Beadle's Dime Novels No. 85: The Fugitives — page 49: what you’re looking at

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

DIDN'T SEE HIM THERE. 51. demanded the lieutenant, becoming irritated at this repeated bafiling, “They are gone!” “Where? where ?” “ Left, I suppose, some time in the afternoon, wheti/ they found the battle had gone against us.” ‘“ Where, do you suppose ?” “Can't tell. I started Jerusha off toward Stroudsburg, and then came over here to help your folks away, and found they had already gone.” : » “Did I not see thee in the contest?” “ Yes; I was there, Stoddard, and did all I could, till I found . it was going against us and there was no use of trying any longer, and then I started to take care of Jerusha and the baby. When I came here, I found Pete, who was half scart to death.” “ Doesn’t he know any thing about them ?” “ Hasn’t seen them since morning. He says he was in the fight, too, but I don’t believe it.” “Ttis more likely that.he hid himself somewhere until it was over.” - While conversing, Smithson had busied himself with his flint and tinder, and soon had his candle re-lit and. the door fastened. At this juncture the negro, Pete, made his appear- ance, scarcely able to repress his joy at seeing his young mas- ter alive and unhurt. “ Gorry gracious! 7dsn’t I glad to see ye, and war’ yer in de battle 2” “ Yes, Pete.” “ And did yer see me dar’ ?” f “No, and nobody else saw you there; so let us have no more of thy disgraceful falsehoods. Thou wert hid in the woods when the contest raged.” | The servant saw it was useless to attempt to perpetrate de- Ception upon the shrewd Quaker, so he wisely forbore it. “T was asleep—dat’s de truf.” The company, with the exception of the negro, had seated themselves, and were gathered close together. “ Pete,” said the young lieutenant, “1 want the truth from you and nothing else. What time did you get here to-day ?” “It was jis’ gettin’ dark, and dat am no story.” f comicbooks.conm