Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 1140 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

ye oe tee dumb; and to me they’re dim speakings of what is to come in that sleep which knows no + »waking. I’ve read somewhere that sleep was Metiage brother of death—” . oe ty rs et, F S ie What do de ag bye twin yaaa’ was _~-~—”—s#he «exceedingly silly question. of Swoper, In- oy, a ded to cast ridicule upon the ‘‘ old man elo- __ ** Tf your mother had been so unfortinit as to 4 ave a natural born fool, at the same time you ' gome into the world, you and him would have _ ‘teen twin brothers, and the other one would _ have had the mostsense. And now, young man, _ let me give you a word of advice; you never ’ will amount to much, and it ain’t your fault, ‘cause it wasn’t born in you; you're one of them _ ehaps that thinks it’s a di to work. and I don’t doubt despise your own nts cause they - doit. Idleness is the hardest work for them that - ain’t used to it, and dull work to them that are. Tt’s a disease that soon eats into the heart, and ecorrodes your heart while it digs under your health. pend upon it, that nothing is so hard to do, as to do nothing. Men spen working for the time when they needn’t work and then find that the hardest work of all, and -—but what’s the use in talking to a man that can’t understand?” And Nick Whiffles deliberately turned his back upon the two Englishmen, and _ a ’ confidential conversation with Captain Green, ‘as though his sys 9 ha too great to permit him to look upon them even. They sauntered away arm in arm, as though they were the victors instead of the vanquished, _ though there can be but little doubt that they were greatly relieved to escape the scathing they were receiving at the hands of Nick Whiftles. CHAPTER IX. THE FIRST TRAMP. EARLY in the morning the brigade had eaten their breakfast, and were ready to start on theix return to Fort Alfred. Cap Green was de- sirous of securing the services of Nick Whiffles and. Sol for the Hudson Bay Company, but the former shook his head. ‘* ve got a little private business of my own to look arter. If nothi ickler comes up in the summer and fall—that is if I don’t run across any condemned diffikilties that I have to ighten out, 7 turn in with you and try an r season.” None knew better than Captain Green that it was useless to attempt to c mind of Nick, and so he urged him no further, but bid- ing the two trappers good-by, told them that he should count with a great deal of confidence a 3g seeing them at the fort before a year ould have elapsed. ; As the canoes pulled away up-stream, Nick and Sol stood upon the shore waving their _— by. They were especially affectionate in their de- ears in ; x ~ iP < » “ a * ¥ ae oN — . * 4 . - é < * ere , = 7 es - ™ yr % - ah - +E, maces a . odes sh —_ 2 ! e A me as PS ey ~~ ‘Ss gh * - te — < Ps 4 -_ . _ . - _ . monstrations toward Swoper and Fitzsimmons, who had sense enough to forget the rough treat- ment they had received at the hands of the phi- losopher of the woods, and they returned the oe the old fellow to bea brick r all. And so the parties separated. When the bri bad passed the curve in the river and was y out of sight, Nick turned about, and the two walked to where their horses were ing the grass. Here they stood _be- side them pane minutes debating as to their nts. future moveme ree amet mt tor ? e sé “he , kept his ment as well as Captain Green and the rest of the men done.” **Mebbe he won’t come at all,” replied Oregon _ Sol, who had received the full particulars of the last interview between Marunyo and his friend. — When a red-skin gits his back up in that style, _ _fa’s apt to show it, and like enough we'll never we the red-skin ag’in.” ie “That might be,” replied Nick, “if he was a | sig Injun; but it’s the condemned diffikilty r me to think all the time that he’s one of the ee - looks too much like a white man’s.” : --__— Oregon Sol’s face ‘wore a serious expression. -_~ He was silent a moment, and then looking up, he - Nick, I’ve never heard you gy that way _ gfore. Ive had sech thoughts, I never let tem out’cause they seemed so foolish like, but _ thar’s ape Dae Marunyo that works me more nor his looks do. em mc What's that?’ inquired Whiffles, with no lit- wi) * Bg netime when he’s speaking, there’s some- ‘hat voice befcre. I’ve had the feeling a good eae: > “en > Aystp & a <a 3 4t Pr 7 . ee , to pee. . 4 a truc blue. There’s something in his ways that hs ‘Beadle’s Half-Dime Library. many times, and it bothers me a good deal, fur I can’t figure out where it was that I heerd that voice, nor how it is that it strikes me that way. Does it ever act the same with you?’ Nick shook his head. ** Never; I’ve had my doubts *bout his being a reg’lar varmint, and Pve got’ém yit, but I’ve never had a s’picion that I’ve ever see’d’im afore the time we run ag’in’’im, a couple of years ago. : ‘*T wish I could feel the same way,” said Ore- gon Sol, as if speaking to himself, *‘ fur it’s one of -them thi that sometimes keeps me from seerine at all. How long are you going to wait ere? i ‘* We'll hold on a little while longer, and then, if we don’t see nothin’ of him we'll head south and leave word for him to foller. Calamity, I wish you’d go over on Blackfoot Rock and see whether.the young man is in sight. You’ve been up there before and know the way.” The shaggy dog that was sitting at his master’s feet, licking his chops, and patiently awaiting their decision, arose, turned about, and trotted toward the river. There was a solemni- ty in his movement and action, that proved that he was a canine little given to.trifling, and with- out any evidence of the waggish di ition that was such a prominent characteristic of his master. Into the river went the dog, and paddled as straight for the opposite shore, as if he was fol- lowing a ferry line that was stretched over his head. As he walked out upon the land he paused only long enough to shake his shaggy hide, when he di behind the huge nmiass of rock towering to such a great ny **Can he get to the top?’ asked Oregon Sol, who had been attentively watching the move- ments of the sagacious creature. ‘You heerd me tell Captain Green*how many times I have been up there myself,” said Nick, in reply. ‘‘ Well, every time I went up the ‘pup went with me, and I guess he’s old ’nough to go it alone.” | Tt was no light task for amy one, man or ani- mal, to clamber to the top of Blackfoot Rock, but the trapper never felt the least doubt about the success of his favorite. Several minutes passed, and while the discussing the many excellences of Ca a faint bark was heard, far up in the air, and leoking up they saw the diminutive figure of the dog on the highest point of Blackfoot Rock. At such a distance, he a ed searcely larger than a fly, but there co ; be no mistake about his identity. The creature retained his position perhaps ten minutes, during which he gave out his short, iar bark, some half-dozen times. “That means that he sees something,” said Nick, who understood the meaning of his dog as well as if he thé gift of speech. “TI guess the Blackfoot isn’t fur away.” Shortly after, Calamity was seen breastin the current again, and, as he came out, an gave his hide a shake that sent the water and spray flying in every direction, Nick Whiffles ape to him a series of questions, as searching as the dog were submitting to a cross-examina- tion upon the witness stand. “* Marunyo is close by,” said the trapper, look- ing about, as if he expected him to show himself at once; *‘ the pup has seen him, and we sha’n’t have to wait long.” **That’s the fact,” said Oregon Sol, ‘‘ for there Torhs latarigeane: ghacetal i f the Black e me, grace gure of the Black- foot emerged from the woods at this juncture, and he. advanced straight to them, making a kind of military salute, to the two trappers. * Well, rely 2 we came near.giving you up,” said Nick*Whiffles, as he took his hand. ** We've been here all night, and was just talk- ing about going away, when you showed your- self, SE gta & has been a good many miles,” re- plied the Blackfoot, by way of explanation, ‘and he has tot shut his eyes for a long time that he might meet his brothers.” This did not look as though he was very deep- ly offended at the plain words that had been ken to him by Nick, and the latter, with c teristic good sense, determined to make no reference to it. : * Wal, my son, the next question is whether all this tramping that you’ve been telling us ’bout has done you any good. Have you l’arn- ed any thing "bout the two females that Captain Jack and Flat-Nosed Billy took away with ’em in the canoe?” : The black eyes of the young Indian flashed, as he made answer :/- **Marunyo has followed them as the hound ‘much account. Don’t you forgit, young man, stood. ulty; > follows the deer. He has found the place where the Droopin Lily weeps.” — : ‘*That’s the kind of talk that amounts to something.” I s’pose the old lady? is with the — Drooping Lily?” EP pas Marunyo nodded in the affirmative. | ‘*T obsarve that it’s the young gal that you speak: "bout, as thongh her mother wasn’t of that if that gal is the right kind of animilein calico she thinks a good deal of her mother, and it wen’t do fur you to furgit all "bout the old lady when you're courting the young one.” yo showed considerable confusion at the pene references of the trapper—but he made no allusion to them. He was too much beg ie oe ock then with the question of the rescue ies from the | of the 1 power of the murderous- minded Modocs. 356 OF Baise Ee ‘‘Will the hunters go.with me to save the Drooping Lily?” .. of ; ‘* And her mother, too,” added Nick, in his comical way. ‘ You nod your head that you mean her—but it’s time you be practicing in» the way of showing some: thought of her, even if you haven't got it.” | ick turned to Sol, as if he wished him to an- swer the question of the yo lackfoot. The former stood back a little, with his arms folded, and looking fixedly at the young man, née if Spaying his countenance and listening to voice. | be 2: ; When appealed to in this manner, he did not speak, but nodded his head to signify that he was willing tc do whatéver his companion wish- ed him to do, and Nick Whiffles took upon him- se’f to reply for both. : Laying his hand upon the shoulder of Ma- — HED, he fixed his keen gray eyes upon him, and said; “Blackfoot, we’re going to trust you; and when I say we, I mean the pup and gh bark the pony, not to mention Ore Sol. Te you talk with two tongues, we'll diskiver it in time to put you in such a condemned p’ison diffikilty that you'll never tramp the woods ag’in- nor think you hear the voice of ing Lily sing- ing to you, when you're looking at the stars. We've waited here on pur meet you, and we are going to do what we can to git them females out of diffikilty. It’s airly in the day, and if you feel like travelin’, go ahead, and we i foller.’ , The war-paint that covered the face of the Blackfoot could not conceal the expression of © delight that came over it when he heard these words from Nick Whiffles, and saw from the manner of the two trappers that they were as ready as he to start on the expedition, Marunyo was without any animal of his o and he needed noge. Young and active, alm tireless in muscle and wind, he could travel as far, at a moderate speed, as the best horse that he could ride. As he moved away the hunters mounted their animals and followed after him in Indian file. Calamity took his place directly in front of Shagbark, the pony, and a few feet in the rear of the. Blackfoot. By this means he could give his master timely warning of any d that the red-skin might lead them into, and Nick un- derstood the s ious animal weil enough to know that he would do it, as surely as if a hu- ee man being himself. OU Oregon Sol kept a rod or so in the rear, and : an ordinary observer would have supposed it Fe was on account of timidity; but Nick knew bet- ter. He was well aware that his old compan- ion was in one of his moods, and he respected his feelings + wig at such a time to make no attempt to disturb him. If Nick Whiffles could be wageish and humor- ts ous at times, he could be considerate also. He ¥ never willingly injured a person’s feelings, and in quizzing a person he did it in such a way that he could take no offense, unless, indeed, the other first attacked him, as was the case with i the Englishman, when the old trapper was as Severe as any one could wish. He had learned, during his companionship with Oregon Sol, that the latter, like most peo- ple, had his secret sorrow. He had suffered a law in his or manhood, which had been the As os real means of his taking to the woods. Precise- Da ly what it was Nick could not tell, for hehad never asked; but he needed no telling that it ene g was the cause of these spells of absent-minded- = = ness, and occasional moroseness, that came over . his friend. At such times Nick generally left *, Baie him alone. He felt enough sérrow and sie eae thy for him to e proper allowances fron gg Ee change of mood, and he did not addtoitby amy = unseemly jest or resentment upon his part. _ Bape 3 ae i = «