Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 1152 — page 3: what you’re looking at

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

had occasional difficulty with some of the tribes within their ‘territory. When they penetrated into the Oregon department, they generally went prepared for any emergency, and the cau- tion that distinguished all their movements showed that they were not without apprehen- gions regarding their safety. Two of their members, therefore, took upon themselves to act the part of scouts, while Nick Whifiles, for the satisfaction of himself and Mackintosh, started out to reconnoiter the country that immediately surrounded them, He went entirely alone—that is, with no com- panion except his inseparable friend Calamity. Mackintosh waited until certain that the trap- ee. was fairly out of the camp, aud then, while iis men were busy at their respective duties, he turned to the lad and invited him to seat him- self upon the blanket at his side. The boy obeyed cheerfully, but showed in his manner that he had some curiosity to know what it all meant. The Scotchman had made up his mind to doa thing about which he had some compunctions of conscience, that is, he intended to question the boy without the knowledge of Nick Whiffles. t the same time, he wished to do nothing ip itself wrong. Doubtful whether the lad knew the. precise nature of the relationship existing between him and the eccentric trapper, he de- termined carefully to avoid enlightening him in that respect. i Speaking in the most matter he said: “Your name is Ned, I believe?” ** Yes; Ned Hazel,” “Not Ned Whiffles, eh?” oe no; Nick is not my father; only my un- e. That point settled, the interlocutor felt the way more clear. ‘* How do you like this sort of life?” ‘‘ Very well.” The manner in which this reply was made proved that the lad, to say the least, was not perfectly satisfied. ‘This out-door rugged life is certainly very healthy. I presume you do not know of sucha think as sickness by experience?” “No, sir,” was the respectful repty ‘You talk like a boy of some education. Do you know how to i ‘‘Oh! yes; Nick can read a little, and he brought me some books from the forts that I have studied; but then, I don’t know much,” naively added Ned, with a smile. ‘* You are about fifteen years of age, I should judge. “ That’s it, exactly.” ‘4 boy who has spent allhis life in the woods isn’t apt to acquire as much as you have done.” This was a feeler thrown out with an object, and it accomplished its pvapose. ‘‘ But I haven’t always lived in the woods.”’ ‘¢ Ah! how is that?’ “Didn’t Ned tell you that he found me ina canoe, drifting down the river, and he picked me up, and hunted a'week for my owners, and never learned a thing about me? (‘fhe didn’t tell you, that’s the way it was. He ook me to his cabin, and I’ve lived with him 7er since, until we love each other just as thou, 1 he were really my father.” E y, you have -fuet manner, nen a romantic history,” said Mackintosh, skillfully concealing his curi- osity from the youth. ‘‘ Do you recollect that trip down the river at such an early age?” ‘“*¥*ometimes I think I can, but I ain’t sure. I was very young then, and dressed in baby- clothes.’ ‘‘ What became of those clothes?” All lost, I suppose, long ago, as I’ve never seen them.’ ‘‘ They ought to have been kept, as they might have afforded some clew to your identity in after years.” ‘‘ Neither Nick nor I care about learning any- thing more about me.” , ‘Do you have any recollection of anything that happened before Nick found you? You know that persons can sometimes remem things far back in their childhood.” The boy was silent a moment before answer- in * ne Sometimes I remember a little—only a lit- ” tle. Let _me ask you to describe your remem- ces? “It’s hard to do; they come to me in dreams. sometimes. Then, vzhen [ hear men singing away off, it reminds me of something I have heard very much like it, away back, when I was very small: and then sometimes, when I am stretch- 3 ed owt on my back in the woods, looking up Ned H Lark a =? Neen aS ee tae at ————e——— — - eee. eee em +r tw oe . - nit the trees at the clouds, I caryremember: that I once have seen tall houses, standing close together, and a great many peopls walking be- fore them—” ** That: shows you have been in a city,” inter- rupted the Scotchman. * There be some ne of such places in m books, and I know I’ve seen them somewhere.’ ‘*Can you remember any figures or faces?” ‘I can- remember a woman’s face that used to bend over me.” ‘* How did it look?’ ‘Oh! so beautiful! like an angel’s.” ** You can’t describe it?” *“No one could—sometimes I think it must have been the Phantom Princess.” ‘The Phantom Princess!” repeated Mackin- tosh, in amazement. ‘‘ What do you mean by that? Whois she?’ *“ Haven't you heard of her? But here comes aie he’ll tell you all about her, for he knows er. The Scotehman started, and hastily said, in an undertone: ae Oblige me by saying nothing to Nick about the questions [ have asked you, and leave me to find out for myself all about the Phantom Prin- cess. Ned looked somewhat surprised, at this re- quest, but he nodded, as he rose to his feet, to signify that the request should be respected, Vick Whiffles seemed entirely unsuspicious of the interview, and came up in his usual cheery humor. ‘Me and Calamity have made a sarcuit,” said he, ‘‘and we can’t find any sign of a red-skin near. I’m glad your feed is ready, for I’m as hunery as my grandfather was in England, when he chawed up the Prince of Whales, and chased his father into his palace. The Whiffles famiity was always noted for their eatin’ rclivities; my grandmother used to amuse herself by. settin’ on the scales and eatin’ b’iled chickens till their heads that were chopped off would outbalance her, and then she throwed away the bones, so that they didn’t count.” ‘*You are no great eater yourself, Nick?’ ‘Oh! mighty! no!” sighed the trapper; ‘I was such a small eater that [ was considered a disgrace to the family, and was turned out on that account, My grandfather fit in the Revo- lutionary War, and when he retired on a pen- sion, he got five hundred a year, which he laid out one month in Bologna sausages and salt mackerel, and then bein’ as he hadn’t any more to live on, he pined away and died, afore he could get his pension increased,” The supper being ready, the trappers gathered, in several groups, and sitting down tailor-fash- ion, fell to with the vim and vigor of men who were in the enjoyment of perfect health and di- gestion. Nick Whiffles, Ned, and Mackintosh ate ina group by themselves, while all were so occupied with their emplé6yment that scarcely a word ey sy ace except in the way of request for 00 . 3 It was a singular scene. ‘The somber forests in the back-ground, the broad, smooth-flowing river throwing back the yellow light of the im- mense, roaring camp-fire, and two large canoes resting against the feaaiic and the figures of the men engaged in eating. . | The warm light of the blazing fagots was scarcely needed, as the full moon was now sail- ing above in an unclouded sky, and the view up and down Elk river was quite extended. A full half-hour was occupied in the supper, at the termination of which the pipes were pro- duced. With scarcely an exception, the mouths of the trappers began issuing such volumes of smoke as to make it seem that the entire party were wrapped in a misty cloud. nr Mackintosh produced a case of cigars, inviting Nick to join him, but the hunter declined. ‘‘Tt ain’t often I smoke, but when I do, l don’t care about chawing terbacker at the same time. ‘“ And I never smoked or chewed at all,” added Ned, whereupon the Scotchman replaced hen ae with a word of commendation for the ad. With the taking of their pipes by the t pers, their tongues seemed is be unloosened:, and a perfect Babel of talk and chatter raged foratime. There was a fine flow of animal spirits upon the part of all, and many a jest and joke enlivened the intercourse around the camp-fire. These were hardy ‘men, toughened by the terrible winters of the North-west, by the tem- pestuous violence of the regions of the Saskat- chewan and Mackenzie. They had tramped on snow-shoes along the coasts of Ungava and ee a * 1% a as pl 2 a. ae ?. <> ge ~ i e ~ we a 0 a al gy pc = — - Fes 4 . a 1 circ ‘ we a The Boy Trapper. James’s bays, and over rivers where’ dozen feet of solid ice intervened between them and the crystal waters beneath. Phis was a sort of holiday to them. The un- usually severe winter had ended and the spring had fairly setin. The ice had left the streams, and the deep blue of the aky indicated the ap- proach of mild weather. ere was a crisp coldness of the air, especially in the morning and evening, which made the warinth of camp- fire and blanket very agreeable. But the weather was just the thing for active exertion and exercise, and it would not have been changed by any member of the party, had he been given the power to do so. During the cold months that had just ended, the agents of the great fur companies of the North-west had been busy catching numerous fur-bearing animals of that territory. With the opening of spring, these were being gather- ed in, while others were making a tour amon the Indians further south, to purchase all tha could be procured of them, An hour’s rest, and the signal was given to start again. Only a few minutes were required for every thing to be placed in the canoes, when they shoved out intg stream. As before, the canoe of Mackintosh took the lead, Nick Whiffles sit- ting in the front, the Scotchman next, while a and Calamity took positions in the rear of them, The long, sweeping paddles were dipped dee in the water, and the boats glided forward wit that easy, swift motion which is seen when a vessel is under control of skillful oarsmen, The round, full moon, shining in an uncloud- ed sky, was directly overhead, so that the som- ber forests threw only a narrow strip of shadow along the shore. The men did not sing, as was their usual cus- tom when sweeping ong in this manner, but their pull was steady and uniform as though they were keeping time with the motion of some ‘‘ director” elevated above their heads. The consciousness that they were in a terri- tory with an air of hostility about it, was the cause of this, When theré was no certainty but what the crack of a hostile rifle might be heard at any moment, there was no disposition on the part of the men to make their location known to any lurking foe. All seemed impressed with the solemnity of the scene, and Nick Whiffles and Mackintosh conversed only at intervals, and then in tones so low that no one else comprehended the words uttered, Even Ned, with his arm thrown affec- tionately over’ Calamity, appeared lost in medi- tation. Perhaps the nighes 6 questioning of the Scotchman had again called up those shado imaginings of which he had spoken; perhaps h mind was running back to that vague period that preceded his falling into his hands; and he saw once more the tall houses, and the beauti- ful face bending over him, as he saw them in dreams and reveries,when alone upon his couch, or in the vast wilderness that had so long been his home. Several miles were epee in this manner, and the surface of the Elk river was as smooth as a inirror, except where the swift-cutting canoes and the long, sweeping paddles rippled the water. Suddenly Nick Whiffles felt some one gree his arm, and turning, he encountered the face of Mackintosh, who, pointing ahead and down-stream, said, in an agitated whisper: “Look yonder! Whatis that?” — Looking in the direction indicated, Nick saw what, without any effort of the imagination, might be termed a ‘ spirit canoe,” Several hundred yards ahead was a small In- dian canoe, in which was seated the fi of a woman apparently motionless. The boat and its occupant were both of a snowy-white color, and seemed to have risen from the bed of the river. The crews of the two large boats had discern- ed it at the same moment, and, by one impulse, all stopped rowing, while they gazed in breath- less amazement upon the scene. What could it mean? Was it a warning from the spirit world? Was it a human being? Had one or even twoof these trappers, with- out any other companions, seen this vision, they would have fled in superstitious terror, as if from the presence of the Evil One himself; but with ascore of hardy, brave men, they felt too much courage to flee in fear, although every member of the party was impressed with a strange, chilling sensation at the singular sight. The fact that every li member of the com- pany saw it distinctly unmistakably, pre- vented anything like ridicule or jesting. _ ae = y ‘. aoe BF erty > re ok ty A res i we ee Se ‘nw gee * - ee _— 1 |