Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 64 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

reader may readily imagine, in no good hu- mor. But when the words that open the present chapter fell upon his ears he sprung to his feet to see Red Jack Rabbit plainly revealed by the lurid light of the flames. The Indian boy was holding back the curtains of the lodge with his right hand. ack started from the sight with an involun- tary exclamation of amazement. he whole world without seemed to be on fire and wild cries were mingled with the roar and hiss of the flames. mPa ** Some one set town on fire!” the Rabbit said, answering the question of the white boy’s startled stare. ‘* Wind come from north, drive fire right before it. Town all bound to burn!” ‘* Then let us get out of it!” cried the captive. “* You’re not going to stay here and get burned to a crisp?” A curious smile played with the young In- dian’s lips. “Fire hurt red-skin just as much as it hurt white.” ‘*That’s so!” confirmed Jack. ‘And if we — here much longer we’ll feel it, too.” or a moment Red Jack Rabbit continued to into the bov’s face, and then his knife cut the thongs which had confined the captive’s hands, since his unfortunate roll.” **T s’pose I can go now?’ Dandy Jack said looking gratefully into the Rabbit’s face. ** Not alone. Jack Rabbit did not show him how.” ‘** Then, come on.” A carbine was thrust into Dandy Jack’s hand and a moment later he found himself beyond the precincts of the lodge. ae ed?” he asked laconically, tapping the einen ** Sixteen!” was the re + i¢. White boy look!” He felt himself whirl . young Snake spoke. A grand sight met his The fire sweeping like a demon before the wind which was now a blast, was swallowing 4 the lodges. The many structures, dry as tinder, of course, offered no resistance to the flames, and whole lines of them disappeared as if in a flash of 9 at eh awful; the frenzied savages had ceased to fight the devouring element, and were flying to the southernmost part of the village, loaded with en ees which ae could not abandon. e few warriors left behind, for a great many had followed War-Bow after the stam- ed horses, were a set of desperate creatures. hey flitted like specters through the lurid light, followed by hordes of howling dogs, and push- ing lodges to the ground, in the forlorn hope of | arresting the fiery demon. ** Look to the right and the left!” Dandy Jack suddenly cried, seizing the arm of Red Jatk Rabbit who appeared to be stupefied by the con- e cannot stay here. The fire = S | is hemming us in! It is closing in upon our. flanks. The Indians see this and are flying to the south!” ** Does white boy want to fly with them?” ** Not if there is any other outlet!” ** Does he think there is?” ‘* There ought to be for me!” Jack answered half appealingly. ‘If 1 had a horse I would ride through that narrow street straight to the north.” ‘* Through the fire?” - 2en.”" ‘Brave white boy! He shall go through the hot places.” = ere is your horse?” “Stay thers.” With the command Red Jack Rabbit bound- ed from Dandy Jack’s side, and vanished in an instant. The white boy was alone. He stood for a moment longer in the light of Oregon Leon’s great fire exposed to the view of the excited Indians, when he sprung to the shadow of the Rabbit’s lodge, as yet undestroy- ed. ‘“‘T rolled myself plump into the fire didn’t I?” he said to himself. ‘‘ Ne a pickle before. It’s nip and tuck whether I get out or not. What does that mean? Six musket shots and a thousand yells. Maybe Red Jack Rabbit has to fight for his horse!” The sounds that were borne from the south- western portion of the burning village to Dandy Jack’s ears, told him that something unusual was taking place. He listened with cocked car- bine in the shadow believing that the Snake boy’s attempt to secure a horse for his flight was being met with force. The yells grew louder, which told the boy that their makers were coming toward hin. a ttl way round as the | wind; but he can’t save the town.” The spectacle was | Dandy J ack. nd — _ = There were no shots now; but fifty dogs were yelping vociferously. ack suddenly saw a band of Indians; they had stopped in the light as if they had lost their prey for a moment. . The boy shrunk close to the side of the Rab- bit’s lodge; buf he kept his eye on the savages. All at once he heard wild yells of delight an- ticulations toward him, the entire group rushed forward. “Found out at last!” the boy grated, believ- ing that his presence had been discovered. ‘‘ In- dians before me and a fire behind! It’s a tick- lish situation ; but I’m going to make the best I can out of it.’ He stepped almost to the edge of the shadow and consequently toward the Indians, not see- ine the dark figure which was rising from the gromd behind him. es!” exclaimed the boy, and lifting the carbine to his shoulder, he poured several shots into the and left three bodies on the ground. ‘Stopped you, eh?’ Cold lead isn’t to be fooled with!” cried the boy. Nonplussed by the shots from the shadow, the Snakes did not know what to do. ‘Come on! There’s no run in Dandy Jack!” _ continued the boy; but the roar of fire and wind | drowned his voice. hite boy never git out if Red | He felt the heat on his back; the light fell on the astonished Indians; it was also chasing away his protective sbadow. snort and tramp of horses, and a magnificent looking Indian reined in his froth-covered steed among the group. ‘* War-Bow!” ejaculated the boy, recognizin the sachem. | He saw the Indians conversing excitedly with the new arrival; their War-Bow suddenly sprung erect upon the back of his horse. en he tore his mantle of skins from his shoulders and waved it over his head, while loud cries pealed from his throat. ‘‘1'l] make this tribe chieftainless!” said Dan- | wra The carbine, so fatal to the warriors a few | i | earth, Red Jack Rabbit.” _ dy Jack, under his breath. minutes before, was raised against the chief; but before he could touch the trigger, a loud re- rt seemed to deafen him, an ar-Bow fell orward from his horse. ‘“‘ Thunder and guns!” exclaimed Dandy Jack, | I see it in the whirling in an instant upon the unseen marks- man. But before he caught sight of the slayer, he _ heard a familiar voice at his side. ‘‘Here, white boy! through fire.” It was Red Jack Rabbit! The boy and the excited horse which he held seemed to have risen from the very earth. Their sudden a pearance startled Jack. _- “Quick!” cried the Indian. ‘‘ War-Bow killed! Snakes rush into fire to pay white boy back.” ‘* But I didn’t kill the chief. The shot came from behind me.” Red Jack Rabbit seized Dandy Jack’s arm, and pulled him to the horse. ‘*Get up an’ ride down narrow way. Fire weraAven's 96 too? They'll kill n’t you going, ey’ll kill you for befriending me? m ** No kill!” ‘*They will!” said Jack. habit of deserting friends. You've got to go with me, Jack Rabbit, or I don’t budge a peg!” The boy was determined; his manner and one ** Not go, eh?” ‘* Not without you!” ce Then—” . The sentence was never finished, for a figure leaped suddenly upon the red-skin, ground! vault lightly upon the horse’s back, and | he could distinguish whether it was red or white, it darted forward and jerked him from the ground. The boy, lifted upon the steed, could not ut he did not relinquish his hold on He felt the animal bound forward and found struggle: _ the carbine. lf enveloped in a dense cloud of offensive smoke. The person, whoever he was, was rid- ing into the very teeth of the fire! | seemed to be on earth—fire | around him! t | to forget. ‘‘ Here goes a few shots, you greasy wretch- | | tered the long hunter. human pack which brought it to a sudden halt | and re From _ witnessed the coming of Snakefoot and Marte- | velde, the firing of the village, and the brutal _ assassination of the former. | the north the he could not harbor the thought of the villain : _ escaping, and so, leaping upon the animal from uddenly a new cry was heard, then the | which the Indian had fallen he thundered after Oregon, whar’s the boy? | ‘ex Luke Whittles somewhar, but we'll find er. Take horse an’ ride. ‘*T’m not in the | words told this; the Indian regarded him curi- : re his hand from the sinew-rein, and dashed him to the ‘Never was a boy in such | Dandy Jack started back with an exclama- tion of wonder and surprise. He saw a ae before 18 ee ee ey —_—--—--- =i esse The heat grew intense but the horse went on probably up the narrow street, flame-fri which the boy had already marked. He shut his eyes and felt himself carried on. When he opened them again he no longer was everywhere The strange being did not sit upright; his nounce a welcome discovery, and with wild ges- body was bent forward and his cheek, rough as a ogee pressed hard against the boy Ss. was a time which Dandy Jack was never CHAPTER XVI. | A KICKING MACHINE WANTED. | THE a rance of Long Lige was enough to frighten n Martevelde. e fairly gasped when in the light of the stars _ he saw the old guide before him with a pistol in his hand. He did not know that the old cottonwood to which Snakefoot had tethered the horses shel- Sun-Dance was some- where in the Snake village hunting for Dandy Jack, and after a certain length of time the _young savage was to rejoin Butler at the tree, rt the result of his investigations. retreat Long Lige had unexpectedly * When Oregon Leon turned his horse’s head to lide resolved to bring him down; him. His en a Eg with Martevelde we have already witne ‘ ‘“Now do you think [m afraid to come into g | ‘* The light made him ride like the | the Snake kentry?’ Butler shot at the white. | ruffian after a moment's silence. | ‘You are here, that is certain!” grated Marte- ‘Why, to be sure!” smiled the guide. ‘“ Now The gal—she’s off speech was accompanied | velde in no good humor. with gestures toward the dead and their slayer. | “The boy? He’s back yonder!” said the rene- gade pointing to the lurid light that seemed to the horizon in flame. ‘‘I left him there in the lodge of the meanest little Indian on ‘* Just so, an’ he’s likely to git singed?’ ‘** Escape is impossible!” ‘It does your soul good to say this, Oregon! litter of your eyes.” ‘Why should I like the boy ?” *Thar’s no partic’lar reason for it I admit. You left him thar—in other words, desarted ‘him. Now what do you think we’re goin’ to do with you?’ There was no reply. Leon Martevelde was looking into Butler's face without a word. _ “The question seems to strike you kinder | perceptibly,” the guide went on, “1 never kill _aman like you killed the Injun back yonder. _ Oregon, that was a mean, cold-blooded murder | jest the kind that a renegade government-agent _ would commit. ‘While I watched you from the | tree, [ thought you would take the red-skin | nent with you; but no; you give him his own _hatchet—in his head. ‘Dead men tell no tales,’ inn How fast is your horse?’ e renegade started at the interrogative. ** He is new to me.” ‘New to me, too, is this critter,” said the guide. ‘I guess Sun-Dance an’ the boy kin take care 0’ themselves for awhile. Tl give you eel feet the start. If I catch you, Oregon, _ thar’ll be a final settlement of accounts between us. Are you ready?’ ‘**T am ready!” | “Go for’ard an’ start!” Long Lige said. “[ _ always give a man some show, mot recious | little you'd give a feller. No quibblin’; go an’ start!’ There was a strange flash in Martevelde’s eyes as he turned from the guide to ride his race for life. ‘“‘T kin see ’im all the time, I guess,” the old ide murmured to himself. ‘‘ It isn’t too dark allow him to git out o’ sight.” His sentence closed abruptly, for a sudden lunge told him that the ex-agent was off like a aes erbolt. _ “ Now fur the chase!” Butler exclaimed, strik- ing the Indian horse in the flanks, and the next moment the race was “ on,” Over oh! in, level as a floor, there, pursuer and pursued flew like careering arrows, leaving the burning v e far behind them, as they rode northward, on, still on! | “ He’s gota good horse!” murmured the guide, rel) Ehboo com ‘S