that sheeted one of the barges--a man so dazed and weak that he nearly
fell into the sea.

"Cap' Rickards slowed up and took me aboard," explained Tower volubly.
"Then he filled me with rock and rye and packed me in blankets. Gee, how
they smelt, but how grateful they were! What between prime old whiskey
inside and greasy wool outside I dodged a probable attack of pneumonia.
When the _Cygnet_ tied up at Barnegat at noon to-day I was fit as a
fiddle. Cap' Rickards rigged me out in his shore-going suit and lent me
twenty dollars, as that pair of blackguards in the launch had robbed me
of every cent. They even took a crooked sixpence I found in London
twenty years ago, darn 'em! I phoned Helen, of course, but didn't
realize what a hubbub my sad fate had created until I read a newspaper
in the train. When I reached home poor Helen was so out of gear that she
hadn't told a soul of my escape. I do believe she hardly accepted my own
assurance that I was still on the map. However, when I got her calmed
down a bit, she remembered you and the rest of the excitement, so I
phoned the detective bureau and the club, and came straight here."

"That is very good of you, Tower," murmured Meiklejohn brokenly. He
looked in far worse plight than the man who had survived such a
desperate adventure.

"Well, my dear chap, I was naturally anxious to see you, because--but
perhaps you don't know that those scoundrels meant to attack you, not
me?"

Meiklejohn smiled wanly. "Oh, yes," he said. "The police found that out
by some means. I believe the authorities actually suspected me of being
concerned in the affair."

Tower laughed boisterously. "That's the limit!" he roared. "Come with me
to the club. We'll soon spoil that yarn. What a fuss the papers made!
I'm quite a celebrity."

"I'll follow you in half an hour. And, look here, Tower, this matter did
really affect me. There was a woman in the case. I butted into an old
feud merely as a friend. I think matters will now be settled amicably.
Allow me to make good your loss in every way. If you can persuade the
police that the whole thing was a hoax--"

For the first time Tower looked non-plussed. He was enjoying the
notoriety thrust on him so unexpectedly.

"Well, I can hardly do that," he said. "But if I can get them to drop
further inquiries I'll do it, Meiklejohn, for your sake. Gee! Come to
look at you, you must have had a bad time.... Well, good-by, old top!
See you later. Suppose w