Beadle's Dime Novels No. 85: The Fugitives — page 84: what you’re looking at

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

86 THE FUGITIVES. “you're taking a good ‘deal on yourself, ’sturbing two re- spectable gentlemen in this style.” - “ When thou art gifted with a due amount of prudence, thon | wilt thank me for what I have done.” | “What's the row? Let’s hear.” The other man by this time was thoroughly awake, and was looking with an inquiring air. about him. “Wert thou in the battle ?” “ We reckon we was,” replied the one who had first recoy- ered his consciousness. “ Do you see that arm ?” he asked, holding up the bandaged member. “ Done by one of them infarnal tomahawks. I got a good whack alongside my head, while Jim didn’t git a scratch.” “ How didst thou escape ?” | “We made for Forty Fort when we found the day had Bons ag’in us; but the dogs headed us off, and'so Jim and me took to the woods. We was so tuckered out that we struck a fire, and jis’ keeled over and went asleep.” “Why did thee kindle a fire ?” | * Wal’, we wanted to smoke our Bepen by ita while. What’s the harm ?” “T only wonder, my friends,” said the Quaker, in his most earnest manner, “that thou hadst not been tomahawked ere thou had been here a half-hour,” “You don’t say, now! Jim and me had an idea that all the Injins in the States had come down in the Valley. Atany rate, we didn’t believe there was any in the woods about us.” “There thou art grievously mistaken. The kind Providence above has protected thee thus far; tempt him no further.” To show the earnestness of his words, Stoddard withdrew beyond the circle of light thrown out by the smoldering camp-fire. ' This simple action was more significant than any words could have been; and the two men followed him with an alacrity that on any other occasion would have been ludi- crous. “JT am seeking a party of the heathen, who have carried off as prisoners two friends of mine. I took thy camp-fire for theirs,” é “You don’t say, now, you came alone? That'll hardly go down.” connicloooks.comn)