Ensign Merrill — page 53: what you’re looking at

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

‘+ << By - oo THM BADGER SAILS. aereOr seeing everything i in readiness, Mark talegen peinet “90 ahead slow’ to the engine-room, Ned grasped the — ae whistle- cord, and just as the water aft bubbled under the propeller’s powerful strokes, a long, shrill blast proclaimed to those on shore that a steamship was leay- _ ing their hospitable port. But few knew the destination or its import to Shanghai. A. local pilot, an intelligent Mongolian, had been en- gaged to carry the ship past Woosung, so Mark turned over the command to him, and devoted his attention to _ the owners of the Badger. Progress down the river was necessarily slow, as the channel teemed with craft of every description, from the huge ocean carrier to the quaint homemade canoes of the water beggars. The bare fourteen milesfrom the bund to where the narrow stream joined forces with the mighty Yangtse Kiang - occupied over three hours, so when a sparkling beam of sunlight glinted in the distance ahead, proclaiming the _ golden-domed pagodas of Woosung, it was high noon _ by the clock. _ Mark decided to cast anchor for an hour, and have tiffin served in his private room for the company. After seeing their steam tug alongside, he joined the party at — the table. It would probably be the last opportunity of conversing with his employers for many months, so he improved the occasion, and talked over their final instructions. xS After the repast was concluded, General Rollins, to whom all details had been left, made a short speech for — the benefit of those members who had not devoted their previous attention to the work as it progressed. He explained the financial disbursements, and gave a scheduled list of future expenses, and then outlined Mark’s plan of campaign. ‘‘Our commander, gentlemen,’’ he continued, ee pe ee pipe comick 200 ks.cor im