Beadle's Dime Novels No. 85: The Fugitives — page 82: what you’re looking at

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

84 THE FUGITIVES. the camp-fire, while the three friends that he left behind him gathered closely together to wait and listen for his return. “ George,” whispered Arthur, after a few moments’ silence, “JT don’t think this is the place where those Indians stopped.” “Why, how do you know any thing about it ?” | “T think I was mistaken when I said I run away from them back yonder. This looks just like the place.” “ All places look alike when it is dark, you know,” returned the lieutenant. “But they all don’t look like this,” persisted the boy. “ There is a big tree right beside us, that I know is the one I hid behind for afew minutes when they were looking for me.” “We have passed a good many large trees,and I am sure you could not tell them apart in the night.” ‘Maybe I’m wrong, but I don’t think so.” “It would be best not to think any thing about it.” ‘“‘ George,” whispered old Gershom, “ if I ain’t greatly mis- took, there’s somebody behind us.” “Have you seen any one?” asked the young man, some- what startled at the remark. “No, but P've heard some one—walking very softly, as if they was trying to slip up behind us, without our hearing them.” As we have stated, all had stepped aside from the path, and they now kept profound silence. Nothing, however, was heard. “ Perhaps it was Pete coming back,” suggested the lieuten- ant. “It might be, but I don’t think it is. He has probably laid down in the woods and gone to sleep. It ees to me like the tread of an Indian.” This was rather startling information. If some dusky red- skin was pursuing them, it was in his power materially to inter- fere with the rescue. The utmost care could searcely guard from a treacherous blow from behind. One savage alone could commit murder and glide away before the blow could be re- turned. “Tve a knife, and if you say the word, I will finish him,” said the old man, with resolution in his voice. “Jt would be best to await Stoddard’s return. You see a flare-up just now might play the mischief all round.” In the mean time, Stoddard Franklin was making the best comiclbooks.cormn