The Wasp, 1913 · page 291 of 364
The Wasp — 1913 — page 291: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page appears to be from a serialized story rather than a political cartoon. The narrative depicts a group of sailors/adventurers who have lost a crew member (Tom Croft) at sea—apparently due to superstition around the number thirteen. One survivor wants to collect a debt owed by the dead man, but is shut down by James, who insists they focus on the living. The passage then describes the group's clandestine nighttime approach to a coastal village, hiding their boat and scouting the settlement under cover of darkness while villagers sleep. The tone suggests illicit activity—likely piracy, smuggling, or raiding. **Without seeing illustrations or knowing the magazine's date and context**, the satire's specific target remains unclear, though the story's dark humor about maritime superstition and morally questionable "adventurers" suggests social commentary on nautical commerce or criminality of the era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
286 THE WASP silly superstition to thank for it. Now we are twelve; and there’s the end o’ it.” > “Tom was in the right o’ it, anyhow,” said one of the men. ‘He said as how thirteen was unlucky, an’ now he’s proved it. Where'd ye plant ’im, Bill? Tom Croft an’ me was good friends, we was, an’ he owed me a mite o’ money, he did—just about what that there little cross would square. Pipe up, matey, so’s I can go an’ take a last sight 0’ Tom’s pore remains. Where’d ye put him to?” “Stow that!” said James sharply. ‘‘We’ve no time for collecting debts from the dead. It’s the livin’ we’re concerned with.” The little boat crawled northward along the coast for several hours. When the sun was high the voy- agers went ashore and hid the craft. Six of the company set out on foot to spy upon the village. The boat was launched and manned again im- mediately after sunset. The quiet cove where the fishing-boats rode at their stone anchors was entered two hours later. The village slumbered peacefully. No dog barked even when the adventurers went ashore in search of provisions. Comichooks.com