The Wasp, 1918 · page 257 of 330
The Wasp — 1918 — page 257: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page appears to be from a serialized adventure narrative rather than a political cartoon. The text describes a plot involving recruiting men and pursuing a "traitor" named John Trimmer to a hidden harbor where he allegedly hides with a schooner and a woman named Hélène. The passage focuses on a character named Bill Hook, who is suffering from fever but secretly separates from a group of twelve men camping in hills above "Bottle Harbour." His furtive action of testing his knife's edge suggests he plans some form of betrayal or violence. Without seeing illustrations or additional context, it's unclear what specific political or social satire *The Wasp* intended here. The narrative appears to be adventure fiction—possibly parodying popular adventure serials of the era—but the satirical target and any caricatured figures remain unclear from this text alone.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
~ 248 THE WASP half a dozen recruits, if it could be done quietly; ‘but he was anxious not to attract attention -and so let the word get about that he was still _ at large. This done, they would make a comfortable voyage to that hidden harbour where, as it was only reasonable to suppose, John Trimmer the traitor still lay in retirement with his fine white schooner and the beautiful Hélene. ll The plan was well received. As the day was ~ | now near its end, it was decided that the little _ | expedition should leave Bottle Harbour at the | first lift of dawn. They did not build a fire that night, for fear that the ship that had sent in the boats had left watchers somewhere near — J athand::: «. i They retired to the hills above the harbour | to sleep. The fact that Bill Hook did not lie | down with them escaped their notice in the dark. 2 | Bill was not more than fifty yards away from | the resting-place of the twelve. He lay down | on the warm loam and shook with the ague-chills _ of his fever. The sickness passed in time, leav-~ | _ ing him deathly weak and fatigued for an hour. | He got to his feet at last and leaned against | a tree. He drew his knife from its sheath and felt edge and point with a calloused thumb. / omicbooks.com) ;