Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 51 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

— ———— _— oe TT Fre’ and Wil assisted him, and together they turned the bear on his back. And while Albert sat on @ mogs-covered log, the young hunters stripped the hide from the carcass. ‘Won't that make a gorgeous robe?’’ exclaimed Will, holding it up with Ranty’s help. ‘‘ The future Mrs. Arlinetén will have the a pete of taking a ride, snugly ensconced under it, no doubt. Happy will be the day!”’ ‘**Amen!” laughed Albert, as he rose from the log. “*T believe I feel rether sore and stiff. But I thin the sooner we get under way, the better. And fifteen minutes after, they had left their tem- porary camping-spot some distance; behind. Hour after hour they floated dewn, but saw no further of any savages. uddenly, Ranty, who was nearest the prow, ceas- ed paddling, and looked intently at a certain spot on the bank. “If I didn’t see that bush yonder, move, then my eyes are not mates. But, shades of Cesar’s spec- ter! Look there!” ‘The boys looked. Ranty, with his paddle elevated, his eyes the size o* dinner-plates—or less—and Jan expression of sublime amazement on his face sat rooted to the spot. d no wonder. The vision before them, seen in such a place, where miles and miles of deepest wilderness lay between them and civilization, was calculated to inspire astonishment in any one not entirely devoid of the emotion. For there, stand- ing on a rock, her form clearly defined against the background of em was a dazzling figure— little Flo—her face all aglow, and her curls danc- in the breeze. ardly the s of one instant she stood there; then a clear voice, full of warning, reached the boys ears. The little figure gave a quick glance behind and before the young hunters could take a secon look, she had sprung ashore and disappeared |! And simultaneously the sharp crack of a rifle sounded, and a bullet whizzed past them, striking the water a little beyond! CHAPTER XVI. A RACE, AND CHANGE OF PROGRAMME. **PoLu for the shore, boys!’’ cried Albert. ‘* We have no chance here!” The canoe was whirled with the rapidity of light and headed for the shore. But ore they had gone a dozen lengths, the crack of revolvers and the shrill war-cry of the savages came from the bank, rent ya some kind of an engagement was tak- n ’ f Sent the boat right up in this hole; it’s a capital lace!’ cried Ranty, who was in the prow. “ That's t! Now pull down the bows a little, so, and it won’t be noticed.” With one accord the boys sp out, and rushed in the direction of the melee. But the firing had ceased, and the yells were receding. “They’re running off!’ exclaimed Will. “ Hurry up, and we'll see them when we raise the bank!”’ “ That’s good advice, when — two or three rods ahead,” returned Ranty, who was puffing along like a miniature engine a little behind. “A few more such runs as this would make a new man of me, I guess,” said Albert, who was —s — Ranty. “I couldn't hardly move when “ Desolation and ruination!”’ yelled Will, scramb to his feet from a “ scoo olit place in the bani R into another such a hole as that will be my complete demoralization. Oh, Jupiter!” a up!” roared Ranty, now a dozen yards They reached the top of the bank out of breath. Far away below, on a little open plain, rode two , at fulls . Asingle showed them to be women. d in hot was a considerable party of Indians, mounted on fleet m who were yelling and brandishing their weapons to incite their ponies to greater speed. The four stood and watched the scene with inter- est. The two pursued were evidently well mounted and had considerable the start. But what puzzled carina hunters the most, me qe that the savages were going in a tion which showed that they had started from a point some dis- tance below, and not from where they were stand- , and where the skirmish had taken place. ut while they were looking, out upon the edge of the plain, some distance in the rear of the pursuers, appeared a single savage, on foot, who followed on as y run. “I think I have the true solution of the case,” said Albert, suddenly. ‘‘ That Indian is the one who was with that one we killed this forenoon. He has fol- lowed down to here, and was lying in ambush for us. ‘““Then the two tives yonder, ran across him here; the skirmish told the other savages further down the river a fight was going on, and they, start- ing up, saw them, and set out in gh a "his was the true solution of the affair, and so the boys thought on hearing it. But while they stood bre th pursuers and pursued vanished from sight. Tt will be remembered that our ae had not de- cided on their stopping-place,when they left the cave, and commenced their river journey. A consultation held now on the brow of the bank, ended in their de- termining to stop at this point. Albert was the one who proposed this. The Indian who had been lying in wait for them, would inform the others of the party descending the river, and the result would be an ambush at some point below. But this was not The beautiful vision, of which they had caught so brief a glimpse on the river bank, and again up here, had tie the young The Boy Rifies. hunters with a strong desire to know more of both, and how they came to be here in this vast, unbroken wilderness. Were they alone? And were they about to appeal to them for help? What else could their object have been in signaling to them? **T can just tell you what,’ expostulated pang bi energetically, “if we don’t stay here and try hunt them up, I shall have a mean opinion of four Michigan bo s, now I can tell you! Jupiter,” continued Ranty in the exigency of the case, “‘ how do we know but what both of them will be taken — savages, and be burnt up, or something else? I feel as if I could eat every Indian in the Red River country, right up!” and Ranty looked as though he was ready to commence his masti- cating = aha at once. Accor ingly equipments and camp utensils were made into shape to carry; the boat hidden in a spot where it would require keen eyes to detect it, and then the party climbed the bank, and struck straight off from the river toward the distant moun- tains. They crossed a small stream that bordered a sort of plain, just at sundown, and deciding that it was as ae a spot as they aes See find, pitched their camp on its low, timbe banks. They had not fully determined on their final stop- ping-place. Some situation adapted for defense, and one where the savages would not be apt to dis- cover them; and from which they could make hunting excursions in different directions. As soon as it was fairly dark a fire was kindled, — in .% a spot that it could not be seen till direct- y upon it. ** lve been thinking,’’ remarked Albert in a sort of musing tone. **An unusual occupation for you to indulge in,” interrupted Will, gravely, as he polished a roasted rib. _“ Try it light at first.” “Children shouldn’t talk when grown people are conversing,”’ put in Ranty, reprovingly. “Oh, go ahead, Albert, and never mind the pap- oses,”’ advised Fred, covertly stealing a little coffee rom ty’s cup to replenish his own. “Tell us what you hink, and we'll sip our beverage mean- Ww | * You'll sip something else, most irreverent youth, if you don’t look out,” admonished Ranty, with a oe glance at. his cup of diminished coffee, and Will's full one. “I’ve borne and borne, with resig- nation and patience, till a lack of coffee has ceased to be a virtue; so look out.” ‘Business before pleasure, gentlemen,"’ suggest- ed Albert, oe himself to another rib. “I was about to say that I think we didn’t reflect any great credit upon ourselves by leaving the river when we did. Iam afraid mischief will grow out of it.” “Why so?’ was the query from all ** Well, you see, in the first place that Indian will carry news to the rest, that we were there, and then I think when they give up the chase of the two girls —for it is my opinion it will result in nothing, as ther were the best mounted—they will come back there, and take our trail. If we had kept down the river a short distance further, before leaving, it would have rendered our trail much harder to find. As it is, nothing stands in the way of their following us im- mediately |’ This was a view of the case they had not taken be- fore. But it looked very probable now. However, the savages would have to relinquish the trail, now that darkness had come. “And if they want to come in the morning, let ‘em,”’ said Will, with a fierce look, as he chawed none ona Nears t was thought unnecessary to station a guard; and so the fire was put out, and the party wrapped themselves in their blankets, and were soon asleep. The first bars of the morning sun were slan through the treetops when Albert awoke. He hast ly aroused his companions, aud then, taking his rifle, went out to the edge of the plain to see if there was any sign of savages visible on their trail. heir course, before reaching their present camp- Ing-spot, was traceable, at intervals, for nearly two miles from his standing-point, but though he ‘scan- ned it long and critically, nothing suspicious met his eye. He returned and reported to his companions. Ranty was — about to start down-stream to look about a little, while Will and Fred “ kept camp.” “I won’t be gone over fifteen minutes,” were his eine, § words; and taking his rifle, he sauntered ny 44 ttle dreaming what “‘ game”’ he was destined re) ‘ CHAPTER XVIL. A SURPRISE AND A BATTLE. Ranty kept a look-out in every direction, as he passed along. e kept within sight of the eee ae had - Lagi . engl 2) of a i when, |stopping r throug e foliage at the water to see if an erates Giempin Siew, he was startled by hearing a girlish voice, clear and sweet, and but a OL a Ane ; ee “Oh, e, isn'tita ec lendid morning! See how the sunshine nts thro ws the teesn aml the sky is ‘darkly, deeply ’ blue, and every bird is try- ing to sing the loudest! Let’s build a cabin, dress a /a wild maidens, and spend the remainder of our say? in peace, comfort, and a shanty. What do you ‘All very nice, Flo,” replied a silvery voice, and Ranty heard the musical laugh that accompanied it. But what about the wolves, and Indians, and the other inhabitants? Would they be sociable, pleasant ao think?” “I’m afraid they would be sociable but not very pleasant. But, that is wnat the way! I can see we shall have to give it up! one finds a paradise, nnn nnn ee emma a a a ee ee DN ee 11 —_—_— there’s always a skeleton in it, somewhere. Oh, dear! Whata world of tribulation and other things this is! Do you suppose Uncle Abe will find them?” ** What, the trib on, and other things?’ Ranty heard her companion ask. ‘You know what I meant, Madge Lennox! Those four dashing hunters that were in the boat.” *““How do you know they were dashing?’ asked Madge, while Ranty so far forgot himself, as to give an audible whistle. Perhaps the sight before him had something to do with it. For he had crept along in the direction of the voices, till he could command a view of the speakers. It is unnecessary to say that they were none other than Florrie Stanley, and Madge Lennox. They were standing in a beautiful little open spot in the woods. Madge’s hand rested on the neck of her steed, while Flo held a handful of grass tantaliz- ingly near Bessie’s nose. Ranty gazed in stupid amazement at the sight. The two girls, with their glowing cheeks, the breeze toying with their sunny air, and their eg airy dresses looking so neat and graceful, might have dazzled older boys than Ranty. He was still standing there, thinking what was best to be done, when the report of a rifle broke on the still, morning air. It sounded about half a mile away, and seemed to come from the paveone | of a tall, conical rock which the boys had pas the day previous, a short time before encamping. ** What's in the wind now, I'd like to know?’ mut- tered Ranty, sotto voce looking hurriedly around. “Hello! they've heard jt too!” he continued, as he saw Madge and Flo preparing to mount. “ Guess I won't make myself known just at present, but saun- ter back and investigate.” If the gait Ranty took, when a safe distance from the girls, was a “saunter,” it would require a lively imagination to decide what would constitute a run. Over logs that lay close to the ground; under those that lay uP ducking under dense-topped un- dergrowth, and clearing piles of debris, Ranty pranced a ong; presenting an ap ce more in accordance with an escaped lunatic, fleeing from a thousand imaginative terrors, than a “‘respectable well-governed youth,”’ as Will informed his compan- ions after , for that individual, coming at a similar gait from the camp, slacked up just in time to avoid a collision. ~ ‘*What’s afoot?’ gasped Ranty, puffing like a miniature steam engine. ‘“*Indians!’’ yelled Will, whirli bling over a decayed log. mounted! Jupiter Pluvious! Come on!” The two dashed forward, and in a moment came upon Albert and Fred at the edge of the plain. And there, less than a quarter of a mile away, were a score or more of mounted Indians, with nearly half around and stum- “Only part of ‘em’s asimany on foot, yelling, brandishing their weapons, and urging th mustangs tow a single white horseman a rifle-shot away. And then like a cloud, sta up a second party of Indians in front of him, and spreading out, both parties commenced hemming him in! **Follow me, boys,” cried aver, @ a clear, ring- ing voice, forgetting everything in the excitement of the moment. And with one accord the four started on a run for the scene of action. The wy reyes saw them, and like a clarion note rung out shout of defiance, as he his steed toward the enemy. And simultaneously a puff of smoke curled from his rifle, and a brawny brave tumbled from his horse. A score of the savages started, with wild yells to- ward our party, a Sa ee them. th one accord the halted and prepared for action. ‘“* Wait till they are within a hundred yards,”’ came Albert's clear, even tones, ‘‘ and then Tr aim, and don’t waste ashot. Good fighting is all that can save us now |” Not a nerve trembled at thought of the peril be- fore them. Like statues they stood, waiting for the proper = naar to arrive. “a ow 9 At the low-spoken word, their rifles leaped to their shoulders. Four cur puffs of smoke; four heavy reports, that blended almost to one, and four of the oncoming savages reeled and fell. The line half-halted, wavered, then closed up. But their indecision was fatal. ain came a volley from the young hunters, plowing ugh their ranks with ble effect Ke ‘““Come on, ye sut-begrimed, buckskin-colored, lizard-eating hybrids! Screw up yer co e to the sticking p’int, yell yer best yell, an’ precipitate yer- selves forrad onter the roarin’, clawin’, funeral-mak- ing terrors o’ the North-west, the eous ram- rs of the Red River!” yelled a de t voice. e young hunters looked up. There, riding as eg, oo riety: by the Arch Fiend , was old Abe erson, his empty rifle fast to his back, a re- res in ats ht hand — a knife _ the other, his ong grizz air sailing out on the impromptu reeze. He had broken through the a 2 ay ages behind, and taking advantage of the hesitation and wavering of the charging band, had passed them like an arrow. But by the time he had joined our party, the In- dians had recovered and were coming forward, giv- ing vent to yells of exasperation. hen the sharp crack of revolvers followed each other in quick succession, and a ect din reigned. Suddenly old Abe uttered a ofalarm. Following the direction of his gaze, “Albert echoed the cry. There, scarce a hundred yards maven § were Flo and Madge, urging their horses tow them at their best speed, their long drapery flowing behind them on the breeze they engendered. Albert at once re- ag them as the two they had seen the day be- ore, <S EOmMmIichoo (ECO) 2 ees ae ee ee ee - — ee ee - ae ——_ —_ << i ae - / ee eee = a eee ee we —s >. —— — a —-- << ee