Beadle's Dime Novels No. 305: The Girl Scout — page 42: what you’re looking at

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

46 THE GIRL TRAILER. ing. “PI buy one-third of that island without looking at it.” “What for ?” “On the chance, merely. I always play for a stake when there is a chance to win and I can get the odds. Come; my bill for surveying against a third of the island.” Regarding the matter as an excellent joke, Wallace took out a memorandum-book and portable inkstand, and wrote an agreement to sell, which agreement was witnessed by Jess Turner, who made his “ mark.” “ You two critters must be up to some foolishness,” he grumbled. “ Thar; Jess Turner, his mark. Looks pooty, don’t it ?” While Old Jess was looking at the strange hieroglyphic which he dignified by the name of his mark, Rod Phelps was pushing off a canoe from the shore. “Where are you going ?” cried Wallace, “Just want to look at my purchase,” replied Rod, laugh- ing. “I won’t be long.” A few quick strokes of the paddle sent him flying across the narrow space between the mainland and the island, and as the canoe grounded upon the rocks he leaped out, and cast his eyes hastily about him, As he did so, they heard a cry of surprise, and he turned toward them with wild eyes, shouting something which they could not understand. At the same moment a rifle cracked, and they saw Rod Phelps stagger, clutch at the air for support and fall prostrate upon ' the rocks of the island. Wild cries rent the air, and a num- ber of black-robed and masked men broke out of the cover _ and came down upon them like the wind. . —_— ——— — ‘“ Heel it, Wallace!” yelled Old Jess, as he turned hastily up the gravelly shore. “ Hyar comes the Secret Brothers.” Wallace did not hesitate, for he could see by the manner of the seout that he thought the peril imminent in the ex- treme, The two men ran as they had never run before, and as their course lay along the beach the horsemen gained upon them rapidly. The shore of the lake was very abrupt, with the exception of a narrow strip of gravel close to the water. Having satisfied himself that the entire party were on the gravel, Jess turned suddenly and scrambled up the bank, conmielooolks. com