Wrestling Joe: The Dandy of the Mines — page 25: what you’re looking at

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THE LOG CABIN LIBRARY. but they fancied that the hoarse, thick voice of Chainpe parted the reeds as they went inland to make their camp, was one among those they heard, and to follow back the trail was all they had to do. Soon, the sight of a light proved that a camp-fire had Soon the girl was aft in her place, and Pepito was busy been lighted, and now Joe realized what would be his muffling the oars, so that they would not rattle in the e peril at the dawn of day if these were indeed men in thole-pins when in use. search of him, with Champe to control them. | “Are you ready?” was heard, in a whisper, a few min- ‘T wish the wind would rise and blow a hurricane,” he utes later. said. “It will be hard work to creep up tothatcamp It was Wrestling Joe who asked the question as he unheard amid the dry and rustling reeds, but it must be sprang lightly into the boat. } done. If that party is in search of us we must move from, “Ay, all ready. Shall I shove out ?” said the dwarf, in here long hours before the light of day can aid them in the same low tone, their search. If they are not our enemies we can spend | “ Ay, the sooner now the better, before a blaze lights up the night in comfort and be strong for work to-morrow.” | tbe water,” said Joe. ‘Hark! hear that, even before you “The wind is rising. Heaven be thanked!” whispered see the tongues of flame.” ; Maggie, as in a fitful gust the wind swept through the tall; A low roar, like the hum in a multitude, heard before a reeas. | | riot breaks out, or the rush of distant wateis, reached “Then keep still. I will before long return. Pepito, if their ears as Pepito took his oars, | : ou hear the cry of a bittern can you answer it?” The skiff was pushed ottt, and in a few seconds was on The cry of the bird, as if startled from the reeds, rose the stream. ey from the lips of the dwarf so naturally that Joe looked up, Almost as soon a flash of light, growing each instant He almost listened for the rustle of wings above his head. stronger, brighter, rose. among the tules whiclr they had “That will do,” he whispered. “If you hear the cry left. It was dead to windward of the gamblers’ camp. answer, + I al Hot miss you on my return.” im eae pise “T will. would go if you would let me, but I am too awkward to creep like you Se the reeds.” CHAPTER XXII. 2 Stay pore with Maggie. I will be back a long. I | “Ir IS HIS VOICE!” shall only go neareenough to know who and whatthey| , Re Pe Lae are. ‘heir fire will lead me in the right direction, and its ae ae in Segre cap ia ype aide oe cs ee be . * . < . ; , ce . crackling sound, which even here can be heard, will be an Steer for that clump of trees—the river will be all alight ~ ” aid to me. in twenty minutes with the blaze which I have kindled.” Joe now crept away, making so little noise that only as he left them, while close in the vicinity, could they hear Pepito made no reply, but bent to the oars, and the skiff Y flew swiftly through the parting waters. him at all. The wind was rising, too, and when it came I f SPR oPE th th in gusts it shook the reeds so much that even the watchers! 7" a very teow Minutes: 1b was ClOse im on We soulnerN would start, believing that men were coming upon them in| shore, beneath the outstretched limbs of trees which grew a body. at the water’s edge, and as the skiff touched the ground An hour at least passed by, and before any sound except fos eet) ee 34y Sade (pecs DS OG Gees Rear a the talking in the distant camp, and the rustling of reeds, COTO. ESLO; TOM. ODKEFVALION DOr’. e will wate shaken by the wind, was heard. petro on. the ore = for a little while, and then “ ot “ ecide what course to take. Pee me VORY vely JON) Meher ARE Ie: nope Pepito, Maggie, and the wrestler now stood up in the he is safe.” ; : .. ..| boat steadying themselves by the branches which were “If he were not we should have heard from him,” said thick chore aoa around ans to look upon a sight all the dwarf. “Ah—that is his cry. He 1s coming back, | strangely new to them—at least to Maggie and the dwarf. and would know where we are. : . |. For now, springing as from a circle, whirling away to The cry of the bittern, heard so often in the night, in| the yight and left, like living things, the flames leaped those low swampy lands, now reached their ears. high in the air, and louder and louder, as the real wave _ Pepito replied in the same way—twice was the cry heard | }o!}ed on, came the roar of the sea of fire, like the chorus and twice replied to, and then Joe was with them. of angry oan coming on the wind. ; “We must leave this place,” he whispered. “Champe| « aye they where that fire will reach them?” asked and ten of the worst desperadoes on the coast are camped Maggie, with a shudder three hundred yards below. They are drinking hard, |> « Yes—they must. be ina drunken stupor, or the roar and within an hour or two will be wrapped in drunken | would reach their ears and rouse them to their danger. slumber. Then I will prepare a little lesson for them to 7 now can see their boat—it is close to the line of fire as it learn, and before they wake to know its import we will sweeps down toward the water. I can see where they be on the other shore and far below this spot. Fora full age their camp; but the tules are too high to see the half hour I lay where I could hear all they said and even) .anvas drawn over oars to form a shelter from the dew. study every face. Champe swears first to find us, then to) «ay jook there—that flash is from powder which has go back and wipe out all the settlement at Timbuctoo. | payoh : ght—hear the report, a powder flask has just exploded. He’ll find merry work, if he undertakes the half ve ppey will roast alive—it is terrible. I did not think it heard him threaten in the camp down there. But let him! . 4414 do more than drive them terror-stricl t ; . the talk. He’ll have a blistered tongue, if my plan works 4... . AS . soins res right. The wind is rising as I hoped, the reeds grow dry | Minka ee sy Alpe ees pe ees maubh Daye Tape | manent its ure Be pee eae pone gael off.| Wrestling Joe shuddered, and for an instant turned 200) aegis ‘ las Pg ‘: s they are Cropping | away his eyes, while higher and higher leaped the red he W} . ca : oud aie eget tee flames, and on—on they rolled, a sea of terror, iierthey seem to think US nearf aske agele. “Oh, God of merey! Look—look at that. It isa ; No—they think pe eh sarees on, upon ree of we —a man on fire!” vaaaaanl Maggie, wildly glaring wee islands, and were afraid they’d pass us in the night.| the water, and clutching the arm of Wrestli i Hark! they are almost silent now. I knew their frequent) nervous grasp. . sacs gaia eanee draughts would have effect before long. When all is still) He looked and saw what seemed a giant form, all clad + ereep carefully to the boat with Maggie. Get in, muffle jin fire, come leaping down toward the river-side—howls _ the oars, and be prepared to start when I come down. We | of agony coming with dreadful force across the water. must quickly cross the river, when I arrive, for this side) “But one—and all the rest will perish in their drunken - will not long be tenable. SEARS = _,{sleep. ’Tis awful—’tis worse than murder!” said Joe _ - “J understand _you now,” said Pepito. “Come, girl and he trembled while he spoke. _. Maggie—come. Follow me and soon we will be afloat’ On leaped the man on fire, until he reached the water, again.” and into this he sprang as if death by it were easier than ss The girl made no reply, but when Pepito crept away she that dreadful agony of fire. followed him. ' The flames swept on until for miles above and below the It was easy for them to find the boat, for they had tules burned as prairies burn, Ca ao + J ‘ Sa. ’ > ae al « *? = ‘ ear? j . , - - odes r J ™ : NR PRR: ar . “ss aft ‘ . a - * CO i eb p> eS | we SS a er . eh" Pigs ee Pee y Pos CMISF. iy . ba — ah" . a a = by we) \ | — i bf s. L Le bl é te oat Ya FA *, “yw ~ id ae a Oey ad a“ VAR KS Ss. O mM