Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 900 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

eo a ree. ei ee oe _—— -_ 3 ¢ * _ " " _* = — C rc ~ es « ae og ~ ~ “ _— . -~ es ; A - F _ + te “a > me _Fi-o®* > s ° ~ > - a apt *. o ? Foun ~~ = > ? : so - . S _ fl . on “f} : would I be to ye? —* A MT for there is no time to spare. Which is the ‘best way for me to go with the brat soon’s | get her?” ** ] would say to cut right back across this field to the rear fence, and then up that back street to the lane and so on out to the woods, - where I know of a wood-road that leads to a old cabin.” ‘* Good enough. dark?” ‘* Yes, easy enough,” ** All yight then, that’s the plan.” * But, I don’t want to be near that ,lion when ye let him out.’ : ‘* Don’t see how it can be helped.” ‘‘ Can't I wait by the fence till ye come?” “ You would wait till we had gone, and that would be the last we'd see of you, ‘* No, I swear—” ‘ Don't swear, for your oath is no better than your word.. We won’t trust you, and that’s all there is of it.” + But, I'll be scart out o’ my wits, and won't be worth a cent, I know. My legs will Le so weak I couldn’t run, an’ what good Let me wait right by the Can you find it in the fence.” ‘* Pll tell you what,” “What is it?” ‘‘ We'll gag him and tie him to a post of the fence. ou can cut him loose in a quar- ter of a minute, when you come.’ ; ‘The very idea! That’s the way we'll fix said Mulvern, it, old man, and there’s no use of your object- ing to the plan, for we'll carry it outs, Come right along now, and we’ll fix you olit,” Old Wit objected strongly, but that was all the good it did him. He was taken to the fence, and there secur- ed toa post by his hands tied behind his back and a gag was putin hismouth. There ‘he was left, and the two villains hastened ‘back to carry out their plans, CHAPTER XIV. A MOMENT OF EXTREME PERIL. | In the mean time Jumping-Jack had been ‘trying, at intervals, to free his hands, but, as” said before, the task was hopeless, He had discovered, however, ag stated, that the box he was in did not rest in a per- fectly solid manner upon the others, but it was some time before he saw how he was to ‘use the circumstance to his advantage, Finally it came to him. ‘What a ninny I am,” he muttered, ‘ not to think of that before! Reckon I'll be a mummy, if 1 keep on sweatin’ this way. Wonder if I can’t shake this box enough to: upset it, and take the chances of a fall in it? Seein’ that it’s cracked, 1t may split open an’ Jet me out,” The performance in the big tent had now | been on for some time. No sooner thought of than the boy set about putting the thought into practice as best he could, There was room and to spare in the big box, but Jumping-Jack was so wrapped up that he had but little use of himself. He could not move arms or legs, but the idea came to him to try to roll. . He tried it. ‘The box rocked but it did not fall, As this was Jack’s only hope, however, he kept it up at intervals, hoping that it might “possibly draw attention to the box. ‘This seemed more likely than that he -would cause it to fall, for, should any one pass near when the box was rocking, that ‘person ‘would certainly want to investigate | ‘the strange phenomenon. OR dps ates however, taught the boy a les. | kas found that by’. starting the box in. Jumping-Jack’s Jubilee. after a spell of rest, resolved to keep it up till something happened, ef he could pos- sibly hold out, and so he did, too, to his satisfaction. More and more the box toppled, and finally it overbalanced and down it went with a bang and a crash. ‘‘Here we go, anyhow,” thought Jack, when he felt it going. ‘‘ It is life or death, this act, I guess. But, I can’t get hurt much, the way I’m wrapped up.” This was true. The box struck the ground on one corner, and it was split from end to end. It dropped to its side immediately, which |! had the effect to split it yet more, and it | when she should come out. dropped open wide and Jack rolled out. ‘¢Thunderation!” So cried one of the showmen, who ran along just at that moment. The box had come near to striking him, | ‘and he looked to see who had been so care- | less in handling the property. He saw no one, and this caused him to stop to investigate what it was that had | rolled out of the broken box, and as he stoop- ed Jumping Jack gave forth a groan that caused him another exclamation, ! The showman felt with his foot. ‘‘ Who are ye?” he demanded, Another moan, The man now stooped and felt with his hands, carefully, for it was in too dark a spot for him to see well. Finding that it was a boy, and that he was bound and gagged, the man thought immediately of the missing Jumping-Jack, and rightly guessed that he had found the little fellow. It took him but a moment to unwind the rugs and other wrappings and to free his moutb. ‘¢ Whew! that wag a roaster!’’ cried Jack. ‘Are you the boy called Jumpin’-Jack?” asked the man. ‘Yes, I’m that same misguided youth,”’ answered Jack, drollingly. ‘* And how came ye here?” ~ ‘* Fell into the hands of the enemy,” the response. ‘Well, the boss is lookin’ fer you, and is worried, so you had better show yourself soon’s ve can,” “All right, you just free my hands and feet for si and I'll be off to find him in about two twitches of a wink, more or !ess. I have had | a good rest, now, and feel like getting on,’ The man tained while he set the boy free, and when he had done Jack leaped lightly upon his feet. Just at that moment came a cry of alarm from the direction of the menagerie. It was repeated; then came a Wwoman’s scream, and followed immediately other cries | and screams of greatest terror. ‘* What the deuce is up?” cried the man who had freed Jack, | to find out is to go and | x Quickest way umping- Jack, and he was see,” answered off like a shot. The reader has guessed whit the trouble was. | The big lion, called Samson, was out of | his cage, and terror was struck to every | heart. It was the work of Tom Hunter! On their return to the grounds, after se- | curing Ole Wit, they had set about carrying | voice, the same instant. Be ) that fellow, or the woman will be killed so out their diabolical design. ; Hunter knew the programme of the per- formance well, and eould tell just when each | member of the company would be on and doing his “i her part, and he timed his action | accordingly. ey made their way into the menagerie, and watched their opportunity, . where he could command a full view of the scene, Hunter having unlocked the door of the cage, darted under it to the other side, with a pole in his hand. That pole he pushed into the cage, and placed its end against the opposite door, When he was ready, a push with the pole would open the door. They waited, then, for the right moment. Presently out from the arena dashed Mlle. Lucie, and it was then the turn of Baby Bess to do her act Mrs. Bruce dismounted and surrendered her horse, and waited to be near her child She was clad in a habit, the act she had just performed de- Basen ir that kind of dress. The music told how the act was progres- sing, broken now and then when the clown had something to say, and finally the act ended, Hunter had been waiting for this. Mrs. Bruce was standing only a little dis- tance from the cage of Samson. This seemed to suit the inhuman wretch all the better, and shoving open the door he gave the lion a prod, There was instantly a terrific growl, and turning and seeing the door of the cage wide open, the horrified woman gave voice toa wild scream. Hunter had dropped his pole at once, and running behind the cages, came out at the exit just in time to intercept the horse of Baby Bess when it came out, and he caught the bridle. He ran with the animal across the space of the tent, and out, while every eye present was fixed upon Mile. Lucie and the lion. Oaly a brief moment had elapsed, yet the scene had changed. The growl and the woman’s scream had caused every eye to turn in that direction, Another scream followed, with cries from others, and with a growl again the lion leaped from its cage, striking the woman to the ground as it did so, and now it stood over her, Cries and screams of horror were heard on every hand. Other performers and employees ran in ny every direction, and in from the ring, uickly as possible, came the clown and Saneen natae . About the time of their appearance, Jump- ing-Jack rolled in under the tent, to find out what it was all about, and he discovered that he had come in at a point where a man was standing on a wheel of one of the cages. He did not see Jack, and it had been im- | possible to hear him, in all the uproar, and he was looking through the bars of the cage, with a pistol in his hand. Jack stupped right where he was, with an eye upon this man. | But, to return to Mile. Lucie. She was lying on her back, and the font had its left fore paw clutched in her riding | habit near her hip, while he glared at those in front of him, For 1 second every man had stopped and recoiled, thrilled with horror and almost _ paraly zed, butlit was only for a moment, when the clown and the ringmaster made a ‘¢ ie leap forward together. ‘* Back, for your lives!” ‘* Let me attend to cried another before your eyes!” _ CHAPTER XV..- : EXCITEMENT THE WILDEST, — _ THE new-comer was a man of stern face and keen eyes. oe He had a heavy mustache, wore a square lt came, and they seized it. coat and derby hat, and in his right hand he a deat a | Hunter unlocked the door of the lion’s |’carried a heavy whip. | yy ate | cage, and Mulvern placed hifnself where he | The tip of this whi was set with sharp | was in ei degree out “ aan and sTORR steel. anUre Resdury it f, the paual ee nae a ‘4 a i i A > motion, and keeping that motion regular, the | it pe “gpl more i ob more at each a rut 5 Pe j ‘ \ WY aj : . « ’ I +t cee > @ it wy a , 1 ‘ry ate, Te i % A ha hae bes 1s GA ome ‘ nk a nee ass 3 ii ee ae Ae os weir ak we recs) iy ‘eu , nee vob ae } fe "i Was an aby a ft sinless iehook < ala Nes Pre aT ecm pte ei) Pars OR ile wr 4 cS yates cai bP AB P< a Ute * a