Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 794 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

| / i Hroceeded to discuss the situation 1 certainly was one of unexpected fanger and difficulty. » Not until that day had they realized the exceeding peril of their undertaking. Here they were in the heart of Satan’s Camp, scarcely a stone’s throw from the gilded den of their arch-enemy, King Kirby, who pos. sessed the cipher that was the true clew to Gideon Goff’s millions; and yet, with the legacy so near, the prospect of securing it had never seemed so dim as at that moment; and even Headlight Harry, usually so sanguine, was inclined to Jook upon the enterprise asa ‘‘ Tom fool’s errand” of the most extravagant description. ‘*Wa-al, pard,” yawned Rufe Ruflle, after the situation had been discussed, ‘‘ there’s no use chinnin’ here all night, when we orter be suatchin’ a wink o’ sleep. Who knows but what a good night’s rest ’ll bring fresh ideas to our noddles in the morning? I for one kin sleep like a top, in-spite o’ them screech- in’ calamounts below,” ‘* Indeed, I should enjoy a short nap, my- self, Rufe,”’ returned Headlight Harry, ‘However, we cannot both indulge in that luxury at the same time, for we are sur- rounded by unscrupulous scoundrels, and there’s no telling what deviltry may be at- tempted. We must take turns at sleeping, ‘pard; so here goes a cent to decide who | shall stand the first watch.” The coin was tossed, and Rufe Ruffle ‘won. ‘*That’s luck!” he ejaculated. ‘I’m off to the land o’ Nod. Don’t fail to rouse me if anything suspicious turns up. Great jumpin’ bull frogs! This is a great kentry where a chap can’t enjoy a quiet snooze without havin’ a guard stand by his virtuous couch to keep off the red-handed assassin. I wish to goodness 1 was safe in my leetle bunk at home.”’ | With which expression he turned upon his side, and in a few moments was sleeping soundly, while his watchful comrade sat ie by and silently maintained a solitary vigil. For more than an hour Harry sat within the darkened room, idly listening to the drunken revelry below. Suddenly he was aroused by a sharp, cracking» sound in the direction of the window, It was as though a pebble or other small object had been tossed lightly against the pane. Noiselessly the engineer leaped to his feet, while, as he did so, the peculiar noise was repeated. To touch the shoulder of his sleep- ing comrade and whisper a word of caution in his ear was but the work of an instant. Rufe was immediately wide-awake and ready for any emergency. Together they waited breathlessly for a repetition of the sound. It speedily came, and with it these words, spoken in peculiar squeaky tones, were waftec distinctly to their ears: ‘*Hist! Are ye awake, up there? Tf so, show yer noddles at ther winder; I’ve got somethin’ mighty important to tell ye,” The Pards exchanged significant glances, ‘That's Spider,the hunchback,” whispered Rufe, positively, ‘Vd know that queer voice 0’ his anywhere.” ‘Then there’s sometbing in the wind. We must Jearn what it is!” declared Harry, as he started for the window, | ‘‘Look out there, pard—look out for treachery! Who knows but what that ugly leetle imp is ready to plump a bullet inter ye the minnit ye show yer head?” ‘‘T reckon there’s no cause for alarm on that score. A chap who is ridiculed and tor- mented by the whole camp can scarcely be dangerous to his only friend. On the con- trary I opine he is bere to serve us.” evertheless, Headlight Harry took the precaution to expose himself as little as pos- sible, as he cautiously raised the window and _ peered into the darkness without, The ' * a » Ks le a “ a re: - on © » aft a - . LJ Nt le At A Pls Oe ate. Aw." ¢ FR a: 5 tae SS Niels Smita ay Cie aie eRe a . . oy Fane! Sikes os ee ar SR oa tae ‘" _ ~ a fe ¥. ve ee - x ‘ )- Sn LS aia. - Ee a re <i e Headli eht Harry’s Hunt. squat, ungainly figure of the dwarf could be dimly seen, as he waited impatiently be- low, ‘‘Hist! Don’t make so much noise, I tell ye!” he admonished, as Llarry at length ap- peared. ‘‘ There’s them around as 'd riddle me with lead if they cotched me hyar, an’ 1 ha’n’t hankerin’ for no sich dose ter- night.” ‘* All right; I understand,” returned the engineer, in a cautious undertone, ‘‘ Who are you, anyhow, and whrat’s up?” ‘*’m the Spider, I:am; an’ I’ve come to warn you two galovts that the sooner ye puckachee from Satan’s Camp the better it’ll be for yer health.” ‘‘ We have already reached the same con- clusion, my friend,” returned Headlight Harry, grimly. ‘‘ But is there anything particular in the wind? Speak out, my man!” ‘‘Then listen! There’s a plot on foot to wipe ye out. The plan is to tackle ye hyar, to-night, for the gang .expects to find ye both sound asleep an’ rope ye in. without much trouble. Ye see, l overheard the ga- loots discussin’ the hull bizness, so I imme- jetly legged it over hyar to give ye the tip, for, durn me if I wanter see two inner- cent tenderfeet git roped in by that ornery ang. ‘We are greatly indebted to you for this kindness, Spider, and you shall be rewarded if we escape the toils of our enemies, Thanks to your timely warning, they shall find us up and dressed and ready to receive visitors. We'll give ’em a reception they little expected, I reckon.” ‘*Don’t be fools enuff to stay hyar an’ show fight!” admonished the hunchback, gravely. ‘‘Why, you'll. git chawed inter shoestrings in about three minnits if ye do,” “Oh, we’re not such innocent tenderfoots as we might be, Spider,” assured Harry, ‘*My pard and I have had scrimmages, he- fore this, and have always managed to come out on top. I suppose that precious ruffian, Tom the Teaser, is at the head of this game of murder?” ‘“Not by a durn sight, stranger. Black Jerry is the galoot w’ot’s engineerin’ the job; but I reckon the boss gambler, King Kirby, is really at the back o’ the hull bizness.” The Railroad Pards were startled at this announcement, The mere fact that Kirby was directing the movement was ample evi- dence that he was aware of their identity; and now fully they realized their peril. ‘* This is; indeed, alarming,” declared the engineer, ‘‘if it is true that the boss gam- bler is at the bottom of this mischief; so I reckon we’ve got a pretty hard row to hoe,” ‘Now ye’r’ talkin’, stranger. If ye fight King Kirby’s gang, then ye’ve got ter tackle the hull durn camp, Don’t think o’ showin’ fight, but take a fool’s advice an’ light out while ye have half a chance. Mebbe ye can’t escape, even now, for there’s no tellin’ how many spies are on the watch; but it’ll be a durn sight wiser to make the attempt than to stay here an’, git wiped out, sure pop. The dwarf, while speaking, had continued to glance uneasily from side to side, as if solicitous for his own safety and impatient to quit the spot. ‘‘ Now, strangers, I reckon I can’t help * any more at present. I’ve. give ye the straight tip, an’ the rest remains for ye to do. If ye’r’ sensible, yell make tracks without delay, for in less’n half an hour this place ‘ll be too hot to hold ye. I shall be prowlin’ round close at hand, however, an’ may have a chance to help ye out aleetle. In that case ye kin count on the Spider ev’ry time; but jest now I’m inclined to puckachee afore the bullets begin to fly. . So saying, the grotesque being flitted awa like a shadow, leaving the pards filled with consternation at the imminence of their danger. ba 4 CHAPTER V. THE CAPTURE. For some moments the luckless treasure- hunters stared at one another in questioning. What was tobe done? Rufe Ruffle was the first to break the painful silence. | ‘‘Great hoppin’ horn-toads! Pard, I reckon our goose is cooked this time, an’ no mistake,” he exclaimed. ‘‘The prospect is decidedly dubious, I must admit, but we must find some method of circumventing the scoundrels,” returned Headlight Harry, with a sorry attempt at decision. ' ‘‘ We've got to de some mighty tall hust- ling, then. Those chaps are liable to turn up at any minnit, an’ when they arrive, things are goin’ to be kinder unpleasant for two innercent leetle lambs about our size an’ complexion. Blast that King Kirby! How did he drop to our leetle game so soon?” “The fellow is a very fiend incarnate. Once in his power we need expect no mercy. Yes, Rufe; if we would escape the clutches of this devil’s adjutant we must rustle!” ‘‘ Well, pard, you’re furnishin’.the brains for this partnership, I reckon. What d’ye propose to do?” Cb husth ‘‘Only two alternatives, Rufe; to stay here and face the music, or get out of camp as quickly as possible.” ‘*It, would be suicidal, pard, to stay and fight. I reckon we'd better pick up our heels an’ puckachee, as our friend, the hum- py, calls it.” But Headlight Harry gravely shook his head, as he gazed intently through the open window out into the black, starless night. From the doors and windows of the neighbor- ing saloons bright rays of light illumined the inky blackness, revealing a number of shadowy forms that flitted lightly hither and thither, ever hovering near the building that sheltered the pards, ‘‘Do you see those fellows out there, Rufe? They are watching this house, or I’m very much mistaken. Pard, it would be useless for us to seek safety in flight, for I believe we are spied upon so closely that our escape would instantly be pening and we would both be shot down ere we ha gone a hundred yards,” “Holy tom-cats! That's a pretty how- d’ye do! W’ot the deuce are we goin’ to do? gasped the fireman. ‘‘ Remain where we are.” ‘‘An’ be cotched like rats in a trap—” ‘“Not much, if we can prevent it. Of course I'm not foc] enough to think of fight- ing King Kirby’s gang; but I mean to out- wit the scoundrels by stratagem,” “Out with it, pard,—out with it!” ex- claimed Rufe Ruflle, eagerly. ‘‘If you've got an idea, for the love of Christopher Columbus trot it out, an’.relieve a poor fellow from suspense,” | | ‘* Well, my scheme is to ascend to the roof, and remain there until the expected as- sault is made. Of course the gang will burst into this room, and, seeing the window wide open, will naturally conclude that we have escaped by that means, eluding their guards in the darkness. Then, I calculate there will be a grand rush to find our trail, while we will improve the opportunity to descend from our perch and make a break for the hills, with very good prospects of es- caping amid the general confusion.” Rufe Ruffle looked quizzically at the speaker. 7 “That’s a mighty slick plan,” he com. mented; ‘‘ but it strikes me you've overlook- ed the most important point.” ‘+ How’s that?” ‘‘ Why, you say this place is surrounded | by spies, 80 how the dickens d’ye expect to climb to the roof without bein’ diskivered?” Headlight Harry smiled, in no wise dis- concerted, as he answered: | ‘*I mean to reach the roof, unseen, from . . ° Ps the interior of this room: To be sure, there | - lad - - -_ Sy fe ie =. - a 4) > 7 a - » Se we! a aan] . cx »- ee te ——— 5 res 7 ~ ° * & — “ “_ te —