The San Francisco call., 1910-05-29
nx PERRY NEWRERRY


can, while Mrs. Gordon futtered from
them to the kitchen and to the front
door where she gave hurried glances
up the street Grant Gordon, her only
boy, was expected homeNfrom visit
to the city on the 2 o'clock train: but
why were all these boys there? They
were his friends, she knew, but she
wanted to have her boy alone, for a
little time at least, after his arrival
So Mrs. Gordon went into the parlor
and suggested compromise. "Woufdnt
you boys like to run out and play and
come back to see Grant about 80" she
smilingly asked
mo, ma'am," said Red Haskins, and
the other boys shook their heads.
You see, / would like to have Grant
to talk to a little while"
Yes, maam," Red acknowledged,
but we have orders" and he pulled a
crumpled envelope from his pocket and
handed it to Mrs. Gordon. There was
a rustic of paper, and five more let
ters were laid upon the table. Mrs.
Gordon read the first and glanced at
the others. They were all alike, except
for change in the designating num-
ber. 1.-TWO: Be at my house at p. IN.
Saturday and wait till I come. Impor-
tant. One"
These are from Grant?" she asked,
looking more kindly at the boys.
Yes, maam." they replied.
And did all come who received let
ters?"
"oh, yes; it's our seven Grant is the
leader
"And don't you know why he wants
your"
mo, ma'am, but it's important. So
we want to stay If we may,
"Of course you'll stay, and I'm glad
to have you. But here he comes now"
and Mrs. Gordon ran for the front gate,
where the village hack was drawing
UP.
Grant greeted his boy friends warmly
and then pulled a paper from his
pocket. Take a look at this boys, and
tell me what you think of it?" The
boys gathered about him and looked at
it over his shoulder. think of it!"
cried Hen Moore, at length, II think
it's Hebrew. What is it?'
'Tt is cipher message, I guess; and
that is why / asked you to be here this
afternoon. We had a robber at uncles
last night
"a robber" Mrs Gordon jumped
high in her chair, and six boys opened
eyes their widest. What did he take?"
mot a thing I heard him and
woke Uncle Frank, and he got his re-
volver. Then he switched on the down
stairs lights and started for the dining
room. l heard him shoot and / jumped
to the window in time to see the bur-
glar run across the back yard. 1t was
bright moonlight and uncle shot at him
again. He was either hit or tripped
and fell. but was UP and over the
fence before uncle could get him. Two
policemen came and we hunted for
bloodstains and then kept after the
man There were not any bloodstains,
but I found this paper"
"You should have given it to your
uncle" said Mrs Gordon.
ssT did and when he had looked Ii
over he said Rubbish SO I kept it.
And this afternoon we are going to
decipher it, Who knows how to begin?"
Look at it In a mirror" suggested
Seven. otherwise Ed Moore the young
est of the circle.
"Too crude. Then I've tried that"
said One.
Lets find how many different char 4
acters there are in it," said Red, "and
then find how many times each has
been used"
..That sounds better" said One. "Tll
get pencils and paper and We'll all go
at it that way. I've already discovered
one thing; all the letters are the VOW
els a, e, 1. o and u. Sometimes they
are made differently, but there isn't
another letter IN it,
When paper was brought the boys
sat close around the table-One in the
middle with Two-Red Haskins--and
Three--Hen Moore-on either side and
the cipher before them, One counted
the symbols by lines.
First line 27, second 25. third and
fourth 27 each, fifth 26. sixth 2S, sew
enth 26. eighth 27 and ninth 1O-all
told 22S characters, and the first in the
letter is Ca .Spencerlan script g.
Let's see how often 1t appears You
put them down. Six. In the first line
that appears twice, second line twice.
third line four times, fourth line six
times, fifth line once. sixth line four
times. seventh line five times, eighth
line six times, and ninth line not at ali.
How many is that?
Thirty e's," said Six,
''Thirty script e's. The next letter
is l."
1T is an without an upstroke.