Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 308 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

as : —— << SS et ee ee eee eee ee a ‘‘] think you had better call me Charley. Sometimes you do, and sometimes you are so distressingly formal. I[ wish you would always call me. Charley.” “‘T will gladly do so, if you will drop that sub- ject. It is only when you begin speaking of father’s troubles that I remember that you are the son of Mr, Creed of Bangor.” “You ought to be in Bangor, Mattie. That is what I want, You have no business to be buried here in the wilds, I want to get you away from this.” “But that is impossible. what cannot be.” * But 1 think it might be. You ought to have a nice house there, and plenty of friends, and a piano, and go to church and the theaters, and—’ ‘‘There! there!” she exclaimed, with a hys- terical laugh. ‘‘ That isenough, and more than enough. I must not think of such things, Come, Charley, if we don’t get some fish to carry ‘home, they will say that we are lazy,” “For my part, I admit that I am lazy.” ‘Oh, Charley! Jook at my line! What bas taken my hook?’ As she spoke she jumped up and seized her fishing-pole, just in time to prevent it from fol- lowing the line into the water. , The force at the end of the line was clearly too much for her, and Charley hastened to. her as- sistance. He soon discovered that. a monster had been booked, and that be would have as much as he could do to manage him, After running out the line as far as it would go, he used all the arts in bis power to play the game and tire him out, ‘*I do wish we could get him!” cried Mattie. **T know that fish, Louis bas often spoken of an old monster of a mossback trout that lives in this pool and can never be induced to take a hook. Oh! I hope we can get him!” ‘It rather looks as if he bas got us,” replied Charley, who was meditating a descent into the ool, g. Just then the old mossback had retired under a rock at the deepest part of the pool, as if to digest the hook at his leisure, and could not be dislodged. Suddenly he darted out and down the stream, making the line whizz as he went, and streteh- ing it so taut that he nearly pulled Charley into the water. Then he leaped straight up, showing his big body clear of the stream, and forming an areh as he flashed back into his native element. The line lay loose in the water, and he was You are talking of off. ‘“ We have lost him!” sadly exclaimed Mat- tie, As the young man gathered in the line, a saseing piece of wood dropped hissing into the pool. : He looked up quickly, and perceived that it came from the rock above them, which was covered with flame. , Over the cliff at the other side a similar fire was Pe VOPeing.. So deeply absorbed had they both been in his efforts to secure the big trout, that they had not noticed the red enemy stealing forward on each side of them, Where or how it bad started there was no tell- ing. Fechaps the fire of some careless campers, or the ashes of some explorer’s pips, bad n its begioning, and in the dry interval between the death of the leaves and the first heavy fall of snow it had a fine chance to grow and spread, It had grown and spread until fire was the monarch of the mountain when the young peo- ple discovered it. Simultaneously with their discovery a strong wind had sprung up, or bad just reached the len, and very soon the roaring of the es as hey licked up the pine needles and leaped from tree to tree was heard above all other sounds, ‘The forest is on fire!” shouted the young man. ‘ We must hurry out of this, Mattie,” He picked up the tackle and the few fish they had caught, and led the way out of the glen. When they reached the timbered slope be- ond, the scene was magnificent and appall- ‘Khe fire had already overpassed the erest upon which they had discovered it, and was licking up the leaves and brush in the forest that cov- ered the slope. . ve At the same time the wind seemed to be in- creasing, and was driving forward the flames with frightful rapidity. They ran up the sapless trees as they reached them, catching at the dry leaves and withered limbs, until one after another became a pillar of fire, while streams of fire ran ahead upon the ground as if they had poured down from a vol- cano. Already the flames were encroaching and Closing in on the only left open for the es- cape of the young people. That was along the bed of the stream, in ‘which direction t + ran af the top of their speed, urged to to their best exertions by the roaring of the wind and blaze behind them. Almost breathless they reached the plateau Hemlock Hank. at the foot of the slope, which they had sup- ed would prove a place of safety, only to nd that the fire had made a flank movement and threatened to bar their further progress. Here the brook which they were following spread out into an pblong pond or mountain tarn, the other side of which had not yet been touched by the flames, Charley knew that the pond was shallow, and perceived that it offered the only «hance of es- cape. ‘*You must let me carry you, Mattie,” said a, **Ob, Charley! You can’t do it. I am too heavy.” **l am no baby, and [ mean to do if. goes!” He dropped the fish and the tackle, lifted her up and waded into and across the pond, while she clasped her bands about his shoulders as if she belonged there. The little lake was scarcely more than knee- deep, and he accomplished his task with appar- ent ease, but was quite cut of breath when he reached the other side. ~* “Ob, Charley !” she cried, as he set her down, “Tt bas nearly killed you.” ‘*No, no—not a bit of it. Now I defy Hank Ward to say that I can’t carry a barrel of sugar,” ‘For shame, Charley! That is a wretched comparison. 1] am sure that I am not as heavy as a barrel of sugar.” “But you are ever so much sweeter, and you are liable to melt if you don’t hurry home. There’s no telling what turn this infernal con- flagration will take next.” bey soon reached the ridge that led to the peak oe which The Outlook was situated, and crossed it with the fire roaring behind them, but at a comparatively safe distance. Here . CAAPTER XVIL ‘SCOTLAND'S BURNING!” WHILE his young friend was enjoying his fishing excursion, Hemlock Hank was devoting himself to the manufacture of a pair of snow- shoes, | He was seated in front of the cabin on the plateau in the sunshine, weaving and knottin thongs of buckskin from side to side of the ligh but strong frame, when he was joined by Solon Marley, who bad been comforting himself with an after-dinner nap. The old gentleman looked curiously at Hem- lock Hank and his work, ‘“*Isn’t it a snow-shoe that you are making, Hank?” he asked, _ “ That's what it looks like, and that’s what it ‘ “*T don’t see what use you are likely to have for snow-shoes, Winter will be coming on, to be sure; but—” “Jest so, Mr. Marley. Winter ‘ll be comin’ on, and there'll be plenty of use for ’em afore spring, I guess.” * Before spring. What do you mean by tbat? A ie expect to stay in the woods all win- r te “Tt's likely.” ‘What will become of your young friend, then? “Surely you will not let him go home alone,” | “Not much. He will se jest where I stay.” ** And where will that be?’ “ Right here, if you don’t drive us away, We won't eat you out of house and home, as we will bave a load of stuff comin’ up afore long. You see, Mr. Marley, it’s Charley’s idea that be wants to spend a winter be bere, and I am more than willing to vy with bim.” “It isstrange that he should be willing to bury himself in these wilds, even for a win- r. “Strange things will happen, and I don’t blame him, If I was a young chap—-but that’s neither here nor there. If you should drive us away we would make a camp somewhere bear here; so you may as well let us stay jest where we are.” : Solon Marley reflected upon this for a while. He might have suspected that something of the kind would happen, but Hank’s statement came upon him with the force of a revelation, ‘* Of course you willstay if you wish to,” he said at last. ‘“*It would bea lie, Hank Ward, if I should say that lam not glad to hear that you Gar to stay, as I like and trust you be- yond allmen, As for your young friend—but feel sure that he does not mean me any harm,” ‘‘Harm? He? If I had as many do as I know tbat he don’t mean you any harm, I could buy out Bangor. He means as well by you as I do, if not more so, and, for my part, I want to see you safe from all your enemies, includin’ Dick Risden, the Boston detective that I tola you about.” “T must admit, Hank, that I am afraid of that man. But Louis is as true as steel, and he has lately taken to looking for Ralston’s emissary. If he finds him, be will keep track of his movements, so that I can escape with Mattie if it should be necessary.” ‘Well, Mr. Marley, I guess there won’t be suy call for running away, as long asI and a 13 —. i -——_——— oe Charley are here to help you, T only hope that Louis won't git into a fight with the cuss, if he does come across bim.” ‘No danger of that, I think. I.told him tha’ there must be no killing or attempting to kill, and he will obey me. It seems to me, Hank, that there is a strong smell of smoke in the air. ‘* Just what [ was perme must be fire about somewhere, I hope our folks— Hello! here comes Louis.” The Indian came around the side of the peak, and approached them mp me He seemed to be unusually excited, and his eyes gleamed as if he had found or achieved something. “How now, Louis? What's up?’ demanded Hemlock Hank, “Louis found ’um,” he replied, in a tone of intense satisfaction. ‘*Found what?’ inquired Solon Marley. “ Bad white man and Auguste.” ‘‘The thunder!” exclaimed Hank. ‘He bas found Dick Risden and bis Injun. Did you hurt ’em, Louis?’ ‘Not burt ’um much, some,” ‘Did you see either of ’em?” ‘6 No ” “ Whet did you find, then? What did you o? . ‘“Louis found °um camp—over in big basir. Tent like Hank’s, and cache dere, Cut ’um tent up, an’ spile ’um t’ings.” “Is that all?” ‘*Put up arrer an’ totem, to make go.” ** So you gave them notice to quit, in the In- jun fashion, I bope you didn’t leave a trail that they could foller.’ The Indian smiled grimly. “Leave ‘um trail like snake on rock. Not foller Louis much.” “Well, that’ll be apt to worry ’em some. What does this smoke in the air mean, Louis?” “ Big fire comin’—fire in woods,” “Which way?” ‘The Indian pointed beyond the peak, Both the white men ea up in alarm, ‘Good Lord!” exclaimed Hemlock Hank. “Mattie has gone that way fishin’ with Charley Creed, You know the place, Louis—the pool where the big mossback lives. Do you suppose the woods are on fire about there, Louis?’ The Indian’s usually stolid expression gave way to a look of terror. Mebbe scare ‘um ‘* Heap fire dere,” he answered, ‘ Plenty fire ‘fore now.” Solon Marley’s face was filled with intense anguish, ‘** Merciful heaven!” he exclaimed, as he tot- tered away. ‘*What are you going todo, old man?” de- manded Hank. “To seek my child, If she should be lost, there is nothing left.” ‘Hold on! No use in startin’ off that way. There’s nothin’ you can do, and I don't think you need to worry. Charley Creed is with her and he’s no sort of a fool, though he is fond of runnin’ his bead ag’inst stun walls. He knows enou h to. come in gre roe a, ‘ ow can you 8 so coolly when my child is in peril?” ‘We've got to be cool. Nothin’ to be gain by flyin’ off the handle, Louis and I will goan look for the young folks, and you may foller if you want to.” The Indian had already started off at a lope and Hemlock Hank ran in the same direction, with Solon Marley at his beels. . hen they cee Bi age the poin they were compe to stop a at the scene that opened before. Mountain and forest beyon shooting flames, and the sky was ie of smoke that arose from tion, y brisk breeze was blowing toward them, loaded with beated air and witb the stinging, paneens odor of burning wood. ‘*It’s comin’ on like wild-fire!” shouted the guide, ‘* Stay right here, old man, and pray that we may find ’em safe!” Solon Marley sunk upon his knees, and Hem- lock Hank pressed forward, Louis was already running and leaping down the peak, beedless of rocks and trees, toward the ridge that separated it from the rest of the mountain, Presently his glad cry was borne upward by the wind. “All right!” yelled Hank, taking up the shout and sending it on, Solon Marley arose, and eagerly gazed in the direction of the shouts until he saw bis faithful eae returning with bis daughter and Charley As they came, it could easily be seen that the fire was swiftly pursuing them. In a few moments they were all gathered on the plateau in front of the cabin. _ “Yes, we bad a pretty rough time,” said the young man in answer to the questions that were showered upon bim. ‘I will tell you all about it when Ican. But there is no time or talk. The fire is coming like a fresbet, and t is sure to sweep over this place,” Eomichbooks EO a ee Se ee ee et ee nee ee ee a ee ee eee