Rocky Mountain Sam — page 221: what you’re looking at

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

212 | ROCKY MOUNTAIN SAM. cried; ‘‘and howly smoke, look at the haythen redskins. The heutenant’s besayged.” ‘It certainly looks like it,” said old Max, bringing his glass to bear, while the others looked anxiously over. ‘There appears to have been a fight already—yesterday, perhaps—and now the brave fellows are preparing to hold their own at the fork of the streams, against enormous odds. Why, there must be upward of two thousand Indians in all.” ‘We'll be just in the nick of time,” said Big Horn, with a smile that looked grim enough, for he had donned his “Pighter-of-the-Period” costume, and was fairly bristling from head to foot. _ **There’s fully two thousand of them,” said Sam. ‘‘But our fellows have fortified themselves well there. If they’ve only got plenty to eat, they can hold out forever.” . “‘T think they must have provisions,” said the professor, ‘for those little houses which they have built at the rear of their earthworks look as if intended as storehouses.” ‘‘Purfessor, jest let me have that ere squint glassa min- ute,” said Big Horn; and, it being handed to him, he di- rected it searchingly upon the hills below, which were crowded with Indians, some of them having built their camps thereon, while the majority of them were moving _ swiftly about on foot and horseback, as though preparing for another attack upon the devoted little band at the river forks. ‘“Jist as I expected,” said the great hunter, passing back the glass after a prolonged gaze. . ‘What is it?” ‘‘Wirefoot’s afore us, asI said he’d be. Thar he is down thar on his big roan. That accounts, purfessor, fur so many redskins. He’s skinned the hull North fur recruits. Arter we lick them this time they'll be done fur.” It was now evident that both the whites and the Indians had noticed the approaching balloon. The latter could be perceived running hither and thither in great excitement, while the welcoming cheer of the hunters and soldiers arose clearly and encouragingly upon the fresh morning alr. When directly over the little camp, the throttle-valve was opened, and the balloon began to rapidly descend, Among those who crowded about the car as it neared the earth, cS (ee) EComicboo