use,
where they spent the rest of the night, Ben Mayberry having been notified
to be on hand at nine o'clock the next morning, when the police justice
would make an investigation.

CHAPTER XVI

THE THIRD TELEGRAM

When the father of Rutherford Richmond's friend, at whose house the young
Bostonian was visiting, learned the facts, he was indignant beyond
description. He declared that Ben Mayberry had served the young
scapegraces right, except he ought to have punished both more severely,
which was rather severe, as was shown by the blackened eyes and bruised
faces.

Ben declined to push the matter on the morrow, as the boys had been
punished, and he had proved he was able to take care of himself, as
against them, at any time. But the gentleman insisted that he would not
permit the matter to drop, unless his son and Rutherford agreed to go to
the telegraph office and beg the pardon of the boy whom he learned they
had insulted under Mr. Grandin's roof. Rutherford and his friend
consented, and they humiliated themselves to that extent. The succeeding
day Rutherford went home to Boston, and did not reappear in Damietta
until long afterward, when he hoped the disgraceful episode was
forgotten.

On the following week Dolly Willard returned to New York, and Ben, for
the first time in his life, began to feel as though his native city had
lost a good deal of the sunshine to which it was entitled.

"She will visit Damietta again," he said to himself, with just the
faintest sigh, "and she promised to write me; I hope she won't forget her
promise."

And, indeed, the sprightly little miss did not lose sight of her pledge.
It may be suspected that she took as much pleasure in expressing on paper
her warm friendship for Ben, as he did in reading the pure, honest
sentiments, and in answering her missives, which he did with great
promptness.

It was just one week after the memorable night of the party, while I was
sitting at my desk, that the following cipher dispatch came over the
wires, addressed to G. R. Burkhill, Moorestown:

"Fwfszuijoh hr pl nm ujnf Sgtqdezw bu bnqmdq. Tom."

I passed the message to Ben, whose eyes sparkled as he took it in hand.
It required but a few minutes for him to translate it by the method which
has already been made known, and the following rather startling words
came to light:

"Everything is O. K. On time Thursday at corner."

This unquestionably referred to the same unla