Penny Dreadfuls, 1899 · page 85 of 231
Ensign Merrill — page 85: what you’re looking at
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or Ree ee er a ~ Ne Sees Meee ate eter seas en oe ee ee is LY Pe As x é Se : ae 2 : | x, ’ . Cpe 7 : ; m.. * *. * . p - "i ‘ . - > ~ ta va * rT - . , Ya > ’ . ® — > ' * - 4 ~— ~ “2 r - bi " + . % , ‘ ‘ =a \. ; : . ». 4 . - - F f vr “ee hy » . LS 7 * ' “ | w . : ° ; : . p < , : * . j 44! é 4 . ~ _ . ‘ ¢ q - E - % . . é 7 : CHAPTER XIV. A STARTLING DISCOVERY. i ; GAGE and Watson quite agreed with the ensign’s last remark. The night’s adventurés naturally made them - guspicious, and they scanned the strange craft with un- friendly eyes. At the middy’s suggestion a long hoarse blast was given from the steam foghorn, and a red portfire burned on the bridge, 3 It produced an immediate effect. By the ruddy glare of the light they saw a commo- tion on board tlie junk. Several men rushed from the _ poop-deck to the waist, the clumsy foresail was brailed up ina hurry, the steersman shoved frantically on his rude wooden helm, and, slowly falling off before the wind, she swayed and rocked on the tumultuous seas until, by a final effort, they got her on the other tack. It was hardly what Mark desired. He would have been better satisfied if they had approached closer still, but it was too late for regrets. The junk was fast be- ing dropped astern by her own inaction and the Badger’s speed. Suddenly a vivid flash of lightning illumined the scene for one brief moment—a bright glare which brought out with wonderful distinctness every detail of the strange fabric. At that moment Mark happened to be looking through the glass for a last view, and he saw by the powerful instrument two persons standing aft near the stern. ‘l’hen all was darkness again. But what the young commander had observed caused him — to turn quickly to the middy and exclaim, with a touch — of triumph in his voice: ; fe | thought I was right, Ned; that tell- tale flash ie 7