Beadle's Dime Novels No. 309: Mountain Ned — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

‘SCATTERATION. 17 & Strange hissing sound overhead, and looking up, saw two large globes about four inches in diameter, spitting fire as they came down upon their heads. ‘Quick as thought, Mountain Ned fell upon his face, dragging Jan Pliester with him, and not a Moment ‘too soon, for, as the dark globes struck the earth, they exploded with terrible effect. They had been hurled by skillful hands, for they struck in the very midst of the com- pact body of Indians, and when they burst, scattered death and confusion all. around. Groans of agony were heard. on every hand; in the midst of the hasty rush of. terrified men, who thought only how to escape from the deadly explosives hurled from the mountains by the Spirit of the Rocks—a being they adore as among the lesser spirits of earth. Before they had reached the bottom of the canon, two more shells fell among the horses, and as they exploded, the frightened animals scattered in’ every direction, and their masters, no less frightened, followed at headlong speed. The horse-guards Only were in the saddle, and they followed the flying horses at their best speed. Those of the Comanches who could run made the best use of their motive power, forgetting even the dead and wounded who lay upon’ the bloody rocks, * “Hurrah for you, Jan! I never saw a gun tear a crowd all to pieces like that mountain howitzer of yours. But who slung those shells, I should like toknow? They were shells: T’ve followed Ripley’s artillery too far not to know. But, I didn’t bear any gun.” “Nix; dere vas no gun. Sumpotty throwed dem town der hill. I dink ve petter gone avay right now, vile I spoke, or dem fellers t'row shells mit us.” “There is something worth looking after here,” cried Ned. “Tm going to follow this clue, for I think it will: lead me to the hiding-place.of the Flying Scout. Come on.’ They dashed up the mountain together, for “ee the indo- lent Dutchman had become interested in their strange friend, Whoever it might be. Clambering from ledge to ledge they reached the top, and saw the light but towering figure of the F lying Scout running rapidly across the broad plateau upon the top of the mountain. “Hurrah !” shouted Mountain Ned. “There he goes, the loping vagabond :-—or vo—that won't do. He's just saved comicbooks.conm '