The Mysterious Benedict Society

you to the Institute against your will, it’s true. But to the Institute you must certainly go. You are to be my secret agents.”

Codes and Histories

It took Kate Wetherall about three seconds to embrace her new role as a secret agent. While the other children gaped, blinked, and pinched themselves to be sure they weren’t dreaming (actually, Constance pinched Sticky, who yelped and pinched her back) — in short, while the other children were adjusting to the news, Kate was peppering Mr. Benedict with questions: What was their mission to be? Would they need code names? Was it possible to use a somewhat longish code name?

Mr. Benedict waited until they’d all calmed down. Then he explained their mission: how they were to be admitted to the Institute the following day, how he would draw up all the necessary papers, and how (much to Kate’s disappointment) they would not be required to use code names. They must be themselves, Mr. Benedict said. They would have secrets enough to keep.

“What are we to do, exactly?” Sticky asked.

“Exactly what they want you to do,” said Mr. Benedict. “Learn. You must be excellent students. One of the few things we know about the Institute is that certain privileges are granted only to top students. No doubt it is these children the Sender uses to send his hidden messages.”

“So you’re hoping we’ll gain some secret knowledge,” Reynie said.

“Indeed. How the Sender’s messages accomplish such profound effects, what the particulars of his plan are — anything you uncover may help us find a way to defeat him.”

“So that’s it?” Sticky said. “You just want us to be students?”

“Much more than that,” Mr. Benedict said. “For not only must you learn what they teach, you must also try to learn what they do not teach. Every odd detail, every suspicious aspect of the Institute — any unusual elements at all, you must report to me. You never know what curious tidbit might hold the key to the Sender’s entire plan. Anything you notice may be of use.”

Kate was rubbing her hands together. “So you want us to sneak around, maybe break into some offices, and —”

Mr. Benedict shook his head. “Absolutely not.”

Kate stopped rubbing her hands. “No?”

“You must find out all you can,” said Mr. Benedict sternly, “and you must report it to me, but you must take no unnecessary risks. Your mission is dangerous enough as it is.”

Kate looked crestfallen. The other children looked relieved.

“Now then,” Mr. Benedict went on, “we must communicate often — and in secret. For this we’ll use Morse code.”

“Morse code!” Reynie cried, amazed.

“Nobody uses Morse code anymore,” said Kate.

“Precisely why it is useful to us,” said Mr. Benedict. “As you may know, the Institute is located on Nomansan Island, which lies in Stonetown Harbor a half mile out. From a hidden position on the mainland shore, we shall constantly watch the island. Every day and every night, at every moment, your signals will be watched for. It will be up to you to choose the safest time. We’ll be ready for it.”

“But we leave tomorrow, and we don’t even know Morse code!” Constance complained.

“Actually, I do,” said Sticky. “I can teach you, if you like.”

Constance stuck her tongue out at him.

“You’re all quick learners,” said Mr. Benedict. “I have no worries about that. And Constance,” he said, raising an eyebrow, “I advise you to take Sticky up on his offer. For this is an important point I wished to discuss: You are a team now. Whether you always agree is inconsequential, but you must take care of one another, must rely upon one another in all things. I don’t exaggerate when I say that every one of you is essential to the success of the team, and indeed, to the fate of us all. You must remember that.”

Constance rolled her eyes. “Okay, fine, George Washington, you can teach me that stinky Morse code.”

“Call me Sticky, please. Just plain Sticky is fine. You don’t even have to use my last name.”

“When do we begin, George Washington?”

Sticky scowled. “Don’t call me that!”

Kate leaned over to Reynie and whispered, “I think we may have more trouble than Mr. Benedict expects.”

It was suggested the children study Morse code in the dining room, but the afternoon was so beautiful, and the shady courtyard so inviting, they begged to pack lunches and study outside. Mr. Benedict agreed on the condition that no one venture beyond the gate, and that Milligan accompany them. So out they went into the courtyard, where Sticky and Constance now sat on a stone bench under the elm tree, while Kate and Reynie sprawled on the ivy-covered earth nearby. Milligan, disguised as a gray-haired gardener in a straw hat, puttered gloomily about the iron fence, tending to the rose bushes.

“It’s a simple code,” Sticky was explaining. “It uses dots and dashes — short signals and long signals — to stand for letters and numbers. The letter A, for example, is made with one short signal and one long signal, or a dot and a dash. Here, I’ll show you.” Borrowing Kate’s flashlight (Kate had her bucket with her as always), Sticky turned it on and off again very quickly. “That was the short signal — the dot,” he said. Then he turned it on for a full second. “And that’s the long signal — the dash. Together they make an A, and the other letters are much the same. B is a dash and three dots, C is dash, dot, dash, dot, and so on. It’s all written out right here,” he said, pointing to the charts Mr. Benedict had given them.

“Let’s practice,” Sticky said. “Constance, you use the flashlight and the chart to spell out a message, and we’ll figure out what you’re saying.”