Posted by Robert Thompson on September 09, 2008 at 21:42:04 user robert.
In Reply to: Semaphore posted by Mark D. on September 09, 2008 at 18:52:26:
Dear Mark,
I don't believe the figures are "semaphoring", it's clearly the Swallows, Amazons and Ds doing their skating practice. The arms akimbo are merely for balance.
I've not really looked closely at this illustration before, but having done so I reckon that from left to right the characters are Peggy (just fallen over), Nancy, Dorothea, Roger, Titty (kicking herself along with one foot), John, Dick and Susan. Any other ideas?
PS - Just before that illustration is one of Ransome's best descriptive sentences, surely a favourite of several TarBoarders.