Rocky Mountain Sam — page 20: what you’re looking at

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

ROCKY MOUNTAIN SAM. 11 Sam did not wait a second bidding, but clambered into the basket in a twinkling. ‘<Now,” cried the aeronaut, ‘‘drag at that anchor with all your might, while I chuck out ballast.” Sam quickly obeyed, and presently the anchor tore from its fastenings, the mighty balloon shook, and the car began to leave the ground. At this instant, a brawny Blackfoot sprang to his feet and grasped the bottom of the basket with one hand, while with the other he reached up at Sam with his hatchet.. His added weight was enough to retard the ascent of the balloon, and he held on with grim tenacity, though dragged hither and thither over the rough ground until the moc- casions were torn completely from his feet. “What! you will, will you?” screamed the White Hermit, grasping an iron grappling hook which was attached to the car by ashort rope. ‘Sam, chuck out ballast as fast as you can; Ill give this chap such a ride in the Booglebooby as’ll make his hair enrl.” Sam sprang to his work. ‘The Indian, nearly exhausted, was about to release his hold, but before he could do so the old man let down the grapnel and made it fast to the stout wampum belt about his waist just at the small of the back. Just then the balloon, relieved of many pounds of ballast, shot up in the airlike a great bird, and the savage letting go his hold. was suspended below the car, face downward, about six feet fromthe earth, and to his awe-stricken brethren had the appearance of a man swinging upon the invisible waves of the atmosphere, as he struck out right and left with both hands and feet, yelling at the top of his leathern lungs, and probably imploring them to save him in piteous accents. | One of his comrades sprang forward to save him and grabbed him by the legs. | ‘‘More ballast out! heave it out!” screamed the old aeronaut; and Sam continued to heave out the sand-bags as if for dear life. The balloon still tugged upward, until two of the Indians were swinging clear of the ground, when another sprang and caught the ankles of the second, thus making a chain of three. | | As the last of these were carried off his feet, still another grasped him by the ankles, only to be clutched by still Comicbooks (elo) m