Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 728 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

=~ ~—s oo . "My g ; = 48 4 ie .¢ 4 Se Diets feet long, had been erected, apparently as a breastworks. - But a second look showed that it could not be ‘intended for that. It was but a frail affair, and would afford little or no protection against bullets. What it was intended for was a puzzle. Men were busily at work behind it, as could be seen, but what they were doing could not be conjectured. Se ‘* What in ther dickins be they doin’ thar?” demanded Thomas the Terrible. : ‘*You will have to tell me,” responded Iron Ivan, * But what on ’arth kin them ’ar boards be fur? Et can’t be thet they looks fer us ter tackle ’em, kin et?” a ‘ re Te ‘} > ' , ° os ’ ‘ah &. - } {i . aa j Gi 7 4 . f 7 Gar ow, ‘*No; it can’t be that. It issome secret work that is going on, and you may look for a sur- prise, after they get ready. Deadwood Dick is up to some sort of game.” ‘* Waal, cuss him, let him tinker away, ef he wants ter, I opine thet we don’t kéer a conti- nental gum-drop fer him. Ef he looks fur us ter come out hyar ter do battle, he’s mistaken, that’s all.” “T think Pll bail him again, and ask him ~ what he’s up to,” a ‘*{ wish yer would, be gum, Et worries me, ~~ ¢t do, ter have sich a puzzle on ther brain.” Ne Iron Ivan prepared his flag of truce as on the _- other occasion, and stepped boldly forth from “| —_—_ shelter, calling out: =, ~* Hello-oo!” Work stopped at the enemy’s camp, and the ~~ ghout came back, . “What are you up to over there?” Ivan - . ghouted his question. ‘‘ What kind of monkey- work do you call that?” . That's ther cheese,” applauded the Terrible. Make all ther fun of "em yer wants ter. We don’t keer two cusses an’ a half fer ’em, we don’t.” us -_ The wounded leader of the besiegers, his arm in its sling, stepped around into sight, he also bearing. a white rag of truce, . ‘Are you going to surrender?” he called out, “* Not by a batful!” cried Iron Ivan, ‘‘ What do you take us for, anyhow?” “We take you fora precious set of rascals, that’s what, and if you don’t come out of your hole and give popesoives up by ten o’clock, you will hear something drop.” _. ? "—“eeyou cafry out your threats, and not do so much talking aboutit. If you cam get us out, do it, that’s all, But what is that thing you have got there? What do you call it? Have you named it yet?” |" «That's it! ” That’s ther stuff!” . } ‘ ‘| So chuckled Thomas the Terrible, from bis ’ : we te . “ You will learn what we have got here, at |. ten o'clock, if you have not come to terms by that time, You are warned, fle: oR he ain did Iron Ivan send back a laugh of defi- 4. ance, and after some further exchange of words | he withdrew around the point, | “J don’t know what it can be,” he said to the | Terrible, ‘‘ but 1 am afraid they have got a sur- | ___ prise of some kind in store for us.. We must be | on the lookout for it, or we may get dumped.” Don’t we hold the best hand, though?” ques- _ “ttoned Thomas, ‘* Don’t see what et kin be the | hasgotlaid by fer us, Anyhow, I reckon we wu | — make ’em sweat ef they gits too close to our pop- __}~-- pers. Let ’em conie an’ try et on, ef they don’t _ Deadwood Dick, an’—wm !” : eS ie t, and I tell you T am anxious about that maf angled Ve re 1" “ - iy) : ; ce Wy ie i “Bat webaven’t got him ye notion they are making out there. I'll teil you a als what Thomas, we must have that ladder all in . | order} and be ready to get out as fast as we can, | if they come for-us ina way we think we can’t | stand, We won’t mention this to the men, but me. eo ; 5 wil do no harm to be prepared.” wa. 4 Jest soy an’ I "grees with yer on that. Ther ladder shell be ready fer biz, ‘you bet.” And so it was arranged, as soon as they reach- | sed the buildings once more, It was better to be -yeady than to be left in the Jurch, as Thomas i? aah a as, (tae A e et Fe as b —s :* , ‘’. Sa ; “ + } | "Phe men were told to bé'ready to set out for a -» reid on Pond Lily, if it was thought best to a ‘make it, when the attack was over, if one was _ } made.and they drove the enemy back. |) | This arrangement tickled them all, and so everything rested while time rolled on toward the bout ot ten, an bour that was awaited with good deal of anxiety by the two leaders— specially Thomas the Terrible, who was getting ecidedly nervous over the matter, _ few minutes later and the wounded Dead- me eT ihe * ee: hale . ny * a ° Mg _ * ~ $ Am, - a sad ‘ \. ” m4 “ i. ae > nave +, by Any vf : TP aio ce eT) ee fais care { eae iol RAT Chala a Poet : Oe aS i Wie ts * ~— » JY, < » " i \ > nt: ‘ j \ eee ¢ ¢ . oe et 1; : ; + fj as te + 4 > ‘ ‘ iF bet ; r " ie) ‘ ’ * 77 wy : ; . tw a 3 =] : t ' al . > ae ASL ‘ . ve ob ei veel ; Ade. & -* fea - av , ‘“* > , : = et —” _—— Deadwood Dick, Jr.’ f ed D T fir ———- we wood Dick appeared at the point of rocks with a flag of truce. Iron Ivan stepped out into sight, demanding to know what was wanted, and at the same time ordering bis men not to fire under any circum- stances as long as the flag was there. ‘* Are you going to come out and give your- selves up?” was the demand. ‘*TDo you take us for fools?” was the retort. ‘* Tf you don’t surrender you will probably re- ret it,” was the warning. ‘‘ We'll take the chances of that,’’ was the de- fiance, ‘‘Do your worst, and be careful that you don’t get into our hands.” Tbe man withdrew, and for a few minutes all was still. ‘‘ What kin be comin’?” questioned the Ter- rible, ‘* We will probably soon see,” said Ivan. Presently a loud, ringing shout was heard, and then into sight around the corner came the besiegers, and in their midst was the mysterious frame of wood, now Icoking to be on wheels. There appeared to be a hundred men in the line, most of whom were behind the board breast- works, as it was now taken to be, and they swung around facing the camp and_ there stopped. It was at too long range for firing to be very effective, and it was naturally thought they were preparing fora rush, ‘*That’s their idee!” cried the Terrible, ‘* They means ter come fer us with a big swoop, keepin’ behind that thing fer protection. Haw! haw! haw! That’s erbout ther weakest thing I ever did see. If this ar’ a sample o’ Deadwood Dick, he don’t amount ter shucks, an’ that’s my candid opine o’ him, Let ’em come, an’ ef we don’t most everlastin’ly knock—” But there he stopped, his jaw dropped, and his eyes fairly bulged. Toe framework of boards had suddenly droy ped, ane there, exposed to plain view, were half a dozen cannons! ‘* Great Scott!” ejaculated Iron Ivan, ‘* what are we going todonow? A broadside from them will wipe us out as clean as canbe, Wemustn’t let them give us a dose of that medicine, Ter- rible,” ** Howlin’ heathen! No! Whar on ’arth did they git cannons from? What in ther dickens is goin’ ter be done? Must we surrender? Et won't do ter fire at ’em! Can’t yer.stopem, Tron Tvan?” a ieee All the rascals were fairly trembling in their boots, now, and badly scared indeed. : It was a surprise such as they had not looked or. At that moment, the cannons having been ranged, Deadwood Dick appeared with his flag of truce again. Iron Ivan lost no time in getting out to respond to it. It would not do to fool now, as the Terri- ble roared urged. He wanted the best terms @, | The nest of outlaws awaited with feverish anxiety the outcome of this the last conference between the chieftains. What the outcome would be none could say, as it was all one-sided now, or seemed to be. CHAPTER XY, | SURPRISES ALL AROUND, “WHat do you think about it now?’ the cap- tain of the attacking party bailed. ‘*We have to admit that you hold the best hand,” Iron lvan admitted, freely. ‘‘ We don’t want any of that sort of stuff, if you please.” ‘‘ Well, then, what are you going to do about it? Will you lay down your arms and surren- der, and come out here and give yourselves up as our prisoners? That’s the only thing to be done,” | ‘What terms will you give us?” Ivan asked. **We don’t propose to give ourselves up to be hanged, not by a good deal. If you will give us our lives, we will think about surrender. Otherwise, I think we'll die fighting, and I guess we can make it a serious job for some of you be- ore we are done,” ‘ Well, [ll tell you what we'll do,” the wound- eadwood Dick shouted back, ‘ We will spare the life of every man but you, Iron Ivan. ou are my game, and you mustswing! The others will be let off as easy as the law will allow, short of death. What do you say to this? his is the only terms you will get, so think it over. It isdeath to you, anyhow.” As, ‘All right; give us fifteen minutes to consult about it, and then we'll give you our answer,” “Dildo it, At theend of that time we open € on you,” artes 4° 0. rise: | Out came Thomas the Terrible. © ‘‘ We don’t want no fifteen minutes,” he shout- _ 4 - ‘ vn )y bat: . ¥ ae , r : cle uf, . ‘ ; ; y See ‘) : bn "yay r. ’ fi \ \.! » ae ppp {() Sewatjey Ly Ted — \a *) a ah: Zs , pad - a. _ "2, ¥! ny 4 ir . ¥ Sane e. ,, oo?” i su , me weil 1 28 /) ee wae a we s, Disguise. Se 13 = ed. ‘“‘ We gives up, we does, an’ we’s comin’ out thar now.” ‘ And he started, with his men filing after him but they did not proceed far, The revolvers 0 Ivan the Man of iron checked him and them. ** You cur!” Ivan hissed, ‘‘ Do you mean to give me up to be hanged, when the offer for your own safety is made? If you take another step I'll drop you in your tracks,” ’ ‘* But ef ar’? every man fer himself,” the Terri- ble doggedly muttered. ‘‘ They means ter hang you, anyhow, as he has said, an’ thar’s no use our bein’ killed when et won’t help you a bit.” ‘‘You infernal cowardly traitor and whelp!” Ivan stormed, ‘This shows the sort of man you are, Get back there, or I'll drive lead through you! We'll take the fifteen minutes and use it in getting out by the secret way.” ‘** Thunder!” Thomas exclaimed. ‘‘Thet ar’ slipped my mind! Them cannons knocked everything clear out 0’ my head. Come, an” let’s go with a run.” ‘** Not so fast,” Ivan ordered, ‘* I am captain of this band, and I mean to be obeyed. The first man who refuses, dies! tell them we'll consider for then let them know. Then we'll move back out of sight ia a leisurely way and begin to get out, , ‘‘ Waal, all right; do that.” So Ivan called out to the attacking chieftain: ‘That question isn’t settled, quite. We'll consider it ten minutes and let you know,” *“ Allright; but you had better make the ten minutes short,” was the response, ‘‘ You are fooling away time there,” Iron Ivan turned, ordering the men to go be- fore him, and all retreated to the shelter of the buildings and there made all baste to the well. ‘‘ Now,” directed Ivan, ‘‘down you go, one manatatime. You have got everything you want, I suppose, so there’s no need for delay, and delay is mighty dangerous, I can tell you. “Yas, yas, let’s git down thar jest ez soon’s we kip,” urged the Terrible, ‘I wull go fu’st, an’ th@e rest kin foller me—” ‘Hold your team a little,” interrupted Ivan. ‘*7 am going to be the last, and you will stay with me here and go down ahead of me, Your life is worth no more than mine,” “That’s what's * son matter,” ogreed._fooah, to. which some others gave assentiug voices, ‘Et ain’t no fair fer you ter git out of ther way fu’st, Turrible, an’ yer is a hog ter want ter do et, Let somebody humbler go fu’st— me, f’rinstance,” ‘* All right, Jonab, you lead the way,” di- rected Ivan, ‘‘and the others will follow as fast as possible, Soon as one is down, let an- other start, and it won't take us long to get out of range.” | Jonah lost no time about getting below ground and as soon as he was near the bottom of the lad- der Ivan told another man to start. In this manner they were fast disappearing,, but at the same time the attacking party were speeding across the ‘‘ playground” toward the buildings, weapons in hand, the cannons being left behind, About a third of the cutlaws had got down the ladder, wlien, ‘suddenly, came a great~yell, rigkt in their midst, and there was an order for them to put up their bands or be shot down. They were surrounded by grim rifles on every: side, and there was nothing left but surrender,, so Iron Ivan put up his hands without a protest, ‘‘It is all up, Terrible,” he remarked. ‘‘ Up with them, They have played us a trick that. we ought to have expected.” : ‘““Cuss ther luck, yas!” cried Thomas, ‘‘We had orter kept watch of ’em, but I never oncet: thort of et,” ‘* Bind them dered, ‘‘ and if would a coyote,” : This direction was promptly obeyed, and not one of the rascals offered to resist, In a brief time ali were disarmed and bound with their hands behind their backs, And yet | nothing had been heard from those who had gone down the weil. 7 Now, however, the wounded Deadwood Dick stepped to the well and called down, wear all was right, And the answer came back that everything was, and two men were directed to man the windlass, every one,” Deadwood Dick or- one resists, shoot him as you 1’)] shout back and a few minutes and. ~ Thomas.the Terrib!e looked on in utter be~. wilderment, as these two men lent their strength to the windlass, wondering what could be com- ing up, and what was his surprise to seeove of his rascally crew presently appear, bound and gagged, and disarmed like himself. ron Ivan looked on with a peculiar smile that was hard to understand then, ’ : L's f : +m + ’ _ Ware xt: ”