Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-05-31

lou SeuJleInau gentleman,
sneered the irate captain as he how
cred over him. you navy officer.
you. I'll Farm you omethin'!"
Breen answered not, but secured
industriously; and Dick, above them
IN the rigging, spccnlated on the
chances n he should let fly his mar
line spike at Captain Bilker head
SO the forenoon watch passed, the
sail to sterboard drawing closer, and
the captain hecomlng more and more
irritable, until, at about five bells,
the other ship ran up an ensign. The
captain studied It through the
glasses.
"So:hin' but a id Nova Scotia
rat trap" he remarked; "an' l
thought It was an American ship"
1t was toe first ship that had come
within signal distance since they had
sailed, end in spite of his disappoint-
ment Captain Biker was naturally
anxious to communicate. He looked
around the deck The whole watch
was alor with the exception OF
Breen.
Here, you" he called you gem
tleman's man. Can Won read letters
stencilled on little flags"
Yes, sir" answered Breen, stand
Ing erect with the peculiar set look
which had come to his face lately.
Put that gear away. an clean
yer hands an come aft here an help
me signalize that Bluenoser. Rear
hand, now"
u, Ntrt, tnu NIT
him.
Run up this ensign on them
signal halyards thcre," commanded
the captain, tossing the stars and
stripes to the top OF the cabin. where
no had already piled the nineteen
small flags OF the International
SignCl Code Then he followed with
his signal books and glasses, taking
a position forward OF the mizzen-
mast, Breea hoisted the ensign to
the monkey gaff which. az the flag
was small and the wind Hight, held
up under the strain.
Code pennant." muttered the cap
tain. as the strangers ensign came
down and a small triangular flag
went up. Answer that" he said 10
Breen kicking a small flag toward
him. Send it up on t'other part o
the halyards. Breen obliged him.
Now get our number hooked to-
gether," said the captain, naming
four letters They're stamped on
the canvas edge See them? on
top, then the rest"
He opened the code book to inter-
pref the four flags now flying from
the strangers eaff. and Breen made
up the ships number
Annie NJ Sheldon, o. Halifax"
muttered the skipper. Then he veri-
fed Breen's arrangement of the
flags before ordering them hoisted.
You seem to know somethin. az
ter all" he said sharply.
More than you do" muttcred Dick
In the rigging little fearful that
Breen, unaware of the captains
lately aroused suspicion, would show
too great a proficiency at signaling;
but he could not warn him now.
The number went aloft, and Cap
tain Bilker iotted down on an envel-
ope the Interpretation of three
signals which followed In rapid sue
cession from the other
six days out O Montevideo for
Cape Town" ne read. Then he di-
rected the hoisting of three sets OF
flags which told the other ship that
they were tifty-seven days out OF
New York bound to Hong Kong.
Now that's over" said Captain
Bilker, we'll ask for news. Run up
B-W-F"
Breen quickly toggled these flags
together and hoisted them, watched
closely by the captain.
Four flags answered from the
other, and Captain Bilker, observing
through the glasses, called out; &c
--K--V--R. What the deuce is he
drivtn' at9'
He studied his book. Battle" he
announced Must be spellin
somethin out. Run up the answer
in pennant."
Breen picked it up readily. It was
the same small flag which he had
hoisted first, and had two uses, one
to indicate the code used. the other
TO signify that a signal is under
stood.
How dyon know that was the
answerin' pennant?" yelled the cap
tain In his ear. Hey? Tell me. How
d'you know so much bout these
fiags?"
You told me to hoist It, SIR" an
swered Breen. flushing slightly, yet
ready with an explanation. II was
valet to a yacht owner once. sir, and
I've seen these flags before"
The captain gared at him a mo-
ment. then said with snlf: II
b'heve yer allyn Don't you try an
fool me. Up wi that pennant. What
the HI are ye gapin' at?"
Three other flags were now flying
from the Nova Scotiaman, and the
captain read: CHI. Then he
turned to his book.
ship" he said. What on earth
does he mean? Answer"
Brcen who had lowered the pen
nant, again ran it up. He had not
unlocked 1t from the halyards. and
the captain noticed It,
Hes a gentlemen's man, and a
yacht owners valet" muttered the
captain. as he studied another signal
from tho stranger 81 wonder IL he