Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 794 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

Headlight Harry’s Hunt. > ber, there to prosecute a vigorous search for | oughly tested during their brief sojourn in the wealth which they now firmly believed | that lively community, The Vigilante chief to be concealed within. The cavern was of | was in a position to command a force strong considerable extent, and it was quite proba- | enough to sweep King Kirby’s gang from ble that under ordinary circumstances they might have remained there a month without suspecting the truth; but now, guided to the mystic spot by the miner's cipher, they lost no time in penetrating the numerous nooks and crannies with which the walls abounded, each with a flickering candle to light his way. it was the Spider who suddenly gave a triumphant shout which quickly brought the others to his side; and he pointed gleefully the face of the earth; and, could he once be communicated with, there was little doubt that he would hasten immediately to the rescue. But Fortune City lay beyond the mountaius, full forty miles away, and the chances of communication with Big Hawk seemed very slight, indeed, under such ad- verse circumstances. It .was Rufe’s proposition, however, to dispatch the Spider on this delicate mission, feeling confident that the latter’s natural to a heap of something lying in a distant cor- | shrewdness, together with his thorough ner at his feet, something which glowed with | knowledge of the country, would enable him a dull, metallic luster in the ghostly candle. light. ae It’s gold—gold—beautiful nuggets of old!” shrieked the dwarf, in elfin glee; and it needed but a glance at the newly-discover- ed mass te convince his companions of the truth. There, indeed, lay the coveted treasure, just as the careful hand of Gideon Goff had laced it--a gleaming heap of precious yel- ow lumps, of various shapes and sizes, and all in a high degree of purity. What a sight for the astonished gaze of the Railroad Pards! In blank amazement they stared first at one another, then at the glit- tering pile of muggets, scarcely crediting the evidence of their senses. The cache of gold was no myth, after all, but a very pleasing reality; and the bold young treasure-hunters experienced a thrill of sudden exultation as they gazed upon this wondrous wealth, and realized that the precious prize for which ey had se long been striving was won at t. CHAPTER XI. THK SPIDER’S MISSION. AT last, after many vicissitudes, the Rail- road Pards had reached the goal of their am- bition, and the miner’s treasure was in the hands of its rightful owner. Yet, as they continued te feast their gaze upon the giit- tering heap of nuggets, it wus to experience _ something of the feelings of the individual who suddenly found a white elephant on his hands. There was the marvelous treasure lying at their very feet, yet in its present state it was of no more value than so much common sand; and how to carry away the wealth so happily discoverec was a question that now eee the young gold-hunters with sudden orce. There they were in the heart of the ene- my’s country, cooped up in a dismal cave, to venture forth from which meant probable discovery by the horde of merciless foes who were at that very moment scouring the vicin- ity, bent on their destruction. If to escape with their own lives seemed almost an impos- sibility, what could be said of tbe prospect of successfully bearing away a ton or more of cumbersome nuggets? The situation was certainly appalling, and a realization of this fact served to put a’sud- den damper upon their exuberant spirits, which had been aroused to an enthusiastic itch by the recent wonderful discovery. urning away from the fascinating pile of gold, the treasure-hunters now sought to evise some way out of this stupendous dif- ficulty, entering into consultation with an earnestness quite in keeping with fhe gravity of the situation. | . Various ideas were suggested only to be rejected as impracticable, and it remained for Rufe Ruffle to finally propose a plan to pass through the enemy’s lines in safety. His plan was to make the attempt that very night, when under cover of darkness the cunning dwarf could make his way to some point in the mountain pass beyond King Kirby’s sentries, and there await the coming of the stage-coach which would leave next morning for Fortune City, and which would land him in that place in the early evening. Then, provided these movements were suc- cessfully carried out, the beleaguered fugi- tives could expect to hear from Big Hank before the closing of another day. Such was Rufe Ruffle’s plan, to which his comrades gave immediate approval; for, while the chances of sending a man through the enemy’s line without discovery were ex- tremely slender, it was the very best scheme that could be devised under the trying cir- cumstances. As for the hunchback, ; fresh from one victory over his foes, he hailed with delight another opportunity to distin- guish himself, and declared his ability to make the trip successfully, in spite of King Kirby’s minions. Having definitely decided upon a plan of action, the little party impatiently awaited the passing of the day. Night fell at last, covering the earth with its somber mantle. Not a star appeared to relieve the Stygian blackness. A more rerfect time for the Spider’s venture could scarcely be imagined, and these favorable conditions were joyfully hailed as an omen of success. The hunchback's preparations for the en- terprise consisted merely in seeing that his shooting-irons were in proper condition, and in appropriating a flask of whisky to cheer him on his perilous way; this done, he de- clared his readiness to depart. ‘Keep up yer courage, pards, while I’m gone. I'll take yer message to Big Hawk in quick time, an’ you kin count on seein’ me back with a powerful gang jest as soon as the ground kin be covered. Meantime, there’s plenty to eat an’ drink, an’ | reckon ye needn’t fear diskivery s’ long as ye don’t poke yer heads outside the cave in broad daylight.” With this parting admonition the hunch- back started resolutely upon his hazardous mission. With noiseless, catlike tread he moved along the shore, crossed upon the fallen pine and plunged boldly into the gloomy forest; while the three fugitives settled themselves to endure .ne days and nights that would probably elapse ere the messenger’s return. This would of itself have been a fairly con- genial task, now that the food and light were plenty, Could they have but had the wel- come assurance that the dwarf would suc- ceed in running the gantlet in safety. In- stead of this, however, there was great danger of his falling into the hands of the merciless foes who infested the region, and the fear of this calamity served to keep the waiting ones in a state of constant suspense quaint utterance. of night, Nevertheless, the fugitives were resolved that no lack of caution on their part should lead to possible recapture; con- sequently the night was divided into watches of equal length, and each took his turn on guard at the tunnel entrance, where the ap- proach of an intruder might be instantly de- tected. The dawn of day found Headlight Harry at his post, while the others were sleeping soundly within the inner chamber. The young engineer was wrapt in contemplation, indulging in roseate dreams of the future: when he would be permitted to enter upon a. anew and ‘prosperous existence, thanks te the wondrous wealth with which the dg aa of the old miner had endowed im. Thus pleasantly employed he failed te overhear the sound of approaching foot- steps, and started violently when a hand was suddenly laid lightly upon his shoulder. Quickly turning, it was to behold Rufe Ruffle standing there with a broad grin upom his face. . ‘Ha, ha! Caught ye asleep at yer post, eh? You're a purty kind of a watch-dog, I don’t think,’’ he chuckled, grimly. ‘‘No, Rufe, you’re greatly mistaken—net. asleep by any means, but merely lost in thought. But what are you doing here, fright- ening achap out of a year’s growth? I thought you was sound asleep.” , ‘Hist! Don’t speak so loud,” cautioned the firearm, ‘‘ He’s sound asleep—don’t wake him up!” — | ‘‘He? Who do you mean?” “ Why,the chap who calls hisself Handsome Charlie, to be sure.”’ ‘Well, what of that? What the dickens are you driving at, anyway?” ‘“Pard,” exclaimed Rufe Ruffle, sinking his voice to a cautious whisper, ‘ I’ve come to have a lectle private confab with ye about that same young chap. I’ve b’en a-wantin’ to unburden my mind for some time, but this is the first chance I’ve had to say a word on the quiet.” “Well?” ‘‘ Now, pard, it strikes me there’s some- | thing mighty mysterious about this Handsome Charlie— ‘‘Humph! Seems to me you've been a long time fiinding that out,” interrupted the engi- neer with a quizzical smile. ‘‘ Why, l reached that conclusion long ago.” ‘‘In the first place,” went on his com- panion, regardless of the interruption, ‘‘ there was the curious way in which he skedaddled on the night of our arrival; an’ since we met the second time he has not volunteered a single word in explanation of his strange conduct on that occasion.” ‘‘Doubtless because no one has quisitive enough to ask him.” “Then, too, his present conduct is some- what suspicious, according to my way o’ thinkin’. He seldom speaks unless he’s spoken to, an’ if ye happen to look at him uncommon hard, he gets red in the face an’ fidgets about uneasily, like as if he’d b’en a- been in- stealin’ chickens, er somethin’, an’ was power-. — ful afraid o’ bein’ found out,” A strange smile hovered upon the face of the young engineer, as he listened to Rufe’s ‘Since you are inquisitive about our gallant young partner in misery, I think I can give you a little enlightenment,’ he said, with an air of confidence. ‘‘I, too, have been a close observer of the various things you mention, and I have reached a conclu- sion which in my mind is pretty near correct. I had intended to keep my suspicions to my- self; but, since you have opened the subject, | -which was adopted as the one most likely |» ‘to produce satisfactory results. ’ mu? 7; eas n this hour of emergency the fireman’s | fertile mind had reverted to their late ac- | he ‘quaintance, Big Hank Hawkins, the giant | ————s«eader of the Fortane City Law and Order ‘. av ie League, whose friendship had been thor- oO . ‘ I have no objection to telling you just what. I think of Handsome Charlie.’ | “Fire away, pard! I’m all ears, as the | donkey said,” a heaes 2 _‘*Rufe, do you recollect the handsome - girl we became acquainted with during our and ages ‘ As the Spider had assured them, there was little danger of discovery so long as they remained secure in their hidden retreat; and especially was it unlikely that the enemy would prosecute their search in the darkness / ~~ - : LV = a « oo . “r ‘-~ Cey¥ 55 ed" a! 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