Beadle's Dime Library, No. 13 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

ee ge ane ee ee eS Oe the reg’lar business. But see! he’s flushin’ up. The worriment of walkin’, together with his wound and other injuries, has produced fever, which mustn’t be neglected. We'll put him on to Shagbark, and be off.” “ Shagbark ?” repeated Pathaway, inquir- gly. “ This fine animile!” responded Nick, strok- ing his horse’s mane. “ He’s carried me through thick and thin, and he’ll earry him. For speed, nothin’ ean tetch him. Wouldn't ‘magine it, would ye? Notice them legs— look like pipe-stems, but they’re ae strong, and move like drumsticks when you git ’em started. He’s taken me from danger more nor once ; and it'll be a sad day for us both when we part. Come, my friend, we want ye to ride. I'll give ye a helpin’ hand to mount. That’s it—quite strong, a’n’t ye? Now, take the reins—all right! Now, we'll toddle along nicely.” The trapper, after being assisted to the saddle, was visibly pleased with the change. It revived, for the instant, old recollections. “Horses and running water, green grass and trees, prairies and buffaloes. Bring up the peltrica, Where’s the pistols? Take care of the chasms there!” he muttered, then looked wishfully at Nick, who replied, sooth- ingly : . “ Everything's jest as you want it. Hold on fast, and I'll lead the hoss—and I won’t lead him, neither, for he'll foller me like a dog.” So saying, Nicholas led the way, while Path- away walked beside the trappe,, to steady him if his strength failed. Shagbark manifested great sagacity in going down steep declivities and up rough ascents, never stumbling or making a misstep. If his master unconsciously got too far in advance, he admonished him of the fact by a low whin- ny. As they went along, they caw a grizzly bear perched upon a cliff, looking down upor them. They passed beneath him unmolested, while Smuggler, instead of manifesting fear or 4 disposition to worry him, trotted quietly along at Nick’s heels. Pathaway scrutinized it sharply, but made no remark. To meet Bruin m that country was not an uncommon occurrence, yet there was something peculia) in the fixed position of this one. Pathaway grew more thoughtful; his gaze wandered oftener to his guide—he was beginning to see traits in the man worthy of study, and which were fast awakening interest and curiosity. Glancing backward for a parting view of the bear, he saw him elambering over dizzy heights and close to the brinks of precipices. Had Nick been near enough, the gray hunter would probably have called his notice to the cool audacity of the animal, which kept in sight till they reached the place of their des- tination, and were greeted by the great voice of Misfortune and the pleasanter one of Sebas- tian, who, having heard the story of the wounded trapper’s calamity, manifested an amiable disposition to render his condition as comfortable as possible. If the youth had never before shown address and quickness, in Pathaway’s estimation he now manifested those qualities. He performed things so deftly— his touch smoothed the couch of the unfor- tunate so rte and with such earnest good- will and sympathy. “The boy’ll do for him almost as well’s a woman,” said Nick, with pride. “I’ve trained him to be reg’lar handy about the camp. Sich cookin’ as he'll do, and out o’ nothin’, neither, and not nothin’ either, ‘cause it’s gin- erly bufferler and other things, and not so much other things as bufferler. It’s a knack ; some folks has knacks and some hasn’t. Jes’ give him a little salt and a perarie-chicken, and he'll make a dish fit for a president or a sick man; and ‘tisn’t a dish, neither, for we ha’n’t got a dish, by mighty. Don’t own no- thin in the housekeepin’ line but a stew-pan and » camp-kittle. But that’senough for him; he'd make a turkle-soup in a piece o’ bireh- bark if he on’y had the turkle. Don’t foller his legs round quite so sharp, stranger, ’cause he’s ruther modest, and ’1l think sunthin’s the matter of ‘em.” “You seem to be very fond of him, m friend ?’ observed Pathaway, noticing the if miring glances he threw upon the boy. “ Yes, in part, in part!” quoth Nick. in a matter-of-fact manner, “and not so much in part as in other ways. Then,” he added, pur- suing his former train of thought, “ there’s a brile—you never see sich a boy for a brile.” The subject of these encomiums was seen to avert his face, and Pathaway thought he laughed. Perhaps he overheard the flattering things his friend was saying of him “ He’s so like my step-mother, who used to brile, and stew, and roast, and finally briled, stewed, and roasted herself into her grave. He can shoot an arrer, can Sebastian. He can hit an objeck of consider’ble magnitude ata short distance. He strikes a beautiful al- titude when he shoots; there’s a good ‘eal in that, you know, for it brings out the nat’ral cemetary of the systum—also of the legs.” “The man has considerable fever, Uncle Nick !” said Sebastian, 3) peg . “TI obsarved it, my lad, and I’m glad it’s fever instead o’ consumption; for I know how to treat a fever, and I don’t consumption. I know sartin roots and yarbs that are p’ison on fever. I'll set right off arter ’em, and we'll have ’em biled up in a twinklin’!” Nicholas took his gun and hatchet, ‘and siarted on this benevolent mission, He came back, staggering under a load of medicinal plants, some of which had attained the size of respectable bushes. “I got a little more nor I wanted, jes’ to show a strong front to the inemy ; though we musn’t give him so much that the fever won’t have room to turn. A fever wants a little el- bow-room, in course.” Talking in his genial and humorous way, Nick assorted the remedies, and instructed Sebastian how to prepare and administer them, although his notions were rather exag- erated in regard to quantity—a fallacy which Sebastian had much trouble in correcting. But the plants, made into a decoction, and iven to the patient, really had a salutary ef- fect, A gentle perspiration broke out upon the surface of the body, his restlessness gra- dually subsided; and anon he slept peace- fully, unconscious of himself and the world. CHAPTER X. TRAPPER VALLEY. The next day, after the morning meal, and an earnest conversation with Sebastian, Nick repared to leave camp. Pathaway asked him where he was going, when he proceeded to speak of Pontneuf, whose capture by the outlaws, he affirmed, had occasioned him much anxiety “T’m goin’,” he went on to say, “to ex- ore Trapper Valley-——though I warrant it’ll be slow work. There’s a hunderd places where a thousan’ men could hide ‘thout diffi- kilty. The sides of the mountain are full of rifts and caves, which can be diskivered on’y by s’archin’ ; and when found, it would bother one to go to ’em ag’in of a dark night.” “ Nicholas,” interposed Sebastian, “ you are going to expose yourself to danger. Do not rashly put your life in the power of those law- less men.” “ It’s an arrand of marcy, Sebastian. Think of Pontneuf and his darter—especially of the darter,” replied Nick, with a sigh of commis- eration. “T have thought, Uncle Nick,” answered Sebastian, quickly. “ It is terrible !—it makes me shiver! But you cannot reach her—I know you cannot.’ ' “Tt looks onpossible, and not onpossible, neither—for chance favors folks a thousand times when they don’t expect it. If we should despair and give up when a thing looks hard, nothin’ would be done, I allow. I knowed an instance,” he added, impressively, “ where a person e’enamost despaired ; but that indi- vidooal waited, and he done a thing that'll al- lers rejoice his heart—that’ll be a comfort to him—a life-long comfort.” et youth took the trapper’s hand, and re- led ; “Tt is a@ and generous spirit that prompts you. If I could attend you and share the dangers, I wouldn’t complain, Uncle Nick.” Then to Pathaway, who was regarding this scene with interest : “I’m obliged to take care of Uncle Nicho- las—he’d run straight into danger if ’twasn’t for me—though, in a case of this kind, it don’t seem right to oppose him. I hope, sir, that you'll not allow him to go alone. Two, it appears to me, would ineur less risk than one, “ Certainly I'll go,” responded Pathaway. “ It is a case that enlists my sympathy. When woman 1s in danger, man must not pause to reason.” “ He’s @ knowin’ and a safe man, but I’m afeard to leave you alone, Sebastian. They’ve diskivered my old camp. and they’ll find this. Should they come while I'm gone, what would become on ye ?” The youth’s brown cheeks paled, and an in voluntary shiver shook his person. “Clearly, he has a great horror of these outlaws,” remarked Pathaway, regarding the boy closely. “Yes,” answered Nick, hastily; “he’s afeard of ’em, for they give him a right smart fright, once—though, fortinitly, he got away from ’em by runnin’ like an Ingin—and he didn’t run, neither, for he was mounted on my hoss—and, come to think on’t, ‘twasn’t my hoss, but his’n.” “ A race for life ?” said Pathaway. “It was; but he got away, as you see,” an- swered the trapper. “Leave the | ga with me, and I shall do very well,” said Sebastian. “Sartin, and I'll try and not be gone long. Take good care of the sick man and don’t b«. afeard. Tisn’t fur to Trapper Valley, and one or both of us "Il come back afore night.” “Then go; the dogs will take care of me, and I can shoot, very well, too, you know.” Nick started once or twice, going back as often to give additional advice or instruction ; fairly on the way, he seemed to lose his anx: iety for the yee which gave place to the excitement of his new and hazardous under- taking. He was not very sanguine that he should be successful, but was confident that a careful survey of the Valley might shed ad ditional] light upon its mysteries. On this oo- casion he intended to make the attempt in open daylight, and trust to his experience and sagacity fur eluding observation and detection They arrived at the Devil’s Gate without accident, having made the necessary descent with that degree of cautiousness that cireum- stances demanded. Nick crossed the portals of the gate, followed by Pathaway—who was particularly struck with the formation of the place, especially the basaltic shafts and the tunnel-like passage. Having encountered be- fore the difficulties of this entrance, Nick had now less trouble than his companion in over- coming them. They reached the boiling apring, which Nick named the “ Devil’s Camp- ettle.” Pursuing their way, they scaled great rocks, swung themselves across chasms, and finally reached the stream of water spoken of by the Shoshoné. Crossing this on the stones, they found themselves in a strip of timber of con- siderable extent. ‘Lhe Valley was not very wide at that point; but farther on, it stretched out to the right and left. Nick suddenly stopped, and Pathaway, look- ing up, saw a grizzly bear a few yards in ad- vance of them. The bear turned around and Powed, manifesting a decided disposition to ispute their progress. “It looks like the one we saw last night,” said Pathaway. “Bears are as thick as blackberries, here 2 tig at this season of the year,” said Nich- olas. “This is not a very safe place for bruin,” said the gray hunter, scrutinizing the bear, closely. “] know it, mister; butthe critters haven't got no discreetion. It must be a young bear, ur it ‘d never make its way to Trapper Valley. But, then, the varmints are good for climbin’, and can scramble up the mountain a pesky sight quicker’n you norI can. But see: he don’t "pear willin’ to let us pass, so we'll jes’ ng the right and shift over toward t’other side.” “A very dogmatic bear,” rejoined Patha- way. “Yes ; and I told him so t’other day. Ses I: ‘ You're nothin’ but an overgrown dog.’” Pathaway smiled. The trapper struck off in the manner pro- posed, leaving bruin to enjoy his supremacy. “ That resembles your tame bear,” Pathaway remarked, “ Summat—summat,” quoth Nick, careless- yi “but he’s a good eal bigger; and not bigger, either, but a size cngieh The var- mint that 1 had b’longed to an ne ge friend o’ mine, who took him off the Lord on’y kuows where.” “T perceive that I wae mistaken!” said Palen, drily. The parties had proceeded about a hundred rods when a strange spectacle met their sight. it was a man, mounted upca a horse, his hana tied behind him, and a rope about his n Eomichbooks EE