Beadle's Dime Novels, No. 91: The Lost Cache — page 25: what you’re looking at

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

THE FIRST ARRIVAL. oF oe “You may hitch together a couple of lariats then, and take an end across the river, and make it fast thar’, a little way down-stream, about as fur as you think the hosses would be carried by the current. We will soon swim them over.” “Tt is easy enough to get the horses across, but what will you do with the loaded wagons?” asked Harry. . “We will find a way to float them over, sir. Jump in, Mr. Myers, fur we must hurry, ef we want to git in camp afore we lose the moon.” Myers stripped and leaped into the stream, with the end of a Jariat tied around his body, and soon reached the other side, landing at a point a short distance below his comrades. The horses were then unhitched, and Farrar fastened an end of the. lariat around the neck of one of the gentlest, from whese tail another line reached to the neck of another, and so on, until all were connected. It was not necessary to cut.a passage to the water for them, a8 the river was high and almost level with the banks. The foremost horse was driven in, and the others followed, Myers guiding them by pulling at his end of the lariat. They were carried by the current to the point at which he was stationed, and when the leader got up on the bank, it drew the others after it, assisting them to land. Thus the horses were safely crossed and tied where they could graze, and Farrar turned his attention to the wagons. 3 Taking off the canvas covers, he laid them on the ground, and placed one of the wagon,beds i in the center of each. Then he brought the cloths up around the ends and sides, and se- cured them firmly with ropes tied around transversely, and another rope fastened lengthwise under the rim. The wagon- beds were then launched, and, although the canvas leaked considerably at first, it soon swelled until it was nearly water- tight, and Harry was surprised to see that two available boats had been improvised. The boats were then placed on the lower side of the lariat, which was drawn tight and firmly lashed to a tree, and Myers swam over to assist at the ferry. Each boat was loaded with a portion of the provisions and “ plunder” of the party, and was pulled across the stream, alongside of theslariat, by two men. When their freight was taken out, they were sent back for more, until every thing was brought over, The wheels and Gonniicloookxs.conn