Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 482 — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

solitary, stunted bush that grew about two hun- dred yards from the cache and stuck it in the ground some two rods from the cache, letting it roject just about two inches above the ground. Not over half a mile from where they abandoned their things, a horde of mounted savages swept down upon them, and there siew every man ex- cept Goven, who, catching an Indian pony, whose rider he had shot in the struggle, mount- ed and fled, and succeeded in escaping the sav- ages. He said that he saw the last one of his friends shot down just as he caught the pony, and thought it was the greatest miracle in the world that he escaped death there to meet it in prison and in disgrace, ‘¢ After his escape from the savages he made his way across the plains to Sioux City, where he tried to sell the Indian pony, which he con- sidered his by all that was fair, at least, in war when he was accused of being a horse-thief, anc in a moment of anger shot his accuser dead. For this he was arrested, tried and sentenced to fifteen years in the State Prison. Knowing that he was the sole survivor of the massacre he kept the secret of the buried treasure, determined to secure it when released. But, alas! the fell de- stroyer seized upon him. When he saw that he must die, he made this revelation to me and ex- pressed a hope that I might find the cache, and obtain the gold, and live to enjoy it. He then drew me a map of the Grand River country, marking the spot as near as possible where the massacre occurred. He also described several landmarks in the vicinity of the cache, but as many of them are liable to have been changed with the lapse of time, he advised me to secure the service of some old hunter who had been fa- miliar with the Grand River valley for years, and who would, if any of the marks he men- tioned were gone, remember where they had en. ‘‘This was the substance of Goven’s story. He died three days after. My two friends and I had already planned a buffalo-hunt in Western Nebraska, but after hearing Goven’s story we concluded to come up here and hunt for gold as well as buffaloes. I wrote my friend Clark here, of Humboldt Settlement, the whole particulars, and of our proposed hunt, and instructed him to employ a guide, which he did, making arrange- ments for him—Old Pegleg Sol—to meet us here on or about this time. e were also to be met here by a noted young plainsman called ‘ Stone- wall Bob.’ This now is the story of the Hidden Gold Cache, and the map of Goven’s, which I have here in my pocket, [ will now show you.” Frank Payne put his hand into an inner pock- et of his hunting-jacket to procure the paper, and, just as he did so the whole party was start- led by a piercing shriek—the shriek of a woman that was followed by the report of firearms and a wild, demoniac, savage yell! CHAPTER VIL. THE BOY TROJAN IN TROUBLE, THE sounds that had so suddenly startled the party on the island came from the north side of the river, and forgetting all else, the hunters seized their rifles and ran down to the edge of the river. Looking across the water they saw, on the sharp point of land made by the junction of the two rivers, & woman seated upon a, horse or ny, while further on were two horsemen turned acing a horde of advancing savages, and pour- ing shot after shot into the ranks of the yelling fiends. : ‘¢ By the harp of David!” exclaimed Ben Clark “there’s somebody in trouble—one a woman, too! Boys, shall we go to their assistance?” ** By all means,” replied Frani Payne, ‘‘ we'd be cowards not to do so, To the raft, boys, to the raft!” ‘ Men,” said Yellowstone Bill, ‘‘ itll be death to go over there—wuss nor suicide,” ‘!)eath and suicide it is, then!” declared Ben Clark, starting for the raft, followed by his friends, gunsin hand. | In a few moments the young hunters had boarded the raft. Ben Clark seizad the pole and began warping the float away from the shore even before Old Yellowstone Bill had got aboard. The old man had plenty time to leap on, but he hesitated, and the next instant the raft was out of his reach. ‘Pll not go back now,” said Clark, somewhat surprised at the old hunter’s conduct; ‘* Old Peg- leg Sol ’d ’a’ been the first man on here.” e young hunters were coinpelled to pass half around the island before making toward the scene of conflict. When they came in sight of the point they saw that the woman had disappeared. One of ‘ Dt the men was also gone, and the other was stand- ing alone on the very verge of the point, engaged in a hand-to-hand struggle with a dozen or more savages. ‘*Roarin’ rivers!” cried Ben Clark, as he caught sight of the man struggling with the foe, ‘that is my friend, Stonewall Bob! Boys, let loose into the red demons, but be careful of the Boy Trojan— Hurrah! Yellowstone Bill’s bang- in’ it to em from the is!and!” The three young hunters at once opened fire upon the red-skins, while at regular intervals Old Bill’s rifle rung out on the island, ‘‘ Hold on to them, Bob, friends are comin’!” shouted Ben Clark at the top of his lungs as he plied the pole with all his strength. Driven to the very extreme verge of the point Stonewall Bob stood battling like one possessed for his life. Protected in the rear by the perpen- dicular bank he was enabled to keep the foe be- fore him. Knivesand tomahawks gleamed in the moonlight, and flew through the air about the head of the young giant. Like a Trojan, in- deed, he stood with clubbed carbine beating down the howling mob as they closed in within reach. Never did man seem to hear a life more charm- ed. Like a stone wall in fact he stood firm defy ing the storm and assaults of the foe. he bank behind the young Trojan, and, in fact, on either side, was fully ten feet high and slightly projecting, and in order to effect a land- ing the rescuing party must pass the point almost under the bov giant, push into the mouth of the North Fork and pass ona few yards to where they could see the bank was Jow. As they passed the point an Indian came whirling over the bank and fell sprawling into the river—knocked senseless by Stonewall’s club- bed carbine. The savages seemed determined to take the young giant al've. It was not at all likely that the approach of those on the raft had been un- seen; but the foe gave no att ntion to them, every energy being bent upon the capture of the boy giant before assistance could reach him, Suddenly, as if by a preconcerted movement, and with a wild, infernal scream, the whole pack of human wolves closed in upon the brave boy. The young plainsman staggered back and as he stood reeling on the edge of the bank endeavor- ing to maintain his balance, a dozen savage hands seized him. But at this very instant the bank broke away and the young Trojan and near- ly a score of red-skins were precipitated into the river with a thunderous splash. Tons of earth went down beneath them, creating a vortex in- to which the raft of the four young hunters was drawn and almost swamped. A scene of wildest confusion now ensued. Amid the boiling, bubbling waters savage heads and heels, arms and legs, became promiscuously mixed up. As head after head popped to the surface spouting water like so many wounded whales, the young hunters on the raft looked eagerly for their friend; nor were they kept in suspense. Up from the very center of the vor- tex they saw his massive head and broad shoul- ders rise, With a puff like that of an engine—with a snort like that of a mad bull, the young giant glanced around him—merely sweeping his eyes across those on the raft, who were shouting words of encouragement to him—and quickly taking in the situation, he began to reach out right and left, and pound the head of every red- skin that came in reach—beating them down under the waves, at the same time shouting with brazen lungs: ‘Down to Satan, you red demon!—down to your home in fiend-land! git thar, to the sulphur- pit! Ho! ho! you red scorpions! fool with another calamity, will you? Yoop! hur-rah!” In the meanwhile, several red-skins rising to the surface, hed endeavored to save themselves by clinging to the raft, but they at once became a target for the amateurs’ revolvers, and in a short period of time every savage had disappear- ed from sight that was not drowned or slain. Then again the valley resounded with yells of triumph from Stonewall’s lips, in which he was joined by the men on the raft. Finally, turning in the water and looking u into the face of Ben Clark, the Boy Trojan ad, reaching up his hand: ‘‘ Ben, old boy, I’m all broke up with joy to meet you! You must excuse me for not speak- ing sooner, but you know business is business— first come first served—I was engaged with other company that called first, and I was compelled, through courtesy, to receive them first. Well, how’ve you been, old Ben?” ‘‘Happy, baby Bob,” responded Ben; “ but, say, climb up here and let me see if you’ve grown —let me help you—here you are—heavens! hope onewall Bob, the Boy Trojan. | peculiar circumstances. ' 7 er a nr —— eee ee ee + = ——— the raft won’t swamp—Bob Comstock, these are my friends—Frank Payne, Steve Lock wood and Nathan Renshaw.” ‘*Glad to meet you, boys,” said Stonewall, shaking hands with each of them, ‘if itis under I’m a little damp from bein’ in that wet water. Hope we'll become better acquainted soon.” ‘*T hope so, indeed,” responded Paine. ‘“ I’m anxious to become acquainted with a boy that can lick a whole Ingin tribe in a stand-up fight.” ‘*'That was a miraculous old fight,” replied Stonewall, ‘‘and how I ever escaped death is a miracle. The red demons shot at me, throwed tomahawks at me, stabbed at me, struck at me, elled at me, kicked at me, and the Lord only cnows what else; and [’m rather thinkin’ if that bank badn’t caved off when it did the devils ’d have got away with me,” ‘““If we could only have landed when we reached the pomt behind you,” said Frank Payne, ‘‘we could have rendered you some as- sistance; but the fact is when we got up to the bank it was so high that we could neither see you nor the red-skins, and we only escaped bein buried under that falling bank by the skin o our teeth.” While he was thus talking Ben Clark pushed the raft back to the island and the party landed and was greeted by Yellowstone Bill, who ex- claimed: ‘* Boys, yer shoved off yer raft too quick for me, but then I put in a few tellin’ shots from the island here, Stonewall Bob, I are glad to meet e and git a grip o’ yer paw. Iare Yallerstone ill, 1 are, and I'm from away up the kentry.” ‘* And is here in Old Pegleg’s place,” said Ben Clark, ‘‘ What's the matter with Pegleg?” asked the boy ey ‘*Too much squeezin’ by a grizzly,” replied Old Bill. i Sol ips ** And he sent you in his place?” observed Bob. ‘*'Ya-as, sir.” Stonewall Bob knitted his brows and gazed away reflectively up the river, then starting, he turned to Ben Clark and said: ‘Ben, I have some dreadfu! sad news for you. A very dear friend of yours is in trouble.” ‘*What do you mean, Bob?” asked Ben, be- traying some emotion. ‘* Mabel Thurston and her father are in the hands of the outlaws and savages.” ‘* Great God! you are jesting, Bob!” **T'm not, Ben; I rescued the girl from peril after that herd of stampeded buffaloes had passed, but the savages cornered us there on the point, and both she and her father were spirited away while I was battling with those demons.” Ben Clark groaned in agony of spirit, for to him Mabel Thurston was more than all else on earth, and for a while his grief was inconsolable. It was all his friends could do to restrain him from rushing madly away in search of the maiden, when such a course would have been almost criminal folly. ‘Tt was not Ingins, bowever,” Stonewall at length continued, ‘that first abducted her from home, but your old rival, Archibald Vandyke,” This news was more startling than the first, and the young settler almost staggered under the blow. His face turned pale and his eyes glowed with a kindling fire of vengeance, moments before he could speak. ‘*T knew Vandyke was a man without prin- ciple,” he finally said, ** but I did not suppose he was a demon. Boys, we cannot remain idle when our help, our manhood, and even our lives if need be, are demanded in the protection of in- nocent womanhood.” ‘* We'll have to go keerful, boy,” said Yellow- stone. advisedly, ‘Yes, you said the same a while ago!” replied Ben, with no little asperity; ‘it seems to me if we never risk anything we will never gain any- thing. You predicted sure death to venture to Stonewall’s aid, but we’re all back safe.” ‘‘ But, lad,” said the old hunter, coolly, calm- ly, seeming to take no offense at his words of re- roach, ‘‘ I know the impulsiveness o’ youth and rev see’d whet it cost in years agone. The death o’ them red-skins over the river will stir up a hornets’ nest, and if we rush wildly, blindly, into a trap, you see we cut off all hope for the gal’s rescue,” ‘* Boys,” said Stonewall Bob, ‘ not wishing to change the subject, but I must shed these wet garments and dry ’em before I can do anything more; and as for a rifle, I’ve got to draw on you folks, for my carbine’s at the bottom o’ that nye all smashed to calamity over red-skin eS, ‘* All right, Bob,” said Frank Payne, ‘‘ we've It was some —_ 2 -. ; 4 + * bad ‘! : ; +e an Ott , - - ' e | J, : + ‘2s - .. : ata? * 4 “ 4 A fa | | I 7 "4 ; y 7 e i. . : - all “oy oa” - " 4 , 0 et - a ot at tea i knw cel eae ieee 7, |. i | ~ p ..” 4, Pe « eI Kl Th ™ (oo s - . =~ ets -* oo |