Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 162 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

“eee ne — oe Se ieee — ——— 7 7 ~ -.< . - — ee a —- ——— ee a ——— - geese et Se . - ’ * —— es le am > ~ _— ton > ee fangled ways; but I ain't that kind. Howsomever, ‘tain’t two days since one a sighted. Nof ten miles from h neither. er’s a party got aD now, that’s a-going fur bim to-morrer. I mough a hand in’t myself, ef we get through this job in e. A big, blac ey sey, as’ll make devil fight. It a’most frighted Ned out of ten years’ growth.” “Look a-here, Jerry,’’ growled Joe, from his re- eumbent position, “when are ye goin’ to shet up that talk-mill of yourn? If it’s sot to run all night Tli move, that’s all.”’ ‘Jerry, with the current of his eloquence thus sud- denly checked, seemed to struggle for a minute with an answer. But not finding any suitable to the dig- nity of the crisis, he threw himself quickly back, bling out: *Oh! go to sleep. You're wuss nor a sore ear!”’ Ten minutes afterward the whole camp was paste and silence reigned over the midnight t Bunting, who see’d it, The early hours of the next morning found all astir in the vicinity of the tents. Jack Hasard, aid- ed by Phil Carson, the remaining member of the pax , was diligently occupied in the mysteries_ of roaktast, an occupation for which Jack had a special fancy. Pierce Browning and Will Wildfire were slowly walking up and down the edge of the creek, busily conversing. Pi reseed ae Na: Sense. 2 Moet _ men e, and a huge patch of sticking plaster ne As vicinity of ne right temple, but he seemed to have gained his ordinary strength and irits. “FThe murderous bullet had, in fact, struck glanc- ingly on his forehead, less than half an inch from the temple. His sudden movement in aiming at the deer had probably saved his life. The ball had struck the bone, and glanced off at a wide angle lowing a furrow an inch long in his forehead, ut producing med a flesh wound, s long insensibility had resulted from the shock to his brain, but had ow ree no injurious result. Very probably the blood oozing from the temple had satisfied the villain of the death of his victim, as it had almost satisfied his friends, at first sight. ‘Matters have got to be squared between Mark Preston and me,”’ said Will, with his firm setting of “It has gone far enough in this way. oing to set myself up as a target for his rifle practice.” “You are right there,” returned Pierce. ‘ 1 would shoot him down like a dog, if I were in your place.” ‘* What can have become of that boy? I wouldn't lose Pete for a little.”’ “ Breakfast! Breakfast!” roared Jack Hasard. **T haven't any bell to ng you in; but here’s your venison steaks sizzing, and your potatoes as brown as gingerbread.” , ‘“No bell!’ repeated Pierce. ‘‘ Why that voice of yours could outroar a hotel gong. Come in, Will, you need some strength.” The venison steaks were voted delightful, the po- tatoes fried to a turn, aud the coffee a wonderful success. Andit was astonishing what havoc their woodland appetites made in the provender. ‘Tt is my treat,’ said Pierce. ‘‘Make yourselves at home, gentlemen. It is my first deer, but I won't be mean about it.” A thundering fool of a buck it must have been,”’ wled Jack, ‘‘to jump in the track of your rifle. t must have been sheer Providence, for I don’t believe you could hit a church side, at a hundred aces.”’ 7 Thus chaffing and having a good time generally i got through breakfast, after which Pierce anc nif ollowed by the dogs, started off for a walk through the woods. They had no very defined object, though the thought was not absent from their minds that they might possibly aid in the search which their friends were making. “T hardly know how I would act if we were to meet with Mark Preston,’’ said Will. ‘My inten- tions are not amicable, you may be sure of that. I wouldn’t care to quite kill the fellow, though I would be glad to give him something to keep me in memory.” ‘*He deserves a bullet,’’ answered Pierce, with a stern expression. ‘‘ Why not challenge the hound, and make him fight? To be sure that would be a better chance than he deserves, but—”’ “Oh! I don’t fear him,” rejoined Will. ‘“ He would not have the heart to stand before a man’s They continued on for several miles, following the course of the creek, Fin the dogs got on the scent of game, and led them back into the woods where they succeeded in beinging down sever wake» 57 Picrce alone had a shot-gun. Will had aha his rifle, and took no part in this sport. oars Alga thus gradually led up the incline of the mountain, which here ascended by a gentle slope. For a mile further they proceeded in this direction, losing t of gaine, though the dogs sought dili- gently. All at once Sport, the young dog, gave me here! Here, you villain!’’ cried grily. **Tt’s not a pointer’s business to run rabbits. ou are getting a very bad education.” _As he spoke, Carlo, the older dog, struck the same scent. He whined, yelped in a pecular manner, and ran about in a distressed, uncertain sort of fashion. ; “That is no rabbit,” remarked Pierce. “The do is at fault. It is evidently & now scent to him, an ene which troubles him. t them go, Will, lam to know what sort of game this is,’’ “answered by grasping bis rifle at a trail, and Will ee eee A OO Om\YOYvv'"m ee =r —_ i * x | OS ee oe following the dogs, which were already eagerly, but somewhat uncertainly, following the acant ¥ It led on over the mountain flank, leading gradual- ly apres and then downward, into a gien that ivided two hills. ‘**See here!” cried Pierce, as they came to & clump of underbrush. ‘‘The creature, whatever it is, has fone straight through the bushes; and made no ight wake either. It is some bulky animal.” ‘** Another deer?” suggested Will. ““No. LIhaven’t been on a deer trail for nothing. There has been no hoofs nor antlers here.”’ “What can it be then?’ asked Will, as they fol- lowed the dogs through the bushes. He was answered by a sudden cry, in a distressed tone of voice; a loud appeal for eee It seemed to come from their left, where a thicket of brambles barred the way. With aloud yelp the dogs ran around this obstruc- tion, followed eagerly by their masters, who had just heard a renewal of the distressed call. “Here, Pierce; down the glen!” cried Wil), dash- ing forward, with ready rifle, to where the dogs seemed to have stopped, and were barking furious- y: Pierce rushed through a corner of the brambl thicket, caring little for the thorns that rent h clothes, in the excitement of the moment, A strange spectacle presented itself to them on passing this obstruction. Before them spread a smooth surface, shelving down to a brook that traversed the bottom of the glen, and thinly dotted with trees. At the foot of one of these trees was the object at which the dogs were bark- ing, a large, black, shaggy mass, out of whose rotundity rose a rounded head, with red tongue and gleaming teeth; while a pair of well-armed paws gave warning to the furious dogs. ‘* A bear! by all that’s good!”’ cried Pierce. “‘ Back, Sport! Back, Carlo! He will tear you to pieces!”’ A repetition of the cry for help now drew their eyes to the tree. What was their surprise to see, on the extremity of one of its lower limbs, to which he clung with a death gripe, no less a person than the foe of whom they were in search, Mark Preston. Certain marks on the bark of the tree showed that the bear had ineffectually pursued him, Failing in this it had stationed itself at the foot, waiting pa- tiently until its treed prey should fall into its open aws. Evidently he had recognized them at the same in- stant, for a deep pallor spread over his embrowned face. He was treed by worse enemies than the bear. Treed by the ghost of Will Wildfire, as he for the moment fancied. CHAPTER XII. SHOOTING THE RAPIDS, ‘*D’ye see them marks?” asked Aca pointing down to the banks of the creek, at a locality where a small bay set in from the main current. It was thickly overgrown with bushes, which hung down to the water’s edge, but which he had parted, in his careful search for traces of the fugitive. ‘*Here’s whar he spent the night,’’ he announced. ‘* Ye kin see whar the bow’s dug inter the mud. And the rope were tied to this saplin’, D’ye see whar it’s frayed the bark? Ther’ weren’t never a book writ plainer.” ‘* What then?” asked ay “Did he take to the water again, or has he tried to escape overland?” ‘‘That’s what’s to be found out, It’s my ’pinion he tuk to the water.”’ ““Of course he has,”’ exclaimed Ben. “The boat has gone.” ‘‘Bless yer eyes, man, a boat kin swim without a rower. So that counts fur nothin’. What’s your ‘pinion, Joe?” ** He’s off by water,”’ Joe quickly replied. ** Jist as I thought. Ye see, he stood here when he shoved off the boat. And he jumped in as she went off. Thar’s his foot-marks in the mud, whar his toes kicked it up when he jumped.” ‘““We must after him,’’ remarked Joe. ‘“‘ The fool dunno what’s ahead of him, or he’d back water straight.” ‘“What do you mean?” ‘Only that it’s not five miles to the rapids of the Carbon, A mighty skittish bit o’ water fer green- horns, you bet, If he tries to shoot ’em it’sa chance if he ain't drowned, and his boat ripped into kindlin’. on gentlemen, ther’s no time to lose in cogerta- ions.”’ At this hint the two young men sprung quickly into their boat. In a minute the oars were in the water, and they were swiftly rowing down-stream. They were both good oarsmen, Ben Huntly being celebrated for his skill with the oar. Their blades fell with the precision of clockwork, and the boat shot swiflly forward under the impulse of their strength and skill. The Carbon was here some thirty feet wide, and ran with a rapid current, under the shade of overhanging boughs. It was a fresh, clear morning, and the two athletes highly entre the exercise, and pulled with a vim which called forth admiring encomiums from the two woodsmen. ‘Dunno whar them young chaps l’arned it,’’ mut- e, and started off with his nose to the ground. | tered Jerry, ‘‘ but they sartainly know how to feath- Will, an- | eranoar. Never seen better pullin’, ’Usw’ar. That boat ain’t got up muchly fur go, but they’re makin’ her dance,” ‘“Ye're right there,” Joe replied. “If they keep that up they'll overhaul the hound ‘fore he gits to the rapids. Let’s strike out, Jerry, cross corners, and head off the chase.”’ ‘** *Tain't best,’ rejoined Jerry, shaking his head. ‘** You kin go, but you'd best leave me to ronnd the turns. Wedon't want to overlap him.” ‘All right." And Joe walked off at a quick pace through woods, with the intention of cubting off ’ ] ; Wildfire in the Woods. ee ee eee a eae COSCO the frequent bends of the Carbon thus heading the fugitive. Jerry, at the ene followed the twists of the stream, getting first some distance in advance of the boat. And so the pursuit went on, It was what might have been called a blind trail. Nothing was seen but the water and the undisturbed earth. It is not necessary to repeat the old adage, that water leaves no trail, The stream flowed on, all unconscious of what had ruffled its waves the previous hour. And as for the land trail, the woodsmen were too confi- dent of finding the fugitive in the boat to keep a very sharp eye on the ground they were passing over, Nebby, the dog, it is true, displayed a passing uneasiness, but he was sharply reproved for his folly, and afterward followed submissively his mas- ter’s steps. Yet it is never safe to let vourself be carried away by an idea. It was really Mark Preston’s footsteps that the keen-scented dog had discovered. @ scouts were correct in supposing that he had left his night's place of rest in the boat, but he had taken an early opportunity to land; rather to his misfor- tune, as the reader may fancy, if he considers the quandary in which we found the villain in our last chapter, Some four miles down-stream, and within a mile of the rapids, Joe Smith at length sighted the fugi- tive boat. But, to his surprise, it was floating quiet- ly on, instead of being rowed, as he had expected to id ‘ There was no trace of life about the drifting craft. “That’s a durned queer sarcumstance,”’ remarked Joe, seating himself on the bank, and taking Tiger’s head on his lap. ‘I dunno what your dogship thinks about it, but it’s durned queer to me. There’s one o’ three things sartain; the chap’s either dead, or drunk, or asleep.” He contitued to watch the boat, as it floated down a straight reach of the water, much wondering at its deserted look. This silent espionage continued for some time, Joe slowly gathering his ideas. “Wonder if he’s gi’n us the slip?” he muttered. *Tll fetch him a hail anyhow. It mought stir him. Hey, the boat! Ahoy, there! Hey, my hearty! Rouse! rouse with a will, and be derned to you!” This vigorous hail was answered, after a minute, by the appearance of a head above the gunwale of the boat. It remained visible but an instant, how- ever, and then disappeared. Yet in this glimpse Joo noticed somethin rites about it, a most peculiar combination of white and black, which he could not understand. He hailed again, but without any success. The head failed to reappear. The scout shook his shaggy locks. ‘Dunno what to make of it, I'll gi’n in to that, Wish the other boat were here. Ah! yanderit comes now, round the upper turn. And here’s Jerry.’ a fellow-hunter had just then emerged from the woods. ‘* Ain’t struck nothin’,”’ he announced. ‘“ Hello! By the blue hills of Connecticut, what's up yander? e ain’t twigged an empty boat nor nothin’ ha’ you?” “*Tisn’tempty, Jerry. Ther’sachapin the bottom of it. But jist what he means I give up. Can’t see through it,” ‘*He’s not ten minutes from the rapids. I bet that wakens him.” ‘*And here comes our craft,” said Joe. ‘Them fellers kin fling an oar, ther’s no use talkin’. But they'll go to splinters in the rapids. You'd best git aboard, Jerry. You know all the tricks of the waters.”’ “I calk’late so,”’ replied Jerry, with a knowing laugh. A call from Joe caused the oarsmen to shift in to the shore, where the state of affairs was quickly ex- plained to them. In a minute more Jerry was seated at the helm, and the boat had pushed again into the current. ‘*Tt’s only Providence as ‘ll save that chap from drowndin’,” cried Joe. ‘‘Row like sin, ‘Tain’t wu’th while to let him commit suincide, I s’ ‘ though, he’s got as much chance down in the boat, as he would with the oars in his fists. Let out, lads, Ye may overhaul him,”’ Not far ahead a fretting and er could be seen in the smooth bed of the stream. Joe ran quickly forward, anxious to observe the event of the danger- ous experiment, At the point which he soon reached the stream widened, and evidently shallowed, for a number of ugly rocks stood above the surface. Between these the water swirled and twisted, shooting with race- horse speed down a steep incline, foaming violently, and occasionally leaping upward in a wild fury. There were spots that looked as smooth and bright as a mirror, and in which no one would have dream- on of the ent more to erage oa smoothness was ue. in others all was rush and uproar, as ee oA a the swift flood. ‘ ee e drifting Loat came on, gai s with every minute, as it was swept inte tie sesweleds current of the rapids. As for the boat of the pursuers it had rapidly gained on the fugitive and was row not ten yards behind it. “'Thar’s danger ahead,” warned Jerry. ‘‘ Hadn't we best swerve inter shore? We won't gai nothin’ by follerin’ that fool down the rapids."’ “Can you take us down?” asked Ben. ** Ain’t much “feared of that." “Then let her slide, There's nothing like taking in new experiences.” At this moment the pe pol boat poised for an instant on the very peak of the liquid declivity. And acain, at this instant, a head ahibwed iteel? momeutly above the gunwale. The pursuers wary ae ae see it distinctly, buta loud shout caxae om Joe. (ECON MCE JOOKS