Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 958 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

12 ee oo ee With quick decision Buffalo Bill leaped from his own horse and rushed to the river edge. His coil of lasso shot forward and into the air. It settled just in time, and low as the head of the black mustang was while swimming, it caught over it fairly and was tightened with a twang. With soothing words Buffalo Bill called to the startled animal, that begu. to strug- gle. “My God! he wil drown himself and the boy,” and throwing aside his weap- ons, boots, hat and‘ outer cloth:ng, he plunged into the stream. ‘< A few tremendous strokes brought him to the head of the horse; the noose about his neck was loosened, his head was turned shoreward, the scout swimming and guiding him, and in another moment the two landed in safety on the stream’s firm bank. CHAPTER XNIT. LITTLE DICK, “The black mustang was captured. Furthermore, he was completely sub- «lued. He stood, dripping and trembling, by the side of the scout, Upon, his back was his forced rider, the boy Mazeppa, if it was indeed the colonel’s son. But, was he still alive? Quickly a slipknot was made, and when put over the head of the ebony mustang he was led to where the scout had left his own obedient horse. Both were then taken back from the open vicinity to ‘where they were to be tethered for the night, and there were staked out, This done, the scout immediately sev- ered the thongs which held the limp form to the mustang, and the senseless lad was dJaid upon the grass. Bits of dry cedar wood were quickly guthered in the thicket adjoining, a fire was speedily lighted, and then the scout turned to the rescued youbg rider. Dropping down by the prostrate form, the scout placed his ear over his heart. “Thank God! he still lives!” One arm was terribly swollen echafed., ‘Poor fellow, he tried hard to free him- self, and partially did so, but the rawhide thongs had been ‘wet, then dried, and were too much for him, with one hand only .to work with. ‘How his limbs are swollen, and the back of his neck and head are raw from chafing against the horse’s shoulder. “Fortunately I have my flask, and now +hat the thongs are cut, circulation will set inzand he will soon revive.” A swallow of liquor was forced into the mouth, blankets were spread, the boy was gently placed upon them, after which the seout rubbed his limbs, bathing them and the red face with water from his canteen. But there was no sign of returning con- sciousness, and in alarm the scout said: “Tieutenant Keyes was to bring a sur- geon with him! ‘‘Gome, black mustang, ood service.” ~ Without taking time to saddle and bridle his own horse, the seout, unstaking the mustang. mounted bareback, and headed him up the canyon. He kept him at a good pace, and, reach, ing the summit, gave a shout of joy as he saw before him the line of horsemen, and heard the eall: “We will camp here, Denny.” ‘“Tientenant Keyes!’ was shouted. “Ah! Buffalo Bill?” “Ts the surgeon with you, sr?” “Yes; Doctor Ward.” “Good! Where is he, sir?” 4+ Io, Ward! Come here, quick!” ‘The surgeon was on hand in an instant, and you must do Buffalo Bill’s Mazeppa-Chas a —— ——- _ —— et ‘* Lieutenant Keyes, I have to report cap- turing the black mustang I told you of, and found that the Mazeppa is Colonel Dearborn’s boy. “He is unconscious, and in a bad Way, I fear, so I risked leaving him and came here, hoping you had arrived. * This is the black mustang, sir.” “We will go right on with you, Cody. “Deetor, you had better push ahead with Cody, and I will follow with the men,” Lieutenant Keyes ordered. Buffalo Bill at once set off with Surgeon Ward, while Lieutenant Keyes, calling out, asked the seout if all the force should descend the canyon. ‘Yes, sir, and the others as they come up.” *T will leave a man here to bring the others on,” was the answer, and the lieu- tenant ordered Dave Denny to remain. Then he started on with the rest of his men, They had to go down on foot, leading their horses, where Buffalo Bill had forced the surgeon ahead at a dangerous pace, and arrived to find the boy lying just as he had left him. More wood was thrown upon the fire to give a good light, and Buffalo Bll hast- ened to the river with the canteens to fill them. When he returned, Surgeon Ward said: “It was a narrow call, Cody, but I think we will save him, “These cuts from the thongs, bruises and chafing amount to little, but the boy is half-starved and delerious from fever. “It was fortunate you found him as you did.” “Yes, sir, for the black mustang had gone to the eabin of Lee, seen no one about, and had then turned to follow the outlaws across the river. “He was just entering the stream to swim across when I lassoed h'm., “That is the way I think it was, sir.” ‘Doubtless you are right. “The boy has been tied to the back of that black mustang for over forty-eight hours, and only his wonderful vitality has kept him altve. “Tleaven, grant round all right.” “Yes, sir, if only to tell me who in- flicted this cruel torture upon him,” said Cody, sternly. “And when found, no mercy should be shown,” ‘No merey, sit,” was the low, earnest reply of Buffalo Bill. CHAPTER XNIII. THE HERMIT FERRYMAN. When Lieutenant Keyes and his men came up, guided by the fire, they found Doctor Ward and Buffalo Bill Working hard over the unconscious youth, “What is to be done now, Cody, for I follow your lead in this trail?” said Lieu- tenant Keyes. “Go into camp, sir, while I make a scout, for I expect to have to ask you to move before dawn.” “ All right; say the word. “T hope the rest of the command will be on hand soon, for that boy is to be avenged,” and Lieutenant Keyes glanced at the form of Little Dick as he lay mo- tionless upon the blanket the scout had spread for him. Buffalo Bill started off on foot up the river bank. Twice before he had been up to that valley home of the hermit ferryman, and had been kindly treated, Now ‘he wished to reeonnoiter, and dis- cover if the ferryman had others there than himself and wife. He did not expect to find the band of outlaws there, as they would have dis- that I ean bring him - I . “4 : ‘e ce", if eo ya's ~ a ‘wie - te >» di | } . - e ‘ nm a * ‘ * ‘ ‘ . : . : ; ay PALE BBLS BEE Say BM Fy ae gre YE he eR ee eee Oe AY ee Mat oe kt Oe Ol Ly eS BAT Be bar es oe See ea oe a7 Pees ie Puded ML he ee, RITA : Wt Oy ee J , Ya Sue > . mr ts ; % “ : ; . ; - ~ ™ : -" nat p we.t s Lie iT 4 — 4° sds | Pe yet Si Yb at ga SS ad eS ahh a) Wat Soyy 4 Gary pii'> rh ee Sia Lo ae Lrheewe, eee e. covered ihe black mustang and his un- conscious rider, surely, . Or did they intend that the horse should bear him thus to his death? Up to the valley Buffalo Bill went, guided only by the starl'ght. Soon he came to a glimmer of a light. It came from the cabin of the hermit ferryman, he knew. The cabin had a stockade wall about it, he reealled, about five feet high, enclos- ing about half an acre. Back of it was a shed for horses and cattle. : But Buffalo Bill recalled that the man also had two savage dogs there, Vigilant and dangerous guardians of his home. Fortunately the wind, the little there was, blew from him, up the river, and they would not scent him. He remembered, too, that the ferryman had told him his dogs guarded the cabin and the cattle shed, for outlaws often crossed the river at that point, flying from pursuit of soldiers, Mormon officers of the law, or others coming up from New Mexico and making their way north. With a warning of danger from his dogs, that horse thieves or marauders were about, the hermit ferryman was ready to take the chances of defending his home, aided by his wife, Up to the stockade wall went Buffalo Bill, and looked over. The light came from the eabin, through a small outlook window in the door, doubt- less opened, as the night was e¢lose. The scout saw no sign of the dogs, but heard voices in the cabin, late as it was, Hle heard the voices of two men. Instantly he made up his mind what he would do. He would take the chances with the dogs, and, drawing his bowie knife with one hand, he leaped over the stockade and went cautiously toward the cabin. The dogs had not yet scented the ap- proach of danger, for they did not appear. Distinctly he heard the ‘voices of two nen within, The cabin had three rooms in a 2nd was as strong as a fort. The roof. was flat, the walls extended above it, and from there one man could keep a dozen at bay. Creeping nearer and nearer, Buffalo Bill looked into the open lookout. He saw a man with a heavily-bearded face, slouch hat, rough clothing and a belt of arms. The other man he did not see, but he knew that it must be the ferryman. He heard the bearded man say: “ Well, I hung back to tell you that the traitor Talbot got all our booty and Tit out. ‘He will cross here at your ferry, as T said, and he’ll have it with him, and I just hung back when the others crossed to make a bargain with you, for I'll give you half he’s got if you'll put a bullet into bim.,”’ ‘“ Murdering men for money is not my trade,” said the ferryman, sternly, “ Don't be so awful nice, for I tell you he just did the whole lot of us for all we had ‘n the treasury, and it is a small fort- une, though I don’t know how much, “He was smart enough to prepare to skip, and go on foot, 80 We couldn’t traék him, and so got away: but we eouldn’t have trailed him anyway, as, when the captain knew Buffalo Bill had escaped us, he was anxious fo get awny before he could be back with a force from the fort. “That is why I played stek, and when you put the band across this afternoon, hung back to stop with you, pretending I couldn’t travel, and now vou say you won't help me down Talbot.” row, *T will not, and I wish to set you acros¢ » oe aad a tye. ae wv . o- Ale ic ar, ee ee = ” he S. 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