Just as the fifth match was burning low, Bill gave utterance to a sharp exclamation.
“I saw something down in the corner that time,” he declared. “It looked like figures of some kind.”
The boys had a deep belief in Bill’s sharp eyes, and it was with renewed hope that Fred struck another of the precious matches and held it with fingers that trembled.
“I was right!” exulted Bill. “See there,” and he pointed to some scarcely legible marks in the lower right-hand corner.
“They’re figures, all right,” he confirmed. “I can make out a ‘four’ and a ‘seven’ and, yes, a ‘six.’ But they’re very faint and I can’t make sense of them.”
“Try again, Bill,” begged Teddy.
“Wait a minute,” cried Ross. “I’ve got a small magnifying glass in the cabin of the Sleuth. I’ll get it in a second.”
“That’s the stuff!” gloated Fred. “Now, we’ll make it out, sure.”
It was less than two minutes, but it seemed a long time to the impatient boys before Ross dropped into the forecastle, holding a small but powerful convex glass.
Bill snatched it eagerly and held it in front of the faintly outlined figures.