Yellowstone Jack: Trappers of the Enchanted Ground — page 52: what you’re looking at

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

- «60 “As they seemed to enjoy this, and repeated it several times, Chubby grew desperate, and bit one of his tormentors’ fingers. This had a good effect, for after YELLOWSTONE JACK. that they experimented with a hatchet- ee handle. _ “When the braves returned Chubby was given his supper, and was then allowed to sleep, his hands and feet being securely tieci. 3 “The next day was a repetition of its _ _ predecessor. “The Indians kept on towards the south, Chubby still in charge of the squaw, who fed him at noon with her finge ihe third day a drove of buffaloes | made their appearance at some distance, _ and braves, pappooses, and squaws Jomed in a hunt, leaving Chubby and his gaoleress alone. “The squaw was anxious to see the sport, and she, therefore, tied her _ prisoner's tether to a tree, and still keep- ing him in sight, went a httle distance to watch her companions. “Getting mterested, she finally left - him altogether. ‘“‘ Now was his chance. “He picked the knot which held him to the tree with his teeth, and by a . gymnastic feat brought his hands over his head, and untied the whipcord as he had the other knot. ‘Te had now oniy to untie his feet, but his hands and arms were so much numbed from confinement, that 1t was half-an-hour before he could use them. “When at last hberty rewarded his efforts, he crawled on his hands and knees four or five miles, till he came to the back-track of the buffaloes, where he knew he would be likely to find white hunters. “He was successful, and met friends the next morning.’ “The little beggar was lucky to escape with his hair,” said Campbell, with a laugh. ‘“ But now, boys, aS we’ve a hard day's work before us to-morrow, I'm going to have a snooze, and Id advise you all to do the same;” and in two munutes the whole party were rolled up in their blankets and fast asleep. In the morning they awoke refreshed, and sprang to their feet ready for any fresh adventures and exertions to snateh the prisoners from the hands of their ruthless foes. pb uN During the night there had da a con- ny sultation between John Warren, Camp- t bell, and the trappers. It decided their plans for the day. Tf possible, they were to Jeave the train and lsearch for the mis- _ sing ones, though there would be con- — siderable danger of being picked off So a some of the scattered Blackfeet. | Blackfeet would never rest until der ae had avenged the death of their brethren. __ Though not strong enough to venture — : : another attack, they would lurk around © the trail until they could be reinforced. Beyond a doubt, some of their best run- | ners were on the way for assistance. “Whar’s Hoosier? ” suddenly asked Brindle Joe, as the party was about to ae a soe é start. “ He ain’t hyar !” | , “T reckon he’s all right,” quietly re- | coil plied Yellowstone J ack. ane he’s >»? one on ahead to see ef thar’s any BDAgS: : in the way.” Oy It was in the grey of dawn. The trap- en pers thought it best to Jeave the corral ~ undiscovered, if possible, and so seb out va a “oe rT on the hist day. A fow pundead (on yards would carry them to the broken — ground, where they would have good — cover to aid them in passing whatever spies the enemy might have upon the. x Ki look-out. Wa As both Campbell and Yellowstone | . were well acquainted with the ground, — little time was lost, every step leading in the right direction. Yet thesunwastwo hours before they reached the mouth of the Wolf Pass, having done a gre®#t deal of cautious skulking in order to escape being seen by the Indians, whom they <a discovered stationed at different points, = 7, “T am puzzled,” frankly admitted Campbell, after aconsiderable time spent in trying to recover the lost trail “I can’t see into it. Where can they have gons? I left them here, alive and well, with the worst of the storm over. It's strange—very strange !” = Strange things is mighty apt to pape pen in these parts, stranger,” quietly ob-— served Yellowstone. “ I’ve seed stranger things ’ithin the week. An’ that makes me think—yes, hyar tis. Mebbe you kia tell me what them crooked scratches mean,” and the scout produced the bit of white buck-skin that had been w rapped — around the arrow sent over his head by the strange maiden of the valley. | ECoOmIcboo a gs)