"Great? I didn't say anything about _great_ men. We're not half men,
Baldy--the light-ship is going with all hands."

"One card," Baldwin scaled his discard to the table and stuck the new
card in with his others before he answered. His voice was now less
patient. "Say, Bud, maybe we're not half men, but don't rub it
in--don't. If anything's wrong with the light-ship, how'd you know?"

"I know."

"But how?"

"Wireless."

"Wireless?" Baldwin was peering at his cards. Suddenly he looked up.
"Hah--wireless? Eheu-u--" he whistled softly, gently laid his cards
face-down on the table. "You got word, Bud?" He half-turned to the man
on his right. "Do I see you, Bo, did you say?" He picked up his cards.
"Sure I'll see you--and two more red lozenges to come along. But what
can we do about it, Bud?"

"There's the _Whist_, Baldy."

"What, her? Send her to sea to-night? We couldn't if we wanted. She only
goes out under orders from the commandant, remember. And the commandant,
he's on leave, visitin' his married daughter somewhere over Christmas."

"And a G.C.M., too, wouldn't it, Baldwin?" put in the man called Bo,
"without orders."