The mysterious disappearance of a Templeton boat.—The boatman Thomas White was arrested yesterday at Glistow, and
will be charged before the magistrates on Saturday with fraudulently pawning the boat Martha, knowing the same to be only partially his own property. The case is attracting much interest in the town. No news has yet reached us of the missing boat, but we hear on good authority that circumstances have come to light pointing to White himself as the thief, and we believe evidence to this effect will be offered at Saturday’s examination. The police are reticent on the subject.
“What was the score of sets?” asked Coote, as Heathcote put down the paper.
The latter replied by handing the paper to the questioner and pointing to the fatal paragraph.
Coote read it in great bewilderment. Of course he knew all about Tom White’s row and the missing Martha. Every Templeton fellow, from Mansfield down to Gosse, knew it. But why should Dick and Heathcote look so precious solemn about it?
“By Jove!” said he, “I wish they’d catch the fellow. What’s the use of the police being reticent?”
“Coote, old man,” said Dick, in a tone which made the youth addressed open his eyes, “do you know how the Martha got lost?”
“Stolen,” said Coote, “by a fellow who was skulking about on the sands.”
“Wrong. She was turned adrift; someone loosed the anchor rope when the tide was coming in.”
“How do you know that?”
“Because I was the fellow.”