SIGNALING. 275

have seen his flag half-masted, did Ben think of doing
more than scrutinise her with the naked eye; but now,
finding he was receiving no attention whatever, the young
captain leveled the glass at the on-coming craft.

One hasty survey, and an exclamation of surprise burst
from his lips.

Then he looked again and more steadily, after which he
wiped the lenses as if fancying his eyes were playing him
some trick, and Miss Dunham asked anxiously :

«What is the matter? What do you see?”’

“It is what I don’t see that puzzles me,” the young
captain replied, in a tone of perplexity. “Here, take these,
and see what you can make out,” Ben added, handing her
the glasses, as he relieved her of the care of the wheel.

Miss Dunham obeyed, and cried, an instant later :

«Why I can’t see any one on deck!”

“That was just my case exactly.”

Again the young girl gazed toward the ship, and, as she
handed the glasses back to Ben, said, in a tone very like
that of fear :

“TI am positive there is no one at the helm.”

“So am I,” Ben replied, as he looked again, and then,
closing the glasses with a snap, he said impatiently,
«There’s the chance of a lifetime, and I am to lose it
because I’ve no crew aboard.”

_ “What do you mean?”

«That ship is a derelict.”

“ How is it possible that can be? She isn’t disabled, and
is sailing as well as if there was a full crew aboard.”