When they entered the telegraph office Jack took out the message and
handed it to the clerk at the desk without looking at it. The clerk
studied it a moment and asked: "Day rates? This seems to be a night
letter."
The boys eyed each other keenly for a moment, and then Jimmie said:
"I'd have it sent right off if I were you. Ned wouldn't have said
anything about its being a night letter if he had had any idea we'd
get here so soon."
"All right," Jack said. "Send it now. We'll wait for a little while
to see if there's an answer."
"It is in cipher," the clerk said, "and will take some time to send."
"I never looked at it," Jack cried. "I' don't even know where it is
going."
"To the Secret Service chief, Washington," said the clerk. "Are you
boys out here on secret service business?"
"We're out here to take pictures," Jimmie cut in. "We have nothing to
do with that dispatch. It was given to us by an acquaintance to send
out."
"He wanted to make sure it got into the right hands," Jack said.
"Will you call Washington and see if he's there--the chief?"
"You'll have to pay for the message."
Jack laid a banknote of large denomination down on the desk.
"Ask for the chief," he said, "and tell him to wire any instructions
he may have for the sender in cipher if he wants to, but to give any
instructions he may have for us about the delivery of the message in
plain United States!"
"Come back in half an hour," said the clerk, "and I'll probably have
something for you.
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