Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 48 — page 34: what you’re looking at

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

34° “T do not. Trapper.” ‘‘He would doubtless be of great assistance to you now, were he present. But how long since the capture ef Zoe, Mr. Le land?” ‘But a few minutes. They escaped by way of the lake.” “Then by a forced march they may be headed off. Billy and I will strike out at once, Mr. Leland, and endeavor to keep in sight of them that their course will not be lost. Perhaps, if you can spare the time, it would be well for you to see our friends, Mr, Leland, and send them on after us, Two of them are old hunters in experience,.and would be of invaluable service in trailing the enemy. We'll hurry on to the lake and see which way they go.” “God speed you, boys,” cried the old father; ‘‘ you shall be rewarded for your kindness.” “T am already in your and Zoe’s debt,” replied Frank; ‘she rescued me. from death, and now I have an opportunity to re- pay the act of mercy, Come, Billy, let’s be off. You'll find the boys, Mr. Leland, a mile due west in the pass going up toward Carson.” With these words the boys:were off at a run, keeping along the bay. Mr, Leland was about setting out in search of the Boy Hun. ters’ camp, when three figures came bounding from the woods. ‘“‘Ingins, old man!—a thousand of them!” shouted one of them in a clear voice. Leland saw that the strangers were all boys, and at once came to the conclusion that they were Frank Caselton’s companions. Without a word he turned,.and leaping into the canoe, said: ‘“ Jump in, boys.” The youths were not reluctant to obey, and sprung into the canoe, taxing it to its utmost capacity. Hubert Leland plied the paddle with all his strength, and the little craft plowed its way. through the crystal waters with won- derful rapidity. Scarcely were they a hundred yards from shore when.a per fect legion of red-skins burst into view and stretched. along the beach for half a mile. But nearly all of them were armed with bows and arrows, and our friends escaped unharmed aboard the floating island, At last accounts he was at the cabin of the Mad CHAPTER XXX. FRANK AND BILLY ON THE TRAIL, Franx and Billy hurried with all possible speed around the bay, reaching the lake just in time to see the white man and two savages disembark with their captive. They were, how- ever, over a mile away, and by the time they had traversed this distance, the foe had disappeared. They had filled the two canoes with stones and sunk them in shallow water, where they could easily be got at in case of necessity. Not far away the boys found the hoof-prints of two or three horses; and this discovery filled young Caselton with disappoint- ment. The tracks led away up the valley and from the indentations in the ground it was evident that the enemy had ridden fast. ‘‘ Billy,” said Frank, after they had found out the course pur sued by the maiden’s captors, ‘‘ shall we undertake to follow this trail alone?” ‘¢‘ And why not, Frank?’ returned Billy. “I thought you might be in favor of waiting till the boys came up.” “All of us couldn’t foight our way into the Wolf Herder’s den. Our only hopes in gitting the girl is by sthratagim, and the less there are to perform, the better.” ‘We might gain admittance to the outlaw’s stronghold by tne same means with which we escaped from there. We know where Bold Heart concealed the rope.” “‘ Yis, but lookey here now, Frankie; how do we know but that we're gitting ahead of the hounds?” “In what way, Billy?” “‘Bedad, and we don’t know whether the gal war taken to the den or n ‘“‘ There is not a doubt of it, Billy. These hoof-prints point in that direction, and, it is within reason and possibility, that Zoe has been taken directly to that place.” “* All roight, Frank; heave ahead and Billy Brady will foller, or lead whin necessary. And if iver mees git within that hell- hole again, moind what I tells yees, I’ll let every wolf outen that pen and set thim to picking owld Molock’s bones,” ~ Beadle’s Dime: Library. The boys took up the trail ‘and set out to follow it. It ran is along the valley and finally 'turned up the gorge leading toward | Molock’s den. This left no doubt’ inthe minds of. the youths aa. |. to where Zoe had been taken. -: When within a mile or so of Molock’s stronghold the youths. . concealed themselves to await the coming of night. To the impatient boy-lover, Frank Caselton, the hours seemed to drag on leaden feet—tHe sun to stand motionless. above the. . distant mountain-tops. At length, however, shadows began to gather in the valleys, creep stealthily up the’ mountain steep and thicken along the. sky. toward the den of the Wolf-Herder. low in the valleys. The mountains lent the darkness of their mighty forms to the surrounding gloom. The boys began groping about in search of the rope concealed -. there a few days previous. For an hour or more their labor » threatened to be in vain, but, finally, the sought-for object was. found, One end of the rope was then made fast toa stout bush near :. the edge of the precipice, and the other.end , lowered over into: | the valley. “‘ Tow, Billy;” said ‘Frank, “ the:tugjof war: begins.” “ And lam rheady for the fun,” said Billy; ‘But, suppose when we climb down that rope wefind'a save .| age there to receive us with a tomahawk?” : ‘¢And yees moight as. well suppose that: whin yees: go toy heaven one av* the apostles will knock yees back to earth: wid'a club.” ““ Well, then, which one goes first?” asked Frank: . | ‘‘ Mees, by all means,” said Billy; “‘ yees knowthat I’s:been: aw sailor-b’y, and to go up and down a rhope is as ’asy as falling on the ice. Yes, Frankie, mees~li-go-down and reconnoiter, and if I find the way open, I'll jerk the rhope like blazes and thin you’ll come down,” ‘‘ All right, Billy; but be careful. The ledst false movement may defeat our object and cost us-our lives.” ‘¢ Och, and to be sure;” responded; Billy, and'throwing himself upon the:ground, he seized the rope, and crawling backward, dis- appeared over the ledge... Frank sat down and grasped. the;rope,.as.if by its motions and.,, jars, he hoped to beable to; judge.of the suecess of ; Billy’s ad- venture: «. A deadly hush, broken only by the eternal. jowering of the hungry beasts below,, pervaded the night. . With anxious, beating. heart, young Caselton waited. alone upon the. cliff. The white mist thickened.around him until he seemed floating on a sea of fog. : He was suddenly started from his silent thoughts by.a sullen. boom that came quavering up from the.direction of Tahoe, __ ‘‘ Ah!” he exclaimed to himself, ‘‘they are in trouble at, the . lake’? , CHAPTER XXXL ZOE IN PRISON. THE two men—savage and white. man—that, Zoe had sighted. in the strait between the bay and lake, proyed to be Molock, the Wolf-Herder, and one of his. followers.. And they, were. there for the purpose of. assisting their friend in,the abduction of the. maiden, in case their. help was needed. The day,previous.Molock, in skulking about the lake, had. seen. Idaho Tom send his message of love to Zoe by means of his little transport, and had seen him receive the reply. The novelty of the young man’s idea suggested another to the crafty brain of. Molock, and he. proceeded to put it into execu- tion. And he was successful, his plans culminating in the cap- ture of Zoe,in the manner.already seen. Three horses were in -waiting.in the woods near where they landed, to carry the captive and captors away; and so thorough had all the villain’s plans, been laid, and so skillfully and success- fully had they been executed, that, long before night, the whole party reached the stronghold in the mountain’s fastness. Zoe was imprisoned in the same dark, dismal room wherein our young friends, the Boy Hunters, had been confined. Despair’ had taken possession of her young heart, and, half-stupefied ¥ th terror, she took but a passing notice of things around her. At The boys now crept from their hiding-place, and pushed.on.),: When they reached the © ledge overhanging the place it was pitchy dark. Thesky was » overcast with a dull, leaden gray cloud. - A white mist hovered | Orr 000K (@) | | —, LL