Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 51 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

6 aaa Beadle’s Half-Dime Library. ed him far more than she did. As it was, she was to think she had misjudged him. I wrong him ny mistrusting him, when there is no good cause for it,’’ she thought. ‘* But if his face did not so openly proclaim him to be a bad man, I should never have mistrusted him, for I have had no ust cause from his actions. But, time will tell, and shall not ‘ borrow trouble’ about it, at all events.”’ Before the darkness had fairly shut down, every- thing was made secure for the night. The guide had erected a small tent, for the accommodation of the two girls; as for himself, a a and a grassy spot under a tree, was all he generally cared ut. “We will have our arms more than usually handy, to-night, Flo,’ said Madge, as she examined her revolvers carefully, ‘‘ And if we should be obliged to use them, we wil/, I think we could stand quite a siegc.”’ There mustn’t any savages come poking round here, if they know when they are well off,” pro- claimed Flo, with a decided nod of her little head as she peered out into the darkness, and then closed and secured the flap that served asa door for the tent. ‘‘We wouldn’t think anything of extermi- natinz a whole tribe.” And Flo, with visions of dancing savages before her eyes, and she making them fly right and left with her revolvers, crept up close to Madge, and in three minutes was sound asleep. Madge lay listening to her breathing, and to the murmurs of the wind through the tree-tops, and woudering if they should get safely through this journey they had undertaken, until she, too, fell asleep. She awoke sometime in the night to find that the wind had risen, and was blowing steady and spars 7 It roared through the trees so loudly, she was h aiarmed, lest some of the unsound ones should fall upon the tent. But she age yt her fears, and composed herself for sleep. Little Flo’s breathin was forgotten; the heavy Airset of the wind subsided to a distant murmur, she was fast losing herself in dreamland, when she was suddenly aroused by the whinny of a horse. At another time she might have paid no attention to it, but to-night the bh air seemed to be pregnant with danger, to her. She had assured herself it was nothing but her own fancy, but she could not throw the feeling off. : At this instant the whinny came again, sounding longer and louder than before. “That was Ned, I am sure,” She thought. “I wonder what can be the matter with him? I havea great mind to go and see—and I will.” Rising quietly, so as not to disturb Filo, she took her revolver, and pulling back the curtain of the tent stepped softly out. In the deep shadow of the woods the darkness was almost palpable. She paused an instant; then Hee Nar ni in the direction she knew the horses had en left. A few steps, and she paused beside Ned. He rub- bed his nose ag t her shoulder, and whinnied, softly. rs Why, Ned, *s the matter?” asked she, pat- ting his neck. Did you think you heard something?” The horse looked intently off in a certain direc- tion, whinnied again, and pulled impatiently upon his fastening. Madge ste along to where the other horses had been lef ped To her astonishment she found them gone! She looked further to assure herself she was not mistaken. A moment’s search convinced her that she was not. “Can it be possible that Warner has moved them?”’ = she thought. ‘‘I will go back and see.”’ She rapidly retraced her steps to the guide’s rest- ing-place. blanket Iay on the ground, but he was nowhere about! She stood irresolute for a moment; thenshe crept back to the horse. She had reached his side, and had paused a mo- ment, when she heard a step 3 the leaves, and a voice, that she recognized as Warner’s, said: ** Ouss £55; anyway! Can’t you be quiet a minnit? You want to wake up them beauties, n’t you, and spile all? I’d’a’ taken you first if I'd Seoughe you's going to make a confounded fool of yourself. oa, now!” There was a total silence for fully two minutes. Madge had sunk down, softly, at the first sound of the voice, and now she could see the guide’s form standing motionless beside the horse, and knew that he was listening. ‘Guess eve ’s all right,’’ he muttered, at last, taki the horse by the ter and a along. ‘“Tain’t likely they heard him, the win makes such a noise.” With aloudly beating heart, Madge arose, and fol- lowed him. eé noise made by horse and man was considerable, but it taxed her utmost vigilance to ee them in hearing, and yet run no risk of betray- ing erself. A dozen yards, and the man halted. ‘There you all safe an’ sound, the whole on e; an’ I'll risk their findin’ ye on sech a night as is. Now, if yell all keep quiet for twenty min- utes the thing will be done.” The man muttered the words yoke! above his breath, hut they reached Madge. And the next in- stant Bes moved away in the darkness, and dis- appeared. Lae sound of his footsteps had hardly died away before the brave girl’s determination was taken. She crept silently back, and entered the tent. _ eee said, in a low voice, shaking her gen- ae Oo 99 “ What,” answered Florrie, vet up suddenly, broad awake, ‘ What is the matter?’ **Don’t be alarmed,”’ returned Madge, ‘* but gather up all our wraps, and put a couple of blankets in a compact bundle. We have got to continue our jour- ney immediately, but we can’t stop to take an thing with us but what is strictly necessary. I wi be back in a minute.”’ ‘** Stop!” said Flo, catching her by the arm, ‘“‘and tell me what the matter is. Has the guide gone, or are the savages coming, or what?” For a moment the girl hesitated, and then, in as few words as possible, related to her an outline of what had transpired. After the first shock, Flo was as courageous as she, and hurriedly commenced to prepare for the osney “Stay here till I come with the horses,’ was Madge’s parting words, as she moved away in the darkness. She found no trouble in selecting her own and Flo’s horse from the others, and leadin them along, left them a few feet from the tent. An = the same instant Flo glided up, and stood beside er. “I heard you, and thought if I came it would save time,’’ she said, in a whisper. “I have got every thing you told me, and here is your other revolver that belongs in the holster. Are the saddles on?”’ ‘““No, but we must put them on. It will take but a minute. Here is yours.” With fingers that trembled in spite of the most heroic efforts, the brave girls buckled the girths, and prepared to mount. ‘**Hark!’’ whispered Flo, suddenly. ‘I thought I heard something.”’ Both sunk to the ground, and listened intently. There was a rustling of leaves, and then against the shining water were outlined a dozen dark forms, gliding directly toward them! CHAPTER IX. A NEW-COMER, “ 99 Ranty had just waked up, and was delibera whether to get up and replenish the fire, or lie sti and go to sleep again. He had about decided on the latter, and rolled over, and drew the blanket closer about him. Then he raised his head, and listened intently. ‘*Hel-lo!’’ continued the voice, in a little louder key. af Hel-lo!”” mimicked Ranty, poking his head over the edge of his bunk, and peering in the direction of the sound. ‘‘ Who are you?”’ “ Look-a-here, young man; is this the way you use yer company?’ continued the voice. ‘‘ Ain't ye go- n’ ter let me in?” There was a stir among the sleepers, and before Ranty could reply to this last appeal, Albert came suddenly to an upright position. ‘* What's the matter, Ranty?’’ he asked. ‘‘ What are you about?”’ e's i the nightmare!”’ It was the stranger’s voice, and it sounded preter- or solemn. Arlington sprung to his feet; Will followed him, with amazing celerity, and Fred sat upright and stared, in sublime astonishment. *“Company, boys, and he wants to come in!” ex- claimed nty, jumping down, and running to the door. Cautiously opening it a couple of inches, he peered out. = Say, you sure there ain’t any Indians at your back?” he continued, in a doubtful tone. ‘*Good Lord, no, youngster! They ain’t a pesky critter of °em in ten mile!’ and a tall form loomed up in the darkness close to the door. “All right, then; forward march,” and Ranty swung bank the slab that guarded the ewe and ducking his head, the new-comer entered. region had thrown a few sticks of wood upon the coals, and the fire blazed up brightly, throwing its light over the man before them. He was nearly six feet tall, fully equipped as a hunter, and a fur cap, with the of the animal as a tassel, on the apex of the crown, was ed on the back of his head. His face, what of it was visible, for a heavy beard covered the ate part of it, was honest frank and good-natured in e ion. He stood erect, in the firelight, and his blue-gray eyes had a rather amused expression in their depths, as he glanced from one to the other of the surprised young- sters. ‘* Wal, now, you didn’t r’ally expect to see old Abe Anderson South’ in to-night, did ye? No, I spect ye didn’t! But that’s allers the way in this ‘ere world of ours,’’ continued the bas dropping the butt of his rifle to the ground. * uthin’ ‘s allers a-turn- in’ up that a feller don’t expect. Good Lord! I’ve went ter my traps many a time when I knew they wa’n’t nothin’ in °em, an’ jes’ as like as not I'd find half a dozen squealin’ beaver. An’ then, ag’in, when I’d go out a-huntin’, not ’spectin’ to see anything, I'd kill a b’ar!”’ ; The old trapper paused an instant, to glance around, but before either of the boys could reply, he continued: : es I'd orter ‘pologize for comin’ in this way, but the fact ar’ I had to make myself scarce this evenin’ or I'd ’a’ got my top-knot lifted. I got right onter about forty Injuns, an’ they war jist old biz- ness on the run. And, you see, 1 war lookin’ for a lace to snooze in, when I see’d your habitation, an’ ought I'd call.’ ‘*And you did exactly right,’’ responded Albert, heartlly, as he piled more wood on the fire. ‘‘ We haven’t much to offer in the way of accommodation, but you are doubly welcome to such as it is.” His companions expressed the same, and in five minutes they were gathered about the fire, and the conversation was general. Ranty had put a liberal steak to roast, on learn that their guest had had no supper, and he watched it zealously, EEE eee OO while he listened to the old hunter, who had lighted his pipe, and was relating his recent adventure. e fire sparkled chee ‘ The traits and habits of the Indians, upon which the conversation drifted was an interesting one to the young hunters, and the time slipped by unnoticed, while they listened to the words that fell from the lips of the old trapper. “You have spent a great portion of your Wife in these western wilds?’’ Albert asked. “Yes, here, an’ between here an’ the Saskatchewan river. Some moughn’t like the life, butIdo. An’ in the woods one learns a heap that can’t be taught him anywhere else, too.” “T have got something that I would like to show you,”’ said Will, ‘‘and if you can explain it, we should like to have you, for we have all got our curi- osity aroused concerning it.”’ He produced the Indian _ idenerrins as he spoke, and unrolling it, handed it to the trapper. ‘Wal, now, Uncle Abe, you'll have to open your aes te if ye read that,’ said the old hunter, as he ook the largest piece of bark, and spread it out on his knees. *‘ ’Tain’t wer pee Ill allow, for them that don’t understand it, but I guess I kin make it out.” The boys sat round in silence, while he examined it minutely, ae: long whiffs at his pipe mean- while, having relighted it after finishing his supper. “Wal, boys,”’ he said at last. ‘‘ They’s consider- ble in that, and the way I read it, is this: them twenty-four fellers is ye of course you can see that, an’ that chap with the hat on is a while prison- er. He’s got his arms full of wood, which means he’s to be burnt at the stake. This stream, here, emptying inter the big one, is where he was took, an’ that round thing over that Ingin/s head shows where the sun war at the time. Them four fires means they'll eat four times afore the’ reach the vil- lage, which are yender, where them mountains is, — on they’re goin’ straight to, cause, see the Ss ’ ag boys crowded around to examine it, and Will “What does that dust mean, that’s about that In- dian’s feet?” ‘* By Jiminy! I hadn’t see’d that afore!’’ exclaim- ed Abe, as he looked closely at it. ‘‘I know that fel- ler, an’ he’s the very same chap, with the reds, that I run ag’in’ ter-night. They call him some great long name, or other, that means ‘ He-who-goes-in-the- smoke.’ Wonder where ey. CS sk that feller? Did wa. find this lately?’’ conclu old Abe, turning to ‘* Yes,”’ answered Will. ‘And I can tell you who that prisoner is. It was Ranty, here, but we —_ aa in among them last night and carried him Oo ? ‘* Yes, and that fellow that goes in the smoke went in the rain,’ put in Ranty. ‘‘ We give him a free ride into the woods, and tied him up. I guarantee he was in a beautiful frame of mind when he come to himself,”’ ; Old ‘*‘ Uncle Abe,”’ as he styled himself, was anxi- ous to hear the particulars of the affair, and was loud in his praise of the boys’ bravery, at the conclusion of the narrative. ‘ They’s good stuff in all you fellers to make prime Ingin-fighters. Ye done that right up science. But I tell you what, boys, they’s a heap of danger ter be run, in sich a life as a hunter an’ trapper ‘leads, off here. You'd orter had aman what knowed the ways of the country and the Ingins like a book to ’a’ pilot- ed you ‘round till ye got ‘eddicated’ a bit. An’, if ou take my advice, you won't live in this concern ong. The Ingins is ready for bizness now, an’ they’ll find ye less’n three days. You want ter git som’- where, where, if they discover you, you'll have a chance ter do som'thin’.”’ This advice, the common-sense of the boys told them, ought not to be disregarded; and the result of a conference was, that they decided to move as soon as daylight should come. A cave that Ranty had found, near the river, might be exactly such a place as they wanted. They would examine it, and see. ** But here is alittle more ign a ne that I was going to show you,”’ said Will, producing the other strip of bark. ‘When I was hiding, two Indians come along, and after examining that piece, made this one and stuck up with it, for the benefit, I sup- pose, of any more savages that might come along.” “Of course, that’s what it war did for,” said the old hunter, as he examined the piece. ‘I’ve come across piles on these pieces in different places. These two In here, with horse’s ears, are mount- ed, and that feller back there by the frog is a chief, Leapin’ Frog. I've see’d him afore; an’ that string from him to these, means he's told em somethin He’s wounded, too, see his arm?” “That is Some of Fred’s work,’ interrupted Al- hay 3 E He shot at him the morning Ranty was en. ‘But what does that square thing pictured on there mean?” asked Will. % ‘Was the two pieces of bark close together?’ ask- ed the trapper. ‘** Yes; both on one stake.”’ ‘That's it, then. It means this wounded feller has told these two, about what's on this big piece, afore they read it.” Ranty arose, and stretched himself with a sleepy yawn. ; ““T vote we go to bed again. I don’t fancy this sit- ting up business very much, myself. I have to prop m eyes open, ney, “5 ya aig ee . Ouch!” n roke off suadenly, an an examining his foot with affectionate zea], S “TI don't fancy a stove that leaves coal all round the floor for unsuspecting youths to tramp upon,” he mu , 80110 voce, as he climbed into his unk. ‘‘And other degenerate youths who have a way of Ooo) Gomic S