"Besides this queer communication, which you say is from your father,"
Frank went on, "there seems to be another letter?"

"That is from Señor José Almirez. Read it, Frank, and you will begin to
understand."

The letter was in a crabbed hand, apparently unused to writing in
English, though grammatically correct. And this was what Frank saw:

"To Señor Andrew Bird:

"I received the enclosed from a correspondent and customer, one Carlos
Mendoza, located in the vicinity of Manangue, a town about one hundred
and fifty miles up-river.

"He is a grower of cocoa in the rich valley. I do not enclose his
letter, because it is written in Spanish. But it simply says that he
found the written communication close to his plantation house one
morning in April of this year. At first he could not understand how it
came there. Then, upon having the writing translated, he noticed that
the missive was attached to what seemed to be a little parachute, or
balloon, made up of a fragment of silk belonging to a balloon. Knowing
that I had spent several years in Washington, in the service of my
country, he finally concluded to send the same to me. I have the honor
to transmit it to the address given in the communication.

"With respect, and expressing a willingness to help you all I may, Señor
Andrew Bird, believe me to be most sincerely yours,