ne over on him."

"But--but what--" stammered Martin, his eyes still upon the envelope;
the others' reference were Greek to him.

"So friend Blake is puzzled!" exclaimed the hunchback, his light humor
returned. "Are you not beginning to see light, Blake? Observe--" he
tapped the skin with a finger--"this cryptic skin contains the secret
of Fire Mountain. Ichi, the wily one, abstracts it from its
discoverers and rightful owners and carries it to that fine legal
rascal who employed you; fine legal rascal gives it to clerk to deliver
to Wild Bob Carew. Wild Bob Carew has rakish schooner ready to scoot
for loot, but needs code translation, and latitude and longitude;
friend Blake carries code in pocket, friend Mate carries position in
head--so, there is plot and counterplot; gumshoeing and shanghaiing.
You, my friend, at the center of one storm circle. Devious and
devilish machinations assail you--at first with failure, for the mate
lost her wits, and the boatswain lost his balance. But Little Billy
Corcoran, King of Legerdemain, succeeds. With his prattling tongue and
dexterous fingers he effects the substitution, and the lost is
regained."

Little Billy finished triumphantly, and beamed at Martin's blank face.

"Substitution!" exclaimed Martin.

"Yes. Must I place a tack upon your head, and smite it with a hammer,
in order to drive the point home? Do you not comprehend? Little Billy
sat upon a fire hydrant and very carefully picked a young gentleman's
pocket."

"Why, then it was you placed the envelope containing the blank paper--"
commenced Martin.

"Exactly. Your intuition is remarkable," stated the hunchback.
"But--please--do not look so shocked. I assure you I do not commonly
pick young gentlemen's pockets. It is a vulgar pastime, and I am an
accomplished villain. Why, once upon a time, I wrote an epic poem.
What mere larceny can compare with that fell deed! Besides, this
particular outrage upon the sanctity of your overcoat was not without
justification. Observe: Ichi, the beast, picks Little Billy's pocket,
and the way to Fire Mountain is lost; Little Billy picks Mr. Blake's
pocket, and the way to Fire Mountain is regained! Is it not
beautifully simple?"

"Way to Fire Mountain! But I don't understand," answered Martin.

"Oh, don't listen to him," interrupted Ruth. "Billy, you shut up! You
will have plenty of chance to talk after awhile. Captain, you tell
about finding the _Good Luck_