Red Plume — page 65: what you’re looking at

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

THE PURSUERS. 65 Plume, but consented rather ungraciously to the proposal of young Carver, as he considered him a “ greeny,” and likely to be in the way. Kotselo left his stolen bride with his adopted tribe, and the four men, well mounted, armed and provisioned, set out on their errand of deliverance: In due course of time, they reached the valley of the Saskatchie, and the place where Frank Stecle had been so -providentially saved from the hands of the savages. The renegade, as the person best acquainted with the. locality, was sent forward to reconnoiter, and soon returned with ae , intelligence that the camp was deserted. After Kotselo had made a further examination of the ioc: ity, in order to make sure that no lurking Indians had been left_behind, the party rode down on the plain, and examined the site of the late village. Long experience rendered them able to determine, with great exactness, the number of the Blackfeet ee and the hour at which they had left the Valley. é “The boys war’ r riekt’ ‘said Bill Bush, after a full inspection of the surroundings. ‘The infarnal Blackfeet are bound to kick up a row with somebody, and they’ve got a big lot of fightin’ men together, fur sart’in. We would be running our head ag’in a rock, to try to pitch into ’em jest now, and I reckon it will be jest as much as we ken all do’ to keep ’em off, ef they take a notion to pitch into us.” “Where do you suppose the Indians have gone to?” asked David Carver, “ and what do you mean to do now ?” _ “ This hoss can’t purtend to say whayr’ they’ve put out for, but he ken find out mighty easy, by follerin’ the trail, and that is jest what we allow to do. | Better stop and eat a little Suthin’, boys, as I reckon we've got plenty of time to ketch up With the critturs.” All were ready to comply with this suggestion, and the pur- Suers satisfied their hunger, after which they took up the trail, And followed it to the river, which was then fordable and easy to cross. The sharp eyes of Bill Bush, who was the first to teach the other side, discovered a corked bottle floating ina nN little eddy near the bank. He picked it up, and showed it to | his companions, when all had safely made the crossing. Ponta ene com’ |