private boolean processNumberedReference() {
      boolean isHexNumberedReference =
            originalMessage.charAt(nextPotentialReferencePosition + 2) == 'x' ||
            originalMessage.charAt(nextPotentialReferencePosition + 2) == 'X';
      try {
         int value = (!isHexNumberedReference) ?
               Integer.parseInt(getReferenceSubstring(2)) :
                  Integer.parseInt(getReferenceSubstring(3), 16);
               decodedMessage.append((char) value);
               return true;
      }
      catch (NumberFormatException ex) {
         return false;
      }
   }