Right away I saw that something was doing.
"Look up K K K," he says—"quick!"
I got out the printed call-book, but no K K K there.
"Perhaps she is some new ship," says Furlong, "or an old one with a plant installed since the last list was put out. Quiet now—maybe I can recognize the sending." He listened; and "No"—he shook his head thoughtfully. "And yet—wait—Sh-h—" he jams the head-gear harder to his ears. "Well, what d'y' think o' that! It's that lobster off the old Nippon—nearly two years since I've taken him."
"That married——"
"Yes," he says.
"And still on the Plantagenet, d'y' s'pose?"
"Must be. I know him now like I'd know his voice, or his signature. And she's not far off either—coming strong!"
"Then they must 'a' seen that supply-ship and her fool skipper parading in to-night."
"That's what. Sh-h—he's using a cipher code, and merchantmen don't use cipher codes to each other. I'll ask him what his call is."