Frank Reade Library No. 12: Frank Reade and His Steam Man of the Plains — page 3: what you’re looking at

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

THE STEAM MAN OF THE PLAINS. 8 aS For the next two weeks the two boys were very = ous, and the old people were wondering what was up. They thought the m lained when Frank as that be might eo with Ris cousin t d they freely gave their consent. The be iid deligh were wild w t. if lace where glory of a They flitted from the house to the tlva steam man row stood, in the f ovat of paint, and proceeded to execute their A strong case was procured, the huge traveier carefully taken apart, and packed away with the pieces of the wagon, and then the whole concern was strongly bound and nailed. Frank made an en ment with a man who owned a truck, to send his mother out for an hour, and thus made his shipment in se- erecy. and the man of metal was started on his ourney. Now that the invention had gone, the inventor longed to follow, and he chaf the time arrived. Then, well supplied with money, and carryi wonderful contrivanees in his trunk, the genius end his cousin bade good-bye to the city, and were whirled away towards the se sun. Both were plucky, both were fond of exsite- ment, yet still they might have turned back in alarm if they could have peered into the future un un and learned what terrible dangers, what wild, | th blood-curdling scenes they were destined to meet in the troublous weet. CHAPTER II. THE STEAM MAN TO THE RESCUE. “ Heip!” The thrilling cry for aid rang out over a wild ecene. An almost trackless western prairie was on fire! The red fiames leaped and danced over the tall, carried f ayy gruss, orward by the whistling reere. Over ‘the prairies, dashing along at terrific speed in advance of the shrieking flames came the steam man of the plains, his long, iron limbs making gigantic strides to escape the fearful en- emy in the rear, the Deny acre containing the two young adventurers fairly leaping from the ground under the effect of the high rate of speed. ho On the driver's seat sat Frank Reade, holding the reins with a firm grasp and guiding the steam giant as one guides a horse. On the -box in the rear part of the wagon eat Charley Gorse. Again that appeal arose high and clear above the roaring of the flames. This time it reached Charley’s ears, and he gazed ém the direction from which the cry came. He beheld a sight that brought him to his feet with a bound. rN At the rear, and slightly to one side of the track they had over, he beheld a white man in the grasp of a brawny red-ekin. © white man was on his knees; the Indian etood over him with uplifted tomahawk. A on delay would be fatal. 66 t be ] The command ed from Charley's lips as his rifie flew to his shoulder. Frank pulled a rod and shut off the steam. The a man shivered and then stood still. The rifle pealed forth {ts shrill note, and almost at the same instant of time the red-skin fell life- fess to the ground, shot through the body by the unerring of the Missouri markaman. Then Frank :ooked around, and found that Charley had saved a human life. The man ho had reecued from death had got upon his feet, and was now rushing swiftly to- wards them. He was making good headway, for he was run- for his life. e flames were close behind him. renee he could feel their scorching breath on n ‘‘ Be quick, for your life!” cried Frank. The man’s feet seemed to fairly tremble as he rashed forward. The driver of the strange concern placed his hand on the conn rod, ready to turn on a good head of steam the moment the fugitive qas safely in the wagon. The breeze was light, or the man could not have escaped the fire, and as it was, the wind rrareg| to increase as it moved along in the wake ) man. wake acapurtt” shrieked Chariey, casting his cifle asidesand leaning over the back of the wag- on in order $0 assist the man when he came up within reach. ‘“‘ Make a spurt and you’re saved.” Urged on to make every endeavor by these cries, the man dashed forward like some fright- ened anfmal The flames shrieked loudly and seemed to gain upon him. Yes, see, they have crawled up to the man’s very feet, and even now their long red tongues shoot upward and forward as if to lap his shrinking body. He reaches the wagon, stumbles; Charley seizes his hand and puils him quickly into the ree and with a sbrill —— pial a man es swiftly away o’er the as, speedily leaving the hissing es far behind. As soon as the man was hauled into the body of the wagon he gave: utterance to a deep sigh, and then tumbled unconscious and ain.dst ex- hausted into the bottom of the vehicle. ‘*Let him alone,” said Frank. ‘‘He’s wind- broken, and as soon as he back his natural brea he’ll be all O. K. Just raise his head a ng rs 60 as *0 give his chest full play. arley did so. The steam man rushed on. The wind whistled a lively tune in the ears of the rescued man, and his chest swelled out. In a moment after he drew a deep breath, and then he sat up on his elbow and leuned against @ wood-box. He wonderingly up at Frank and Char- ley, and the very first words that he said were: ‘** Have yez any whisky?” The question seemei so comi«:! under the cir- cumstances, that both the New York boy and the more rough and ready cousin laughed outright. ** We have,” said Charley. “Thin, for the love o’ , do yez me & dhrop o’ the crater, for it’s dead and kilt intirely I am wid thim bastely redskins and the devil's own fire, and me runnin’ loike Tam O'Shanter wid the witches behint him. Musha—musha, but the flames licked me feet.” Charley handed him the flask of whisky he car- ried, and the Irishman tipped it high in the air. ‘‘ Ah, that puts new li:e in me veins,” he said. ‘‘Then tell me how you got into such a nice little scrape,” said Charley. ‘‘ First tell me your name.” ‘‘ Barney Shea, o’ the town o’ Clonakilty, in the County of Cork,” replied the other. ‘* And what got you into this scrape that came so very near——” Charley had spoken thus far when Barney leap ed to his feet and placed his hands upon k's shoulders. ‘* 8thop the caar—sthop the caar!” he shouted in the driver's ears. ‘I'm going the other way, and how’ll I—oh, murther—murther, tare an’ oucs, what the devil's that?” The sudden change in his sentence was caused by the fact that he had caught sight of the steam man, and was struck with wonder; almost fear. Enjoying his wonder greatly, the young driver pulled a certain cord, and forth from the giant’s mouth came a huge jet of steam, accompanied by a loud, shrieking whistle that seemed to convey the idea that the steam man was suffering with a stomach ache. “Och, worra—worra, will I ever go home!” groaned Barney Shea, and fell down in a heap on the floor of the wagon, while the loud laughter of the two boys ed out merrily on the air. hinge! shut off steam, and the big traveler soon stood still. Many miles away to the east they could see the black clouds rolling over the burning prairies, but they were safe from the tongues of fame. hea the concern came to a halt, Barney tum- bled out over the back of the wagon, and would have made off at the top of his specd, had not the laughing boys res ed him. “Aff wid ye; let me go,” cried Barney Shea, struggling with the merry boys. “I'll not be afther ridin’ in the devil's coach. Musha my gad, will I ever fe home?” “Cork up,” chuckled Frank, who greatly en- joyed Barney's consternation.. ‘Are you afraid of my man?’ = t’s that you call him?” asked Barney. ‘**My man—my steam man.” as And es only a ae pe Irish- man, timidly, up ) veler. ‘“‘That’s 1 Pesta Frack. Barney threw up his hands In wonder, and then began to inspect the machine. The boys then inspected him. They saw a tall, heavily molded figure, a shock of flery red hair, a pair of bright, twinkling blue eyes, and a nose a8 flery-red as the hair; in short a sample of a jolly, handy, -natured Irishman of middl hisky 6 age, and evidently one who enn w and Aghting, and thrived on it, denly he tnrned away from inspecting the Pion and addressed the bo “T’'m | me head entirely,” be said. “I’m standin’ here whin I should be going to Fort Tremont.” ‘* What's that for?’ asked Charley, ** Help,” replied pases: «pn bomigrant rain,” replied Barney. “ Th “Animm » re ° are just beyant the Shallow m, ne yan where holdin’ back a band of murtherin’ and aca] wretches. I took just a wee bit too much crathur on the , and what did Ido pat are dead aslupe in the tall gtass. Whin I waked shure the was on fire, and fornist me stood a red haythen. I tried to arise, but the spal laped upon me shoulders and forced me dowa onto*me marrow bones. Jist thin I heard a smashin’ along and I hollered for help. Yes know the rest, and ye can know by that same token that yeraey Shea’ll die for aither of yes.” “That's all " gaid Ohatiey. ‘‘ What is this band that ns the train?” ‘‘ White and red,” replied Barney. se Psa ns ae st Eanes . °*I wonder w ve an guide with the wagons?’ = ‘* We have Snap Carter,” replied Barney. ‘**Good I” said ene: ‘*Snap’s a bull horse and a team to let. Did he mention who the enemies were under?” Siege he did that. He said ‘twas Captain Sam er.” “ The biggest cut-throat in Missouri,” orled the western boy. “I know the whole . The Sioux with him are under three chiefs—old Sho- lum Alarkum, that bloodthirsty Mutsoer, and the treacherous Tolahpreseser.” He’ then turned to Frank and said: *‘ These people require our aid.” ** Then let's go to them.” said Frank. ‘*Do you hold yourself ready to clean out the hull gang?” asked ik oe “I do,” said Frank, “ do they number?” ** About a hundred in all.” ‘‘And how many men has the train?” asked the boy of Barney. “Three min to aich wagon, and I belave ite twelve carts they have,” was the reply. ‘‘ Thirty-six on our side and a hundred on the other,” said Charley. **We'll count ourselves about sixty,” said the driver of the steam man, “Jump in and let’s be off to the rescue !” They all clambered in, and Charley seated him- self by the driver to point out the way. the p u The steam was let on, the man ve aronnd to the proper direction, and then they set off across the e plains, the 50g teon legs Oo praicie traveler shooting in and out with ra motion. ‘Is it on the old trail?” asked Ohariey of the Irishman. ‘It is,” said Barney. Not another word was uttered for some time, and the steam man dashed quietly along over the smooth plains, the heavy wagon rolling along as wa aria Hens on a plank road. Mile mile flew by, and then they to discern a small patch of wood that stood by the side of a very shallow brook. In this patch an wood, not larger - an spio of ary grove, were the wagons, cattle, and peo the Fealoged train Inail probability the robbers of the plains were concealed in the tall, rank of the brookside. Frank shut off steam and leaped down from the seat, and then threw back the lid of a large trunk in the body of the wago n. Id chap up ia. etyle, and bell walk right otraight oldo u style ell w throug to’ victory r oD CHAPTER IIl. THE BLAZING GIANT. THE sun was Says All day long the faithful guardians of the train had stood watch by the sides of the besi ns, and for some hours Snap Carter looked anxiously out in the direction of the fort, murmuring: ‘The fort’s not eloven miles away; why in the name o’ thunder don't they come?” Every now and then 4 mounted steed would rise up into view from the tall grass, and dash swiftly away with its rider. Snap Carter knew that a desperate band of cat- throats—white men and red—lay in the weds only waiting for night to come. en they would awarm upon the e band of emigrants in the ness, shoot, stab and kill, capture, bu pancerand destroy,and then away to their w GOMILGIOO S (SO)