Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1911-04-14

his location. Although ne Kept MS
face in the portfolio as long as day
light lasted in the hope of being able
to hail some passing craft, even this
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 a 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:
. It am forcibly detained on motor
boat somewhere in the lower Thames.
Come quickly to the rescue.
"DANBY 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 deity inserted in the empty claret
bottle. rammed the cork in tightly.
tied a white handkerchief round the
neck and quietly dropper it 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 a
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 of 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 I'M" / exclaimed.
How soon can you put me on the
spot where you picked this up?"
Inside o. three hours If we ketches
fast train to Firth. picks 1t up
jest of tn powder works there" /
had him by the arm and intoNa cab
almost before he had done speaking.
Cannon street station on the
jump" cried to the Jehu, and in half
an hour we we're on Southeastern
express.
Where's your boat?" | inquired
when we alighted at the Firth station.
/ Right ere, governor" was the To
ply. We'll be aboard in arr a mo-"
Can you get couple of stout fef-
lows to help us?" was the next query.
There's ten pounds apiece for Their,
and so for you"
I'm your man." was the reply, AN
knows tn right parties" As we
struck the single 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 a couple of amphibious fel
lows who, at Cordells command
latch odd" slid the skin into the wa
! ter with me in her, leaping in them
: selves as she fioated.
Where to, sir?" inquired Cordell
, his oars suspended over the water.
J There's a motor boat mooret
somewhere near" ! answered; beer
: here for some days, ! guess. You mel
seen anything of such craft?"
wy, that must be that ere gra,
thing over yonder. Y can see 'el
| frome ere, sir-right in line WI tn
church,"
/ Following the direction or the mani
3 outstretched arm, l could family dis
8 Germ the outlines of a long, low craft
e the gray color of her sides almos
i blended with the fast-descendini
8 night.
b "Thatn be her, men. Give wa,
s smartly!" Under three pairs of scull
e the light rowboat fairly few through
/. the water, and in ten minutes we wer
l bobbing against the Stiletto's side.
e I'm going aboard" l exclaimed
n 1.-TWO of you come with me, the othe
d man remain alongside" We game
It the dark and silent deck. APPARENT
l. the craft was deserted. A little con
y panion-hood showed amidships. whic
e l promptly descended.
D "'Arf a mol" shouted Cordel
II "'Ere's a lantern" and he came ella
" tering down the cabin steps at m
d heels.
r Anybody below here?" shoute'
le There was an instant's silence, then
le feeble Help. Help!" and an unmi
d. taxable rafting Of doorknob. to sa
y nothing of vigorous application
,e the toe of a boot to the lower panel
1t by heaven, he's there rigl
g. enough" / exclaimed. as ! made
the direction of the sounds. I'll
ID key was In the lock. and quick tut
re released the captive. who stumble
N into the narrow passage-way. e
g. claiming:
so you did get my message%
L. LESS than five hours ago; | can
d. as quickly as possible"
,e IT don't doubt it." was the agitate
Is response, but get me away from her