"Quite right," admitted Grant. "If my system is wrong we'll find it out
pretty soon, too. It seems to me to be worth trying though."

"Oh, I think so, too," exclaimed Fred readily. "Let's try another now."

"Why can't you substitute two at once?" said John. "That would save a
lot of time."

"I know it would," admitted Grant. "It would also double the chances of
mistakes and we don't want to make any if we can help it."

"We'll be careful," said George. "Go into another trance, Grant, and
tell us two letters this time. You're a regular Hindoo fakir and for all
I know you may have hypnotized the whole crowd of us."

"Come on, Pop! Be serious," exclaimed John.

"I am serious and I'm just as anxious to solve this as you are. You
don't mind if I get a little fun out of it though, do you?"

"Got the letters, Grant?" demanded Fred of the owner of the secret, who
was busily engaged in more calculations. His eyes were half shut and he
did a great deal of counting on his fingers.

"Ssh," hissed George softly, but no one noticed him.

"All right," said Grant suddenly. "Put _r_ in place of eighteen and
_t_ in place of twenty."

"I've got your system," exclaimed John all at once. "I had an idea
before and now I'm quite sure of it."

"What is it, String?" inquired George eagerly.

"I won't tell you. Wait and see if I'm right."

"I thought you said you were."

"I think I am."

"Don't tell him, String, if you know," urged Grant.

"I won't; don't worry about that. Isn't it simple?"

"Just like you," muttered George, but no one heeded him.

"Go ahead, Fred," said Grant. "Write it out again."

When Fred had complied the code had the following appearance,--

t-1-11-e-1-3-15-21-r-19-e-4-21-e-n-15-4-t-h-15-n-e-h-21-n-4-r-e-4-6-
e-e-t-6-r-15-13-t-h-e-19-15-21-t-h-e-r-n-e-24-t-r-e-13-9-t-25-15-6-
19-h-1-r-11-r-15-3-11-t-h-e-n-e-1-19-t-6-9-6-t-25-6-e-e-t-1-n-4-n-
15-r-t-h-2-25-e-1-19-t-t-h-9-r-t-25-t-h-r-e-e-4-9-7.

"Well, you've got more letters in it than you had anyway," exclaimed
George, "and right down at the end there it spells the word
_three_. Grant, I believe you may be on the right track after all."

"Yes, sir, we'll all be rich soon," exclaimed John. "Just think of us
going home with great bags of gold and jewels slung over each shoulder."

"Say!" cried Sam, his eyes sparkling and his ivory teeth showing in a
dazzling smile. "Wouldn't dat be great?"

"See any ships coming to rescue us?" said John. "Who