The Wasp, 1913 · page 64 of 364
The Wasp — 1913 — page 64: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This appears to be a serialized fiction excerpt from *The Wasp*, likely from the late 19th century. The text shows a dialogue between James Burnham (who was previously known as "Hellfire Hicks," suggesting a criminal past or alias) and Henry Todd, a nervous young man. The passage depicts Burnham reassuring Todd of his reformed identity while requesting a knife. Todd's anxious response—worrying about losing his pirate berth and settling scores with Captain Smith and Mr. Winch—suggests this is adventure fiction involving nautical crime or piracy. Without visible illustrations, the satirical or political content remains unclear. This may be serialized melodrama rather than satire, or the cartoon/commentary portion appears on another page. The text alone reads as dramatic narrative rather than social commentary.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE WASP 63 now stubbly with a growth of several days. He fingered this growth discontentedly as he crossed the beach. At the edge of the whitewood grove he turned to Henry Todd. , “Have you a knife?” he asked—‘“a sharp one?” The boy shrank away from him, with terror in his humble eyes. Burnham laughed. “You poor fool!” he exclaimed. “Do you think I want to cut your throat? Perhaps you still think I am Hellfire Hicks. I have told you that my name is James Burnham. I am James Burnham, an unfortunate gentleman, and the son of a baronet. Now, then, have you a knife?” Todd produced a large case-knife from a pocket of his canvas trousers. Holding it in his hand, he eyed Burnham timidly. “If ye ain’t a pirate,” he whined, “‘what’s to be- come o’ me? What will I do for a berth? An’ how’ll I ever settle my score with Cap’n Smith an’ Mr, Winch?” Burnham laughed softly, and his dangerous eyes Comichooks.com