The Wasp — 1914 — page 33: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This appears to be a narrative fiction excerpt rather than a political cartoon. The text describes a confrontation between Captain Burnham (a ship captain) and Mr. Boyle (the mate) aboard a vessel that has narrowly escaped pursuit by a pirate ship called "Hellfire Hicks." Boyle expresses relief they weren't caught, but Burnham insults his courage, sneering that Boyle would have "died of fright" in combat. Burnham is portrayed as angry and frustrated—he wanted a fight but the schooner was too slow to engage. The passage depicts class tensions between officers and the challenge to masculine pride, typical themes in 19th-century adventure fiction. Without seeing the illustrations, the specific satirical or political intent remains unclear.