Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 144 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

10 eee Dainty Lance, the Boy Sport. which Zeph was aiming at her, taking her for an enemy, when Hammer Fair thundered past his daughter and grasped Lance by the shoul- der, swin him across his thighs. Then, sounding the signal of retreat, the bold riders sped away from the Gallows Oak. CHAPTER VIII. BALD BISBEE AGAIN. THe double surprise was complete, and, as usually is the case with such a motley crowd the numbers of the horsemen were multiplied tenfold at least, and long before the new day should dawn, bade fair to become an over- whelming army of gigantic warriors beside whom the sons of were but babes in swaddling clothes. Two men besides Tim Farrer had been slain outright, while a dozen or more others bore painful memeastoes of that exciting night in istol wounds or in bruises received from the orses when the bank-robbers charged. This, together with their being deprived of the only two men who had authority to lead them, will account for the Regulators not pressing on in pursuit of the enemy. As for the crowd in general, like other mobs, it might follow a stout lead where the danger was not too great, but no more. Taking everything into consideration, it will not create much surprise when we say that the bank-robbers su ed in leaving the Gallows Oak far behind them, having not only rescued their new recruit from death, but that without one of their number receiving so much as a scratch. For perhaps a quarter of a mile the horsemen kept straight abead through the open woods, then — oe eeree Rowe, who possessed a more thorough knowledge of the country than ~3 of his to the left comrades, they veered abruptl ulling their horses down to a walk and listen- g in eI the sounds from the agitated swarm behind them. Until now, Dainty Lance had remained quiet in the tremendous grasp of Hammer Fair, tho his position was anything but a com- fortable one, but now he was forced to cry enough. ‘*Let me either walk or mount behind some one of the party,” he ‘IT don’t want to find fault, but I couldn’t safely swear now which end my head’s on.” Decoy Duck..promptly rode alongside, and nimbly shifting from her saddle to the croup of the horse ridden by her father, she said, with a lightness she was far from feeling: “You saved my life, Dainty Kianegs-d lend you my horse; take it, and we will call it even!” The young adventurer had too recently es- caped fron the frightful peril into which he had been cast by her rashness, to feel like ban- hops, Bob or compliments, but he accepted 6 offer as freely as it was made. It was clear even to the most obtuse of the party that as yet none of the enemy had started pursuit of them. But reason told them that oat new day would furnish a sufficient supply of courage, and that they must make the most of the remaining hours of darkness, if they would not be followed and hunted down in the end. Daniel Rowe soon fancied he saw his way clear, and was leading the party by a moderate detour around to strike the main road, where their trail could not be as readily traced as upon the unbroken ground they were now cross- ing, when a fierce but low curse parted his lips. ‘Some one is following us on foot,” he mut- tered, still riding on to avoid giving the alarm to the skulker whose phantom-like figure he had just caught a glim of as it crossed a bar of moonshine. ‘He'll make us trouble in the future, if we don’t shake him off—or better still —we will draw him out from the cover further, then turn on and run him down! Better one death than a dozen!” While Rowe was speaking, Dainty Lance bad a chance to collect his scattered senses, and his first thought was of his faithful friend Hardy Zeph—where was he? glance showed him that the brave fellow was not among the party, and he instinctively divined the truth. “T believe that is my friend—the one who came to my rescue first,” he said, in an ~ 8 but guarded tone. ‘If so, you must kill me fore you injure him!” Daniel Rowe ne, cece —_ ee an angry growl, but Deco ck quickly rposed; “Call to tint tone If a friend he will answer ; if not, then he is an enemy spying on us. “Tf it is the one I think, he will recognize my signal, If not, the fellow will be no wiser than before,” said the young adventurer, putting a finger to his lips and producing a curious sound that cannot well be ribed, Almost immediately there came back a re- petition of the sound, faithful as an echo, and in obedience to the glad cry which Dainty Lance uttered, Hardy Zeph approached the party. If a silent, it was an unusually joyous meet- ing, when the sworn friends and brothers warmly clasped hands after their narrow escape from death. But Rowe, who felt an uncon- trollable hatred for Dainty Lance and every- thing connected with him, rudely cut the greet- ing short, by exclaiming: ‘* While we’re Playing the fools here, the enemy is at work. e must puta long trail behind us, and find a snug hiding-place before daylight, unless we want to be hunted down like wolves!” ‘* Ef you say so, Lance, I kin lead ye all toa hidin’-place whar a bull tribe o’ red-skins couldn’t smell ye out, even ef the’ hed noses like blood- hounds,” said Zeph Hardy, ye ‘*Can you answer for his fidelity?’ asked Hammer Fair, turning to Dainty Lance, with sudden interest. ‘* Far more certainly than I can for my own,” was the hearty r nse. ‘* Zephis truer than steel, and what he says you can safely swear to. Besides, he was born and raised in this county, and knows it like a book.” ‘“* Better, Lance, better,” put in Zeph, with a low laugh. “I cain’t tell one letter from an- other, but they ain’t a tree nur a hill nura holler in these parts that I cain’t—” ‘* Let him mount behind some one of us, and finish his history as we ride along,” interrupted Rowe, impatiently. ‘‘ The first we know, those hounds will have us surrounded—” ‘They won’t take the trail afore daylight,” said the boy trapper, confidently. ‘‘They was mighty bad skeered when you rid through ’em that a But how is it, Lance?” ** Lead the way to the hiding-place you spoke of. Some one give you a lift—” ‘*T kin make better time through the woods, an’ long the trail we’ll hev to foller, then the best hoss that ever wore hide an’ hoofs,” light- ly laughed the independent fellow. ‘‘ You only keep at my heels, that’s all.” Daniel Rowe did not exactly fancy yieldin the office of guide to a stranger, and a boy a that, but even he was impressed by the quiet self-reliance of the lad, and as he knew of no sure covert any where near, his idea having been to break the trail and then ride clear out of the State until the fierce storm should blow over, he yielded with a better grace than might have been expected. Hardy Zeph proved himself fully equal to the task he had assumed, and before day-dawn the bank-robbers were safely stowed away in the best of cover, a large, dry cave, which abound in south-western Missouri, affording shelter to both horses and riders. It might be instructive to detail how admira- bly and perfectly Zeph broke and lost their trail, leaving no trace behind by which even a blood- hound could have followed them after they first took to the water, miles away from the cavern, but space will not permit. Enough that the task was accomplished to the complete satisfac- tion of even Daniel Rowe, who went so far as to compliment the boy trapper upon his cunning and skill. There was only one thing lacking to render the party in general wholly at their ease, and that was their lack of provisions. Water ran abundantly only a few feet from the entrance of the cave, but of food they had not even a mouthful. ‘“**Twon’t be much work to ketch enough fish from the creek to keep us from starvin’ to-day —blue-cat, bull-heads, an’ red-hoss,” laughed Zeph, easily. ‘An’ to-night we kin makea raid on somebody’s smoke-house. Anyway, we won’t starve while we got nigh a dozen hosses to go on.” His Harpe eee were fulfilled to the very let- ter. The deeper holes along the stream were literally filled with fish of the kinds named, and in a couple of hours a supply sufficient for the entire party was secured. And right here let me make cuere a fact connected with the eating of a “blue-cat” that will be worth the line or two asked for it. The large majority of fishermen skin the blue catfish before cooking, but the wise man would as soon think of skinning a trout. Cook with the skin on, eat and congratulate hae delighted palate that all fishermen are not idiots. At daylight that morning, the Regulators, these gentlemen w _ Strongly reinforced iiom the ranks of citizens 2 and settlers, took the cold trail in quest of the daring company, but soor lost it beyond recove- ry. There was much riding to and fro, more boast- ful talking, but as the days went by and nothing was heard of rescued or rescuers, the people radually cooled down and resumed their repu- ar occupations. Observing all due precautions, Daniel Rewe ventured forth about the middle of the week, and under cover of darkness, held an interview with Bald Bisbee, the resident spy of the bank- robbers. From him it was learned that their real business in that part of the State had not even been susvected, ple deeming them a band of horso-thieves, though no one had put forward a claim for the animal which Dainty Lance had ridden. In addition he advised them to lie in hiding for a while longer, then deal their blow. Meanwhile, Dainty Lance began to grow rest- ive under his enforced inactivity. Besides, he found himself in an unpleasant position, on more accounts than one, The wound he had received, and which had caused his fall just when he had placed Deco Duck in her saddle, was not a severe one, th 4 the co on top of his head was considerab lacerated, but it was enough to furnish the f Amazon with an excuse for playing the tender nurse, and to make much of the king of her proud heart. Had Dainty Lance been double his actmal e, this fact would not have been disagreeable, whatever the state of his own affections, could have gracefully received the tender at- tentions, and repaid them in kind, but lads of seventeen rarely take the trouble to disguise their likes and dislikes. And Dainty Lance did not like, much less love, Decoy Duck. He could not forget how promptly and, as he believed, ae she shot down John Steuben; and though he felt teful to her for her dar- ing efforts in his behalf, by which his life was undoubtedly saved, he quickly wearied of the part he had begun in order to provoke the jealousy of Daniel Rowe. It might have been different had not Deeey Duck too plainly showed him the state of her toy He began to realize, too, how foolish he had been in the resolve he had taken at the start, and was fast learning the lesson that, soom or late, comes to all who blindly suffer themselves to lay with ed tools. e thought of making bis rs but that he soon saw was well-nigh impossible. His senses sharpened by a fierce jealousy, Daniel Rowe plainly suspected his purpose, and either he or Abe Tinker kept close watch over Dainty Lanee night and day. Oneor the other of them would certainly foil any attempt at escape. Dainty Lance thought much of his “‘ double” —of Harry Ballou, who so strangely resembled him in form and face. He knew how ardently the young man had pleaded his cause, and felt grateful to him ae- cordingly. It was the desire to repay this debt a tude, more than aught else, that delayed him from attempting his escape. He knew that the band had not yet aban- doned their intention of robbing the bank, but the suspicions of Daniel Rowe were dually spreading among the remainder of the party, and the subject was not openly discussed before him. He knew not whether they meant to make another attempt to capture Harry Bal- lou, or if they were follow a bolder course. Until he should learn something definite, and thus be enabled to put his ‘“ double” on guard Dainty Lance was resolved to bide his time, a make the best of his situation. Perhaps it was fortunate that his hot blood was not put to a prolonged ordeal. Late on Friday evening, Bald Bisbee gave the signal before the cave entrance, and rushed into the retreat, almost as excited as when he first made his appearance in these pages. CHAPTER IX. PREPARING FOR ACTION, Ir did not require the gift of prophecy te rightly divine what was at the bottom of all this perturbation on the aig of Bald Bisbee and with a curious thrill that would be difficult to justly define, Dainty Lance felt that he was at length about to gain the object of his weary waiting. But he knew that it would not do to show too great an interest in the matter, and so, guided by fate, he lay still in his retreat un- til he should be summoned to the general coun- cil which he was positive would called, to ee upon the word brought by Bald isbee. | Cc (Ele) (ECO AANCELO)Co) cS