Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 940 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

6 | Deadwood Dick Jr.’s Shake-up. _____———— “Did you have it on hand?” asked Dick. * Ves, for my Own use.” “Well, I thank you, and heartily. Can you tell me at what hour in the morning they are going to hang me?’ ‘T hope they won’t have to hang ye at all, pard. You are too durn much a man to be treated to a necktie. And right there I would like ter give you a bit of advice.” “What is it? I’m open to anything.” ‘You had better be civil to the boss. He is like powder, and you would have got your quieting pill if it hadn’t been for Dan Buck.” * Yes, I am aware of that, and I think it will be a lesson to me to handle him a little more gently in the future. But, what about that fellow, Buck? He must be a good friend of your mayor's.” “Why do you think that?” “If he hadn't been he would have got a dose himself.” “ Well, he is. He is one of the boss* right-hand men and can afford to take some chances.”’ , This was what Dick was getting at. He wanted to learn what opinion was held of the man. He had trusted him, but even yet held him with @ good deal of distrust. However, that was done, and Dick had taken the risk, but this new information raised his doubts about the man again. * Does your mayor trust him?’ he asked. “ Why, certainly.” ‘But, | suppose he will take care not to try to save wy life again.” ‘““] think you kin set it down fer a fact. Dan buck is no fool, even if the boys do think so once in a while. But it won't do for me to be seen here with you, so I'll slope.” And he “sloped,” locking the door after him, and Dick resumed his bed on the floor to court sleep once again. * OHAPTER VII. RISING IN REBELLION. Early next morning there was a shout in the camp, and by the volume of that shout it might have been judged that the Philistines had come to occupy the land. But that would have been a mistake, for the shout was for Reilleyites and by the Reilleyites, as they came marching up the street in a goodly crowd, with Dan Buck in the van. In front of Shanty Palace a halt was called. _ Every man of them was armed, and there was a look of grim determination on every visage. When they drew up before the hotel, in a semblance of military order, the shout- ing increased in volume, as a cheer was given for the camp and the people it con- contained. ‘ Hillo! Mayor!” sang out Buck, as soon as the cheer ended. “ Hillo! Mayor! Hillo! Hillo! Git up and tumble out hyer, and see what a mighty good-lookin’ lot we aire!” Needless to say, such shouting as this brougbt the sleepers forth in a hurry, and among them the mayor himself. ‘What in sulphur is goin’ on hyer?” he bellowed. | “We have come up fer inspection, boss,” explained Dan. “Don’t you think we are a dandy regiment?’ “You are a dasted lot of born fools!” was the rejoinder. “What do you mean by a racket like this, and bringin’ me out of a sound sleep? For one cent I’d put a bullet in you, Dan Buck!” | “Why, I am ye’r right bower, boss!” “ Well, what do you, want?’ “Want to know what you think of us, that's all.” _“ And I have told you, so get out of here as quick as you can?’ . ei aS ‘‘Mebbe you haven’t heard the news, boss? Et strikes me you must be ignorant of the fact that there is a young rebellion bubbling right here under your very nose.” “What in thunder do you mean?” “Don’t know the meaning of the word? Don’t know what rebellion means?” “Yes, but I don’t know what you mean, you infernal idiot! Speak right out, or I'll play the fool-killer here and now!” ‘* Don't do that, boss, or you will spoil a good thing,” warned Dan. “I am your right bower, every time, and we aire here to nip this thing in the bud for you, if you say so.” “Tf I say so! What do you think I would say if there is going to be any kind of a ruction here?’ “Yes; but we want terms,” “Terms! Confound you, what do you mean?’ “You are boss of this hyer camp of Reilley, ain’t you?’ | “Well, you will believe it, maybe, before you get through with me!’ “That is jest the p’int. We have come up to serve ye, and we mean to do it fer jest one favor.” * And what is that?” ‘First let me tell ye about this rebel- lion,”’ “Well, why in thunder don’t you tell me? What are you palavering about all this while?’ “To lead up to it easy, don’t you see. There aire some people in this camp of Reilley that think you are too much boss, and they are gettin’ ready to kick over the traces.” “Who are they?’ the mayor roared. “Just mention one of them to me and see if I don’t nip it in the bud.” “Tt is more than one, boss. You couldr#t do it * But what were you drivin’ at?’ “'Thar’s a good many people hyerabouts what think that your prisoner, that calle himself Felix Fox, is innocent of the charge against him, and they aire goin’ to demand his release.” “ Let "em demand, and be hanged tu ’em! If they cut up it will only make me bring him out and hang him in shért order, And you can go back an’ tell ’em so,” “That is comin’ nearer to the p’int. We want that condition observed—that he ain't ter be hanged—” “To blazes with you! I'll show you and them who is mayor of this camp—” “We know who is mayor, that is why we aire here.” “You will get no conditions.”’ . “Stop!” whooped a new voice. “Hold up! Calla stay of proceedin’s! Declare an armistice till we all go and take a drink! Whose treat is it?’ It was Happy Harkins, who, sleeping a little sounder than the rest of the denizens because of having gone to bed with a heavier load, had been about the last tc awaken, No attention was paid to him, of course, and be made a bee line for the Hog Pen Saloon, shouting as he ran: “T’ll be right back, boys; be right back! Don’t do nawthin’ till I git thar’, which will be as soon as I have wet my whistle so it will sound. Sorry to delay the pro: ceedin’s, but Happy Harkins ain't half happy till he’s half corned, and he must begin early if he expects to reach that happy state before bedtime again.” And he was still shouting as the Hog Pen swallowed him. “That bein’ the ease,” Dan Buck mean- time retorted, “we have conditions to of- fer, and we aire hyer to offer’em. We have made up our minds that your prisoner is not Doe Dalton. “The hurricanes, he ain’t! What do you , a -—— one ‘ * -% a. Be “ va Se “rs pretend to know about it? Get out of here, or I will bore you through!” * Bore away, boss, ef ye want to. We mean biz, and we is a big posse.”’ Welcher fairly turned purple in his rage, and raised the gun which he already. had snatched from his belt and pulled the trigger. He had taken a bead straight at Dan, who did not flinch, and it appeared that he had no need to, for there was merely a elick as the hammer came down upon. iu empty chamber. And mo sooner had this been done thar the entire posse before the hotel drew their guns and leveled them at their infuriate mayor and Buck invited him to hold up his hands. It looked as if they had come on au cirand and had sent an advance Inessenyer, “What does this mean?” mayor, palling. “Kt means that this hyer camp has riz in rebellion,” answered Buck, “and that we aire some of the rebels.”’ “Curse you! I always took you for a traitor, Dan Buck! What is the meaning of this rebellion, as you call it? What do you expect to gain?” “We want the release of Felix Fox.” “You won't get it! I'll call my true wen around me and fight to the death be- fore I will give in to you!” * All right. Go ahead! But, meantime, you aire our prisoner of war, and we will take keer of you! See? Go fer him, boys, and make him secure, and we'll march on to the cooler.”’ Half a dozen of the men dashed forward, and as the mayor turned to run they laid hands upon him, “It is rough, I allow,’ observed Buck, “but you would not offer terms nor take terms, SO you have only yourself to blame. We have grown about tired of tyrant reign,”’ ‘* Hillo! Hillo!” cried Happy Harkins, appearing at that moment and taking im the situation. “What do me eyes behold? Is et our worthy mayor in limbo? What in the name of a world of wonders mean. eth et? Stop the procession, boyees, till L go and get my other eye open!” But the procession did not stop. ‘** Harkins,” called out the prisoner, “go: and find Hank Riggle and tell him what is up, and tell him to come to the rescue, double. quick. If war is what these cusses. are after, war is what they shall have!” * Just as you please about that,” assured Dan Buck, calinly. “You will find thar we have got the big end of the stick, and cried the that you wili have to come to whatever terms We bave a mind to name Come on with him, boys, to the lock-up, and we she Salt him down. Hurrah fer the Reil- eys!”’ They gave three cheers and a tiger, and. it might have been inferred, to carry out. the figure with which we began, that the Phiiistincs had been Tet and Overcome. Jn toward the jail they marched, their prisoner under strong guard, but before they reached their destination they werc brought to a halt by a striking personage with a brace of guns to the fore. | CHAPTER VIII. TULIP TILLY. “ Hold hard on your wheelers here!” x cheery voice rang out. “What is the mean- ing of all this uproar this bright morning? ee ian i ek The reason I ask is because I want to — know, and if there is any fun on the docket I want to chip in. Behold!” The personage was a jaunty young wom-: — ap in male attire. She had on a neat vest and coat, and a — wide-brimmed hat rested prettily upon her wealth of bhai. ‘4 : | | ~) eS ee oe or 4v fF ~ ; i> a | Be a i == © en iti I a Et / . ® ) VP 7 = pe