Beadle's New Dime Novels, No. 49 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

18 THORNPATH, THE TRAILER; OR, age swam out to it, but the daring fellow paid for his rash ness with his life. Egypt sent a bullet through bis tufted skull, at a distance of twenty rods. Several more buncheseof brush were sent off, but not an- other savage ventured out. They seemed pretty well con- vinced that Serpent Trail was trying merely fo draw them out to be shot, so they contented themselves by firing at the brush, but after a while this ceased also. “ Now, boys, our tisie has come,” said the Trailer. “ Every mother’s son has got to escapé by swimmin’ down the river With a bunch o brush over his head. If we're keerful and not make a noise in the water, the reds will never know thar’s a head hid in it. ‘They will let ’em pass jist like they did "em last onés We sent.” “Tt is a very daring undertaking, Thede, but I suppose it is our only course now,” said young Harwood. “Dis chile wouldh't min’ de swim, but I hates orfully to wet my fiddle,” remarked Egypt, regretfully. “Confound your fiddle!” exclaimed Josiah; “if it bad been in the bottom of the sea, and you with it, we would not be in this muss to-night.” “We've no time to parley now,” said Thornpath. “Tl take the lead, and you three kin ’range mong yerselyes who comes next.” ‘So saying, the hunter took a large bunch of brush and placed it on the water, He next took his rifle and powder- horn and fastened them in among the tangled twigs where they would not get wet or be seen by the red-skins) Then, divesting himself of his superfluous clothing, he placed them away in a like manner, and annotinced his readiness to start. “ Now have yer guns ready, and if ye see any thing thet looks like a Ingin come nigh me, blaze away. When I git below the bend in the river, I'll edge off slowly to'rds the east shore, and when the rest o’ ye comes, ye can do likewise, and I'll watch and meet ye at the bank. Now remember—the east side of the river, jist below the bend. Here goes,” “Phe old Trailer waded into the channel fill the water came up to his neck, then he carefully tucked the brush around his head and shoulders—allowing the brush to rest upon Uw water as well as upon his head. commiclooolkks.conn