The Blockade Runner — page 126: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE BLOCKADE RUNNER. 127 steadily approaching, apparently confident of over- coming the antagonist calmly waiting for her, for the cruiser had shut off steam and presented her broad- side to the enemy. She fired another shot, which passed diagonally across the Avenyer’s deck, breaking the taffrail and grazing the smokestack’s steel netting, capable of turning heavy shot. . “Those fellows are no slouches with that fok’s’l gun,” remarked the commander. A third shot tore up the water under the cruiser’s forefoot, and across the surlace of the sea to the windward. The decisive moment had arrived. “Now!” suddenly cried Graham to the waiting gunner. “Let her have our compliments, Bentham. Fortune speed the shot!’ A moment later the Avenger’s first gun answered the privateer’s defiance, and an exclamation of satis- faction fell from Benth’ s lips. He had aimed the gun himself, and had watched the shot with a night-glass. “A gallant shot!” cried Graham. “ The Swiftwing now knows what we can do. She was fairly struck. Pll wager my commission that she carries a cannon- shot in her bull at this moment, put there by Union powder. She fairly reeled under the shock. I saw this plainly.” “Good! that shot was my compliments to you, Dick Powers,” murmured Bob Bentham, pleased be- yond measure by Graham’s words. “ Now, my lads,” to the crew on the gun-deck, “let us send that privateer to the bottom before she gets a chance at our merchantmen.” . J . COMuicoooks (©) é