"But, no; risky." "They could not hit me, sir," cried Mark; "and it's like taking no notice of my father's signals to do nothing." "I think he might risk it, major," said Gregory.
"All right, then, my lad.

Go on." Mark started, and after a struggle reached an enormous pandanus, one of the many-branched screw-pines.

It was not a very suitable tree for a signal staff, and there were cocoa palms and others of a far more appropriate kind, but these were unclimbable without notches being prepared for the feet, whereas the pandanus offered better facility.
Still it was no easy task, and it was made the more difficult by the fact that the Malays began firing at him with their brass gun, a fact enough to startle the strongest nerves.
But Mark recalled for his own encouragement the fact that the major had laughingly announced the spot at which the enemy aimed as being the safest, and so he climbed on till about thirty feet above the ground he managed to attach the major's great yellow handkerchief, so that it hung out broadly, and then came down.
Four shots were fired at him as he performed this feat, and on rejoining the major and Mr Gregory, the former laughingly said that not a shot had gone within fifty yards of him.
"But I tell you what," he continued, "that's a bad signal--the yellow flag; they'll think we have got fever." "So we have, sir," said Morgan grimly--"war fever." "Look!" cried Mr Gregory; "they see the flag signal, and are answering it.

Do you see ?" It was plain enough; two flags were held out of the cabin-window, and after being waved withdrawn.
"Yes," said the major, "it's mighty pretty, but there's one drawback-- one don't know what it means." The firing from the lelah was kept up at intervals, but every shot went over them, whether fired point-blank or made to ricochet from the sands.
There was tremendous bustle and excitement on board the prau, but no fresh attempts were made to land, and as the long, hot, weary hours crept on the question rose as to what would be the enemy's next move.
"They'll wait till dusk and attack us then," said Mr Gregory.
"No," said the major, "I think not.

These people never seem to me to be fond of night work.