On the Trail of Geronimo — page 179: what you’re looking at

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

4 ON THE TRAIL OF GERONIMO. 167 CHAPTER XX. A SURPRISE PARTY. Ir was amost unpleasant interruption, when Josh Joggens stepped to the door of the Harland ranch and checked the conversation with the an- nouncement that a party of Apaches were ap- proaching. The news caused little alarm on the part of any one, for the presence of the troopers rendered the little family secure against two score of the miscreants. ‘Confound them!” muttered Lieutenant Dick, springing to his feet; “why couldn’t they have kept away at this time, until I had finished my talk with the folks?” “ How fortunate that you and your friends are with us,” said the venerable grandmother, who was so confident that she remained in her rocking chair while the others ran to the door to survey the strangers. “It was hardly worth while disturbing the Comcoooks (CO) mM