Ensign Merrill — page 139: what you’re looking at

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

ites EE Se hs aR ae to ss Tun BADGER BREAKS Down. a ia. 2 Oe nee - Bae ae siedke nape. oe Se a is ye, AS a ae ant abe . Cos se al ws : : “4 - ‘ . ws a co’ i P 7 a $e PCE Sis * : Cay | signal on the. wilietia then sbatinue until you, hea = from me. Try to not waste a charge. Anotherimpor- tant point—remember that three blasts once repeated is to call all hands to repel boarders. It will not be given. without the necessity is great, so when you hear it, drop everything, arm your men with cutlasses and re- volvers, and run on deck. However, if the engines are not disabled I think we can maneuver quickly enough to keep the enemy at a respectful distance.’ After the ensign had finished his directions, N ed. and Watson went below, and within five minutes a mes- senger reported everything in readiness in that quarter. Miller had already mustered the men in charge of the Gatlings, these guns still remaining on their carriages since the previous evening. here was now no further need of disguising the character of the Badger, Her object had been effectually explained by the repulse of the pirate junk. ‘It was Mark’s opinion that word had been carried to - the stronghold by some of the wrecked crew, thereby causing the two other vessels to be sent out for the pur- pose of giving battle. Although not despising the strength of the enemy, still the ensign believed victory - would crown his efforts that day. He now had great. faith in the fighting qualities of his crew, and an un- bounded confidence in the destructive power of the sixty- pounder breech-loaders. They were both destined to be put to the test, and that before very long. As yet neither of the junks was visible tone the -cruiser’s deck. ‘The one supposed to be carrying the chief was still hidden behind Lookout Island, and the other one had not cleared the lower point of T’sin Chu. The Badger was steaming at full speed up the passage between the islands, and the probabilities were the Af three ships would meet at the mouth of the chaueals | eS nes