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 the edge of your bed? What were you always reading? Damn you, tell me quick!"

He laughed, sucking for breath. Westward Ho,' Steve, you old fool!"

"And the next one? You hardly knew which was better."

Kidnapped!

"Jerry!"

"Here's the boat!" Jerry cried him, "Damn him, he'll get away!" For the big hull, with her lights, her sprays of steam, her splash of screws, was beside us. "He's swum under water to the other side; he's come up there. He's got away," Jerry finished.

Of course we waited till the ship was past and waited and searched long after but found no one for our trouble.

"Where's the money?" Jerry asked me then. "You didn't give it to him?"

"He's the one that met me first?" I said.

"Yes; of course. Did you give it to him?"

"No; I didn't have it. I'm not the complete fool, Jerry. I got it from the bank and left it in our office."

"Let's go there."

We entered our building by the river door and went up the back way to my office. Jerry knew