nothing; Telling All, I tell nothing!”

In order to have help in rescuing Cliff’s father, the order had added the young history instructor, a Mr. Whitley, and “Quipu Bill,” but after the thrilling adventures among the Incas, wherein the secret signals of the order had served the members in many “tight” places, Bill went off to a ranch in the West, and the instructor returned to his classes; both retained membership, but not actively.

Cliff’s signal to Tom had been a call for a secret communication, and Tom, folding his arms in sign of agreement, quickly urged Nicky to silence. Cliff understood Nicky’s wild capering.

Nicky, very sober, came up with Tom to rejoin the group.

“I was just cutting up,” he said. “I was letting off steam because it struck me as funny that Ma’am Sib went to all that trouble to scare us away from a map or a cipher that had already been found and that wasn’t any use anyhow!”

Mr. Neale accepted the explanation; it seemed a natural action that Nicky had indulged in, thus explained. Ma’am Sib was greatly upset and began to beg them not to pay any attention to her “spell.” Its effects were all removed, she declared. They agreed and as it was clear that young Sam was eager to have them cause no trouble for his grandmother, the boys and their older friend forgave the old voodoo woman and hurried away.

Mr. Neale returned to his conference with some colored men who were excavating near the plantation house where the white people had their headquarters. Tom, Cliff, and Nicky could hardly wait to get off by themselves. As soon as they succeeded, Nicky turned to his companions.

“I saw you signal to me to say nothing,” Nicky told Cliff. “It was all I could do to hold in.”

“I know it,” Cliff replied. “You ‘go off the handle’ easy, anyhow. I guessed what made you get so excited, and I didn’t want you to talk until we had had a meeting of our Order.”

“Nicky’s ‘message’ from Captain Kidd has something to do with it,” Tom guessed.

“Something?” Nicky said. “Everything! Why, that half of the cipher would fit in with a half that my uncle has!”

“Honestly?” cried Tom. “Hooray! We’re off again for adventure!”

“Not yet,” Cliff counseled. “There are some things to decide. First of all, 

 Prev. P 10/143 next