“Who goes there? Answer, or I fire.”
“It is all right, my man; it is Captain Nelson.”
“Wait till I call the watch, Captain Nelson,” the sentry replied in the monotonous voice of his kind.
“Very well, sentry, you are quite right to do your duty.”
In half a minute an officer’s voice was heard above, and a lantern was shown over the side.
“Is it you, sir?” he asked.
“Yes; what ship is this?”
“The Romulus.”
“Can you lend me a compass?”
“Yes, sir, I will fetch one in a moment.”