IN SEARCH OF TREASURE

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 194, 14 August 1920, Page 19

IN SEARCH OF TREASURE

ISLAND.

DRAMATIC ADVENTTRB OF

TINY TOTS.

All the world knows, or should know, that Treasure Island is situated somewhere out in the vast expanse of Lake Erie.

NMne-year-olrl Merwin Daso. of Lakeside. Miehipnn, was confident he could find it. His adoring eleven-year-old cousin. Violet Sperry. was equally s-ure he could, and so was his brother Dick, six years old.

Therefore they decided to take brother Bob. aged three, with them in a row-boat Merwin had requisitioned, and bring back a chest filled with pirate ffold.

They set out on their adventure on Saturday morning. When. 27 hours later, the stejimer City of Toledo sighted the cockleshell craft, lfis little occupants were very Tipar to the Never, Lnn*i.

Fifteen hundred passengers cheere<l as the exhausted children were lifted aboard, and women cried hysterically over them.

During their voyage the boat, in -n-hich one broken oar and two sticks were found as means of propulsion, had drifted 30 miles from shoTe.

Violet and Dick had in succession fallen overboard while dozing, and been rescued by "Captain" Merwin, who went into the water after them.

Merwin's body was covered with, blisters, burned by the sun. 'He had taken off his shJrt to tie to a stick a? a distress signal.

'Baby Boh. who had heen tied to the bottom of the boat for safety, was tin-

For the whole 21 hours the children had

In spite of her snfTerings. Violet's faith in Mprwin was unshaken, and she defended him stoutly. "He's a great sailor,' , she affirmed: "yes, that he is, and a great