The Wasp, 1918 · page 226 of 330
The Wasp — 1918 — page 226: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains narrative text from what appears to be a serialized nautical adventure story, likely involving American naval vessels during a conflict (possibly the War of 1812, given references to "Frenchman" as adversary). The scene depicts Captain Scovil aboard the sloop *Tartar* spotting a pursuing French schooner. A second vessel, the *Wasp*, is also observed. The dialogue shows Scovil's grim resignation—he expects defeat by the Frenchman and believes the *Wasp* will merely watch rather than help. A young sailor responds optimistically that they might yet escape. Scovil's final quip ("our toes are sure to") darkly jokes that even if nothing else happens, they'll at least lose their feet in battle. **Note:** This appears to be fiction/serialized literature rather than political satire or cartoon content. The page contains no visible illustrations supporting the OCR'd text.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE WASP 217 stage, this one over the, shimmering horizon to leeward. It grew swiftly, working up the wind toward the chase. To Scovil’s anxious -glass it soon disclosed itself as a schooner, low and spotless, white of hull, and heavily sparred. The schooner came on until she was within half a mile of the sloop. Then she swung to the right and fled away across the wind. The curious and anxious watchers aboard the Tartar could see the gaily besashed. and armed fellows on her long decks and the gleam of the big, unjacketed gun in her bows. : “It is that confounded Wasp, as I live!” — exclaimed Scovil to a middy, at his elbow. “We've found her at last; but I fear me we'll derive little satisfaction from the discovery. _ She'll hang off and on to watch the fun, I sup- pose; but there’ll be no pickings for her after the Frenchman has done with us.” “The Frenchman has to catch us before he can pluck us, sir,” replied the hopeful and courageous reefer. “And maybe, even if he does catch us, he’ll find our feathers hard to pull.” - Scovil patted the lad kindly on the shoulder. “‘ Something may turn up,” he said with a smile. “If nothing else does, our toes are sure to!”’ : comichooks.com