The Blue Clipper — page 57: what you’re looking at

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

A DARING MOVEMENT. 59 Half dead with fatigue, he arrived in a couple of days at Vera Cruz. The first object that here met his sight was the blue clip- per, Dolphin, lying almost alongside of Captain Watson's yessel—the cutter Roland. At this sight, Bend nttered a prolonged whistle. Then he squatted down upon the wharf, bringing bis hand down upon his knee with a hearty slap. “ Captured ; ay, ay, captured !” Suddenly the pupils of ‘his eyes expanded; the white rings around them dilated. He could see only one man aboard pacing the deck, the officer of the watch being seated aft, apparently asleep. He sprung to his feet, as if a widen idea had crossed his mind. “One thing is certain,” he muttered, “a man can't'de any thing well while he’s hungry.” So saying he entered a small tavern and partook of some chee-choe, with a few siices of bread and butter. This scant meal refreshed his sinewy frame at once. _ He lingered round the city, until near dark, when he en- tered one of the boats lying manned by youthful oarsmen— x most of them Mexicans—alongside the wharf. 4 “Pull for that blue clipper !” -f * Si, sefior.” The oars splashed, und the boat flew. When alongside the clipper, it was quite dark, “ Ahoy, there, who's that ?” came from the vessel's deck. “ Me.” answered Bend, disguising his vuice. As he spoke he threw ‘the Mexican a piece of money; then he sprung from the boat into the schooner’s fore chains. aS “ Who the deuce is ‘ me’ ?” ‘came the same voice which had spoken before. Somebody approached ; it was too dark to distinguish faces, Bend suddenly sprung over the rail, rushed upon the man, caught him by the throat and dealt him a blow that stunned him. Peering down through the darkness, he distincuished the naval dress of one of Watson’s men. This was evidently one of the watch. Where were the rest? Bend had performed a daring movement, but he felt his =~ peril. —-— COM|CDOOKSsCOLN = = ; —: >