Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 682 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

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There he goes over Smith’s field’—Smith’s field wuz two milds erway. ‘There he goes over Shackly’s woods’—four milds erway. ‘There he crosses ther Hermon road.’ An’ so Zeke per- tended ter watch thet bee tell he vanished in er piece 0’ timber eight milds erway! ‘Wen ‘twuz all over Uncle Josh sez, sez he: ‘Your eyes are mighty keen, Zeke.’ Thet pleased ther ole feller, an’ be grinned an’ ad- mitted thet they wuz, though he thort they didn’t reach out quite ser well ez they did when he wuz er young man. ‘ Wal, they do pritty well,’ sez Uncle Josh, ‘’speshully wen they see er bee travel ser fur thet hain’t started a tall.’ Then he showed Zeke ther open box, with ther dee stillinit! Ther ole feller with ther sharp eyes uttered a groan an’axed w’at wuz ther matter with ther blasted bee. Uncle Josh rinned ez hesed: ‘ Oh, northin’, only he’s dead !” het settled Zeke, for he never bragged erbout his eyesight erg’in.” Sam concluded the story, and looked for some one to make a remark. He was not disap- pointed, for the Indian grunted and calmly ob: served: ® ** Heap big lie!” For & moment the old guide looked astound- ed, but his face turned red as his comrades broke into a laugh, and he shook his fist under the dirty critic’s nose, fiercely exclaiming: **Durn your skin! Do you dast ter tell me thet Ilie? Thet yarn is ther ginoowine fu’st- brand G, Wasin’tou truth, an’ b’gosh! I e’u’d prove it ef Ole Nick Rickway wuz erlive!” After that Sam relapsed into moody and in- jured silence, The party made preparations for a battle, for the sight of the man on the hill-top had convinced them that there was something in the Indian’s story. Darkness settled over the desert, and every man stood at his post ready for the assault. But it did not come, Suddenly Sam Krick declared that he heard the distant report of arifle, None of the others had heard it, and somewhere in the darkness the strange red-skin muttered: **Heap long sight ears! Hear dead bee buzz somewhbar, think hear gun go! Ugh! waugh!” There was an unlimited amount of disgust in the two final exclamations. Sam uttered a dis- mal groan, and sighed: Kg, Lawd! hev I got ter massycree thet In- un Finally, the moon rose, and still there were no signs of an attack. The red-skin, Big Buffalo, was sitting in the midst of the fort, apparently serenely sleeping with his greasy blanket wrap- ed around him and his head bowed upon his nees. An hour slipped away, still our friends re- mained unmolested. Colonel Danglar laughed and sneered. He declared that they had been tricked by a dirty red-skin; he heaped all man- ner of abuse upon Big Buffalo; he said he be- lieved the Indian had led them there to die of bunger and thirst; their horses were almost ex- hausted for want of water; the red dog was re- nsible for it ail, Through all this abuse the ange Indian appeared to sleep peacefully. Thirty minutes more passed by. The cowboys ew restless, for they began to believe that anglar was right. Mr, Errol freely expressed his impatience, and Sam Krick began to look as if he was fooled. Then Big Buffalo suddenly arose, bolding up one hand and saying: ** Lissen !” Some distance away a low, clear whfstle rung out. Ina moment it was answered in a similar manner in another direction. ‘** Bad men come!” cried the red-skin. ‘* Much big fight!” Then, uttering wild yells, two bodies of horse- men appeared on opposite sides of the fort and wee charging down upon it like prairie cy- ones CHAPTER XI, A eR aT ORMASION AND A ee ER yer posts, every galoot!” yelled Sam Krick. : u Hyer cum ther howtin® bh yenas er- humpin’! Guy ’em glory ter ther Lamb!” The men sprung to their places, and, as usual, Colone] Danglar appeared very excited; indeed, he was so excited that he leaped upon the wall of the fort in full view of the advancing parties, recklessly exposing his person as he fired his re- volver twice and cried: **Back—back, ye devils! It means death to come here!” The effect of his words seemed magical, for _ the outlaws fired a scattering volley then swept s e | ne gage te ee ee ee eee —_———— =e eee eee = . _ = F ~ « ¢ . . ‘x - . : a it *, LS i a4) 4 A 7 2 a ; ae fn ae kine round in a sharp half-cirele and vanished into the shadows of the sand-hills again, having ex- perienced no loss from the colonel’s shots or the stray bullets sent after them by one or two of the cowboys as they turned, ‘* Hal ha!” laughed Danglar, as he leaped down from the wall, * They are afraid of us; they dare not attack us here,” ‘* Stan’ ter yer posts every man,” commanded the guide, ‘‘ thet may be er trick, an’ they may cum down onter userg’in. Don’t let ’em.cotch us er-sleepin’.” ‘* Whoop!” shouted Big Buffalo, dancing round within the inclosure and brandishing his toma- hawk. ‘*W’at Injun say? Now show Injun cuss w’at say him lie! Takeumskulp! Whoop! Big Buffalo bully boy—heap big brave.” ‘** Ye’re er brick, you soiled fragment o’ er noble race,” was Sam’s compliment. “Ill sw’ar by ye, even though ye bev heaped stigma upon this devoted head.” “Whar white man git big words?’ demanded the red-skin, suddenly halting in his dance aud staring wonderingly at the guide. ‘* Nim eat pale-face knowledge book?” But Sam paid no attention to the singular question from a singular Indian, for he was keeping a sharp lookout for the return of the bandits, He could not believe that they had thus suddenly forsaken their purpose and given up the attack, Meantime, Elias Errol was saying to Colonel Danglar: ‘‘My dear colonel, you were very indiscreet in thus exposing yourself. You might have been picked off by the wretches, for you made an excellent target. It is a wonder that you are alive. I congratulata you.” ‘‘Oh! that is nothing,” asserted the former officer, ‘“‘I always sprung into the thickest danger in my old army days, and my comrades used to say 1 had a charmed life, for I never was injured seriously. In those old days they called me Dauntless Danglar and Dashing Delos. In the first of a battle I am always excitable, but I soon cool down, and my brain is wonder- fully clear.” ‘* Well, I beg you to be a little more careful, for you might pay for your rashness with your life, and we cannot spare a single man of this party. We need them all to cope with the des- peradoes around us,” Ten—twenty minutes passed, but the outlaws did not reappear. Colonel Danglar freely ex- pressed his belief that they had been frightened away. + They did not expect to find us on the look- out for them,” said Danglar, ‘‘ and when they failed to catch us napping, they remembered their recent defeat beside the Niobrara and gave up the intended butchery. It was fortu- nate that we were watching.” ‘‘Ugh!” grunted Big Buffalo. ‘Much fine talk! Him same pale-face call lnjun liar, Him take back or Injun lift um ha’r.” With these words the red-skin advanced threateningly on the doughty colonel, who again grasped a revolver, savagely snarling: ‘*Keep your distance, you dirty dog! I won't take any chin from such as you!’ ‘Hyer, byer!” cried Sam Krick, ‘ Hey I got ter keep you two frum fightin’ all ther time? Turn roun’ hyer ar’ keep yer peepers peeled fer outlaws. If I ketch ye quarrelin’ erg’in, Vl punch ther heads o’ all two both o’ ye!” ‘Heap big talk!” sneered Big Buffalo, who appeared to bein a belligerent mood. ‘* Much small man. Injun knock stuffin’ out.” Then he threw down his tomahawk and ad- vanced on Sam with his fists clinched, The old guide was paralyzed with amazement, and he stared at the strange savage without making 4 move to defend himself, ‘‘Come,” cried Big Buffalo. ‘Little runt with big mouth putt up him dukes Injun knock him pritty thunderin’ quick, Injun no_slouch! Whoop! Him chaw white man’s ear! Hi-yi!” Then the singular red-skin began to caper round and swing bis arms in the wildest man- ner. A look of intelligence broke over the guide’s face. ‘Ther durned critter’s bin drinkin’ fire-wa- ter!” he exclaimed, in disgust. ‘* We'll have er crazy Injun on our han’s afore long.” ‘ Little long-eared man lie!” asserted the red, suddenly cooling down. Him scat. Him fight, Injun knock corners off um. Him don’t fight, Injun spank um.” am gasped: ‘‘Spank— Great Jonah! thet’s too much! I will fight, but you’re ther quarest red I ever saw, at kind o’ er Jnjun are ye anyhow?” ‘‘ Seems ter me ye’r’ durned partwickerler ter find out, You—” ——_ ee i a But the little guide bad started forward W a yell of amazement, staring into the face of tik Indian, who had thrown off bis wide-brimmed hat. Then Sam gave a great whoop of delight and clasped the supposed savage in his arms and hugged him, greasy blanket, dirt and all, ** Holy heavens ter Betsey!” howlee the guide, as he strained the grotesque figure to his bosom and danced around in a manner which convinced his companions that he had suddenly gone crazy. ‘*Oh, mother o’ Moses! It’s Ole Nick Rickway, my ole pard, erlive, b’gosh! I believe [ shell die o’ pure delight! Oh, Nick, Nick! you ole prayrie blossom! this year’s too good ter be true! And the *‘ Injun” folded the little man in his long arms and laughed as if he were going into convulsions, ‘**Played it on ve, Samuel!” he chuckled. ‘Fooled ye in great shape, ole man! I held in jest ezlong ezIec’u’d. Ha!lha! ha! It wuz jest too good fer anythin’!” By this time the others began to understand the situation. The supposed Indian was none other than Old Nick Rickway in disguise, the eccentric old plainsman having escaped death in the river in some way. He had assumed the role of an Indian and had deceived them all. It was plain that he had saved their lives by warning them of the impending attack from the outlaws, and, with the exception of Colonel Danglar, they crowded round him, eager to grasp his hand, When the general handshaking was over, Sam called on Nick to explain how he escaped death in the river. This the queer old fellow didina few words. He had not been touched by the bullet of the would-be assassin, though he felt the wind from the lead as it hummed past his head. Fearing a repetition of the shot, be had pretended to be hit and had dived overboard, coming up behind the canoe and floating down the river with the frail craft. When he was out of sight he had swum ashore and started to keep his word and bring Nida Errol back to her father. He had trailed the kidnappers into the Bad Lands, been discovered by one of the outlaws’ red allies.and forced to fight for bis life. He had slain the red-skin and been seized with the idea of disguising himself in the sav- age’s clothes and painting his face. This he did, and by pulling his hair over bis eyes and keeping the brim of the old hat lopped over bis forehead, had succeeded in ee bis cld pard, He had been watching the outlaws, and from their movements had decided that they would attack Mr. Errol’s party that night, Barely bad Nick made this explanation when one of the cowboys uttered an exclamation and a black horse bearing a rider was seen galloping toward them throhah the moonlight, ‘It’s Wild Vulcan!” cried Jot Skywood. And so it proved, The strange plainsman drew rein outside the fort, calling: “‘ Helloa, friends! I heard the sound of your shots while far away and hastened hither, think- ing you might bein trouble. But I fancy you need have no further fear of your enemies for the present, for I have been watching large body of outlaws and reds who are ridiog rapid- ly away from here, They are miles away by this time.” This was pleasant news, and Mr. Errol at once hastened to Vulcan’s side and asked bim if he brought bim any news of bis child. The rider of the black horse replied by tales him what the reader already knows, for be had left the little lake soon after firing at one of the occu- pants of the canoe, Mr. Errol was eager to move to the lake at once, and Vulean thought it best for the entire party to do so, as food for the horses and water for men and animals could be found there, Soon the entire party was ready to move, and when they started Colonel Danglar, moody and silent, dropped back to the rear. Wild Vulcan led the party, of course. The peculiar pards, - Sam Krick and Old Nick rode the same horse and grew hilarious with their jokes and , stories, Straight to the valley of shadows their new guide led them, Down the dark gorge in which the mysterious White Spirit had disappeared they rode till the little lake sleeping in the moon- light broke upon their view, It was a lovely sight, and wae, that one of the party uttered c ions of debgnt. Seiya Oh-bo!” cried Old Nick. ‘“ There- in I propose ter bathe an’ remove some Q’ this. year dirt an’ paint from my pusson,” ‘‘Fer heaving’s sake,” implored Sam, ‘ wait tell weall git one good drink afore ye p’isen ther watter!” ~ -_ ‘J ‘