Beadle's Dime Novels No. 85: The Fugitives — page 87: what you’re looking at

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

PETE EXPLAINS. 89 No one in that little party suspected what was the truth, that the old man knew from the. beginning that it was Pete Weldon who was following them, and with a characteristic sort of grim humor, he took this plan’ of pa sta a ening him. CHAPTER XY. ON THE WAY AGAIN. PrtE WELDON was so humble and penitent—so frightened and earnest in his promises to obey all commands, and main- tain absolute silence, that PELE TEN agreed to allow him to accompany them. | “* Wouldn’t ’ve come back ag’ in, but I found dares so many Injins blocked up my way, dat I'tought I'd go round! So I started back to come out of de oder end ob de path, when JI overtuck you.” ~“ Let us hear no word from tite; until thou art questioned, as we have no objections to thy company.” “Allright, dat’s what I tought. You won't hear nuffin from me—dat’s mighty sart’in, till you axes, for if dar’s one t’ing dat dis chile eber knowed, it was to keep his mouf shut when nobody didn’t want to hear him :not say nuflin.. Missis Abingdon and Annie will bofe tell ye de same, if ye axes em, and if dey only tink about it, dey’ll tell ye without axing. If you’sa mind— “ There, keep still, Pete !” interrupted the lieutenant.‘ You have said enough to last till morning.” “Yah! yah! tink so, does yees »” “Thain’t had any practice on any Injin very lately,” said old Gershom, “and I'd like'to get my hand in. So if Pete here talks too much, just say the word, and I'll stop him so well, he’ll never say any thing more.” This had the effect of quieting the loquacious negro for the time. The lieutenant and Quaker exchanged a few words in an undertone, and then the little party moved on through the gloom of the forest in their determined quest for their friends. - By this time it had come to be a doubtful question with comicbooks.com