Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 48 — page 31: what you’re looking at

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

Idaho'Tom. . . 31 — “ Boys, the cabin of the Mad Trapper is open to friends, . If ‘you'll come along with me, two hours’ walk will land)us,there. “What : say you to that, youngster?” “Lead the way, ould torpedo, and we'll. foller .ye,”. was Billy’s reply. The trapper srruck out into the darkness, followed by the Boy Hunters. The youths were almost, compelled to run to, keep up with their guide, whose long legs sawed the air with wonderful rapidity, . A little over an hour’s walk brought them to the old border- man’s cabin that stood wrapt. in. gloom and silence: The trapper pulled the latch-string, the door swung open and all passed into the room. “Dark as 4 wolf’s, mouth) in. here,,boys,” said the trapper, aloud, but at the same instant a shudder passed over his form. ,& pungent odor, like, that.of burning, leather; filled the room; and, this led the trapper into. a startling, discoyery—the ..dis- covery that.a fire was/burning in the deep fireplace, while every gay of light was excluded from) the room by buffalo-robes hung mp before the mouth, ofthe fireplace. The quick, perceptive mind of the trapper at once remit the meaning of permeate a ehlepet; ce Fa ton mearest to him: ‘‘Lad, thar’s a tanta bloody, gory fight on hand! God only,, knows how» many ‘Ingins aré in this room, /Thar’s es fire burning in the chimley, but the devils: have hung up a‘curtain which |they’ll soon jerk aside and flood the room with light; and then-oh! what)a bloody fight! ‘Tell yer companions, and tell "emi to git their.shooters ready, and when yer all primeil give the word, and IH let om the light; if: the varlets don’t ‘do it: be fore,” and, beving thus warned one of his friends, he continued, @loud,, while, the youth.was conveying the startling facts to'his three, companions: ‘/ But jist make yergelyes easy, boys, and wait a minit, and I’]l1 knock up a light in the twinkle,of.a yanieek tail,” He, began. tumbling coed the shelves in the corner to the right of the fireplace, as if searching for a candle or something to strike a fire. Suddenly Billy excleimneds “* Rheady, govenir!” The. trapper reached forward and seizing the curtain that the unknown intruders had so cunningly arranged over the fireplace A flood of light burst through the room, and, at the same in- stant almost, the stunning crash of firearms rung out within the cabin and blended with terrible groans. and the sodden fall of heavy bodies upon the floor! CHAPTER XXVIL THE RESULT OF THE CONFLICT. .»For a moment a scene of the wildest horror prevailed within the cabin of the Mad Trapper. | The light which lit up the room so suddenly revealed the presence of five savages standing at the back of the cabin witb drawn tomahawks. ‘But, the way the trap had been sprung, the Indians were really the surprised party. Before they could raise a weapon, the revolvers of the Boy Hunters rung out, and three of the five red-skins fell dead, The other two ssw how hopeless their chances would be in a conflict, and with a yell of dismay sprung through the open doorway and escaped into the night. The old trapper uttered a yell of vengeance and sprung out in pursuit of them, but the warriors had the advantage of the shadows of my and ee “They've ‘scaped, boys,” the Mad Trapper said, in a tone of’ regret; as he came back into the cabin, ‘ But, boys, you are all dead certainties. ‘That war as ekyentifficully done up as £ éver see’d anything done. Reg'lar torpedo, every one of you, But you see now, don’t you, that the red varmints s’posed I'd dome back here alone, never thinking of sich deviltry,'and lum- ber right up to the fireplace, and finding the robe there throw it' aside and thereby light the room, when they’d be ready and come down | on me ‘like a.duck-on @ June-bug. But, they'll not try to extarminateime-soomagain. ‘They undertook to raise me tlother night, but they were compelled to poll out for’tall tim- mer. Thar war 6 boy with me that night, and, oh! maly' Spee gaiern |’ he war & double-strung catamount on aad sabe : scamtecpieedennnisndaersarneaentnaa™ gaol——jzol 1 tial ono , ot “ You've hearn of, him, Timon: ‘you hare sarneniow - The Outlaw !” exclaimed Dick. 4 Yes: the Outlaw of Silverland, as he’s called, ” replied. Zede- kiah Dee; ‘“‘but.you needn’t open them big eyes of yourn, with /holy horror, for Idaho, Tom ’s aa hymaen.as any other chap livin’,” ** But he’s an outlaw—a robber.” t “‘ And .a boy,” added Dee, .‘‘ not. a whit over eighteen, andi he’s one of the, bravest, dashinist, handsomest, wiryist, young vaga | bonds that ever pulled a\trigger. I tell.ye he’s a young panther —8 tiger, a double-changed. thunderbolt... He’s mo more robber than I be; it’s only a nickname they’ve given him,on.about:the same principle that they call me the Mad Trapper, or you Wild Dick, I’m not.mad ;, you're amet wild; neither, ia, Tom, rrr @p outlaw.” **T have always heand that cei Tom.) state a robber, road agent and, cutthroat. | “My boy isn’t... He's jist sich a feller as nl, win com dence and respect the, first.time you meet.” .. 4.44, ao) eyo one *‘ Where is he now?’ asked one of the nana or) ald wevo ban . “Somewhar,’bout the bay.” .., ‘Then we may meet, him soon.” load “You may, yes, to be sure; but, boys, I, must. cl’ar, rea oshdat of them carcagses., They make me fairly boil over-—explode.” The dead were at once remoyed,from the cabin; then the door yvas closed, and. locked, and the, little party sat down to discuss the events of the day and night. .,., The boys found the old ‘trapper, himself, a boy in spirit, full, of rollicking. humor and jollity, In his companionship the hours slipped by unnoticed, and the first. thing they were aware of the rosy dawn of morning was upon them, ) _ Dedekiah prepared breakfast for, the whole party, and after it had been dispatched, the boys took leave of the trapper and set out for the bay to look out for some clue to Frank Gpeeltan fate. They found that. patois death canoe in the place it oocu- pied the previous,pight. But the floating island seemed deserted by all save a few birds, that twittered among the shrubbery... . The boys moved on around the bay. The sun rose higher and higher, The chill breath of night grew warm in the mellow | sunshine, , Softly the breeze crept in among the great, pines, The. birds sung gaily above, and the wave rippled gently. mon the sandy beach, The. sudden crack of a rifle broke the sweet harmony, of ‘all. The young hunters came to a halt and glanced cautiously around, A little cloud of smoke hanging on the air above a clump of bushes, told that, the one who,fired the sist Was con, cealed there, assassin-like. A moment latter a savage crept from the thicket, and stole like a panther through the woods; and, still another, moment later, another person became visible, following directly upon the trail of the savage. , This was a white persona boy,, ol men Idaho Tom, the Outlaw of Silverland. The Boy Hunters followed along in sight.of the Indian arm the .white youth,.to watch their maneuvers. Jt was, evident that, the Indian was trailing.a third PAFvOR whan shey. gonld, not see at all... mid unidetaw 6 . They bad. gone but.a short way when. Idaho ‘Tom pained:his rifle and fired upon the savage, just as the latter was raising his rifle to fire. , With a cry of agony the. Indian fell to the earth, ,.Then, with a, shout of. triumph, Idaho Tom bounded forward: and was joined by another white youth who emerged from @ elump of mangzanitas. This person the Boy Hunters recognized as their beloved young friend, Frank Caselton, Idaho ASD cP lh instead of dogging his foot- stops toteke it...) The next moment Frank was joined. by his tetera amid the wildest excitement and loudest shouts of joy. ze! Idaho Tom was introduced to the Boy Hunters, and, after exe, planations,and desultory conversation, the rome, SPH with drew, once more to pursue his own course. . ult sq _ Then Frank and his friends sat down to talk over events | that had wag since their tage and ies fener over , EDAHO-TOM, VISITS THE ISLAND. ; 444.4 4) > hit dye id adenine pamnbdl tc both hood pat the land and those upon the bay. None of the latter save Zoe, potter Sterile 7p sale a a en & i IVELOU FeO « b % eis au ib Tier oo nN i hon a > ; 3a) ; itiminw e€ daa | ‘ Eomicbooks (E(0) ag