Adventure Magazine Cover — page 74: what you’re looking at

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

: ‘ bath Day Point. ~ whale-boats and ‘a wall-piece. f 64 = Adventure | greet Pec and to him Putnam hurriedly re- rted: “Band of Canadian regulars camping at Sab- An Indian scout got some trace of me and they was hunting for me when ~ I quit the point.” “Do they know you came up here?” “Don’t think they have the slightest notion where I went to.” “Good,” sdid Rogers calmly. “I’ve two We'll go and find the gentlemen. Swing your packs to the boats, men.” $ “Tl scout ahead in my canoe,” said Put- nam. “That’s for you to decide;but there’s some business waiting for youR Where’ s Brant?” Rogers had ‘scarcely put the query when a slim form emerged from the woods and the. . Mohawk boy stood beside Putnam. “For you,” he said, extending a hand. - As Putnam took the piece of paper the puppy — Ghaist ‘his head from the ranger’s shirt. With a little guttural cry of delight the boy drew him forth and stared ‘admiringly at the white woolly little form with its eccentric black markings. Putnam kneeled by the fire and opening ° - the paper read: CAPTAIN IsRAEL PuTNAM, by hand of the boy JOSEPH BRANT: Ephraim Willis is a prisoner in the hands of the Potawatomi. If you can come: to help me rescue him, come alone with Joseph Brant. I will wait for you a certain time. If you do not come I shall go alone. ‘ The band is returning home through Canada. As they have deserted the French there are no French officers with them to. secure Mr. Willis’ release. If they were Caughnawaga warriors I would be safe to go among them. But I shall go if you do not come. Bring no one with you, as cunning, not force, must be used, ELIZABETH LIDINDICK. “If that ain’t a dish of bad luck!” groaned Putnam. “Young Brant said there was work for you to do, but he didn’t explain what, and there’s no making an Indian talk. What is it?” asked Rogers. “My neighbor, Ephraim Willis, is laid by. the heels by the Potawatomi. The ‘Lidindick girl sends for me to come and get him out of the scrape. Says I must come alone, or she'll try it single-handed.” “Better she tie a rock round her neck and jump into the lake than to fall into the power of those. Western Indians,” growled Rogers. “Tl split my force. You can have half.’ “Captain Putnam must come alone if I lead him to the Laughing One,” coldly spoke up young Brant. -. strenuous efforts to chew ‘eyes sparkling with approval as the little nee ‘sighed Putnam. “Yes, yes, major. This is a case where numbers don’t count,” sighed Putnam. ‘An army couldn’t rescue Willis alive. All I ask is that some one take charge of this puppy. He ought to have some milk. I’ve risked my hair getting the little fool down here from Ticonderoga; but he saved my pelt and I owed him that much.” And he nodded toward the dog, which was now on the ground and making a brave show of ferocity in attacking young Brant’s mocca- sins. Rogers smiled at Putnam’s simplicity in believing he owed loyalty to a puppy and somewhat impatiently remarked— “With your friend’s life at stake and a party - off the lake I guess we won ’t have much time to think about dogs “T will take the a dog to his mother,” spoke up young Brant. ; “To his mother? That would be a danger- ous job,” said Putnam. “You'd never get within six miles of Ticonderoga without losing your hair. Even if the pup was back there they'd kill him. ‘They seem to think he’s chuck full of some devil.” o The boy quietly continued: ‘“‘The Blind Seneca is a few miles to the west of us. I passed his camp coming here. One of his dogs has little ones. She will give this one milk,” He paused thoughtfully to study the puppy's moccasins, growled with miniature ferocity. “Yes, this one will be strong and big. He has great courage. Some of his’ children will be all white. ~He will never disgrace his new mother. He is too young for meat. He will die soon if he doesn’t have milk! Kul” The last in applause as the puppy gave a of Frenchmen waiting to be captured or run — wrench and untied a moccasin fastening with her teeth. “Blind Seneca,’ mused Putnam. “I’ve heard a heap about him. Didn’t know he was in this country. But he isn’t really blind.” “The Indians say he has been touched by the Great Spirit, or he’d ’a’ been killed long ago. zy’s a loon. That’s why they call him d. If he comes round this lake w®’ll have } wipe’ him and his pack of dogs out. Regular nuisance. Now we must be off.” “Mighty sorry I can’t go with you, major,” “They may be on the way here. Keep both eyes open and shoot first.” With that he picked up his gun and presented the captured Mohawk piece to young Brant. The boy picked up a blanket, and, holding it by the corners, placed the dog inside and slung it over his shoulder, then made into the West- ern W Gomicbooks Col