“Of all things in the world!” he exclaimed. “What do you think of this?”
Handing the envelope to Fred he called his attention to the name typewritten on the outside: “Mr. Button.”
“That’s for you, Fred,” laughed John.
“If it is,” said Fred, “then somebody had the pleasure of reading my letter before I did.”
“The envelope has been opened,” suggested John; “suppose you read the letter. It may be for you. Very likely some of the people here heard you were coming and they are getting ready to welcome us. This is the royal proclamation for you. That man told us we’re on an island and if we are I guess Robinson Crusoe didn’t have very much on us.”
Fred meanwhile was reading the letter and it was manifest from his expression that he was startled or puzzled by what he read. At last he handed the letter to John, simply saying, “Our patriotic and mysterious friend has made another mistake. This letter is not for me but for Mr. Ferdinand Button.”
“What do you suppose it is doing here?”
“I don’t know,” replied Fred, “unless the man dropped it.”
“But he’s not Mr. Ferdinand Button,” protested John.
“No more he isn’t,” acknowledged Fred, “but that isn’t the only strange thing about it. Read the letter, John, anyway.”