The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1912-07-25
CHAPTER XXI.

The missing property safe. in the
hands OF its rightful custodians-
through sheer good fortune, not
through skill or Sherlock Holmes
sagacity-aud only a limited space OF
time remaining for the journey to the
Rio Grande, it was only natural that
the young messengers should wish to
hurry on their road. They did not in
terrOgate either the wounded negro or
the captive Filipino, much as they
would nave desired to do so, for Meth
er was in condition to stand an inter-
view. They did manage. however. to
get this information, through the good
offices of Flynn: that ii was not the
Filipino from whom the giant African
had wrested the belt in the corridor
Of the hotel. How big Sam had fall
en- in with Aguilar, how the islander
probed the secret Of the negro's sud-
den ~affluence, and how he also learned
Of the more valuable contents of the
belt-these were mysteries reserved
for later solution. The boys were glad
enough, under present circumstances,
to regain their property and be on
their way.
They were standing near the SER
geant's desk In the police station on
b following morning, bidding good
bys to the big officers who had done
so much to aid them, when a little
bunch Of harness bulls" came in,
hustling a clump Of intoxicated pris-
oners to the cells below. Two or three
Of the captives could hardly keep their
feet; the group swayed and weaveA
from side to side like some huge,
broken-legged animal, and the boys
were almost trampled under the un.
certain feet OF the DRINKS and their
guardians. As they broke ground to
get free from the crowd, Brockett
thought a hand sought his pocket,
and. warned by the painful memory
OF recent happenings. snatched quick
ly at 1t. He caught nothing. Hur-
riedly thrusting his hand into his
pocket. he brought up q scrap Of pa.
per. dingy and thumb-marked, but
criss-crossed with the sign Of a "a
miliar code.
Stepping over to the windcw he
read, scrawled upon the dirty paper.
these hieroglyphs:
IL TIC A SH FA SH TIC Fla Pc SH
3BH Pos T SH A TIC w SH Pc Fin r
BA TO 3BH Pos f l. SH e L SA
r TCETO HR z Fin sH TIC e w TO
Fin TO SH TO HR Pc Pc SB Fin w
TO 3BH SH w HR e l. TO w Fin r.
TO HR TIC e L."
Some people have more luck than
sense. Continue on route till further
instructions" Brockett translated.
The adventures which had their
climax In the opium joint gave Brock
EFT and Solano plenty Of material for
discussion as they rolled out on q,
southwestern train. This time the
messengers made no attempt to dis
guise their course. but went straight
to the station, bought their tickets
and climbed aboard. Instead OF pur-
chasing the red or yellow slips which
license you to toss about In the berths
of the Pullman, however, they decided
to stay In the seats of the day-coach
n get what sleep they could, while
alternate three-hour watches were
agreed on as the best way of Tending
off any possible trouble. 'The man
who really wants to get you," re-
marked Solano, sagely, has a much
better chance in a Pullman than in an
ordinary day-coach, and you take ten
times as many risks for your extra
money"
Before beginning the night watches
the youngsters traversed the whole
train, passing through the sleepers on
their way to the dining car, and salts
fed themselves that none OF their en-
emies had started on the same jour-
ney. No German nobleman, big, gruff,
and devoted to his kaiser; no cat-like
Japanese, no sinking Filipinos, were
to be seen from smoker to diner, and,
as none Of the berths were made up
early, there was no possibility of a
concealed antagonist crouching behind
the green curtains. After supper they
returned to their red-plushed perches,
and spent three hours discussing the
happenings at Chicago, or the adven-
lures yet to come.
oO1dhO hontu llOlu SODlt luLtI pOCh-
ct a tiny Anglo-Spanish textbook, and
urged its Importance upon his COM
panion. you may need to know a
few words of the language before very
long," he insisted, and now is as
good a time to begin learning as any"
why not let me carry the book?'
responded Brockett. Then, If a Mex
lean starts any conversation, / can
simply dig up the book and read him
the proper answer"
Good idea" assented Solano, Tex.
cept in emergency cases. Suppose a
large. thick revolutionist, Of the bone
head variety, asks you to give a quick
account of yourself, and has a rife
pointed at you while he is asking?
And suppose, also, that he gives you,
in Spanish, a time limit Of two min.
utes to make good? Are you going to
resurrect the book, begin with the
sentence. The dog OF my uncle has
bitten the left leg OF the COW belong