Chapter 3

           Ihadasolemntimetravellingnorththatday.ItwasfineMayweather,withthehawthornfloweringoneveryhedge,andIaskedmyselfwhy,whenIwasstillafreeman,IhadstayedoninLondonandnotgotthegoodofthisheavenlycountry.Ididn’tdarefacetherestaurantcar,butIgotaluncheon-basketatLeedsandshareditwiththefatwoman.AlsoIgotthemorning’spapers,withnewsaboutstartersfortheDerbyandthebeginningofthecricketseason,andsomeparagraphsabouthowBalkanaffairsweresettlingdownandaBritishsquadronwasgoingtoKiel.

           WhenIhaddonewiththemIgotoutScudder’slittleblackpocket-bookandstudiedit.Itwasprettywellfilledwithjottings,chieflyfigures,thoughnowandthenanamewasprintedin.Forexample,Ifoundthewords“Hofgaard”,“Luneville”,and“Avocado”prettyoften,andespeciallytheword“Pavia”.

           NowIwascertainthatScudderneverdidanythingwithoutareason,andIwasprettysurethattherewasacypherinallthis.Thatisasubjectwhichhasalwaysinterestedme,andIdidabitatitmyselfonceasintelligenceofficeratDelagoaBayduringtheBoerWar.Ihaveaheadforthingslikechessandpuzzles,andIusedtoreckonmyselfprettygoodatfindingoutcyphers.Thisonelookedlikethenumericalkindwheresetsoffigurescorrespondtothelettersofthealphabet,butanyfairlyshrewdmancanfindthecluetothatsortafteranhourortwo’swork,andIdidn’tthinkScudderwouldhavebeencontentwithanythingsoeasy.