A Queer Race: The Story of a Strange People — page 164: what you’re looking at

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

A QUEER RACE. 3 161 “‘Let me have one, too,” said Mab (she was a keen | sportswoman). ‘‘I wonder whether I could hit a deer?” ““[ have no doubt you could. There, your piece is charged. You shall have the first shot, if we do see an- other; and if you miss I will try. I thought you said Swamp Island was inhabited only by snakes and alli- gators.” ‘‘’There may be also a tew deer. Or perhaps the one we saw Just now has crossed over from Fair Island.” ‘“In that case there is likely to be a track and a ford not far off. We must keep our eyes open.” As we went through the glade, looking carefully for the slot of the deer, Buttercup, who was just then lead- ing the way, came to a sudden stop, like a pointer set- ting game. ‘‘ Do vou see something?” I asked. ‘* Rather! Look there!” ‘“'The embers of a fire, hardiy cold, and feathers and bones! Who has been cooking here, I wonder—snakes or alligators? Or perhaps it is the deer we saw a little while since.” ‘It is very strange,’ said Mab. ‘‘I am sure nobody is living here, or I should have heard. Hunters from Fair Island? But why hunters shonld come here when game is so much more abundant over there, [ don’t quite see.”’ ‘* There is no accounting for taste,” I putin. ‘* They must be hunters, and if we can find them, their coming will be all the better for us. They can show us the way.” ‘There they are! But——” ‘‘ Back, back! behind the trees!—for your lives, be- hind the trees!” I cried, as an arrow whistled past my head, and another grazed the queen’s shoulder. Poor Buttercup was less fortunate. As half a dozen nearly naked savages came toward us at a run, spears in| hand, he fell to the ground without a groan, struck through the heart. ‘‘T will take the man to my right; you take the next,” I said to the queen. ‘‘ Now!” The next moment two of the black fellows jumped into ~ the air with a yell, and then fellforward on their faces, dead. . | — Eomicbooks (ee) mn