for. His pains were rewarded by finding on the flat head the nearly
obliterated figures 3 and 5, inscribed one above the other, in the manner
of a vulgar fraction, thus, 3/5; and by the conviction that the spiral
conformation of the rod was not the result of accident, as he had at first
supposed, but had been communicated to it intentionally, for some purpose
unknown. These conclusions naturally stimulated his curiosity more than
ever, but nothing came of it. The boy was a clever boy, but he was not a
detective trained in this species of research, and the problem was beyond
his ingenuity. He made every application of the figures 3 and 5 that
imagination could suggest; he took them in feet, in inches, in yards; he
added them together, and he subtracted one from the other: all in vain.
The only thing he did not do was to take any one else into his confidence;
he said not a word about the affair even to Kate; being resolved that if
there were a mystery, it should be revealed, at least in the first
instance, to no one else besides himself. At length, after several days
spent in fruitless experiments and loss of temper, he returned the rod to
its hiding-place, with the determination to give himself a rest for
awhile, and see what time and accident would do for him. This plan, though
undoubtedly prudent, seemed likely to effect no more than the others; and
over a year passed away without the rod's being again disturbed. By
degrees his thoughts ceased to dwell so persistently upon the unsolved
puzzle, and other interests took possession of his mind. The tragedy of
his aunt's death, his love for Kate, his studies, his prospects--a hundred
things gave him occupation, until the silver rod was half forgotten.

In the latter part of 1813, however, he accidentally made a rather
remarkable discovery.