Beadle's New Dime Novels: The Specter Chief — page 19: what you’re looking at

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

THE PHANTOM OHIEF. 28 the Potomac. On this path was a well-known ‘resting- place, called Catfish-camp, where resided a person named Huston. Within twenty miles above Wheeling were loz- houses, distinguished as ‘* Newlands's,” ** Baker's,” ete. ; and below, on the flat at Grave Creek, frequent enenmp- ments of explorers, such as we have above mentioned: | At the Wheeling, there was a rough log structure, thrown ap without much art, and covered with a roofing of poles and dry cedar, vr pine-brush. ‘Phis stood near enough to the bank to be seen from the river above at high water; and it was the same descried from the Flat-bottom, as stated at the conclusion of the’ preceding chapter. Some of the boat’s company were to land here with a portion of the freight, others were to be added from the shore, ant it thns became necessary to remain until the next morning. Into the log hut, which was hastily partitioned with blan- kets, Colonel Victor, his niece, and the surveyor were in- Yited by the principal occupant; for it was not usual for passengers to continue in their boat when good lodging or good fellowship was to be had on land. There was Iss treason in Marie's case for such a change, for her cabin Was better than ordinary; but the men were exnected to be in motion about the boat until Mate, and their’ boisterous habits would render it less agreeable for her to sleep in than the hut, which was somewhat removed from the ~ €amp on the Wheeling bottom. ~ In the course of the evening. a conference was held by Colonel Victor and Butler, in which several of the people from the camp participated, and the probabilities for and aguinst the secure passage of the travelers were freely cun- Yassed. There had been acts of aggression in places re mote froin each other, and a robbery had just been con. mitted on some neighboring Ian ljobbers ; bat no clear evi- @ence had as yet appeared of a design to open general hos tilinf€s. It was thought that if the party could pass the Scioto, the risk, if any, would be slight. The savages had Deen out in very small parties; and the tralers with the Shawano towns were growing nneisy; but the op-n en- eouulers had been chiefly brought about, it was sait, by - - i . COMmicbooks.Coun