ou only understand it, it is simple enough."

"I can interpret the language of this message, and there is not another
person on the western continent that can do so. Now, look at the
cablegram, Christy," continued Captain Passford, as he opened the
paper he held in his hand. "What is the first word?"

"Mutton," replied the commander.

"Mutton means armed; that is to say the Scotian and the Arran took an
armament on board at some point south of England, as indicated by the
fact that the intelligence comes from Warnock. In about a week the mail
will bring me a letter from him in which he will explain how he obtained
this information."

"He must have chartered a steamer and cruised off the Isle of Wight to
pick it up," suggested Christy.

"He is instructed to do that when necessary. What is the next word?"

"'Three,'" replied Christy.

"One means large, two medium, and three small," explained his father.
"Three what, does it say?"

"'Three veal.'"

"Veal means ship's company, or crew."

"Putting the pieces together, then, 'three veal' means that the Scotian
and the Arran have small crews," said Christy, intensely interested in
the information.

"Precisely so. Read the rest of the message," added Captain Passford.

"'Four sea chickens,'" the commander read.

"'Four' means some, a few, no great number; in other words, rather
indefinite. Very likely Warnock could not obtain exact information.
'C' stands for Confederate, and 'sea' is written instead of the letter.
'Chickens' means officers. 'Four sea chickens,' translated means 'some
Confederate officers.'"

Christy had written down on a piece of paper the solution of the enigma,
as interpreted by his father, though not the symbol words of the
cablegram. He continued to write for a little longer time, amplifying
and filling in the wanting parts of the message. Then he read what he
had written, as follows: "'The Scotian and the Arran are armed; there
are some Confederate officers on board, but their ship's companies are
small.' Is that it, father?"

"That is the substance of it," replied Captain Passford, as he restored
the key of the cipher to his pocket-book, and rose from his seat. "Now
you know all that can be known on this side of the Atlantic in regard to
the two steamers. The important information is that they are armed, and
even with small crews they may be able to sink the Bronx, if you should
happen to fall in with them, or if your orders required y