Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 238 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

— ee ee eee ee - ee SE ete excitements of the past twenty-four hours the father and daughter were glad enough to ac- cept of the brave boy’s suggestion. hocky pe with noiseless step the circuit of the little grove, The light of the burning cabin enabled him to see over the surrounding waters except where the grove threw a shadow across to the right shore. But this line of dark- ness was narrow and both eye and ear were “ on the alert when passing Sapa. hus two hours or more had passed. The fire on the hill was gradually dying out, and the somber shadows were again settling over the river, when suddenly the boy discovered a long, dark craft cele up the stream close alon the right shore, e could see that it containe several occupants and that it was propelled by no less than three pairs of oars. But whether the occupants were Indians or whites he could not tell, but believed they were whites; and if so, they were undoubtedly friends. While debat- ing with himself as to what he should do, a foot- step sounded behind him and Old Max stood at his side, ‘*T can’t sleep, Shocky,” he said; ‘“ give ms your gun and Yl keep guard while you sleep.’ ? Nary sleep, Mr. La Fleur,” quickly re- sponded the boy, ‘‘ for, by the holy smidgeons! there goes a boat loaded with either friends or foes, and I’m bound to know which.” “Fy declare, there is!” exclaimed Old Max; ‘*but how can you find out who they are with- out challenging them, and run the risk of pub- lishing our whereabouts to enemies?” ‘‘ Why, Dll foller them in the bark,” the lad responded, ‘‘andif they are friends bring ’em back here and save them runnin’ into an Ingin ‘‘That will be a dangerous undertaking, my boy, lam afraid. If anything should deprive us of rome assistance, Shocky, I am afraid we would never be able to get away from here alive. And still, if those in the boat are friends, it is our duty to rescue them from the death- snare into which they are going unawares.” Being determined on following the bateau Shocky made ready to depart. d Max help- ed him to carry the bark canoe to the water, when he at once embarked up the stream—the little boat gliding out into the darkness noise- jess as a moving shadow. The lad was an expert with the paddle, and despite the resistance of the great river’s cur- rent, he sped al for half an hour, when he sto to listen. But hearing nothing, he pad- on, and not until he had Tharnevie at least a mile did he s again to listen. This time he caught the swash of oars. The boat was not very far ahead. Cautiously he moved on, and for the third time erpped to listen. but he could hear nothing. The t had stopped, and its occupants were either lying in wait under the bank somewhere, or else had gone ashore, Shocky waited a few minutes, then moved on, searching the lurking shadows for the mysteri- ous craft, but allin vain. It bad vanished as if swallowed up in the waves. gree Bey Boy scout ran into a little cove, and lan , beached his boat. He then set off to search the bank, for he felt assured that the unknown boatmen had landed and perhaps gone into camp. He was creeping noiselessly through the dark woods when his ears were suddenly eted by the chirruping of a cricket, and was immediately answe by the piping of a tree- . That both these sounds came from bu- man lips the boy had not adoubt. Ears as care- fully trained in the voices of night and of the wildwood as Shocky’s could readily detect the deception. | _ But what did it mean? Had his approach been discovered and a trap set for him? Having submitted these se vem to his own mind, the boy stopped by a large tree-trunk to consider them and await further developments. While thus engaged be heard footsteps advanc- ing He pressed himself close against the tree which he found was hollow and half-rotted away on one side. Into this hollow he had no trouble in squeezing his slender form; and scarcely had he done so when thcsa approaching footsteps stopped near him, and he caught the dim outlines of a man’s figure standing within arm’s reach; yet it was so extremely dark that he could not tell whether it was the figure of an Indian or white man; consequently he remained perfectly quiet, scarcely daring to breathe through fear of detection. The unknown soon proved to be the individual that had uttered the chirrup of a cricket, for, after taking his position under the tree, he re- peated the sound, and was at once answered by a low, guttural ejaculation from the darkness The Parson Detective. before him, and then another figure appeared and stopped in front of the first. Shocky bit his lips to still the emotions rising in his breast, when he heard the first comer ask: ‘*Who is it that answers the signal of the Night Hawks?” ‘** Black Bat,” was the answer given by an In- dian. ‘* Who is here?” ‘‘Night Hawk himself,” was the reply of a white man. ‘‘ Has not my messenger from the Saath camp reached the camp of my friend, rafty?” ‘**'Yes, he came; but found Crafty dead.” What!” eried the white man, “ Crafty dead?” Press trapper-boy shoot him dead in old tanner’s cabin.”’ The white man seemed deeply oe by this news. After a moment’s silence he asked; ‘* What trapper-boy killed him?” **Shocky.” ** Does he still live?” ‘You bet!” said Shocky, to himself. ‘* Yes,” replied the Indian, “and go away with old tanner—don’t know where.” " a Md is your leader—your chief now, Black at ‘*White Dragon. He is a pale-face like Crafty.” **T do not know him.”’ ‘He is a brave chief, and has slain many. He can be trusted by ah eo Hawk. He came from the far North since Night Hawk left our vil- e, ‘I must see him at once, Black Bat; there is work to be done yet to-night. Six men from River View are camped near here, and they must not be permitted to go from here alive. But where are you camped, Bat?” | ‘“* Over river.” ‘Then yeu go over at once, and tell White Dragon to come over and meet me in his boat at the mouth of Spider creek. Tell him lama friend of Crafty’s, and that Crafty had promised me the hel seek of him. I will watch the pale-faces that they do not escape, and be on the east side of Spider creek near its confluence in fifteen minutes. I will wait there till the chief comes. Tell him to be on the alert, for those pale-face foes are cunning fellows.” All, this conversation was carried on in a low tone, yet Shocky heard every word distinctly. Black Bat, the Indian, departed for his canoe, while Night Hawk, turning, walked away down the river. Shocky stepped from the hollow tree, took in a breath of free air, scratchod his frowsy pate reflectively, then, turning, made his way silent- ly back to the river, determined upon a desper- ate adventure. Entering his canoe, he paddled up-stream, and deliberately entered the mouth of Spider creek, and came to a stand where the shadows hung over him black and impenetrable. Here he remained waiting and listening. _ Ten minutes passed, when hé heard approach- ing oe pause on the bank of the treek nearhim. He uttered alow whistle. The fel- low on shore answered it, then asked in a low voice: “Is that White Dragon?’ ‘* No,” replied the desperate boy, altering bis tone. ‘‘ Dragon’s sick and couldn't come. He sent me after you. He will meet you alone in on mitre of the other shore. You must come uic ‘““Oh, the devil!” the other responded, and then stepping into the canoe and seating himself he said: “Pull out then, and be easy about it, or we'll get some cold lead through our car- casses.” The voice did not sound exactly, to Shocky, as it did when under the tree, but satisfied it was Night Hawk, he dipped his paddle, turned the canoe and moved down-stream. By this time the moon was up, flooding the river with its mellow radiance, and as the little bark glided from the shadows of the creek into the river it passed a Jong canoe, or ‘‘ dug-out,” with two occupants, that had just turned from the river into the creek. Both boats, however, were moving so rapidly and silently that when Shocky glanced back over his shoulder the strange dug-out had passed out of sight amon the shadows of the Spider. He was satisfi that it was Black Bat returning with White Dragon to meet Night Hawk, and the uneasi- nee of the boy can better be imagined than de- scribed. With all his skill and strength he plied his Sage and instead of going straight across to he opposite shore he turned down the stream. The lad now had a pretty fair view of his passenger, who was sitting with his back to river and ee em eee Se reremEny << - Se ee ee + tm a TR = = their course and facing him. He saw that the fellow was a large, powerful man, but his face he could not see for the brim of his slouched hat shading it. 8 y began to feel as though he had an . elephant on his hands. He knew the mana would not be easily scared by a boy like him, and yet it had been his purpose from the start to capture the a as sOOD as an oppor- tune moment offered. Keeping his eye on the man, the boy plied his peep in silence; but presently, when he saw he fellow before him growing restless, he dropped his paddle, and presenting a cocked re- volver at his head, exclaimed: ‘“You’re my prisoner, ole man! one word and you die! Throw up your hands!” CHAPTER VIII. DODGING THE FOE. Tue Boy Trapper did not bave to repeat his command, for in an instant the sur and startled man before him threw up bis long awes, sayin in a low tone: ‘Youngster, be careful with that shooter, ae : — nat a oo somewhere. You're not the fellow that I supposed you were, and— ‘* No, sir; I’m Shocky, the Boy Trapper, aod "ll shoot quicker’n wink if—” ‘* Then there’s a big mistake, Shocky, for my name is Frodd, Rev. Ptolemy Frodd. “Tommy Frodd,” repeated Shocky; “ well, erg? you don’t want to play any capers on me. That you’re a firstclass fraud by name and game, I’m well satisfied. I heard your conspiracy ’g’inst some whites camped against the river. heard every word that passed *tween you and Black Bat, and | made up my mind to snail you in. Tommy, you’re in the wrong boat,” ‘*‘And I say, Shocky, ot the wrong man. I was hid near and heard the conference of Night Hawk and Black Bat, and made up my mind to try and be present at the conference on Spider creek when the chief came over. When you hailed me and told me that the chief was sick and would meet me on the other shore, L made up my mind in a twinkle to personate Night Hawk in an interview with the chief, and slipped in your boat. Boy, we’ve both fooled ourselves. That boat we met as we sailed out of the Spider was the boat I aimed to board, I know it is. Do you see the point?” ‘Well, it looks that way, but I’m afraid you’re lyin’ to me a few like an ole—” The boy’s words were here cut short by the whistle of a bullet close to his ear, fullowed by the report of a gun; then out from the shadews of the shore in pursuit of them came that iden- tical canoe that had passed them in the mouth of the creek. This settled the matter in Shocky’s mind: in the darkness he had taken a the w man, and Ptolemy Frodd, for he it was, boarded the wrong boat; and now both found themselves hotly pursued by the foe they had expected to circumvent; in short, they were the worst deceived of the two. ‘*Here, Tommy Frodd,” said Shocky, ‘ you take this Sarin and pull bt dowm the ll fling some lead back toward them fellers. They’re gittin’ too close to make it healthy.” Old Ptolemy took the paddle and used it siiil- fully while Shocky opened a on the foe, but as he shot at random his bullets seemed to have little effect, for the dug-out continued the chase and a running fight was kept up for some time without any perceptible advantage on either side. But suddenly Shocky discovered a number of other canoes put out from the shadow of the left shore and join in the purswit. Turning to Frodd he exclaimed: “Pull, Tommy, for there comes a dozen more boats after us! By the holy smidgeons! Toramy, we’re in for a lively whirl, you can bet!” ot boy, hadn’t we better pull for the shore?” asked the old man. ‘‘ We could, but I don’t like to be run eff tho river by a pack of infernal Ingins, Tommy. I’ve some friends on an island below here o the ruins of Old Max’s cabin—” ‘* Indeed!” exclaimed Frodd, ‘‘ then perhaps we can make the island, Shocky.” ‘“We could, but, Tommy, I don’t want te lead them red hellyons there, for Mr. La Fleur and his little gal, Aimee, and Rog’r Millbank are there, and—” ‘* What! Roger Millbank there?—on an island near here?” : ou’ve ‘* Yes, in a bad fix from a poundin’ he got. He war nighly dead when found, but’s gettin’ along now. “S (E (E() EOMMIE DOO — ~