Ensign Merrill — page 78: what you’re looking at

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

MARK MEETS WITH Few ACCIDENT. ee ae e “Mr. Merrill! he’ s—he’s in the boat, unconscious, - Hurry! have him taken out, or it’ll be too 1-late!”? Ned did not wait to hear the last. The third officer’s gesture and his mention of the ensign’s name was enough. Climbing over the canvas guard, he grasped the end of the boat-falls, and hauled himself up to the edge of the launch hand over hand. There, lying in the bottom, half-covered with water, was Mark, in imminent danger of being drowned by the oe of the ship. 7 {t was but the work of a moment to drag him ona seat. ‘I’hen, holding him secure, Gage called for as- sistance. By that time Mr. Watson had obeyed the boatswain’s summons, and was passing forward on the starboard side. Hearing the ‘middy’s voice, he ran up on the bridge, and took in the situation at a glance. Willing hands quickly removed Merrill to a place of safety, where the doctor saw him and applied restora- tives. After several minutes of constant effort, he was restored to consciousness and sat up weak and trem- bling, but able to greet his friends with a smile of grati- — tude. — | In the meantime Jeff Miller had recovered sufficiently to explain how they had been swept off the bridge into the launch. When the gigantic wave struck the Badger the shock threw them off their feet, and they were instantly carried away by the inrush of water, landing with a terrible crash in the boat to leeward. The blow was sufficient to render them unconscious, Jeff was the first to regain hissenses. He tried to drag the ensign out of danger, but it was too much for his strength, so he managed to reach the bridge by a super- - human effort, and notified Ned Gage. Dr. Agnew advised Mark to rest until morning, but the young commander insisted that he was fit for duty, Gomicbooks.com