Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 1104 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

ad a eee, _—- ee Cee “ t's a fact—that needn’t be disputed.”’ **But then, you know, if we outwit them, we will not be the first whites who have done such a thing in their day!” ‘That's a fact, too. Now, jest hold on a minute, while I think.” Graham ceased talking for a moment, while Seth remained asif in deep and anxious thought. Sud- denly lifting up his head, he remarked: “T have it.”” ‘Have what? The plan which must be pursued by us?” **I ca’c’late I have.” ** Well, out with it,”’ ‘Why, it’s this. We've got to git that gal, an’ no mistake.” Despite the gloominess which had been upon Gra- ham, he could not help laughing outright at the seri- ous tone in which this was uttered. ‘What are you laughing at?’ indignantly de- manded Seth. “Why, I thought we had arrived at that conclu- sion long since.’ ~ “TI didn’t think of that; so we did. Howsumever, I’ve thort further—hey, what's that off yonder? *Nuther building burning ?”’ Graham gazed in the direction indicated, and saw that day was breaking. This he remarked to his eompanion. ** Yes, so ’tis; and I’m glad of it, for we want some ht on this subject.” a short time, the sun appeared above the forest, and poured a flood of golden light over the woods and streams. Birds were singing their morning songs in every part of the wood, and geet em wore as gay a look as though no deed of blood h been committed during the night. As soon as it was sufficiently light, Seth and Graham made their way toward the stream. ‘**As we shall shortly start,’’ remarked the latter, “T will attend to my horse, which I brought with me. He is but a short distance away, and I will be back in a moment.” So saying, he departed in the wood. He found his horse completely worn out, asleep on the ground. He unloosened his fastening, and as there was aburti- dant provender around in the shape of young and tender twigs and luxuriant grass, he removed the saddle and bridle, and concluded to allow him free scope of the wood until his return, trusting to the rather doubtful chances of ever recovering him i F This done, he returned to his companion. e found Seth leaning upon his rifle and gazing meditatively into the silent stream flowing beforo him. Graham looked curiously at him a moment and then said: ‘“‘I am ready, Seth, if you are.”’ The individual addressed turned without a word and strode toward the clearing. When the ruins of the house were reached they both halted, and in an undertone he said: “* Hunt up the trail.”’ Each bent his head toward the ground and,moved ina circle around the clearing. Suddenly Graham paused and proceeded quickly several yards in the wood, halted and exclaimed; ‘* Here itis, Seth.”’ The latter hastened to his side, and stooping a mo- ment, and running his eye along the ground, both forward and backward, replied: “This is the trail! They ain’t very keerful *bout it now, but I reckon it’l) make us open our peepers wider to see it, after we get into the wood,”’ _ “Well, as the starting-point is now reached, we must perfect our arrangements. You must take the lead in following this up.”’ / “Oan’t you?’ asked Seth, looking up in his eyes. ‘* Not as wellas you. From what little I have seen of you, I am sure you excel me in the knowledge of the forest. I have had some experience in fight- ing, but very little in tracing a foe through such a wilderness as this.” | **Dou’t say? That’s just where you an’ I disagree. I was always the one to track the tories or red-coats for old Colonel Allen, and I remember one time—but I guess I won't go to telling stories now, being as I haven't much time; but I can say, though p’raps I oughtn’t to, that Ican foller any red-skin as far as he can go, and I don’t care how much pains he takes to cover up his tracks. You see, if I undertake to foller this, I’ve got to keep my nose down to the ground, and won't be likely to see an danger we're running into; that'll have to be your business. You som hang close to my heels, and keep your eyes raveling all over.”’ ‘* Pll endeavor to do my part, although I shall ex- pect some aid from you.” ... “T may give some, as I eanitell purty near "bout when the imps have gone over the tracks I’m look- ing at. And now we must start, I promised Haver- Jand that I wouldn't show myself again uniil I could “ tell him something about darter, and I swow, I won't, Come ahead.”’ With these words, Seth started ahead on a rapid walk. He was sli htly inclined forward, and his keen gray eye was bent with a searching look upon the ground. Graham followed him a few feet dis- tant, with the barrel of his rifle resting in the hollow of his left arm, while the stock was held in his right, Bo .° to be ready at a moment’s warning. The signs that led Seth Jones forw were faint, and to an ordinary observer, invisible. The Indians, although they had little fears of pursuit, were yet too cunning and experienced to neglect any caution - that would mislead what enemies might be disposed to follow them. They traveled in Indian file, each one stepping in the track of the one before him, so that, judging from the tracks made, it would appear ant but a single savage had been journeying in these ‘arts. Ina was compelled to walk in this manner, be | 1] CO a and more than once when she inadvertently made a misstep, a cruel blow warned her of her task. Sometimes the leaves, as they lay, appeared per- | | fectly devoid of the slightest depression or disturb- | ance, yet, had one stooped and carefully scrutinized | the ground, he would have seen the fait ontlines of a moccasin defined upon it, or observed that a leaf | had been displaced, or perhaps a slender twig had | not yet recovered the position from which it had | been forced by the passing of human feet. All these were trifling indications, it is true, yet they were unerring ones to the practiced eye of the hunter, and as plain as the footprints upon the dusty roads. Soon Seth paused, and raising his head, turned to- ward Graham. ** We are gaining on ’em.” ‘*Ah—are we? Glad to hear it. able we shall overtake them!” ** Can’t exactly say, but not for a considerable time yet. They are tramping at a purty good gait, and they only halted last night to rest Iny now and then, Darn ’em! she'll want rest, I ca’c’late, more’n once afore she’s done with ’em,”’ * Can’t you conjecture their number?”’ ‘** There's somewhere in the neighborhood of twenty When is it prob- of the best warriors of the Mohawks. Ican tell that by their tracks.”’ oS i! is that? They make but a single one, do ey 9? ‘* Of course not, but I rayther ca’c’late they make that a little different, fur all that, from what one would. Are you hungry?” ‘** Not at all; I can stand it till noon, without the least inconvenience.”’ ee can I; keep a good look-out, and now ahead again.”’ ith these words, Seth again plunged into the woods, and the two prosecuted their journey much as before. The sun was now high in the heavens, and its warm rays pierced the arches of the forest at many points, and there were golden patches of light scattered over the travelers’ path. Several times they crossed small, sparkling streams, where some- times could be seen signs of the pursued having slaked their thirst, and more than once the frighten- ed deer bounded ahead, and paused and gazed in wonder at them, then lea away again. Graham could hardly resist the temptation of et ap one of them down, especially as he began to feel a desire to taste thempbut he too well knew the dangerof risk- ing a shot, when it might bring down their most mortal enemies in a moment upon them. All at once Seth halted and raised his hand. ‘** What does this mean?’’ he asked, gazing off in a side direction from the trail. = ‘*What is it!’’ queried Graham, approaching him, ‘The trail divides here. They must have separa- ted, though I can’t see what has made them.”’ ‘*Isn’t it a stratagem of theirs to mislead pur- suers?”’ ‘*T believe it is! Here, you follow the main trail, while I take the side one, and we’ll soon see.”’ Graham did as directed, although it cost him con- siderable trouble to perform his part. It proved as they expected. In a short time, the two trails united again. ‘We must look out for such things,’ remarked Seth. ‘“‘I’ve got to watch the ground closer, and you must look out that I don’t pitch heels over head into a nest of hornets.”’ They now proceeded cautiously and rapidly for- ward. About the middle of the afternoon, the halted beSide a stream of considerable size. Seth yroduced a quantity of dried venison, which he had Erought with him from the settlement, and of this they made a hearty meal. This done, they arose and again proceeded on their journey. ‘*See there!’ said Seth, pointing to the middle of the stream. ‘ Do you see that stone there? Notice how it is marked, and observe that print of a moc- casin beside it. One of their number has slipped off of it. Let us be keerful.”’ | He stepped into the water, and made his way care- fully across, followed by Graham, When they, step- ped upon dry land again, the shades of evening were gathering over the forest, and already the birds had ceased their songs. There was, however, a bright moon—in fact, so bright, that they determined to keep up their pursuit, e progress was now necessarily tardy, as it re- uired the utmost straining of Seth’s vision to keep the trail, and had it not been for the friendly open- ings in the wood, where it was as plain as at mid- day, they would have been compelled to abandon it altogether until the morning. Several times Gra- ham was compelled to stand, while Seth, almost on his hands and knees, searched out the “‘ signs.’’ They came across no evidence of the Indiams having en- camped, and judged from this that they either in- tended reaching their tribe before doing so, or that they were somewhere in the vicinity. The latter was the most probable supposition, and prudence de- manded them to be cautious and deliberate in their movements, Suddenly Graham noticed the woods appeared to be growing thinner and lighter in front, as though an opening was at hand. He called the attention of Seth to this, who remarked that it was very prob- able. In a few moments they heard a noise as of flowing water, and immediately after stood upon the bank of a large creek, or more properly a river. The current was quite rapid, yet, without much hesitation, they plunged boldly in and swam across, The night being warm and moderate, they suffered little in- convenience from their wet and clinging clothes, as the exercise of walking kept them sufficiently warm. As they ascended the bank, they stood upon a vast and treeless plain, over which the trail led, ‘* Must we cross this?”’ asked Graham. —_— ee ee = —--—- eee ee ee “IT don’t see any other way. There ain’t any chance to skirtit, ’cause it appears to run up and down about four thousand three hundred miles, while you can see the other side.”’ This was true—that is, the latter part of his asser- tion, The plain before them, from all appearances, was & prairie of great length, but comparatively nar- row breadth. The dark line of the wootle upon the op- posite side could be plainly seen, and did not appear more than a good hour’s walk away. ‘“*I] don’t see any other way,’’ repeated Seth, mus- ingly, to himself. ‘It’s got to be crossed, though it’s a ticklish business, I swow!”’ “Wouldn't it be better to wait until morning?’ asked Graham. ‘Why so?” ‘We may walk into danger without seeing it, in the night.”’ ** And how do you s’pose we're going to walk over here in daylight, without being targets for all the Injins that are a-mind to crack away at us?”’ ‘Can we not pass around it?”’ ‘Stars and garters! hain’t I told you it reaches five thousand miles each way, and it would take us three years to get half-way round?” ‘IT was not aware that you had given me such in- teresting information, until just now; but, as such is the case, of course nothing is left for us but to move forward, without losing time talking,”’ **The trail goes purty straight,”’ said Seth, turn and looking at the ground, ‘‘and I’ve no doubt i heads straight across to the other side. Hope so, ‘cause it'll be convenient.” “You must help me keep watch,” said Graham; ‘**you will not need to watch the ground all the time, and you will need to keep a look-out elsewhere.”’ As might naturally be ry ean our two friends, | although wee experienced backwoodsmen, had mis calculated the tance to the opposite side of the prairie. It was full midnight ere they reached its ma . All was silent as death, as they cautiously and stealthily entered the wood again. Not a breath of wind stirred the ie Sy on the tree-tops, and the soft murmur of the river had long died away into silence. There were a few flying clouds that obscured the moon at intervals, and rendered its light uncertain and treacherous. Seth still pressed forward. They had gone a few hundred yards, when they heard voices! Cautiously and silently they picked their way, and soon saw the light of a fire reflected ayainst the Bppermoe: limbs of the trees. The fire itself was invisible, although it could not be far distant. Seth whispered for Graham to remain quiet, while he moved forward. He then stepped carefully ahead, and soon reached a massive embankment, up which on his hands and knees he crawled. He peered care- fully over this, and saw, down in a sort of hollow, the whole Indian encampment! There were over twenty gathered around, most of whom were ex- tended upon the ground pi while several sat listlessly smoking and gazing into the fire. Seth looked but a moment, as he knew there were watch- ful sentinels, and it was fortunate that he had not been discovered, as it was. Carefully retreating, he made his way down again to Graham. ‘** What's the news?”’ asked the latter. *’Sh! not so loud. They’re all there.”’ ** She too?” **Is’pose, though I didn’t see her.” ** What do you intend doing ?”’ “IT don’t know. We can't do nothin’ to-night; it’s too near morning. If we git her, we couldn't git a good ‘nough start to give us a chance. We've got to wait till to-morrow night. There’s a lot of ’em on the watch, too. We've got to lay low till daylight, and foller ‘long behind ’em.”’ The two made their way off in a side direction, so - as not to be likely to attract notice in the morning, should any of the savages take the back trail. Here an remained until daylight. ey heard the Indians, as soon as it was fully light, pre ng their morning meal; and as they deemed t ey could see them without ineurrin ril, they determined to obtain a glimpse of them, in order to assure themselves whether Ina was amon them or not. Each had suspicion the company had separated, and tlfat their trail had been overlooked in the darkness. BOCOROIDENY the two crept noiselessly to the top. There was a heavy, peculiar sort of brief growing on the summit of the embankment, which was fortu- nately so impenetrable as to effectually conceal thetr bodies, Seth pressed against this and peered over. His head just came above the undergrowth and he could plainly see all that was transpiring. Graham, with an unfortunate want of discretion, placed his arm on Seth's shoulder and gaz d cver Iim/ Yet, singularly enough, neither was seen. Graham was just in the act of lowering his head, when the briers, which were so matted together as to hold the pres- sure against them like a woven band, gave way, and Seth rolled like a log down the emba ent, ct- ly among the savages! | CHAPTER VIL e A RUN FOR LIFE. Wuen the sad event just.chronicled took place, and Seth made a rather unceremonious entrance in- to view of the savages, Graham felt that he too was in peril, and his life depended upon his own exer- tions. To have offered resistance would have been madness, as there were fully thirty Indians at hand. Flight was the only resource left, and without wait- ing to see the fate of Seth, our hero made a bound down the embankment, alighting at the bottom, and struck directly across the plain, toward the timber that lined the river. He had gained several hundred yards, when several kere yells told him that he was discovered, was a flying fugitive. Cast a reat -