Ensign Merrill — page 132: what you’re looking at

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

ihe vie ea PO <5 > 4 terete Ae Cee A sO. t — <3. eal fx ey 27 i. = a Ne *} es “Oy 4 = ‘CHAPTER XXIII. LOOKOUT POINT. _ NeEp GAGE felt deeply vexed when he saw the column of smoke on Lookout Point. Although the incidents which prevented him from reaching the summit in time were due to no fault of his, yet the mere fact of being defeated in his object caused the middy to grit his teeth in sore disappointment. He was tempted to return to the Badger at once, but the possibility of ac- complishing something to redeem the day caused him to order the party to continue the ascent. Every precaution was taken to prevent a repetition of the ambuscade. A man was sent on ahead with in- structions to advance cautiously, keeping under protec- tion of the rocks and trees, and to retreat at once if he sighted the enemy. On arriving at the crevice where their prisoner had been captured, Ned examined it care- fully. According to the statement of the seaman who fired the shot. the Chinaman was in the act of climbing up the tree-trunk toward the opening in the rock when the bullet struck him. The shock caused him to lose his footing and he fell, catching the limb in hig descent. Suspecting this was a secret passageway to the top, Ned ordered the ladder replaced and climbed through the opening. The interior was dark at first, but when his eyes became accustomed to the change he sawa short flight of rude steps cut in the rocky face atthe ~ end. The little chamber seemed to be partly of arti- ficial formation and was only anentry way to a smaller passage gained by ascending the steps. <A faint glim- mer of light was dimly visible beyond, indicating that the corrider led into the open air not far distant. — «fe on _ -Looxour POINT. Haws en AOR ee * a % ” Tia aa ~ ne Eomicbooks.co