He, the apprentice, has sighted a steamer in the distance. He can make out the ship's masthead light, her red light, and a glare of white lights on her afterdeck. Stone asks the apprentice to try for communication by means of the Californian's Morse lamp. Stone scratches his head, picks up the binoculars. Four more white flashes of light like skyrockets bursting in the heavens.
Stone notifies the ship's captain.
Over the voice pipe, the captain asks if the flashes appeared to be company signals. Stone cannot say for sure. The captain then requests further communication attempt through the Morse lamb. But still no answer from the steamer. Lifting the binoculars to his eyes once more, Stone observes three more flashes in the continuing light show, but now his attention is drawn to the steamer's cabin lights.