Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 1036 — page 21: what you’re looking at

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

- eo ‘eritter’s in camp; but, enny diskivery of the | No. 7, eS en are eae oe The Friendly gavs him a muttered reply, and, | as retreat would likely walked boldly oP and seated himself on the log by the guard; t tomahawk. The cunning sentinel seemed to be a little sns- picious of the scout, and isaning forward he aati into his very face, inaha’s tomahawk was buried tc the eye in his brain, and with scarcely a shudder, the Sioux sunk to the earth. This deed was done s0 silently thatit suggested a daring adventure to the scout. He divested himself of his own clothing and donned that of the dead Sioux 5 moccasins to head-dress, Then a fow skillful touches of war-paint—which the Omaha always carried—changed him into a Sioux, and with the guard’s blanket around his shoulders, his rifle in his hand, the youth turned snot ect hh haa ough he kept his hand on his | The next instant | _ to one, and would have to be attacked within | and strode into the village with a boldness that | served its purpose and aroused no suspicion. The savages were hurrying to and fro through the village in no littleexcitement. They seemed upon the eve of some event of unusual charac- ter. Omaha soon found that his disguise was per- fect, yet he did not betray the least sign of curi- _ to base a single hope of victory, but men under _friend—either a sweethe.rt, sister or mother. osity. He kept constantly on the move, passing | from lodge to lodge to ascertain whether or not there were any captives in the village. He found nothing, an once had he not been a little desirous of know- ing what the savages meant by the hasty and excited stirring about. Had it only been a tem- porary encampment he would have at once con- sluded they were going to break camp, but it peing their permanent village he was thrown ee a quandary, from which he resolved to re- eve himself, He mingied with the largest parties, and in moving about with them, finally found himself near the tent of the Great Medicine. This dig- nitary he knew was a white man. He had learned it from one who had once been a cap- tive in the hands of the Sioux. He was satisfied he was a cowardly villain, who, knowing the sacredness with which he was guarded, never dreamed t/:at an enemy could possibly get into per on their spirits when he caved in the clam- his tent. Acting upon this belief, Omaha raised the fiap~loor and entered the lodge. The Medicine-man sat upon a deep pile of skins, enveloped in the folds of a curious yet beautifully wrought blanket, and smoking a | pipe on the head of his tomahawk. Fre scarcely moved his head when Omaha en- tered, but, when the latter addressed him in a flow tone, he glanced quickly up at him, asif he | out and heave the whole caboodle into the Omaha eountry. would have departed at _ under the guidance of | toward the Indian village. _ hoo” of the owl, and the wailing of insects could | | etrated his disguise through the medium of | voice. Then ytied in a tone that was low and guttural in its accents, Omaha’s turn to stare. The oa ee oS to notice yt embar- rassment, a gan pulling away at his pi until his head and face had disappeared from, Omaha’s sight, in a cloud of smoke. _ “* What ‘ioet the young brave want in the lodge of the great Medicine?” the man of herbs final asked. . ‘Ho comes for words that will cure his heart of the dread of Death-Notch, the pale-face that hunts for Sioux scalps.” — -*Then the young warrior’s heart is coward- ” But now it was “‘T have taken many scalps in battle, and toes not every heart tremble at the name of Death-Notch? “Yes: the young Scalp-Hunter is a terrible foe, yet he is but mortal. Arrows or bullets wol' aimed will slay him. But you are not in fear of him. You are disguised. You are an enemy to the Sioux—you are Omaha, the Friendly.” The young scout d his tomahawk; but, before he could raise it, the Medicine laid his band upon his arm, and said: “Tet a have nofearofme! I know why u are here—the same for which Icame, The edicine-man lItes dead under the skins I sit upon. Look, Omaha, at that lodge-pole. It bears a notch yg it. Jcut it there! I am Death-Notch! leave me quick; you look ‘so like a Sioux that I might slay you. Go back to those that await you, and tell them that there ~ are many captives here, and that Inkpaducah is preparing to move his village at daybreak.” ‘Omaha waited for no further orders or infor- mation, but left the lodge and soon worked him- self from the village. A few moments later he heard a savage yell, which satisfied him that Death-Notch’s presence bad been discovered. Out in the forest, at the a inted place Omaha and Old Shadow met. ey exchanged _ @ few hasty words and then began their retreat to the camp of tlie Avengers. As they moved on, each told the other his adventures, and when Old Shadow learned of Death-Notch being in the Indian village, he said: _ “ Whew! bet a picayune b’ar ll fly while that athe Yes; Death-Notch said they were there,” _. "Pnai’s the cackle!” the old hunter exclaimed, ~ “and we'll have ’em or bu’st.” _ Indne time the scouts ae ee a a a a a a a | shell of their ole Medicine humbug, and they’ve 21 Ss ee ee ee ee ee Destroyer. —— = So ee a ——— — _their information to their friends. When | twenty feet in hight, interlaced with wild arouse suspicion, ho | Omaha narrated his adventure with Death- grape-vines and rs, covered the face of Notch in the lodge of the Medicine, « smils was the bluffs, and extending down into the bottom, seen to play about the lips of Ralph St. Leger, | blocked from view the entrance to the defile. but none save Fred Travis and Omaha knew its Once within the defile, it could only be left by import. the way it was entered, for the cliffs on a ow arose the question: how were the cap- | sides were to awe ee and in some places tives to be rescued? The question was easior | ~helving. It was dark when our friends asked than answered, for the enemy were -ifty | reached this secluded spot. For fear of danger thoy did not strike a fire. It is well they di not, for Omaha, who had been put on guard, | soon made his appearance in camp and said: “We are in danger. Three score of Sioux warriors have encamped on the plain near the | mouth of the defile.” ‘*By snakes!” exclaimed Old Shadow, ‘“ that’s a fact, for I can sniff the smoke o’ their camp- fire this blessed minit. Ah, there goes a red varlet’s bazzoo.” ‘‘I'm afraid we're in a close place,” said Ralph St. Leger. such circumstances are determined and desper- ‘Bet a picayune on it, Ralph,” said tin ate, ‘They never let a fear or doubtstay a reso- | hunter; ‘if they don’t know we're here now lution. _ they'll find it out purty soon in the mormhy’, er Each one of the little band, unle': it was Old ye may take my mouth for a fly-trap.” Shadow, had pictured to himself the rescue of. ‘‘ I presume we have not been as cautious as _we should have been, if we have let savages Even Omaha had hopesof meeting friends taken | coop us up in this defile,” said Fred Travis. captive by the Sioux in their raid upon the ‘ Wal, Ill tell ye, younker, we can come | Death-Notch on’t and cut our way out of here _ruther than perish. But jistJay low and things their own stronghold. However, the captives mnst be rescued at all hazards, and the little band resolved to make the atte: ipt that night— near morning, So a guard was posted, and the band lay down to get a few hours’ rest and sleep before the time | for the ordeal came. But no sleep came to the eyes of one of the party. Thoy all lay upon the hard earth, thinking of the ooming conflict and | its probable result. They had ‘ittle upon which When the hour for action had come, every man was upon his feet, with rifle in hand, and may all work out right yit.” Old Shadow, they set off , And, acting upon this advice, guards were | posted wherever there was the least chance of a As ey neared the town they were nota little savage approaching; then those not on duty lay surprised at the deep silence that | bites down to rest. around the place. Not the bark of a dog could | The night wore away, and morning dawned be heard, nor the glimmer of a dying camp-fire | clear and bright; and as the sun glanced seen. All was wrapt in profound silence and | across the plain, the Avengers saw the darkness. There were, however, voices in the _ that menaced them, Fully three score of sav- wilderness. The sharp bark of a wolf hanging | age warriors were encamped on the plain, close on the outskirts of the village, the ‘‘ who-who- | up to the little clump of oaks that stood like a door at the mouth of the defile. Their animals were pee to grass west of the oa A | row of lances, stuck in the ground, were aligned _in a semicirele about the camp, and at the foot _of each weapon lay its owner’s side-arms and horse-equipage. They were upon the war-path. This our be heard all around. ‘*Durn my ole riggin’!” exclaimed Old Sha- dow, ‘‘ things seem a little dull and glum down thar. I reckon as what Death-Notch put a dam- all gone into mournin’ over it.” friends could tell by their paint and the absence “Ugh!” ejaculated Omaha, ‘that silence of females. But why had they encamped mean something else—something unusual.” there? ‘‘ Tt is singular that not a sound can be heard | Our friends saw them build small fires and from the village,” said Fred Travis. broil venison upon them. This done, they eat ‘All in bed, I reckon,” said Old Shadow, | their meal in silence. Then some strolled out ‘‘and I'd give a picayune to knock the bottom | along the base of the cliffs, while others lounged about in listless, idle attitudes that convinced _ the Avengers they had gone into temporary en- campment for, no telling how long, nor for what purpose. This was an unfortunate state of affairs fo,» our friends. They could not make their exig from the defile a4 a rear ary If the would escape at all, it must made btonarte the defile where they had entered, in the very face of the foe. Toward noon several of the warriors had “Hark, there!” suddenly demanded Phelix | ae et Be. oes y get Pad Jances and O’Ray, “‘yees will arrhouse the whole Inging | ma aee way, sae at “A § fe es age ees . pon aoe a Dolecinppe y Ee See ere royal ole devil’s in em red-skins, boys. We're Givin’ vent 3 the exuberance of my spir’ts’ ears ne ag ng oin? pi Seg ad ae i eCtaAT oe roland, PoruIey Sy Seven | Coberty diskiveré a herd o’ buffalo ” fin Ri Vell, what discovery, old friend?’ asked | P (Me will tell,” said Ralph St, Leger. “We ravis, ’ os — ? 6 , ' » have only got to be quiet and patient. If the ack tae ene ae all.” Very cuss 0 | savages a5 not discover our trail leading into ‘ : ‘ tried ST the defile, we may escape them.” ‘* What! broke camp?” exclaimed St. Leger. | ; “Yes: Death-Notch’s doin’ must hev’ hurried 42 hour or more had passed when a yell of a : estwar savage triumph was heard far over the plain. on pac lectigy They Page + dae d; ond.20y | Oar friends turned their eyes in the direction Muddy rn aney eee CECI She The, from whence the sound came, and saw the war- “ Boys,” said St. Leger, and his voice was sad | riors that had left camp returning. They were and low, ‘‘ I am afraid it will be a long time ere | pening two Nebo Ao and on ae ome our hopes are realized, if they ever are. GNA F00 wore of What tan what say you, Avengers? Shall we porte | These spoke rouge their trail and follow them, or not?’ taken them from camp. The horses they led “Follow them!—trail them to death!” cried | Were of the new American stock, spirited and Fred Travis, and his words were repeated by | mettlesome, and had evidently belonged to white men. every tongue. When the savages entered camp they were CHAPTER XXXIL at ad say a ope! Repeat pee poet rein, : their s e ground and dismount- Oe ed. They tethered their ponies at grass again; AT early dawn the following morning, the | but the two captured animals were retained in Avengers were upon the trail. camp to be admired and commented Ekin ss course taken b ws Sioux, ‘a » bon Presen ee Pare 2 Samet evident they were aiming for the coun stripped o eir clothin t yond the river. They had every ad- | See reard and mounted the fretting, chaf- vantage of their pursuers not only in the start | ing animals, and, with the two scalps attached and in point of strength, but they were mounted, | toa -head, they dashed away at a furious and in a fair way of increasing instead of dimin- | and rode in a circle about the camp, ut- ishing the distance between them. However, aie Sng fearful scalp-cry and executing the hardy band pressed on with a desperate de- | wondrous feats of horsemanship. termination to accomplish their object—to| They rode out and out from the camp ae = diggin’s. But see here, boyees, I'll make a leetie feel down to’r’ds the camp and see what’s up.” ““ Very walls we will remain here till you re- turn,” said Travis. The old scout took his departure, and some- thing like half an hour had elapsed when he was heard coming toward them, singing: “The "possum he grinned at the ole hedgehog, At the ole hedgehog, at the ole—”" walri e loin-cloth, rescue their friends, | iral line. At last one of the demon _ For two days they traveled, without boning dashes away over the plain at a fearful in sight of the main column of the savages, but | while the horse of the other became . the freshness of their animals’ hoof-prints told | able, and boun away that they were not far in advance; and, occa- | plunged into the ds Sionaily, a scout was seen scouring over the came charging up into : plain at either the right or the left of the trail. very midst of * friends! > Ga teeeyagond night the ursuers campedina| ‘ ee the varlet, boys, kapter hin so rang & Ss otrkig ir ir | “eu Ge Suny ama _ nares , ON 2 j a