Ensign Merrill — page 101: what you’re looking at

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

4 : : aN : ac NS hci v4 bane ee ae Oe * + ® alg do a ns = x iy “«.” >) 96 THE BA DGER apy UBRADES. Bia tessa - ‘abe : ‘= >| uy ' >” ceived concerning them prior to our departure pee - Sbanghai was in the case of the English steamer - Bengal, which arrived at Woosung just a week ago to-day. Her captain reported having met with a nar- row escape while passing Hwang Ho three days previ- — ous. As his log described it, they had the island off their starboard beam, some five miles distant, about an hour before dark. -While rounding a wooded point on™ the south side, they saw two large junks close inshore, apparently hove to, which, on sighting the steamer, made all sail in chase. As it happened, the Bengal was a particularly fast boat, and soon dropped them astern. And none too soon, as the pirates, for such they proved, opened fire atonce. Luckily, none of the shots struck her, although several came dangerously near, showing the junks carried good gunners. The captain, who had formerly been in the British navy, said the report sounded as if the cannon were both heavy and of modern construction,’’ ‘‘T presume he did not stop to verify his impressions?”’ remarked Agnew, with a smile. “‘Not he. Ill venture the Bengal had not been pushed so hard for many a year. I'he report went on to state that when darkness closed down on the scene, the piratical craft were still in pursuit, firing an occa- sional shot at the steamer. ’’ ‘‘. suppose your intention is to pass in and out through the group until you sight comets asked Watson. ““Yes; that is my idea exactly,’’ replied Mark, lean- ing back in his chair and looking from one to the other. ‘‘We naturally have to trust largely to chance in this case, but I think we are going to be successful Deron very long.’ SARS ys aingenely Babe so,’’ put in Ned fervently. ree - “a * , - > c ~ — p ed | I ‘" “co nic <s.com 3 = wl ~ Ut . ° + ir < je -_ ° t a oo nidoegalt <= 4