Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 422 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

bn alia Baby Sam, the Boy Giant of the Yellowstone, ee ** Great geysers, Frank! have you been in tho | to find Mr. Rodman and Professor Drood sorely clutches o’ a grizzly? Tell me, boy, what’s wrong?’ **Everything Spoky,” replied the young man; ‘‘do you know that the Sioux are scat- tered all through—” ** Yes, yes, boy; but you don’t mean to say they—” | ‘“*They attacked us at Mary’s Lake. Several of them were ambushed on Wiima’s Isle, and when Baby Sam landed thero with Wilma and Sarah the girls were captured, and when we three boys went to their rescue we were sct up- on and lred Sears, and for all I know, Baby Sam, was slain.” And are the cals still captives, Prank?” ‘*T know nothing to the contrary.” Oh, Lord!” groaned the old hunter; ‘ this'll kill your poor old father! Boy, whait’s the meanin’ of it?” ‘*T know not, Spoky, but thero is treachery at work somewhere. Those savages knew to the very day when we were to be at the island. By agreement, Baby Sam met us there and carried us to the island in his boat—taking the girls first, for the boat was too small to carry all, Onthe way over with Fred and I, Spar- rowhawk, the Friendly Crow, who'd also been on the island and had discovered the intention of the Sioux, swam unobserved by them along- side our canoe and warned us of our danger. We were about half-way to the island but at once turned back to the mainland, and after a consultation we'resolved to attempt tho rescue of the girls. So we re-embarked for the island, on which wo landed and were in search of tho irls when attacked by eight or ten savages. oor Fred fell dead at the beginning of the fight, though not before he got_in his work on ——__—— uneasy about the old hunter’s safety. But the presence of hisson there in such a plight, and the news be brought of the Wilma Island tragedy almost drove the father frantic with grief, and it was all his friends could do to re- strain him from rushing madly away in search of his idolized daughter, and talk him into quiet and composure. ‘When they did, however, Old Spokane narrated his adventures around the lake, though he withheld that part relating to Donald Strahm’s demands upon him for the restoration of his child, and his timely rescue by the mysterious Aaron Benraymond. After hearing the old man’s story, Henry Rodman made up his mind that Donald Strahm and the man Benraymond, were some way, di- rectly or indirectly, responsible for the pres- ence of the Indians there in the valley; though, in view of. the kindness and help given Spokane, he could not associate Benraymond in criminal league with Strahm. His views, however, were entirely at variance with thoss of Old Spokane, and the more they discussed the matter the more it became involved in perplexing mystery, CHAPTER IX, BABY SAM IN TROUBLE, In the conflict in the Indian bivouae where Sarah Marshall was held a captive Sabina Bandy, the wife of Old Kit, played an import- ant part. Concealed in her bosom wags a tiny revolver, which she did not hesitate to use when the life of her recreant lord was endangered, but what was the most surprising was that she used it against the red-skin:, her huskand’s boon companions, Then as soon as all had been wrapped in dark- ness by Old Kit sweeping the fire in every direc- “ After a few minutes’ talk, the two resumed their tramp. They moved back into the hills _ and soon found themselves traversing a narrow ~ defile where the shadows lay deep and dark. Side by side they moved on until the way be came so narrow as to compel them to walk one behind the other. Old Kit took the lead. The defile grew deeper, darker, narrower, as they advanced, and finely Baby Sam observed: ‘**T guess this pass’s going to run together, it.” : ‘* Looks that way.” But they moved on and finally found the defile growing a little wider. Suddenly the Boy Giant exclaimed: ‘Stop, Kit—listen!” They came to a stop and listened, when the sound of footsteps was heard coming behind through the pass, mingled with low, excited voices. ‘Plagues of Egypt!” exclaimed Baby Sam, ‘f wore being pursued, Kit.” ‘* Yes, and Ly the eternal Satan!” responded the old mountain detective, ‘‘I hear the voice o the outlaw, Scott Dresden, among them— Thar! that war his cussed lip!” ‘Forward, then, old pard, forward! We need more room than we’ve got here to do some royal fightin’.” They hurried on through the defile that was now growing more tortuous and difficult to fol- low than ever. But this suddenly ended in a good-sized opening walled in on all sides by rising vertically to the hight of hundreds of feet. But to their utmost astonishment they discovered the smoldering embers of a camp- fire, that gave forth a faint glow, close in under the wall on the right, and in its dim light they saw some articles of clothing, blankets and ared-skin. The next moment I fell under ("3 | tion, she turned and ran to where Sarah stood, | camp equipage that bore a suspicious look. blow of a flying tomahawk at the side of Baby | and with a keen-edged knife severed her bonds, ‘* By the horn of old Joshua!” exclaimed Sam,” m, ‘** But how came you here, Frank?” ‘*That’s the remarkable thing of the whole affair; after Sparrowhawk had warned us of our danger he swam off. He is such a peculiar Indian that we thought nothing of his not go- ing to help us; but when I recovered my senses after the fight I found Sparrowhawk: sitting at my side in under a great project rock at the water’s edge. From him I learned that he did take a hand in the fight on the island; but after I fell and the battle seemed to be against us, the Indian dragged me from the field down into the lake unobserved by the Sioux, who were intent on killing or oe & Baby Sam. How the Indian accomplished it I cannot imagine, but he swam with my body to a place of refuge ‘and there dressed and bandaged my gashed head. But, Spoky, that noble act of the Crow ‘was my reward for cering for him and giving him medicine and food when ho lay sick in our ‘settlement a year ago when all others refused to go near him, believing he had the small-pox.” ‘‘ Boy, ye know the Scripter says to cast_your bread on the waters; but whar’s the Ingin now?” <i ‘* Off in search of Wilma and Sarah. I came here in hopes of meeting you and father, but feeling weak and tired, I told the Crow I would rest here till he came back.” ‘* Wonder the red-skins didn’t find you here,” said Spokane. ‘* Are they around here, too?” “T should say so, boy—see that?’ and he raised his hat and displayed a bandage on his head; ‘‘a red-skin’s hatchet did it,” “Ts father safe, Spoky?? the young man -asked, the ow of a fear creeping over him. ‘Was when I left, boy, *bout an hour before ‘sunset. He’s been feelin’ happy all day over the thoughts of meeting you young folks to- morrow or next day.” Ly ‘Poor father! if will almost kill him when he learns the fate that has befallen our party. How far is he away, Spokane? . “Not over a mile away this blessed minute; but it’ll nighly craze him when he sees his boy all battered and pounded up. And poor Baby Sam! the Gallatin valley will weep for him and refuse to be comforted, but never, no never, will the Boy Giant be forgotten. His name, brave and noble soul, will go down in the tra- ‘dition of the valley for athousand years— But say, Frank, we'd better hurry along to camp,” _ “But I promised Sparrowhawk Id remain here till he heey “Oh, he'll find you, or else we'll move our ‘camp down here, for I reckon we can do nothin’ at the same time saying: ‘* Come, child—quick! escape with mo!” Scarcely aware of what she was doing, Sarah rmitted herself to be hurricd away into the Jeyptian darkress of the v-oods, nor was ske permitted to stop until a point was reached ata safe distance from the scene of conflict. Then old Sabina seemed to realize for the first time that they were alone, ‘* Please tho Merciful Master!” she exclaimed, ‘we aroaway from them horrid savages, but have become separated from Christopher and that big boy: and in this darkness we'll never find them. If only dared to I'd call Christopher, but that’d just tell the Ingins exactly where we were.” ‘Mrs, Bandy, what if your husband and Baby Sam were slain?” said Sarah. | ‘““Tt'd be dreadful, child, Creadful; but if Christopher’s the same man he was years ago he’ll dodge them Ingins, for he’s an old dodger. I’ve known him these years, the old deceiver,” Meanwhile the “old deceiver” and Baby Sam had taken advantage of the darkness that fell 80 suddenly on the combatants to escape into the woods, going in the direction they supposed Sabina and Sarah had taken; but, to their dis- appointment, they soon discovered that they were separated from the women entirely, A porn in the plague are we going to do, Kit?” ‘We'll have to do the best we can, and if we don’t run across the weemen to-ni ht, maybe daylight ‘ll make matters all right. If it wer'n’t for that leetle gal, I’d not bother myself *bout that old lady, for I'll bet if a cyclone ’d carried her away from that camp she’d turn up all right some day with reticule and umbrella in hand, She’s no tenderfoot, is Sabe, and when it comes to a real fight she’s a hull litter o’ wild- cats, she is by the horn of Joshua! Say, didn’t re hear the ‘ping’ of her little shooter when he ball opened? Why, Baby, she can hit the Goddess o’ Liberty on a silver dollar ten yards every pop; but, say, did ye git hurt any in the racket?” ‘‘Not the least; everthing worked like a charm in the attack, but our bad luck comes in losing the girl.” ‘‘Let’s move along, Baby, and mebbe we'll stumble across them somewhere, If we come within their hearin’ old Sabina’ll let it be known, and don’t you forgit to remember it.” So saying they turned and moved away— wandering around in an aimless sort of a way that was quite discouraging to the Boy Giant, . They traveled on for an hour or more then they sat down to discuss their future course, Bandy, as he gazed around him, ‘‘ we’ve run right into the devils’ rendezvous, boy!” ‘* Yes, and hear them coming, Kit!” said the Boy Giant. t one side of the retreat the fugitives saw a continuation of the defile, and at once made to- ward it, but it was so narrow that Old Kit, with difficulty, pressed himself through side~ ways, saying, as he did so; - “Good Lord! boy, you'll never git your big carcass through here! Take off that cartridge belt and pass it through to me—reduce yerse and squeeze through—quick, for they’re comin’ !” Unbuckling his belt he handed it, with his rifle, through to Kit, then turning his left side to the passage, he said; ‘Til squeeze threugh, Kit, or bu’st this old mountain.” With all his great strength the young moun- taineer crowded himself into the passage, but be- fore half his body was concealed the jaws of the great rocks seemed to fasten upon him and hold him as if in a vise. The voice of the pursuers could now be heard but a few paces away. ‘“Tt’s no use, Kit,” Sam protested; ‘I can’t make it—Ill have to fight.” ‘* Then git back, boy, so’s I can help ycu—- quick!” ordered Kit. “T can’t, Kit, 'm fast—wedged in—flee, man, while you can!” Searcely had the last word fallen from the brave boy’s lips ere Scott Dresden, the outlaw, burst into the retreat followed by a dozen or more companions, most of whom were savages, With a yell that went roaring up through the black defile, Dresden, like a panther, sprung forward to seize the Boy Giant. But the lat- ter’s strong right arm was free, and when the villain came within reach he seized him by the shoulder, and with all his prodigious strength swung him around and drove his face with mighty force against the rough, jagged wall, cutting and mashing it in a most frightful manner, and knocking the breath out of him. But the next moment a dozen violent hands seized the Boy Giant and dragged him from the aws of the trap that had caught him, opening he way through which four savages glided in pursuit of Old Kit. A desperate hand-to-hand struggle now en- sued between Core Sam and the foe, and the boy bid fair to hold his own, when a cowardl renegade struck him on the head from and brought him, half-stunned, to his | In this condition the brave youth was soon overpowered and securely bound, when wild yells of savage triumph rent the very heavens. shuntin for the gals till the Ingin gits back.” The silence of the place was broken b’7 the boil Then an outlaw threw a few stickson ‘All right, Spoky. I'll do what you think | and bubble of the ‘‘ Mush Pot,” a local nameap- | the bed of coals, and soon a brig t blaze lit up — “best.” . plied to a boiling vat of .chalk,.and the rush and | the place. But the most. distressed-looking ob- | tip es 5 -his canoe, Old Spokane led the | roar of a great geyser about a mileaway, known ect revealed to the of the victors was the “way tow camp, where they finally arrived | as Old Faithful. ace of their leader, Scott Dresden, |