Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 482 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

Cree =e “ ~ a —— ee on ~ —e- je — ~ -~ yo 7 tS” [> ~ —— -? ~< = a a more guns than gunners—got three extra Sharpes.” So the party returned to the camp, Yellow- stone Bill volunteering to remain at the edge of the island on guard. As soon as they had reached the camp, Stone- wall Bob turned to his four friends and said in an undertone: “Boys, I don’t know Yellowstone Bill, and [ don’t like the way he shoots off his yawp. He may be all right, but I don’t like to trust my life in the bands of « stranger, The fact is, l’m just green enough to be peeeenee by a first impres- sion, and that of Old Yellowstone wasn’t favora- ble, and if one of you boys’ll go down and stay with him till I get my clothes dried, Pll relieve you when I do.” ‘*T’ll go,” said Ben Clark, ‘‘ for ve about the same opinion of Old Bill that you have.” So saying, he departed, while Stonewall Bob divested himself of his wet clothes and hung them up before the fire to dry, wrapping his gigantic form in a blanket, for he could not get into any of the extra clothing of the amateurs. The Boy Trojan found that he had not come out of the fight with the savages unharmed. There were several ugly bruises and cuts on h's head, breast and arms, and to these Frank Payne gave his attention and knowledge of surgery, and soon had the bruises anointed with arnica, and the cuts plastered over—the amateurs having sup- plied themselves before leaving home with med- ical and surgical goods in anticipation of just such acciderts, While Payne was dressing the youth’s wounds Nathan Renshaw broiled him some slices of ven- ison and made him a cup of coffee which the young giant partook of with a keen appetite. After he had satisfied his hunger and con- versed awhile he donned his clothes, that by this time were dry, and then proceeded to clean up his revolvers and reload them with cartridges furnished from the ample supplies of the ama- teurs. This done, he selected a rifle from among the extras on hand, and having loaded it, an- nounced himself ready for action. Scarcely had he uttered the words when the report of a rifle fell upon their ears coming from the upper end of the island with startling fierce- ness. ‘* Come on, boys!” shouted the young border- man, crashing away through the undergrowth like a mad bull, ‘‘come on, for I guess there’s another calamity on hand!” The others took up their rifles and hurried af- ter him, On his way through the darkness of the grove Stonewall Bob ran square up against Ben Clark, who was rushing toward the camp: ‘¢ Crash—bang—stars!” exclaimed the young wag “is that you, Ben? What’s wrong up ere ‘* Come and Ill show you,” replied Clark, The young settler led the way to the upper end of the island, stopping just under cover of the shadows. He then parted the willows and pointed out across the moonlit waters toward two large masses of driftwood and brush that were slowly drifting out of the mouth of the North Fork, ‘‘ Behind them two floating masses of logs and debris,” said Ben, ‘‘ there are no less than a score of Indian warriors that are endeavoring to steal a march upon us!” CHAPTER VIII. A SURPRISE-PARTY SURPRISED, ‘¢‘ Boys,” said Stonewall Bob, in an undertone, “‘we're going to have a real pretty little fight and what we want to do is to hold our fire till the red roses bloom into sight, and then warp it ‘to them as fast as we can finger the machinery, ‘We don’t want to let a ki-yote of them get apes cover of this island. Where’s Yellowstone i ‘Right here, ready for ther fun,” came the bunter’s voice from the shadows hard by. “* Say, pards, I want one o’ them big shotguns at camp,” said Bob, *‘ loaded with buckshot to the muzzle.” ** All right, your wish shall be granted,” and Frank Payne burried to camp asd returned with three shotguns, all of which the young hunter said had been ‘‘ loaded for bear” for three days and nights. Stonewall took one of them, and pushing the muzzle through the willows, fired at the head of a savage, he report of the piece sounded through the night like the roar of a field-gun, the recoil fairly staggering the young plainsman, who exclaimed: ‘‘ Ghosts and calamity! the thing works both ways, don’t it? She kicked my whole shoulder rE - - SEOT e s ars a a $$ ——————— OC = — e———e————E—E——E ‘bout off. I wonder how that Ingin’s head fared?” A peep through the bushes revealed quite a commotion in the water behind one of the drift- ing heaps, and the party felt well satisfied that the red-skin had not aan unharmed, although they could hear no sound, The shot, however, did not effect any change in the course or advance of the drifting barri- cades. In fact, it soon became evident that the cunning red-skins had met with a difficulty they had not calculated upon. The current at the junction of the two rivers was not only a little swifter, but the meeting of the two streams pro- duced a slight swirl in it that, all of a sudden, whirled the two bunches of drift around, expos- ing the savages to the full view of those on the island, The hunters lost no time in taking advantage of this }ucky turn in the situation, and shotguns and revolvers belched tongues of flame from the dark fringe of willows with murderous effect. The red-skins that escaped these deadly broad- sides did so by diving under their floating breast- works, and seeking refuge on the other side, where they were content to stay, without any attempt to call at the island until the current had carried them out of reach of further dan- ger. In the mean time, a number of savages along the shore had opened fire on the island, but as their shots were at random they did no harm, though the bullets cut through the foliage over the heads of the hunters with a spiteful ** zip.” It was at this juncture that Old Yellowstone set himself in good favor with a'l bis friends by ‘* winging” three red-skins in rapid succession— displaying no little skill as a marksman in doing so, the savages being over on shore. Thus the conflict had again ended—most tri- umpbantly, too, for the hunters—and in a few minutes not even a lurking foe was to be seen on either shore. The situation was again discussed. Stonc- wall Bob bad not a doubt but that the savages would have recourse to some other expedient to capture the island. , In this opinion Yellow- stone Bill concurred, and finally the old hunter concluded to go ashore and make a reconnois- sance. To this no one interposed any objection, and the old man was at once taken ashore on the raft. An hour later the moon went down, and a foreboding darkness settled over the island. The return of Yellowstone Bill was being ex- eted and discussed, when the silence of the our was suddenly broken by the distant report of firearms, the mingled shouts of men and yells of savages. ‘By calamity!” exclaimed Stonewall Bob, ‘‘the red devils are at work up the river! But who now can they be trying to butcher? Just listen! Boys, that’s a nasty old fight goin’ on.” ‘** Perha they and the outlaws have quarreled over the division of spoils and captives,” sug- gested young Lockwood, “It would be a glorious thin and captives if the villains woul only extermi- nate each other,” replied Stonewall; ‘* but that’s not at all probable. I am afraid it is an attack on a party of hunters more ex than we, and who are having to suffer for the punishment we gave the savages. Boys, just listen! it’s a furi- ous fight, and it might be that we could be of great service to some one, Shall we go?” ‘¢ Yes,” was the response of each man, ‘*Then let us be off at once,” So saying they took up their guns, proceeded to the raft and crossed over to the south shore; but they had scarcely landed before the sounds of the conflict had entirely died away and a pro- found and oppressive silence followed. ‘* Boys, the fight’s over with.” seid Stonewall Bob, half-regretfully, ‘t and no difference which side whipped, it is not af all penpenie that we can do any good now. It will not be more than two hours until morning, and we can then ip- vestigate the matter—providing our scout, Old Yellowstone, don’t bring in the facts in the case before.” ‘* Then shall we go back to the island?” asked Ben Clark. ‘** By all means; we can’t afford to stay along here in this before-dawn-darkness—the very time that the red-skin usually prefers to murder and plunder,” answered Bob. After considerable more discussion, the five men turned and boarded the raft to return to the island; but before they had pushed out from shore Old Yellowstone made his appearance from up the South Fork and was taken aboard, ‘¢ What's that racket mean up the river, Bill?” Stonewall Bob inquired, as the raft was swung off from the shore, for the spoils 8 Stonewall Bob, the Boy Trojan. ‘‘Tt meant blood and destruction hunter responded. ‘It war a fearful massacre,” ‘* Between the Ingins and whom?” ‘‘A party o’ six or eight white men—bhunters, I suppose. They war aboard a raft constructed 0’ logs, and as I s’pose, war driftin’ with the cur- rent down the river when they war sot upon by a horde o’ red-skins, and every man butchered arter a resolute fight in which they just slaugh- tered the Ingins. They war a brave crew 0’ fellers, but I think they war no experienced bordermen, or. they’d never been entrapped. The raft is still floatin’ down this way, fairly kivered with dead men and Ingins. Arter the fight war over, and I war sure all dangers war past, I throwed off my clothes and swum over to the raft to see if thar war any wounded whites that needed help, and ter see if I knowed any of em. But not a man did I know, nor war aman o’ them alive, I think the crew war all asleep when fu’st attacked, and that makes me think they war amateur bunters unaware o’ the presence o' danger, and had no one on guard.” ‘* Boys, when the raft reaches here,” said Ben Clark, ‘‘ we must investigate the matter and ascertain who the whites are, and give them Christian burial.” ‘“Yes, we'll investigate the matter,” said Stonewall Bob turning away in a thoughtful mood, and leaving his friends in conversation with Old Bill where they had landed on the island. The old hunter gave it as his opinion that no further dangers would be visited upon them that night, at least. He thought that the two defeats that the foe had already sustained in their attacks on Willow Island had taught them discretion; and since they—the amateur hunters —had had no sleep that night the old man thought they could now seek rest with impunity. With this assurance they all proceeded to camp where they were joined by Stonewall, who told them to lie down and rest, and he would stand guard until morning. This they did, and soon the island was as noiselessas the grave. An hour went by when the sleepers were sud- denly aroused by Stonewall Bob, who said: ‘‘ Boys, get your rifles and shotguns and come with me, quick.” ‘What are wrong, StunwallY’ asked Old Yellowstone Bill, starting up drowsily. R a along and I’Jl show you,” answered ob. The Boy Trojan led the way to the upper end of the island. By this time it was nearly broad daylight. Objects could be distinctly seen several rods away. ae k there,” said Stonewall, pointing up the ag through an opening in the bushes before im, Looking as directed all saw a raft floating with the current down toward the island. ‘‘Tt are the raft. with them dead men,” said Old Yellowstone. ‘* Yes,” responded Bob, in a low tone, Plainly could they see the bodies lying upon the raft, They lay in every conceivable atti- tude that a deadly, hand-to-hand contest would beve left them. Some bung partially over the edge of, the raft, their bands dragging in the water. Some were lying face up, some face Cownward. Scme Jay across others, some lay stretched at full length cn the raft, ‘Trt are a silent old crew, boys,” remarked Cld Bill, ; ‘‘ Very,” was the laconic reply of Stonewall Bob, who seemed not a little affected by the ecene of death, Slowly the raft drifted on with its voiceless crew, ‘It’s going to Icdge against the island,” said young Renshaw. ‘Of course it is,” responded Stonewall, While awaiting the approach of the raft with its motionless forms, the sun suddenly peeped up over the eastern plain. and then the watchers could see that the hands, and faces and bodies of the raftsmen were covered with blood, ‘“Tt’s been a gory struggle,” said Frank Payne, with a shudder of horror at the ghastly sight. ‘ Yes, but you boys bold your weapons in readiness and there will soon be a gorier strug- gle,” replied Stonewall. ‘¢ What do you mean, Rob?” ‘“‘T mean that every devil of them fellows is alive! Its but another damnable scheme to entrap and butcher us, and I'll prove it.” The raft was now not over twenty ‘eet from the island. Stonewall turned, and like a lion suddenly leaping from its concealment in the ” the old fight—a ' : ’ ” . e =< Fy * =