The Boy Scouts on Picket Duty

"[...] "Sloop, ahoy! Can you understand?" "Aye, aye!" called Vinton. The five boys gathered around him, eager to hear the interchange of calls. Even Dave rose and shambled over to the little group at the tiller. On the other vessel they could now see a number of men in blue uniforms and one in a civilian's suit of gray tweeds. "Who've you got aboard?" came the next question from the captain of the Petrel.[...]".