Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 464 — page 23: what you’re looking at

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

Olt 2 aA , Sandycraw, the Man of Grit. — - _—— ——— 23 about, and stayed around a bit; but he went away ‘arly this mornin’.” ‘Why did he go? Something must have hap- ned to drive him away. He promised to wait for me, and I know that he would never have gone unless he had been obliged to. What was the matter?” ‘Wal, Mr. Somes, the fact is that he hada sort o’ difficulty with we~uns.” ‘‘ With you? Why, he told me that you were old friends of his, and that he was sure of hav- ing a good time here, What sort of a difficulty can he have had with you?” By degrees and under close whole truth came out, and Ben ried and indignant. ‘‘That is as mean a thing as l ever heard of,” said he. ‘* You got nothin’ more than you de- served, if one of your men was rubbed out, and I am sure that you can’t blame Sandy for that. And so you believed the yarn that San- ders told you? You made a man as drunk as a beast, and when he gave you a lot of fool talk you sucked it all in.’ ‘‘Warn’t it true?” feebly inqvired the old man. ‘* Not a word of truth init. Berry is one of the biggest liars livin’ when he’s sober, and when he’s drunk he lies faster’n a hoss can trot. ‘We hain’t robbed a bank—we’re above that sort © business—and I don’t believe that Sandy carries any money to speak of on that boat. Oh, you made the biggest kind of a botch of it, old man, and it’s a durned shame that you ran off Sandy and the boat when he’d promised to wait here for me.” To show their repentance for the last night’s performance—the repentance being caused mainly by the unpleasant fact that they had made such a sad and costly mistake, the Hitch- leys invited Ben Somes to take dinner with Sona and did their best to make him comfort- able. After dinner they were seated outside of the cabin, smoking their pipes, and Ben Somes, still greatly depressed, was fretting about the situa- tion and wondering where he should go to find his partners and the “‘ swag.” Suddenly, greatly to his delight, and greatly to the surprise of all the others, the Gazelle came into view, steaming out of the creek into the lake, in the middle of which she anchored. ‘* There she is!” shouted Ben Somes, ‘“ That is better luck than I had looked for. It’s all right now. I forgive you, Mr. Hitchley, and forgive the whole crowd of you. If I bad some whisky, I would ask you to take a drink all around,” Hiram Hitchley was not so jubilant, as he ene cae the mes was wor- * was occupied just then in wondering what had brought the Gazelle back there. Had Sandy Crawley found some friends— rough river-men or something of that kind— and come back to wreak vengeance upon the Hitchleys for their mean and treacherous be- havior? That seemed to be the most reasonable view to take of the case, and the old man was greatly disturbed in his mind as he reflected on the pos- sibilities of a campaign against his tribe. Still, as the Gazelle had anchored out yonder, there was some consolation in eo that Crawley was in no hurry to begin his bloody work. Ben Somes went down to the shore, and waved his hat to attract the attention of those on the steamboat. He was seen but not recognized, and his per- formance merely amazed them. He ran back to Hiram Hitchley, and wanted to know if there was not a boat of some kind that would carry bim out to the Gazelle. | The dug-out was brought forward and cleared of water, and a po was given to him. ‘“‘T wish you’d kinder say a good word fur us when you see Sandy Crawley,” entreated Hiram Hitchley. ‘‘ Tell him that ‘twas all a mistake, and we didn’t mean no harm, and one of my boys got killed, and we're pow’ful sorry, and would be glad to be friends ag’in.” ‘“ All right, old man. I know what to say to Sandy, and will straighten the business up for you.” " Ben Somes paddled away briskly, and soon reached the Gazelle, where he was joyfully re- ceived by Sandycraw and Berry Sanders. They expressed surprise that he had, under the circumstances, escaped from the Hitchleys with his life. “Oh, that’s all right,” he answered, cheer- fully. ‘I fixed that business up with ’em, and they’re as” as pie now. told ’em that ews had n lyin’, that his yarn was only a whisky dream of his, that there wasn’t any ag gs to k of on the boat, and that they’d had all their fuss fur nothin’. That broke ’em all up, and the old man said that he was sorry that the had played such a game, and that he would t e to make it up with you and be friends n. ** Do you believe he means it?” queried Sandy- craw. *' [I hope he does, as we are needing friends just now, and it would go bard with us to find ourselves between two fires here.” ‘* What do you mean?” _ Crawley related the encounter with the Moun- taineer in the mpm the pursuit of the Gazelle, and her for return to Spoon Lake, giving the information which he had derived from that unpleasant experience. ‘‘T reckon they gave it to you straight,” re- marked Somes, as his countenance fell. ‘* Jim Hanley had been arrested when I lit out of Madrid, and the whole business was bu’sted wide open. But we’ve got the stuff, and that is a comfort.” “Yes, if we can keep it, and if we can save ourselves.” ‘*T believe that those folks ashore will do the fair thing by us now, and we had better see them and get them to stand by us, if you think there is likely to be trouble.” CHAPTER XXX, ‘““SATAN APPEARED ALSO.” It was settled that Sandycraw and Ben Somes should visit the Hitchleys as the latter had sug- gested, and they two went ashore together in the miniature skiff belonging to the Gazelle, towing the dug-out back to where it belonged. They also carried two bottles of whisky for the purpose of propitiating their late foes. Though the Hitchleys were considerably em- barrassed by the interview that followed, their spirits revived under Sandycraw’s cordiality and the influence of the liquor, and friendly relations were again established hetween the two parties on what seemed to be a firm footing. Furthermore, a defensive alliance was ar- ranged, after a consultation in which money a 9 promise of more money figured pretty plainly. Without indicating the nature or cause of the peril that really threatened him, Sandycraw ex- lained that be had reason to fear that he would followed to that spot by personal enemies, and the agreement of the Hitchleys was that they would aid him in defending himself against his foes, The result of these negotiations was vastly pleasing to the younger Hitchleys after their visitors had left them. Again they blamed the old man for having been led away by a liar, and told him that the resent state of affairs proved that it would aha been a paying business for him to *‘ keep in” with Sandy Crawley and his party. Old Hiram was not as sure of that as they were, and he stated his doubts wal: “Tt may turn out,” said he, “‘ that you are all wrong, and that I was right from the start. What sort of a yarn is it that Sandy Crawley tells now about folks a-follerin’ of bim up? What sort o’ folks do you reckon they mought allow to be? S’posin’ they should turn out to be sheriff’s officers? What would they be fol- lerin’ him up fur? ’Cause he’s been robbin’ a bank, as t’other feller said, and has got the plunder on the Ieetle boat out thar. Ain’ta sober man more likely to lie than a drunk man? O’ course he is, as he’s got his wits about him, and it’s allus said that when drink is in, the truth comes out.” These remarks impressed the younger Hitch- leys and made them feel uneasy; but they re- minded the old man that the cash they had re- ceived from Crawley was something solid, which spoke for itself. ‘* What have we got to do fur it?” he replied. ** Resk our Jives, [I reckon, and is thar enough of it to pay fur gittin’ killed? Ef it’s sheriff’s offi- cers that’s follerin’ him, would we dar’ to buck ag’inst ‘em? Thar’s enough ag’inst us a’ready, se 1 he anybody chose to rake it up.” ile the Hitchleys were discussing these points and getting into a condition of uncertain- ty, Sandycraw and his comrades were consider- ing matters connected with their own safety and interests. It was dark when he got back to the Gazelle and by the time supper was over, night had fairly set in. The question of immediate importance was whether their pursuers would or could follow them up to Spoon Lake, and if so, what would — be the best course for the hunted men to take. It was certain that the Mountaineer could not come up the creek; but the men on board of her might, if they were sufficiently determined and rsistent in the pursuit, follow the fugitives by nd, and make it hot for them at Spoon Lake. In that event Crawley and his friends might fight them off with the aid of the Hitchley tribe: but they were far from sure that they could rely confidently on the tricky and greedy squat- ters. If the Hitchleys should see \a better prospect for themselves in joining the enemy than in sticking to their present allies, the allies might reasonably expect to be deserted. Anyhow, the way was open, and would prob- ably remain open, for an escape through the for- est and into the country at the westward, where a search for them would be like looking for a needle in a haystack, These points were only discussed, as it was not necessary to settle anything at that time, except that it would be advisable to await developments , the glade were blazed more at oe ar light = e — e ) a | | | . Fo = before coming to any conclusion. As for the probability of pursuit to Spoon Lake, that question settled itself shortly. Before the night was far advanced the camp- fire of the Mountaineer’s men was easily seen shining through the trees, its light made vivid by the intense darkness, Of course the people at the camp could not ex- pect to do anything that night; but it was thought best to be prepared for any move that they might make in the morning, and _ therefore Ben Somes was sent ashore to notify the Hitch- leys and secure their co-operation in case of an attack. Before he returned, another startling devel- opment occurred. The ominous sound of the blows of axes and the falling of trees in the direction of the creek told a story which Sandy Crawley understood only too well. Ben Somes brought back the report that the Hitchleys had agreed easily enough to all he proposed, but that he was afraid that they were insincere and shaky. ‘‘Those duffers who are after us mean busi- ness,” remarked Sandycraw. ‘ They are sharp, too, and have done the very thing that the Hitchley scalawags ought to have done if they wanted to catch us in a trap.” ‘‘ What is that?” inquired Ben. ‘“‘They have been cutting down trees and | dropping them across the creek down yonder, so as to close it against all kinds of navigation. There is no chance for the Gazelle to get back to the Mississippi now, unless we whip that crowd and kill them or drive them away.” “ And that would be too heavy a job for us to undertake, Sandy, considering the sbakiness of the Hitchleys.” ‘‘-Yes, indeed, and I don’t propose to bid a dollar on any such contract.” ‘“Then we will have to skip out?” ‘‘ Perhaps we will; but we can do that at any time. The Gazelle is a steamboat yet, and she can move about as she pleases, and can land us just where our enemies don’t happen to be, But there is one thing that we must do this very night.” ‘‘ What's that, then?’ ‘““We must go ashore and bury our plunder. Whatever happens, we must make sure that the stuff is safe.” Ben Somes objected to this, as he did not rel- ish the idea of going away,if they should be forced to fly, and leaving that valuable property behind them. He proposed that they should divide it then and there, and that each should take his share and be responsible for it; but there was nobody to take and be responsible for Jim Hanley’s share, which was of course considered sacred to him. Berry Sanders agreed with the chief, and Ben Somes soon came around to the opinion of the others. ‘“T don’t see how wecan do it, though,” he objected. “It is as dark as a stack of black cats. The clouds are so heavy that they don’t give the moon the least bit of a chance.” “That is baby talk, Ben,” declared Sandy- craw. ‘Think of those men who bave been cutting down trees over yonder, and who are at it yet. Do they let the darkness hinder them? If we can’t be as smart as they are, our chance will be a poor one, Don’t talk about darkness. The darkness is just what we want.” The partners went ashore in the Gazelle’s lit- tle skiff, or dinghy, which was loaded to the water’s edge hy the three of them and the grip- | sack that held the plunder; but all insisted on going, as each was necessary to watch the others, and each wanted to know the hiding- place of the “ stuff.” : A lantern was carried, which was not to be lighted until they were safe in the woods, and an ax and @ spade. There was no danger that they would be seen and Ben Somes, who took the oars, ro softly, and Frey fae acted as pilot and direct- ed the course of the skiff. The point at which he aimed was at acon- siderable distance alike from the Hitchley habi- tation and from the camp of the Mountaineer’s men, and the skiff was landed in the midst of a mass of foliage, where it was easily drawn up and concealed. At the landing there was a gigantic sycamore, which would serve admirably as a landmark. Sandvcraw took the Jead, and headed direct from the big sycamore into the forest, blazing a tree occasionally as he went along, and kept as straight a course as ible, until he might bave built a fire without attracting the atten- tion of anybody on or about the lake. He halted in a little glade—a small circular — spot where no trees grew, though there were plenty of big ones around it. The place selected for hiding the “‘ stuff” was near the foot of one of the big trees, and the lantern was lighted, that the men might see how to do their work. Leaves were strewn over the tramped-down filling, and the marks of the workers were thus completely effaced. The big tree received two blazes to mark the burial place of the treasure and other trees about Then the party extinguish GOmMiIG JOO S.C ~~ - } 7 | J See -