The word ‘The’ thus cryptogramised becomes ‘T I G.’ Now let us form a few of the other words in triangles, all in a row to save space:—
| B | O | P | I | T | B | M | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| O | P | W | X | A | B | S | T | H | I | E | F | A | B | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Y | Z | A | N | O | P | P | Q | R | E | F | G | S | T | U | G | H | I | ||||||||||||||||||
| S | T | U | V | E | F | G | H | T | U | V | W | A | B | C | D | ||||||||||||||||||||
| R | S | T | U | V | Z | A | B | C | D | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| I | K | L | M | N | O | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| E | F | G | H | I | K | L | M | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
and so on, and we would thus find that our little cipher would read thus:—‘Tig Bpav Oxp Pbrhv it tig bfuw mbiddotm,’ &c.
Now there are two things to which I wish to call your attention in this cipher: first, the primary letter of the transposed word is the same in every case as the original; and secondly, the letters are different in each word. Just observe that the ‘T’ in the word ‘The’ remains a ‘T,’ but in the word ‘Best’ it becomes a ‘W.’ The ‘I’ in the word ‘Is’ remains an ‘I,’ but in the word ‘Magazine’ it becomes an ‘O.’ In the latter word the first ‘A’ becomes ‘B,’ and the second ‘D,’ and ‘Z’ is also ‘D.’
In conclusion, let me just add that I consider cipher-reading one of the best mental exercises that any boy could indulge in.
CHAPTER XXXIII.—HAMMOCK-MAKING AND NETTING.
I.—HAMMOCKS AND HAMMOCK-MAKING.
A hammock, as most of our readers are doubtless aware, is a species of swinging bed in use at sea, and especially in the Royal Navy. Its chief utility lies in the readiness and ease with which it can be taken down, made up into a comparatively small bundle, and stowed away during the day, so as to leave the deck clear. A hammock is not at all difficult of construction, and any boy who is at all handy with his fingers should be able to make one for himself.