“These tiny dots on the back.” “I haven’t touched the cipher,” said Larry, wondering what Mr. Newton meant. “Then I think I have it solved!” exclaimed the reporter. “I wonder I didn’t think of this before. Come here!” Larry came around to that side of the table. He looked through the half-transparent cipher, and saw below certain of the words a small, black dot. The dots were made on the back of the document, and only showed through when it was held to the light. “We’re on the track at last!” cried Mr. Newton. “Here, Larry, you write down the words I call off.” Then, with fingers that trembled so he could scarcely hold the pencil, Larry set this down: “To the boy who found the paper with blue marks we give you one week to make up your mind after that look for the loss of the small one who bears the name of a martyred president he will be taken from you when you least expect, sign deed at once.” “What does that mean?” asked Larry. “We’ll soon see. The first sentence is easily enough set off. ‘To the boy who found the paper with blue marks.’ You see, they have simply used every other word in the cipher. It was so easy it was hard. Now, then, we’ll go on. ‘To the boy, etc.,’ that means you. The next sentence reads: ‘We give you one week to make up your mind.’ The rest reads, properly punctuated: ‘After that, look for the loss of the small one who bears the name of a martyred President. He will be taken from you when you least expect. Sign deed at once.’” “What does that mean about the small one bearing the name of a martyred president?” asked Larry. “First consider who were the martyred presidents,” suggested Mr. Newton. “Well, there were Abraham Lincoln, James A. Garfield, and William McKinley,” replied Larry. “Is there anyone in your family with either of those names?” “Let me see—of course—there’s Jimmy—James. But why do they refer to him?” “That’s the point,” replied Mr. Newton, “why do they? I wish they had not.” “Why?” “Because this looks as if they meant to make trouble, and force you to do what they want. It is nothing more nor less than a threat to kidnap your little brother.” “Kidnap Jimmy?” “That’s what they practically threaten unless you sign the deed.” “But how can they kidnap persons in New York, with so many police around?” “Haven’t you read enough in the papers of late how it is done?” answered Mr. Newton. “It is very easy, especially for some Italian gang. I would be on my guard if I were you, and tell your mother to have an eye out for Jimmy at all times. But don’t scare her.” “What good would it do if they did take Jimmy?”