Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 1158 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

eee _ “ It’s a beautiful weapon,” said Courtney, pick- ing it up and looking at it. ‘Jes’ so! It’s a present from old Col. Buck- ner. He were cut off from his command by the Blackfoot Injunsin the Flathead valley, when he:were on a seouting expedition. I were up thar trapping beaver, an’ ha ppened, to run across him. Things were rough, I tell you; the red devils were round as thick as ’skeeters in a swan. tl thought our top-knots were gone two or taree times; but, Lordy! we managed to ee | right é»rough ’em slick as a whistle! The olc colonel were tickled to death. He said he thought né should never see the white settle- ments ag’in, an’ be gin me that Henry as a sort of remembrance like. I didn’t think much of it at first, with all the gingerbread work onto it; but when [ come to try it, an’ found out how many shots a minute [ could fire with it, an’ that it would carry further than my old rifle | thar, I kinder concluded it wasn’t a bad friend to have in the wilderness.” ““T should say not,” said Wright; ‘‘ but, sup- pose vve go and look after those ponies you spoke of. The sooner we set out the better.’ ‘Jes’ so! You're right thar,” said the trap- r, emphatically, We'll jist go arter the hassex if our traps together—an’ we want to travel lieht, gentlemen—an’ at four in the morning we'll be among the missin’.” Tne trapper rose from his seat, conducted bis ests oul of doors, fastened the door carefully Behind him, for, as he explained: ‘ Henry rifles air scarce up hyer, an’ some no-souled critter might captivate mine e/ I left the shanty open,” T+, Indian, Mudhole, whom we left asleep 2 are the door, had disappeared. ‘Tne durned red cuss has gone arter rum @ia. Ue’s a pesky cuss, he is, arter fire-wa- er. We'll find him down in the village, hang- nz round some of the rum-shops,” said the Ftiant gr aPP leading the way to the village. \right and Courtney followed him. A few minutes’ walk brought the trio to a saanty oceupied as a general store, and where a small assortment of almost every thing was cept, wroprietor, who soon made his appearance—a arge, full-bearded fellow. “From the trader Wright and Courtney purchased two hardy nies, a Sheet-iron, gents!” as the trader remarked, referring to the horses. — money was paid over and the trade com- leted. | are Send the animiles up to my ranch, an’ have ‘em tied outside,” said Sol. ** Better not,” said the trader, 4 Why not?” asked the Giant Trapper. ‘*Don’t think it’s safe,” replied the..trader. ‘“‘Thar’s a lap of Injuns in town, an’ the two- legged brutes will be putty apt to steal any thing in the way of hoss-flesh they kin lay their ted paws on,” *§ What tribe?” asked Sol. ‘*T don’t know—an ugly set of devils. Guess thur Blackfoot.” “That ain’t likely,” replied Sol; ‘‘ they don’t often come in hyer.” “Maybe not, said the trader; ‘‘ but, I advise you nob to leave your hosses around loose.” “Nuff sed,” replied the trapper, laconivally ; “a wink’s as good as a nod to a blind hoss, We'll call fur the hosses as we come back.” Then he led the ay.to the street again. In the street he turned to his companions. ‘* Let’s go an’ take a look at these ’ere Injuns. Ef thoy air Blackfoot—which I doubt—we may get some information from ’em in regard to the village of the White Wolf. You see, these In- Sen shift their villages about, jist as the game 3 pleaty or scarce,” So, down the street went the three. When tLey arrived opposite to where the steamer la the ove that had brought Wright and Co ey—they noticed a little knot of people gather- iim front of one of the trading-stores, ‘‘The Injuns air in thar, Pll bet,” said Sol. ‘Thoy’ve probably brought in some peltries, n’ they’re tradin’ ’em off. 4 Mappose we go in and see,” suggested ** Jes’ so! but don’t let on that you want to find out anything about them (ef they be Black- {» -t) or bout their country, ’cos ef you do, they lie 'ke all git out, Jist you let me talk to ’em; Th tiad out jist what we want to know, without any red cuss smel outour trail.” | “* We will leave whole matter in your 6 Jes? so. an’ ef I don't succeed jes’ you wal- : > idlers, the Giant trap r, followed by the-two adventurers, entered the.store. CHAPTER IT. ONE AGAINST SIX, {nstpE the little stone stood three Indians—as usual wrapped up tightly in their blankets, Before them lay a small pack of peltries, for which they wished a supply of powder and lead. Two of the Indians were men, the third was a’ woman, and, as is usual with the squaws when visiting the settlements, she had her blanket drawn tightly over her head, almost concealing her face trom view; yet, from the glimpse that could be caught of it through the opening of the blanket, one would have pronounced the squaw to be both young and handsome» As Sol and the two adventurers entered the store, the Indians and the trader were engaged in a brisk discussion as to the value of the furs | —the trader not being willing to give the price > | Entering the store, Sol inquired for the | the whistle, and exchanged | demanded for them by the Indians. Courtney’s eyes were 7 ges A attracted by the young squaw; and with a natural curiosity, he drew near to her, anxious to get a better view of her features. She, perceiving the move- ment, and guessing the object, drew the blanket still closer, so that only her coal-black eyes, brilliant as stars, could be seen, At the entrance of the Giant Trapper and his companions, the Indians bent a piercing glance upon them, and the elder chief—a huge brave, and very dark in color—said a few words in the Indian tongue to the younger chief. The words evidently had some. reference to the trapper, as the young chief looked at him from head to foot. For a moment, then, both the Indians turned their attention to the furs again. “How air you, Martin?’ said Sol, nodding to the trader. “Sol, you’re the very man 1 want to see!” cried the trader, who answered to the name of Martin, ‘‘ Give us your judgment hyer, What’s these peltries worth?” Sol drew near and examined the skins care- fully. As he did so, he gave vent to a low whistle of astonishment. The Indians noticed lances of alarm. The elder looked toward the door, asif seeking an avenue of escape. ‘* Well, Sol,” said the trader, ‘‘ what are they worth?” ‘Wal, I don’t exactly know; that depends, in course, on the state of the market,” said the trapper, slowly, and then he turned his eyes up- on the Indians. ‘‘ Whar did you trap these hyer, eh?’ : ‘ Big river,” said the elder chief, extending his hand in the direction of the north fork of the issouri, ** Oh!” said the rapper, and there was an ex- ression of doubt in his tone. “Is the chief a lackfoot?” he asked, ‘* No,” replied the Indian; ** Crow /” ‘* That’s a lie,” said the trapper to himself; then he continued his questions; ‘* Does my brother know a Crow chief named White Wolf?’ and the trapper bent his keen eyes full upon the face of the Indian as he spoke. In spite of the almost impenetrable mask of stolid- ity that the savage wore upon his features, a slight expression of astonishment, not unmixed with alarm, appeared upon his face at the ques- tion. ‘* White Wolf,” the Indian said, slowly. ‘‘ No Crow chief named White Wolf.” “It is so, by !” suddenly cried the trap- r, in great nishment, whether real or af- ected we leave the reader to guess. “I mean a Blackfoot chief. His village is up on the Flat- head river, near the Great wonder how I came to forgit it, ’cos I were a-trappin’ up thar last spring, an’I lost a pack of skins jist about the size and heft of this hyer, in 4 raal curious manner. In course ef you air a Crow you don’t know nothin’ ’bout it at all:” and the trapper looked at the Indians in a comi- cal way, a broad grin upon his. features, and yet, toa close observer, there was anything but a pleased look in his eyes. . ‘*¢aemder!” cried the trader; ‘‘ you don’t mean vo say that they went for you, Sol?” ‘You can take the hide right off my back ef they didn’t,” said Sol, with a o> ’ef I adn’t the longest pair o’ legs that were ever on mortal man, my top-knot would be hangin’ in White Wolf’s wigwam this ’ere very minute.” “You don’t say so!” cried the trader, in amazement. 2 sure! Jrun a foot-race with ’em from the Great Cajion down to Dead Man’s Creek, an’ I only come out a neck ahead ”— the same good-humored grin upon the trapper’s afion. I swow! I. “Sun go soon,” said the elder Indian, who evidently felt ill at ease. “If white chief want skins, Injun take what white man say—so much,” and the chief held up his fingers to de note the amount. ‘* A trade’s a trade,” said the trader, “ I réck- on I won’t back out of my word. Hyer’s your powder and lead, chief,” and the trader pro- duced ths articles, ‘* Good!” said the Indian, eagerly securing the articles aLout his person. ‘‘Injun get more skins; come fee ¥. hite Lrctkerag’in,” * You wen’t git any ncie skins the way you got these, without Levin’ a fght {tr ’em, red- skin,” said the Giant Trayyer. All looked at him in an azcment. ‘What the deuce co ycu mern, Sol?” asked the trader, in astonishment. ‘Only a joke, that’s all,” said. the trapper, uietly. “The chief understands, dcn’t you, eh? - But if the Indian understood, he didn’t wait to say so, ‘How?’ said the chief, as a parting saluta- tion, as he yassed through the door, followed by the cther brave and the squaw. ‘See you ag’in, Martin,” said Sol, following the Indians, and signing to Wiight and Court- ney to follow him. “All right; drop in,” said the trader, as they passed through the door.’ Once in tLe street, Sol looked around for the Indians. His quick eye sccn discovered them some little cistance down tke eticet, going to- ward the cutskirts of the tuwn, and hurrying err, as if {carful cf pursuit. ‘You cvssed red niggers, you! I’d like to know what you cir erter,” said &cl, tLrowing a glance of Latred tcward the rec-ckins, ‘Do you know them?’ asked W right. ‘Wal, I kin meke a shrewd guess Lcut’em. You saw that air peck cf peltries that they traded in the store?” éé Yes ” ‘I trapped every Curned cne on ’cen.” ‘* You did? seid V\ right, in astunis bment. “Tet it ’tain’t so, take me by the back of the neck and shake me iight cut of my mcgegasins,” cried the trapper. ‘* But, if they are your skins, how come the Indians by them?’ esked Ccurtney. ‘Why, I were a-trappin’ up in the Blackfoot country, an’ the red devils went fur me fur all I were woith jist then. They gct my skins, tut I went over the airth so thurdciin’ fast, ] cidn’t have time to stop an’ Ieave «ma lock of my ha’r,” said the trapper, with a grin. ‘* But these tellows are Crows,” addéd Wright. “Crows! wah!” cried tke traprer, in a tone of contempt. ‘‘So am Ia Crow! Thar ain’t no Crow "bout them / Thar Bleckfoot from ha’ to heel.” * Blackfoot!” cried both the adventurers in as- tonishment. “ Jes’ so. Ef they ain’t, jes’ shave my head an’ swallow me hull,” said the trapyer, making this singular proposal with a prin. It is per- haps needless to 1«mark that neither of his «cm- panions accepted it, ‘‘ But if they are Blackfoot Indians, what are they doing here, end why should they deny their tribe?’ asked Wright. as ably cried the trey] be in astcnishment, ‘‘ didn’t I find the 1ed Lcathens with my yeltries in their fore-paws?—the very blessed ckins that I trapped this ’cre spring on the Flathead river, near the Great Caf.on, and that these red snakes run me away frcm, durn tke’r dcd-rotted cop- per-colored ¢ I knowed every yeltry; nary one thar but's got my mark onto it, an’ of course they air goin’ to git out of the scrape if they kin; but they ain’t a-goin’ to say right out that they air Blackfoot; right afore me. ’ “ But why didn’t you claim the skins?’ asked Courtney. ‘‘Wal, I don’t like to have any trouble ef | kin help it, Then it would be takin’ an unfair advantage right here onto my own dunghill, to pick up a fight with ’em. The scrape were commenced in their country, an’ I'd jist as lief work it out in the same region,” said the trap- per, with that inherent love of {fairness which is so prevalent among the mountain men. ‘“ "They got the best of me last spring; now Pll git’ the best of them this summer; an’ ef I don’t steal the best hoss they’ve got in White Wolf’s village in trade fur my then my name ain’t Sol Ginger, and I don know w is!” ta beaver-skin Just at this moment, the tall Indian who had on the conversation in the trading-store, turned round and be trapper and his companions looking after them.