Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 48 — page 26: what you’re looking at

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

- st 26 Beadle’s Dime Library. “Yn obedience to his request, Frank sat down upon the rock toeng Sime. CHAPTER XXIIL BILLY BRADY’S ADVENTURES, We will now go back and look after our other young friends, It will be remembered that Wild Dick, the Boy Hunter, had un- dertaken to swim ashore after he and Frank had been left alone at the mercy of the waves by the breaking of the paddle; and not knowing but that Frank was close behind, the youth pushed rapidly through the water toward the southern shore, The Indians seeing the manner of his proposed escape, turned back, and having effected a landing, endeavored to head him off, But Bold Heart, Billy Brady and Perry, who had also witnessed the adventure of their two friends, came promptly to the rescue, and driving the Indians back, covered Dick’s retreat ashore. As soon as he had reached the bank, the fearless young Boy Hunter gave a shout of triumph and turned to see where Frank was, To his bitter disappointment, his companion could not be seen. Wivh eager eyes he searched the smooth surface of the bay, but all in vain; no Frank was visible. His three companions coming up at this juncture, related what they had witnessed concerning the fate of Frank. Much of that painful load of fear was lifted from Dick’s mind; still he was sorely uneasy, and assumed all tke blame for the whole unfortunate affair, _ “Then you are not certain Frank was killed?” Dick said, with manifest sadness in his tone and look. “T think not,” Perry replied, “for the reason that I saw him struggling in the water after he fell overboard. I am not cer- tain he was touched at all by the savage’s bullet, but he seemed perfectly helpless when the girl went to his assistance.” “Well, dod-rot the luck,” growled Dick, in vexation, “if I had a canoe I would go straight to that island and ascertain the extent of his troubles. I am about exhausted or I would swim out there, but the distance is much further than it appears,” a We will have to be patient and trust to fate,” answered Perry. a ‘That island may be the rendezvous of a band of out laws; and then it may be the quarters of friends who will take good care of our comrade if he is only wounded. Here is your rifle and accouterments, Dick. Frank’s I will take care of my- self,” ‘Well, what’s the nixt confounded thrap wees 'll shtick our plagued noses into?” demanded Billy, impatiently. as Getting nervous, ain’t you, Billy?” said Dick. os Och, now, and none av yer abuse, or b’ the sowl of me grandmother I'll hunt up a rhed-skin and let him scalp me.” “ For Billy’s sake, what course do you advise, Dick?” asked Perry. “ All we can do is to hang around this lake ‘until we can find out the fate of our friend Frank.” At this juncture Bold Heart, who had been off watching the Indians, came running up excitedly. “ What is it, Bold Heart?” “Inguns comin’—lots ob um,” he replied, moving on without scarcely slacking his pace, and signifying to his companions to follow him. __ “Tracks!” exclaimed Billy, as they all started off after’ the Indian youth on the double-quick. They retreated back into the hills and concealed themselves among the rocks; but they soon discovered that their lynx-eyed foes were upon their trail and at once opened a vigorous, and not altogether ineffectual, fire upon them. The red-skins were forced to seek shelter, hiding among the rocks where not even the keen eyes of Bold Heart could ferret them out. “We'll wait here until night covers our retreat, I am think- dn’,” said Dick, soberly. “‘T declare we spend a good deal of time waiting for the cover of darkness to help us out of our blunders,” put in Perry, in a very matter-of-fact tone. “ Toime is gitting to lean heavy on me,” added Billy, winking at Dick and Perry in a significant manner. ‘A game of cards would be a blessed thing to kill toime, and—” “Ugh!” ejaculated Bold Heart, taking the hint, ‘‘me play Billy boy game—two, three games,” and dropping upon the ground he produced his greasy pack of cards and began to deal ‘‘Yees are my chicken, ingin; and begorra, it’s not a game “you'll git, 80 it’ain’t,” said Billy, Seating himself before the red- akiu youth, . ow bay ., Hp Th af, A) eas | Asta —) > om * Bo. Ys - 4 sey S, , The gamé was soon under way. “Seven-up” was Bold Heart’s hobby, and Billy was not a bit particular. He could play at any game. The game soon attained a point where no little excitement en- ters into the contest. Each stood six points, and it was Billy's deal. The Indian stood upon 'the king. A low, pleasant laugh burst from Billy’s lips when he had looked at his hand. ‘““ Me beat Billy boy—bet chaw tobak,” said the Indian, with « grim smile of delight. “TI don’t bet nor chaw tobakker,” returned Billy, ‘‘but I know whar there’s a skulp that says you can’t beat me fura skulp. ” ‘‘ Shake,” was the Indian’s ready pig A extending his hand toward his opponent. The two shook hands over the bet of scalp for scalp, oe it is not to be supposed that either was in earnest. Billy held the ace, and was about to play the card when 4 savage bullet whizzed through the air and picked the card from the youth’s hand, as the report of a rifle rolled down the air, clear and sharp. ‘‘Trump king,” said Bold Heart. Billy picked up the card, but to his surprise found that the Indian’s bullet had perforated the center of the card, completely tearing away every vestige of the spot by which it was desig- nated. ad For once the young Celt was completély nonplised; \ but claimed the game on the grounds of haviig held the highest trump. But Bold Heart would not accept the piece of perfor- ated pasteboard, and a friendly dispute at orice arose. To settle the matter arbitrators were called. Perry and’ Wild Dick were the ones to settle the dispute. They decided’ that, as Billy’s card could not be identified, as the card he claimed it was; it could not be admitted; and so the game was won by Bold Heart. ‘All right, and it’s Billy Brady that caves handsomely. ‘It’s your game, Ingin, ’ca’se the b’ys so say, and.ye shalll have Son scalp so help me, mother av Moses!” Billy sprung to his feet, picked up his rifle, and without add- ing another word stole away—creeping behind rocks, ‘leaping froui cover to cover like a hare. No ‘one knew whittd he’ was going, but all saw that he was set upon some object. ide He crept along among the rocks and shrubbery for some three hundred yards, then descended a stéép declivity to the édgé of ‘a little plateau, or valley sparsely timbered. Half-way acrose this opening was a'low flat rock, resembling the base of a broken granite column: and directly in a line with this rock, on the op- posite side of the valley, the keen eyes of the young hunter dis- covered the plumed head of an Indian projecting a few inchés above the top of a sharp rock. For Billy to bring his rifle into position occupied but an in- sant; but, quicker than a flash the tufted head of the savage lisappeared. | Billy now dropped upon his hands and knees and found that the rock in the opening covered the Indian entirely. Knowing that he was concealed likewise from the Indian’s eyes, the’ youth resolved to creep across the valley and gain a closer position to the foe; 80 he at once set out, keeping the rock between them, guided by a tall tree on a line with the Indian and rock. Sing: ular as it may appear, the same idea seemed to have entered the savage’s brain at the same instant, for he, too, began creeping across the valley, keeping that friendly rock between them, sighting objects beyond as guides. The result of this movement was that the foes reached the rock at the same moment, unknown to each other, and paused to rest before attempting any further movement. | The rock was nearly circular in form, about three feet high by ten or twelve in diameter, and almost level on top. And this was all that now separated the two enemies, As if actuated by the same impulse throughout, both’ Billy and the savage began maneuvering around the rock at the same instant in hopes of getting a glimpse of each other. It hap- pened that Billy went to the right and the Indian to the left, when, to the profound astonishment of each, the face of his enemy whom he supposed to be several rods away, appeared around the rock not over five feet away! The surprise was like an electric shdck, and for a moment the foes glared at each other with driiazément, then rclentekny dodged back and put the rock between them. “ Hoot now, and by my sowl here’s a purthy shindy !” ex- “claimed Billy, scratching his bushy head, while he endeavored to keep a watch in opposite directions around the rock at the same time. ‘ The rhed fool,” he esp “ and phat’s brought the gr’asy, big lummix heref” | "toons KI Gomichoo S) (E(o)]