Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 28 — page 17: what you’re looking at

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

sound? It grows louder and louder—ha! hold my head—quick!” and he caught Little Volca- no’s hands and pressed them to his forehead. “That is it—they grow quieter, now. You must. stay with me, though. If you go away again, they will get angry, and go hummin and buzzing louder and louder, until my hea flies to pieces—that is what he wants. He put them in there—listen—don’t even whisper— hornets!” Little Volcano could scarce keep his counte- nance at the idea of this perambulating hornet’s nest, while Zimri was forced to turn aside to snicker in his sleeve. Crazy Billy, however seemed to see nothing of all this. suddenly, glanced quickly around, with widely dilated eyes, then picked up his heavy staff and motioned the miners to follow him. Ho started | | Three-Fingered J ack. other sort 0’ game; or they'll go fer us kerchuck! I reckon we kin play to either hand—but mind ye, little’un; ef it comes to downright work, jest put in your best licks. It'll be either them or us. "I'won’t do to let even one on ’em go back to. tell what’s come o’ t’others. You onder- stand?” ““T won't begin the quarrel, but when it does come, I'll try my best to mnake. my teeth meet, you can be sure of that,” laughed Little Volea- no. ‘A fellow can only die once, and when I go under there’s going to be a benefit for some- body besides myself—sure !” There was little more said. Crazy Billy led the way—or rather followed the lead of Beauty who glided steadily along like a well-trained hound upon a scent, only differing in not giving 17 -—_— submissive, as they cautiously advanced toward the glimmering camp-fire. Ten minutes sufficed. At the end of that time they peered out upon the encampment of Long Tom’s emissaries. They had evidently eaten heartily. Sprawl- ed at full length around the fire, they were smoking and drinking, talking’ over their pros- pects of finding their ‘‘ game.” Though as yet no names had been spoken the miners could not long doubt who and what that game was. ‘* We'll ketch ’em up to-morrer, sartin,” quoth: Sleepy George. ‘ We ain’t more’n a dozen mile from whar the valley is—ef I ain’t wrong—in which we'll find the gold. They won’t be look- in’ fer us—I reckon they think they done Se - ed it mighty fine. We'll let’em git fa’rly work, so they can’t be no mistake, then we’ll out mouth, Close at his heels followed the com- | an’ make a clean job on it.” dus fade ‘a YAN \\ NATAL Muh \\ iM fos) opt y i, My NGPA fe, 4 ii \ ik ; Stal ie | f y / Mii / Vy i IR wwe y 1h, MN by NN \ AN \\\\! a Mal SA ANA RAS A MN NNN hy > al HANS vi By) EUAN RRMTAIMSC Mi Nr A NY Py ay NY sl tf Fa Si A NOAH RNY (5? o : N\A Ay Yl, pi 4 ii ig we AW? R AW \) 7 mi as ALN (ad N\ Wiill| Wt | {((\ | «ne YY, ee (| 9\ \ | \ | \\ | AW \f Pal, | \\ 8 —— THE BANK GAVE WAY ** Will you show us where these bad men are, then?” persisted the aM rccar'y ““ Come-—-they are ing—I can’t wait?” im- patiently cried the hermit, pausing and glanc- ing back. | ‘Shall we—” ‘“T reckon. Mebbe he’ll take us thar—even if he does lead us on a fool trail, *twon’t be much lost time. It’s most too dark to find out jist who we’ve got to buck ag’inst,” replied Zimri, pressing forward. : “Tf he don’t run us aa into their camp— that might be awkward,” said the boy miner, half-laughing. ; “He said they had a fire. I reckon we kin keep from that. But s’pose we—durn that stub!” as he tripped and nearly fell headlong over a root, just recovering himself. ‘Ef we do—thar’s two things. ebbe theyll play sheep—try to make out they was r some ‘ , \ ‘ f [ , i ; ’ V he yy \ {fy WAY Y | i! ! , fi; * ube //; (ij A s \\\) h\ t UI (ARAL NTT PANO RIA ua oe ti —_— - determined to seo the end, though far from feeling sure that the hermit’s destination was the one they desired. guey could only hope—he turned a deaf ear to all their questions, pialeing on without even notic- ing them by a look. me Took Saader ' suddenly muttered Zimri, inting ahead. ‘‘Thar’s a fire—hold, by—! Btop ’? and he caught Crazy Billy by the shoul- der. With asingle motion the hermit freed himself, though with a force that caused the miner to reel and his arm to tingle for an hour after. But as Little Volcano touched his shoulder he stood silent and submissive. “Call in Beauty—we must creep up closer, Can you keep him quiet?’ whispered the boy miner. At a sign the panther fell back like a pointer coming to heel. Nor did Crazy Billy seem less rades, doggedly AW Mir 5 in} Nh) Ht Can ri) ‘ i) ( ' ‘ us fay, sili a" Nie if Ait ne “te WH Py) } Hi f ” 5 / J ! ie Ts) 46) ver. HA’ f Y, Sy Gk, BENEATH HIS WEIGHT, AND HE ROLLED DOWN INTO THE RAVINE, TO THE VERY FEET OF THE MINERS.—Page 8. Day ‘* But about this un- placer—I don’t ce derstand the rights of it,” said Laughing Dick, rising to replenish his pipe. ‘Is the bons to come in for the lion’s share of that?” ** Not much—he sais what we make is so much c’ar gain over an’ above our pay. We'll clean out the *ket, too; an’ mebbe ‘twill pan out enough fer us all to turn gentlemen—who knows?’ grinned the bummer. Little Volcano drew along breath asthe young gambler arose. That same figure—it must be! “Rasy!” muttered Zimri, pressing the lad’s arm, reading his thought and fearing he was about todrawaweapon. ‘*’ Member your prom- ise! The time haint— Ge-thunder!” There was good cause for his exclamation. As the boy miner released his grasp upon Crazy Billy’s shoulder, the hermit arose and stepped out into full view, gliding up to the fire. The outlaws stared in surprise, and for a Mo €oO Eomicboo Cc ‘Ss Af