Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 13 — page 17: what you’re looking at

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est, for he well knew what it meant; at the same | the other — leanin plan by which he might | i time revol in his mind a defeat the outlaws in their vile work. In less than two hours the deck was all completed, and the float presented quite a substantial appear- ance. Ina few minutes more a of horses, hitch- ed to a cart, came in view. ey were driven by Reckless Ralph, and on the cart was mounted a sm brass howitzer / This formidable implement of war was at once taken aboard the scow and placed near the center of the deck. A second team, bringing a supply of ammunition and other things, soon made its appearance. Its contents were unloaded and conveyed aboard the craft, some of the ammunition being stowed away in the capacious hold. Among the principal articles, upon which the outlaws set great store, was the keg of rum. Reckless Ralph superintended the outfitting of the boat, and by the time the sun stood on the meri- ian, he announced all in iness for departure. About twenty of the best men had been selected to | The Dumb S~»y. against the rum-keg, with the cup by side; and he was sound asleep, too. A smile of satisfaction passed over the face of the spy, as he turned and raised the rude “hatch” and azed down into the hold. It was dark as pitch be- ow, but, carefully sliding the hatch-door to one side, he turned, and taking something from his ocket, that emitted a dull, phosphorescent glow, _ it in the palm of his hand and held it above his ead. Five minutes later a figure, muffled from head to foot in a great blanket, came from the woods on the west shore and sed upon the bank. The Dumb Spy pointed to the opening in the deck; then the strange figure came aboard the boat, crossed the deck like a shadow, and hastily descended into the dark hold of the boat. This ire stowed away, Wild Dick turned, and acer held up his hand, with that glowing signal in Then another figure, muffled from head to foot came from the dense shadows of the woods abo man the boat, and, armed to the teeth, they went | the craft, and was stowed away in the dark hold. aboard. All seem venture and the keg of rum that had been left on deck. The brass howitzer «feet to be quite a curiosity to most of the men. is was evidence that it had not been an article of public property in Spain. In fact, its being in the outlaw village was known to but few until that day, for it had found its way into the place years before, when this portion of the country be Spanish possession, and had lain concealed in a cellar. Reckless Ralph, having had some experience as an artillerist, spent most of the previous night cleaning - the old gun, and getting it in readiness for use. The supply of ammunition was ample, and the out- law convinced himself that nothing but time stood between them and the total destruction of the claim- stakers. By means of long poles or sweeps the robbers now pushed their battery out into the river, then turned and began their journey up the stream. Feeling fresh and vigorous, with an occasional “ lift’? from the rum keg, the men at the sweeps urged the great clumsy boat along at fair speed. The Dumb Spy was soon on his way to Fort Defi- ance, after the departure of the boat. He had gain- ed some information which he was desirous of im- arting to the claim-stakers, soon as possible. In act, their lives depended upon it, for they were in n0 Way prepared to resist the power the outlaws of the Dispute were now about to bring against them. He arrived at the fort in good time, and imparted his information. He remained in conference with his friends several hours, and when he finally took his departure, it was with a great and dangerous respon- sibility — upon his shoulders. After lea the fort, he proceeded down the rivér and met the robbers on the boat. He was at once taken aboard and questioned by Reckless Ralph. “Is Old Hurricane at Fort Defiance?’ he asked, in the silent smqnewe of the mute. ** Yes,’ the Dumb Spy replied. and my daughter, too? ‘ es, . ‘Have the claim-stakers got wind of our move- ments?” ; No. 99 ; ‘How far is their fort from the river?”’ ‘** Just twenty steps.”’ ; ‘*Hurrah!"’ exclaimed Raft, psn Hy his men, “we are all ht, boys. By daylight to-morrow morning we will be ready to sweep Fort Defiance across the plain. By that time Thoms will have the Indians—the land forces—over along the bluffs to cut off the retreat of the claim-stakers when driven from their fort by ourcannon. Ha! ha! it will be a lively time, boys, but it won’t take many rounds to knock phan pa into a cocked hat.” The Duinb Spy was, fortunately, retained on board the boat and was assigned a post of duty. This was to deal out to each man his rations of cooked food ne was stowed away in the hold, and also his mug of rum. When darkness set in, the outlaws did not tie up their boat, but continued steadily on, and shortly after midnight the signal of their scout, who had been sent on ahead, announced their juxtaposition to Fort Detiance sufficient to bring their cannon to bear upon the little defense. Soa halt was at once a gne the host nan close in shore and tied up to aw co oO ‘ * Boys, a ay Soares Ralph, ‘‘it is three hours until daylight yet, and, as we may have a hard day’s work before we had better try and get a few hours’ sleep and rest. One or twocan be detailed as Sad and be relieved every hour. What say you, men ‘Ay, ay!” was the general response. “Then, for fear of malaria in the river atmos- phere, ll have Wi Seth to fill each a cup brim- ming full of rum. ; This was another pleasant idea that met the gen- eral approval of the men, and so the captain ordered Seth to hand out the liquor, When the “preventative ’’ had been imbibed, a watch was detailed. It consisted of two men, one of whom was stationed on each end of the boat. The rest of the now spread their blankets on the deck and las to sleep, the Dumb Spy being among them. But in legs than half an hour the latter raised to a sitting posture and gazed around him. The out- laws were all sound asleep. This he could tell by their heavy respirations. The spy now arose to his feet, and, on tiptoe, moved to the north end of the boat, where he foun jubilant over some expected ad- | Again the Dumb Spy gave his signal, and repeated it, until a dozen or more of those mysterious shadows had come from the woods and sought concealment in the hold. And all this time the robbers slept on. The Dumb Spy replaced the hatch as he had found it, and then laid down to watch and wait but not to sleep. Thus the night wore away and morning dawned; however, the sun was nearly an hour high when the first robber awoke. Then Reckless saw what time it was, he cursed the ne of him- self and his men for sleeping like logs. But he, forth- with, endeavo to excuse himself on the grounds of aay Roh Ge queer headache, but when each of his men filed a similar complaint, he saddled the blame onto the rum-keg, and, in a fit of rage, he tossed it overboard. The attention of the crew was drawn to the work before them. te see the little fort of the claim-stakers standing boldly out on the plain, its flag waving proudly and defiantly in the morning air. A little column of smoke was up from the interior of the fort, and the colossal figure of Old Hurricane could be seen standing on the ramp- art, leaning on his long rifle and regarding them with indifi-rent curiosity. ‘*By heavens!’ exclaimed Reckless Ralph, “ how I wouldelik> to send a cannon-ball through that in- fernal, impudent old scoundrel!” “Keep cool, captain, and we'll fetch him off thar pretty soon,’’ said one of the men. The fort was about four hundred yards away, and the outlaws had nothing to fear with this distance between therm and the claim-stakers’ rifles. One of the ee, was sent ashore with a flag of truce, and orders to demand the unconditional sur- render of the fort, with all the men, women and weapons. Old Hurricane displayed his cap on the muzzle of his rifle as a counter-flag, and, when the robber had ina oats: within h distance, the old hunter ed out: ‘* What do you want here, Mister?” *“T have come to demand the immediate and un- conditional surrender of your fort and all within it,” replied the robber. ‘You don’t say!’’ retorted Old Hurricane; ‘‘ sup- pose we don’t see fit to chalk up?”’ “We will open fire on you with a twelve-pound cannon at once.” ‘‘Then, trot back and open. What's a twelve- ound cannon? Why, my ole rifle weighs more’n hat. “ All right, old ignorance,” replied the outlaw, and turning, he ret his footsteps to the boat and delivered the old hunter’s reply to their demand. ** Just so,’’ exclaimed Reckless oo turning to the cannon, which was pees? | sighted upon the fort “IT would just as lief it would be that way as any, for we'll have the fun of demolishing the whole cou- cern.” Old Hurricane had withdrawn from his e eg a on the rampart, much to the regret of k- ess Ralph, who now took the match from the hand of a comrade, and applied it to the touch-hole of the howitzer. The next moment the sullen boom of the piece awoke the morning echoes for miles and miles. h was aroused, and, when he CHAPTER XXI. TURNING THE TABLES. For a moment a cloud of smoke hung be- tween the eyes of the robbers and Fort Defiance, but when it finally cleared away they saw that their first shot had not touched the enemy's defense. So the cannon was at once reloaded and carefully train- ed upon the fort. The second shot struck some of the upper timbers, shivering them into splinters, A shout of triumph pealed from the outlaws’ li and wae pwd pe oe ay enpogss s a hundred say were lying ambus e) e ex- tremities of the plain. vee Singular as it seemed to the outlaws, not one of the claim-stakers made himself visible, and, follow- ing up the retake already gained, the cannon was kept playing with terrible effect upon the fort. A breach had been made in the south wall, that would enable a ing party to carry it with ease. Still none of the claim-stakers had been seen, nor had Old Hurricane ventured to show himself again. The fort was being battered down at such a fearful rate as would necessitate some demonstration on the part of the defenders or occupants. But, when sev- eral more shots had been fired, and the claim-stakers 17 ——_—_ made no movement or show, Reckless Ralph to suspect all was not right, and at last his suspicions found expression in the exclamation: ‘* Boys, we've been outwitted again!” ‘‘Outwitted? Why, captain, what do you mean?” asked a robber. “IT mean we've been firing like a parcel of fools, upon a desertedfort. The claim-stakers have given us the slip.”’ ** Good Lor’! It can’t be possible!’’ ‘It is possible, though—but, see here; every man prepare to storm the fort. The enemy may be —— away in holes like conies, frightened almost to dea by our cannon’s boom.”’ For the next minute there was a wild commotion on board the boat. Each man looked to the priming of his rifle, loosening his pistols and knives, and then went ashore. “Forward, and no quarter to the men,” shouted Reckless Ralph. At a full run they charged upon the fort. They reached it without an obpcaing ot. They swarmed in through the breach in the wall; they found the fort —DESERTED ! A shout of mingled triumph and disappointment nat rent the ~¢ Then from the bluffs to the a ward groups of savages came swarming across the lain, and joined their white friends in the little for- cation. A wild and terrible confusion now reigned, Every hole and corner within the work was search- ed for concealed foes, for the strange disappearance of Old Hurricane led them to believe there was some secret hiding-place about the fort. But in this they were en, as they found to their sorrow, when a deep bass voice suddenly called out, like the blast of a trumpet, high above the noise of the exultant allies: ‘*Surrender there, surrender, every mother’s son of you, or, by the gods of Olympus, you'll be blown into the clouds! Surrender, you devils, sur- render !”’ The savages and outlaws started, sudden terror stamped upon their features. A silence fell upon the little fort. The astounded allies gazed from one to another with interrogative looks. “Surrender, you ‘demons, or we'll open fire upon you,” rung that voice again. Every eye was at vnce turned in the direction from whence the demand came, and, to the dismay and horror of the outlaws, they saw Old Hurricane pondng on the forward end of their scow, while, just behind him and near the cannon, stood Cap- in John Rossgrove, and just behind him stood his men, with rifles in hgnd. Cap Rossgrove, be ng a capital artillerist, had trained the cannon on the fort, and now stood ready to apply the match. Crazed with sudden rage, Reckless Ralph shouted to his men: ‘“‘ Charge them !—charge the devils!” In a wild, crowding mass the outlaws and savages went swarming out through the breach in the wall of the fort, and went charging like howling de- mons toward the boat. ¥: The next instant a solid shot from the howitzer went plowing through the ranks of the advan foe, causing them to recoil, turn and flee wi Reckless Ralph, Thoms and an Indian chief en- deavored to rally the panic-stricken horde, but all in vain. Like frightened sheep they fled across the plain and sought shelter among the and there was no alternative but for Reckless h, Thoms and the chief to follow them, for Captain Rossgrove handled the cannon with great skill and made things warm for awhile. Thus the tables had been compieceny turned, and the outlaws and their allies gloriously defeated. As the reader has no doubt , all was due to the ie of Wild Dick, who had the rum that threw them into a deep sleep, then ad- mitted the claim-stakers, one by one, into the hold of the boat. Old Hurricane had made his exit and escape from the little fort by wading the creek to the river, then crawling under the river-bank to the boat. The im-stakers now moved the boat up the river to a point opposite the fort, and, ha land they again took on their fortification. They proceeded forthwith to repair the damage done to the wall, and by sunset had it in a condition good as ever, and the captured howitzer mounted so hat it could be turned in an instant in any direction that the foe might come. | pat where were the women—Camilla, Dora and olly Before leaving the fort they had been conducted to a point of safety a few miles east of the river; and, as soon as darkness again setin, Harry Dudley, Ransom Kendall and Noisy Nat, were sent to con. duct them back to the ogee _ It was shortly after dark when the three men took their departure and crossed the river. They were compelled to feel their way with caution, for they knew not but that Indians were outlying about the fort to capture any small party or scout that.might venture out. —_ reached the women, however, without trouble, to them safe, though almost distracted with fear and anxiety, for the roar of the cannon had been borne prvanape § to their ears. The party at once set off on their return to the fort, but were now compelled to undergo an unex- pected difficulty. A heavy, damp fog was settling around them, exclu every ray of light, render- ing the air chill and dull, and deadening the vibration upon which the ear of the hunter so much de a mee a ag emt “+ —F 2 poss bl but art orw as rap as ible; the tor continued to thicken until everything was <S GOMIEDOO (E(0) SLL