Ensign Merrill — page 22: what you’re looking at

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

rw , oe yom a ww? »» Ld i a : a RE ee ae” Sy Fee) >, a Lt 7 a 7, ‘ _ _. [HE MYSTERIOUS LETTER, = AY afternoon,” replied Mark; “and found it in every way suited for the purpose. She is a schooner-rigged — steamer of about six hundred tons, and stanchly built. | ' Tt will take very little alteration to conyert her intoa — ss! war vessel, as she has flush decks and good-sized cargo — ports. Her speed is fifteen knots, which is fast enough. Now, my opinion is that three sixty-pounder rifles, with a couple of Gatling guns, will be Aue sufficient. ’’ “Yes: that ought to be plenty,’? remarked Mr. Stubbs oS ‘‘f don’t suppose those pirates are as well armed. Now, how much ammunition will be required ?”’ **Six hundred rounds for the large guns, and five thousand for the Gatlings,’’ replied Mark promptly. ‘Then we will need at least one hundred small rifles, as many revolvers, and the necessary cartridges.,’”’ **] propose that the general order these at once by cable, so they can be shipped on the next steamer from San Francisco,’’ advised an American, named Wash- burn, the third representative from other firms, who had said very little, but that little invariably to the -point. ‘‘Now, another thing, Mr. Bevins, have you told Merrill the latest news concerning those yellow scoundrels? I mean the secret information you secured last night.” ‘““No; by Jove! A pressure of business has caused me to forget it,’’ answered the old gentleman hastily. Then, turning to his desk, he drew forth from some _ hidden drawer a sheet of closely-written paper. _**Several weeks ago, when we first contemplated or- ganizing an expedition against the pirates, I secured the services of a native detective, rather shrewd in his way, ~ who managed to run across one of their hiding-places.. In this letter from him he doesn’t say how he worked it, Get med that he had apant several ale on an island cor