"No," returned Shem, breathless.

"Then it must be dead ahead," said Holmes.

"Why not to starboard?" asked Le Coq, dryly.

"Because," answered Holmes, confidently, "it never happens so. If you had
ever read a truly exciting sea-tale, my dear Le Coq, you would have known
that interesting things, and particularly signals of distress, are never
seen except to larboard or dead ahead."

A murmur of applause greeted this retort, and Le Coq subsided.

"The nature of the signal?" demanded Holmes.

"A black flag, skull and cross-bones down, at half-mast!" cried Shem, "and
on a rock-bound coast!"

"They're marooned, by heavens!" shouted Holmes, springing to his feet and
rushing to the deck, where he was joined immediately by Sir Walter, Dr.
Johnson, Bonaparte, and the others.

"Isn't he a daisy?" whispered Demosthenes to Diogenes as they climbed the
stairs.

"He is more than that; he's a blooming orchid," said Diogenes, with
intense enthusiasm. "I think I'll get my X-ray lantern and see if he's
honest."