Beadle's Boys Library No. 54 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

aA ae aekinycd out bis revolvers, uttered wild yells, and fired several shots. — As one horse the freed mustangs sprung for- ae wear, and at once began a wild race. Soe Into their midst Joe rode, lying low upon ‘the back of his horse, not to be seen by the _ Indian guards, andJike the roll of thunder re- sounded the hoofs upon the hard ground, ___- In vain did the guards strive to check their _ advance, and turn them back, for they could not stem the mad current, and were forced to fly up the sides of the vale for their lives. In wild alarm the camp arose behind the equine torrent, and fleet-fodted braves rushed in pursuit, - But in vain, the stampede had begun well, and the stakes of those animals which Joe had ___ not freed, were drawn up by the,pressure, nus - the whole herd almost was set going. : Past the guards they swept, Joe in their midst, and lying low to escape ap. arrow if seen, and unseen by them, the red-skins could not understand the cause of the sudden stam- pede, They bad heard the few shots and terrific yells that set the herd agoing, and then no sound followed to betray the presence of an enemy. And away dashed the herd, with Joe in their rear, chuckling at his triumph and his revenge upon his foes. CHAPTER XV. THE FATAL CHASE. : Jom knew well that he had not gotten every _ pony of the herd, and he only wondered that he had gotten so many, while be readily un- derstood that as soon as the Indians recov- ered from their amazement they would mount those mustangs that remained and come in chage, Should he at once, upon reaching the prairie, desert the herd and save himself upon his own _ horse, or rather the one he had selected for himself? Or, if he did so, would not the whole band, assoon as their ponies were recaptured, give -uptheir game and come hot on his trail, to avenge the wrong? While he was dashing along in the rear of the drove, thinking what was best to be done, in spite of the thunder of the hoofs in front of him, he heard the clatter of hoof-falls behind. Instantly he drew rein and listened. ‘One, two, three.” - He counted them slowly, as he recognized - from the sound how many there were. ‘There may more behind them, so it won't do any harm if I just give ’em a hint I don’t want to be crowded.” _ So saying, he wheeled his mustang behind a small tree which had slipped down from the bank above, and waited while the herd dashed on, _ Soen an Indian came in sight, then another and another. They had mounted bareback, as Joe could see in the now breaking dawn, and were push- ing their ponies hard. ‘ Another thing he discovered was the sound of many feet. ‘‘The whole gang is coming on foot, by the Holy Smoke!” he said. ben up went his rifle, as the Indian was __ almost upon him, avd the crack followed. Joe never missed if he had half an aim, and off tumbled the red-skin, while the pony dashed on after the herd. _. The other two Indians quickly attempted to _ wheel their ponies tothe right-about, and one succeeded in doing so, but the otherhad a bard- - mouthed animal, and he was anxious to go on’ after his companions, and before he could stop _ bin, Joe darted out of his hiding-place upon Lot ‘Injun, I ‘want you,” he yelled, and his re- volver flashed. But the startled pony reared up just then - and got the bullet in his brain and, falling back heavily upon his rider, pinned him be-: Reath him. Joe spent no time in looking after his foe, but sped on after the herd, just as two score red-skins, running at full speed, came in sight. ‘Farewell, Injuns,” he shouted, waving his hand and looking back. As they came to the single rider left of their band, Joe saw the brave pulled suddenly off of his pony, and a chief bedecked with feathers sp?ing upon his back. ‘¢ That’s the Raging Chief, 1 guess, and he is after me hot as blazes,” coolly said the boy, as he sped along, loading his rifle as he went. ‘Yes, it’s rhe he wants,” he continued, as the chief—for so his war-bonnet proclaimed him—-urged the pony in pursuit. ‘‘ And the others are running a foot race to see the show,” continued Joe, as the warriors on foot again bounded forward. “Come, Injun pony, that feller’s got a gun,” he cried, urging the mustang on. But the animal on which, the chief was mounted seemed the speedier of the two, for be gained steadily. ‘‘T guess I'll muss his feathers for him,” and so saying, Joe came to a halt, wheeled about and brought up his rifle, The chief saw the act and quickly fired, but without effect, as the bullet flew over the boy’s head. Then he threw himself upon the side of his pony, so as to protect himself, and reloaded his old musket with marvelous. skill and quick- ness, while the animal circled around at a gal- lop. Watching his chance, Joe was about to. fire when, before he could do so, a second shot from the chief came, and down dropped his horse, just as his finger pressed the trigger of his rifle. CHAPTER XVI. A NOVEL ESBCAP2 ALMOST any one, under the circumstances in which Joe found himself would have given up for lost, But the boy did not. He first, as he caught himself upon his blistered, bleeding feet, when his mustang fell dead beneath him, turned bis eyes upon his foe to watch the effect of his shot. The shout that broke from his lips proved that it had not been a miss. Nor had it been a death-shot, The arm of the chief, over the neck of the pony, had caught the bullet, and the Indian, no longer able to hold on, had dropped to the ground, while his horse had bounded on down the canyon. A shriek of rage broke from the wounded, foiled chief, and wounded though he was he bounded toward Joe. But that worthy youth comprehended his danger fully. And he looked to take advantage of any- ‘| thing that might present itself in his favor. He saw the flying pony, and knew thag the nature of the ground would bring him within thirty feet of him. To the Indian saddle on the pony he had, was a lariat fastened, and to seize this and get it ready was a second’s work. Then, as the chief's horse dashed by he threw it, and with such precision, that, though | the animal shied badly, it settled over his neck. Instantly the riinristaiiey was brought to his knees, and almost FON; and Joe gave another yell of joy. But he noticed that the lasso had torn from its hold nearly, by the jerk, and that the first bound of the animal would tear it loose. For him to attempt to hold the animal, by catching the lariat, would be utterly useless, California Joe, the Mysterious Plainsman. the chief and his warriors were not far away; but his quick eyes detected the long tail of the mustang, held up with excitement, and in stantly he grasped it with a grip that was not ito be shaken off. With a wild snort of rage and fright the mustang bounded away down the canyon. But Joe was with him. With his good left hand he held on like grim death, and with his rifle grasped in his right he went along at great bounds, His feet seemed as though they would split open at every bound, his hand that’ held the tail seemed on fire, but yct he clung for dear life, The red.skins sent showers of arrows after him as they ran, and several stuck in the bauncbes of the mustang, urging him on the faster, and one buried itself in Joe’s arm. Sti be did not let go, and as he bounded along in great leaps, be yelled: “Yell away, you red devils! but here we go and no one to head us off!” : Maddened with fright and pain, the mustang ran on, yet still could not shake off the weight behind him. And the speéd at which I e went soon dropped the fastest warriors far behind, greatly to the delight of Joe. At length the mustang overtook the herd and dashed into their midst, and Joe had just strength enough to grasp the mane of a small pony, as he came alongside, and drag rather than throw himself upon his back. _ The sigh of relief be gave was like an escape of steam from an engine; and limp and worn, out he sat upon the animal, as it ran along in the rear of the herd. But soon he regained his breath, and as the drove struck the prairie, yelled himself hoarse to keep them going. And go they did at a long, sweeping gallop, which put them several miles away upon the prairie when the warriors reached the end of the canyon and beheld them. Looking back at them, Joe said, sympathiz- ingly: “Tt’s a pity they don’t know English so that they can cuss, for I know they is that mad te make me sorry for ’em.”’ Whether Joe was sincere in his pity or not I cannot say; but that he was in earnest in pressing on there was no doubt, for he Kept the ‘herd at a pace that put many a mile behind he was well aware, so he bounded toward the mustang to throw himself upon his back. = - But, quick as he was, the pony was quicker, had regained his feet, and the lariat was torn loose, just as Joe reached his haunches. For the flash of a second all seemed lost, for | Joe was sufferigg greatly with his feet, ‘and them before nigbt. The direction in which he had to go, how- ever, wasaway from the camp of the emigrant train, and he regretted this; but having cap- tured another herd, he determined to carry them first to the fort, thinking that the train would renfain encamped until his return. Suffering as he was with his hands and feet, the latter especially, alone, exbausted after all he had gone through, Joe knew he had a hard task to watch his berd. t he let them come to a walk, and picked ough animal which he bad observed was the best of the lot, and mounted him. Coming to a stream he allowed them to halt for a rest, and he took advantage, of it to bathe his wounds, for the arrow shot in his arm gave him pain also and was-swelling, But Joe was as hardy asa pine knot, and avain rushed on, after an hour’s rest, and allow- ing the herd to go at their own gait, managed to snatch a little sleep. Two days after, tied upon his horse half ly- ing down with a bigh fever upon him, he drove his ponies up to the fort, and was taken from the back of the animal nearer dead than alive, and most tenderly cared for by Major Van Dorn, who had returned only a short while be- fore from his search for the brave boy. CHAPTER XVII. THE BOY PIONEER, IT was weeks before Joe came around to be himself again, ‘or he had a severe illness of it. He had at first raved about his promise to Captain Reynolds, which he had been unable to keep; but Major Van Dorn told him tbat he