when he felt Perk
trying to gain his attention and when this had been accomplished
pointing eagerly off to the east.

Yes, there it was as plain as anything--in fact there seemed to be two
separate lights looking like twin stars and even as Jack watched he saw
them carry on in a most remarkable fashion. Now one would be in violent
motion, perhaps doing some intricate figure that had a meaning; then the
other would join in, with the pair swinging back and forth, crossing
each other's path, and going through the most wonderful evolutions.

To Jack's mind they looked like a pair of gigantic fireflies gone loco
with excitement and carrying on in the most astonishing manner. Indeed,
he could easily picture it as a wild dance of make-believe insects on a
greatly magnified scale.

Of course Jack never had the slightest doubt as to what all this
mystifying activity must be--the two extremes of the smuggling
fraternity were exchanging signals--each and every movement had a
meaning of its own and conveyed such information as was most valuable to
the business in hand--in Jack's mind it was as though the conversation
might be running something after this fashion:

"Well, here we are on hand according to promise, with a full cargo of
the finest wet stuff you ever had drop down on your coast. How does the
land lie over there?"

"Coast all clear--we will start the fleet out to lighten your cargo
right away--keep the beacon burning so they'll make a straight line to
your anchorage, which will mean a saving of time."

"We get your meaning--glad you are so prompt to send back word--come
right along and get your invoice--the more the merrier, boys. Wind
getting rougher, and we ought to be off this shallow shore before it
swings around any more. Don't hold back--Merry Christmas to you all,
boys!"

Perk on his part was also trying to keep tabs on all that was going on,
not neglecting his duties with the controls, it can be set down as
certain. He twisted his neck and cast swift glances first to the right
and then in the opposite direction, fascinated by that flashing beacon
conversation.

"By gum! if they ain't holdin' a regular confab with them lights," Perk
was telling himself, delighted with his opportunity to witness such a
proceeding, knowing as he did what this all meant to himself and Jack.
"That guy on shore is sure some punkins about this signal layout--works
jest like a Boy Scout might, sending a message across to anoth