Chapter Two

“I’ll be wantin’ ta make a copy o’ the letter too,” Blathers announced.

“What for? You can’t read yet, can you?”

“I can read some, can’t I, Miss Martin. Besides, even a smart feller like you, who’s had all the learning and such, can’t read what’s written here.”

“You’re correct there. I’m sorry. I’ll make two copies, and we can both try to decode it.” I wrote down the following on two sheets of fresh paper I took from a wooden box on top of the worktable.

RERBRJ DONLBK ZESPCL SQUODA

IFIJEB VJGFKC DPRQGD WIRXVE

ZXYJIF ZUSKHG FAOLVH ZLMZ~ I

“Well, this is very strange indeed. I hardly know where to start,” I said.

“My brother has had some experience in cryptography while in the army. Unfortunately, he had no opportunity to work on the message before he had to leave with his regiment. He did say one thing, though. He noticed the letters were arranged six to a group. He said this was unusual. Letters are usually arranged five to a group in coded messages. He has never seen anyone use six-letter sequences.”

Blathers scratched the back of his neck and stared at the message. “I does notice one thing.”

“You do notice one thing, Mr. Blathers.”

“I does, yes.”

“No, no, you do. You do.”

“Ah, yes, I do notice one thing. Thank ya, Miss Martin. If’n ya only use five letters instead o’ six, I do notice Squod’s name at the end o’ the first line.”

Alice said, “Squod? Who is Squod?”

I explained. “He was the landlord of the Black Lion before Mr. and Mrs. Barkis took the place over. There was a murder here, and Blathers and I suspected Squod’s son, Jack. We came here to question him, and he ran. Nary a soul has heard of him since. Squod was a drunk, and after the murder, and Jack’s disappearance, he was unable to run the business.”

Alice shook her head. “And now Squod’s name appears in a coded message, and there is a Maltese cross on the message, and there is a Maltese cross on the sign over the door.”