Penny Dreadfuls, 1916 · page 65 of 400
Tom Anderson, Dare-Devil: A Young Virginian in the Revolution — page 65: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a page of running prose from the penny dreadful *Stalking a Ghost* (page 49). The text depicts a dramatic scene in which characters debate whether to secretly transport an injured British officer—apparently Colonel Tarleton—to a house for concealment. Tom and Dr. Pratt argue over the plan while snow falls around them, providing cover. They load the wounded man into a gig (carriage) and arrive at what appears to be the Anderson estate, where Dr. Pratt cautions Tom not to alarm Mrs. Anderson. The passage emphasizes the dangerous, clandestine nature of their undertaking during what appears to be the American Revolutionary War era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
STALKING A GHOST © 49 “Better let me take him to my house, Thomas.” “No, Doctor!” stoutly. “He’s not your prisoner.” “Your grandmother would never consent to receive the enemy of her country under her roof.” “Madam is too ill to be consulted. I must go ahead!” “But don’t you see that the protection of one of the King’s most notorious officers is going to make very seri- ous complications, for all concerned?” “Aye, but I’ll take him there! He'll die, here! And that’s the most serious complication | know anything about !”’ “Sometimes the hangman is an additional one!” and Dr. Pratt’s shabby old medicine-case closed with a snap. “Let’s get him into the gig. We must. If we can do that — I'll manage the rest.” He said something in Cherokee to Unaka, and the Indian was gone. Then they set the feeble fellow on his feet. The brandy had put a little life into him. “ Hands off!” he muttered. “Colonel Tarleton, let us help you—” And Tarleton’s sword arm was about Tom’s shoulder. Somehow they got him into the doctor’s gig. Pratt supported the wounded man. Jom led the horse. Dare and Mimi had driven away at top speed to make ready for their coming. The redcoat’s cloak was gone; but they bundled him up in the gig blanket. And luck was with them. It had come on to snow again. Ihe falling flakes would conceal their move- ments. Moreover, [om reflected, they would reach Ox- heart about supper-time, when all the blacks would be around their cabin fires. So much the better. When they entered the avenue, the dogs didn’t rush out and give tongue, as usual. “That’s Lady Pantoufle’s doing,” the boy thought. They halted in the snow. One dimly lighted window upstairs glimmered through the flying flakes. Tom looked at it with a sinking heart. “My soul! ‘This is a big undertaking!’ He left the horse’s head — came close to the wheel. “You understand that on no account must Mrs. Ander- son be alarmed or excited,” Dr. Pratt was saying. Tom CORNICLMOO® SS (CO) m