Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 858 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

*. “~g- ade | ae my 5.4 . 5) , ‘They used less caution, now, and ascended the steps without trying to be silent about it. This was a mistake, as they soon learned, though it might not have made any difference anyhow, \ When they pushed the trap open they found themselves in a building of some kind, or rather, in the cellar beneath a building. Clavering, who was the last man through the trap, allowed the door to drop back to its place with considerable noise, and the next moment a door at the head of the cellar steps was opened. “What's the matter?’ a voice demanded. What ye comin’ back for?” We forgot something,” Dick promptly answered, changing his voice. ‘‘ Wait a minute there.” **Hold that parrot’s nozzle, Pete,” he im- “mediately whispered to Pete. ‘‘ We must fool this fellow, or we may get locked down here and not get out, after all. I'll go up and take care of him. You be ready to come to my assistance.” $0 saying, Dick sprung up the steps on a yun, having put down his candle. CHAPTER IX, PRETTY LIVELY SKIRMISH. DEADWoOop Dick hoped to reach the top of the stairs before the man looked to see who it was, but in this he did not succeed. He was near the top when the man looked _ down at him, and the fellow seeing he wasa man without a mask, and that he wasa stranger, uttered an exclamation and made the attempt to shut the door. | A fraction of a second sooner and he "| would have succeeded. but, with a leap, Dick Bristol was at the top and bad thrust his foot out so that the door caught it and - could not be closed, ~ **Curse ye!” cried the fellow on the ‘other side, ‘‘T'll fix ye, fer I know ye ain’t one of us!” With that he thrust the tube of a revolver in the crack and fired. Dick had heard the click of the weapon as , the man cocked it, and knowing what was eoming, had thrown himself to one side and _ the bullet passed him harmlessly. ‘Fle saw the chance fora trick, and seized: al it. - With a groan he fell to the landing heav- ily, but in such a position that he could - spring like a tiger. “a - “T thought I could do et!” the man cried, arid he flung open the door, unprepared for what was to follow, and the instant the door } ‘opened Dick was at his throat. _ _ The fellow tried to fire again, but, Dick ~ pore him down, and seizing the hand the t weapon was in, held it with the strength of 1 a young giant, ioe Meantime Pete and Clavering had made a rush up the steps, and they were immedi- - ately on hand to render aid to their younger comrade in tribulations, and the guardsman was speedily overcome, * Sock et to em!” yelled Poll Parrot, perch- ed on Pete’s shoulder throughout the brief ‘Sock et to ’em! Give ’em , . vf . serimmage. fits!” tee fie Fe ~~ “What d’'ye mean, ye varmints, by tryin’ _ tershoot my pard?” demanded Pete of ‘the | prisoner, ‘Fer jesta pin Pd cut your ear | from throat to throat, by hornets I would!” _ . He had jerked the man’s knife out of: his belt, and held its keen edge right against the - féllow’s windpipe. a | “Carve himy’ screamed Poll, now greatly excited. | | _ Do parrots reason? It can be well argued | watz but, they do have a way Of associating eir parrot talk with appropriate circum-_ hees. The bird had no doubt at some time | 6) ee i } or other heard the same words spoken under | _ Me or similar conditions. etter “Pye a notion to, Polly, true as ye live, | grated Pete, in a terrifying manner. | _ “Bon't! Don’t do et!” the fellow gasped. : , f a a, é re ~~ | a et “<4 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Death-Hole Hustle. — ‘Let up an’ I’ll show ye ther way out of here, if ye will let me git away afterward,” The fellow had no mask on, having no use for it there, where he had expected to see none but the band of which he was one, and he wasa man whom Dick had seen in the saloon, ‘Tll tell you what we'll do,” Dick pro- posed. ‘What's that? I'll do anything fair.” “You'll do just what we say, if it comes to that; but, we are disposed to be easy with ‘‘ Well, what is et?” Having bound and disarmed him, they also allowed him to get up on his feet, now. ‘‘We want to know the secrets of this place.” ‘* Ye can’t get ’em out o’ me.” ‘Why not?” ‘**T’m sworn not ter tell ’em,” i ‘* But, it will be the best thing you can 0.” ‘‘Et would be the zorst thing. Et will mean death ter me ef I blow out,” ‘* An’ by hornets et may mean death to ye ef ye don't!” cried Pete Parrot, with a flourish of the knife he still held in hand. ‘“*]’ll take my chances on not tellin’, fer I know what et means ef I give the boys away.” ‘* What w777 it mean?” asked Dick. ‘‘Death, as I told ye.” . Dick had hoped to betray him into letting out something that would be useful in the line of information, It was plain this fellow had not been one of those who had cast Clavering into the shaft, or he would have shown surprise at seeing him alive and well. ** Well, keep then,” Dick sai ‘We can get along with- out it, for we hold the winning hand in the game now, thatissure. We have got your pards in a trap like so many rats.” He watched the man closely to see how he would take this. The fellow smiled in a mysterious fashion, This gave Dick the idea that maybe there was another way of escape out of the place, and that it would not be a bad idea for him- self and pards to be getting out while there might yet be the chance, ‘* You said you would show us out of here, if we would spare you and let you go,” he now reminded the prisoner. ‘*T hev changed my mind, though. Git out ther best way ye can,” ‘* And take you with us?” . ‘lll bea load on yer hands, ef ye do, that’s all.” ‘* We'll take chances of that, anyhow. I guess you'll be able to walk, my friend.” They had not been idle, so far as lookin around their prison was concerned, an knew they were now in the rear part of some building that appeared to be a.store or ware- house, There were windows, and a door opened in the rear. Barely had this door been opened, however, whenin upon him sprung a couple of men, weapons in hand, and the foremost out: ‘Hands up! or we'll bore you!” ey “Up they are!” Dick answered, and he promptly obeyed, seeing that they meant gr aes He ew not who these fellows were, but took them to be members of the same | masked band. _At the same time that he put up his hands, ‘Up went his right foot also, with force, and it took the fellow fairly sent him backward ness, | | The man behind him fired at the same mo- moment, and Pete Parrot gave a cry and threw up his hands, falling to the floor. ‘Sock et to ’em!” yell “‘Give’em glory!” | under the chin and with startling sudden- . + . { . . : - : ‘ . pr aes hoe ' . . nha 3 - 5 ae vat os 4 , . . : % Les > ' : ; : ; ' 44 ia ; Hy ’ ’ : «>! d - owt So 2 , “4 . ; ™ ihe ; We da fr ae e J ¢ * ™ : : . >” s 5 : 7 - : 2] ; a. me : ,? r ha 7 Pee: AY . ~_ ot % a ‘ : 5 : : ; J) eA * i a yp fn : a . : . ‘ ee " ; x ‘, "> y . 4 ve ot ma ‘ 1 mnie - J ; ‘ ‘ > , a +" 3 ; - ~~ 9 *. : a Ai } ~ t% if : wo ie Vo ees “i : : : , r - et acP : ay : Age Mave pe eee ry ae mnnh it AEP, Gh GS * | iz eee br eho tee ely AS abi : -P . i. ; * P; b) sa 5 iA ” 7 a ‘ ae “i) , : , hf, ‘ ; s*4 . . Va i ’ 1 ~ . ; 2 d o . Ae _ i ‘ . —— ae 4 : - if 4 : ; M , ° oo : As ‘ . — ty ej : 7 hee rs qty ‘\ ¢°¥; “ 2 te ie a ah . oy ‘ , ; a ¥ 43 y Da ’ ' ~ ~. 3 ot m* : ces i . 3 ie oe © ~- ond d : Se e%' ee” Pa > ny my ies ; ; 5 whe oh oP te ery aD, an : ‘ed hs Webs y as koe x we Re 3 AS + rae), Daarer’ : . Xj & kK “ : a: 5 : - is ie ‘ . 1% ? “ Tae" | - ‘ we. va < le 4, Tak . av ] A Lgl Tm ” >") > ‘ 4 ' wi 4} - ! fe ¥y ys, - : ¥, “ey ¥ — ¥ iy te “a : Tey < nm V y . 4 he A, iy ea maa ee <a : ry “ayy ey ey Ge” eg i uylj ii4 Fea hybe coPe . her at ~ @ | ar | | \" ee * | Oy Q ¢ COTA O12) an aE BO aime dS ee. —aSeUOTCUVUONS. COT bid information to yourself, cried ed Poll Parrot. ‘= > ae : / “ 9 > ™ ¢ : rs ae SG ir ah B3 c g,¢ - af rm «ye e f ba | *" # * ” . A hes “~* ° ok i : a . ; q "it at) ‘ ; ne ; : r > ° ; ~ we - ’ 4 — e's le Ad t ‘ ‘ “% he ate VINE , “ The second man was just on the point of — raising his arm to fire at Clavering, whem with a screech Poll flew in his face and made it so decidedly interesting for him that he dropped his weapon to defend himself from that vicious attack, In a second Deadwood Dick had him by the throat, with a revolver—the one, or one: of the pair, taken from the prisoner—at his. nose. “Surrender!” he cried. ‘‘Up with your — hands, or J’ll lift your roof for you, you cut-throat!” ‘Sock ’et to’em!” screamed Poll. She flew at the man’s eyes again, but Dick now ordered the bird to stop. Gd To his surprise she obeyed the order as: if a human, and took her place on _ his: shoulder. And she looked around for Pete. ‘‘Poor Pete! Poor Pete!” the bird broke: out. ‘Pete sick!” Meanwile the other man, the one Dici had kicked under the chin, had got upor a feet, but Clavering stood ready for im. | Clavering had caught up the weapon that had been knocked out of his grasp, and thrusting it in his face forced him to put up his hands in the same manner as his partner’ had his. | | Pete was motionless, evidently dead. | A pool of blood had gathered around his: head where he lay on the floor. ) No attention could be given to him, how- ever, until these men had been overcome and secured, Dick lost no time in attending to his part of that work. He made the man he cover- ed face the other way, warning him he would shoot if he tried to run, and in that. position disarmed him, — Seizing him, from behind, he quickly bound his arms, | rhe a It was but a small task, then, for him: : and Clavering together to bind the other. ‘‘Ts your friend dead?” Clavering asked. ‘¢ T fear he is,” Dick answered, sadly. He knelt beside him. | It took but a glance to show that Pete had been struck in the head, but on feeling, Dick was glad to discover that he had been only ‘“‘ creased ” by the bullet. There was a mark along the side of his: head, just above the ear, but the bone was -not broken. : **T guess he’s only stunned, after all,” he gladly reported. ‘‘He will come-to present- ly, I hope. Is there any water handy,. prisoner?” ‘« Find et,” was the surly response. ¥ ‘“Pll find you,” Dick cried, giving the fellow a kick where he deserved it. ‘‘ There will be a settling of accounts by and by.” “You are right; there will,” i Dick looked around to find what he want~ edi, but it was not to be discovered, so he had to give it up. Mw | Finding a rag, he wiped some of the blood from Pete’s head, and another and closer (Ona examination proved ‘that his first inference imees had been right, regarding the nature of the wound, ee While he was so engaged, Pete opened his CY OR ; ‘What is ct, Mosey?” he asked, “Tt came near being all day, or all night, with you,” was the answer, | : Pete put his hand to his head, and drawing it away, looked atit, and then the recol.ection, Me of it all flashed upon him, he He leaped to his feet like a youth of six- ee teen, but staggered, and only that Dick aught him he would have fallen, for his) gee head was weak and the hurt might be worse 46 than he thought. _ hee! Just then a great racket was heard some- =~ where beneath, and loud and angry voices. D reached them. Ea Hal re Pee: The next moment came the tramp on the stairs leading from the cellar, 8 Deadwood Dick looked to the door, an@ a a ‘ it wh Ot ' of feet: 50) We Bat Pind Tae