Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 93 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

12 ance sprung forward, and leading him quite forcibly a few steps, pointed earnestly in the direction whence he came. “You understand that?’ said Gaylor, speak- ing for the first time. “ It’s no use; ’m much obliged to you for your good will, but these dogs don’t like me, and you’re only fooling away your time to bother with ’em.” Edwin’s heart was overflowing and, unable to speak, he broke into a rapid run, and speed- ily reached the spot where the trembling Jim was awaiting him. ‘“T couldn’t do anything, Jim,” he faltered. ‘“Sorry—cause dey’ll be kind ob heavy on 4 ? “ Jim, you must go try them.” ‘Oh, I can’t!—I can’t!” ** But you must.” ‘* What’s de use?” “That Indian that was in the cave thinks a great deal of you. Go and plead with him.” ‘But dat ere Gaylor said he hated me.” “What if he did? If you can save his life, don’t you wish to do it?” Jim was greatly agitated, and rubbed a tear from his eye. ‘‘You’re right, Ned; dar’s sumfin’ in me dat tells me I ought to do it, an’ by de help ob God L will.” ‘‘ Be quick, then, for there is no time to lose.” The negro needed no urging, for he was rompted by the most powerful of motives— Conecletie) the ‘‘still small voice,” which, if listened to, guides us all aright. When he reached the camp matters were about the same as Inwood had left them. ‘““Mr. Gaylor,” said Jim, speaking abruptly, * T’ve come to see if Ican sabe you.” , The man turned around and looked at him silently for a moment, as if unable to compre- hend what he meant. Then he slowly shook his head from side to side. ‘“ No use; you’d better go back.” ‘““l’m goin’ to coax these fellers, an’ if dey won't do it, we’ll pitch in an’ fight.” The Mohaves stood in a sort of irregular circle, their expression forbidding enough. Jim walk- ed straight up to his first acquaintance, and leading him to where Gaylor stood, pointed at him, and motioned toward Inwood, whose great anxiety had brought him within sight and hear- ing. The Indian shook his head, and looked around at his companions in a manner that showed he had no particular objection, if they would give their consent. Jim repeated his request, and he again swayed his head, but he was solicited more vehemently than before, whereupon the savage withdrew, and began an earnest conference with his friends. The consultation was long, earnest and stormy —but the end was victory. The Indian was a man of authority. Gaylor was loosed from his bonds, and he and Jim walked away side by side, and rejoining Edwin Inwood, all: three took their departure. . “We do not make our thoughts, the w in Like Se in wood; the ovortls is of fhe ites,” Which are of nature; nature is of God. The world is full of glorious likenesses,” CHAPTER XIII. A FORTUNE SECURED. Tue three walked Bentts: forward for a con- siderable distance, when Gaylor paused, and, stepping in front, so as to face the two, he spoke as a man speaks when in earnest. ‘‘See here, Jim and Ned, as I believe. you call each other, I've got a few words to say to you. Pma pretty bad man, but when one does me a kindness, I’m like an Indian, and don’t forget it. I want to thank you, Ned, again, for what you tried to do. This here darky has been the means of saving my life, when Id given up. I spoke mean to him awhile ago; I want to ask his pardon for that, and give him my thanks.” ‘“Gorry! don’t say nuffin’ bout it,” said Jim, drawing his huge hand across his eyes; ‘‘’tain’t worth spoken "bout. It’s all right.’ “T’m glad to hear it. When you hear me k again as I did of a black man awhile ago, it will be when I hain’t got any senses left. But see here, I’ve got something I’m going to do for you. You have another man with you, haven’t you—one who is the leader?” ‘“ Yes; my brother George.” “Take me to him.” ‘* Hold on!” interrupted Jim, ‘‘T’d like to get dat gun ob mine. I know where I left itu among de grass ‘long de creek where dey ** Lead on, then.” The three deviated from their course, and soon afterward reached the stream where Jim had found his gold, and the Mohaves had found him. A short search discovered his gun, and they started homeward. The distance was con- siderable, and it was fully an hour before they reached the wood, where George Inwood was overjoyed to see them. a few minutes’ talk made everything plain to im. , ‘““You see, George Gaylor ain’t the man to give a friend the go-by,” said that personage himself. ‘*And Vl prove to you what I say. I sp yse you’re in these parts looking for gold?” “That is what has drawn us hither,” replied George, with a smile. ‘* Have you found much?” “Not a great deal; we have had middling good fortune.” “T spose maybe now 1 hain’t got nuffin’,” said Jim, as he drew his two nuggets from his pocket, and displayed them to the wondering gaze of his friends. ‘“- You seem to be made of gold,” said George. “You know how you put your hand in your ocket and brought it out when we bought our orses; but where did you obtain it?’ “Maybe I was digging it out ob de sand when de Ingins slung dere ropes ober my neck; maybe I didn’t got it dere.” ‘Ts there any more?’ * ‘Don’t t’ink dere is.” ‘¢ Whether there is or not don’t matter,” said Gaylor. ‘‘Tll show you more gold to-day than you ever seen before, and all that you will ever care about seeing.” All looked at him with a look which said they failed to take in his meaning. ‘Just come with me—you will see it is no humbug.” And the whole party started toward the En- chanted Island, Gaylor himself leading the way. At first sight, George Inwood recognized Gay- lor as the man whom he had viewed through the telescope, and who had fired his gun at their friends. He did not deem it best, howev- er, to refer to these circumstances, as he placed full faith in the honesty of the man’s intentions. Reaching the lake, he searched awhile along the shore for a canoe. He had great difficulty in finding it, but succeeded at last, and then, asking his friends to await his return, he pad- dled rapidly across the lake, and, landing on the shore, entered the thick wood. He was un- doubtedly with his companions, and remained away a good while. While they were watching for his return, Jim exclaimed, in great excite- ment: ‘‘See dar! look at de island! leabe when spooks comes about.” The island, which at first sight was lying along shore, could now be seen slowly approaching the center of the lake, and at the same moment, the form of See was distinguished, as he lied his pole. is seemed to convince Jim hat there was nothing supernatural about it, and he consented to remain. Reaching a point near the middle, the mass of shrubbery came to a stand-still, and Gaylor then put off in his canoe. * Jump in,” said he, as it lightly touched the shingle, ‘it will hold you all. Pll show you something which you have never seen.” They stepped carefully into the small canoe and it to its gunwales with the unusua weight. But Gaylor managed it skillfully, and a few minutes later they all stepped upon the Enchanted Island. ‘‘ Now let me tell you a little story,” said their friend. ‘‘Some months ago a party of five of us came down through these parts looking for gold. Reaching this lake we started across in a boat, and near the middle discovered several yellow nuggets lying on the bottom. I dove down and brought them up, and found them to be gold. We soon found there was any quantity lying around loose, and, of course we deter- mined to get all we could. But while we had come upon a fortune, there were several bad things in the way of bringing it up. The country was full of Indians, and there were white men wandering over the coun If any of them should get news of our windfall, it would be all over with us. So after thinking over it we hit upon a plan. We made a frame-work 0 logs, and then covered it over with green sod, pebbles and trees, so as to make it look just like an island. Then we sometimes kindled fires, so as to scare any one whosaw it. This we floated right over the spot where we saw the gold, and began bringing it up. We had to dive for it after we mana to loosen a portion with our poles. We had so much trouble in getting it, that one of our men started to San Francisco for tools to answer our purpose. But we never heard of him again, and we suppose the Mo- I’s agwine to | ———$ A A CO east —E ——oe haves got track of him. Howsumever, we worked away, and the amount of it is, we have all madean independent fortune, and there is enough left for you. We used to float this ashore at night, as we had a good hiding-place there. I have started my party north to Sar. Francisco, and I expect to join them in half an hour. No one knows this secret but you. You can work here as long as you please. Youseem to have the good will of the Mohaves, but look out for white men. Be very careful to let nc one see youat work. Now, if you will only take me ashore, I will leave you alone.” George Inwood paddled their friend to land, where they bid farewell to each other, and he sei gon to the Enchanted Island, and began work. Gaylor had not deceived him. They saw large quantities of gold on the bottom of the lake. George observed that it lay directly in the path of the canyon, which has been referred to as emptying into the lake. This made it seem as if it had been washed down by the current whose tremendous velocity was sufficient to hurl bowlders of a ton’s weight down its channel as if driven by a columbiad. It is not often that a fortune can be picked up from the bottom of a lake, and, even when the inviting auriferous nuggets and the glittering sand lay before their eyes, it was found no easy task to bring it up to the surface. But what will man not do for gold# A bountiful harvest awaited them, and they toiled and labored as they never had done before. Jim was the great machine for procuring the Soyetein yellow particles. Neither George nor {dwin could remain under water long enough to secure much; but the African took to it as if he was amphibious, and rather preferred it to the hard, ny, payee and pure mountain air. His great rolling eyes first located the rich min- eral, and, poising himself for an instant, down he went like an arrow until he touched bottom, where he clawed around with a vigor and per- sistency which were sure to show substantial results. ‘‘ When I gits down dar,” said Jim, as he sat on the edge of the Enchanted Island resting him- self, ‘‘I jes’ opens oe eyes, an’ I see as well as you can. The water looks kinder yeller, but de gold looks yellerer, an’ so I’m sure to see it.” The negro always ingest in head first. ‘Cause you seeif | happen tostrike de rocks, it'll be my ead, an’ den ’s no danger ob git- tin’ hurt.” This was his philosophy. Our friends had unmistakably found a prize, and it only remained for them to work it up. As Edwin was of comparatively little use, he occasionally roamed in the woods in search of game. He was careful not to stray far away, as there really was no necessity for doing so, and even if he failed in obtaining his food in this manner, the lake offered a good supply of fish, which were always at their disposal. When the first night came, an inventory of their receipts was taken, and George Inwood was sure that they were several thousand dol- lars richer than at morning, and so expressed himself to his friends. ‘Rather better earnings than we bave yet made,” he remarked, with some degree of com- plaisance, as the three sat in the cool of the evening, chatting and discussing the matter. ‘‘- Yes, I think we ought to be satisfied with that,” replied Edwin. ‘“‘T isn’t,” was the sententious observation of Jim, as he quaffed his black clay pipe. ‘* And why not?” inquired George. “Cause I ain't, dat’s de reason. In de fust lace, dat ain’t ’nough gold, an’ in de next place it’s too little, an’ den we orter git more. Wai till I gits to work to-morrer, an’ I'll show you sumfin. Dar’s a sort ob gineral looseness dat I hab to git frough me, afore I can do what I - “Well, I shall be satisfied if you only do as well as you have ay.” ‘‘T must do better to-morrer, an’ I’s goin’ to.” There was a fear—a continued apprehension, which made our friends quite uneasy—that is, that some prowling band of hunters or miners might discover their secret. If such a dread- ed contingency should occur, it would make a fearful time. Unrestrained by any fear of the law, and prompted by the great prompter of the majority of human actions, such a com- any would hesitate at no crime to secure the oty. George Inwood’s experience had taught him the value of money in this world’s affairs, and he was resolutely determined to resist to the bitter end any encroachments upon their rights. There are some things more valuable than gold, GOmichbooks