated.
Where to, sir?' inquired Cordell,
his oars suspended over the water.
There's a motor boat moored
somewhere near" answered; been
here for some days, guess. You men
seen anything Of such craft?"
IVY. that must be that ere gray
thing over yonder. Y can see 'er
frome ere. sir-right in line wi tn
church"
Following the direction OF the mans
outstretched arm, could family dis.
cern the outlines Of long, low craft,
the gray color of her sides almost
blended with the Understanding
night.
"That'll be her, men. Give way
smartly!" Under three pairs OF sculls
the light rowboat fairly few through
the water, and in ten minutes we were
bobbing against the Stiletto's side.
I'm going aboard" | exclaimed.
Two OF you come with me, the other
man remain alongside" We gained
the dark and silent deck. Apparently
the craft was deserted. A little com.
panlon'hood showed amidships, which
| promptly descended.
Arr MOI" shouted Cordell.
" 'Eres a lantern" and he came clat.
terng down the cabin steps at my
heels.
Anybody below here?" | shouted,
There was an instant's silence, then a
feeble Help. Help!" and an unmis.
taxable rattling of a doorknob, to say
nothing Of vigorous application Of
the toe of a boot to the lower panels.
by heaven. he's there right
enouphiu ax,iaiuod a., .....i. a..