SIGNALING. 275

far to the eastward of them that it would be impossible to
signal.

«Shift your helm to meet her, and run up the ensign,
union down,” Ben replied.

MAY Ayal?

‘Do you think you are warranted in setting the distress
signal?” “Miss Dunham asked, as Bob hurried away to
execute the commands, for she had been taught that such
a sign should not be made except in the last extremity.

«“T don’t know who would be warranted in doing it if
we are not,” Ben replied. “No reasonable-minded cap-
tain could object to being brought to by a brother master
who was as short-handed as we are.”

“Tt hardly seems likely you will be able to borrow any
men from her.”

«That is very true, and yet at the same time there is
achance. They might manage to let me have one, which
would help out amazingly just now, when every man of
ours is obliged to do the work of three.”

This was the first time Ben had acknowledged there
might be any question of making port with the small crew
at his command, and Miss Dunham now understood that
he had refrained from telling her of all the trouble in his
mind.

As a matter of course she understood how difficult,
perhaps impossible, it might be to continue the voyage
short-handed; but until now she had no idea Ben felt

eriously disturbed regarding the result.

The remainder of the meal was eaten hurriedly, and