Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 1152 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

=» —- = . a ee a - - - - “ n —_— , “It was whether he shoul 7 ra Fo mer 9 ~' sR “es 2d $4 A= le Stee a - i oe a ee a a 3 a 220 2 oe Ze es 4 so a —_ = = 4 . oo J: : 4 4 & « . . f d J ~ - = . % = ® we A wi ft te". > -*- . > 's =m . $e Ra A ee make no attempt to assist me. No matter what bappens to me, you are not to interfere, but wait till I appear before you, and if Ido not put in an ap ce, you may know that that is an end to my history.” *“T cannot recall my promise,” said Mackin- tosh, with a sadness of manner; ‘‘ but it is given with a heavy heart.” Ever since the interview began, Hugh Band- man had been debating a quastion with himself. tell Mackintosh his own personal experience of the preceding sm ae when he learned that the Phantom Princess had a companion with her. More than once he was on the point of doing so, but his natural caution intervened, and when the interview was drawing to a close, he had decided to make no reference to it at all in his presence, ‘You can leave us to-morrow, or to-night, even, if you choose, without attracting notice, as the men are used to such things on your part, and then all will be left to yourdiscretion. You need no directions from me.” “j hardly know how I shall act,” continued the trapper, in that same absent way, “but I will trust in Providence, as I have always done in the ae and I am quite hopeful of coming out right.” “S$o am I; I shall look anxiously for your re- turn to Fort William.” ‘““T would prefer that you would forget all about me, aud not expect me, until I appear be- fore you.” ‘*T would prefer to do that if it were possible, but such things are not so easily done!” The two men talked together a few minutes longer, and then, as there was nothing of im- portance to add, both rose to their feet and be- gan walking back toward the camp. While engaged in talking, both had heard several reports of guns, from which they con- cluded that the hunters who had gone out in search of game were meeting with good success. But when they emerged from the wood, they saw atonce that there was some unusual ex- citernent in the camp. The men were gathered in a group around two of the hunters, who were talking in an excited manner, ‘What is it?’ asked Mackintosh, as he hur- ried forward, “The Nor-westers are coming down the river, and a half-dozen of them fired at us.” ““ How near are they?” ‘‘They will be in sight in five minutes!” CHAPTER VIL. THM PEACE-MAKER. Tnx tidings that a company ef trappers be- longing to the North-west Fur Company was close at hand was indeed exciting; but when it was learnod that they numbered forty men, and that they had fired at the two hunters, the in- stant they recognized them, the news was indeed ajarming. There was no doubting the dispeSition of these mon; the rivalry at the time of which Iam king was so great between the agents of these two great Satin erg who both claimed Oregon Territory as their own trapping-ground, that more than one collision had occurred in that countiry, and there was always imminent danger when two of their parties encountered. The two hunters stated that they had brought down a buffalo, that, badly wounded as it was, managed to run to the bank of the river where .b fell dead. They hurried forward, and were om the point of applying their knives to the ani- inal, when a shout caused them to look up, and ‘boy saw three large canoes, scarcely a hundred vards distant. {t required but a moment for them to see that thay were Nor’-westers, who showed they were -jually quick in identifying them, by sanding beF shots after them, accompanying the eme with ate epithets. The men ins y took to their heels, and here they were. ‘** Did you fire at them?’ asked Mackintosh. ‘* No; we left in rathertoo much of a hurry.” ‘“T am glad of that; I don’t wish to have a ht with them, and they can’t say we have ven them the provocation.” “We've given ’em the biggest kind,” said Nick Whiffies, ‘‘ and if you ain’t mighty keerful, there’s going to be the condemnedest diffikilty you ever heard tellon. Turn the heads of the canoes Vother way !” This was uttered in such a peremptory tone that a number of men sprung forward and obeyed it, Sas they find out we've been down to the village i got the peltrics they’re after,” re- marked Nick, in explanation to Mackintosh, > Fe a - mo ve ae Ree, = 4 as: ras ~~ , -% _ ¥ ; sy ee aati a Te Bi Beadle’s Half- -_—- eee ee ee ee ee “~~. he - o~ se ; _ = ail? a. - > 5 ne “ . hehe oe | — _ -~ Sere « Sf tnd as, a e, “h Pe We he * ee Fg hee ee ee . ¢ J a EE “ they'll be in fur a diffikilty sure as you’re born. The ijee is to make things look as though we war goin’ down instead of wp-stream.” There was barely time to explain this ruse to the men, when the three canoes made their ap- pearance. Catching sight of the men on shore, a volume of shouts arose, that made Mackintosh tremble for the result. ‘‘Let me do all the talking,’ said he to his men, ‘‘and avoid anything that will provoke them.” The boats headed for the landing, and in a few seconds the three ranged themselves along- side the shore and rested on their oars. In the three boats were forty men—mostly Americans, although here and there asprinkling of other nationalities could be discovered. They were a tough, courageous-looking set of men, dangerous to any sort of foe. The leader or director of the expedition was a long-whiskered Missourian, who sat in the stern of one of the boats, smoking a large meerschaum ipe. , Good-da to you,” said Mackintosh, advanc- ing to the edge of the water, and nodding pleas- antly to this individual, whose reply came in a grutf voice, ‘‘ What the deuce are you doing in Oregon?” ‘* Hunting for furs.” “T should think it’s about time you infernal Hudson Bay men learned that this country be- longs to the universal Yankee nation.” “That question is not yet settled,” replied Mackintosh; ‘‘ we trapped in Oregon a hundred years before the North-west Fur Company was tormed,” ‘Just because wo let you—that’s the only reason. ‘‘ here are treaties in existence giving us the privilege.” ‘‘ Let’s see them!” was the characteristic de- mand of the Missourian, starting up in indigna- tion, ‘‘Tam not in the habit of carrying treaties around in my breeches pocket. I have seen the treaty; but your government and mine are now negotiating about this very thing, and untila decision is reached, I claim that my right is as good as yowrs to huntand trap in all of Oregon.” ‘* And Pll make affidavit it isn’t; haven’t you heard the news?” ‘* No; what is it?” “ The treaty has been concluded; Oregon is ceded to us, with the understanding that at the end of ten years, all of British America, Rus- sian America, and Greenland are to be annexed to the United States, and I, Jake Belgrade, am to be appointed territorial Governor.” If Mr, Belgrade, of Missouri, had not drawn it quite so strong, possibly he might have suc- ceeded in making some impression upon the matter-of-fact Scotchman, but the latter merely smiled, and replied: **T haven’t received official notice of it yet; when I do, it will be obeyed.” “We have,” was the remark of the Missou- rian, ‘‘and we’ve come to Oregon for two things —one is to hunt furs, and the other to clear all you infernal Hudson Bay men out. What do you say, boys?’ ‘““Ayl ay!” was the deep-mouthed response of the men, eager for any thing that promised the excitement of an affray. “So if you chaps don’t want to get eternally nipped out, you had better git up and git, in about three shakes of a lamb’s tail.” “Tam a subject of Her Majesty and I take no orders from any one except from her officers, af res ea “We've flaxed you Britishers more than once, and we can do it again,” Mackintosh fancied that he had his temper under full control, but he was not proof against the exasperating manner of the Missourian, and, if any one thing was certain at this point, it was that, unless some third party interfered, there would be a bloody and desperate encoun- ter between the men, within the next ten min- utes. Nick Whiffles plainly saw this, and stepped forward at the critical moment. * Mack, if you will allow,” said he, address- ing the Scotchman, “Tll put in a word or two—’’ At this juncture, the North-west men recog- nized the old hunter and all cheered him. Every one knew him either personally or by tence and they respected and admired im. | Mackintosh comprehended the delicate situa- tion, aud with a graceful bow, stepped back, and made way for his friend. Nick, with his long rifie in one band, with Dime Library. oe ee oe ene oe face, looked serenely toward the Nor’-wes- rs. ‘* What do you chaps want?” ‘We want them Britishers to vamose the ranch,” replied Belgrade, - Wal, ain’t they doin’ it, as fast as they com?” ‘*'That don’t lock much like it,” said the Mis- sourian, pointing to the canoes; “‘ your boats are headed down-stream; that ain’t the way to get out of Oregon.” * Ain’t you willin’ that they should go down ae river and get some peltries of the Black eet? ‘Not much; that’s just what _we’re after, and we intend to manage that business our selves,” ““S’pose, then, I kin persuade ’em to turn about, and go up-stream, there’ll be no dif 1 ty? ‘* Being it’s you that has asked it, there won’s be—but, we come into Oregon with our minds made upto shoot every Hudson Bay thief we found in the place; this thing has gone too far already, and we cracked away at ’em the min- ute we got sight of a couple of them up the river a little while ago.” ‘* Keep easy there,” said Nick, ‘‘till I can speak a word or so to Mack here.” Whiffles. turned about and began conversing with Mackintosh in a low, earnest voice, oeca- sionally indulging in quite excited ges while the members of bota parties watched the two men with no little interest. The interview lasted but a short time, when Nick turned to Belgra/le. ‘* It goes rather ag’n’ the grain to knuckle un- der in this ere stylo—-if I was the man ther’d be a conderaned diffikilty afore ’d pull down my flag.” . ; ‘* What does he say?” inquired the Missou- rian. ‘‘That’s what be says,” was the reply, as the hunter pointed to a half-dozen men who were busying themselves in turning the canoes so 4s to head up-stream; ‘‘ Mack, hoviever, says he reserves the right to protest ag’in’ this proceed- in Rid a Protest and be hanged,” replied Belgrade, Oregon isa part of the Uuited States, and na infarnal red-coat has any right on it, without first asking permission of Uncle Sam, and if this thing isn’t stopped, there’s going to be war. [’'m going to stir up Congress when I get back, and get’em to notify the Hudson Bay Com- pany that if they don’t stop fooling an eep off our land, we'll bombard London, an capture her and her whole caboodle of a fami- ly, and hold ’em for hostages, I reckon that’lJ bring ’em to their senses.” And with this grandiloguent flourish, Mr. Belgrade gave the signal for his men to resume their course down-stream; but they had taken scarcely a dozen strokes, when he gave his part- ing shot: * We'll watch for you, and if you undertake to steal by, we'll shoot every one of you, in spite of Nick Whiffles.” The Hudson Bay men preserved their solem- nity of mien, until their rivals were beyond sight, when they indulged im some rather broad smiles at their success In outwi them, ‘When they get down to the village and find that we’ve been there,” said Mackintosh, ‘'I wonder if any of the company will bo able to do justice to the sips e ‘*T s’pose the part I played come as near lyin as anything could,” said Nick, *‘ but I didn’ see any other way of getting you out of the coudemned diffikilty.” CHAPTER VIII, THE BOY TRAPPER AND THE DAWNING OF LOVE, Tue Hudson Bay men resumed their journey up the Elk river, paddling with scarcely any pil pes Lore: if uled up for the pu of encamping. aah the cam tre passed acy and jest until a late hour, when all, excepting the usual sentinels, turned in for the night, and at an san hour the brigade was under way aguin. At noon the river made a sweeping bend toward the north, which, followed up a few miles further, would lead into unmistakable British territory, where there was no danger of molestation from any members of the great rival fur company. . At this point, Nick Whiffles and Ned Hazel left the company. They had made the nearest int to his home, and henceforth would draw urther away from it, The parting was pleas- ant, and marked by eeling upon both sides, but there was nothing of a pathetic char- acter in it, as they expected to meet again ina Calamity at his side, and wita-a huge grin on | few weeks at the furthest. | Comic ghtfall, when, as usual, they. 900ks.c ' - -/ r ea hen C0 ~ ne £ >* > * + =