“Messenger! Write this. ‘Comescort to Cadena. C—A—D—E—N—A. Rejoin convoy at best speed. Modified zigzag.’ Take that to the signal bridge. And tell them not to send too fast.” “Signal bridge. Aye aye, sir.” It was in the blood of all signalmen to send messages as rapidly as they could, and it was always a source of gratification to them if they could burn up the recipient. In this case the recipient was a merchant seaman, unpracticed in reading messages; and it was important.
