Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 287 — page 3: what you’re looking at

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

ee ee Ce alarm was given, and a lasso was sent whirling through the air. It was the guard over the horses, who from some distance off had seen the movements about the tree, for the firelight shone full upon them, and had come to the camp to see what it meant. At his wild note of warning, both Terror Tom and the youth, knowing they were dis- covered, sprung to their feet and bounded toward the gulch. But ere the boy could reach it the guard’s lasso settled over his head and shoulders, and he was jerked upon his back, just ‘as Terror Tom reached the bank of the water-wash and igmped down, while a volley of re ers sent bullets flying over his head. Though the lasso was drawn so tight as to pinion his arms t® his sides, the boy yet man- aged to fire his revolver, which he carried in his hand, and drop one of the outlaws, as half-a- dozen rushed upon him. But he was seized, quickly bound, and dragged near the fire, while half-a-score of men started in pursuit of the escaped captive. uddenly a loud shout was heard down the water-wash, and all listened, while there came on the night winds the ringing words: mI Don't fear, my boy, for old Temror Tom is e! A yell broke from the outlaws, and one of them asked savagely, as tbe sound of hoofs fall- ing rapidly, died away in the distance: ‘ Well, who are you that has dared to set free our worst foe ““T’'m only a boy,” was the quiet response. “That a blind man can see, but you have a man’s pluck, and I want to know your name?” ‘Oh, if it will do you any good [ don’t mind telling you that Tam called Billy Blue-Eyes.” Exclamations of surprise were heard upon all sides at this rejoinder, which made it evident eh, *" present had before heard of the daring youth, CHAPTER IV. BILLY BLUE EYES. ‘“‘Biug-Eygp BILLy you say your name is?” said the man, who was evidently the leader of the outlaws, and he gazed into the handsome, fearless face of the boy, as he stood before him, bound securely with a lariat. “So I am called, both that and Billy Blue- Kyes,” was the calm response. “Have you not another handle?” " Yes, tI ey call me the Boy Rover of tke Rio de. ‘‘That’s so, and I guess you deserve it, for they say you know each shore as well as your: own face,” ‘“‘T know them pretty well below here, but have seldom been up this far.” “It’s unlucky you got this far up the river now, for I guess your days are numbered.” “T have but one time to die, and when that time comes will meet it bravely,” was the bold rejoinder, ust then, as the man was about to make re- nse, U dashed the men who had gone off in of Terror Tom, ‘‘C’y’dn’t catch him, Loot’nent Hal,” said one. ‘‘ He was on foot and you mounted, and — should have done so,” said the leader, who had been spanned as L ween gt and who was an evil-faced young man t ® appearance of one who. had seen better days. “oN ay? he were a a horse os es Bye a streak O° gran , an’ thet our an es had no biz with I kin tell yer.” “You had a horse in the chaparral?’ asked the a, officer, turning to Blue-Eyed Billy. ‘*T had, ‘‘ What was the prisoner to you?” ‘‘Nothing more than that he was a prisoner to the Pirates of the Chaparrals.” ‘“* Ha! you know us then?” ‘sé es. “Well, you will be sorry of thea intance, for.you have set a man free whom I have been one month striving to capture, and for whom the captain—” ‘El Bravo?’ asked the boy. ‘Yes, Captain El Bravo, and he offered five thousand pesos for the head of Terror Tom, who, for years has hung upon the trail of his men untiringly, and taken off a number of his best pore “ Well, he’s free now.” ‘Yes, and you are in his place, and my word for it, youngster, when E! Bravo meets us here at sunrise, as he is to do, you’ll go up to yonder tree, for the captain bas another little dept to settle with you, if I don’t mistake.” ----- «~~ —- -. ee Billy Blue-Eyes. ‘‘ Yes, I thwarted him once down the river, when he was eee raid upon the ranches, and the Rangers gave him a fearful thrashing,” boldly said the boy. ‘*T have heard the captain speak of how you were concealed in a hacienda one night and lis- tened to his plot to raid the ranches, and be has often wanted to catch you, and now [ve got you, he won't scold me for letting Terror Tom get away. ‘* But come, Pll tie you so this night, and then we’ll we n it,” And re enh Billy was placed between two of the outlaws for safe keeping, and bound so securely that he suffered; but determined not to show that he cared, he dropped back on the serape spread for him, and soon appeared to fast asleep. ou won’t escape e some rest, for CHAPTER V. EL BRAVO. Wiru the coming of dawn the Pirates ‘of the Chaparrals were astir, and their young prisoner was relieved in a measure from his sufferings, as his bonds were made loose. But he had uttered no complaint, and his dar- ing rescue of Terror Tom, and silence under suf- fering, with the air of indifference he wore, won the admiration of bis captors. | ‘‘ [ sont'a courier to the captain, my lad, to meet me here, and he'll be along before long, and I tell you frankly, I guess you'll hang,” said the outlaw officer. Billy Blue-Eyes made no reply, and the out- law continued: ‘‘- You see you shot Whisky Dick last night.” “ He attacked me.” “True, but you were in our camp, and the chief is not a man to be merciful; but I want you to hear me.” “I’m your friend.” The boy shook his head dubiously, and the man went on: ‘*They say that you know where there is a gold-mine in the mountains.” ‘** Do they say so?” ‘* Yes, they say you do; and [ll make terms with you.” ‘‘ What kind of terms?” ‘* You tell me where the mine is, or go there with me as guide, and I'll manage it so that you can escape.’ **] will not.” : ‘Your gold won't do you any good if El Bravo hangs yom ‘‘ Nor would it if I trusted myself to you.” ** You don’t doubt me, do you, boy?’ ** Certainly.” ‘* But [ wish to serve you.” “ You wish to use me as a tool to serve your- self. ‘* Well, here comes the captain, and I guess before he’s done with you you'll be glad to have my friendship; and you can get it on the terms I name.” Billy Blue-Eyes een lightly, and turned his gaze upon a man who just then rode UP; fol- lowed at a short distance by some thirty ho m@n, all well armed and mounted, and wearing the same style of dress as his captors, which was a commingling of the Texas borderman and Mexican caballero. The horseman in advance was attired with real elegance. His spurs were of gold, a cord of silver bullion encircled his hat, a broad- brimmed sombrero, richly embroidered with various devices, and his revolvers and bowie were eon get while he carried no rifle, as did his men. His horse was a snow-white stallion, long- limbed, gaunt-bodied, and with an arched nec and small head, and his saddle and bridle, of the Mexican make, were worth a small fortune, so realy were they trimmed with both gold and ver. The form of the man was slender, of ordinary |, hight, and graceful, but his face was not to be seen, for it was shielded wholly from view by a crimson mask, and bis hands were covered with gauntlet gloves hé was never seen to remove, so that not even his men could tell whether he was a white man or an Indian, for his hair was jet-black and worn long, and might belong to the head of a Comanche as well as a pale-face. Such was El Bravo, the chief of the Pirates of the Chaparrals, who rode up and dismounted in front of where sat Billy Blue-Eyes, securely bound, and said sternly, but with an accent as though English was not his native tongue: ‘Senor Hal, who have you there?—for that is certainly not the Americanscout, Terror Tom,” ee oe ——— las — : “No, captain; this youth is the rescuer of Terror Tom.” ‘‘ Ha! the scout escaped?” savagely cried the chief, “Yes, captain. He was rescued by this youth, whom we captured,” “ And who are you, sir, that dares come into my camp and release a prisoner?” and El Bravo turned upon the youth, who coolly answered: ‘* Tam one, El Bravo, who has thwarted sev- eral of your little games of deviltry on the lower Rio Grande.” ‘‘Santissima! You are the boy known as Bill Blue-Eyes, the Rover of the Rio Grande?” ‘lam! ‘The saints be praised! Why, boy, I would rather have you in my power than a thousand Terror Toms, for I have sought for you seven long years, and at last I have you.” And the langh of demoniacal joy the chief gave vent to fairly made the boy, brave as he was, shiver with dread. ‘ CHAPTER VI. THE BANDIT BUGLER. AL of the Chaparral Pirates, without an exception, believed that their chief intended to at once string the brave boy up to the large mesquite tree near by; but, instead, be ordered that he should simply be ironed instead of bound, saying: ‘‘T have more faith in iron, Lieutenant Hal than in horsehair and hemp, and later on will be time enough for the latter.” The last part of his sentence was said in sinister tone that was most t of trouble to come for Bill Bine Brey The boy was given a breakfast with the men, and ate heartily of it, while the chief, as was his wont, sat apart at his meal, his face turned away from the band while he partook of his food, that none might see what lay beneath that red mask. After breakfast E] Bravo at once ordered his lieutenant and ten men to start upon the trail of Terror Tom and to keep up the hunt until he was captured, adding: “Then come to the Hacienda, for you are to take command while I go upon my vacation.” ‘“Si, Senor El Bravo, 1 will return in time and, I hope, bring with me our foe, Terror Tom.” ‘*T sincerely hope so, Senor Peal, for with that man off our trail, wecan work to far better ad- vantage than we have done, ‘‘ Now order the bugler to sound ‘ Boots and saddles,’ ” The order was given and a mere youth, whom Billy Blue-Eyes had not before noticed, came forward, took a silver bugle from where it hung upon a mesquite tree, and blew a few clear notes in a manner that proved he was no amateur with the instrument. azing upon him with some interest, Billy Blue-Eyes saw that his form was slender and graceful, his hands and feet small, and that he was dressed with an elegance equal to that of the chief, and armed with weapons of the finest and latest pattern. His bair was short and curly, a rich red, the same hue of his mustache, although his face was very dark, and his eyes were jet-black large, and seemed full of thought of a painful nature, He was very handsome, certainly, and all said he was the pet of the chief, if ¥i Bravo's heart could be forced to acknowledge a feel for any one other than himself, that was n born in selfishness or hate, With the notes of the bugle the men sprung to their feet, threw the saddles upon their horses, and soon after the two parties rode away, the lieutenant and his ‘half-score of men oing down the gulch to strike the trail left y Terror Tom, and the chief with his followers ponennaning deeper into the chapantele apd olding in a direction that must bring them to the Rio Grande. With this latter party went Billy Blue-Eyes, his hands ironed and bound to his saddle-horn, and by his side rode Bonita, the Bandit Bugler, as the outlaw youth was known to his com. panions. CHAPTER VIL. TERROR TOM, THE man whom Billy Blue Eyes had so dar- ingby rescued, at his own cost, was half tempted to turn about and fight his foes, when he saw the youth lassoed, and half hesitated for that purpose. But he was & man who had been in deadly peril of his life for years, and thought quickl and with reason at the most critical momen GOnME cS I0'0 (El