Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 278 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

12 ‘the berd with their eyes, burning to be among out after the war- them. The women had gone -Yiors as fast as they could run, leaving the cam ‘deserted fora moment. This moment was no fost by Ben Miffin. Slipping from his perch, ‘he ran to the tree, cut the bonds of the prisoner, and maps ran ‘shelter of the trees. If they bad gained them “unseen, the escape might have been unnoticed ‘for some time. But, an old woman, who had wremained in the camp, caught sight of them as , “they ran, and a yell that might bave ‘ done credit to a good-sized panther. This cry raccelerated the fugitives’ speed, and they a the place where the white horse was \tied. “Git up,” said Ben. ** What will you do?” | n never answered a word, but, wer tele | ‘his rifle to the “ trail,” ran off at a speed whic awakened the admiration of the young man. As he hesitated, an arrow whizzed near his head. Looking back, he saw his late guards coming up at a run, while the man who had ‘fired at him was fitting another shaft to the bow. Bentley leaped into the saddle} and fol- lowed Ben, who had by this time gained several hundred yards. He laughed as he saw the guards were after them. He had no fear of any thing they could do to him unless others came to their aid. ‘Keep your hoss at a trot, boy. Not too fast; keep alongside. You ain’t got no wee- pons. Hyar’sapistol. ’Tain’t a bad thing fer clust quarters, but blame ’em when ye hey to ‘fire mor’n ten feet. They don’t work; you take my word fer it, they don’t work. Them Injuns are good runners. The head one’s the best. ‘We've got to cross the stream. Kin ye do it?” **'The borse can swim it.” ** Better jump it. Turn bis head down-stream and go yer best now. Never mind me. [’m game enough to take keer of myself. You bet on that. Ride hard. ‘Bout half a dozen rods below thar’s a narrer place. I ain’t got time tc ‘turn, Tt was at this moment that Millicent arrived ‘at the crest of the mountain and saw them on ‘tthe plain. She saw that the only danger was to tthe brave old man, who had given up his horse tosave his young friend. One of the savages had turned off in chase of Bentley. The other followed close on the heels of Ben, whirling his hatchet in the air. Halfa milein the rear, com- ing up at the utmcs: speed of their fast horses, the girl saw af least a dozen savages, riding to the aid of the guar ie ° efi WAS Tifhing directly for the little streani ‘which meandered hough the prairie, Millicent thought him doomed. His rifle was not loaded. Would he turn upon the bank of the stream and meet the Indians? The pace at which they were going was tremendous. The Indians knew him well, and those in the rear redoubled their efforts to come up with him. A wild yell of triumph broke from every throat as they saw him approach the stream. He comprehended ‘his desperate situation now and had made up his mind as to his course. In times like these men do things whichin their calmer moments seem impossible. He never slackened his speed as he approached the deep watercourse, and gathering all his powers for the effort, and rasping the rifle which had served him faith- ully in many a bloody fray, he bounded into the air, and landed safe and sure upon the other k! The place where he lea was inthe midst of a growth of prairie-timber, and by the side ofatree. As he turned, rifle in hand, his headmost pursuer, who had not been able to check his headjong speed, appeared upon the other bank, his countenance expressing the ut- most surprise, as he gazed upon the wide space over which Ben had leaped. Tbrowing up his hands in astonishment, he shouted in the best English he could muster: * Good jump! Big Buffalo make very big Jump ** Yes, durn yer dirty face. Now git afore I bore a hole in ye! I don’t keer to hurt ye, but ef is ain't out’n this afore I load this yer rifle, good-by. The ee saw his danger. The dreaded rifle was not yet loaded, and turning, he plied his heels in a way which did credit to his powers of locomotion. Millicent, from her station on the hill, could hardly refrain from laughing aloud as she saw the Indian run, Jan was in ecstasies. While Ben was on the other side of _ the stream he kept up a running fire of pitying phrases and encouraging words. When the trapper leaped the stream he performed a war- dance with great spirit upon the mountain top. ‘* Yoost look at dat, you Vrenchmans. Dat’s upon the arms together to the The Three Trappers. — Va =e mine vrent, Penn, See him shump! Sbumps like a YrOg, same vat you eats. Ach! Ho, ho, See dat Injun run. ha! Hein? Trouble coom after you soon, Mister Injun. Oh, Shules, how could you pe sO ash to durn against such a mans ash Penn “Who said I turned against him? It is got s between you and this woman. [’ll ask the old man whepv he comes in if I am to be in- sulted by every one and make no return. You old bully, I'll cut your heart out.” “You shut oop. I aia’t a vool. Vat you dakes der knife to me vor? Vat vor you dries to make love to der vooman? Vat you vant mit a gun ven I let you co? No, Shules, you pad cae. ‘* [Pll let you know, for one, whether [I am to be insulted or not, n will set it right. He wrongs no : ** That is true,” said Millicent. ‘‘Be content to let the matter rest. Orstay. They are now coming up the mountain and the Indians will not dare to follow them into the pass. They know that they are desperate men. [If I pro- mise to say nothing to them of your conduct, will you promise to refrain from the like in the future?” “‘The Dutchman would tell.” **Not if I ask him not,” said Millicent, smil- ing on the German. ‘No, py der saints! I never says nottings, tl keep oop a good deal of t’inking all de imes,” “Do you promise, Mr. Damand?” “IT must, I can’tafford to have Ben against me. ‘‘Then it is a bargain. See that you keep your part, Jan,” said Millicent. ‘*Oh, I keeps my pargains,” said Jan. ‘Off it’s a pad one, I can nix help it. I makes pad argains sometimes, ven I can not help him. et us co down to Penv. I very sorry to keep any ting vrom Penn. He goot chap. You no dells der young feller?” Millicent flushed crimson. The acute Ger- man had found out that she loved Bentley Mor- ris, “ Why should I tell him, Jan?’ ““Vy? Idon’t know. Galt ven you his vrow, pimepye, pooty soon, den you dells him eferyt’ings. aw.” Jan chuckled hugely at her confusion, and walked behind the rest all the way down the mountain, that he might enjoy a laugh all by himself. They came to the level plain just at the point where the pass ente the valley, and there waited for the coming of the others. As they waited, they heard the crack of a rifle in the ravine below, followed by a shout from n, ‘** Run to their aid,” cried Millicent. ‘' Why do you hesitate?” They hurried on to the assistance of the trap- r, and found him standing in the mouth of he pass, rifle in hand, disputing the further advance of the party of Indians, who had by this time cr the stream, and were parley- ing with him. My brother will let his red friends come. They wish to smoke a pipe with him,” said the leading Indian. ‘‘Tam notin a smoking mood to-day,” said Ben. ‘You clear out. I’ve made a <amp hyar, an’ hyar I mean to stay.” | ‘‘ My brother is welcome to the home of the Blackfeet. But, why has he come among us, and stolen our prisoners?” ‘“* None of your pusiness,” roared Jan, taking a position by the side of Ben so suddenly, that even the iron-nerved trapper started. ‘* Vat you vant here?” ** Ah-ha! Ar’ you thar, old Bologna?” laughed the trapper. “I’m teachin’ ye how to do it, then. a, Jule, you here too? Whar is the little ’un? Whar is she?’ ‘* Here,” said Millicent, in her clear, sweet voice, stepping to the front. ‘‘I could not kee away, while you were all in danger. And brought Bentley his rifle. He needs a weapon.” Something in her manner as she gave the weapon into the owner’s hand, told Jules that this indeed was her lover. He turned pallid as a corpse, and | his teeth fiercely, but said not a word, That was useless now. He hoped that his day of triumph was not far off. ‘* Now sons of the Blackfeet,” said Ben, rais- ing his voice, ‘‘ye kin see what kind of a chaince ye’ve got nie us, with them bows arrers and spears, reckon ye mout ez well give it up.” The Indians drew together and held a confer- ence. This over, they turned their horses’ heads and galloped away to the east, One by one the horses splashed through the river, and { upon the structure, Jules stood just behind the they were gone across the broad prairie to their camp. Ae Penn,” said Jan Schneider, re tratigtr h band, “1’m glad you shumps dat rifer. afrait you gone dere.” | “So was [, Jan, when I see how wide it was. Let’s go an’ measure it. I’m proud of that jump. went back to the stream and measured The the distance, and found it to be just twenty- three feet. And the river was nearly as deep. ““Swanzey-dree feet!” roared Jan. ‘ Dere! Some of you peat dat!” | | ‘*T can’t,” said Bentley. ‘‘ What did that Indian say when you jumped? I heard him roar something after you.” “He said, ‘ jump; Big Buffalo ’—that’s me—‘ make very big jump,’ said Ben. ‘‘ By thun- der, he made me laugh so I could have shot at appa An’ didn’t he light out when I began to biel ‘Twas a great jump,” said Bentley. “You ought to be proud of it. What shall we do now?” | ‘*Better git back tocamp. I don’t allow no Injun to drive ne out until I git ready.” he party went back over the rocky way, and Damand saw, with silent rage, that it was upon the arm of Bentley the maid leaned, and his words which pleased her most. But he waited bis. time, satisfied that his turn must come. They set to work and coilected the scattered articles, which in the late trouble had got into confusion. The traps were in a bad way, and many of them needed resetting. The four men . : went the rounds that day and got everything in order, and brought in a number of fine skins. ‘* These are valuable skins,” said Bentley. ‘I have been in the fur trade myself, and I never saw better beaver.” | . They Ben. “ All the old ’uns ar’ hyar yit. a big difference.” ““T know it does. What a driven away so soon.” “Ef it wa’n’t for the brass it out. But, while we’ve got weak ’uns like that with us, it makes a man. cowardly. So we must git back ez soon ez wekin. Orc’t she is safe to the forts, I’m comin’ back, fer one rous,” “Who keers for a little danger? An kin git into danger ef he wants to. t's the A of life, danger is. ules, ’'m a little stiff after my run, strong ez I used to be.” is dan L ain’t ez ‘You can run faster than any man in the ‘* And who among us ty now,” said Bentley. is able to jump twenty-three feet?” “The grinning. ‘‘ He'll do a power of work afore be goes under. Yes, he will; you bet on it, An’ as for the durned Injuns, they may drive us away now, but we'll come back. And to-mor- rer we’ve got to builda raft. ’Twon’t do to be taken unawares, Hurry up!” - CHAPTER X. THE SUCK, THE river upon which these scenes are laid was & narrow stream, sometimes flowing smoothly over a sandy bottom, and at others leaping downward with all the force of a mountain-torrent. The water, ee over a beaver dam, fell upon a sloping bed and rushed downward with impetuous fury. The currents drew together in the center after leaving the falls, forming what is known in the Far West as a ‘“‘suck.’’ The current was full of rocks at this point, against which the water rushed in ungovern- able rage, with a strength hardly to be resisted. On the morning succeeding the escape of Ben and young Morris, they began to build a raft. The events of the = few days satisfied Ben that they might be attacked at any time, and he wished to provide a way of escape. Just at the foot of the waterfall was a growth of light pine suitable for his purpose. Calling on the others for assistance, all set to work upon the float. The logs were slightly squared, and bound together with tough, green withes, after amanner much in vogue among the repners It was the work of half a day, and as they had little else to do, they gave much care to it. The raft finally was finished and fastened to the shore by a lariat. Ben looked at tbe structure in some pride. ‘Did anybody ever go down the river here, father _ d Millie Ben?” sai ent. ‘** Not often, little perilous undertakin’, an’ we won’t do it unless we’re driv’ so close we kain’t help it. It’s best to be j1¢- pared allers. Leastways I think so.” ** Will that raft hold us all?” asked Millicent. ** You git on’t, Jan, an’ try.” Jan stepped carefully on the float. Ben stood close to the shore, watching the effect of his weight Eom (E[) (GE S) micboo ain’t been thinned out much,” replied It makes pity we must be gal, we'd stay hyar and | : : | man Go out fer that trap, d man ain’t dead yit,” replied Ben, gal,” said Ben. ‘It’s an awful — “T would not, if I were you,” said Jules, “Tt ; |