Now, although all these happenings were being watched with the most absorbing interest from the top of the _Thetis's_ deck-house, it must not be supposed that the watching was conducted in an obtrusive or ostentatious manner; very far from it. The occupants of that "coign of vantage", to whom Milsom was now added, were, so far as the ordinary observer was concerned, lounging indolently in their several basket chairs, reading, smoking, and chatting together, and apparently giving not a thought to anything that was happening outside the bulwarks of their own ship, save when, now and then, one of them would lift a pair of binoculars and bring them to bear upon some object ashore, ultimately sweeping the entire horizon with them, and pausing for a moment to watch this or that before laying them down again. Nobody, even if watching the party continuously, would, from their actions, have suspected them of taking the smallest interest in the doings of the Spanish Government vessels. Yet there was not a movement on board either the cruiser or the gunboat--the torpedo boat was _hors de combat_ and of no further interest to them--that was not being intensely watched by Milsom and Jack; and presently the latter turned to Carlos and enquired: "Got a pencil and paper about you, old chap?" "Yes," answered Carlos; "I have my pocket-book. Why?" "Then just stand by to jot down such letters as I may call out to you. That gunboat's semaphore is at work again, and I feel curious to know what it is that she wants to say. Ah! just so; it is the cruiser she wants to talk to. Now, stand by." The cruiser having acknowledged the "call", the _Tiburon's_ semaphore began spelling out a message, each letter of which Jack read off and called out as it was signalled. When the message came to an end Carlos read it out and translated it into English. It ran as follows:-- "Fear there is something wrong with my engines also. Have tried to turn them by hand, aided by forty-five pounds of steam, and cannot move them more than an inch or so either way." The cruiser had no reply to make to this disquieting piece of information; but a minute or two later four sailors ran out upon her boat boom and climbed down the Jacob's ladder hanging therefrom into one of the boats, which they cast off and paddled to the gangway ladder, where two officers were by this time waiting. These two individuals at once stepped into the boat, which thereupon was shoved off and pulled alongside the gunboat. "A lieutenant and one of the engineers from the cruiser gone aboard to investigate," commented Milsom. "Now, keep your eye on the gunboat's semaphore, Jack; we shall probably get a little further interesting information presently."