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The very duty of the ship itself was an endless source of occupation and amusement to us, the commander keeping the men "at it" continually from sunrise to sunset, until he had so licked us all into shape that we were the smartest ship's company afloat, I think; for the discipline was such that the old Candahar might have been four years in commission instead of the brief three months that had elapsed from our hoisting the pen'ant to our casting anchor in Simon's Bay, a port to the eastward of the "Stormy Cape," where our men-of-war usually moor.
"Oh!" exclaimed the captain on this being read out aloud, as the signalman put it down on the slate for entry into the ship's log, according to the usual custom. "This is getting interesting. Hoist `Q R S' after the answering pen'ant."
"I should think so, sir; but it's just like those Johnny Crapauds always gabbling a lot about nothing!" rejoined the commander, who, at last, had now found the right page of the signal book. "Yes, sir, you're quite right, as usual! I wish I had your memory for signals! He `wants to communicate. Signalman, hoist our answering pen'ant!"
"Hullo!" cried Larkyns, who was signal midshipman and was looking at the stranger with a diminutive telescope screwed-up to his starboard eye. "She's hoisted the answering pen'ant under her ensign." "That means she's going to use the International Code," said the commander, overhearing him. "Signalman, keep a sharp lookout on her, and have your book handy to read her signal as soon as it goes up!"
"Ay, ay, sir," replied the man, who was, like Larkyns, squinting his best at the other ship, although with a much bigger glass. "Something's going up now, sir." "Yes, I see," said Commander Nesbitt, as a string of flags were run up to the French ship's main. "Have our answering pen'ant ready to hoist as soon as you can make it out. Look sharp, signalman! What does she say?"
Gone where I hope to meet them both by-and-by; for, I can honestly say, that, beyond trying to do my duty when wearing Her Majesty's uniform, I have considered myself always as serving "Under the Pen'ant" of even a higher power, and hope, perhaps, to earn a crown like that which I know my poor father strove for ever, when I come also to my last anchorage.
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