i am having another really weird issue with echo...

Code:
alias go {
  set %count 1
  set %a $read(c:\mirc\mfriends\friendsdat.dat, %count)
  echo -s %a
}


what I am getting in return:

* /echo: insufficient parameters (line 4, script1.ini)
-

What is in friendsdat.dat:

12343453253234


if i put a letter in front of those numbers, however, it works just fine and doesn't give that error.

What is the deal??