jack-staff

• “Fastening one end of the string to the jack-staff and the other to the steps at about the proper height, the ribbon was tied in the centre of the string, and the black man and myself stood back five feet on either side, and at a given signal were to come forward and strike at the ribbon.”

  Forty Years a Gambler on the Mississippi

• “The young man who had urged the necessity for silence was groping round it, fumbling with the sharp bow, in which he fixed a short pole or "jack-staff," with some object -- at present no one could discern what -- on top.”

  Camp and Trail A Story of the Maine Woods

• “On righting it they found that the jack-staff had been dislodged.”

  Camp and Trail A Story of the Maine Woods

• “The last level light lay on the long, slow, swelling waters like a rolling, flaming carpet, and in that flaming path the gray war-ships bobbed to anchor; and on the quarter-deck of every ship a red-coated band was drawn up, and from the jack-staff of every ship an American ensign was slowly dropping down.”

  Sonnie-Boy's People

• “That night a fog rolled up from the swamps, and in the morning jack-staff was hid from pilot-house.”

  The Crisis — Volume 07

• “Close at hand was a jack-staff upholding an American ensign.”

  "Forward, March" A Tale of the Spanish-American War

• “The Captain of the transport, his face purple with passion, was rushing towards the jack-staff.”

  "Forward, March" A Tale of the Spanish-American War

• “Already he had made out the double stars in the bunting at the jack-staff.”

  Ray's Daughter A Story of Manila

• “He stood thus, rigid and tense, while Sir Reginald did his part of the work; and presently he saw the jack-staff swinging slowly round toward the pirate cruiser.”

  With Airship and Submarine A Tale of Adventure

• “And, so saying, he stepped to the fore midship window of the pilot-house, laid his finger lightly upon the firing-button that controlled the discharge of the torpedo-shells from the tube in the extremity of the ship's sharp snout, and so placed his eye that he brought the jack-staff forward in a direct line with a very small notch in the window-frame.”

  With Airship and Submarine A Tale of Adventure

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