“Tell us what letter corresponds to number one,” said George.
“A,” almost shouted John and Grant together.
“You seem to agree on that at any rate,” laughed George. “Why don’t you tell us what your system is?”
“I should think you’d have guessed it by this time,” said Grant. “Why, it’s just as simple as rolling off a log.”
“Oh, yes, of course,” said George sarcastically. “Everything is when you know all about it. I think you might let Fred and me into your secret.”
“One stands for a,” was Grant’s reply. “Nineteen stands for s. That’s all I’ll tell you now. Go ahead and put those down if you want to.”
“Write it down, Fred,” said George sorrowfully. “My,” he added under his breath, “I hate stingy people.”
Again Fred wrote:–
t - a - k - e - a - 3 - o - 21 - r - s - e - 4 - 21 - e - n - o - r - t - h - o - n - e - h - 21 - n - 4 - r - e - 4 - 6 - e - e - t - 6 - r - o - 13 - t - h - e - s - o - 21 - t - h - e - r - n - e - 24 - t - r - e - 13 - 9 - t - 25 - o - 6 - s - h - a - r - k - o - 3 - k - t - h - e - n - e - a - s - t - 6 - 9 - 6 - t - 25 - 6 - e - e - t - a - n - 4 - n - e - r - t - h - 2 - 25 - e - a - s - t - t - h - 9 - r - t - 25 - t - h - r - e - e - 4 - 9 - 7.
“Keep it up,” urged George. “Let’s not discuss it any more until it is all written out. Give him some more letters.”