signalman

The signalman touched his hat, and the little row of flags ran fluttering up in the breeze.

Note, however, that if the signalman had belonged to another company it would have been quite otherwise.

After that he gave the whistle to let Smithy know the signalman was fixed, and that he had better go back to the beach to wait.

Dave Darrin was now in the bow, with the signalman at his side, who would turn on the searchlight when so ordered.

Incidentally my signalman substituted the word "darned" for "damned" and, when corrected, spelt the word "dammed" as a compromise.