True Blue: Stirring Stories of Naval Academy Life — page 37: what you’re looking at

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

- oo * Wi 4 » % : P ad ™, > Thus Clif had settled the matter, and was resolute to abandon the affair and get back to camp and more serious duties, when the charlatan’s jeer at Chawncey and con- temptuous treatment of his mystic trappings were fol- lowed by that chorused, derisive— “Ha! hal” Clif was checked under his shelter at once, terested anew. At first, as he saw no other person in the room, he wondered if he had not been attracted by an echo. Then he knew better, for the jeering “Ha! ha!” was re- peated. : In a dark corner of the room was an old chest. [ts cover now went up, and out stepped a new actor on the scene. . CHAPTER VII. ALL IN A MUDDLE! Clif took a long stare at the man getting out of the chest. He climbed out on the floor, and puffed and panted as If he had been suffering for the lack of air. “Whew!” he ejaculated, “that was a hot box, and no mistake!" He drew the sleeve of his coat over his face to wipe away the perspiration, as he spoke. As he did this, that face changed its aspect to a degree that fixed Clif’s attention still closer. Clif had fancied the man to be a negro, at first sight. Now he saw that the fellow was only blacked up—dis- pitised., Streaks of white showed where he had brushed away the soot or burned cork, and he appeared grotesque with- out realizing it. “Don't want any more of that!” he remarked. “There was no especial need of it, was there?’ insin- uated the hoodoo. “You might have sat in a dark corner comfortable ,and have passed for some colored client or humble assistant of the great necromancer!” “Fuh! the cheap noodles!” Bb? “Yes, they bite easy.” “Got rid of them, I hope?” ' ff ne ee » oe a (_VW- : i >. sill .* . A comicbooks.com