Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 8 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

ons <- ~ 8 Beadle’s Half-Dime Library. son, their pursuit was continued at an early hour, so the savages could have had but a few hours’ start at the most, With Ina they could not proceed very rapidly, and our friends were sanguine of overtaking them ere the day closed. The only apprehension the pursuers felt, was that the three savages, om, conscious now that their enemies were upon their trail, might hasten to re- join the main body, and thus cut off all hope. They could not be many miles apart, and must have made some preparation for this contingency. The trail to the hunter's eye was distinct and easily followed. He took the lead, striding rapidly for- ward, while Haverland and Graham were continually on the look-out for danger. Haverland was some- what fearful that the savages, finding they could not avoid being overtaken, would halt and form an ambush into which the hunter would blindly lead them. The latter, however, although he appeared culpably rash and heedless, understood Indian tac- tics better; he knew no halt would be made until the may were compelled to do so. t.. !—see here!” exclaimed Haldidge, suddenly pausing. ‘What's the trouble?” queried Graham, stepping hastily forward with Haverland. “ Their camping-ground; that is all.” Before them were more visible signs of the trail than they had yet witnessed. A heap of ashes was upon the ground; and as Haverland kicked them apart, he discovered the embers still red and glow- ing. Sticks were broken and scattered around, and “ the varied evidences of an Indian camp were to S0cen, again, the hunter taking the lead as before. The ursuit was kept up without halting until near noon. Jonscious that they were rapidly gaining upon the fugitives, it was necessary to proceed with the ex- tremest caution. The breaking of a twig, the fall- ing of a leaf, startled and arrested their steps, and not a word was exchanged except in the most care- ful whisper. Haldidge was some dozen yards in ad- vance, and the eyes of his companions were upon him, when they saw him sudden y Nag and raise his hand as a signal for them to halt. They did so, and stooping downward, he commenced examining the leaves before him. A moment sufficed. He turned and motioned his two companions forward. ** Just as I feared,’’ he moodily exclaimed, in a half eho ” t’s the matter?” asked Haverland, anxiously. “ The two trails join here,”’ he answered. ** Are you not mistaken?” asked Haverland, know- ing that he was not, and yet catching at the faintest hope held out to him. ** No, sir; there’s no mistake. Instead of three In- dians, we've got over forty to follow up now.” ‘Shall we do it?”’ **Shall we do it? Of course we shall; it’s the only chance of ever getting a sight of Ina again.”’ **T know it, and yet the hope is so faint; they must know we are in pursuit, and what can we do against ten times our number?’ ‘No telling yet; come, strike ahead again.” With these words, the hunter turned and some gf deeper into the forest. Graham and Haverland si- lently followed, and in a few minutes the three were —— Sr . $$ This was unaccountable even to the hunter, and for a few moments our friends stood perfectly non- plused. They had not looked for this, and knew not the slightest reason for it. “This beats all creation!” remarked Haldidge, as he again examined the trail. ‘**Depend upon it, there is something meant in this,”’ observed Haverland, with an air of deep con- cern. “It is some stratagem of the imps which we must understand before going further.” “They must entertain different ideas of us from what we thought. You may safely believe that this is some plan to mislead us, and if there is ever a time when our wits shall be demanded it has now come,” During this fragmentary conversation, the hunter was minutely examining the trail. Graham and Haverland watched him a few seconds in silence, when the latter asked: ‘**Do you make anything of it?” ‘“* Nothing more. e trail divides here; the main body proceeds onward in a direct line, while the minor trail leads off to the west. The division must have been very unequal, for as near as I can judge the smaller party does not number over three or four at the most. No efforts have been made to conceal their traces, and there is either a deep-laid scheme afloat, or they don’t care a fig for us.’ ‘Very probably both,”’ remarked Graham. “‘ They care enough for us to take good care to remain out of our reach, when they do not advantages over us, and have already shown their skill in not laying but in executing schemes,”’ GRAHAM WAS STOOPING BESIDE A FLAT STONE, ENDEAVORING TO DECIPHER SOME CHARACTERS UPON IT,—Page 9. ‘How long ago was this place vacated?” asked Graham. ‘** Not three hours.”’ ** We must be close upon them.” **Rather, yes.” “Let us hasten forward, then.” *“You see by these coals that they didn’t start un- til daylight, and as that gal of yourn, Haverland, can’t travel very fast, of course they've had to take their time.”’ ‘“. six f true; although disappointment has attend- ed us thus far, I begin to feel a little of my natural hope return. I trust that this opportunity will not escape us.”’ “Ah! more signs yet,’’ exclaimed Graham, who had been e the ground for several yards around, ‘What now?’ “That's a ™ of her dress, is it not?” And he held up a small, fluttering rag in his hands. The father eagerly took it, and examined it. ‘‘ Yes; that is Ina’s; I hope no violence has placed it in our hands,” and several involuntary tears cours- od down his cheek at the illusion, ‘I’m thinking she left it there on purpose to guide us,’’ remarked Graham. ‘She must have seen us, of course, and has done all she could to guide us.”’ ‘Very probable; but it strikes me rather forcibly that we are gaining nothing in particular by remain- ing here, Remember, the savages are going all the me. Thus admonished, the three set rapidly forward roceeding as carefully and silently asbefore through he dense wood. As yet our friends had partaken of nothing, and began to experience the pangs of hunger; but, of course, in the present instance, these were d - ed. Somewhere near the middle of the afternoon they came upon another spot were the savages . Here, if Haverland and Graham had any lingering doubts of what the hunter had said, they were soon removed. It was plain that a large Indian paey had halted upon this spot but a few hours be- ore, and it was equally evident that they had taken no pains to conceal the traces they had made. If they had any suspicions of pursuit, they had no ap- prehensions of the consequences, as they were well aware of the disparity between the two forces, and scorned the whites. This was gratifying on the other hand to the hunt- er. He knew well enough that as matters stood at present, he could hope for not except through his own cunning and stratagem; and, for this reason it was very probable that the Indians were satisfied no attempt would be made, They did not take into con- sideration that there was an nang in their camp. Considerable remains of the meal were discovered, and served to satisfy the wants of our friends for the present, The early time in the afternoon showed them that thus far they had gained quite rapidly upon the savages. It was the earnest wish of the three that they should come up to the Indian party by nightfall; but this expectation was doomed to a sudden disappointment; for in a few hours they reached a point where the trail divided again. ‘If we could only give that Seth Jones an inklin of our whereabouts and intentions, I should fee pret ee ee ain,’ said Haverland. ely if that Jones could give us an inkling uts and experiences, you would lose a little of that expectation,” rejoined the hunter, with a meaning emphasis. ‘But this is a waste of time and words,” said Gra- ham; “‘let us an heads together and decide at once what is to be done. As for me, I’m in favor of following the smaller it “What give you that idea?” asked Haverland. “I confess I cannot give much reason for the no- tion, but somehow or other it has struck me that Ina is with the smaller party.” ‘*Hardly probable,’ returned Haverland. “It don’t seem so, I allow,’ remarked the hunter, Ps _ Ty enough the same notion has got into m 1ead, ‘Of course you can then give some reason.” **T can give what wf Am to have a show of reason tome. I have been doing a big amount of thinking for the last few minutes, and have almost reached a conclusion. I believe that the gal is with the smaller party, and itis the wish of the savages that we shall ollow the main body. We will thus be drawn into ambush, and all further trouble from us would be lice bable that th ‘It seems hardly pro e the savages would run such a risk of losing their captive nt there is no occasion for it,’’ remarked Haverland, ‘it don’t seem probable, but it ain’t the first thing they've done (providing of course they’ve done it), ©)(0)) CONMINCE ‘S (EO)