Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 51 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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actions of his horse, which bespoke danger at hand, and both times he had made a careful reconnois- sance of the place without discovering any signs of an enemy. ‘**Cur’us,”’ he muttered, glancing aay about. “Must be he smells su/hin’ or he wouldn’t act so. Guess I'll watch a bit, an’ see.”’ He glided along a few steps, and halted in the deep shadow. Grayer and grayer grew the dawn till ob- jects began to be quite distinct to the view. Old Abe was just about to move from his post, when the rapid tramp of hoofs sounded, and a mo- ment after the sharp detonation of a revolver, fol- reap sab a quick cry, unmistakably a woman's call or help! In an intent old Abe was in the saddle and spur- ring in the direction of the sound. A dozen bounds of his horse, and he was in full view of an exciting scene, A stalwart savage, mounted on a snorting mus- tang, was in the act of lifting a woman to the saddle before him. It was M Lennox! Old Abe let out a yell not unlike the roar of an angry grizzly, and raised his rifle. came too late, for, quick as he had been, the savage had been quicker, and his mustang, with a single bound, had carried him beyond the trapper’s view. And simultaneously came a crashing in the under- grows. at the hunter’s right, and before he could urn his head, Flo, with her hair loose and falling in a shower behind, and her face pale and terror- stricken, burst into view. “‘Oh, Uncle Abe, they have carried her off!’ she cried, excitedly. “Go quick! don't mind me. Oh, 0!” ‘ “Oh rdition, here!’ yelled the trapper, excited- ly. “J on up ieee with. me—no, thers her hoss! at’s it! Now come on.”’ For Madge’s horse had suddenly cantered into the open space, and the next instant Flo was on his back, and flying after the trapper like the wind. A dozen bounds and Ned had carried her up even with me Th th !” exclaimed the t dd “There they ex e trapper sudden- ly; and che foobar saw the meyase, still posains Madge, disappearing around a clump of copse- w a ae yards ahead, The next moment they passed over the spot, and the next drew a quick rein to escape plunging into a Small stream tha vag barred their way. It had a t current with a gravelly bed, and five recious minutes passed before Abe Anderson could etermine, positively, which course the savage had taken after entering it. “He’s went u stg he announced, sprin again to the saddle. And they were galloping along oP gan as fast as the splashing water would per- Meanwhile the boys were putting as much distance as possible between them and the scene of their late adventure, ‘“* * Puck found it handier to commence With a certain share of impudence,’”’ sung Ranty, in a disconsolate sotto voce, “‘ and I com- menced that way, but it’s all as effectually gone as the last meall eat. Just to reflect that we haven't had a blessed mouthful of anything since six o'clock this morning! It’s a darn’d shame, and I'll say it if it don’t sound well! The exigency of the case de- mands it!"’ “Hope on, hope ever; bad luck never can last forever. Cheer up, my son Randolph! If that pas- sage isn’t ae like the original, it will doin the present case. Eh?’ and Will poked his elbow affec- tionately into Ranty’s ribs, “You look out!” returned Ranty. I'll eat you ey > up aes sie vy. > called out Albert, stop suddenly, “daylight will soon be on hand. It y grow- ing gray in the east and— ' y advice would be to stop and cook our break- fast, if we had the wherewith,” interrupted Fred. **There will be more danger when the daylight comes, but there’s no other way but to wait.”’ They went on down the stream. Now and then it spread out on some little flat, making a small space of still water, covered with reeds and ilies. As soon as dawn ap all four commenced scanning these spots in search of ducks. They soon espied a couple which a single shot brought down. hese were cooked and made a most welcome breakfast to the four nearly famished fugitives. They were now in a _ well-timbe rocky country, and Albert tho the s which they had n following, and strike directly into it, ey would, no doubt, soon find a suitable place, where they could rest and be safe. The sun was but a short distance above thetree- tops when they halted in a spot well-sheltered, and in which they determined to stay a few hours. Al- bert volunteered to keep guard, and in five minutes the three tired boy-hunters were fast asleep. Arlington roamed hither and yon about the place, but everything was quiet, and it seemed as though the deep solitude never been broken by the voice of man, But suddenly there were other sounds than those made by the birds. They grew louder and louder, till Arlington gome'! distinguished them as made by a horse ridden rapidly through the forest. But, be- fore he could stir, it burst into view. __ painted savage holding Made Lennox before bitn in savage ho e Lennox before such a manner that her arms were pinioned to her sides. recognized her at once. The mustang was within a dozen feet of him be- red, somewhat ht it best to leave sss —o But the action | The Boy Rifles. 1 fore its riders saw him. With a tremendous bound, he caught the bridle-rein with his left hand, while his right held a revolver, which covered the breast of the astonished warrior. With a yell of terror, the savage released his hold on the prisoner, and slid to the ground on the oppo- site side of his horse, and springing into the woods, disappeared in an instant! Madge sprung to the ground and held out her Her face was flushed with excitement; her wavy, nut-brown hair was unconfined, and Albert thought he had never seen such a vision of loveliness as greeted him when he raised his eyes to her face. ‘“*I undoubtedly owe my life to you,”’ she said, in her soft, musical voice. ‘I never can pay the debt, but, believe me, I am very teful!” ‘I beg your pardon, but it is I, instead of you who should be gra . You saved myself an companions while on the river, and this is only the first installment of thedebt. But you had acompan- cpr Fite canes le Madge’s lips, but it died smile was on ’s lips, bu i away, and a look of iow concern spread over her ‘* Safe, I trust—I do not know—but look!” He looked where she pointed. Some distance away, and far above, their late enemy was just disappear- around a circular ledge of rocks. fore Albert could reply, a hubbub arose from the direction in which he left his companions, followed by the whip-like crack of a rifle. ‘“* My friends are in trouble!’ exclaimed Arlington ectiese ‘*Secrete yourself here, while I go to their relief. I will return for you!” He bounded toward the spot, and reached it a moment after, to find half a dozen horses held fast eight, three companions. But not an enemy was in t There wasn’t only one Indian, and he pretty near run over us!” exclaimed Will, as Albert came ap. “Ranty popped away at him, and he slid off his horse and ea ‘where the woodbine twin- Oe hee ae te for there stood Madge, and e broke off suddenly, for there e, behind her, Flo and old. Abe! = y Nero's fiddle, boys, I’m struck all of a heap! I'm ‘stonished like blazes. Oh, Lordy, ain't I though? This are better nor roast er-hump. How did ye ali git here?”’ ** Walked,"’ responded Ranty, laconically. Old Abe removed the glazed cap that adorned his h and ran rough, horn ers through his izzly locks. He had suddenly remembe that some sort of introduction was expected, for the rode stood gazing at his two fair companions un- able to a their gaze from them. ** Boys,”’ he said at last, “this ere big girl is Miss ay Lennox, an’ this t’other little one is Florrie Stanley. Gals, this chap here is Albert Arlington, a dern’d good boy, an’ captain of this ‘ere band, an’ these three t’other ones is his subjects,’’ and the trapper named over the three blushi oun hunters. ‘*‘ Now, that ain’t ’cordin’ to ons, s’pose, but it’s the best old Abe can do, so go at it an’ git acquainted,’ and the trapper replaced his cap and stared at them as if for a wager. Not a hard thing to do,” responded Albert. “But I am anxious to know of your adventures. I just had the good fortune to rescue Miss Lennox, ee — like to know how she fell into the savage’s ands.”’ “IT am almost ashamed to tell, it was done so foolishly,”’ replied Madge. ‘‘We were both under the protection of Uncle Abe—as he has Ay em us to call him—and this morning at just plight I awoke and found him gone. of course knew he was not far away, and as Flo was ag I thought I would walk about a little, and while doing so, this ee ae and caught me before Isaw him. I had en the precaution to pocket my rorErere, and when he was carrying me to his horse, I fired a him, but he struck my Be away, and I missed. Then I called for help, thinking Uncle Abe would hear me. He fortunately did, but too late to rescue me. For that lam indebted to Mr, Arlington.” Old Abe was listening intently to e, and had not éven glanced toward the horses. t was his surprise, when he did, to see Flo, with her arms about the neck of one, and to hear her call it *‘ Bes- sie,’’ while Ranty was standing by talking and ex- plaining as volubly as though he had been acquaint- ed for years, instead of minutes. And then as the trapper’s eyes wandered over the rest of the horse- up, an exclamation of surprise escaped his ‘tr hey were the identical ones he was taking to the young hunters when he first discovered ge and Flo. It will be remembered that he had taken them to a spot, intending to leave them till after he should guide the ls to their destination. It was on this spot that they had camped the night before. “There were o two of the Indians, I think,” said Madge. ‘‘ At least, I saw only one besides the one who captured me. He had all the horses but mine, and was attempting to get him, when my cap- tor called to him to desist.”’ A “council of war” was immediately held by the male members of the band, while e and Flo sat near the horses on the roots of a shady tree. Half an hour after, the five came over where they were. ** We've concluded ter move right away,”* explain- ed the old hunter. ‘“‘Them two p’isen varmints ‘ill spread the news 0’ us all over, an’ then we’ll find warmer times than we'll want. We've all got horses now, an’ we can eat going along. They’s pervision no h in the saddle-bags. So we'll git ready to one’t.’ And fifteen minutes after they were on the march, under old Abe’s guidance. And then experiences were exchanged, and adventures recounted, as they rode along under the hazy sky. oe CHAPTER XX, HOME AGAIN! “TaIn’r no use to fret. We're caged up. Maybe we can git out in two days, an’ maybe in two weeks; that is pervidin’ we keep shady, we don’t, more’n likely we won’t git out at all.’ And after delivering himself of this, old Abe An- derson settled down upon the ey eer cp of a bowlder, and, with his rifleacross his knees, quietly the dismayed faces before him. This was the third day since the events last record- ed. The Indians were now thoroughly awake to the fact that a considerable party of whites were tres- eins on their dominions, and parties were scour- in every direction. They had narrowly escaped some of these, and that morning while they were looking for a shelter from a coming storm, which had been brewing for the t two days, they ran unexpectedly upon, and had a sharp fight with one of these parties. ey had come out conquerors, but some of the Indians had escaped, and these would of course spread the news of their where- abouts to their companions. Taking this view of the case Abe Anderson, as ‘‘captain,” at once led the party to one of his re- treats in the mountains. It was a dark, secluded ravine, with rocky banks, in which were numerous caves and grottoes, in one of which they had taken refuge. The three days of companionship and danger, had acquainted the young people as much as months of ordinary intercourse. The horses which the trapper had taken so much pains to secure for our young hunters had been ac- cepted without any qualms of conscience, for old Abe assured them that they were not of as much value as the furs, traps and horses which the In- dians had stolen from him at different times. After the information imparted by the old trap- per, every one was silent for a full minute. Albert was the tos ‘ ‘*7 can be content here for an indefinite period,” he said, glancing at M who sat near. ‘I don’t know what the opinion of the rest is concerning the matter.” ep muttered Ranty, in an aside to Flo. “He looks right at Madge as if she was all the one Madge heard the! ‘spoken words, and bi e low en wo and her cheeks were suffused with blushes, not so much it must be confessed at them, as at her hero’s ardent ; ‘* It’s raining like suds,’’ announced Will onald, utting his head out the cave entrance an instant. ‘It’s my humble opinion they won't track us very much. ‘And in view thereof, with plenty to eat as a proviso, I'll be contented for a month if neces- sary rather than de while the ander-jibba-ways inhabit this immediate vicinity.” **He means the aboriginals,”’ explained Fred, apo- logetically glancing at the rest. “‘ His education been sadly neglected.”’ “You keep still,’ admonished Will, from a dark corner of the room. Wal.” said old Abe, rising and stretching him- self, “‘ I’m goin’ out ter see if the hosses is ht for the night, and I kin eat a pound slice of roas buffler, when I come back.”’ And with this gentle hint, he crawled thro the entrance, to the thick bushes that grew about it, where he took a long survey of the surroundings. But nothing met his eye save the long, slanting lines of rain, and the dripping boughs. It was growing quite dusk when he reached the’ spot where the horses were. It was well sheltered from observation from all points and contained a plentiful supply of grass for several days. e ee: age pamed among them, giving each a word or pat, and after seeing that they were all se- cure, returned to the cave. The appetizing odor of roasting meat greeted him at o- + per oes despite —¢ pet ey dan- e was a happy company tha hered about the large, flat bocekia they had Laemoringa as a table Nothing happened worthy of record during the next three days. It rained the greater part of the time, and none ventured any distance outside, except old Abe; and he only very early in the morning or just at night. On this last day he came in quite late, — — they had all gathered about their supper, e said: ; ‘Wal, boys and gals, the promised time hes come. I've diskivered sumthin’, an’ ter-morrer we'll move.”’ All were anxious to hear what the “sum’thin’” was, and the trapper went on: run right —— onter that Warner an’ a lot of reds to-night. ey were confabin’ under some rocks, an’ so I crawled = an’ listened. An’ then one says to t’other, ‘Thought I heerd su’thin’,’ an’ then they all listened, but I kept stiller’n a scart coyote; an’ presently Warner ee on ter say that he dn't believe we's anywhar "bout here, ‘cos why, a red had jest come from further up the river, and hed see’d some whites up thar that he were ty sure war us. An’ then they pulled up stakes and slid out, an’ the las’ I heerd war that they’s goin’ ter start airly in the mornin’ for these other fellers; so all we've got ter do is to pack up our duds an’ emi- It was welcome news, and at daylight the follow- mo they were astir. We want to go by the cave, and get our th don’t we?”’ Ranty ed, as he strapped his blank to his horse’s back. “Yes,” answered Albert. “We shall probably lose them if we don't. We are all that we have had enough of adven and have voted on a return to the settlements, and thence home. Who knows whether we will ever be in these parts again? Eomicbooks:co ~ S - —