"Now for the message," he said.
One of the other gentlemen handed him a tiny piece of tissue paper with writing on it. He showed the boy how it could be rolled up into a ball or into a spiral or folded flat—just as he liked.
The boy took the little scrap in his hand, tested it quickly with an adroit hand to see what he could do with it.
Then suddenly he acted. He had rolled it into a thin wad, and quickly but carefully slipped it into an ear. It was absolutely hidden.
There were exclamations of surprise from the gentlemen at the table at his cleverness.
"But are you sure that you can keep it there for many days?" questioned his master anxiously.
"Certainly. In smuggling, the account of the smuggled goods is always carried like that—"
"But then it may be known to others?"
The boy shook his head.
"No—it is only known to a few. It is a trick of the city gates and in the country they will not suspect it."