Beadle's New Dime Novels, No. 49 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

13 THORNPATH, THE TRAILER; OR, -_“’Spects you'd run if you’d see a Inging dis minit,” said Egypt, with a sly wink at young Harwood. “Widdiesticks !” sneered Josiah ; “jist don’t spend your breath talkin’ so soft. Come, play up that old fiddle; give us some- thin’ quick—somethin’ to rouse the blood of old seventy-six ; and if a Ingin comes nosin’ round, jist let me know and Tri—" “Hist !” commanded Thornpath, turning his head to listen. For a momeut all remained silent, then the hunter said : “T was sure { hearn a dippin’ in the water, like oars.” “ Yew don’t say ! exclaimed Josiah, with quite a percepti- ble change in Lis voice, Thornpath arose, end carefully made the circuit of the isl- and, and returned to his friends and reported that the noise he had heard was made by the water chafing the shore. “I'm sorry,” boasted Josiah, “I thought we were goin’ to have some fun; however—” The rest of his remarks were drowned in the sound of the darky’s fiddle, Egypt had grown tired of his braggadocio, and, taking his fiddle, struck up a lively tune, much to the delight of Josiah, who began drumming his fingers upon his knees, trying to keep time to the music; and presently, when Egypt broke abruptly off onto a lively jig, he sprung to his feet and began dancing with all his might and main—bis arms and legs dangling about like serpents suspended over a fire. Egypt saw this performance greatly amused Thornpath and Harwood, and to see Josiah still exert himself more, the darky quickened the music, and of course Josiah quickened his step. Now and then Egypt would give the fiddle-bow a sud- den jerk, and Jenkins, to imitate the music, would make what he called a “splendid leap” into the air. For some minutes this amusement lasted, and, just as Josiah was making his last leap, a rifle on the west shore of the river pealed out, aud simultaneously a cry of mortal pain escaped his lips and Tike a dead weight he fell to the earth. “ Red-skins!” burst from the lips of Thorspath, as he sprung to his feet and seized his rifle. “Oh, Lord! I’mshot!—I’m killed—T'm mailers !” burst Times. ee ground like a headless chictcn. . x ~ comiclsooks.comn a aot '