The Wasp, 1918 · page 255 of 330
The Wasp — 1918 — page 255: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page appears to be **prose fiction rather than a cartoon**, presenting a dramatic dialogue from what seems to be a serialized adventure story about maritime piracy or privateering. The scene depicts a confrontation between **Captain James** (the commanding officer) and **Tom Croft** (a crew member), with discussion of rival captains **Burnham** and **Trimmer**. The conflict centers on crew loyalty and superstition: Croft objects to sailing with exactly thirteen men, viewing the number as unlucky and fatal to previous crew members. James threatens Croft with death for his "babbling." The passage illustrates **period attitudes toward maritime superstition**—the number thirteen was genuinely feared by sailors as an omen of doom. The dramatic tension reveals class dynamics aboard ship: despite being intimidated into silence, Croft's concerns resonate with other crew members who whisper doubts whenever the captain isn't watching. This appears to be **entertainment fiction** rather than satire, though without seeing other pages, the full context remains unclear.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
246 THE WASP full crew ; and here am | with twelve men left of my crew and a fourteen-foot boat. But can you name me ten lads o’ his crew who wouldn’t leave him and come to me at a whistle? Not you, Tom Croft. And how will his new moons and his old wives’ tales serve him when we slip into his harbour some dark night and you go over the rail o the schooner and into the fore: castle and tell the lads that Captain Burnham — | is waiting alongside to take command and cut out Trimmer’s OES heart? How’ll the luck fallthen?” — “¢ Aye, sir, ye’ll have the wind o’ him Lit ye ever come up with him ; but we won’t never go over the rail o’ the white schooner if we sail a company o’ thirteen. Thirteen has done for many astout mate o’ mine, cap’n.”’. “And if you let me hear any more o’ your silly babbling it will. bring yourself to a violent and sudden death,” retorted James with a snarl in his voice and a glitter in his eye. Though Tom Croft was cowed into silence, he was not satisfied, and several other members of the little company mistrusted the number — thirteen as keenly as he did. They whispered together whenever the captain’s eye was not upon them. James knew, of course, that they - [comiicbooks:com))