Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 936 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

CHAPTER XVIII. BEATEN BACK, Buffalo Bill calmly took in the situa- tion. He saw that the Indians had spread well out, to confuse the little party, and to escape the bullets, They must have seen that two of the six horses carried dead men, two more prisoners, and there would be but two to fight them. But one of these was Buffalo Bill, the invincible—the White Chief of the Charmed Life! How they wished to take their dreaded foe alive! They were sure of their ability to do so, so they gave orders that no shots or ar- rows should be fired upon the little party. They knew that the prisoners must be their allies, and it would not do to hurt them. They feit assured that the matchless rifle of Buffalo Bill would bring down a brave—two, three, perhaps; but all must take their chances, for the capture of Buffalo Bill was worth a dozen braves. So they came up the hill with a rush, and their wild war cries were appalling. Buffalo Bill glanced at his boy pard to see how he stood the terrorizing cries, to discover that Ned was calm and seemed to feel no dread. In fact, the boy was glad to be ina fight with the great scout, and had no apprehensions of the result, desperate as matters really looked. “You two men there—attention! “Take good aim, one to the right, the other to the left—fire!”’ The two rifles of the outlaws flashed al- most as one. ee: A pony went down, with his rider, “Take better aim—fire?’ The other rifles were seized and fired. A brave fell on the left. * Now load! i “ Boy pard, open on the right! Ned Osmond did open; then the scout’s repeating rifle began to rattle out its ter- rible notes, and in the midst of ‘firing Buf- falo Bill called out: . “T have my eye on you men—tire?’ With the weapons thus flashing the storm of lead was terrible, and, casting aside his rifle, Buffalo Bill seized a re- volver in each hand. “Make your revolvers, boy pard! “You men, let your guns remain empty! “That's it, boy pard—see! They are staggering—yes, they are gone! and the seout’s wild war-cry rang out as the In- dians, unable to stand the hail of lead, with half a dozen braves dead, a dozen more or less wounded, and eight or ten ponies fallen, turned and fled in dismay before that astounding fire, , Quickly the scout seized his rifle, and, loading it rapidly, called out: “Watch those fellows, boy pard, while I give the bucks a Jesson in long range.” The Indians were beginning to draw rein at the distance of an ordinary gun's range, which they well knew; but once again the sharp ping, ping of the repeat- ing riflé was heard and a pony dropped, On they sped, but a brave was knocked from his saddle and the dismayed and disorganized warriors did not again halt unti] they were sure of their safety. i ‘ alo Bill, you is ther devil hisself, growled one of the outlaws. “Thanks! Even Satan loves compli- ments! “You two did pretty -rell, considering. “Pass those guns up again.” The men did so reluctantly, and Buffalo Bill continued: “Now we'll have dinner, boy pard, for, unless those redskins are reinforced, they will not attack again until nightfall.” . « 7 7 * * / Buffalo Bill’s Boy Mascot. Ned got out his store of provisions, and the party ate dinner, the outlaws shar- ing as the others did. There was nothing for the horses to eat and no water save what the men had in tneir canteens, but to rest the animals they were all unsaddled. The Indians, meanwhile, had camped over on the river, leaving a guard of half & dozen braves in front of the hill to pre- vent a dash out by Buffalo Bill. But the scout did not appear to notice the Indians, and yet had his eye ¢con- Stantly upon them. The outlaws had been secured ‘again, and the scout made cireuits around to see if the redskins were making an advance on foot. But, no; they seemed to be patiently biding their time until darkness should come to their aid. * We'll catch it to-night, Ned, if we stay here,” Buffalo Bill assumed. * And stay we'll have to, sir.” “Perhaps. I will decide later,” and Buffalo Bill smiled in a peculiar way which gave the youth renewed confidence in his ability to extricate himself from this seemingly unsurmountable difficulty, and diseconeerted the outlaws, one of whom muttered: “Thet Buffalo Bill will carcumyvent them fool Indians and hang us yit, pard.’’ At last night began to draw near. The sun east shadows far across the plain, and finally sank behind a distant range. Then, as the twilight deepened, the redskins began to move into position to onee again prepare to attack the foes whom they were now sure they had in a trap from which there was no escape. __ CHAPTER XIX. THE SCOUT’S SECRET. As night approached Ned Osmond had seen Buffalo Lill take the lariats from the different saddles and carefully tie them together until he made a line over a hun- dred feet in length. One end of this he made fast to a stout cedar tree growing near the cliff whieh overhung the river, It was all of a hundred feet down to the rocky trail that ran beneath the. cliff, and which rose in a precipitous wall. Ned at last began to see that the scout was making preparations to leave the hill by descending the lariat. But how about the outlaw:? he won- dered. “Can you go down this line, Ned, with- out being dizzy?’ asked the scout. “Oh, yes. 1am a sailor, you know.” “So you are.” “ But these men, sir?’ “They'll go with us, Ned, never fear.” “You'll have to desert the horses?” “Yes, but human life is more precious than horseflesh,” Was the quiet response. As soon as it grew dark the scout got up, went to the outlaws, and said sternly: ‘‘See here, men. You know as well as I do that in the darkness those redskins ean slip upon us, and we could not beat tha-- back if we had a dozen good men to fight them.” “That's so, Bill.” “Norv, IT have no idea of giving you up, nor of being captured or .scalped, so I intend to play a trick upon the redskins, end T tell you frankly you can spoil my little game if you wish. Therefore [ am going to warn you beforehand, “There jis a cave on this hill of which T alone knoe tho existence. and where I hid once when half a hundred redskins were looking for me. “There is room in it for a dozen men, | and we are but four, There we will hide, Li leaving the Indians to believe below. “ Now, follow me, and, Ned, you. bring: up the rear. ‘*I will free the feet and hands of these men so they can hold on, for a slip of the foot will end them.” The scout freed the two men, and, with revolver in hand, led the way along the cliff. Not far away he camé to where he leaned over, turned, and got down upon a rocky and narrow shelf below. ‘Lord! I can never do that!” protested one of the outlaws. “ See here, this boy’s life and mine shall’ not be forfeited on account of your non- sense, SO you either come with me, or I'll leave you here on the cliff—dead! Which. shall it be?” There was no mistaking the words,.and both men scrambled over the edge of the cliff upon the rocky shelf. Ned followed with the agility of a mon- key. Along this shelf they felt their way, gradually descending until the scout said: ‘Here is the cave.” He stooped and entered it. Lighting a match, he revealed that there was an opening a couple of feet wide by three in height. Within was a rock chamber half a dozen feet in diameter. “ Now, Ned, we'll tie these fellows again, so that they will keep.” It Was soon done, the outlaws’ hands and feet being firmly secured, and they were given a seat on the rocky floor. ‘“ Watch them, Ned, while I go up and. fetch down all we do not wish the red- skins to get. “If they utter a cry, why, knife them to kill!’ “AY, ay, sir.” The scout left the little cave, but re- turned in about ten minutes with the pro~ vision bags, blankets, and the extra weap- ons. ‘We dare not take too much, for we've got to fool the redskins, you know, into believing we have abandoned the hill and made off. ‘I dropped the lariat over, and when they see the way they think we have es~ caped, they'll kick each other all over the hill for not having put a guard at the base of the cliff, while they'll scalp your outlaw pards and cyory one of them get a lock of their hair.’’ The two prisoners made no reply, and Buffalo Bill continued: ‘Now, Ned, get out your knife.” ‘Ay, ay, sir?’ cheerily. ‘‘Is the point sharp?’ ‘Yes, sir.” ‘‘ How long is the blade?” “Seven inches!” “Good! That will finish either of these: men, Understand?” “1 understand, sir.” “If either even utters a whisper when the redskins come up on this hill, in goes: the knife! Understand?” “ Tllh-do it, sir.” ‘Now, men, you know just what you may expect. This cave is my secret, and we are safe, if you don’t betray us. Do that, and you sound your own death- knell,” and the scout took his place by the man he himself was to guard, just as, with wild yells, the wily warriors came: swarm- ing over the top of the hill. CHAPTER XX. NIGHT-37 *\wr's RIDE. The Indians had begun to creep up the, slope of the hill soon after night set in. They left their ponies behind them on the plain, and went on foot. he EF ~ "Fees f that we have gone down the lariat line to the trail, 7 ‘ ‘ e . oy a ; oa wae *— '% ; * nee L we “ae , ‘ a. | ows on = a Mh poy A “