Beadle's Dime Novels No. 13 — page 87: what you’re looking at

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

A LADY’S GUIDE. 89 burst from these men as they saw their captain and his friend appear, all unharmed. At the cheer, from the wood which stoed by the road-side, or rather through which the road passed, a score or more of men emerged and joined their shouts with those of their comrades. A moment more, and the four were in the midst of the patriot brigade. Forty hands were stretched out toward Nathaniel and Vale, and forty lips clamored forth congratulations. | “T accept your congratulations,” said Nat, “ but this is no time for words. Hard behind me rides a large force of Brit- ish dragoons. They may outnumber us by ten or a dozen men, but we can easily crush them at a blow. What say ye, men? Shall we fight or retreat ?” A scornful laugh ran around the circle. “Fight! fight! Down with the Britishers—the miscreants—dogs !” “Then back into the woods with you, and we will attack them as they come up.” In a moment, from the road, not an American was in sight. “I want some one,” continued Ern- shaw, when they were fairly under cover, “for a duty that will be both pleasant and unpleasant; some one who is well. enough acquainted with the country to guide Miss Vale to a place of safety, in case any thing disastrous should happen to us. Of course he can not mix in with the fight.” “The person for that is the boy that came to us yesterday mornin’. I see now that he is with you. After his fifty niles of ridin’, I guess he wouldn’t be of much use in a scrim- mage, but he'll do as well as a man fur the lady,” said one of the men. “ You are right,” replied Nat. “Simon is worthy of the trust.” So, calling forward the boy, he gave him his instrue- tions. . Hurryirig onward with unabating speed, Captain Preston and bis company drew nigh to ‘the spot where the brigade stood under close cover, all ready for the fray. “Now, boys, at them !” rang in the ears of the startled British. | But their quick reply was a discharge of pistols, and their balls rattled like hail among the tree-limbs overhead. Instantly from among the trees flashed Nat Ernshaw’s troopers—each man grasping in his strong hand his trusty sword. comicbooks.conn