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144 ways for all the letters, you know."

He proceeded to demonstrate, telling Joan the letters as he made each signal.

"Of course you really ought to have flags," he said, "but your arms do just as well when you’re close to a person. R—S—T—"

Both arms being raised over his head, the crutches promptly clattered to the deck, and Garth caught at the railing and missed it.

"Bother!" he said, as Joan put out her hand to steady him. "That was rather silly of me. It’s all right when I do B and H, and those low things, but when I get to high up ones, like T and U, of course that’s what happens. But a person can’t semaphore properly sitting down."

"Let’s try," said Joan, pulling up two camp-chairs. "Why, I think it’s quite as easy. Now please show me the letters from A to G again, so that I’ll be able to learn those first."

By the time the Pettasantuck neared Salt Rock Landing, an hour and a half later, Joan had mastered enough of the code to send very simple messages to Garth, who sat the width of the deck away. He had taken off his hat, because he could not signal and hold it at the same time, and he sat on the edge of it to keep it from blowing away. Sometimes Joan was a little