le smile) for the coming
opportunity of setting her brother right. At the same moment Natalie
laid down her knife and softly touched Launce under the table. When
she thus claimed his attention the six pieces of ham were arranged as
follows in her plate: Two pieces were placed opposite each other, and
four pieces were ranged perpendicularly under them. Launce looked, and
twice touched Natalie under the table. Interpreted by the Code agreed
on between the two, the signal in the plate meant, "I must see you in
private." And Launce's double touch answered, "After breakfast."

Sir Joseph proceeded with his story. Natalie took up her knife again.
Another signal coming!

"We were both down in the cabin, occupied in finishing our dinner--"

"Just sitting down to lunch, Joseph."

"My dear! I ought to know."

"I only repeat what I heard, brother. The last time you told the story,
you and your friend were sitting down to lunch."

"We won't particularize, Lavinia. Suppose we say occupied over a meal?"

"If it is of no more importance than that, Joseph, it would be surely
better to leave it out altogether."

"Let us waive the point. Well, we were suddenly alarmed by a shout on
deck, 'Man over-board!' We both rushed up the cabin stairs, naturally
under the impression that one of our crew had fallen into the sea: an
impression shared, I ought to add, by the man at the helm, who had given
the alarm."

Sir Joseph paused again. He was approaching one of the great dramatic
points in his story, and was naturally anxious to present it as
impressively as possible. He considered with himself, with his head a
little on one side. Miss Lavinia considered with _herself_, with _her_
head a little on one side. Natalie laid down her knife again, and again
touched Launce under the table. This time there were five pieces of ham
ranged longitudinally on the plate, with one piece immediately under
them at the center of the line. Interpreted by the Code, this signal
indicated two ominous words, "Bad news." Launce looked significantly
at the owner of the yacht (meaning of the look, "Is he at the bottom of
it?"). Natalie frowned in reply (meaning of the frown, "Yes, he is").
Launce looked down again into the plate. Natalie instantly pushed all
the pieces of ham together in a little heap (meaning of the heap, "No
more to say").

"Well?" said Richard Turlington, turning sharply on Sir Joseph. "Get on
with your story. What next?"

Thus far he ha