Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 497 — page 3: what you’re looking at

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

_ i: » Ve SE ee YS ee ee ** Many a one, sir.” ** Wcll, there is a large herd of wild horses in the river valley above here, and the king of the drove is a roan stallion.” “ve heard of him, Captain McNally, and they say there is no horse on the plains that can catch him.” “We, Buck, I can answer, for one, for my own horses here, and not one of them can run with the roan, and they are considered the best for speed in these parts; but you can get a good horse out of the herd, not to speak of the roan, and I will lend you any one of my animals to ride on the hunt that you wish.” ** No, sir; Pll take my little broncho; for it will be by a trick, not speed, that I'll catch a good horse, and I'll try for the roan.” ** Luck to you, then, Buck, and somehow I feel you will have it. When will you start?” ** Right off, sir.” “By the way, Buck, where did you get that tigerish-looking dog?” ** Vermifuge, sir?” ** What do you call him?” ‘“* Vermifuge.” The captain laughed and asked: ‘* How came you to give him that name?” ‘* He belonged to a settler on the river, sir, and the poor man was killed by the Indians, and i found his body, so went to tell his wife. She had gone out on a hunt for her husband, and left the dog, then a puppy, to guard the baby. ‘*{ fotnd him guarding the little ’un still, but so awful sick Ithought he was mad. There was a bottle on the floor, empty, and it was marked, *‘Vermifuge,’ and the puppy had sucked down its contents; so I gave him the name that was on the label.” ** And the baby?” . *“Oh, the kid was ali right, but its poor mother never got back, for the red devils killed her, too. I took the baby to another settler, who adopted it, while I adopted the dog, and there’s none better, captain.” “He looks it; but ’'d rather be attacked by a panther than by Vermifuge, as you call him. ‘* But some one said your horse was named Snakeroot?” ‘* True, captain, I called him that because he likes the root, and eats it when he can get it. They are a strange pair, captain, Vermifuge and Snakeroot.” ** Yes,” assented the captain, who thought he might also very properly add: ‘A strange trio”—the tall, daring youth, his dog and his broncho, Buck Taylor now mounted Snakeroot, and, with Vermifuge trotting at his heels, rode out of camp alone, for he declined help from the Rangers who offered to accompany him. : CHAPTER IV. THE THREE COMANCHES. In the days of which I write herds of wild horses were quite frequently seen in ‘Texas, and many a fine animal was often found among the uine rangers of the plains. “aTo catch a wild horse was no easy matter, and often a herd contained many speedy ani- mals that defied capture by man. There were a few bold wild-horse hunters rsh the Texans, and they had won fame by their daring and skill in their line. There Were also skilled bhorse-hunters among the Comanches, and it was no infrequent occur- rence for the bands of white and red-skins to meet in the broncho feeding-grounds and there have a fight for mastery, the victors generally capturing the animals taken by the others, Vith the Comanches on the war-path, as they had been for months in Sonsiderable force, at the time of which I write, the wild steeds of the prairies had obtained quite a respite from pur- suit. The herd to which the roan stallion, of which the reader has heard, was known to belong was a vast one, and its grazing-grounds extended over alarge area Of country, then a half-way land between the Indians and the whites, But boldly into this disputed territory Buck Taylor made his way, after leaving the camp of the Rangers, 4 He was utterly fearless, and raised upon the frontier, he had become as thorough as an In- dian in trailing, and was versed in all signs and cunning of the border. His uncle had hoped to keep him upon his large ranch, for Buck soon became noted as the best one or the cowboy herders; but the youth was anxious to get beyond the circle of a ranch herd of cattle, and so had started out to seek his fortune alone in the world, with his little bron- eho, his dog, bis old-fashioned weapons and a few dollars in his pocket, a eo ee a ee ’ * % ~ ‘ ’ ~ Sa _—— But, added to his personal property as a basis | of fortune, Buck had good, sound ‘ horse sense,” a superb physique, giant strength, prairie knowledge and utter fearlessness. It was this utter disregard of danger that caused him to set forth alone tosecure a suitable mount and weapons as a Ranger. He could have bought what be needed, but he preferred to show the Rangers that he could se- cure them in another way. | ches. So he entered the disputed ground, and went, | in search of the herd of wild horses, of which the roan stallion was king, He sighted the herd the next day, feeding in a vast valley, and noted the way that they were moving. ‘They are feeding down the valley, and will rest to-night in the timber yonder. ‘*T must flank them.” So he said, and he mounted Snakeroot and set off at a canter for a long ridearound to head the herd off in the timber, One seeing the size of Snakeroot, and of his rider, would be surprised at the way in which he held on \his course so untiringly. But though small, Snakeroot was a speedy little animal, full of wonderful endurance. Upon reaching the timber, Buck sought out a secluded canyon, and then staked out his horse, and left his dog, with the extras of his outfit which he did not care to take along in his recon- nojssance. He also left his rifle, but took his lariat, and went up through the timber until he reached a small river. | Under the bank of this he held on his way, going toward a point above where he knew there was @ crossing, and where the horses would certainly cross that night or in the morn- ing. Suddenly he started, for he saw, in a little cavity in the bank, something that showed he was not alone in that vicinity, What he saw was a ravine, or water-wash in the bank, running back some sixty feet. In this were three Indian ponies, some lances, and a few other articles, which showed it to be a red-skin camp. ** Whese are the reds?” muttered Buck, coolly. Creeping into the raxine, revolver in hand, hie inspected the surroundings and the outfit. He saw that it was but a temporary camp, and as he noted the lances and rifles of the red- skins, he at once read the reason why they were there. ‘The reds are here for just what I am, and they are up in the timber hiding, to catch the horses to-night when they come to the ford. ** This is just pie for me.” Crawling up to the top of the ravine, he took a careful survey of the timber. No, one was near, and the timber was quite open. Running his eyes along the river bank, he dis- covered a moving form, nearly a quarter of a mile away. It was a red-skin. _ Watching him, Buck saw that he was signal- ing to some one who was evidently in a tree above him. ‘* Aha!” muttered the young Ranger. This expression meant a great deal, as his after musing aloud proved. ‘* They want the roan stallion, and are plot- ting tocatch him right theré at the ford! 1 reckon Pll let them catch him; but I'll find out just what their litt.e game is.” Then Buck took a look at the three Indian ponies. ; They were all exceedingly fine animals, and the outfit of one showed that it belonged to a chief. There were one rifle and two muskets among the weapons, and a buckskin bag of provisidns. ‘They'll get their trap set, and then come back here to supper, knowing that the herd will not reach the timber before dark, but feed on the prairie, so I guess I'd better cross over and examine their little outfit. while they are here at supper.” So saying, he carefully covered any trail he had made, and going back the way he had come, soon reached bis horse and dog, Mounting, be rode down to the river, and in an instant Snakeroot was swimming across, while Vermifuge followed in his wake. Reaching the other shore, Buck made a wide circuit to reach a rise of prairie, and then can- tered rapidly along under its shelter for a mile or more, until he came to a small creek flowing into the larger stream or river, The bushes growing along the creek sheltered him and he reached the river bank, avhich on this shore was overgrown with brushwood. ‘ a on aes ar 2 »” Tat oy ae ad A ORS AA OR e Cowboys. SL Re el nal RE heme J . ly ge — a te ee Leaving his horse in a good hiding-place, Puck called to Vermifuge to accompany him, ana tali- | ing his rifle, crept along until he reached a spot | near the ford, Peering cautiously out from among the bush- es he saw upon the other shore, not sixty yards away those whom he sought. He also discovered just what they were about, ‘‘ There are three of ’em, and they’re Coman- It’s a snug little game they ere playing, and Ill try and get the good of it,” and, after | watching them for a few moments, Buck re- | | | | ] i ee seated, each with several lariats, firmly at one end, and with the other coiled in hand ready to throw. daring Buck, and he crept up toa fifty yards from the Comanches in the trees. being yet plent coulc he rejoiced to see in the Jead a superb specimen of horseflesh in the shape of a large roan. traced his way toward bis horse, CHAPTER V. BUCK’S STRATEGY. ONCKmore mounted, Buck started bac& oa the very trail he had come. Reaching the river, he again swam Snakeroot across, and soon had the little animal staked out to feed in the canyon, relieved of his saddle and bridle. Then, accompanied by Vermifuge, the young Ranger started along the river-bank on the trail he had taken several hours before, The sun was setting as he came to the vicinity of the temporary camp of Comanches, and be moved very cautiously; but, examining his own trail carefully, he saw that it had not been dis- covered, and soon he peered up into the ravine. There were the horses, and the weapons of the Indians; but Buck saw that they had been there as he supposed they would be, and had supper, A fire had been built, but put out, the ashes being yet wet. ‘The reds had a good supper, and have now gone back to lay for the herd. It was a clever trick of theirs that [ saw from across the river, to pile up brush on each side of the trail leading to the ford, and thus force the herd to pass un- der the trees where they will be, and drop lar- iats down upon them. ** Well, I only hope they'll catch the roan, for I want him!” So saying Buck started off on his way down the river, Vermifuge trotting close to his heels. As he drew near the ford he heard the thunder of hundreds of approaching hoofs, and knew that the herd of wild horses were coming. Knowing that the red-skins, now hiding in the trees over the ford trail, would be watching the herd, he went forward, little fearing to be seen, an tion. soon came in sight of the full situa- What the Comanches had been working on, when he saw them from across the river, they had accomplished, which was to make a line of brush from the descent to the rive , on each side for quite a distance, which would cause the herd to go more slowly there, holding a number of horses together in a mass beneath some trees, in the branches of which the red-skins were fastened The brush wall also served as a screen for the sition not The red-skins’ eyes were now on the a proaching wild horses, and they little dreamed that Buck Taylor’s eyes were upon thegn. The twilight was just beginning to fall, there of light, and Buck Taylor see that the hent was a vast one, while He was a number of lengths in advance of the herd, and came on with head erect and nos- trils extended, a splendid equine king, His mane wes long, his tail, which was beld up, was of great length and thickness, and the animal was indeed a beautiful creature. He seemed to scent danger ahead, and snorted like a locomotive. But the ford was before him, and there the herd were to get water, after which they were to continue on to the prairie, or remain in the shelter of the timber or the night, Behind the roan came other fine animals though not his equal in appearance, and all held their heads erect as they advanced toward the river. Nearer and nearer they came, and the In- dians, crouching in the trees, held their lariate ready for the wild animals, while Buck Taylor held his rifle ready for the red-skins, Nearer and nearer, until the roan stallion halted beneath the trees, and above him were. his red foes, : Then an instant of suspense, and two lariat “oe settled above the head of the noble brute: the same instant another lariat settle over the head of a beautiful] mare. with white mane and tail. gray mare, Other lariats were then quickly thrown, but Ce ere Pes : 1cbooks. com