Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 1122 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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+ 7 ' the call of the female. | this assiduously with the wing bone of a turkey Beadle’s Half-Dime Library. fad Injuns, and never drank whisky. Goin’ ter him a plug of baccer and a red blanket.” “ But won’t he want more?” suggested Thorn- ley ‘This camp’s in a bad place, if he comes round at night trying to steal.” “Goin’ ter move arter dinner,” said Wash, a fittle gruffly. ‘‘ D’yer think I don’t know no- thin’, Ed Thornley? Me and the curnel moves ffhis arternoon, while you breaks the young ladies’ horses. Hyar comes Tiger Tail.” As he spoke the chief reappeared from the side af the colonel’s wagon, his face wreathed in gmiles, carrying a bright scarlet blanket ‘over his left arm, and holding in his right a huge black plug of navy tobacco. He passed by them, still smiling, and disappeared in the motte on way to his horse. The colonel soon after #ame up and addressed Wash. “¥ don’t think that Indian is half as bad as he ig painted, Wash. He seems to me to be a simple, good-natured soul. He looked tickled to death with his red blanket and his plug of tobacco.” ““Pity yer didn’t put a ounce of arse-nick in tt, durn him,” growled Wash. ‘You are too Ae Sp for the paraira, curnel. Dye think at cuss cum arter that blanket and a bit o’ Baccer? Not by adoggoned sight! He cum ter y, that’s what he did; and ef yer don’t look arp, he'll be a-comin’ hyar this very night ter gee what he kin get in the way of pickin’s.” “Say you so?’ said Magoffin. ‘Then the gooner we move camp to an open place the bet- ter, it seems to me.” ‘And that’s what’s the matter,” quoth Wash, dryly. se ee CHAPTER NII. 4 A TURKEY-HUNTER, Waren Eugent Dupre left the fire with his gun, fe had made up his mind to bring home a couple ef turkeys or a deer at the very least. ‘The young man was an excellent shot, and had ac- quired some reputation among the bayous of his wiative State asa successful hunter, But he had mever yet encountered a wild turkey in Texas, and was not aware of the extraordinary shyness of the bird. In Louisiana, when turkeys are et with, if is generally by surprise and at ort range. In Texas it is necessary to decoy the old vobblers within gunshot by imitating Bugene had’ practiced geniously manufactured for him by Mr. trother, the overseer, who had been a mighty - anil in Tennessee, and whose second trip to exes this was. As the young Creole mounted his horse and rode down past the wood-cutters to the river- bank, old Strother cast a longing glance at hin, ‘‘Going after game, Eugene?’ called out the colonel, who was superintending the hauling of logs to the bloeck-house, ‘Yes, sir,” answered Eugene; ‘‘I saw a herd ef deer over the river, through the glass this morning, atid the turkeys are quite thick.” , “Pm afraid you won't be able to get a tur- ~ si said his uncle, srfiiling; “* Strotber tells me ey're very shy round here.” ‘Indeed they are,” said the overseer, earnest- ‘ Tain't every feller as can pick up a turkey sound here, colonel, I’d better go with, Mr. Bugene or ye won’t hev much for dinner, I reckon.” “Well, Strother,” said the colonel, good- ihumoredly, “I guess we can spare you for afew hours. Don’t go far, though.’ ** All right, colonel,” said the overster, eager- ty; “Ili show Mr, Eugene how to do it, and we'll be safer together, in case any 0’ them pesky Enjuns comes loafin’’round.” Rasetib was only too glad of Strother’s assist- ce, for the latter was celebrated for his luck. The overseer mounted his horse, and the two forded the river below, with the water almost ap to the saddle-bow. ~ On the other side the prairie was thickly studded with mottes of timber, but to all ap- ance entirely deserted. The deer and tur- i that Eugene had seen in the morning had ail fled out of sight, as the two crossed the stream, Strother rodeup to the nearest motte and dismounted. The two ked their horses in ander the sheiter of an enortrmus live-oak, whose heavy (drapery of Spanish moss swept ‘ the ound on every side, onan, en rapt hig pwd them m view. Strother secured his horse, and ene followed his example. ‘“Now, Mr, Eugene,” said the -Tennesseean, “we'd better go through this hyar motte afoot, and keep still, Thar’s turkeys about and not so fur off nuther, but ef they seen so much as the end of a ha’r, we mout as well go hum, fur we won’t see a feather o’ theirn.” He carefully looked to the cap of his long squirrel-rifle, and started off through the motte, bent nearly double, and stepping with extreme eaution. Eugene followed with equal silence, and the two stole through the thick wood, part- ing the underbrush with their hands to avoid rustle. The wind was in their faces, Strother would never have crossetl the river where he did, had it not been for that circumstance, He would have made a circuit of several miles first. At last they arrived so close to the other side that they could see an open stretch of prairie extending for over a mile before another motte was encountered. But this prairie was as empty of game as the other, and Eugene uttered an exclamation of disappointment. Strother, however, settled himself down with perfect resignation on a fallen log, and signed to his companion to do the same, A thick screen of bushes fringed the edge of the motte in front of them, and they could command a’full view of the prairie. Eugene obeyed, though not without hesi- tation. ‘‘ What’s the use of sitting here, Strother?’ he asked; ‘* we can't see anything,’ ‘ Sh!” said the Tennessean, lifting his finger. ‘* Hark to that!” The two listened for some minutes without hearing anything, and EHugene was growing im- patient, when suddenly the faint, far-off ‘* Gob- ble, gobble, gobble!” ot a turkey broke on their ears, Eugene drew out his turkey-call in a minute, and would have answered, but Strother restrained him. ‘See hyar, Mr, Eugene,” said the overseer; “ef I stay with yer, 1. must boss this job. Ef yer answer too quick ye’ll never git a gobbler hyar, in all creation. Let me do it, and I'll bring one up within twenty rods,” Eugene reluctantly consented to forego a trial of his skill. Strother produced his own call, and uttered a single ‘‘cluck!” plaintive and shrill, in exact imitation of the cry of the female turkey. It was almost instantly answered from three different quarters, and at various distances, Bugene was delighted. He wanted to answer at once. “Don’t ye do it,” said Strother, earnestly; ‘‘half o’ you young fellers loses turkeys through cluckin’ too much, . Them gobblers is e’ena’- most the cutest critters as runs, They know the difference ina minute. It stands to reason. S’pose a gal has three fellers courtin’ her. She don’t holler to ’em, ‘Come hyar an’ kiss me,’ She kinder draws back and keeps still. She knows well enough that the fellers'll come. All she’s got to do is to keep still and let them git each other mad, like them fellers is a-doin’ now,” As he spoke, he elevated his hand with a low laugh‘ ef satisfaction. All three of the old gob- ble:s had begun again, and two of them were coming nearer, from the sound. ‘* Now some fellers,” pursued Strother, tran- quilly,“* would go to cluckin’ now, What ‘ud be the consequence? Them gobblers ‘ud stop and say ‘That ain’t no gal o’ ourn,’ and arter that you mout cluck till eternity. You wouldn't hyar another gobble, or see a feather.” ‘But if you don’t answer any more, won't they think the hen;turkey’s wie ?”? asked Kugene, who was growing interested. “Wait till they’re gittin’ tired o’ gobblin’,” said the overseer; then we’ll liven ‘em up a bit. You jest listen.” They sat silently there for at least ten min- utes more. Every now and then one of the old turkey-cocks would gobble, and the challenge would be answered by his companions or hvala but the sound only approached very slowly, At last Strother raised the call to his lips, and uttered a second ‘‘cluck,” during an interval of silence. It was much lower than the first, but the effect was magical. All three of the strange birds burst into a chorus of excited gobbles, and then there was dead silence, “ Now thur a-leggin’ it,” said Strother, in a low tone, with a grim smile, ‘ Shouldn't won- der ef ye see one soon. Git yer shootin’-iron ready, with heavy shot,” And he Jaid his own long rifle over his knees ready for an emergency. Eugene looked out eagerly over the prairie, his gun ready cocked, expecting every moment to see the turkeys coming. . The gobbles sounded from three differ- ent mottes to the right and left, and after an in- terval of full five minutes, a second chorus arose much nearer, ‘‘ Answer. them, Strother! answer them!” whispered Eugene, ia ae Not by a doggoned sight,” said the overseer, | The young Creole was delighted with his suc- cess. He thanked Strother warmly for the les- hammnpeagie “°T would spile all now. eep still, Hi! Thur he are!” As he spoke, the figure of a majestic-looking wild turkey, standing quite four feet high, as he stood erect, came proudly tripping forth from the motte on the right, about a quarter of a mile off, running, with his wings extended, out into the open prairie. Here he halted abruptly and craned his neck on high, looking all round him, as if intensely suspicious. Presently he uttered a loud and sonorous ‘‘ GOBBLE-GOBBLE- GOBBLE-GOBBLE !” It was instantly answered from the opposite motte, and forth came running two more tur- keys, as different in vigor and grace from the tame turkey as can well be imagined. They moved proudly forward, and each stopped on seeing his rival, and began to strut and gobble desperately. In their anger with each other, they had a,’ most forgotten the cause of their hurry; and they strutted toward the center of the open space, evidently bent onafight. Strother waited for at least ten minutes more, during which the strutting and fuming gallants had approached within a few yards of each other, but just out of gunshot trom the concealed hunters. _ “ You fire arter me,” he whispered to Eugene. ** We'll bag the hull caboodle then, ” He raised the call to his lips, and gave forth the very faintest ‘‘ cluck” imaginable. But it was all-sutiicient. Down went every head, and, with extended wings, the three -gobblers came tearing down full speed, racing to see who shotild be first to court the good graces of the concealed lady, Strother lifted his rifle slowly, Down came the turkeys within thirty paces, when they all. halted. Keach inflated the scarlet wattles on throat and breast, and trailed his wings on the grounc while he spread his tail fan-like, and strut round and round, gobbling loudly. The Tennesseean’s rifle cracked, and the left- hand turkey roiled over on the sud, with a little round hole over his heart. Bang! bang! almost at the same minute, went the double-barrel of Kugene Dupre; and the heavy swan-shot knock- ed the life out of the two others in an instant. son he had given him, and weighed his prizes with great admiration. The Yonet of them weighed nearly thirty pounds! By this time it was high noon, and both the hunters began to feel the proverbial appetite of their kind. 1 preter Tennie a turkey,” said Eugene, joyfully, ‘‘and here I’ve been better than m word. We .have enough to feed the whole camp. But I thank you all the same, Strother as I should never have got onw, I do believe, i you hadn’t been along. “Ay, ay! Dm thinking they'll want me this arternoon,” said Strother, “Ef they ’spects to git up that block-house by to-morrow night, we'll hev to be pretty spry, I guess. Wal, Mr, Eugene, you go round the motte to the right, and I'll go to the left, We mout start upa deer atween us, or mebbe a b’ar. Tl) carry your turkeys.” The young man was not sorry to be relieved of the age load, and was 7g, 3 to prove his skill if possible, so he and the Herculean over- seer took opposite paths around the motte to return to their horses. Strother trudged along under near a hundred pounds of meat with buf little discomfort. His object in going that way was more to reconnoi- ter the country than in the hupe of flushing e, and he was not disappointed in not see- ing any. When he had got back close to the horses he was startled by hearing the quick double report of ruaanes gun, and muttered; ‘*Durn the boy! Whar did he git such luck?” He quietly attached the turkeys to the rear uf his saddle and awaited Eugene's reappearance, Time passed, and still he came not. Strother grew uneasy as the mfnutes went on. He shouted twice, but no answer came. Hastily loosening the revolver in his belt and COSEERE, his rifle; he ran round the motte te where he had heard the gun, No Eugene was there! Let’s go home.” On the prairie lay the dischar and close to it the tracks of horses’ be peer ig off to the nearest motte. The tracks were plain, but nothing else was in sight save e@ little i53 of blood ciose to the empty gun. Strother groaned aldud. CHAPTER XTIL OLD WASH SCENTS THE TRAIL. 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