Beadle's Dime Novels No. 131 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

18 THE WRECKER’S DAUGHTER. the gleam of sunshine was gone, and all was wilder, gloomier and more tempestuous than before. .. ., - ea struck ! she’s struck !” “ How she staggers!” . “I never seed the water so high! How the wind cuts it " up! Why, it’s «Seti, Ippeia. the sea for a land cruise. I don’t believe we ea Single aaa none o’ her cargo, ’cept. hat comes reo’ its own acco . Pier her signal gun | She’s fully a mile off. I don’t think there’s a boat. +. sand it, fer on that spit the storm- devils rage particular b une reckon «we'll try, boys, ” shouted old Joe, in his hoarse s Ere OH land-lubbers as is afraid of a little tossin’, Fe tn the. fires. Thar ain't no time to lose, gettin’ the piles ready. It'll be so.dark i in fifteen minutes you can’t tell a stick o’ wood when you -see it, Til run up a lantern on the mast o’ the Jolly Jack. We'll ask her if she’s in want of immediate relief; if she is, 'm off, for one. The tugs can’t do nothin’ in that sea... They might as well try to steam up Niagara Falls.” By a system of signals, understood both by wreckers and — sailors, the ship was communicated: with, and it was ascertain- ed that she was in no immediate danger of going to pieces— ‘that the captain @onsidered his yessel lost, and gave her up to the wreckers. These wreckers, be it understood, worked under appointed agents, in a manner regulated by law; and when the captain of a vessel resigned her to their care, systematic efforts were made to saye her cargo for the benefit of the underwriters, the wreckers receiving a stipulated portion as their reward. We will not assert that many a confiscated barrel did not un- lawfally make glad the stomachs of the poor men; nor that bits of incongruous finery neyer.set.off the soft charms. of the fish-wives with a splendor which hinted of concealed bales and boxes ; but, these were only small “ asides” in the regular drama, like peculations on Wall street. . Messengers were now | Saininchamemeainenr onan comichooks.com ST Pe 7 ~~ | - i a -_ = i