Beadle's Dime Novels No. 87: On the Deep — page 65: what you’re looking at

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

BLOCK PROPOSES TO RECONSIDER. 67 that would be the best way before we venture to quit our retreat.” Capstan consenting, Block cautiously crawled out of the cave. He made his way to the foot of a cocoanut tree that rose from a small open space of ground, beyond the valley. Then, carefully looking round him to make sure that none of his enemies were in his vicinity, he threw off his shoes and climbed the tree. He was soon upon one of the topmost branches, a position that afforded him « good view of the island and the open sea, He was pleased upon discovering that the strait was only a quarter of a mile off. “That's a highly entertaining sarcumstance,” he muttered, “but, ‘misfortunately,” there isn’t a single canoe upon the beach. When we go for the cutter, we'll have to swim across that bit of water, and— _ He paused upon seeing a group of Malays and savages suddenly make their appearance upon the summit of a small ridge of land, a little to the left of the beach, headed by a na- tive, whose figure certainly bore a striking resemblance to the one which had alarmed the party in the cave. The dusky . band were not more than a quarter of a mile off and were rapidly approaching. Block felt that there was not a moment tolose. He quickly descended the tree, and, hurrying to the cave, made known his discovery. The party were ready to leave in an instant. Quitting their retreat, they cautiously but swiftly glided through the shrubbery, and, pursuing a course that carried them far to the rear of their enemies, they succeeded in gaining the beach by nightfall. The darkness was intense, with the exception of a gleam of silvery light in the eastern horizon, where the upper edge of the moon’s disc had just become visible, “ Quick, Block, quick, my lads!” said Capstan. “Now is the time—before the moon rises—to go for the cutter. You can all swim, I believe.” " « Ay ay, sir,” was the response, and shoes and jackets were thrown to the ground. The men were soon in the water, headed by Block. The faint outlines of their heads disappeared a few minutes after from the gaze of the captain and his fair companion, But, by the time they had gained the middle of the strait, a long comicbooks.com