Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 520 — page 3: what you’re looking at

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

x { } s Ve e ri, ae ves iva i.) , on ; ay f PT ‘; / . ” 7~ ~ hd ~~" he ? ’ . ‘ ¢ @ B rifles to shot-guns and revolvers, at the three windows and the door. | ‘** Now Ill go and see if they are coming.” So saying he slipped out of the cabin, leaving an anxious but brave little party behind him, mot one of the border girls fainting or crying to wnnerve their daring young brothers, and the ‘calm courage of the parson being of great ser- vice to them. The horses ridden by the boys and girls, were all kept back of the school-house, where they were staked out on a bit of meadvuw land. The Indiats would not approach from this ‘way, Buckskin Bill thought, but would hope to carry off the little herd, which consisted of some half a hundred animals, for Parson Green had a goodly number of youngsters under his charge, and all had to go to school on horse- back, some riding as far as a dozen miles each morning and evening in their search for learn- ing. When Buckskin Bill had reached the edge of the woods he glanced out over the prairie, keeping himself hidden. ardly had he done so, when out from a motte a mile away, rode a band of red-skins, They were thirteen in number, a chief rode at their head and they came straight on toward the log-house school, which was several hundred yarn in the rear of where Buckskin Bill was in CHAPTER III. BORDER BOYS AT BAY BUCKSKIN BILL at once made known the fact to the dominie, and the scholars, that the red- skins were coming. All was at once a scene of suppressed excite- ment, the girls turning pale, yet keeping per- chance to *‘show off” before their sweethearts and sisters. rt The chief also fell, with two others, and sever- al more were wounded. It was an utter surprise to the red-skins, and they dashed for cover with all speed. But, seizing a rifle handed him by the parson, Buckskin Bill fired again and with fatal effect, while the boys stationed at the door and other windows came running with their weapons to that side of the house, ** Yell, boys, yell! and follow me!” shouted Buckskin Bill, and in a moment he had dashed out of the school-house, followed by his school- mates, But, several of the wounded Indians hastily opened fire with their bows and arrows, and Buckskin saw a comrade fall, and at the same time received an arrow in his arm. But it did not check the brave boy, and he ran ou, while the others followed bis lead, and it was not very long before the only Indians to be seen about, were dead ones, while off on the prairie, riding at full speed, were five who had escaped, and were bastening back to their strong- hold in the mountains, completely demoralized by their defeat, and vowing vengeance against alf-Breed Joe, who they believed had led them into a trap, for his urging had caused a dozen of the more reckless young bucks of the tribe to take the war-path, with the hope of getting half a hundred children’s scalps and capturing their borses. CHAPTER IV. THE BOY DEAD-SHOT., THE fight at the school-house, in which eight red-skins were slain, and a fearful calamity averted, in the massacre of so many children, caused Buckskin Bill to become more of a hero _ fectly quiet, while the boys were glad to get a | than ever. There were old beads who Said that the par- son should at once have turned the scholars out The dominie, in the goodness of his soul, of- | and alarmed the settlement; but then had they fered uP a short, fervent prayer, and then Buck- | done so, the red-skins could have escaped and ’ | doubtless would bave again attempted a raid, skin Bill, the chosen captain of the log-house “‘ fort,” as the boys called it, took a position to | and watch the coming of the red cut-throats. Tt did not take very long for the warriors to ‘cross the prairie, and, reaching the woods they at once dismounted and made their horses fast. Buckskin Bill was standing on a shelf, gazing through a crevice in the walls, and repo progress. The manner in which the red-skins moved con- | | | vinced him that they had a leader who knew the | settlement and the situation of the school-house. They separated, formed a line, and began to | creep from the tree. ** Parson?” *¢ Yes, William?” ‘** You know that sneaking fellow, Half-Breed Joe!” “Yes, William.” _ s “‘ Well, he is the guide, for I saw him just now dodge behind a tree, and he wishes to get revenge because we drove him out of the settlement stealing,” whispered Buckskin Bill. ’ so Buckskin Bill’s plan was considered the right one by many. Phe chief’s horse, which was a splendid avi- mal, fell tothe young leader as his property, and all congratulated,the boy,zpon his marked success, while there was no mourning for Half- Breed Joe, who, after having been well treated in the settlement, had been caught stealing and driven off. _ He had vowed revenge, but no one had sus- pected his intention to carry it out so cruelly. Soon after this affair, Mr. Middieton, the father of Buckskin Bill, went on atrip to Pike’s Peak, and the boy accompanied him, It was a iong and dangerous expedition, and the experience it gave Buckskin Bill was of the greatest use to him, One day ‘the party on the way came across a /Government train going the same way, and the _ conversation around the camp-fire that night for | turned upon dead-shot shooting, The sergeant in charge of the Government ** Providence will preserve us from the wicked , train, which was going toa frontier fort with | Stores and recruits, said that he had half a dozen doer,” said the parson, Continuing his watching the young leader saw the red-skins creep nearer and nearer until they came to the edge of the timber that skirted the open space on which the school-house was built, Here they paused, completely shielded ** B-a-k-e-r, spelled Baker a loud tone, for the benefit of Half-Breed Joe | | of the best shots on the border with him. Mr. Middleton, who was in charge of the set- tlers’ expedition, remarked that there were sev- eral good shots in his outfit, and offered to match their best marksman against the crack shot that ;” suckskin” Bill, in | the sergeant would produce. Bets were at once made, and the next day who he knew understood English well, and | camp was made earlier than usual, and the two would tell the warriors they anattack. — ‘t Let the girls sing, parson,” whispered Buck- skin Bill, and the girls started up a Sunday- School hymn, the parson leading, though their Voices quivered a I:ttle. Instantly a tall Indian stepped out from the cover. It was Half-Breed Joe, and he seemed to realize, as he knew the customs of the whites well, and had often been to the school, that the scholars were going through their exercises, so no danger of discovery need be apprehended. The other Indians at once followed his ex- ample, and all muved cautiously toward the school-house, When they had gotten within thirty paces, crouching and sneaking along, though they ex- a surprise, Buckskin Bill whispered: ‘J will take Joe, so you boys aim at the thers, when I give the word.” The boys had each one a convenient crevice between the logs, and all were ready when Buck- skin Bill sung out: ‘¢ Bire!” At the same time his finger touched the yer of bis own rifle, and Half-Breed Joe, ' ger Grestherous scamp, fell dead in his tracks, - 0 i | : were not expecting selected marksmen were ordered to get ready. To the surprise of the sergeant and his men, a mere boy was pitted against their crack marks- man, who was an old borderman, The sergeant was at first angry, but Mr. Mid- dleton said: “The money is up on my boy, and if your maf can outshoot him, you win it and we lose, and that is all there is about it.” So the range was measured off, and the bor- derman, who was known as ‘‘ Old Never Miss,” fired his half-dozen shots with his rifle, the tar- get chosen betng a piece of paper stuck upon a tree, with a bull’s-eye about four inches in di- ameter. The borderman put the six shots in the pbull’s- eye, loading and firing rapidly, and the men of the Government train yelled themselves hoarse With delight. _ Then Mr. Middleton, took the lid of a blacking- ox, and half-encircling it with his left thumb and finger, held it off at arnm’s length, taking his stand at the tree upon which the target of Old ever Miss was placed. we g his hand against the tree, he called “Ready, Billy” uckskin Bill, the Comanche Shadow. eS sia _“* You hain’t gwine ter be fool enough to do thet, is yer, pard?” asked Old Never Miss. **Oh, yes,’ ** He’ll shoot yer hand ter pieces,” “Tl risk it,” was the op response, and load- ing and firing rapidly, Buckskin Bill sent the six bullets at the target. .The sergeant had stood near Mr. Middleton, and took the lid and came rapidly toward the two timekeepers. ‘* What’s his time?” he called out. ‘* Beats Never Miss a quarter of a minute, ser- geant,” was the answer, ‘** And he has put every bullet into a space half as small as you did, Never Miss, and with his father holding the target,” was the reply. A yell greeted the words of the sergeant and the old borderman stepped forward and grasped the boy’s hand, while he said: ‘* Leetle pard, I caves, and you is the best I ever tackled, and some day folks will hear o” you as a boss shooter.” Buckskin Bill took his triumph coolly, but he was, at heart, greatly elated over havin beaten the old borderman, whose fame he h heard of. When he returned to the settlement, he at once settled down to school once more, under Parson Green’s teaching, and was looked upon as more than ever a hero, after his trip to Pike’s Peak, and having beaten the old frontiersman, Never Miss, in dead-shot shooting. CHAPTER V, THE MIDNIGHT ATTACK, ALTHOUGH he studied hard, Buckskin Bill was always glad of a chance to get away from the settlement, on any expedition in which there was danger to be overcome, and his parents al- ways allowed him to go with a party of settlers, ona grand hunt, or to drive cattle or bring stores by wagon train from the towns, On such an expedition, when acting as one of a guard for a wagon-train, belonging to the storekeeper of the settlement, Buckskin Bill came very hear haviug his life snuffed out with- out warning. The train consisted of four wagons, drawn by mules, and they were loaded with goods and stores such as were needed in the settlement. The outfit belonged to Hal Rice, the store- keeper, and he was wont to pay a good price for men who would go as a guard for it to and from the town, a distance of two hundred miles. Half a dozen men generally comprised the number, besides the four drivers, and were con- sidered sufficient to protect it against any ordi- nary force of red-skins er outlaw band that might attack it. One of the men was a guide, and a good one, except when he was wont to get upon a spree, and then he became reckless. Buckskin Bill took the idea that he would like to go as a guard, on the next trip of the wagon-train, and he spoke to Hal Rice, the storekeeper, about it and his services were at once engaged with the remark: ‘““[m more than glad to bave you, Billy, for owre as good as any man, in my opinion, and in 2ay you just the same as I do the others, ‘Then, Billy, study up the trails well, for I don’t think Pilot Pete will be my guide much longer, as he’s getting too lazy and fond of as 9) and it won’t do to trust him.” fi 0 Buckskin Bill went with the “store out- t,” as the train was called, when it pulled out of the settlement for the distant town. They reached the town all right, took aboard their freight and started on the home trail. But Pilot Pete had begun todrink upon reach- ing the town, and two others of the party had been readily led away to follow his example, The result of this was that the train pulled out for home with Pilot Pete still on a spree, and two of the men were left behind, being un- ° able to return with the wagons. One of them was a wagon-driver, and Bill bad to take his place and drive. Twice did the train cross trails which Pilot: Pete said were meade by Indias on the war- path, and yet, reckless from drink, be toek no care to go on scouts ahead of the party, and at night was more anxious to play cards eround the camp-fire than to stand guard, Buckskin Bill saw that rh el was going wrong, for the example of Pilot Pete was de- moralizing in the extreme, and all but two of the men were also drinking. Dan Ellis end Reuben Carter, the two sober men, bad a talk with Buckskin Bill, the first op- portunity they bad, and the three decided that they would stand guard at night, for they could appreciate their danger. - ' The train was wont to make from thirty te \