The Wasp, 1913 · page 294 of 364
The Wasp — 1913 — page 294: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains narrative text from what appears to be a serialized fiction story in *The Wasp* magazine, rather than a cartoon or satirical commentary. The passage describes a plan involving maritime characters: someone named James plans to use a brig called the *Virtue* to lure John Trimmer into an attack. The scheme relies on exploiting the harsh conditions aboard the *Virtue* (where captains Smith and Winch allegedly mistreat the crew) to recruit mutineers, then use the vessel as bait to draw Trimmer's schooner close enough for an ambush. The reference to "gentlemen of fortune" is period slang for pirates. The narrative suggests this is an adventure or pirate story with strategic naval conflict. Without seeing illustrations or having publication date context, I cannot identify specific historical figures being satirized or determine whether this mocks real events or simply entertains readers with fictional pirate intrigue.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE WASP 289 be done before he, James, had proved his identity. One minute of ignorance on the part of Trimmer’s hundred might mean the extermination of Burn- ham’s eleven. He was willing to risk it, of course; but, first of all, he would like to Jay a new plan be- fore his comrades. There sailed the brig Virtue; and, unless she had changed her skipper and her mate since he and Henry Todd had been aboard her, there sailed a brig ripe and ready for their purpose. He was ready to stake his reputation on the assertion that, with Smith and Winch still bullying, starving, and over- working the crew, eighty per cent. of the men would be glad to become gentlemen of fortune. In that case it would be a small matter to get posses- sion of the brig and a likely lot of recruits. Then they would sail the tublike brig down to within sight of John Trimmer’s lookouts, the very picture of a helpless merchantman. Out John would come, unable to resist so easy a prize, and lay the white schooner alongside without loss of time or ammunition. He knew John’s way of dealing with an easy proposition. Comichooks.com