“I think I can do it,” said Tom quietly.
“You do! Well, tackle it at once, then. I’m kind of worried, I don’t mind telling you, about that chap and his questions.”
Tom picked up the sheet of paper with the numbers inscribed on it in a seemingly hopeless jumble.
“I’ll take it to the engine-room with me and try to work it out and keep an eye on the motor at the same time. I like tackling propositions of this kind.”
“Yes, you always were a nutcracker at school; but I fancy you’ll find that the toughest yet.”
“I’m not so sure about that. Ciphers divide themselves up into groups pretty well, and I’ve half an idea that this is a very common one. Suppose you take a look at Jupe and take the wheel while he gets supper.”
“By ginger, I’d forgotten all about that till this moment.”
Jack glanced up at the clock affixed to the bulkhead.
“Almost five o’clock. Time has flown certainly. Well, good luck, Tom, with that mess of figures, and if you find out anything from them about X. Y. Z. you’re entitled to a big hunk of credit on a silver platter.”
Jupe, so Jack found, had kept the Vagrant on her course to a hair’s breadth. The old fellow had been a sailor in his younger days, and the waters they were now traversing were not unfamiliar to him. He hailed the news that he was to get supper with pleasure, however.