The Yankee Champion — page 89: what you’re looking at

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

89 THE YANKEE CHAMPION. “Oh, no, that wouldn’t have done, for he hadn’t commenced operations then; and one is enough to know such a thing as that, for if there’d been half a dozen watching him he’d have smelled the rat an’ laid low. I knowed one could catch him the best. He wouldn’t have cut the main-brace, only he did it while I was getting up the shot-plugs.’’ ““Maynard was right,’’ said Nixon. “Oh, certainly,’’ admitted Cummings. Now, Ben Cummings was not the man to carry forward a complicated plot, for he greatly lacked cool judgment; bat he was a sailor, every inch of him, and he was fearless in present danger—just the man for his position. ‘‘And now,’’ continued Captain Nixon, ‘‘let’s see how much we have gained by the detection of this Tory. This paper was originally addressed to Silas Ryan, Esquire, and is signed by one of General Howe’s secretaries, and I take this cypher in the cor- ner to be simply a mark made by the general him- self to signify that it vas written by his orders. It is meant for a sort of instruction and bond, both. I will read it: ‘* “Boston, Nov. 12, 1775. — ‘““*To Silas Ryan, Esquire, and the League of Safety for His Royal Majesty.’ ”’ “Well, that’s a fine sounding beginning, I must say,’ uttered Cummings. ‘‘League of Safety! Well, one on ’em’s Safe enough, anyhow,’’ added Maynard; ‘‘an’ if we don’t miss it we’ll safety the rest on ’em afore we’ve done with ’em.’’ Nixon smiled at the old man’s earnestness, and then continued to read: comicbooks.com | WOM SS