dog-of-a-wig

Updated: May 16, 2025

The man scratched his head and made wide eyes at one of the midshipmen, requesting him to tell him what the captain meant. “By Jove!” said the mid, “if you do not bear a hand and get the signal ready, he will make you a dog-of-a-wig instead of a Tory.” Seeing the man at a pause, I asked him if he had the signal ready. “Yes, sir,” replied he; “I have the telegraph dinner flags ready, but I do not know what the dog-a-tory pennant is; it must be in the boatswain’s store-room, for I have never had charge of it.” I could not forbear laughing at the man’s explanation. “What’s the signalman about?” inquired the captain; “why does he not hoist the signal?” “He did not know where to find the pendant you mentioned,” replied I. “I have told him you meant the interrogatory pendant.” “To be sure; I said so as plain as I could speak.

Captain Frederick Hoffman - A Sailor of King George