272 THE BOY CAPTAIN.

N P— Leak gaining rapidly.

N V—TI am sinking.

P C—Want assistance; mutiny.

P D— Want immediate assistance.
F — Want boat or boats immediately.
H — Want food; starving.

K — Want an anchor.

P
P
P J—Want coal immediately.
P
P S— Want hands.

«This last signal is the one we shall use when the ship
is near enough,” Ben said, as he laid the two squares of
bunting aside ready for bending on the halliards, “and
I reckon your lesson has lasted long enough. After this,
with the aid of the code, you should be able to carry on
a decently long conversation at sea.”

“Tt is well to know about such things, even if there is
never an opportunity to use one’s knowledge,’ Miss Dun-
ham replied, with a laugh. ‘I’ve come to believe that at
sea it is always the unexpected which happens, and one
can never make too many preparations.”

«And you are correct there. It seems to me since
this voyage began as if you had prepared yourself for
very nearly everything. There is precious little in the
way of sea happenings that we haven’t had already.”

Eliphalet announced dinner, Bob took the wheel, and
the captain and his “chief mate’’ went below.

Before the two had finished the meal, Bob called down
through the skylight to say that the approaching ship
was standing off on the long tack, and, unless the brig’s
course was speedily changed, the stranger would pass so