Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 472 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

ed . 12 4 This persistent questioning might mean noth- ing, but Joe did not like it at all. He would not show his own hand by indiscreet answers, how- ever, SO he replied in the must matter-of-fact yey as though he suspected nothing, and care- fully locked Black Jack in. Then he led the way to the house. During the evening nothing occurred to arouse fresh suspicion. Perkins and Looker did nearly all the talking, while Pratt, the servant, sat in a corner, listened and said very little. Despite this, however, Jaunty Joe did not get any better opinion of the visitors, The more Joe saw of the two men, the more he suspected that they were not what they seemed, and though Pratt seldom spoke, when he did say anything it was hardly with the man- ner of a servant in the presence of his master ; it was more as though the two men were equals in every way. Perhaps if he had not been looking for some underhand work all this would have gone un- noticed, but, as it was, he began to suspect that these men were equals; that they were directly connected with racing matters; and that they had come to the farm-house to buy Black Jack, not for a parretp driving-horse, but to put him on the track. Believing this, another great question arose in Jack’s mind—had they come as agents for Jasper Banker? All these doubts, theories and questions thronged in the boy’s head after he went to bed, and he could not compose himself to sleep. He continually thought of the men in the house, and the black horse in the stable. Was Jack safe? True, he was carefully locked in, and as Joe had feared that Banker might take measures to poison him, his quarters were so arranged that no prowler nonla convey food to him secretly ; but if Banker was in a sufficiently desperate mood, he might even fire the stable in order to be revenged on Perkins and Horse-King Joe, In vain the youth tried to convince himself ‘that these fears were groundless, Finally he had an idea that took him out of bed in a twinkling. He would not worry about the matter any longer, but would go to the stable and sleep near Black Jack the rest of the night. This plan was no sooner formed than he pro- ceeded to execute it. He dressed fully, left the house by a rear door, and started for the stable. The night was not very dark, but as no moon was shining, it could not be called light. The stable was not visible from the house, be- ing concealed by an intervening shed, and he could see nothing of it until he turned the corner of the latter. hen he did so he experienced a feeling of relief at seeing the door of Black Jack’s quarters as he had left it. With a lighter heart he went on, took out his key and prepared to enter, Suddenly he stopped with his hand half-way forward. He nad seen something which was not as he had left it. On the ground were splinters of wood, and as he Jooked for their source he saw that the door, around the fixed lock, was shattered and nearly torn to pieces. A fear which almost overpowered him swept over his mind, and he jerked the door open. ) bolt barred his way. ‘Then he found his sudden, and worst, fear realized, Black Jack was gone | The young jockey did not need any explana- tion of the fact, and his mind flashed to Looker and Pratt with a depth of resentment hardly to be expected in his nature. They were the thieves. Hardly conscious what he was doing, Joe caught up a bridle and ran from the stable. Where were the thieves and their prize? How long had they keen gone? He had a good view of the road south of the house, and there, half a mile away, he could barely distinguish a dark, moving object, or group, Which was plainly made up of men tray- eling with horses in some fcrm. More than that he could not tell, but as trav- ‘elers were few and far between on that country road, he jumped to the conclusion that it was Black Jack and his captors. The horse was not yet out of sight, but how ‘was he to be followed and regained? It was mechanically, rather than anything else, that Joe glanced toward the pasture. There, standing with his head over the fence, was Black Jack’s brother, the young horse Joe had lately broken—Bronze Ben, they had named him, The youth’s mind was made up in a moment. _Jaunty Joe, the a . 4 "2 a ts ba A: we Hort oes “ere + ee — -_ soi . Au ar oS Tore + Pee + eee ge Pk . * - - Ben was not so fleet as the black horse, but he was better than the average of Long Island horses. Jaunty Joe hastened to bridle him, and then, without waiting for a sacdle, or to notify Mr. Perkins, the boy leaped upon Ben’s bare back and went shooting down the road. He had been unable to gauge the speed of the runaway, but he put Ben to as good pace as he dared—the young horse must not be winded or ruined, Down the road he swept as fast as he dared let the colt go. His heart warmed to the noble young fellow as he saw how gallantly he tried, and his hand was passed caressingly over the slender neck, ‘*Good fellow!” he exclaimed; ‘you shall never want for a friend while I’m alive. Help me recover Jack, and you and I will never be parted while I can help it!” By and by a slight hill had to be ascended, while beyond it was a long, level road. Asthe reached the top, Joe looked eageily ahead. Were the runaways there? . The result surprised him. They were there, and that, too, much nearer than he had dared hope. Three horses were in the party, and even 2 that distance his keen eyes picked out Black ack, He was on the right track. For the first time the boy remembered that there was something more to do than to over- take them in a race. Three men were visible, while he was not only a boy but was unarmed. How was he to regain the stolen animal when he did overtake them? Just as he was considering this point the party paused, opened a gate and entered the field to the left. It was a place used for pastur- ing, was sparsely timbered in places, and was bordered on the opposite side by another road, He judged that it was their intention to cross and strike the other road, and he was pleased with the prospect. They entered the field without seeing the pur- suer, and he rode to the gate and followed after. As they had now relapsed into a walk he might at any time have overtaken them, but he held back and tried to think of some way by which he could rescue Black Jack. In this wa they went nearly a quarter of a mile. At this point the timber was thick enough to be called a wood, and all was so dark that when, riding ast a large thicket, Jaunty Joe saw a fire lasing before him, he abruptly halted, greatly surprised. og: a fire was burning there, and around it were collected several forms, men and women, A recollection of the ed ot at once flashed upon the pursuer, and he kept his place and looked at them sharply. His suspicion received confirmation. It was a Gypsy camp, and Black Jack now had at least a dozen ape cake instead of one, for the new -comers were alighting. CHAPTER XIV. A STARTLING EXPERIENCE. Horst-KinG JOE was considerably disturbed by this discovery. Not once abandoning his theory that the horse-thieves were Looker and Pratt, it now seemed that they were in league with the Gypsies, and the chances of rescuing Black Jack grew less. Whether the band was that of King Ryer he did not know, but it made little difference. Be- cause Melvina was his friend, it did not follow that the stern old chief would aid him. The youth’s first impulse was to hasten to the Village and bring help, but, somehow, he had a presentiment that it would not do to lose sight of Black Jack, and, in any case, the Gypsies were likely to move on at once now the stolen horse was in their hands. A moment longer he hesitated, and then dis- mounted, led Bronze Ben to a retired point and tied him to a sapling. He then crept toward the group by the fire. Black Jack was the observed of all the party. He had been led forward, and men and women alike crowded around to see him. He was not at ease. He tossed his head, champed his bit, and when a hand was laid #00 familiarly upon him, made passes at the offender with open mouth. Jaunty Joe saw Looker and Pratt, and—yes, King Ryer was there, as tall, dark and stern as ever. Melvina was not visible. The boy had crept so near that he could over- hear all that was said, and as Ryer and Looker rsp together, they gave him enough to which to listen, NAO a I I Gi oe as r} a ‘+ oe wre ~ ay = ee - . —— ad } . afi 4 Phat a >) Ae , ¥ : ' 1, : Young Horse King”. ———————eeeeeeEeEeEee—e—eeeeee ** He’s a noble brute,” said the Gypsy chief, » SL OS RR ae . ‘ sweepin his gaze over the horse. ‘**Good enough to run some risk for, eh?” re- plied Looker. ‘** Your share of the risk is small.” ‘* So is yours.” “You talk nonsense now.” ‘**Not so. I will change the brute’s appearance so that nobody will know him.” ** So you have said before, but I rely more on keeping him out of sight than upon your arts.” ** Wait until you see what I can do. Now I’m going to bleach him from head to foot, and in the morning he will be, not black, but a rusty brown. He’s just the sort of an animal for that dodge. Paint a horse, and the first rain, or a good solid sweat, will betray your work; but once bleach a black horse with my preparation and only time, and a good deal of that, can re- store him to his old condition. Then I[ shall clip his mane judiciously.” Horse-King Joe’s blood boiled. The idea of his loved Black Jack being sub- jected to such treatment was enough to upset any decent person. “You can go ahead, and [ll carry out m compact with you,” said Ryer, moodily, ‘** but confess that I wish I had never agreed toit. It may get my people into trouble.” ‘* Nonsense! ‘You can dodge all pursuers, I am told that you are as cunning as a fox.” ‘‘T am a Gypsy,” was the ae reply. ‘But | am now getting old, and, somehow, I have not the taste for wild scenes that I once had. Indeed, I would never have consented to serve you in this matter bad it not been that I wanted the money for a particular object.” He glanced toward the woman as he spoke, and Joe, at least, understood what he meant. He was getting old, and he wished to provide for Melvina before he died. Probably he realized at last that the wandering life he had led was not a fit life for her. Looker spoke encouragingly, and then began reparations for the transformation of Black ack. He was given a pail half filled with water, and into this he poured some dark chemi- cal which colored the whole a peculiar brown. As Jaunty Joe saw these preparations pro- gressing he grew more and more angry. It seemed rank sacrilege to spoil Black Jack’s won- derful coat. Looker suddenly lifted the pail and a brush and advanced. e dipped the brush and moved it toward the horse, but it never touched him, Joe’s rage overcame him at this crisis; he bounded from cover, snatched the brush from Looker’s hand and flung it into the fire, and, al- most at the same moment overturned the pail, spilling the mixture on the ground. Another moment and he bad thrown one arm over Black Jack’s neck, and as he was greeted with a joyful whinny by the noble animal, he defiantly cried: ‘This is my horse—I want you to let him alone!” Dead silence followed the remark. Black Jack rubbed his nose fondly against the youth’s shoulder, but the human members of the group seemed turned to statues. Looker was the first to recover his presence of mind. ‘“By the fiends!” he exclaimed, ‘‘it’s the boy!” ‘*- Yes, it’s I,” retorted Joe, ‘‘ and I’ve come, for my horse.” | ‘Well, you can’t have him. Curse you! I tcok him to keep, and it’s a bad day for you when you meddle, euchered out of our game.” King Ryer pushed to the front, a troubled look on his face. ‘* ‘What does this mean?” he asked. ‘‘ Who are you, boy?” ‘*T work for the owner of this horse, and have charge of him, sir.” The boy was in for the game, and he con- fronted them all boldly, though he took care to address the chief respectfully. ‘¢ How came you here?” | ‘‘T followed this villain when he came, and I hope, sir, that you will not aid him in his in- famous work,” ‘* We are all one here,” said the Looker, quick- ly, ‘‘ and it is too late to back out.” ‘‘T say itis not. I can speak for the owner of this horse, and I say that if he is restored to me now, nobody but those who took him will be in any danger. That’s you two thieves who came into the house, and played traitor to your host,” Then the spirited speaker turned upon Ryer and added: ; ‘‘ Give me the horse, sir, and 1 will never men- tion this matter to any one. You will be safe.” Ryer’s face bore a troubled look, and the Hang you! we are not to be ~* ‘ . - tt