ne, and, what's more, somebody was holding it in
his hand, and was waving it about. That lantern, to my mind, was a
signal; for after waving it for a few minutes, the man who held it began
to open and close the slide rapidly, as though sending a message by
flash-light. I don't know the Morse code of flash telegraphy, and for
aught I know it may not have been Morse; but it certainly was a signal,
and when I tell you that it came from the _Ting Yuen_, and from the same
cabin, so far as I can judge, as the `helio' message was sent from at
Tien-tsin, you will see why I thought it best to call you."

"You were quite right, Drake," replied the captain. "There was
something very queer about that business at Tien-tsin; and from what you
say, it would seem that the same man is playing the same trick here. I
only wish I could catch him at his dirty work. It seems strange to me
that nobody on board the flagship has got an inkling of--well, we will
say, the unknown man's game. Or perhaps it is that they do suspect, but
dare not speak? Did you by any chance catch sight of an answering light
of any sort?"

"I was just coming to that," replied Drake. "I did. When the first set
of signals was finished, the red light disappeared, and away in the
offing another red light showed. That's what really made me come down
and rouse you."

"Perhaps it may have come from our own torpedo-boats," suggested
Frobisher.

"No," replied Drake, "it came from a spot beyond them, and--there you
are, sir; look there! There's the light again on the _Ting Yuen_. Now,
watch for the light from seaward in reply."

Frobisher did not do so, however. Without even answering, he darted
forward, gave a few low-voiced orders, and then came back to Drake.
Immediately afterwards could be heard the sound of bare-footed seamen
running about, carrying out some duty, and then a man stepped up to the
captain and announced that all was ready.

"Very well; wait for the signal," was Frobisher's reply, and he turned
his eyes seaward, watching for the answering flash. A second later it
came; and as it winked out, the captain placed a whistle in his mouth
and blew three short calls.

In an instant the _Chih' Yuen's_ great search-light blazed out, to the
astonishment of Drake and sundry other folk, and began to sweep slowly
and steadily back and forth across the horizon. The light on the _Ting
Yuen_ vanished instantly, Frobisher noticed, and the one to seaward