Cigars and pipes and cigarettes had been tabooed, and doors were opened in the deck houses only after the inside lights had been lowered to a flickering pin point.
Up on the forward bridge Captain Brownson stood talking in a low voice to the executive officer, Lieutenant Hubbard.

The lurching swing of the ship caused them to sway back and forth against the rail and a metallic sound came from a sword scabbard suspended from the captain's belt.

The presence of this sword, betrayed by the clatter it made, told a secret to several sailors gathered under the lee of the pilot house, and one said, in an excited whisper: "There's something up, Chips.

The old man is fixed for trouble.

I'm going aft and stand by." The speaker started off, but before he had taken ten steps the shrill blast of a bugle suddenly broke the stillness of the night.