Rocky Mountain Sam — page 202: what you’re looking at

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

ROCKY MOUNTAIN SAM. 193 breast, and sending another to kingdom come by a well- directed shot. ~ : “Do you think I mean to desert the man? We will only rise about fifty feet or so, for breathing space.” The anchor-line was cut as directed, and the balloon tugged, strained, and soared aloft. ‘The car tore itself loose .from the dusky hands that would have held it down, those that still clung tenaciously being lopped off at the edge, like raw joints upon the butcher’s block. “<They’ve surrounded the lodge,” exclaimed the professor, gazing below, ‘‘and Big Horn is still-fighting desperately within, for I can still hear his great voice. We must save him, or die in the attempt. Come, my lads, there is yet work todo. ‘Teddy, give that fan-wheel a turn or two; and, Sam, get ready a running line to drag him out of their clutches.”’ | 7 They moved mechanically to obey his orders, and grad- ually brightened and heartened to their work, as half ex- hausted men of indomitable courage will do at the last mo- ment.. Suddenly the professor drew back with a start, and ex- claimed: | ‘‘Great Heaven! the lodge is on fire !? CHAPTER XXVIII. BAFFLED AGAIN. The outside of the lodge was already growing lurid with internal conflagration, yet still the hoarse voices of men in conflict issued from within, while the dark forms of the warriors could be seen dancing around it in horrid glee. ‘Lower the grapnels and tear away the roof!” cried the professor. ‘The captives are within. There are other lives besides Big Horn’s to be saved.” In the terrible emergency, Sam and McGuire forgot their wounds and weariness as if by magic. ‘The balloon was now stationary, about thirty feet from the ground. Hach of the men began to cast out the grapnels and to tear away the light materials of the lodge roof, piece by piece. The actual flames were as yet invisible, but they had <5) (e(e) Eomicboo