Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 137 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

——<— Long Beard, the Giant Spy. 5 tively upon the tufted skulls of the warriors. By a flank movement the captain was finally brought down, and two of the warriors seemed intent upon taking him alive, and would, doubt- less, have succeeded, had (it not been for ‘the ‘quick blows of Harry’s club and the rending teeth of Belshazzar. While engaged in liberating Rankin, a figure rushed suddenly upon our hero with a horrible imprecation upon his lips, but the youth greeted him with a blow that sent him reeling over- board into the water. But it was not until it was too late that he discovered he had commit- ted an irreparable blunder—that it was Muck- lewee, the guide, he had struck. He regretted the act, but felt justified, for the reason that in the excitement of the moment Mucklewee was rushing upon him with deadly intent, no doubt mistaking him for an enemy, By this time but three savages were left to contend with, and one of these Harry soon knocked overboard. Another was struggling hand-to-hand with the young soldier, while the third, seeing the havoc made in their ranks by Harry’s club, rushed upon the youth and gra led him. Together they rolled on the raft in eadly conflict. The savage was far the heavier and stouter, but Harry was the more skillful, and proved as difficult to handle as an eel. The youth’s club being of no further use to him now, he ‘dropped it and endeavored to draw his knife. But this -he was unable todo, for the savage’s arms in a measure pinioned his. His move- ments were also somewhat hampered by his rifle, which was hung at his back, but, despite these disadvantages, he fought like a young tiger, giving the red-skin all he wanted to do in the hand-to-hand grapple. Finally the lad saw that the red-skin’s weight was an advantage he could not overcome, and that he must endeavor to free himself, while strength remained, from the t teva arms of the savage. He threw all his strength into a single effort, but without success. The limbs oft the foe were like welded bands of steel. They whirled to and fro across the raft in rapid evolutions. Harry squirmed and wrig- nF like a serpent, at the same time shouting efiance in the ear of his antagonist. At length they struggled to their feet and went spinning away across the raft and fell overboard. Both sunk from view, but they soon ap ed at the surface again, strugglin all the fiercer now that the water was contend- ing fer the victory over both. They fought in silence—that is, no word escaped their Jips, for they found it prudent to keep their mouths ‘shut and the water from their lungs. Their flying limbs beat and churned the water into a oam. Suddenly a loud, deep bark rung out, and was succeeded by a plunge. It was the dog, Ishazzar, who, seeming to comprehend the perilous situation of his master, bounded to his assistance. -Nor was the faithful animal a ‘moment too soon. Happy Harry was almost exhausted when the dog swam up and seized the red-skin by the throat, ending the conflict in a short time. Keeping himself above water as well as he could in almost breathless condition, until Belshazzar had dispatched the warrior, he then grasped the dog by the tail and was towed ashore. Both dog and master were quite exhausted when they reached the bank, and crawling out of the water they threw themselves upon the beach for a moment’s rest. Harry now glanced out over the bay. He could see the raft and the two forms strug- gling in their death-throes upon it. The water in the bay was still, but at the saine time there was a natural inclination of the current lake- -ward and the raft gradually drifted down the bay until it reached the lake, when it soon was whirled by the current out on the bosom of the watery expanse. “Great -faced hornits, ’Shazzar!” ex- claimed young Harry, ‘there oon that r vou captain to destruction, and we unable to elp him. But we’ve done our duty, Bell; we done all we could until we war teetotally -discombobarated. We're tired and wet as mops. ¥t’s a damper on us, old friend, and all because ‘we’re so unfortunate as to be boys. It always did seem to me that boys war the most perse- cuted set of critters that ever war inflicted on the world. And yet one can’t jump out of boy- hood into manhood; things hev got to take their natural course. Now, if we’d been gals, Bell, we’d not be here to-ni ght, but tucked away somewhar in a quiet nest of feathers and quilts. But what’s the use to lament? a boy’s a boy, and ye can’t make anything else out of him. Besides, we enjoy all this as only boys can enjoy fun. But poor Rankin! I hope he’ll get through all right with that red-skin. I want to tell him sumthin’—suwthin’ that he’d never have suspected, cld doz. They say boys have alers got their noses into other people’s business, and know more’n they ort to; but, ’Shazzar, a _teller’s got to know a heap to travel thrcegh this of a country. Now, the captain may have a sight ov book larnin’, and know all about handlin’ a sword, and military things, but they didn’t help him to a knowledge of one thing—that is, of the border and its characters. If they only had, he’d not been trapped by a traitor!” Belshazzar raised his eyes and gazed at the face of his young master as though he fully comprehended his words. “Yes, Bell,” continued the lad, ‘‘that man Mucklewee war a condemned traitor to Rankin, he was, for a cruel fact. It war him that had the trap arranged for the captain’s reception. But, hoppin’ hornits, ’Shaz, I give the low-browed wretch a jolt across the organum that sent him to water. I don’t know whether he got out or not—nor I don’t care; but 1 do know he is a black-hearted trai— Ah! now, Belshazzar, what is it, old pard?”’ The dog started up with a low growl toward the woods. The massive tread of a foot sounded near, and a moment later Happy Harry saw the giant figure of a white man appear from the dense shadows of the undergrowth. ‘*Great hoppin’ hornits and glory!” shouted the youth, springing to his feet and advancing toward the intruder, ‘it is my big friend—my nacre mee Long Beard; it is, for a living act! CHAPTER V. THE LAKE SOUD. THE man that stood before our young friend was full seven feet in hight, and in the night appeared taller. He was built in proportion to his stature, with great muscular arms, swelling chest and massive form, to which a tremendous beard, reaching far down upon his breast, gave additional strength. But it was snow- white. He was dressed in a suit half-civilized and half-savage, which gave his powerful form a formidable appearance. Fifty years had de- tracted nothing from his physical manhood, while his venerable beard and hair gave to him an air of wisdom and mental ripeness. He was armed with a long “ Kentueky” rifle, a brace of pistols and a hunting-knife; and as he appeared upon the beach he drop the butt of his rifle to the ground, and, crossing his hands over the muzzle, gazed around him and at Harry and bis dog in silent astonish- ment. He knew the Wild Boy of the Woods, and was astonished to see him there in the light he was.in. They had met before and had spent days together, but always in the forest. But neither one knew aught of the other’s habitation, nor of his life beyond their first meeting in the wild-wood. It is true, Harry had heard roan | of a reputed goanne called Long Beard, that frequented the orest bordering on St. Clair, but as there are always so many stories prevalent ‘on the border, of mysterious giants, avengers and spirits, he gave no credence to the report until he actually met the long bearded man himself. Belshazzar growled fiercely and seemed in- clined to arrest the man’s further advance, but a master bade him be quiet, and he again laid own. viens br giant did not reply to his greeting, said: “Long Beard, I am monsterously happy to a I am for a golden fact.” | ‘“Why, Harry, my little fellow, are you lost? are you in trouble?’ the giant asked, in a deep, measured tone. ' “ Me. lost! hoppin’ hornits, no, eee But I’m wet—soakin’ wet—me and Bell are. We've had the gol-awfulest, bloodiest, wick- edest fight that ever took place on St. Clair’s ores. -** Indeed! I thought I heard a fearful racket off hereaways,” Long Beard said, with that same deep, measured tone; ‘* but are you hurt, my. boy? ‘ips ‘‘Wuss than that, Big ,1’m tetotally tuckered out, demoralized. was never so tired in all my life. IT’m soakin’ wet, and never felt so ornery in my life. But Je-whiz we had a magnificent fight—me and Bell and the boys. It was superb, the rent we reeled the red-skins off onto the great black skein of eternity. I tell ye, them Spartan fellers we read about doin’ such big fightin’ at—at Trigo- nometry couldn’t hold a eandle to us. But, Long Whiskers,” and his voice fell to a serious tone, ‘‘ I’m afraid one of the boys went under, while the other ort to ’a’ died afore his mother war born.” “Why, Harry?” ‘* He war a pusillanimous, unrectified traitor, and betrayedthis friend—a splendid young man with sojer clothes on.” ‘*Harry, come with me; I want to know more about this affair. My boat lies off north of here. I will make a fire in the cabin, and while you are drying your clothes you can tell me of your day’s adventure.” “That’s fair, dogged if it arn’t, Big Beard, and I guess P’ll accept of your hospitality; for I don’t feel any too much like laying around loose to-night. Times are revivin’, gineral; I guess thar’s goin’ to be war, sure enough.” ‘*A war?’ exclaimed Long Beard, turning suddenly oe the lad as if startled by his t do you know about a war? words; *‘ w (rrr serene sss SSS SSS ‘Why, hoppin’ hornits, general, haven’t you heard of the war ’twixt this country and Eng- land?” ‘* | have not, Harry.” ‘“ Well, neither have I, gineral; but I guess they’ll arrange things for a high old squabble of a war, if they can agree on it,” A faint smile stirred the placid calmness of the giant’s face, and he said: ‘*Come on, Harry, you will take cold in those wet clothes.” The youth and his dog followed himsome dis- tance along the shore, when they came to where the little schooner, rigged with saiJs, was tied up in a cove or bay. They went aboard, the boat was unfastened, sail hoisted, when the lit- tle craft glided out of the bay into the lake and sped away over its bosom. The craft was about twenty feet in length by eight in width. Forward was a little cabin ex- tending from the hatchway to about three feet above the deck. From the cabin to the rear extremity of the boat extended a long pole, or beam, parallel with the deck, and “tf two feet above it. It was attached to an upright post aft, but of what use it could be Harry could not imagine. Long Beard conducted Harry and his dog down into the cabin, when he at once struck a fire on the elevated stone hearth in the apart- ment. The smoke and heat escaped through an opening in the roof, The lad removed his outer garments and hung them around the fire to dry, substituting a blanket furnished by the giant in their place, He next turned his attention to his fire-arms. He drew the charge from his rifle and wiped the barrel dry. e contents of his powder- horn were perfectly dry, but those of his bullet- pouch were thoroughly soaked, but not mate- rially damaged. Meanwhile an animated conversation had been carried on between the man and boy. ‘*'ve been in many predicaments, Big Beard,” the youth finally said, when they touched upon the subject, “but this one to-night was the nastiest one I ever got into. I’m afraid Bel- shazzar thar will have a spell of the croup.” ** How many savages boarded the raft?” “Seven; and they fit like screech-owls. But come down to the fine thing of it, we had eight enemies to contend with. As I said be- fore, the feller Mucklewee was a traitor, He had arranged the bull-trap, of course, ’ca’se he was t?other man’s guide.. But when I see’d the light from their tent, I concluded to know who they were, and sot to work thinkin’ up some caper to play ’em to git inside their tent, I soon got it. I Jet on that I was dead, and sent Belshazzar after help to their tent, He understood a thing or two, gineral. He’s a won- derful knowin’ dog, he’ is, for a square fact; and when I’m hurt he’ll cut right out for belp; or if Fliijet him, he’ll just pick me right up and carry me anywhere. He’s stout. as « lion, ae he is for a loud fact. Irode on his ck one whole day the time I got my foot hurt, and he never minded it a bit. Butas I was goin’ to say, I sent him to them fellers’ tent, and after repeated trials, he brought them up to where I laid, all covered with blood from that cut across my head, whar a_blunderin’ fool grazed me. with a bullet awhile before. The men kindly helped me down to their tent, and when they found I wasn’t quite dead they told me so, and I recovered swiftly. I got right up and went out to wash my face and ds and slick up a little, and it was then that I dis- kivered the difficulty the hull caboodle of us wasin. Ifit’d’a’ bin you or me instead of that young soldier chap, we’d ‘a’ seen through the ull thing afore ever we planted a tent there. It’s natural for us ole rats of the woods to be cautious and keep out of danger; but soldiers don’t know anything about Ingins.” - ‘* What kind of a man was this soldier of whom you speak?” ; ‘*A dog-goned fine young feller with the uniform of a captain ov. He belongs some- whar South, and war on his way to Laketown, and I'll bet anything he’s a bearer of govern- ment dispatches to Major Van Horne, and that old Mucklewee knowed it, and wanted to Bit hold of his papers to. sell them to the Brit- is “ Very likely, Harry,” replied Long Beard, reflectively. ‘‘And great hoppin’ hornits! wouldn’t I, though be poaeee glad to know how he come out ‘m of the fight. afeard he went under, poor feller! But then it’s some consolation to know we've all got todie. What puzzles me is how I have escaped so long. I’m a reg’lar walkin’ misfortune. My first misfortune was bein’ born at all, and the Lord only knows how Pve had it up hill, ever since. Thar’s not life enough in me to stand hard knocks. .I’d give anything if I had as boomin’ big anatemy as you; and hornits! don’t I wish I had a fist and foot like you? They’d stand me many gcood turns, they would for a solid fact. A fellow wouldn’t have to plant the foot on an Ingin’s base, or shove the fist into his features more’n once. I’ve had more’n one lickin’ on account of bein’ a boy, and Lord only knows how mei vy are laid up for me. Old Phineas Blume says Le Gomicbooks (E(@)