"My man, you did quite right," announced the captain, addressing the sentry. "Davis, will you be good enough to give me the countersign?"
"'Never again,'" whispered Dan in the ear of his commanding officer.
"What's that? I asked you for the countersign."
"The countersign is 'never again.'"
For a moment the captain stared, then he roared with laughter.
"'Never again,' my man," he said, whereat the sentry instantly lowered his rifle.
"Well, if that doesn't beat anything I ever heard!" chuckled the captain, grasping Dan by the arm and leading him over to the starboard side of the deck.