Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 136 — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

Se — ee i ee ee really are, aud perhaps our people in the bush may hear us.” Sarah did as her brother desired, She had learned, during the years she had passed in the bush, how to handle a gun. But the blacks seemed to bave given up their attack upon the house, and to be satisfied with plundering the storehouses, which Bill, naturally enough, could not prevent. The old men of the tribe did not, however, merely desire the booty, which they obtained so easily— they longed for vengeance for the blood that had been spilled. While half of the troop carried off the booty, others brought’ firebrands into the kitchen ad- joining the house and set it on fire. Protected by the roof of the kitchen they advanced to- ward the door leading into the house, and tried to break it open, when Bill hastened down-stairs, and fired his gun through the panel. Unfortunately, the blacks had by this time discovered how weak the garrison was; and although Bill discharged all the guns from the different windows of the upper stories, they were not intimidated. A few of the enemies, protected by the smoke, had already taken the house in the rear, and, with the handles of their short waddies, were endeavoring to break open the shutters. Firebrands had also been thrown into the dwelling-houses of the two stock-keepers, whence the flames wers already bursting forth, while the flames from the kitchen had reached the rafters of the house, Bill perceived the danger in which they were placed, and was well aware that no mercy could be expected from their bloodthirsty ene- mies. The conviction that he was the only protector of his mother and sisters, endowed the boy with almost supernatural strength, and filled his young heart with wonderful cool- ness and enthusiasm. Calm as a veteran grown old in combats, he reloaded the guns, and ordered his sisters, who obeyed his com- mands implicitly, to take their mother into the corner room of the lower stery, which was most distant from the fire, and whence, if things should come to the worst, they might at least gain the yard. Once outside, there was nothing left for him to do but to keep the savages at such a distance with his fire-arms that their spears Could not reach them. Atany rate, help must soen arrive, At that moment one of the shutters fell in with a crash, broken in shivers by two of the most daring blacks. They had made their way through the opening, and, as Bill hastened to the spot, the wild yell of triumph of other enemies resounded from the back building. Two spears—he did not even perceive by whom they were thrown—pierced at the same time his coat and left arm, and the next in- stant five blacks rushed in from opposite sides, and with demoniacal yells seized the ladies. Bill discharged his gun into the midst of them, and a shot was heard from the outside, “Help!” resounded the terrified cry of ’Lis- ‘beth, in the midst of the tumult, as one of the blacks seized her and dragged her to the door, which had beeu burst open, Sarah was strug- gling with another; and as their mother lay insensible upon the ground, another shot re- sounded in the midst of this terrible noise and eonfusion, and Bill thought he saw, through the smoke, the forms of Walker and M’Don- ald battling with the blacks, But at this mo- ment a boomerang hit him on the brow, stretch- ing him insensible upon the ground. “Hurrah! to the rescue!” M’Donald’s full, powerful ‘voice thundered above the howl of the blacks, who in their panic left the booty they had already seizad, and, at this unex- pected reinforcement, fled in all directions. They had recognized the much-dreaded uni- form of the chief of the black police, and im- nai? that they were surrounded and must be en prisoners. **Out of the house!” shouted Walker, to the ladies, without even bestowing a look on the black who had seized ’Lisbeth, and whom he had felled to the ground with a blow of the butt end of his pistol. ‘‘ The house is on fire; save yourself!” and with his strong arm he lifted the old lady, who was still insensible, and rushed out with her. M’Donald, carrying the boy, followed him. They had, however, scarcely reached the open space in front of the house, when they perceived a troop.of blacks, led by Kakurru, advancing to the attack. The wild yells and bowls ef the infuriated savages filled the air, and spears, fortunately badly aimed in their blind rage, flew in all di- rections. a rat i ee | a The Outlaw Hunter. “Now is the time, M’Donald!” exclaimed Walker, mingling in the fight with wild en- thusiasm. ‘Two against twenty, that’s fair odds against these black dogs. England forever!” With these words, he threw his useless pistol into the midst of the troop, and drawing his sword, rushed upon the enemy, M’Donald, bolding a pistol in his left. hand, and a long, heavy knife in his right, kept close to Walker’s side. Kakurru confronted Wal- ker, who, with one blow of his sword, split the black’s skull. But his comrades were still pressing forward with wild yells. They knew they bad the advantage of numbers, saw vic- tory certain, and the blood whieh had been shed had driven them into a wild and desper- ate rage. Their battle-cry resounded in the air, their spears and boomerangs fell in showers, and Walker tottered on, receiving a blow from one of the latter. “Hurrah!” resounded in tbe midst of the noise aud tumult of the fight; “‘ here, my boys, at them!” and with a flying leap over the fence, discharging his pistol into the midst of the troop, and mowing the affrighted blacks down right and left from his horse, like God’s wrath, the sergeant came rushing on, followed by four or five of his men, Like spray before the wind, the black foes scattered in all direc- tions. ~ “Hurrah,” shouted the old soldier, giving the spurs to his foaming steed, and with every blow of ‘his sharp weapon he struck one of the fugitives to the ground. ‘‘ Hurrah, tally-bo!— at them! aj{them! Hurrah! you rascals, we've caught youl—burrah!” The flight of the blacks was general. The greater portion of their troop had already made off with the booty, leaving the destruc- tion of the whites to a small number of their young men. Those who could save themselves from the unexpected attacks of the old ser- geant and the black soldiers, who followed them like the impersonification of revenge, fled, some into the malley-bushes, some to the river, into which they dived, to get out of the reach of danger. , ‘ Walker not. taking time to look after his horse, pursued the fugitives on foot, but M’Donald, as soon as the ladies were out of danger, ran hastily to his animal, which he had left at the fence, put his discharged pistols into. the holsters, and vaulted into the saddle. He cast one more look at the fight, which was still raging, and with a quick pressure of his knee, led the horse toward the ladies. When Sarah heard the sound of hoofs behind her, she turned her head. ““M’Bonald!” she exclaimed, on recognizing the horseman. “God bless you, and yours!” said the young man, bending over her in a friendly manner. The next instant his horse bounded toward the fense, which he took at a flying leap, and gal- loped away across the country. “The devil,” exclaimed the sergeant, who had just turned his horse round, and was stand- ing by his officer, ‘‘There goes our bush ran- ger at full speed into the bush. After him, nf boys, before he has passed the first, malley- ? *“*Stop!” said Walker, coolly and firmly; “the blacks are there; let some of thé men pursue them, while the others save what can be snatched out of the flames. But at the same time secure the black cripple, who is just creeping down the sand-hill toward the river. He is the spy of the band, and betrayed the place to them.” ; The sergeant looked somewhat astonished at his lieutenant. Moreover, he did not under- stand how his officer and his prisoner, whom he thought many miles away, had so suddenly returned to the station, and what bad brought them back at the very nick of time. In his opinion, the capture of the bush ranger was much more important than the punishment of twenty troublesome blacks; however, he had to obey his superior’s orders. A few soldiers were at once told to follow the enemy into the bush, and, if possible, to make some prisoners, while the sergeant, accompanied by one of -his men, for how could he want more to secure a cripple? galloped toward the hill. Nguyulloman, who had in the mean time been a most attentive and interested spectator of the events of the morning, bad, with increas- ing uneasiness, seen the gradual arrival of re- inforcements at the station, and the flight and defeat of h's comrades. However, he would keep his ground. No Hurrah! Old | one would, he thought, know what an impcr- tant part he had acted in the unlucky trausuc- tion; and, if he remained perfectly quiet, the white men would do him no haim, Aftera few days, or when it grew caik, it would vs easy for him to withdraw. At the same time, however, be felt congic- erable uneasiness at the presence of the mounted blacks, who were being continually reinforced, and kept galloping about, until, with the exception of a few, the whole troop were assembled again on the station. He was just as little pleased with the attention which the officer, upon whom he kept his eyes, be- stowed upon bim, and he was creeping slowly down the bill toward the river, cn his hands, when the sergeant cut off his retreat, “ Hallo! my old cross spider!” the rough soldier shouted out to him; ‘‘ on the retreat for some hole along the shore, eh? But you will not be able to give signals so easily down there. Wait, my hearty, we'll look out for a high, airy place for you on a tree, where you will be able to make signals, with hand and foot, to your heart’s content. Stop, I say, else I shall mark your black skin with red streaks— do you hear?” | Nguyulloman understood but too well every word thundered forth by the sergeant, and found, to his horror, that either he must have been betrayed, or that the white men suspected the part he had acted. Either alternative was a dangerous ove for him. But, however he might secretly gnash with his teeth, and crush the sand between his fingers, he could not de- fend himself against his enemies—could not even attempt to escape; a child would have overtaken him in the soft, yielding sand, Wriggling before the soldier like a worm, he said, in a whining, entreating tone, and in an English which, although broken, was perfectly intelligible: “Do not burt a poor cripple. What do you want with me? Can J, a poor unfortunate, do any one harm? All have forsaken me, even my boy, who bas hitherto fetched me water and wood, and, dying with thirst, 1 was just creeping to the river.” ‘* What a wretched image of man that is!” the sergeant muttered, as he examined the miserable being; ‘‘and such a venomous toad into the bargain. But wait, my boy; we’il cure you of these freaks,” “Water!” groaned the wretch, at the same time stretching the fleshless, skeleton-like legs from him, as if in suffering and agony. “‘ Hang it!” exclaimed the sergeant, turning from the loathsome form in disgust; ‘‘get him some water, Kaieko. It makes one feel sick to look at his spider’s legs.” ‘Water!’ groaned the wretch; and moved painfully and slowly after the soldier, who broke a piece of bark from the nearest gum- tree, and was running with it to the river to get water. The cripple kept moving like a lame toad through the sand towurd the water, and his wide-open lips alrexdy seemed to touch the longed-for draught. Kaieko was obliged to run about fifty paces down the shore, to find a place where he could get ut the st seve 94 this place, however, the cripple kept advanc- ing, as if the mere sight of water was a relief to him, while the sergeant watcbed his motions with horror .and curiosity. He at the same time sbeathed his sword; and, as Kaieko was returning with the water, dismounted trom his horse, and threw his bridle over its neck, Nguyulloman was about ten paces from the steep shore, and looked round tothe white man as it for assistance, Again he stretched out his long, fleshless legs, and his countenance be- came distorted, his eyes fixed. | ‘‘ May I become a black, if that is not the most horrible thing I bave seen in the whole course of my life!’ said the old soldier, turn- ing away in disgust from the bideous form, when the latter, as if with a convulsive start, jumped into the air, and neared the river by at least. two paces, ; | “Take care, you will fall into the river,” cried the sergeant. ‘‘I say—hallo! what is that?’ The devil—the beast!” He had cause to be astonished; for, suddenly, like a gigantic spider, throwing out bis thin Jegs and dragging them along, placing his out- spread hands on the soil, which was firmer here, the cripple drew his black body along with incredible rapidity over the ground to- ward the steep shore. ‘*Stop, there!” shouted the soldier, trying to cut off his retreat; but, like a ball of india- rubber, the black body leaped over the few .OOKS ‘ ' - | of A (Ee) SL Oe oe 2 -