True Blue: Stirring Stories of Naval Academy Life — page 32: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

ii ee era ss ke opt ind Clif could make out neither door nor knocker. He sought to trace the sound, | A pile of dirt from an excavation had been grown over thick with weedy verdure. This proved a screen till Clif crept nearly to its top. In a vine-choked depression, half-natural, half-artificial. was a wretched structure of boards and stones. it had a door. Hammrring on it was Chawncey. By his side were his two familiar satelites. | Clif ducked his head low for fear of being seen, held his breath lest the least flutter should betray him. Some one challenged Chawncey from the inside just then, for the hum of a human voice, but vague, reached Clif’s hearing. ‘Then the door was noisily opened, and a man holding a half-cigar peered out. “Oh! you cadets, eh?” he uttered, not particularly friendly of welcoming. “Yes, it’s us,” answered Chawncey. “You told us to come z “I know I did, provided “We've brought the money.” “Have you?” “Of course, and something better.” “Ay, and what's that, now ?” “The things you want from Faraday.” The lock of hair?” “The lock of hair,” “And the drop of blood ?” “And the drop of blood.” “Good enough !” “Why!” breathed Clif, “this is positively curdling!”’ What could cadets or man want with these grewsome memoirs of a fellow being? The man stepped out to push the rattletrap of a door farther open so all could enter. _ As the sunlight fell upon his face Clif recognized him instantly. are lt was “the hoodoo,” comicbooks.com