Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 1148 — page 3: what you’re looking at

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

® ee ee | oe sos S.-C ee eS SO OO ** Many a one, sir.” ‘* Well, there is a large herd of wild horses in the river valley above here, and the king of the drove isa roan stallion.” — ‘“‘Tve heard of him, Captain McNally, and they say there is no horse on the plains that can catch him.” ‘* Well, Buck, I can answer, for one, for my own horses here, and not one of them can run wich the roan, and they are considered the best for speed in these parts; but you can get a good horse out. of the herd, not to speak of the roan, aud I will lend you any one of my animals to ride on the hunt that you wish.” ** No, sir; Pll take my little broncho; for it willbe by a trick, not speed, that I'll catcha good horse, and I’ll try for the roan.” ‘‘Tuck to you, then, Buck, and somehow I feel you will have it. When will you start?” ‘* Right off, sir.” “By the way, Buck, where did you get that tigerish-looking dog ‘Vermifuge, sir?” “What do you call him?” * Voermifage.” The captain laughed and asked: ‘t How came you to give him that name?’ ‘‘ He belonged to a settler on the river, sir, and the poor man was killed by the Indians, and I found his body, so went to tell his wife. She had gone out on a bunt for her husband, and left the ° then a puppy, to guard the baby. *T found him puarding the little "un still, but so awful sick I thought he was mad. There was a bottle on the floor, empty, and it was marked, ‘Vermifuge,’ and the puppy bad sucked down its contents; so I gave him the name that was on the label.” ** And the baby?” ‘Oh, the kid was all right, but its poor mother never got back, for the red devils killed her, too. I took the baby to another settler, who adopted it, while I adopted the dog, and there’s none better, capt: in.” , ‘ He looks it; but I’d rather be attacked by a panther than by Vermifuge, as you call him. ‘*But some one said your horse was named Snakeroot?” - “True, captain, I called him that because he likes the root, and eats it when he can get it. They are a-strange pair, captain, Vermifuge and Snakeroot.”’ ‘* Yes,” assented the captain, who thought he might also very properly add: “A strange trio ”—the tall, daring youth, his dog and his broucho. Buck Taylor now mounted Snakeroot, and, with Vermifuge trotting at his heels, rode out of camp alone, for he declined help from the Rangers who offered to accompany him. CHAPTER IV. THE THREE COMANCHES. In the days of which [I write herds of wild horses were quite frequently seen in Texas, and many a fine aniinal oR often found among the equine rangers of the plains, To catch a wild horse was no easy matter, and often a herd contained many speedy ani- mals that defied capture by man. There were a few bold wild-horse hunters among the Texans, and they had won fame by their amine and skill in their line. There were also skilled borse-hunters among the Comanches, «nd it was no infrequent occur- rence for the bands of white and red-skins to meet in the broncho eae eee and there have a fignt for mastery, the victors generally capturing the animals taken by the others, ith the Comanches on the war-path, as they had been for months in considerable force, at bs at the time of which I write, the wild steeds of the _ prairies had obtained quite a respite from pur- suit. The herd to which the roan stallion, of which the reader has heard, was known to belong was a vast one, and its grazing-grounds extended over a large area of couutry, then a half-way land between the Indians and the whites. ‘But boldly into this disputed territory Buck Taylor made his way, after leaving the camp of the Rangers. He was utterly fearless, and raised upon the frontier, he had become as thorough as an In- dian in trailing, and was versed in all signs and cunning of the border. His uncle had hoped to keep him upon his large ranch, for Buck soon became noted as the best one oi the cowboy herders; but the youth s- was anxious to get beyond the circle of a ranch herd of cattle, and so had started out to seek bis - __ fortune alone in the world, with bis little bron- cho, his dog, bis old-fashioned weapons and a _° few dollars in bis pocket. . Buck Taylor, cw a — eS ee eee - But, added to his personal property as a basis of fortune, Buck had good, sound ‘“ horse sense,” a superb physique, giant strength, prairie knowledge and utter fearlessness. It was this utter disregard of danger that caused him to set forth alone tosecure a suitable mount and weapons as a Ranger. He could have bought what he needed, but he preferred to show the Rangers that he could se- cure them in another way. in search of the herd of wild horses, of which the roan stallion was king. He sighted the herd the next day, feeding in a vast valley, and noted the way that they were moving. ‘They are feeding down the valley, and will rest to-night in the timber yonder. ‘“*T must flank them.” So he said, and he mounted Snakeroot and set off at a canter for a long ride around to head the herd off in the timber. . One seeing the size of Snakeroot, and of his rider, would be surprised at the way in which he held on his course so untiringly. But though small, Snakeroot was a speedy little animal, full of wonderful endurance. Upon reaching the timber, Buck songht out a secluded canyon, and then staked out his horse, and left his dog, with the extras of his outfit which he did nof care to take along in bis recon- noissance, He also left his rifle, but took his lariat, and went up through the timber until he reached a small river. Under knew there was a crossing, and where the borses would certainly cross that night or in the morn- ing. Suddenly he started, for he saw, in a little cavity in the bank, something that showed he What he saw was a ravine, or water-wash in the bank, running back some sixty feet. In this were three Indian ponies, some lances, and a few other articles, which showed it to be a red-skin camp, ** Whese are the reds?” muttered Buck, coolly, Creeping into the ravine, revolver in hand, he inspected the surroundings and the outfit. He saw that it was but a temporary camp, | and as he noted the lances and rifles of the red- | re he at once read the reason why they were ere. ‘*The reds are here for just what I am, and they are up in the timber biding, to catch the horses to-night when they come to the ford. ‘** This is just pie for me.” was not alone in that vicinity, | ne Crawling up to the top of the ravine, he took | a careful survey of the timber. No one was near, and the timber was quite open. : Sreciasines his eyes along the river bank, he dis- covered a moving form, nearly a quarter of a mile away. It was a red-skin. Watching him, Buck saw that he was signal- ing to some one who was evidently in a tree above him, “Aha!” muttered the young Ranger. This expression meant a great deal, as his after musing aloud proved, ‘‘' They want the roan stallion, and are plot- ting tocatch kim right there at the ford’ | reckon Till let them catch him; but I'll find out just what their litt e game is.” Then Buck took a look at the three Indian ponies. . , They were all exceedingly fine animals, and the outfit of one showed that it belonged to a the weapons, and a buckskin bag of provisions. “They'll get their trap set, and then come back here to supper, knowing that the herd will not reach the timber before dark, but feed on the prairie, so I guess Td better cross over and examine their little outfit while they are here at supper.” So saying, he carefully covered any trail he had made, and going back the way he had come, soon reached bis horse and dog. Mounting, be rode down to the river, and in while Vermifuge followed in his wake. Reaching the other shore, Buck made a wide circuit to reach a rise of prairie, and then can- tered rapidly along under its shelter for a mile or more, until be came to a small creck flawing into the larger stream or river, The bushes growing along the creek sheltered bim and he reached the river bank, which on this shore was overgrown with brushwood. an instant Snakeroot was swimming across, em eee eee -_— = See eS King of the Cowboys. | So he entered the disputed ground, and went { the bank of this he held on his | gone back to lay for the herc way, going toward a point above where he | trick of theirs that 1 saw from across the river, | chief, There were one rifle and two muskets among -————————— Leaving his horse in a good rea td HS Buck called to Vermifuge to accompany him, and tak- ing his rifle, crept along until he reached a spot near the ford. ; Peering cautiously out from among the bush- es he saw upon the other shore, not sixty yarc: away those whom he sought. He also discovered just what they were about. ‘There are three of ’em, and they’re Coma - ches, It’s a snug little game they ore playil.:, and [ll try and get the good of it,” and, aftr watching them for a few moments, Buck re- traced his way toward his horse. CHAPTER V. BUCK’S STRATEGY. ONCE more mounted, Buck started back omsthe very trail be had come. Reaching the river, he again swam Snakeroot across, and soon had the little animal staked out to feed in the canyon, relieved of his saddle and bridle. Then, accompunied by Vermifuge, the roung Ranger started along tbe river-bank on the trail be had taken several hours before, The sun was setting as he came to the vicinity of the temporary camp of Comanches, and he moved very cautiously; but, examining his own trail carefully, he saw that it had not been dis- covered, and soon he peered up into the ravine. There were the horses, and the weapons of the Indians; but Buck saw that they had been there as he supposed they: would be, and had supper. A fire had been built, but put out, the ashes being yet wet. ‘The reds had a good eal i and have now . It was a clever to pile up brush on each side of the trail leading to the ford, and thus force the herd to $$ un- der the trees where they will be, and drop lar- iats down upon them. * Well, I only hope they’ll catch the roan, for T want him!” so saying Buck started off on his way down the river, Vermifuge trotting close to his beels, As he drew near the ford he heard the thunder of hundreds of approaching hoofs, and knew that the herd of wild horses were coming. Knowing that the red-skins, now hiding in the trees over the ford trail, would be watching the herd, be went forward, little fearing to be seen, and soon came in sight of the full situa- tion. What the Comanches had been working on, when he saw them from across the river, they had accomplished, which was to make a line of brush from the descent to the rive , on each side for quite a distance, which would cause the herd to go more slowly there, holding a number of horses together in a mass beneatb some trees, | in the branches of which the red-skins were seated, each with several lariats, firmly fastened at one end, and with the other coiled in hand ready to throw. The brush wall also served as a screen for the daring Buck, and he crept up to a position not fifty yards from the Comanches in the trees, The red-skins’ eyes were now on the ap- proaching wild borses, and they little dreamed that Buck Taylor’s eyes were upon them. ° The twilight was just beginuing to fall, there being yet plenty of light, and Buck Taylor could see that the herd was a vast one, while he rejoiced to see in the lead a superb specimen of horseflesh in the shape of a large roan, — He was a number of lengths in advance of the herd, and came ou with head erect and nos- trils extended, a splencid equine king. vty His mane was lorg, his tail, which was held up, was of great length and thickness, and the animal was indeed a Lesutiful creature, He seemed to scent danger ahead, and snorted like a locomotive. | But the ford was before him, and there the herd were to get water, after which they were to continue on to the prairie, or remain in the shelter of the timber for tho night, Behind the roan came other fine animals though not his eeual in apperrance, and hold their heads erect as they advanced toward the river, | Nearer and nearer they came, and the In-— dians, crouching in the trees, held their lariats 7 - ~~ Ss a a eo [is VIS Noa: aS i r $ ee ee So ie Mee 4 « a - - " - ‘s? 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