The Blue Clipper — page 30: what you’re looking at

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

_ jacket, entered the water with his companion. - ‘The schooner was kept after the brig, until night hid her masts from sight. Then Wand clapped on sail, until he was “near enough to distinguish her light, keeping his own, mean-— while, concealed. He then shortened sail again so as toholl < “his present distance from the vessel he was following. = Thus he continued on until near dawn, when he allowed. 3 himself to fall so far astern, that, owing to the blue color af his vessel, and a light mist prevailing, the schooner could not _ have been seen from the brig. A Before night the latter vessel was observed to. anchor off that part of the coast about sixty miles from Vera Cruz. _ = Wand now laid off and-on, still keeping out of sight of > the other craft. At dark he had his boat lowered, and pulled ashore, abouk four miles from the spot where the brig was anchored. — Taking with him a couple of trusty men, Tom Bend one of the number, armed with revolver ard stead he moved "< swiftly along the shore, until he had gained a reck np aa = the spot where thé brig luy auchored, and bebind which +e screened himself and his-men, A few minutes after a boat was lowered from the brig, con. taining the captain and one man, ey It was seen by the light of the moon shining at the smal ey to glide toward the line of conical rocks, which have been mentioned, and among which it soon alter disappeared. 89 ~~ “We must follow those fellows,” said Wand to Tom Bend, ” “to do which we'll have to wade and swim in search of “3 them.” ’ “ Ay, ay, sir!” answered Bend. “I can swim like a cod. '< fish. My chin will sarve a good turn if we git entangled in a seaweed. I can cut that in two with it, and clear the way.” Having ordered the other man to remain, and giving him 2 4 whistle to sound as an alarm in case of his seeing any = approaching, Wand now divesting himself of his shoes and * Which way, sir?” inquired Bend, as each of the men tied R: his eutlass and his revolver to his back, to prevent ct eta : _ “Silently and swiftly the two then ewam in the at) Oe see ert sn oe ne = mee wa i § bf Soe