o on deck, and ascertain, by a careful
examination, if a short red pennant be not set some ten or twelve feet
above the uppermost flag. Now, Greenly, we will take the other cup of
tea, for there is plenty of leisure."

Two or three brooding minutes followed. Then Bunting returned to say the
pennant _was_ there, a fact he had quite overlooked in his former
observations, confounding the narrow flag in question with the regular
pennant of the king. This short red pennant denoted that the
communication was verbal, according to a method invented by Bluewater
himself, and by means of which, using the ordinary numbers, he was
enabled to communicate with his friend, without any of the captains, or,
indeed, without Sir Gervaise's own signal-officer's knowing what was
said. In a word, without having recourse to any new flags, but, by
simply giving new numbers to the old ones, and referring to a prepared
dictionary, it was possible to hold a conversation in sentences, that
should be a secret to all but themselves. Sir Gervaise took down the
number of the signal that was flying, and directed Bunting to show the
answering flag, with a similar pennant over it, and to continue this
operation so long as the rear-admiral might make his signals. The
numbers were to be sent below as fast as received. As soon as Bunting
disappeared, the vice-admiral unlocked a secretary, the key of which was
never out of his own possession, took from it a small dictionary, and
laid it by his plate. All this time the breakfast proceeded, signals of
this nature frequently occurring between the two admirals. In the course
of the next ten minutes, a quarter-master brought below a succession of
numbers written on small pieces of paper; after which Bunting appeared
himself to say that the Caesar had stopped signalling.

Sir Gervaise now looked out each word by its proper number, and wrote it
down with his pencil as he proceeded, until the whole read--"God
sake--make no signal. Engage not." No sooner was the communication
understood, than the paper was torn into minute fragments, the book
replaced, and the vice-admiral, turning with a calm determined
countenance to Greenly, ordered him to beat to quarters as soon as
Bunting could show a signal to the fleet to the same effect. On this
hint, all but the vice-admiral went on deck, and the Bowlderos instantly
set about removing the table and all the other appliances. Finding
himself annoyed by the movements of the s