“If I might so far presume as to offer a suggestion to my honourable and gallant friend, whose knowledge of naval matters far be it from me to impeach,” Eugene struck in with great deliberation, “it would be, that to tip a whistle is to advertise mystery and invite speculation. My honourable and gallant friend will, I trust, excuse me, as an independent member, for throwing out a remark which I feel to be due to this house and the country.”

“Was that the t’other Governor, or Lawyer Lightwood?” asked Riderhood. For, they spoke as they crouched or lay, without seeing one another’s faces.

“In reply to the question put by my honourable and gallant friend,” said Eugene, who was lying on his back with his hat on his face, as an attitude highly expressive of watchfulness, “I can have no hesitation in replying (it not being inconsistent with the public service) that those accents were the accents of the t’other Governor.”