"Cricky, maybe a note." Ted's eye had caught a glimpse of a piece of white paper projecting from under a case of canned goods.
A PIECE OF WHITE PAPER
"Anything on it?" questioned Nat, eagerly.
"Yes!"
Ted held it up in the full glare of a torch, while nine heads, as close together as nine heads could be, scanned a rude scrawl. Ted began to read.
"'Your boat has been stole by an honest man what works for a living and needs it worse than a lot of kids.'"