"Yes, we're licked. Even if Jeff were to
show up, with all these stories against him, we wouldn't be able
to stem the tide now."
"Mister Raw-w-son--Mister Raw-w-son." The singsong voice of a
bellhop echoed through the rotunda.
Captain Chunn's walking stick flagged the lad and brought him
sliding across the polished floor.
"Telegram for Mr. Rawson."
The big politician ripped it open and ran his eyes rapidly over
the yellow slip. From his lips burst a sudden oath of surprise.
"By Jupiter, the miracle's happened. Jeff is alive and on his way
here. He's sent me a wireless from out at sea somewhere."
"What!" Captain Chunn let out a whoop of joy.
"Listen here." Rawson read aloud his message. "'Shanghaied on
schooner _Nancy Hanks_ . Escaped at Honolulu. Back in Verden
to-night. Keep up the fight.'"
"Didn't I say Jeff was alive? Didn't I say he would come back and
beat those robbers yet?" the owner of the _World_ demanded.
"Don't get excited. It may be a fake." This from Hardy, who was
almost as much moved himself.
"Fake nothing! We'll go down to the telegraph office and make sure
it's 0. K. Won't this make a bully story for the _World_
'Shanghaied' in big letters across the top, and underneath a red
hot roast of the old city hall gang's methods of trying to defeat
the will of the people.
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