Beadle's Dime Novels No. 305: The Girl Scout — page 67: what you’re looking at

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

THE BOY’s REQUEST. 71. to search, they departed. When they were gone, Garry For- sythe came up to the captain. “See here, Cap,” he said; “ you ought to send me out.” “Why ?” “ Because I’m astranger. These fellows would know your men, but they would not know me.” “ You don’t know the swamp.” “Tve got a pocket-compass, and I am not such a bad scout either, I tell you.” | “J don’t keer to let you go. Yer a stranger to me, and mout be you’d go back on us. We kem out to avenge the murder of ez good a boy ez ever crossed a hoss, and we mean to do it.” * Tell me the story,” said Garry, dropping his eyes. In a few words Old Jess narrated the murder of poor Rod Phelps. He was surprised at its effect upon the boy. Twice he started up with a fierce exclamation, and as often he sat down on the log. “Tt was a cowardly murder,” he cried, “ and the men who did it deserve any fate. Look at me, Captain Turner, and tell ° me if you think that I would betray you? I swear by all I hold holy and pure that I would be true to you if you let me go on this scout. I want to have something to do with this good and glorious work.” “ve a mind to trust ye,” muttered Old Jess. “I know, in my own heart, that it’s all right; but a vigilance commit- tee. won't be played with. You'll hev to stay, unlest both the leftenants agree to let ye go,” “Tl ask them, ” cried Garry, eagerly, starting to his feet; . “T ’most know that they’ll say yes.” He stopped Wallace first, and preferred his request. The young man at once gave it. Ben Slawson was equally wil- ling, and the boy came back triamphant. “Tt’s all right,” he said. “They say that-you are to do as you like about letting me go.” “Tve changed my mind, sence,’ was the answer. “TI kain’t resk letting ye go. Them cusses might catch ye and make ye tell what we was up to.” “ Red-hot irons would not te dryse a word from me!” replied tho boy. | 305 3 GOMMlcEOOOXS.COh