Page:Guy Boothby--A Bid for Fortune.djvu/245

Rh out was I, that my head had no sooner touched the pillow than I was fast asleep. How long I lay there I do not know, but when I woke, it was to find Mr. Wetherell standing beside me, holding a letter in his hand. He was white as a sheet, and trembling in every limb.

"Read this, Mr. Hatteras," he cried. "For Heaven's sake tell me what we are to do!"

I sat up on the side of the bed and read the letter he handed to me. It was written in what was evidently a disguised hand on common note-paper, and ran as follows:

"To, Potts Point, Sydney.

": This is to inform you that your daughter is in very safe keeping. If you wish to find her, you had better be quick about it. What's more, you had better give up consulting the police, and such like, in the hope of getting hold of her. The only way you can get her will be to act as follows. At eight o'clock to-night charter a boat and pull down the harbour as far as Shark Point. When you get there light your pipe three times, and someone in a boat near by will do the same. Be sure to bring with you the sum of one hundred thousand pounds in gold, and this is most important—bring with you the little stick you got from China Pete, or do not come at all. Above all, do not bring more than one man. If you do not put in an appearance, you will not hear of your daughter again.