The Boy Soldier; Or, Garibaldi's Young Captain — page 85: what you’re looking at

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

-_-e-oo THE BOY SOLDIER; OR, GARIBALDI’S YOUNG CAPTAIN. 79 a "ee across the river. While doing this I learned all about it.” | And where ‘is this place in which he is con- fined ?” they asked, quickly. “It is useless to’ tell you, for it isso well-guarded at the mouth, that not a cat conld pass without it was in Austrian uniform.” ‘‘ You know, then, where he is confined ?” “T do, His wound, I heard, was but a slight one after all, It merely stunned him,” ‘I am {sorry we made such a mistake as not to seek him before we left the field,” said Hugh, sor- rowfully. “They will murder him by inches if the Austrians only find out who and what he is ; I fear they will cast him into some loathsome dungeon there to die of starvation,” said Dick, sorrowfully ; “but we one and all, lose our lives or rescue our brave Frank,” : | The villain smiled, as he said, “It is possible he may escape yet.”? “Not without aid.” “But you ean render: that. little danger and expense 2” “No; neither, Our life for Frank Ford.” “Then I'll tell you what we'll do,” ch WpAP do you propose—to show me the mountain pass ?” “Yes ; more than that.’ “ What then ?” “JT will assist you.” “Brave,” said Hugh, saking him warmly by the hand ; “you area true Garibaldian,”’ “Yes, and will proye myself such by assisting the escape of your bold brave English chief,” “ But I must tell you,” said the stranger, “‘ before You don’t mind a we proceed further in this desperate adventure, that it will not: do for both of you to go.” “Not both of us! Why not’?” “asked Dick Fellows, quickly. ‘Why not both of us, pray ?” “Simply for this reason,” said the dark stranger. “Two of us ‘could well manage the business ; but if three were discovered prowling about the moun- tain pass, it would excite suspicion.,”’ The dark stranger’s manner was so plausible that Hugh Tracy at once acceded to the proposition. Dick, however, was much displeased. ‘‘What, go alone on this terrible venture ?’’ he said, half aloud, in English, ‘Yes, why not?” . yeu fear the stranger may deceive us both,” said Dick, “His words and manner are plausible enough ; but there is a something in his sparkling eye, and restless twitching of the mouth, that I do not like,” “Oh, fear not,” said Hugh, gaily, ‘you hayen’t seen as much of these Italians as I have, What say you, shall I go?” | “No,” said Dick, *‘ not without. me,” ‘Then will you go alone?” “Not without you, Hugh !” said Dick. ‘‘ Three would excite suspicion, roaming about the mountains, and so near to the Austrian fort too.” “Well, as you please, Hugh,” said Dick, “ If you will go, of course there is no altering your determination ; but, as to me, I fear the Italian. He may not be a Garibaldian after all.” ‘Think you he would expose himself to any stray shot by wearing the red shirt, then? Trust me, Dick, he 7s a Garibaldian, and a right good sturdy one also, if I’m not much mistaken.” So, after many words of warning, Hugh resolved to go alone with the guide, and “trust to luck.” “Never fear for me, Dick,” said Hugh. “Iam well armed, and if he does mean me any harm he will get more than he gives,” said Hugh; in a whisper, aside. The guide did not understand one word of English, so he listened to the conyersation. without profit. : | But while they were talking apart, he narrowly scanned the features of the two youths in hopes of gleaning some information, He was much mistaken, however. Hugh and Dick were particular not to disclose their thoughts or intentions ,to the stranger by a single look or gesture, Hugh Tracy and the guide departed. Dick Fellows retraced his steps, and wayed his hand in token of “ good luck,” but he had not gone far when he halted behind a ledge of rocks by the roadside, ‘JT do not like the looks of this new-found friend,” said he, *‘ and will follow at a distance; they shall not observe me, and if the guide does mean treachery he shall not live long to repent it, if there’s any strength left in my good right band to slay him,’”’ Directly the guide and Hugh departed, Dick tied up his horse in the forest with a long rope so as to give the animal 2 good length of tether to feed, and he followed the two fast retreating figures. *‘ What does the black-looking deyil want to be laoking back so often for?” thought Dick, and this confirmed him all the more in his resolution to follow so as to be close at hand in case of danger. ‘Where is this place where the Anstrians haye confined our young captain?” said Hugh, ‘Is it far?” ‘No, not very far,’ said the guide; “ we shall reach it in an hour or two.” “But in what direction ?” | ‘‘ Yonder,” said the guide, pointing to a lofty group of mountains. ‘““Why, the highway to Vienna yuns throuch them. I perceive even now the broad white tracks of the coach road. ‘You are right,” was the guide’s reply. ‘It is one of the many militaryfroads which the Austrians have cut throughthe mountains, andit saves a day’s journey or more on the distance to Vienna.” “Yes, true ; I have heard of these military roads before.” “The entrance is only fifty feet wide; and the outlet is not so broad, ‘There is a large, strong party of soldiers always on guard at both entrances, night and day, and, as I have said before, not a cat would be permitted to pass by the house at either end without it was in Austrian uniform. “Then how shall we manage to escape them ?”’ “Oh, leave that to me,” said the guide, grinning ; “there’s more ways than one. I have oft2n descended into that little valley before, and by a means the white coats little dream of.’ “Hal indeed, how is that?” said Hugh. * You must be a brave fellow.” “Well, as to that, there may be two opinions, you know. That I am brave, and well worthy of confidence is plain, or otherwise General Garibaldi wouldn’t trust me with such important messages as he does.” ‘How did you manage to escape them? They would have shot you on the spot if you were dis- covered,” ‘‘T know that,” was the dry reply, *‘ but I never intend that they shall discover me. And yet I often go there for pleasure.”’ ‘Mor pleasure! and run the risk of being killed ?” Comicboookks.co©