The Blue Clipper — page 58: what you’re looking at

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

> . 2 i =e 7 J 7 "y ~ = THE BLUE CLIPPER. “What's the matter, forward, there?” came the authorita- tive voice of an officer. “ All right, sir,” retorted Bend, disguising his voice as much as possible, “1 thought somebody was going to board us.” * Bend, now, with great celerity, proceeded to panciops him- self in the caped cloak the sailor had worn, Not a moment too soon was this accomplished. The officer came forward, holding a lantern, he had pro- cured from the main rigging. Bend, pulling the sou’wester he had taken from the man over his brows, hastened to meet him. - “ You say you thought some one was trying to board.” “ Ay, ay, sir.” “ Well, look out sharp, now. Remember, you are the only person besides myself aboard from the cutter?” “TI thought so; but I am glad it’s proven !” was Bend’s men- tal comment. “ Ay, ay, sir,” he added, aloud, imitating, as well as he could, the hoarse tones of the sailor who had hailed him. “ Look sharp at the hatches, now and then, to make sure they are all’ right. Remember, there are over thirty of those infernal smugglers yet abourd, confined in the hold.” “ Ay, ay, sir.” The officer walked aft, leaving Bepd to chuckle inwardly at _the suceess of his simple ruse—a ruse, however, which he doubted would have succeeded but for the darkness, and for the fact of his being about the sume hight as the man he had knocked down. Having seen the officer return to the quarter-deck, and seat himself where he had been before, in the shadow of the com- - panion-way, Bend deliberately walked to the forecastle scuttle, and examined the fastenings. These consisted of a handspike and a crowbar, thrust through rings on the edge of the scuttle go as to hold it firmly. The Cape Cod man soon displacing them, descended into _ * Who's that ?” sneaked a dozen voices simultaneously ; and _ Bend heard the clanking of a chain. “Tt is I” answered the intruder. “ Make no noise, but tell "me where I can find a light.” He was informed that there * = : comicbooks*com