Beadle's Dime Novels No. 138: Tim, the Scout — page 78: what you’re looking at

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

80 TIM, THE SCOUT. gin, which, in these days, was found in’ every trayeler’s sad- dle-bags. He took this out and held it up, calculating whether it contained enough to make two men drunk, and came to the conclusion that the Hoosiers would drink it all, and be wider awake than ever. “It must have a drop of something strengthening,” mutter- ed the captain; “ just a little drop.” He opened his coat, and with a small pen-knife ripped up the lining, and took out a transparent vial, not more than half as large as those he had used at Neal’s house. He took out the cork, and a sharp, pungent odor immediately diffused it- self through the tent. He poured about half the contents of the vial into the case of Hollands, corked it and shook it well. “Spiced!” he said. “I wonder if they will like the flavor ?” , ' This wonderful man always went prepared for any emerg- ency. The vial contained a powerful opiate, and the quan- tity he had put into the gin would send the sentries to sleep’ for hours, if they could be got to drink it. He waited half an hour, and then lay down again by the Canvas. With the pen-knife he cut a hole in the cloth large enough to peep through, and watched the sentries pacing their beat. There were four of them now, two on each side. The tent was thirty-two paces in circumference, and each sentry walked eight paces, met the other, turned, and walked ‘back. As he looked out, one of the guards playfully presented his musket at his companion, as they met, and demanded the countersign. He gave it, “St. Clair,” and the other turned away with a laugh. “ At any rate,” muttered the captain, “T’ye got the counter- sign. How to get out is the next thing.” He waited until the men met as before, and turned back. The moment their backs were turned, he pushed the bottle under the canvas, and let it lie there until the men again met and turned. Then he pushed it with a stick, so that it. lay — directly in the path of the thirsty sentry, who actually stum- bled over it on his return, giving an exclamation of surprise. He stooped and picked it up. j “What is it ?” whispered the sentry, “Tt smells like gin,” said the guard, , Conmicooolks. conn