The Blockade Runner — page 20: what you’re looking at

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

LHRH BLOCKADH RUNNER. we = The sight he saw he felt he never would forget. The skipper crouched on the deck with a lighted lantern in front of him, the slide open. In his hand he held one end of a dark-looking snake- like rope, which issued from beneath his berth. He was unraveling a bit of yarn which protected “the end of the fuse, preparatory to applying the candle- heht. Orash ! : A round shot came tearing through the vessel’s side, dashing the lantern into a hundred fractures, and rip- ping a great hole in the woodwork in its course athwart the deck, smashing things generally in the cabin beyond, and shattering an exit to the sea. Powell, wrapped in sudden darkness, uttered a fear- ful oath. Bentham stood back aghast. He could feel the tremble of the deck from the rapid throb of the engines, for the Foxhound was driving ahead at her utmost speed, the firemen below piling on tar and rosin, until the pitching and rolling fabric shook as with the ague. It was an awful moment. _ The huge waves thundered against the steamer’s sides as if determined to hinder her escape from the lawful guardians of the port. The wind whistled down the cabin stairs, and a hun- dred odd noises added to the tumult of the hour. Bentham saw the flash of a match in the darkness, and the captain’s face, looking fairly demoniacal, was lit up by the illumination. ~ Only for a moment, then a draught of cold air through the shot-hole extinguished the flame. Gomichboo 6S (©)