Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 58 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

‘Then we'd better search the island for ’em | tw® red-skins, and when we git their hair, pull out fur safer quarters,” suggested the scout. made, buf the two Indians could not be found. They had escaped, no doubt, by swinging them- selves over the edge of the bank, by means of the roots corurades under the island. for departure was at oncs made. Foghorn Phil and young Frank Bassett assisted the wounded Captain Rhymm aboard the flat-boat and placed | him upo.1 a couch of skins; but before one of the rest had set foot upon the boat, Dick Trout’s voice was heard to shout: “To yer arms, boys! The red devils have dug through, and are swarmin’ onto the island! Whoop! hurrah for the Big Horns and death!” ‘* My God, Foghorn, we are too late after all!” cried young Bassett. Tnen arose a fierce, savage yell from the island, that was answered by a shout from the lips of the traders. Then followed the rush of feet, the crash of firearms, mingled with the clash of steel, dull, sxdden blows, the thump of falling bodies, and groans and shrieks of agony. Foghorn Phil, who was still on the flatboat, started to join in the conflict, but before he could reach the island, an unseen hand cut loose the boat, which instantly swung out into the river, cutting off Pail and Bassett’s return to the island. ‘*Great Jupiter!” cried the scout, almost wild with excitement, “‘the red hellions have cut our boat loose, and we can never git onto the island! And my Lor’, boys, to think that the boys are in danger, and Forhorn Phil unable to— Gar almighty! what’s that?” High abov» the din of the battle, a fearful sound startled the night—a sound like a mighty flood ol water rushing through a broken sluice- gate. . ‘in eae Na name, what ap nig noel ale aptain m, starting up from his couch. “Took! Look!” cried Phil, Look! ’ cried P ne up to- ward the sky. “Garalmighty look!—the islan’ is goin’! is two companions looked in the direction indicated, and to their horror and surprise, saw the tops of the tall, slender cottonwood trees sinking downward. Then all guessed the causa of that awful rush and roar—a fact that had been predicted as pone and probable by Fog- horn Phil long before they had landed upon the island. The swift-rushing waters, aided by the tunneling of the Indians, had undermined the island, and with an awful sound of rushin waters, it crumbled to pieces and sunk beneat the waves. Then with a fearful surge, tho waters closed over it, and rolled back in mighty waves that bore human burdens upon their foamy crests! And now instead of the combatants’ cries, and the din of battle, arose drowning shrieks and moans of distress, as, side by side, both friend and foe struggled, not with each other, but their new enemy, the swift rushing waters of the mad Missouri! CHAPTER X. BELZEBUB BUMBLE, ESQ. SPEECHLESS with terror, Pauline Afton and Josie Markham clung closer to each other, and watched thuse dull, burning orbs thrust almost into their very faces. They could not move— they could nof cry out, and with all the agonies of a horrible nightmare, from which they could not wake, they sat and met, with dilated eyes, that subtle, fascinatin aze. But at length relief came—a sound . e the strange, mes- meric spell—a voice close before them asked: ‘* Hey, ar’n’t you female weemin?” A thrill shot through the maidens’ veins—a vagpe thrill of hope and fear. There was relief in knowing that those orbs of fire were those of a human being. “T say, are ye females what's clim’ from yer hosses into this ‘ere tree right afore me? Speak right slap out; ye needn’t be afeard of me, for ['m ole Belzebub Bumble, Esquire, hunter and trapper of the flowin’ Milk river.” “Thank Heaven!” gasped Pauline, the load of fear upon her heart lightened by the man’s words; ‘‘we are helpless girls, and greatly in need of friends, Mr. Bumble. “‘Je-whiz!” exclaimed the apparently aston- ished Bumble. ‘I know from yer soft, music- like voice that yer young and purty; and I'll bet a picayune that you’ve got hearts as clean as angels’ that sing around the throne on high. But, gals, Belzy Bumble can’t say that for his- self; altho’, I prides myself on being a good shot, 2 swift runner and a monstrous old ignoramus, The Border King. 9 and, also, a woman’s man—that is, I fight fur female innocence and purity. Them ’ere good qualities I know you uns persess, else a pack o’ A thorough search of the island was at once | njin varlets with that infurnal cut-throat, Alf Ramee, wouldn’t be arter ye. Ye see, I heard _ye comin’ like Satan ona log, and up into this tr lling down, and had joined their — tree I lit like a jay bird, and what war my as- tonishment when | heard ye stop under the tree ' and then bounce up here, too; but when I heard The search being relinquished, preparation the reds go rippin’ by, and heard ye whisperin’ ‘bout that Alf Ramee, I knowed what it all | meant, and so I koncluded to make myself known to ye, and soI did. And gals, my sarv- ice is at your command if ye think ye could trust me in the dark, Ill admit right here that I’m an orful ugly ole stick, and if ye could see me in the light, | know you’d think me a grizzly b’ar; but my words for it, gals, I arn’t nobody but Belzebub Bumble, Esquire; and I claim that I have a heart that has throbbed for others’ woes—a heart that knows mercy and sympathy, if I are ole Belzy Bumble.” There was a rude sort of politeness in the man’s tone, and a frank, open earnestness in his words that ‘impressed the girls quite favorably, and removed the weight of doubt and fear from their minds, for all Belzebub Bumble was an en- tire stranger to them. There was something in the man’s presence and voice that told them they could trust him. “We are greatly in need of a friend, Mr. Bumble,” replied Pauline Afton, ‘and I hope you can assist us to get back to our friends.” ‘We will see that you are well rewarded for your service, Mr. Bumble,” added Josie. ‘Plague take the reward, weemin; Belzy Bumble never takes a pay for kindness. It’s a debt I like to have owin’ me tho’, for it’s no tellin’ how soon I may want an exchange of favors. But, if we’re to cast lots together for a while, we’d better be gettin’ down to terry jirmy, and away from here, for Ramee and his hounds will soon be back, so here I goes, slap- dab down to the—” The rest of the sentence was lost to the mai- dens’ ears, as he shot downward through the foliage to the earth. Then he laid aside his rifle and assisted the maidens down. ‘Now, chicks, jist you foller ole Belzy,” said the scout, taking up hisrifleand leading the way toward the river. Hand-in-hand the girls followed him softly through the undergrowth, and in a few minutes they reached a spot on the river bank where the moonlight fell full upon them. The females were now enabled to see the face of the man to whom they had intrusted their lives. It was a face rough and bearded, and not calculated, of | river. itself, to win admiration at first sight; but the | maidens had already been impressed with the goodness of the man, reflected in his kind, rude words and acts of kindness. There was nothing deceptive in his talk nor looks, yet there was a certain hesitation and blundering in his speech which told that he was unaccustomed to female society, although he seemed fully cognizant of the polite respect due to the gentler sex. As they issued from the shadows into the moonlight, the old borderman gazed down into the pretty pale faces of the girls with a kind of superstitious admiration that all at once found expression in the involun exclamation: Je-whiz! puffect little angels!” The next instant the dip of many oars fell ee the trio’s ears, coming from up the river. ey all glanced up the moonlit stream, and saw a Mg flat-boat drifting into view from around a bend. There was not less than thirty men aboard of it, and some of these men were Indians. ‘Thar comes my gang, now,” said Bumble pointing toward the descending craft; “and job g we once git aboard of that boat, we'll be e.” ‘‘Why, is it the Big Horn Traders?” asked Josie. ‘‘Nary Big Horn, miss. It are the Milk River Traders what are tryin’ their souls’ best to beat the Big Horns to their Blackfoot agency. But Pll guarantee your safety, gals, but—’ and he suddenly broke off, as though a startling thought had occurred to his mind—‘ I furgot to ask ye, gals, whar ye belong #” ‘* At Fort Union,” replied Panline, a Fort Union; and what mout yer names ‘“My name is Pauline Afton, and my com- panion’s name, Josephine Markham.” ‘Holy destruction! It are a God’s blessin’ ye told me so, fur it would ’a’ been wus than murder to have taken ye aboard that raft.” ‘“ Why so, Mr. Bumble? What difference will your knowledge of the fact make?” “3 use you are the very ones wanted on | | i | a — that ’ere boat. Ill tell you; the captain o’ that consain and a certain thet feller has had a trap set to ketch you very gals, and they hired that double-eyed devil, Alf Ramee, renegade Sioux chief, to do the wor, and he’s come mighty nigh it, [ tell ye.” ‘*‘And who is that certain other fellow in league with your eee asked Pauline. ‘*God bless ye, gal, [—I daren’t tell ye now.” ‘* And so you are one of that captain’s crew?” said Pauline, a tinge of scorn in her voice. ‘Wal, I won’t say that I am, miss, though I don’t want to creep ’round the truth. I’m hired by them Milk Riverites as their scout and guide and I endeavor to sarve ’em, so far as right and honesty is consarned. Money’s what I’m arter and I don’t keer who I git it of, so I git it "bou stwaight. I’m not hired to steal gals and shoot them as are enemies to the Milk River crew, but simply to take a canoe and go on in advance of the boat and see that no traps are set fur ’em. I war reconnoiterin’ ahead to-night, lookin’ fur a campin’-ground, when I happened hereaway and now I’ve got my hands chock-full. But )’ let °em go to blazes afore I'll desart you, gals; but I kin sarve both. I’ve got to stick to ’em fellers until a certain time, fur to tell you the truth, gals, l’m more in the empl’y of the Big Horn Traders than ’em thar Milk Rivers—secret service, you see—as a spy. So come with me; Pve a canoe right here, in which I'll run you up to a safe p’int, then come back and pilot the traders to a campin’-place.” He led the way down to the water’s edge, where a small canoe was moored, and assistin the maidens into it, he entered, took up the pad- dle, and started the craft down the stream keeping close in under the shadows of the east shore, to avoid discovery. In this manner they journeyed on until a bend in the river concealed the flat-boat from view; then he pulled boldly out into the stream and pushed the canoe rap- idly forward. a few minutes more they came to a group of small islands, and to the smallest of these he pulled up, wt bee. ‘On this island, gals, I want you to stay till I return with some food and blankets. Ill be here within three hours, and then we can make further ‘rangements fur escape. I’m goin’ to land the traders on the big island jist below here, but don’t git skart. e can hide in thar among ‘em bushes, and be as safe as a bug in a rug.’ The irls readily obeyed. his instructions and stepped from the boat onto the island, when Bumble at once pulled off and turned up the Again the maidens were alone, more helpless | than ever, for they were surrounded by the waters of a deep, rushing river, with no chaos of escape, shou d Bumble never return. The crept in among the dense vegetation with whi the island was covered, and seated themselves on the old drift-log. ‘“*Oh, Paulie!” said Josephine, after they had expressed their great joy and thanks over their being enabled to obtain a few minutes’ rest and respite from dangers, ‘‘ what if Bumble is a bad man, and intends to keep us here until he can get the price that De Ramee was to get for our ab- duction?” ‘“‘It would be awful, Josie,” replied her com- nion; but I feel certain that Bumble is a true iend—a rude but honest-hearted hunter.” ‘All thought Alfonso De Ramee was a gen- tleman, but he turns out to be a treacherous re- negade chief,” replied Josie. ‘Ah! there come the traders,” whispered Pauline; ‘“‘ we will soon know whether Bumble is true or not.” The greaf raft, with its motley crew, hove in sight, and as it came nearer and nearer, the girls scarcely breathed, so great were their fear and suspense. Tp their joy, the boat passed o and pulled up to a large island about a hundeed yards below that on which the girls were con- cealed. The traders soon effected a landing, and in a short time a roaring fire was burning, its bright beams reaching out upon all sides, and lighting up the river witb a strange, weird-like glow. The maidens could see the men stalking about the fire, giant and grotesque in their shadowy outlines. They could hear their rough voices engaged in rude talk, ribald jests and song. Among the score and a half of moving figures, they could easily distinguish that of their friend, Belzebub Bumble. As the night wore away, however, the revelers became less noisy, and it soon was apparent that some of them had sought their couchss for the night, while others lounged around the fire, talk- ing in undertones and smoking. 0)(0)(8) <eom “S (E (E()