The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1912-06-06
velope which Mike McKane had

rough them. The messenger sat by
a wise little owl and a loyal one
while Mrs. Brockett and Bertha tiut-
tered to and fro. still more or less ex.
cited by the events of the evening.
4 packet of yellow-backed bills was
first brought to light. and then a let
ter. penned in the firm hand Of Chief
wilkins. Another sheet vas next
opened, revealing the handwriting of
General Cole, which was not unfa-
miliar to young Brockett. Both boys
were relieved and pleased to find that
nothing typewriter had been sent
them.
mo chance for any treachery
there remarked Solano, as Chief VIII
kins' letter was placed upon the ia
bic, IF your s~tenographer counted
on getting a copy of this particular
document, she loses"
Crockett laughed light-heartedly,
and then whistled in surprise. Ex-
cepting a few unimportant sentences
at the beginning and the close of the
letters, both We're in his w cipher,
and even the addresses upon two
smaller envelopes folded between tho
sheets were in the same hieroglyphio
script. Harry rapidly read through
Chief Winkins' letter. and found 1t to
be as follows:
ITO TIC A TIC w w TIC BIB A TO
W f HR e 2BH WI TIC Fin BIB HR
Pc Pc 2BH TIC Alb WP Pos l. r HR
w r Fin HR TO TIC Fin l. Pos w to
Fin TO SH Pos L r. Pos e Alb SH TO
w Pos r SH Pc SH BIZ BIZ HR TO
3BH HR f Boston BIZ Pos WP l. TO
TIC w Pos f r 3BH TC f TIC obi
Pos pO BIB 3BH SH w SH WP TIC
Fin BIB HR Pc Pc SB HR f BIZ 2BH
TIC A SH so SH l. TO SH w Pos Pc
2BH HR T SH 3BH HR A Pc SH TO
TO SH w PB X HR FA 3BH SH w
BA SH WE ALB w HR E 2BH w SH
FA Pc WP."
Simple enough" remarked Brock
EFT as he finished the letter. "TOmor-
row morning, you will go By as cir
cuitous a route as can be Travelled
within eight days to Rancho Nogal,
where you will find Gomez Esteral.
Give him letter and cipher key. Bring
reply"
Easily understood" CON. o..,,j -o-
lano. 1--WE can doubtless 1aG H>i..)
Nogal on the maps, and We are to 20
there by as roundabout a road as pos
sible-within a limited space of time.
Reasons for the circuitous journey are
easily seen. Our tropical friends, the
little brown men, might be trailing US.
What does the general say"
His letter is short and to the
point" answered Brockett, spreading
out the screed, worded in this fash
ion:
Pos TO SH Pc FA Pos l. TC 2BH
HR T SH Pc SH TO TO Si w PB
BA SH WP TO TIC r TC Pc TIC e
SH Pc Pc SH BIB 3BH l. Brooklyn
r Pos T pos Pc w WP."
".At FL Paso. give letter m key
to Colonel Lewis, Sixth cavalry Sim
pie enough, but do we see the colonel
on our way there. or coming back?"
Probably left to our own judgment
and convenience" answered Solano.
Now, then, let's locate Rancho No
gal"
II think | have found the place,
Harry" spoke up Bertha Brockett.
while you were reading the last mes
sage, I glanced along the map of the
Mexican bOrder-goOd thing we have
an atlas-and located Rancho Nogal.
1t seems to be a small station, per-
haps ten miles south of Preside del
Norte, in Chihuahua"
Some names, them" remarked
Mike McKane. "Howinell will | ever
get the hang NV emp
you, Mickey" laughed Solano. For
get them before you sprain your
tongue"
"Forgit nothin'," replied the mes
senger boy. Il gotto learn EN- just
the same as youse two"
How do you figure that out,
Mike?" queried the amused Brockett.
The stubby messenger grinned back
at him.
because I'm goin' along wit youse
two. See? l gut in on this thing so
far, an II looks better'n all the Old
Sleuth an Nick Carter stuff that was
eve pulled. You gotta take me in. for
I'm goin'. If youse don't count me in,
I'll follow anyhow, an reskoo youse
two ginks when the enemy has got
youse by a tOehOld."
Mr.. McKane's declaration, natural
ly, was received with hilarious laugh,
ter. Not a chance, Mickey, not a
chance" cried Crockett. you couldn't
get away without losing your job, fol
Il thing; for another, you'd go broke
before you had travelled two hundred
miles, and, finally, if you ever did
manage to get as far as Mexico, they'd
shoot you for a monkey"
IN take me chances, any time
returned the messenger. AS for the
monkey part Of it, look out youse two
amt put on exhibition in a cage. And
as fer me, never worry. I'm a-goin'
can see, plain enough, youse two