wherever I go."

"And he'll peck your eye out," said John.

"Oh, I guess not. He'll be all right after a while."

"How are you going to go about teaching him to talk?" demanded John. "I
suppose he'll have to learn the alphabet first," and he nudged Grant as
he spoke.

"Oh, yes, of course," laughed George sarcastically. "You're all pretty
smart."

"Why, Pop," said John, soothingly, "it wouldn't take long. There are
only twenty-six letters in it."

"What did you say?" cried Grant, suddenly springing to his feet.

"I said there were twenty-six letters in the alphabet."

"Hooray!" shouted Grant, and he began to dance around like a wild man.
"I've got it. I've got it," he repeated excitedly over and over again.

CHAPTER XXII

A CLUE

Grant's companions sat and looked at him in amazement not unmixed with
alarm. They could see no reason for his strange behavior and were at a
complete loss what to make of it. They watched their comrade execute a
war dance around the entrance to the cave for some moments and finally
disappear within, uttering one last triumphant whoop.

"What struck him?" exclaimed John in perplexity.

"He's gone crazy I guess," said Fred. "I can't think of anything else."

"Ah believe yo' am right," said Sam in a hollow voice. "Ef he try to
mess me up Ah sho' gwine use dis knife."

"Put that away, Sam," said John, sharply. "Don't be silly."

"But ef he's crazy," protested Sam, "Ah suttinly boun' proteck mahself."

"He's not crazy," exclaimed George. "He'll be out in a minute and tell
us just what is wrong with him."

"Go and see what he's doing, Pop," urged Fred.

"I will not. He said he'd got it and he might get me, too. What do you
suppose he was talking about anyway?"

"Here he comes now. Ask him."

Grant emerged from the cave, his manner showing how excited he was. He
walked rapidly and his hands shook with nervousness. He carried the
piece of parchment that had become so familiar to the four boys.

"He must have meant the code," whispered Fred to George.

"He couldn't have solved it," said George in a low voice. "How could
he?"

"I don't know. At any rate he may have had an idea."

Grant advanced rapidly towards the spot where his companions were
grouped and seated himself in front of them.

"What's going on, Grant?" demanded John curiously.

"Just a minute and I'll show you something," and he spread the code out
on the ground while the rest of the little party pe