Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 916 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

~— _ = ; — =e a} . . - mg -* ‘ ‘ : ry ts he . - a? i ie ’ 4 iz - “a2, nee ee ote Oe ere ale are ~ . oe : z : “4 3 : Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Do eee ee ee ee ee Ce a tie, = 7 ?-,;t. "ae observer, unless close at hand, could have | the protection I am obliged to give you, discerned what had taken place. | sir.” a. Picking their prisoner up, half a dozen of | “*T am aware of it.’ ee the fellows carried him away down the| ‘‘ Suppose I release you, will you give me , darkened street, while the rest remained ; your word that you will remain here and not there, engaging in wrestling as a blind to, rush out into danger?’ fool witnesses. : ‘* Not by a good deal!” The six with the prisoner made haste. ‘* That settles it, then; men, take bim down Going a roundabout way, they were, ere ; below and secure him till the mayor gends long. on the premises of the Prince Mine. | further instructions.” Here was a huge building that had former-! ‘* And makesure that lam well secured, ly been used a miners’ boarding house, and | too,” cried Dick fiercely. ‘* There will be a into one of the rooms of this building the | squaring of accounts when I get on deck prisoner was carried. | again, and don’t you forget it, my friend.” There was Tramwell, and some of his Dick was tempted to accuse the man of followers. | murder, but he did not dare risk his life so “Hello! what bave you there?” he de- | far, just then. manded. Tramwell laughed, and the prisoner was ‘A prisoner,” answered Bullwhack. taken up and carried out of the room and ‘So 1 see; but, what are you going todo | down a flight of rickety stairs to a damp, with him?” | dismal hole beneath, where he was secured ‘“ Keep him.” | to a stout post. ‘Yes, but why have you brought him! And there he was left, his captors taunting here?” him as they withdrew with the light, lock. 5 “Yer see, ther mob is bound ter hang him, | ing him dywn when they closed the door. 7% we have brought him here ter save his ife.” ‘Oh, well, if that is the case we will take care of him, of course. I will do all in my power to protect him, in spite of the I have nothing CHAPTER XVI. danger I run in doing so A STREAK OF PURE’ LUCK, against him.” DEADWOOD Dick was decidedly out of the Dick understood all this by-play, of | race for the time being, course. It was the forituve of war, and he must ‘*Whar shall we put bim?” asked Bull-| grin and bear it. It was not the first time \ whack. by many that he had been overcome. ‘‘ Well, they have got me here, that isa fact,” he said to himself. ‘*‘And, by the looks of things they mean to keep me, too. I wanted to visit the Prince, but not in just this manner.” They had not disarmed him; probably bad not thought of it. Or, leaving him so securely bound, had not thought it necessary, it might be. reason. Dick tugged at his bonds, but there was no getting loose, His captors had made sure of one thing, and that was that he should not get out of their hands till they were ready to let him ‘Take that gag from his mouth, so he can speak,” was the order. : It was done, ‘*You heard what was said?’ Tramwell asked. ‘** Certainly,” returned Dick. ‘And you can understand that I am run- ning some risk by thus befriending you, of course.” ‘‘T am well aware that you are, sir, and a mighty big risk at that,” was the grim re- , joinder. ‘‘It isa risk you are not asked to assume,” ‘* But, these nien want me to take care of you.” | ** And I don’t want you to.” “If you are freed you will persist in fac- ing the danger?” ‘* Most assuredly.” “‘ And at the risk of your valuable life. I must comply with the request of these good citizens and hold you for the rest of the night, anyhow,” “Say,” demanded Dick, ‘‘how far can you see into a pine board, my good friend?” ‘“What do you mean?” ‘‘T mean to say that Ican see just as far, This whole thing is so plain that it is , a disgrace to you to carry on the deception further.” ‘* Would you hint that I have ordered your 1. capture?” |. ‘Yes, of course!” | Tramwell leaped to his feet. ‘* Release him. men, and at once!” he cried. ‘Let them hang him if they want to; 1 But, the first was probably the £0. Te had been gagged again, and his hands and feet were securely tied, Lesides which he was doubly secured to the post, which was one of the supports of the building. lt did not take Dick long to discover that escape was out of the question. He must wait and trust to fortune. There was nothing but the bare floor be. tween him and the room above, and in some places the light came through the cracks and holes, Of course, there was not enongh light to make things visible in the dismal hole, but the cracks served to render plain the voice of the men in the room, and Dick could hear what was said. At first, when they had returned to the room, their talk was about him, and whether or not he had been left secure. Finally it took another turn. ie wash my hands of him!” ‘Ts everything ready fer ther ’tack?” he | But, et’s by ther mayor's orders that we | hcard Bullion Bullwhack ask. me hev brought him hyer,” protested Bullion ‘‘ Everything will be ready by daylight,” 1c. Me Bullwhack. ‘‘He said he must be tooken | answered Tramwell, ‘and then is when we Be keer of at any cost, an’ ther jail was no safe | will go for them.’ 2 place.” cles ‘And what is yer plan?” %. i There was a button missing somewhere in ‘* We will divide into two parties, and one a their scheme. will make a rush to the right and the other | This was the part the Bullwhack should | to the left.” Rab (Eh have played at first, for then it would have ‘“ What's that fer?” pe ¢y stood more to reason, ‘Tt will force the defenders to divide their ke” ee Dick smiled. number and rush to two points of defense at ss * *Tt is all as weak, as watered milk,” he | once, and then we sball have them where we | said. “‘ Whatever you are going to do, do it | want them.” and have it done with.” ‘‘ But, we'll be divided too, won’t we?” ‘We are two to their one.” ‘Yes, that’s so, but—” “ Wait till you hear all. When we have got them divided, we will make a sudden pies S. _ **] have no choice in the matter if the fs apne eure orders it,” growled Tramwell. OO ge | “* No, I suppose not..” | And you can thank him and not me for aaa Ll lL LLL LAA, LLL able Decker’ ~~ a en ee ae ee rush for the center of that fence, all together, and carry it away and bein possession be- fore they can tell what has happened.” ‘ Hooray!” | ‘Bully fer you, Tramwell And the fellows shouted over the plan as explained. ‘Nor is that all,” added the chief villain of the lot. ‘‘ We will then have their force divided, and will be right between the two halves. They wont dare to shoot a gun at us.” This called forth more cheering, and one of the fellows proposed a drink on the suc- cess of the thing. Deadwood Dick saw that it was a good scheme, and one that might be carried out as planned, unless the men of the Royal could be warned. Gradually the talking overhead ceased, as one after another left the room, till at last it seered that all must bave gone out, or else those remaining were asleep. Numerous times Dick fad tried his bonds, but in Vain. He had known at first that it would be impossible for him to get loose without aid, but still he tried. While he was trying hard to think of some plan by which he could draw attention, in order to get a chance to fight his way out, if he could but get the use of his limbs for a moment, somebody touched him. For some moments he had been standing perfectly still, end the person who had touched him seemed to be groping around in the dark. Dick had heard some slight sounds, but thought the rats had made them. The person drew back, snstantly. Dick caught the sound of a quick, hard breath, as if of fear, and he wished himself free of the gag that he might speak. There was not a sound, for some moments, and at length Dick gave vent to a low moan, as ifin pain, and listened. He was sure he heard breathing close to him, and bis ears were keen to catch the slight sound. He repeated the noise. Immediately he heard the softest possible footstep, receding from him, and he knew not what to make of it. Whoever the person was, it seemed that he was frightening him, or her, away from him, and it was possible that this very person might prove a friend, if he could but gain attention, He repeated the sound he had made seve- ral times in succession, and down in his throat tried to articulate—‘* Help me!” This last he repeated. Presently a faint, frightened whisper was heard saying: ‘* Mister?” Dick repeated the effort at framing the two words. ‘* Mister?” ,”? This time it was nearer, and Dick recog-° nized that it was in a rather weak, childish voice. All Dick could do was to repeat again what hetried to frame, and this time it seem- ed to him asif the words must be uuderstood aright. ) The next moment a hand touched him again. Dick stood still, and it felt around his per- son till it cameto his hands, tied behind him and to the post, when the little voice exclaimed: ‘* You a prisoner, too!” ‘* Yes,” Dick tried to say. Like a flash it had came to him that this might be Blondow’s missing ei The little hands feit upward till they came to his face, when immediately the fingers tried to unfasten the ga It was not easy to Av the knot, but pres- ently it was done. “Thank God!” were Dick’s first words ‘* Who are you?” asked the boy. — . a _ * jf . Me! - >. . ot = ‘ . ——- & es : — . a “Se >" a ee a < i a oy. OW ims pews ee * . » , , a eee ‘ ° - : - a a i, . o «” “4 . P