First off, rather than putting it in the fermenter directly, you generally want to have use a sample of the wort in a measuring tube (a tall, thin cylinder just a bit wider and taller than the hydrometer itself). This makes it easier to read, and means you don't need to sterilize the hydrometer (just don't pour the sample back into the fermenter).
As for the measurement, if there's been any fermentation, then it is safe to say that the reading ought to be lower than before fermentation. Alcohol has a lower density than water, which in turn has a lower density than the wort sugars. How long did you have it in the primary before racking it to the secondary? You generally want at least a week, though really the best way is to take a sample and do a hydrometer test - if it remains the same for more than 3-5 days, then you can (depending on the style you are brewing and how long you want to age it) either rack to secondary or proceed to bottling.
My advice is to stop off at your LHBS and pick up a hydrometer measuring tube and a winethief (a special device that can be used to safely take samples of the beer without much risk of contamination). The measuring tube is probably about $2-3, and the winethief $3-8 depending on the model. If you can afford it, consider getting a refractometer - while it cannot give accurate readings of the fermented beer without knowing the original gravity, it can be used to check whether the gravity has stabilized, and uses a much smaller sample than the hydrometer does (and it is a lot easier to read, for most people anyway).
