Old Specie, the Treasury Detective; or, The Harbor Lights of New York — page 114: what you’re looking at

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

106 OLD SPECIE. Then he worked along a few inches at a time. He found the planks had not been removed from over the second celiar. It was as though he were in a loft, over the lower part of a barn, barring the hay. He speedily had reason to feel glad that he had adopted this course. Light came through various crevices, for the planks were ill fitting and not nailed. Indeed, as he trusted his weight upon them, he realized that great care would have to be taken in order that those below might not receive Ware of his presence above. Crawling along regardless of dust or aught else, he came to a crack. To this he immediately glued his eye. Men could be seen below. This second cellar seemed to be several feet deeper than the first, for there was more space between the cemented floor and the timbers above than he had found. He did not know how many men there were be- low, as he could see only a certain number at a time, but making a rough guess, he judged there must be eight or ten. They moved about in little knots, talking and laughing in a subdued sort of way. Evidently the meeting was not yet on. Old Specie heard the door close once. ‘“All here, captain,’’ said Ben Bolt. ‘Then come to order.”’ The shuffling and talking ceased. Looking down, Old Specie was gratified to ste that he was in a position to see, a comicbooks (E(@) is