Rocky Mountain Sam — page 64: what you’re looking at

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

I ROCKY MOUNTAIN SAM. 55 ‘“‘Have you forgotten the purposes of our present voyage, my son?” said Max, in a tone of mild reproof, and taking his eye for a moment from the teleszope with ‘which he had been anxiously scrutinizing the hills and plains be- neath. ‘If you have not, I should think you would be following my example and endeavor to find some traces of the objects of our search, instead of skylarking with that girl there like a schoolboy with a new toy.” Sam accepted the reproof in good part, and strove to imi- tate the professor’s example by peering earnestly over the side of the car; the underlying clouds having now almost disappeared, and left the view of the earth comparatively unobstructed. “T’ll bet you a new rifle that I sxe something you don't, in spite of your spy-glass,” said Sam, presently. ‘What is it, my son? You know I never waste my in- tellectual forces in the base folly of laying wagers,” said the philosopher. ‘‘T see an Injun posted on the top of a tree down there as I look out. <A little farther on I see another, and still another, each in a position to command the surrounding country.” ‘Why, so do I?” cried the professor, excitedly. ‘*‘What do you suppose they’re there for.” “For to telegraph the approach of some expected ene- my, I reckon,” said Sam. “You’re right!” cried the other; ‘‘for, see, just beyond that mountain we’re approaching, we can see the tops of lodges belonging to some Indian encampment. Ha! I see through the whole thing. Firefoot must be in that camp himself, with his captive, and anticipating an armed pur- suit, he has posted those fellows on the tree-tops to telegraph him of the nature and number of the expedition as soon as it makes its appearance. Ah, ha! he’s a deep one; but he’ll soon discover that old Max, the. balloonist, is more than a match for a hundred redskin spies.” ‘‘What’s your gait?” : ‘‘We will first descend into the calm air and remain quiet while we discuss our dinner,” said the old man, rubbing his hands in his dry, business-like manner. ‘‘After that we must look up one of those fellows in the~tree-tops, and slightly enhance his reverence for the power of the White GCOomMmicboo €o mi