Part 33 (1/2)

”Why didn't that fellow go a little further while he was about it?”

groaned Teddy

”If he had only told us not only what it looked like, but where it was,”

et so close and yetthat would clear it all up,” complained Bill

”I can understand no To hiiving it up yet,” declared Fred with determination, ”and I'll not, until I have used up every et a torch so”

But several more matches struck in quick succession were of no more value than the first, and the boys' hearts went down

Just as the fifth ave utterance to a sharp excla down in the corner that tiures of some kind”

The boys had a deep belief in Bill's sharp eyes, and it ith renewed hope that Fred struck another of the precious ers that treht!” exulted Bill ”See there,” and he pointed to soht-hand corner

”They're figures, all right,” he confirmed ”I can make out a 'four' and a 'seven' and, yes, a 'six' But they're very faint and I can't ed Teddy

”Wait a lass in the cabin of the _Sleuth_ I'll get it in a second”

”That's the stuff!” gloated Fred ”Noe'll make it out, sure”

It was less than twotime to the i a slass

Bill snatched it eagerly and held it in front of the faintly outlined figures

”All over but the shouting!” he jubilated ”Take them down, you fellohile I read them aloud to you”

Three pencils were all the boys could muster, but these fairly leaped from their pockets

”I don't knohat they mean,” was Bill's prelude, ”but here they are

Forty-four, then a space, then thirty-two That's what's on the first line Then under that is another lot, sixty-seven, then a space, then forty-one”

”Hurrah!” yelled Lester, juether

”Latitude! Longitude! We'll find it now!”

”Do you think that's what the figures mean?” inquired Bill, his caution still in evidence

”I don't think at all, I _know_,” jubilated Lester ”It rees forty-one rees and thirty-twoabout seconds”

But further search failed to reveal anything more than had already been detected