"No. Besides, he knows how to work the machine, and he'd use the proper lettering. Anyhow, he'd have no occasion to do such a thing."
"Then what can it be?" inquired Bert, much puzzled.
"Certainly someone is in trouble," agreed Mort. "The word 'help' shows that. Properly written the message would look like this, and on the back of the paper he wrote:
"Help! I am a priso"
"What's that last word?" asked Bert. "I thought it might have been meant for 'poison.' What do you think?"
Mort was silent a moment. Then he exclaimed:
"I have it! It's 'prisoner'! That's what it is!"
"Prisoner?"
"Yes."
"But who could be imprisoned there?"