Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 48 — page 30: what you’re looking at

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

30 Beadle’s Dime Library. - After dragging him ‘ashore, it was several momenits ‘before the Warrior could ‘stand, ‘so terrible had been his tortures’ in’ the mysterious ¢anoé, “As soon as he was able to walk, his friend led him away into the woods, unmolested by the astonished Boy Hunters. The crack of a rifle rung suddenly across the bay. It seemed to emanate from the ‘opposité side of the floating island which lay dark and silent upon the bosom of the water. . of Well) (Satan is to pay to-night, surely,” declared: Dick; in an undertone. . * And his Satanic majisty has sint:a pack av rhad-skins out to collict the money,” was Billy’s decision. 1 “Jews and Gentiles!” burst. suddenly from ‘Dick’s lips, as he saw a broad sheet of flame leap like lightning from the mysteri. ous island. It was followed by a sharp, thunderous boom, which seeméd the signal for a thousand deafening echoes to lend their vibrant:powers in an attempt to shake the old mountain to 2 foundation. _ For fully five minutes the: ounces roared and surged amid the vet crashed through the forest, and soared upward to the sky like ‘the thunder of chariot-wheels; only to be hurled back to earth again by the mighty voice of Jove. _‘* SJudas!” exclaimed Billy, “‘and if that wasn’t a ery: I wives heard one in me life.” {Tt was a cannon, without a doubt—a small howitzer,” pro- tested Perry, seriously; “and now it is doubtful, even if we had a@icanoe, whether we would dare‘approach that ee island or not; to inquiré after Frank.” |. “Perhaps we can signal some of the folks'on the island ashore to-morrow, and ascertain Frank’s situation; s0 we might jist as well mosey back to camp,:for ‘all; _ woe a bere ‘will do,” And so they turned and started back to camp; filled with no littlé wonder and curiosity by what they had seen and heard. As they approached camp, Bold Heart suddenly came toa halt, and signified for his companions to do likewise. He had seen the light of the camp-fire flare suddenly up, stronger and brigiter, and naturally came to the conclusion that some: un- known party had taken possession of; and was replenishing, the fire of their bivouac. | Bold Heart crept forward to reconnoiter, ‘He soon otariéd, and commanding the boys to follow him, advanced cautiously: toward the camp. They soon gained a point where they could conimand &@ view of the fire, and to'their surprise discovered the figure of a white man, dressed in the garb of a borderman, re- clining within ite ruddy glow. Wild Dick scanned the figure as closely as ‘dheanstiges would ‘permit, There was something about the man’s rough, bearded face, and in fact his very attitude of repose, that in- stinotively told the Boy’ Hunter the stranger was not to be feared; and so he straightway led the advance into camp. The old borderman rose to his feet as they approached, peered quickly around him into the darkness, and uttered a low, pro- longéd whistle’ significant of surprise, when his eyes fell upon the forms of our young friends advancing from out the sha- ‘““Why, boys!” burst from the man’s lips, in affected astonish- ment, “where in the plagued old scratch’ did you come from?” ' “ee here now, govenir,” replied Billy, pushing his cap back from’ his brow, and shaking his finger at the stranger in a mena- cing ‘manner, ‘‘thit’s purty thin for a mon of yer shtanding.” es Why, bub, I stand only six feet in my moccasins,” replied the’ old ‘hunter; “' but wharfore ‘do you: consider: that purty thin?” ~ ““ Yer jumpin’ our claim. This, nage 4 ‘3 our seein nie Es re: torted Billy. | ‘Wal now, boy, who said it) wasn’t? I’ve'no ’jections to your claim: T’ti)'ble Zedekiah Dee,’ the Mad Trapper, and I’m ‘at home any place, or’ else I’m not at home, jist as suits the case, Step right in, boys, and’ settle yerselves down to bisness.” Delighted at the honest, hearty manner of the renowned, trap- per’s speech, all the boys advanced and shook hands with him except Bold Heart, who, seeing the camp was not guarded, at once réstimed his watch on the eminence overlooking the camp. Is Se ne Ser Seen ben ond the Boy Hunters sat down around him, | | Sod Whaat caused you young outs 19 obaquatulate from your 4 We went to itiquire into a noise we heard along the bays" Feplied Perry Bassett! (9 5 1) © 3 And i you gt your boy euiaty mates? itl 9 ‘“'Yes, as to the noise we heard; but we finally got worked up all the more, and left the bay completely puzzled.” “You don’t proclaim? Thought all was quiet as a Quaker meetin’,” returned Zedekiah Dee, with a bland smile and affected ““Howly Moses, and it’s a dumbed old dafe adder yees must be if yees didn’t hear loudly that cannon’s boom shtart a millior claps of thunder.” ‘* Well, yes, come to think,” said. Dee, scratching his head, re- flectively, ‘‘I did hear that little noise, but s’posed it war jist an avalanche a hundred miles or so up the mountain. But be you fellers hunters?” “We are,” replied Dick, ‘‘ but met with a serious loas to-day —a loss that'seldom befalls hunters,” “Do tell!” exckaimed the trapper, aghast. “Yes; we lost one of our companions, but-—” ¢ Holy Je-rusalem! too bad! too bad!” sighed the trapper. ‘Whar did it happent—when!—how?—all about it!” Perry narrated the story of Dick and Frank’s adventure on the lake, and the accident that subsequently befell, the latter, concluding with the remarks: “T am afraid he will get into bad hands on “that island. There are some queer, mysterious things going on around this bay. The place is full of traps. and infernal machines. But, whether the girl that rescued Frank and took him to the island, will have the power and will to continue her.act of mercy, is more than I can say.” ‘‘ She—that’s the gal—is a cherribim, boys—a cherribim if ever one descended from on high,” said the old trapper, starting to a sitting posture. ‘‘ I’ve see’d her, time and agtin. _She’s the essence of all that’s sweet, lovely, pure, gentle, kind, noble, and angelic in female woman, Yes, boys, she ¢s a cherribim,on earth. Thar’s not a spark of manhood in one of you, if you wouldn’t lay right down and die fer that girl, Je-rusalem! if I wa'n’t so old and infernal ugly, and knowed what to say, and how to say it, I’d make love to her quicker’n you could say hoss- fly. I’m solid on that, boys.” ‘‘T am glad to hear that she is such a person,” Padenas Perry; for if Frank is still on the island alive, she will not let him guffer, for he is a noble-hearted youth himself.” ‘Boys, it’s doubtful if you ever see your friend again,” said the trapper, in a solemn tone, glancing at each face to see the effect of his words. ; ‘Ts our friend dead!—do you know anything about him?” de- manded Perry, excitedly. “No; but I guess he’s not hurt bad; but. then he'll fall in love with that little cherribim on the island, and will jist up and die for her,” replied the trapper, giving utterance to a good-natured chuckle, to see the change that came over the boys’ faces, _. “You are inclined to get romantic over that girl,” Dick sug- . Chhae ar’n’t yees, govenirf” added Billy. ‘“‘ Crazy !—yes, more’n crazy—teetotally discomboborated, and all for the want of a bit of sport. Pm an ole fool about fun and Ingin-fightin’.” _ ‘‘T reckon yees care more "bout the. fun than the fighting, eh?” returned Billy. “Wal, now, Irishman, you're beginnin’ to doubt my fightin’ abilities; but if you want any Ingin-bu’stin’ done, bring on yer timber, and I'll show you I’m a small earthquake—a reg’lar torpedo of destruction.” “All right, Misther Torpedo; jist, as goon as we foind out about our friend, wees are going up to capter ould Molock, and, by my sowl, I’d loike to see yees explode in his den.” < ‘You'll have to find old Molock’s den afore you capture him” “ Begorra, and we know whar it is. = “Now, boy, you're foolishen with me.” “Pon honor—hope to die if it ar n't 80.” | “He speaks the truth, friend trapper,” said Dick, ‘Je-rusalem! Then that’s goin’ to make times brisk, as the tail of a. wounded deer. That fiend incarnate has lived long enough to ‘entitle him to a front seat in purgatory, and I say pass him down, He has the control of all the Ingins that comes. hereaways to hunt and fish; and so he has no trouble in gittin’ help to do any meanness ‘that he takes a notion to; and— | An} what war that?” and the trapper started to his feet. oe “Bold Heart’s signal of danger!” cried Wild Dick, “Boys,” we've ‘got to get out of this, and that in a hurry. adie never gives a false alarm.” | In a moment all were upon ‘their feet. They were at once Joittied by the Indian, whose actions ‘betrayed excitement, “ Many Ingins bout!” ‘hie ‘said.’ * Pee fist Prey, | =COMmicvoo