Ensign Merrill — page 118: what you’re looking at

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

te BRIEF BUT DECISIVE COMBA Ro? ide ie us aboard? We have py, of money to pay our _ passage.’ | | merge ELS | the tinea has given biimeel? away,” mut- tered the ensign grimly to Jeff, who had returned from — below. ‘‘He says an island to the east of this. There isn’t a speck of land within a thousand miles in that direction. And such craft don’t travel that fam by a good deal.”’ ‘“‘How many are there of you?’’ called out Mark, again addressing the junk. “Five all told, including the captain. If you will give us a passage we'll work our way, too.”’ ‘*Where did you say you were wrecked?”’ ‘‘A bout fifty miles to the east’rd.’’ '“*T guess vou area little off in your reckoning, are you not? There is no land in that direction.’’ Merrill and Jeff heard the supposed castaway utter a quick imprecation. \ ‘Then came the rattling of blocks, and the junk swung around broadside on. ‘*Look out! it’s coming!’ cried Miuiler, beneath his breath, but the ensign never heard the remark. It was drowned in the sharp explosion of a gun, and a shot whizzed past just overhead. Merrill gave the whistle- cord a quick jerk; there was a deep hoarse blast, and then, bursting on the stil night air like a clap of thun- der, came the roar of the two heavy guns beneath their feet. : Crash! crash! The sounds of splintering wood, and thuds of spars striking the deck; the snapping of overstrained ropes; the boisterous flap-fiap of sails swinging to the wind, and, above all these noises, shrill and harsh in the agony of death, came the groans of a score of wounded men. | There was no need for further action. Aimed at GEomicbooks.co mn