Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 534 — page 24: what you’re looking at

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

= ™~ PT aa. -™ & Lm —— > _ ‘‘Poor feller,” murmured Joe, when the job was finished, and he started with Pomp in search of Barnes. ‘‘If he gits away, he’s gotter carry thet air collar an’ ‘bout er dozen links o’ chain around with him till he kin fin’ somebody ter take it off. Ef he’s took ter the gallery Chip an’ me did, I'll find him atween here an’ the Black Hole unless— Thunder an’ lightnin’! | Green Mountain Joe. And then they went on again, Occasion- ally Sharp would address some question to the lad, but he Oniy received the briefest of replies, and at last desisted. How silent and deserted seemed the great cavern. Though really not more silent than when they had been there togetber before, still the knowledge that the men who had Pomp, air ye sure peopled it were lying bound and helpless a he went thet way, eh? I wouldn't wonder | quarter of a mile away lent a sense of dreari- a darned bit ef he hain’t a run right smack inter thet air beastly hole!” They went on in silence—Joe and his faithful hound, and presently the animal paused upon the edge of the black abyss, and raising his nose higb in the air, sent up a long mournful howl, which in the narrow confines of the cavern sounded thrice weird, making even Joe shudder as he heard it. ‘* Dead, eh?” he said, shivering a little; ‘well, ye needn’t repeat ther informa- tion, ’cos ‘tain’t pleasant ter hear. Shet up, Pomp! Thet air note o’ yourn ’s enough ter paralyze a slaughter-house. Dead, eh, Bar- nesey! Well, poor feller, I hope God’ll for- give ye fur yer sins,” and the brave Ver- monter turned sadly away to rejoin his com- panions in the cave above. The prisoners were bound hand and foot as when they were first taken. It was an uncomfortable position, but it would not do to run any risks, for if one got free, it would not take him long to liberate all the others, and then their hard work in captur- ing them would have been for naugkt. Pomp was left with them as sentinel, and a good one he made, seeming to perfectly understand what was required of him; and the counterfeiters were told that if one of them made any effort to free himself, the dog would very soon convince him of the bad policy of such a move. Thea, when all was in readiness, our three friends left the cave together, pulling the ladders up after them as they went. The sun was just rising when they reached the cliit above the ledge where the counter- feiting gang had been captured, and with Chipmonk leading the way, they started on- ward toward the bush entrance to the other cave, It was for the purpose of capturing the chief that they were making the expedition, and each one felt in his heart that the job before them wasa much more difficult and complicated one than that which had just been consummated, for they had now to cope with a man whose person had been sur- rounded by every possible means of protec- tion; whose nerve and resource were capable of any lengths, and who knew no fear. Sharp was known to say afterward that he never feared the prospect of an encounter so much as he did that one, for he knew with whom he had to deal; he knew the man in his proper person, so to speak; he had been by his side on a former occasion when the peril was very great, and he knew to what great lengths the counterfeiter chief’s cool audacity and daring could go. But nevertheless the brave young detective did not flinch. Floating through his brain was a vague longing for a certain peculiar termination to their expedition which he meant to bring about if possible. As for Joe; he went along with the same careless mien which seemed always to sit upon him—which would have taken him into the murderous fire at Antietam with the same apparent coolness with which he took his chair at the dining-table. But the boy, Chipmonk, seemed to be strangely subdued and silent. His usual vivacity and impertinence were gone from him, and he only spoke when addressed, and then only in monosyllables, ' By and by they reached the cave, and were soon making their way along the nar- row gallery leading from the Bush entrance to the main gallery. As they passed the little chamber where the first fight had taken place, Chipmonk darted in, reappearing in a moment more . with a bundie in his arms. ** W’ot ye got thar, Chip?” asked Joe, see- ing the bundle in the boy’s hands. ** Things.” ** W’ot kinder things?” ** Duds.” _ Yourn?” = Yes—mine!” was matter. ness to the general effect not before felt. They had no fear of being seen nor heard. Chipmonk assured them that the captain would be sleeping, and that the negro never left his quarters in the chief’s chambers ex- cept when he was not there, or when he was ordered to do so. ‘* Joe,” said Sharp, as they walked along side by side, Chipmonk being behind them with the light; ‘‘lam going to ask a favor of you.” ‘*Say it, Sam,” said Joe, laconically. ‘Tt is a big one, Joe,” continued the young detective,” at least you will think it Oo. ‘¢ Well, what is it?” ‘‘ This: if our plans succeed far enough so that we can get the negro out of the way without warning Captain Quickeye, I want you to consent that I may enter his apart- ments alone—will you?” Joe was silent. ‘‘Oome, old fellow, do me this favor,” continued Sam, persuasively; ‘‘ I have very good reasons for asking it.” Joe remained unresponsive for a moment, but at last he said: ‘Well, Sam, somehow ’tain’t in me ter deny ye the thing ef ye want it, an’ ye’re general o’ this ’ere army, ape AY: but I don’t like it no more fur thet, However, it shell be ’s you say.” ‘‘Thanks, old fellow, thanks!” exclaimed Sam warmly. ‘‘I will be inno great danger, for he knows me.” They went on in silence a little further, when Sam felt a hand upon his arm. ‘‘Say, Sharpey,” said Chipmonk, with something of his old brightness and yet with a suspicious tremor in his voice, “‘ ye’ll let me go in wid yer, won't yer, eh? ’cos ye know ye wouldn't hev got here ef it hadn’t been fur me, don’t ye, eh? I kin go wid yer, can’t I, eh, Sharpey?” ‘*No, Chip, my boy, I bad rather go alone at first; why do you ask to go with me?” But the boy did not reply. He dropped back into his former place in the rear, and did not speak again. CHAPTER XXX. THE IRON BAR—IN QUICKEYE'S PRESENCE, At length the strange trio arrived before the entrance to the little gallery leading to the door of the captain’s room, and there they paused. low Chip,” said Sam, .“ your work commences. | ony hope that it will turn out as we hope, and that you will in some way be able to entice the negro away from his post. You have told me enough of the reat door which is between us and Captain Buickers for me to know that it is useless for us to endeavor to get through it in any but. the usual way, and I know enough of the man who caused it to be erected to know that he would perish behind it far rather than open it to admit us to his presence. Go, my boy, and do the best you can.” Without reply, Chipmonk started away, and was soon speaking with the black, through the little wicket. ‘* Is ther cap’n up?” asked Chip. ‘We am. He am jes’ froo wiv’ him breakfas’. Yo’ kin come right in, Mars’r Chip, fo’ he done git orders dat yo’ was not ter wait,” and the great door was thrown open to admit the boy. He trembled a little as he went through the massive portal, wondering, no doubt, if he would ever get out alive, but beyond a little word of thanks to the negro, he said nothing, and was soon standing before the chief—or rather in the corner which he al- ways sought, where there was less light than in any other part of the chamber. ‘Ah, Chip,” said Quickeye, as the Jad entered, ‘‘you are rather late;. I expected you two hours ago, and was just on the point of sending the black to find out what ou succeeded all rignt, I sup- pose?” ren tm tl tt equ ’Um!” replied Chipmonk, with a violent nod. The nondescript monosyllable was his favorite way of expressing an affirmative, and the captain was as familiar with it as the men were. ‘‘Where are the prisoners?” continued Quickeye. ‘*In ther cave.” ‘“‘Ah! In the big chamber, I suppose. Did you have any trouble in capturing them?” ‘‘Sum, Part o’ ther men ain’t got no sand.” The counterfeiter chief laughed. ‘‘Well, you probably made up the defi- ciency, for you seem to have a reserve quan- tity of that article always on hand. Was anybody hurt?” ee Um ? “ar no?” ‘* Joe pulled Sikes’s hair ’most all out, an’ ther little chunky feller got a swipe in ther jaw thet ‘most paralyzed him.” feoin the captain laughed. ‘‘T hope that Joe was not hurt,” he said, remembering his promise to Chip. ‘* Not er bit,” nodded the boy. ‘Very well, Chip; you have done nobly, and I will reward you for it when the proper time comes. That will do now. I will be out and interview the prisoners during the forenoon,” ‘‘Right ye be!” muttered the boy, as he started away, and in an instant more he was in the outer chamber with the negro. ‘‘Say, Cuffy,” he said, pausing just out- side of the great door, ‘‘ ther boss wanted me ter tell ye thet ye c’u’d go and see ther pris- oners ef ye wanted ter.” ** Wha’ fo’, Mas’r Chip?” ‘Fur example, mebby. One of ’em ’s most ’s black ’s ve are, an’ he thought meb- by ye’d know him.” ‘*He said dat dis chile c’u’d go out, Mars’r Chip?” “’Um! fur half an hour.” ‘‘Sho! p’r’aps dat I'd better ax, fu’st.” ‘Ef ye do, ye won't be lowed out, ’cos he’s awful busy.” The darky looked about him for a moment or two, undecided what to do, but the temp- tation was very great. He had not been out in several days, for Quickeye had never re- mained in his cavern quarters so long at one time befcre. ‘* Well, air ye comin’?” asked Chip. ‘*Yo’s dead sho’ dat he said I ¢’u’d?” ** Course | be.” ‘Den I’s a-comin’!” Chipmonk felt triumphant. was working beautifully. He started down the narrow passage to- ward the main gallery with the gigantic ne- gro following closely behind him, taking good care to keep up a running conversation the while, in order that his friends might know that the black was with him, What they would do he did not know, and cared, less, for his whole mind was upon what was to follow the darky’s capture: upon the encounter yet to come with the counter- feit captain as an opponent. They reached the point where the narrow passage opened into the larger corridor, and the negro had no sooner passed it than with a spring like a panther Joe lit upen his shoul- ders, while Sam grasped him by the legs. But neither of the two men were prepared for the exhibition of wonderful muscular power which followed. The gigantic black seemed as though made of tempered steel, for with a roar of rage he hurled the detective nearly across the galler with his foot and then tried to shake o Joe. But although he writhed and twisted and clawed with his great ebony hands, Joe clung tightly to his hold, for he plainly saw that the only way to capture the fellow was tohang on until Sam could return to the Every plan fray. Sack however, had had enough of grap- pling with euch a being, and when he ap- proached again he held in his hand a heavy piece of iron which he had picked up as they came through the corridor. The negro and Joe were still struggling, Joe clinging to his back and positively re- fusing to be shaken off. Sam approached them with the bar uplift- ed, and although the black tried to seize him GEomicbooks. t if P rh Syrt A. = | i ’ i