Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 217 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

therefore dismounted from his perch on the barrel, marched to the office, procured his cash, several thousand dollars in amount, and handed it over to the ruffian chief. Abraham shoved it into the pockets of his trowsers with much evident satisfaction, re- marking to his disciples that there would bea ‘“‘divvy ” later. Then, to his surprise, Metcalf was seized and tied to the tree in front of the Old Bour- bon, while the duke was accommodated in a like manner at an adjoining tree. The Eng- lishman was very much angered at the way matters bad turned out, and laid the blame on | the rascally speculator. ‘¢T was a fool for ever listening to you!” he said, when they were left to themselves; ‘* and if I get free, Pli bave reparation from you for this added outrage.” ‘“‘T don’t fear you,” the speculator replied. “My money is gone just tbrough you, and in all probability I shall never see it again, | faney it pleased you when the roughs failed to treat with me?’ ‘“*It amused me, certainly.” “Tm your enemy henceforth,” hissed the scoundrel; ‘‘and Till possess your haughty daughter, too, in spite of you. Ha, ha! what a triumph it will be to bumble the proud beauty !’’ “You will first have to gain your liberty,” the duke replied; ‘“‘and I fancy my word will be taken here before yours. Even these roughs will bo friendly to me when they know the truth,” declared the duke. Gipsy Jack was a favorite, ani when formal- hy requested to assume the captaincy by Od Somersault, there was general entbusiasm; every man in camp seemed to approve of his judgment. Ashe had foreseen, a half-dozen horsemen dashed boldly out from the village and began scouring around the foot-hills which formed the sides of the natural! basin. Jack, borrowing a rifle from one of tho miners, walked about within the inclosure, eying them witha frown of displeasure on his face. “ They act like fools,” he said, ‘* and unless I am mistaken, they’ll get bitten.” After making the circle of the basin, they finally wheeled and dashed directly toward the barricades, yelling like madmen. Tu their astonishment they ventured a little too far; Gipsy Jack’s rifle cracked, and one of them toppled out of his saddle. He was not killed evidently, for soon after his comrades beat a hasty retreat he followed their example on his hands and knees. “Phat settles that,” Jack announced. ‘ We will have no further molestation until night, when I look for an attack. In the mean time, let’s be preparing for it. Get all the weapons together and see how many there is in the eamp. They are an article we bave much to depend on, aud the more we have the better.” “Tve jest been thinkin’ thet same,” Old Somersault replied grimly. “’Thout plenty o’ pop-guns, we might as well give up ther ghost, and disband ther hull consarned menagery, elown and all.” An investigation proved that there were fifty- three able-bodied men in the camp and two wonman—the sisters, before mentioned—and there were but a dozen rifles at command. Most of the citizens had fought with revol- vers in the beginning of the affray, and when forced to retreat had not been allowed time to secure other weapons, Most every person had one or more revolvers, bub even for these there was but a limited amount of ammnnition. * This is bad,” Jack said gloomily. “ We can’t do much without rifles, and they’re two to our ene, and well armed. Somehow or ether we must eontrive to get some of their weapons,” ‘‘ T dunno how et can be did,” Somersault said, “‘I allow et aint no use tryin’ to gei inter ther village in daylight, an’ ef we wait ill dark et may be toe late,” elle ae te me — = eet elements a _—— -—— + oo ae a — Se —- Jack peced about the camp for some mo- ments in deep thoughr. The miners »atcbed him anxiously. “T reckon Ive hit upon a plan,” he said, finaily. ‘*‘As Scmersault says, it wowd be ra:h to attempt to enter the enemy’s quarters at present, and so 1 will send my dog. He will not be apt to attract any particular abt- tention, and by fiequent trips, can accomplish considerate, ‘Ef yer don’t want ter lose yer canine, jest take yer uokle’s advice and keep him here within the menagerie!’ Somersault advised. * Ther dog can’t fetch no weepons, an’ he'd ony git killed.” ‘That remains to be seen,” Jack replied, “Td almo-t risk my life on the intelligence of Skip; in fact he’s saved my life already on two differeut occusions. His rescung me from the roasting-stake this morning shows what he ean do,” No sooner did Skip hear his name mentioned than he came trotting torward, wagging his tail understandingly. ‘‘Tla! ha! old boy, we were just talking abeut you!” the man from Jimtown said, pat- ting him affectionately. ‘‘ Can you turn usa somersault, Skip?” The sagacious canine uttered an effirmative bark, and rared upon its hind teet—then bounding quickly to its front feet, it siot up into air and turned a complete evolution, land- ing safely again upon its teet, The crowd with one sccord gave vent toa yell of approval, which evidently pleased the dog, for be lay down and rolled over, and barkei wich delight. ‘That was good, Skip. Youll command a hundr d beefsteaks a week in any circus!” Gipsy Jack laughed. ‘‘ Now can you show us which is, in ycur opinion, the pretiiest man in the crowd | y springing upon bis shoulders?” For a moment the cauine-graduate gazed around him dvuubtfully, jor the rank and file of beauty was rather limited in that camp. He finally, however, uttered a bark and sprung upon the shoulders of ‘‘Spunk,” one of the sisters of the lunch stand, who was arrayed in semi-male attire, “Hal ha! good choice! buta slight mistake nevertheless,” Jack said. ‘*‘ Now, come here, Skip. Can youtell a good gun from a bad one?” The dog wagged his tail and went and squatted in front of Old Somersaulc’s handsome rifle, ‘‘Sure enough—tber dorg knows his P’s an’ Q's! the old scout ejaculated, well pleased at tue compliment for bis trusty cid weapon, ‘‘T should smile,” Jack replied, raising his pet in his arms. ‘Now, Skip, up yonder,” and he pointed to the village—‘‘ they have more iifles than they know what to do with— rifles, do you understand?’ and he touched one. Skip evidently did understand. ‘Go and get!” pointing again to the village. Spriuging trom his arms, the wonderful dog leaped over tha breastworks and crawled ina circuitous way toward the village. An hour atter his departure Skip was seen returning, cragging a rifle, the waist of the butt b ing grasped between his teeth. He was pretty well fagged out by the time he reuched the camp, and was relieved of bis burden, which was a rifle of handsome appear- ance, Jack made him rest before returning for an- other, and the villagers flocked around him and fed him well of such edibles as they pos- sessed. Then, he was allowed to go again, and re- turned in due time with another purloined rifle. In this way did the faithful animal perform the services required of him until he had suc- eceded in dragging seven rifles to the camp. The eighth time he set forth, it was getting dark, and he did not return with bis accus- tomed promptness. An hour passed, and still he came not. : Gipsy Jack was very anxious, now, as was Captain Crack-Shot, the Girl Brigand. | | LL A —- - ~ =~ =: -——-— wee evident by his impatient stride about the camp, and the rest were not less so, on his ac- count. ‘‘T reckon et’s all up wi’ ther poor dorg,” Somer-ault said. “Ef not trapped, he’d be beck before this.” ‘Unless he has found Calamity Jane—my wi—” Jack was about to add, but suddenly checked bimself, It might be known to these people whom Calamity Jane bad married; he bad come near giviug away his secret, ‘‘Calamity Jane is a great favorite with Skip,” he quickly added, ‘‘ and if he has chanced to ciscover ber, 1 don’t believe be’d leave the camp until he made an ¢ffort to rescue her.” ‘*i’m mighty g'ad ter beer thet, an’ bope ’er dog’}i cum out «ll right,” Old Somersault de- clared, ‘‘ier when ye git ready ter pass in yer checks, I want yer ter will the animile ter me,” “When I do, Til perhaps accommodate you,” Jack replied, with a smile. The movements cf the ruffians at the village seemed to indicate preparations for a noctur- nal attack. ‘* Do you think the attack will come early, or late, in the night?’ one of the miners asked of Jack. ‘‘Indications point to an attack, before leng. Let every man have his shocting-irons ready,” the leader ordered. ‘‘ The moon is ris- ing, and that will be in our favor.” “Et ain’t a-goin’ ter save ther menagerie from goin’ ter pieces,” Old Scmersault pro- phesied, dubicusly. ‘‘Mebbe I’m er consarned ant-eater, but blast me ef I don’t fee] et in my Lones that we can t hold out ag’in’ two ter our one, av’ wi’ cnly a few weepons, to0.” “Tt don’t lock as if we were destined to achieve aneasy victory,” Gipsy Jack confessed, ‘‘ond while I con’t recommend fight, I don't want to advise any one to remain here. I've been inventorying matters, for an bour past, and I can’t see any chance beyond retreat to the fcot-bills, except one.” ‘And what is tbat?’ Somersavlt asked. ‘One chance in a thousand, is often better’p uone, darn my pet hippopotamusses ef et ain’t.” “‘The only chance I see is to take advan- tage cf this carkress, before the moon rises, and creep fiom this place, in a roundabout way toward the viilage, and wait until the enemy makes an advance on our line, Then, we are to rush in and take possession of the shanties, so that we shall be able to give them a reception on their return!” This plan was greeted with a cheer. ‘“‘Et’s a gocd ijeer!” Somersault agreed, “ ef we can orly find ther way clear.” ‘““T don’t believe we shall experience much trouble, on that sccre,’? Jack replied, ‘‘as it is likely that the majority of the enemy will join in the attack. If anything is to be done, let us act at once,” And they did. Leaving everything behind them, except their weapons, they cleared the barricades, and crept flat upon their faces toward the western side of the village, in a circuitous way, the darkness perfectly screening their move: ments, They had barely gained their objective point, when a series of unearthly yeils rent the night, from the other side of the town! CHAPTER X. TREACHERY—A MISERABLE SCOUNDRAL. By those selfsame yells Gipsy Jack knew that the ruffians bad made a dash from the town, toward the barricades, ‘‘ Hurrah! double-quick, now, and forward!” Jack cried, springing up over the knoll behind which they had been hiding, ‘If we want to get to cover, now is our time, quickly and silently !”’ Up over the knoll the men dashed, and down into the village, like a pack of hostile Indians bent on a surprise, just as the brilliant full | JOO EOME gs)