Beadle's Half Dime Library (no. 134) (1880 02 17)
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FF in i tl lt nt al a alas Entered at the Post Office at New York, N. Y., as Second Class Mail Matter. S le PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY BEADLE AND ADAMS, Number. No. 98 WILLIAM STREET, NEW YORK. February 17, 28%. - YX \ ) i Zs * A KZ AG bg ji SURE SHOT SETH, THE BOY RIFLEMAN; 0 The Young Patriots of the North. BY OLL COOMES, = \ AUTHOR OF “DELAWARE DICK,” “ HAWK-EYE HARRY,” = “ROLLO, THE BOY RANGER,” ERC. CHAPTER L THE SPY IN THE LOG. ANA t night of the year 1862 hung over the forests of Minnesota. bing heart lay, cor RIFLE TO THE GROUND, SURE SHOT SETH, THE x on the horizon, BOY RIPLEMAN AND SPY, LISTENED.
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—eo pe Through the woods borde on the Minnesota wiver, and contiguous to the Yellowstone Agency, @ figure was gliding . noiselessly along—a human : re—that of a y with bright blue eyes and repossessi features. .He was light in form and lithe of limb, and darted onward through the gloom as though it were his own element. He seemed perfectly familiar with his course, and dodged in and out of the tangled mazes of the grim old wood, and along the sinuous windings of the valleys like a hound upon the trail. At length he drew up in the forest under some stately pines, where the darkness seemed to have been torn of infinity. Dropping the butt of his rifle to the ground, Sure Shot Seth, the Boy Rifle- man and Spy, listened. * To-Whit-to-Whoo-hoo-00-00!"’ rung from the tree wverhead, “Seth shook his head thoughtfully. “T never like to hear an owl himself, ‘‘ for it’s a bad sign.” . He sat down on a hollow log, and after the owl’s «ry came a deep and profound silence—a silence hat became painful and foreboding to the youth. Jit it lasted only a few minutes when that droning ‘hum of Nature was resumed, Sure Shot Seth breathed easier. He whistled ng, softly to himself. Sofrog croaked on the margin of the river. A oiek in the hollow log. et chirped shrill M The wind whispered softly among the stately pines, A -night-hawk screamed above the forest, then with that.peculiar hollow boom of his wings, shot up ~ @ato the sky. Again the old owl overhead sent forth his hoarse notes quavering upon the air; and the sound was immediately followed by a scrambling among the branches, as upon heavy wing the bird went lumber- + through the night. en a silence profound as the grave followed. “Ah,” mused Seth, “that frightened cry and flight of the owl, and this terrible silence have a meaning.” He started to his feet as he spoke. He had been trained in the lore of the woods and night, and could read the sounds of each like an open book, and interpret their meaning and portents. There was a difference in the sound of a stealthy movement and one that was not, though both may have been — loud. But it took an instinct trained in the school of practical experience to discriminate be- tweenthem. This our fearless young hero possessed. The silence that succeeded the warning cry of that cow old sentinel of the. night, the owl, con- vinced him that cape was approaching. He bent his head and listened intently. Oif in the direction of the river he heard the heavy tread of feet. “They're comin’, sure as death!” the Ep y said to himself, then he dropped to the ground and crept into the hollow log upon which he had been seated. The footsteps approached and paused under the reat pines wit:in a few feet of the log. The boy ew they were the steps of booted feet, and had some idea to whom they belonged. He Te ey his ef to a knot-hole in his retreat, and pee out, but all was wrapped in Egyptian gloom. He pressed his ear to the orifice nt listened. To and fro be- neath the branching trees he heard the unknown y cing with restless impatience. Presently he heard voices in conversation, and taen a faint beam of light streamed into the Jog. He eager his x to the hole again, and, in the ne coat ‘ sr Sea ree fe ge — — Anes, ooking like Titan figures in the gloaming. three of them Seth recognized as the notorious Sioux chiefs, Little Crow, Inkpaduta, and Little Priest. The fourth was a white man, whose long hair, broad-brimmed hat, peculiar garb, and gen- eral appearance were characteristic of no other class = Sy than the wealthy planters of the Southern ““So you have kept your appointment,” said the white man, raising the lantern and each face before him with knitted brows. * Little Crow is a great chief,’ said the redoubta- ‘ble chief himself, ‘and never breaks his word with tis friends.” The other two answered in the same words. - “Tam glad to hear gs ees for it gives me greater strength,” replied the white man. “I have «ome from the sunny land of the South to confer with my red brothers; are they ready to listen?— are there no enemies’ ears near us?” “The trees have ears, and the wind sometimes tells soctets,’’ answered Little Crow. ws. you do not deem this a safe place to con- Bt _ “No; the Sicht- far screamed with affright, and shot into the sky when he passed near here. He is the spirit that warns the red-man when darkness hides dangers from his eyes. There are safer places than this to talk,” replied the chief. “Let my red brother select the safest place, that the ears of our enemies may not hear what we say,” said the white man. “A brave waits by the river-side to take us in his zanee whither we desire to go. Let us seek the soli- tade and well-guarded shores ef the island in the viver below. There can we talk in safety, for no snemy’s ear can cross the water.” “It is well, great chief,’’ answered the white plot- ar. Disappointment clouded the face of the youth in #hé log as he heard the four emissaries of evil mov- ‘> away. But his quick brain soon suggested a « -w geourse of action, and, creeping from the log, te rose to his feet and glided away through the dark- “eess, going in the direction of the river, but keeping ‘wide of the four enemies. oot,” he said to | He reached the bank much in advance of them. Then he stole softly down the river until he,came in a of the Indian and canoe spoken of by Little row. The warrior sat in the boat with his blanket drawn over his head. A rifle Jay on the thwart at his side. The prow of the canoe lay partly upon the beach. The pale moonbeams, struggling downward through the darkness and mist, revealed all to the ~— of the young spy, as he crouched in the shadows near. The keen ear of the savage boatman was on the alert. It detected a slight.sound in the shrubbery. He started.from his seat and fixed his eyes on the bushes before him. Then followed a “ whirr;” a dull, sodden blow; a groan; the rush of feet; a plash in4be water; the dip of a paddle, and the prow of a boat cleaving the waters. The moon hid her face: behind a cloud as if with shame; while the river flowed on as me as osen its waters had not been stained with human CHAPTER I. THE LONE ISLAND CONFERENCE. Siow_y toward the river Little Crow and his three companions made their ae The moccasined feet of the savages trod as lightly as a panther’s; but the tramp of the white man gave ample notice of his 4 hae g The red-skins glided under and around the brush that disputed their way, but, like an ox, their companion crashed his way through, much to their annoyance. Fin they reached the river-bank a few rods above the canoe. The moon uncovered her face and looked to earth once more. The dip of a paddle arrested the Indians’ ears. Out upon the river Little Crow saw his boatman seated in the canoe, toying with the paddle. His head and shoulders were covered with his red and blue blanket. The chief called to him. He headed the canoe ashore. As the prow touched upon the beach Little Crow courteously bade his white friend enter it. The white man stepped into the craft, advanced and seated himself. The boat was a long, slender affair, made of a log. The paddler occupied the stern; the white man a seat next, Little Crow third, and Inkpaduta the prow. “Let Serleque head for the island below,” said Little Crow, in a low tone. Without a word the paddle dipped, the boat back- ed out from the shore, swung its long prow around, and then under the skillful management of Serleque, glided away down the stream. Silence sealed the lips of the party. The white man gazed around him with a wild look of admira- tion as his face. The moonbeams strugs through the white mist rendered objects weird an somber, The dark woods on either side rose up like the black walls of a mountain pass. Now and then a night-jar screamed overhead. The rolling waters surged and gurgled under and around them, | Bright flashed the ge J paddle in the moon- beams—light was its fall in the placid waters. Swiftly onward through the waves glided the craft. In afew minutes more the island was reach- ed. Tnknadate, followed by Little Priest, Little Crow and the white man, landed. ‘The boatman swung his boat rena the little sand-bar, laid down his paddle and drew his blanket closer around his head. ‘ The island was not over a rod in widtn by two in le . It was a barren sand-bar, yet-well guarded by the waves on either side. . Little Crow spread his blanket upon the ground and invited the white man to be seated upon it. Then the chief sat down opposite him, w. the other two chiefs sat down, one upon the right and one upon the left. “Let our white brother safe,”’ said Little Crow. The white man at once opened the conference; he represented lf as agent of the Southern Con- federacy, then waging war against the Union, He claimed that he had been sent North to effect terms of comproanise with the Sioux under Little Crow, and enlist their aid in battling their enemies, pro: them a vast tract of territory in case victory crown theirarms. The chiefs listened closely to the prop- ositions of the Southern agent, and after the latter had concluded, Little Crow arose and delivered a warm and eloquent —— He set forth the wrongs they had suffered at the hands of the government. and expressed a belief that their grievances would ey them in taking up arms. He did not come to a decision, however, until Inkpaduta and Little Priest had ie he go themselves on the subject. When they had, and he found that they favored the agent’s views, the great Sioux chief at once entered into an article of agreement with the agent to assist them in their battle against the Union. Even the very day and hour upon which the Indian massacre, so prominent on the paces of history, was to eae were agreed upon by the chiefs and the agent fore the conference ended. pee avy an hour was consumed by these four arch-plotters, and finally they rose to depart. As they turned toward the boat, a ery of surprise burst from their lips. The boat Ls left the island and was half-way across to the shore. Little Crow called to his boatman, but the latter speak, for we are now made no reply. He pushed on and soon entered the border of dows along the shore. Then he itted the mantle that enveloped his head and shoulders to fall to his feet, while a low, silent peal c* 1aughter escaped his lips. The boatman was Sure Shot Seth, the Boy Spy, not the Indian, as Little Crow believed. From his covert in the woods hed Seth hurled : stone and stricken the Indian boatman down. The he tossed the body overboard, enveloped himself i: the savage’s blanket, turned the boat away from the scene of the tragedy and ee along the shor ; up-stream until hailed by the chief. coming) down: And in this manner, the young spy him —_ of the secret plot so soon to deluge the land in; CHAPTER III. THE DEATH TUSSLE. Sure Sor Serx turned and.glanced back towar the island. He could see.thé four forms apon it, and hear..the chief calling to Serleque, ‘his boatman. Taking up.his riflé from its con¢ealmént under ‘thc seat, he examined its primirig, and-was about to try a Shot atone of the plotters whena sound in the water arrested'his attention. < ° He gaze dowawnd and to his horror beheld a pues face up atbim from the side of the , Tt was am im’s face—the face of Serleque, } He-had reeovered from the blow he € at the hands of the young spy, and was there to séek revenge. He stood in the water to his waist;and the instant his*eyes*met’thost of —~ foe, he threw up his hands and seized hold of the at. Seth saw, at a glance, that the sayage had an acd- vantage to begin with; and the first thing the youth did was to place his finger to his’ lips and utter a shrill, piercing whistle that fairly started the savag« as its intonations quivered through the air- ~ d Instantly, almost, it was answered in a similar manner from back among the hills, and then the savage knew that the young pale-face had friends near. But, not to be thwarted in his plans of ven- eance, he rocked the canoe violently and pitched seth out into the water. Then the two grappled in a deadly struggle—the red-skin and the white—the man and the boy. The former uttered a yell of ag ¥ fury, the latter a shout of defiance. Although he was weak from recent loss of blood, the savage had no idea but that he could easily van. quish his youthful enemy; but the moment the pled he found he had reckoned without his Fost. tor the boy not o was possessed of wonder. fulstrength, but the agility of a panther. The red-skin bad no weapons save those that nature gave him, Seth having deprived him of his knife and hatchet at the time of throwing him over. board. And his young adversary was no better pro- vided, owing to the suddenness in which the conflict had been brought about; consequently the fight was confined to skill, strength and endurance. Seth made one or two attempts to draw his knife, ang finally sficceeded, but before he could use it, he was forced into such a position that he was compelled to drop it. This left and power. Unfortunately for the youth the course of the ac tion gravitated toward the center of the river, which fact gave the enemy another advantage in conse. ence of his hight the depth of the water. But brave, desperate and determined, the lad strug gled manfully, heroi , giving the savage all he wanted todo. Their arms and feet beat and churned ord water to a foam around them, as in rapid evolutions they whirled and spun to and fro in every direction. At times they wofld sink from view, the water boiling and sur; over them, then pop up perhaps a rod from where eee ting at bl be with spc’ gramme re ow an eenen w - cease - struggle for a moment to s ‘but. never relinquishing the hold upon each other. ; : During one of those lulls in the conflict, half a dozen shadowy figures glided from the woods, and pausing on the shore ‘ences up and down the m, Then a voice ed: : “Seth? Seth? where are you?” “Here ina—"” The rest of the sentencé was lost in the savage's yell and the renewal of the conflict. ‘Boys,’ cried one of the party upon the shore, “Sure Shot is in peril.” “Yes! Yes!" responded the others. “Beaver, Beaver!” exclaimed the first speaker, ‘that is your element—” The lad addressed as Beaver uttered the peculiar ery of the fur-bea animal of that name; then, divesting himself of his outer clothing, plunged into oa water and struck out toward the struggling oes. ons) By this time Seth and the Indian had drifted out into the middle of the river, where the current was swift and strong. The element was an enemy that was no respecter of persons, and not only proved a reat annoyance to the combatants, but threatened he lives of both, for they were under water a good portion of the time. Beaver swam rapidly and with as much ease ap. parently as though the water was his home. Whe: within a few rods of Seth and his antagonist wher, they rose to the surface from a long submersion. and to encourage his friend, he shouted: : “ Brece xP; a2 Shots peace oF peer poring,” and he en Ww the sharp, ‘pierce ery of the animal after which he had been named. és For a few moments they struggied in the swiftest rt of the current; then spun rapidly across to th: site shore, and Mae Gaby among the liangin;- work of roots, laid bare by the wash of the waves: no recourse save in his skijj pa op ne The Beaver knew they were out of the water by thu sounds; but they were in blinding ‘darkness. ‘How. ever, he was about to follow to the scene of conflic: when he saw a dozen savage forms appear on tha bank just over the combatants, and he was ox...
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pelled to change his mind. He remained perfectly still on the waves and watched. They walked to the edge of the bank and looked over, but not see- ing the foes, one of them dropped himself down into the river and crept under the bank to his friend’s assistance. The next moment acry of agony issued from under the bank; then all became still. The battle was ended, but who had been the victor? - The Beaver, slowly drifting down the river unseen by the savages, held his breath in suspense. The next moment a figure crept out from under the bank, and climbing up into the moonlight, brandished aloft a human scalp, at the same time uttering a fierce, triumphant war-whoop. CHAPTE®. IV. THE WRONG SCALP AND THE BOY BRIGADE. Tus Beaver drif.ed slowly down the river beyond danger, then sought the shore and his com ons, “Boys,” he said, sad and heavy-hearted, ‘our gallant young leader is gone. The accursed savages were too much for him. Poor Seth! his scalp is the first of the long-threatened troubles.”’ A groan of the deepest anguish was wrung from the lips of each of the little band of youths—follow- ers of Sure Shot Seth. loved ‘their Dey. the young leader, and his death fell heavily upon their young hearts. But, all that was now left for them to do was to search out the body give ita respectful burial, and go on with sad and eavy hearts with the duties of life assigned them. They held a short consultation in the page of the woods among the shadows; and as the Indians had left the opposite shore, they concluded to embark in the canoe, that lay on the beach before them, in uest of Seth’s y. But at this very moment the ndians came back, terribly excited, on the opposite shore, and at the sameinstant the boys discovered that a large party was also approaching on their side from above. “Seatter, boys!’’ exclaimed one of the the next moment all disappeared like a fore a burst of sunshine, Asavage yellrung through the forest—a yell, the like of which had not been heard for a long time in that region. It was a blood-curdling war-whoop! Away through the forest like hounds glided the alert ee of the savages, their treacherous hearts thirsting for human blood. Here and there, every boy taking care of himself, glided the followers of Sure Shot Seth. With the silence of panthers they crept among the bush dodged around the trees and rocks, and stole onwar through the woods and darkness, Suddenly the sharp bark of a fox broke upon the night. One of the fleeing youths started as though a bullet had whistled past his ears. He stopped bent his head and listened, Again the barking of the fox broke upon his ears. A smile of happy sur- burst over his face, and clear and distinct he forth an exact imitation of the sound he had heard. Then he glided a in the direction whence the barking emana’ He moved briskly, yet with silence, keeping the one course in a “‘ bee-line.”’ He had gone nearly a hundred yards when a low voice hailed him: “Hullo; is it you, Reynard?” “Great heavens!" was the excited answer; ‘‘do my ears deceive me? or do [hear the voice of Sure Shot Seth?” “Tam here, Re} ’ was the Shot Seth gs ee from a cluster of Wall b the Lord Harry!" exclaimed Reynard “We e ” exc > “‘there’s a big mistake somewhere. Why, Seth, we mourned you as dead, That savage flourished a scalp aloft when he came from under the bank and uttered a triumphant sealp-cry.” “*T know he did, the delu fool; but the fact is, be took the scalp of a friend. He succeeded in get- ting his knife out just as I discovered that a second vedekin had appeared on the scene, and by a sud- den movement I brought my enemy into such a sition as to receive the knife of friend in his heart. The savage knew not but that it was me, and , and dow be- mse, and Sure es and con- tearing off his scalp, rushed out and climbed up the bank in great glee with a comrade’s scalp, leaving me to make way out at leisure. But are the other boys about, Reynard? ‘Yes; they are scattered through the woods, and not a few red-skins are afterthem. But, Seth, what did you discover to-night? Were the chiefs in’ coun- cil with that Southern agent?” “Yes; and I discovered all I wanted to—that the red-skins have dug up the hatchet, and that. the Yellow Medicine Agency, Fort Ridgely, New Ulm and the Lower Agency are all marked for destruc- tion. The good settlers of these places must be put upon their guard at once; and so I will call the Bri- ade, and then turn our faces in that direction. ppowil! whippowil!” The last two words whistled from his lips in an exact imitation of that night-bird, whose peculiar fong seems very plainly to articulate the syllables which compose its own name. A moment later a similar answer was given; and still a few moments later, a figure emerged from the shadows into the moe opening where Seth and Reynard stood in waiting. si Ay, friend Whippowil!” cried Seth, extending iis hand, “Blessed Virgin!” exclaimed the youth in the Celtic brogue, “and, bedad, and I’m glad to mate ve, Set’ me b’y.” The soon relapsed into silence; then Seth uttered a ery like that of a beaver, aud was soon answered in a similar manner. A few moments af- ure Shot Seth. 3 terward, the lad, Beaver, who had swam to Seth’s assistance, joined the group, beside himself with joy. Then Seth sent forth the hoot of an owl, the howl of a wolf, and the scream of a panther; and, ina answer to the calls, three more youths made their pres: and joined the group amid the wildest rejoicing. And 7 and there in that wildwood opening were assembled seven youths, differing as widely from each other as nature could make them; yet joined together as if bound by all the ties of a sacred bro- therhood. By profession they were trappers, and were known as the Boy Brigade. some different nationality, or peculiarity. There was an Irish, German, African, and Indian youth in the party, the others being Americans. All had been reared in the woods, and amid the wild dan- ers of the border. As a party, they were as one; ut individuality made them as different in tastes | and notions as seven one liked to trap the hunt the fox, or the wol’, or the deer. And it was the same way with the sounds they heard. While one loved to hear the } aintive song of tiie whip- wil, another found iore music in the jarring oot of an owl. : — ns could well be. While a he band. Seth March, the leader of this Boy Brigade, was called Sure Shot, in consequence of his unerring marksmans ip. Justin Gray was the Beaver. He made that ani- mal a special object in hunting and trapping. Teddy O’Roop loved the song of the whippowil, and the name of that bird was given him. Baldwin Judd became Reynard, the fox, after hav- caught a number of those animals, Tim Tricks, the African youth, being cook, became Black Pan, a Owl was the big-eyed, round-faced German Hooseah, the Indian boy, answered to the name of Le Subtile Wolf. The name was not givew him because he had any particular love for that animal, but because his movements were as sly and cunning in? ing” game as the wolf’s in taking prey. The glossy kin of a wolf was bpest of his dress. These names and their emblems were ut boyish whims; a all had become familiar in thé local his- tory of Minnesota; for the Boy Brigade was an or- ganization of its kind soeurpeaesd even by men of and experience. The oldest of the party was nineteen, the youngest sixteen, Sure Shot Seth, their leader, was eighteen, and yet possessed al) the developments of perfect manhood. As a trapper, he had no peer; and it was with no feeling of envy or reluctance that he was chosen leader of the ttle band of boys, who, early thrown upon their own re- sources, chose the exciting, adventurous calling of the =e For two years their business had been one of uted profit and pleasure, but now the threatened Indian war would put an end to it; but Sry aeceotes all in the spirit of true heroism, and decided to stand and fight by those who had stood by them in days — by. Their mission for the night having ended, the Boy Brigade bent their steps southward. Rapidly, and yet silently, they made their way through the trackless forest. e after mile was pavers. ba they drew up in front of along, low, double cabin built of logs, and standing in the heart of a deep, dense wilderness of mighty pines. It was the home of the Brigade; and here, inside and — was evidence of no little culture and refine- men The odor that pervaded the atmosphere was not that of the wildwoods alone; but the mingled frag- rance of wild flowers filled the air. The cabin was overrun with honey-suckles and morning-glorte: and a dozen other flowers, all carefully cultiva by the boys, contributed their sweetness to that delicate sense of refinement so seldom found among the rude children of the border. The cabin door was ge through a long ghady arbor of wild cucumber vines, where the hot days of summer were passed on the gram set beneath the sylvan shade. The little band filed down this avenue of green, fragrant verdure, and paused before the door. Seth raised the latch, pushed open the door, and entered. His companions followed him across the threshold. All was gloom in the cabin, but, halting in the center of the room, Seth sniffed the air, then exclaimed: 4: pos, what do you smell?” “Tobacco, by the Howly Virgin!’ exclaimed the Whi — and all repeated his answer. « t’s it,” answered Seth, “and as none of us ever use the weed, some stranger has been here Soy Quite a liberty to take in other people's ouse,’ A candle was at once lit, and as its light the gloom, the boys glanced hastily about them to see if the intruder had taken liberties with their cabin. But all was as they had left it. The cabin was divided into two rooms by a par- tition of logs, and the ove the boys first entered was used as a kind of sitting-rocm. The walls were hung with fancifully-wrought robes and in| and adorned with the stuffed skins of beautif birds and small animals. Over each door were the branching antlers of an elk, among which were coiled monstrous spotted serpents. On a table in one corner was a number of time-worn books— books of the very best kind for the young mind; and, in addition to this source of mental culture and pastime, a violin and hung upon the wall. The young trappers set aside their weapons, and seating themselves’, entered into conversation. ecoference; to which Seti hud peen an- auditor, Each represented | ver, another would rather } Thus, by their different pursuits | and respective eccentricities, had each co.2e inio | ion of a sobriquet by which he was kuown vo | The | formed the general topic of discussion. That an Indian war was inevitable, they had not a doubt; and as it would be impossible for them to continue | tre pping, they decided to gather in their traps, | dispose of their stock on hand, and vacate the | Hermit Hut, as the place was ca'ied, and take up | arms — the savage. At least this was the de- }-cision of most of the ).arty, a few evading a direct answer as to their future course. Seth noticed this | hesitation with no little surprise, but said nothing. | He resolved to let the matter rest until morning, | then insist for a direct answer from all. “ Boys,”’ said Seth after they had discussed the different topics of interest, this is probably the } last night we will be here, and so lect us have some ) music, and a final merry-making.”’ | All acquiesced, and the Indian lad, Le Subtile Wolf, having been placed on guard outside, Tim Tric':s took down the fiddle ard Sure Shot Seth the harp. The first named led off with a sprightly air, ; and when Seth struck up the cabin fairly trembled | under the violent strains of music. ‘The Whippowil | became inspired by the ravishing notes, and, spring- | ing to his feet, executed a dance that greatly in- | cr-ased the interest of the moment. *“*Good for the wild Lrishman,” exclaimed his companions, when, with a sudden movement, be turned asummersault and came up on a@ seat at the opposite side of the room. “Och, and a broth av a b'y was me aged grandad on a jig; and begorra the gift came down through the whole ginerashins cf O Roops with varicus im- provemints. But, give us a march, b’ys, somethin’ to rouse the blood that fit at Bunker's Hill—scme- thin’ military—ay, some martial moosic, that’s the digger : im Tricks and Seth were both fine musicians, and, in accordance with the Whippowil’s request, struck up the *‘ Grand Russian March,’’ much to the delight of their auditors. The musie swelled cut in enchanting melody, and, with its varying notes, the blood of the youths glided through their veins in symphony with the soul- stirring strains. The scene was one seldom met with under similar circumstances. In the flickering, changing light dancing over the walls, the dead birds and animals that ornamented the humble home of these traprer boys seemed aquiver with life and ready to stars from their perch, enchanted by the music. The youthful faces of the lads glowed with the emotions stirred within their breasts, and their senses sec ned floating away on the ravishing sounds called forth by the skillful hancs of the performers. But in the midst of all, while every mind wasdiverted from the cares of the outside wold, and abroibLed in the sweet melody of music, a dark becy sudcenly dropped from above in the middle of tie floor wi ha d heavy thud, and something biight upon it glinted in the light. The music ceased, and the boys started to their feet with an involuntary exclamation of horror. In the room befcre them stood a powerful save his head shaven, his face in war peint, and wreadlied in a sinister smile of diabolical triumph. There was no loft in the room, aud, genie 4 ward, the boys saw an opening had been made the roof during the musical entertainment, and, be- fore they had time to act,a second savage swung himself down into the room and confrented the young hunters. He was immediately followed bya ird, a fourth, and so on, until six powerful war- riors stood in the middle of the house, facing the bey Patent with their hands upon their weapons. a dev smile of triumph upon their faces, anda murderous intent in their hearts. CHAPTER V. THE STRUGGLE IN THE HUT. For as a minute a speechless silence reigned in the Hermit Hut, the sav ages eying the boys, and the latter exchanging glances with one, and another. Had the red-skins entered the door as had been their wont in days past, the boys would not have mistrust- ed them of murderous designs. But their war- aint, and every feature of the face, and the black erret-eyes, bespoke the evil, murderous purpose in their hearts. Sure Shot Seth was the first to speak. “Why do our red friends not eome in at the door as they used to?” he asked, calmly. + y do the pale-tace boys stand a guard near the door?’ was the savage spokesman’s reply; “they didn’t use to do this. Seth was puzzkd for an answer to this savage retort. The fact of their having ylaced one of their number on guard outside was evidence of theiy fears of danger, for not once in the two years past had they ever n ccn polled to take this preceution. “We placed a guard near the coor,” Seth finally answered, “ Lecavse we have beard ihat the Indians and whites have dug up the hatchet and were going to war with each otker.” “ And are rot the tlrapper-boys of the Hermit Hut the friends of the whites?" asked the savi ge, with a sardonic smile. ““We are the friends of ell—hcth red and white. The red-skins have broken bread with us es often as | the whites since we came to the Hermit Hut. If | there is trouble between the Sioux and the whites, | we can be neutral,” | “The white boy's tongue is crooked. He knows he will fight the Sioux. When he came into the oobin, pore on the top of his wigwam and heard | him talk.” | In an instant all flashed through the boy’s mind. ed to the | During their absence the Incians hed clir:
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| } | roof of the cabin, and were there concealed when they came in. They saw there was no compromising with them—that a conflict was inevitable. The Brigade had deposited all their rifles in one corner, and edging around by degrees, the savages managed to get themselves between the boys and the guns, believing that they were in possession of no other weapons. But in this the red-skins were mistaken. Each of the boys was possessed of a small revulver, and which, at close quarter, would be the most desirable weapon. The youths felt no fears of the number that confronted them; Sut that others might be waiting outside to join them in case of a collision. The savages were armed with the deadliest weap- ons—the tomahawk and scalping-knife. But none of them were drawn, and a movement of a hand to the belt would be a signal for the boys to precipitate the conflict. Each boy was actuated as if by a single impulse. The threatened danger force measures in common upon each mind; and having exchanged glaaces with their leader, all stood showy | to fire the firs shot ever fired in anger, or with deadly intent upon a human being. it was a momentous hour in the lives of the young Brigade—started from the sweet, rapturous enjoy- ment of music into the presence of death. Yet they faved the savages—great, powerful, athletic fellows that they were—with a cool, calm determination ot in a measure awed the sanguine audacity of the OUx. for half a minute a Jull—such as precedes the violoncs of the storm—fell upon the two lines ef enemies, though each form seemed to trem- bis with the emotions that were pent up within it. Seth had, adroitly, yet without any apparent mo- tion whatever, transferred his hands to his breeches pockets, ta the right of which he always carried his revolvers, it being more convenient. His friends saw this movement, and comprehend- edits meaning at once, though it never entered the Iniitus’ braias that his movement was other than a manifestation of peace; andas the youth’s compan- ions assumed positions and attitudes that brought heir right hands in juxtaposition with their revolv- ers, & savage spoke: “We will not kill the boy trappers if they will go quietly as prisoners to the village of Little Grow.” “We haven’t the Jeast assurance of this,” an- swerved Sath, ‘for we have found the Sioux to be tre te4arous as the moccasin snake,”’ “Wor these words shall the pale-face boy die,” re- iol the chief, unl osing his tomahawk. But, be- ore he could release the weapon, the hand of the yoag trapper-boy was withdrawn from his pocxet aid exten led towarl the savage’s face. There was a ilash and report simultaneously, and the warrior, wi h a deep grovn of horrible pain, started back; his fe contorted with agony and his muscles quiver- ivs, he fell like an ox upon the floor. A round hole in his forehead bearing the wder-marks around its edges told where the unerring bullet had struck. This was a signal for a general attack, and the clash of five other revolvers rung out sharp and spunning’on the night. Every savage went down be- fore the deadly weapons, and victory seemed but the labor of an instant for our friends; but in the mo- ment of their bloodless triumph, a fiendish yell out- sikle the door burst from the lips of a score of red- skins; the door was flung open, and the yelling de- mons rushed into the cabin like a tornado. Turning on his heel, as the door burst from its hinges, Sure Shot Seth fired at the candle, snuffing out the light as completely as though done bya gust of wind! Then the revolvers of the boy-trappers were turn- ed toward the door, and a constant stream of fire flashed in the faces of the savages. The groans of the dying wretches were mingled with the crack of the revolvers, the sodden fall of heavy bodies, and the tumbling of the excited savages over their fallen comrades as they rushed into the darkened room, The boy-trappers graduzlly edged around toward the door leading into the opposite room; and as each ese emptied the last chamber of his revolver, he passed out i to tue adjacent apartment, Not a word escaped the lips of our young friends, and one by one their revolvers became silenced; but whether it was by death, or by being emptied, each. could tell nothing regarding his comrade. The danger was nof all on the side of the savages, for the moment the light was put out, they began throwing their tomahawks, clubs and knives in every direction; aud their clash and thud fell thick as nail against the walls. But the confusion was so reat and deafening that the savages could tell noth- ng of the result of their attack. Finally the tumult became hushed; a light was obtained by the savages; and then it was that they beheld the terrible loss they had already sustained. Maddened by the sight of their dead braves, they sought the foe in the adjoining room, but the scene of battle had been transferred to the open air. In front of the cabin the boy-trappers met a number of savazes as they passed out, and here another con- flict eusucd. * Boys,” eried Sure Shot Seth, ‘make for the woods!—severy fellow for himself!” A moment ister there‘seemed to be a perceptible pause in the struggle as the sound of the conflict sp ead out in all directions, and yells of savage ven- geance rung through the forest. By these sounds Sure Shot Seth knew that his men had obeyed or- ders, and that all the survivors were seeking safety Ly flicht tothe woods. But how many had fallen? This was the question that now rose in the youn tvapper’s mind as he pursued his lonely way throng the dark and gloomy wilderness, When assured Sure Shot Seth. a ee iastdeens that he had eluded his pursuers, Seth stopped and sat down upon a log. . All noise of the late conflict was left behind, and unbroken silence pervaced the night, and grad- ually animated nature began her myriad of sound and soon the great lungs of the sleeping worl were sending forth their pulsing, throbbing respira- tions. Sure Shot Seth grew easier now. He knew by the sounds that came to his ear that no danger was lurking near. The acute ear of the experienced woodman can read the voices of nature as though spoken in an intelligible dialect. Through force of habit he becomes accustomed to his surroundings, and intuitively learns by instinct the language of both animate and inanimate nature, for inanimate nature has a language, and one that never deceives. The chirp of a cricket, the hum of insect wings, the iping of a tree-frog, and the patter of the velvet eet of night-prowling beasts, all mingle and pro- duce a weird, monotonous drone that instinctivel inspires one with a fecling of solitude; and this feel- ing assur s him that no enemies, or friends, for that matter, are moving about. On the contrary, if all is silent and drear, it is a warning that danger lurks near—that, conscious of the murderous intent of the skulker, nature hushes her song. : It was the assurance that no danger lurked near that gave Seth relief; and when satisfied that he could do so with impunity, he gave utterance to the sharp bark of the fox. Instantly he was answered in a similar manner from among the hills. ‘Reynard, the Fox, lives,”’ the young leader said; then he uttered the cry of the beaver, and was answered. Then changing his position, he gave utterance to the scream of a panther, the howl of a wolf, the hoot of an owl, and the cry of a whippowil. Allanswered but one, “As I live!’’ soliloquized Seth, answered but the Indian, Le Subtile Wolf. be that he has been slain?” Hooseah was a brave and fearless youth, with but little of the savave in his nature. e@ was a Chippewa by birth, and had spent all his days among the whites, coming from northern Michigan when quite a lad; so there was no danger to appre- hend of his want of fidelity to the whites. Seth was satisfied that he had either been killed or else had not heard his call, He did notrepeatit through fear of confusion, or of increasing their danger. Moving further back into the woods, Seth finally sat down ina dense thicket of shrubbery, leaned against a tree and went to sleep. This was not a very commendable act for a borderman, but Seth knew that no danger could befall him there in such a lonely and desolate spot. Moreover, he was almost exhausted with his night’s adventure, and nothing but sleep could restore the much-needed strength, and drive away the dizzy whirl of the brain. It was just growing light when he awoke. He could see the dusky outline of the tree-trunks aroun@'him, and leaning against one of these, mo- tionless as the tree itself, he saw the outlines of an Indian warrior! “the boys all Can it CHAPTER VI. A QUEER OLD CUSTOMER, Sern started his feet, half bewildered and ae terrified at sight of the savage standing over m. To his surprise, however, he saw that the Indian did not move, and a second thought and second glance removed a terrible weight from the youth’s mind; for he now recognized the red-skin as his friend, Hooseah, or Le Subtile Wolf. The Indian lad was standing there ae It was the way a Chippewa slept on the war-path. Seth glanced around him, and on the opposite side of the same tree against which he had reclined he saw the form of Justin Gray, the Beaver, curled up in a sound slumber; and under another tree not far away the form of Black Pan, the African, stretched at full length along the ground. Seth gave utterance to theshrill cry of a bird, then in a clear voice called out: “Le Subtile Wolf?” “Ugh! me here,’ muttered the lad, starting from his slumber. ‘Justin Gray?” oe Here. ” “Tim Tricks?” ‘* Here Lis, ole boss.” “ Baldwin Judd?” **Here,’’ came from in the bushes. “Teddy O’Rooy,?”” ° “Here, bedad. “* Mort Schultz?” *T here ish.” And as each one answered to his name, he emerged from among the shadows and stood before his at leader, Sure Shot Seth. ‘* Thank God, we are all permitted to meet again,” said Seth. This was the point desicnated as a rendezvous be- fore leaving the cabin when the savages were pour- ing in upon them; hence the remarkable manner under which they all met. The marks of a restless night, and of excitement, were upon each face; yet no look, word or move- ment betrayed the least sign of fear. Nobly had the youths fought their way through a terrible danger, and now as they stood congratulating each other on their miraculous escape—while the red dawn of the rosy morn was bursting into light around them a shrill, sharp voice suddenly cried out: * Hore" : The boys started as though a torpedo had ex- “ ploded in their midst. They glanced around them, then at another, a look of wild astonishment upon each face. * Here!” again shouted the unknown voice, and the sound was followed by an outburst of rollicking laughter. It came from overhead, and raising their eyes, the oung bordermer saw that which forced an involun- ary exclamation from their lips. Attached to a limb of the wide-spreading oak was a sort of a rude hammock made of a blanket, and over the end of this the quaint, comical face of an old man looked down upon them. He was about twenty or thirty feet above them, and his hammock was attached to alimb that grew straight out from the body of the tree yet slender enough to give it a gentle, swaying motion. This old stranger was a man of nearly threescore years; yet the bright luster of his mischievous gray eyes, and the smile upon his thin, bearded face, told of a youthful, buoyant spirit. His nose was of a strong Roman t¢ ae type indicative of indomitable courage, Considerable severity was betrayed in the thin lips, yet the general features of the man were the embodiment of humor, eccentricity and drollery, “T’m in at roll-call, too,” he exclaimed, in a whim: sical tone; “‘sound the revielle, beat the drum, and rat-tat-too, for day has broke, the birds are astir, and the devil’s to pay.” - “Will, now!’ exclaimed Teddy O’Roop, “and what fur a baste have we got there now?” ‘*Hello, boggy-tongue,”’ answered the man, with a comical smile, as he turned over on his stomach in his hammock and gazed complacently down upon the Brigade, while he kicked up his heels like a listless school-boy lying in the shade, ‘I should think you could see that I’m not a ‘possum up here; nor that I’m not an oriole in a hangin’ nest, but a full-fledged rooster of the gunvs man who roosts high and dry.” “We observe that you ave rather elevated in your ideas of repose,”’ said Seth. “ Elevated, did ye say?’ replied the man; “ Jewa and Gentiles! that’s no name for it. It’s perfectly delicious up here. Yousee, I’ve slept around on the yearth with bugs, and snakes, and tortles, and bears, and wolves, and Indians, and snails, and alligators, crawling over and sniffin’ round me long enough; and so I come to the conclusion that I’d hang myself up in a tree after’ds; and I find its delicious swaying in the breeze while the beasts of the field roam be. neath, and the birds of the air sailabove me. I’m old Joyful Jim Tucker, a brother of the veritable Daniel who had a wes lamb; and so I'll jist come — my chamber in the air, and quiz you chaps 4 it.” The man er SA upon a limb, unfastened his hammock, took a rifle and its accouterments from among the thick foliage above his head, and then descended to the ground. He shook hands with the boys all around, then said: “* S’pose you chaps are on the war-path?” “Can't say that we are, exactly, though we haa quite a fight last night with savages at our cabin and were routed, though we lost no men.” i ‘*You don’t mean to say that you compose Sure Shot Seth’s Boy Brigade, that’s been ranchin’ at the Hermit Hut?” ‘exclaimed Joyful Jim, ““We're the Boy Brigade,’’ answered Seth. ‘Judas and Benedict Arnold! Why, boys, I war just on my way to your ranch.” “From where?” ‘‘Minnisota in gineral; you see I’ve been doin’ 4 little tradin’ up here ‘mong the Ingins for the past few years. I’ve been tradin’ ’em beads, pocket. knives and ‘doctored water,’ for peltries; but as they’ve dug up the hatchet, I concluded to make myself seldom in their midst, and so pointed nose for the Hermit Hut. And so they’ve routed you hoss and foot?” “They came upon us ten to one.” “They did? al, then, thar’s no denyin’ blood and war are upon us; and so I perpose have a hand init. If the critters hadn’t confiscated all my stock, I’d been easier onto em; but now I purpose to let °em know that I wer’n’t eddicated in the city. I'll jist sail right into ‘em, boot and toe-nail, and I'li ey the fust Ingin I'll tackle ‘Ill hear som’thin’ gur. e. “Faith, and wouldn’t somethin’ gargle if yees should tackle a jug av poteen, Joyful Fitnmie eh now?” said Teddy. “Irishman, do you take me for a drunkard? Do you s’pose if I had a gallon of ‘ oh-be-joy-ful’ that J wouldn’t let you have half of it? What do you take me Pai) oh 3A ' *Yow-o0-o0!”" suddenly rung in a low quaveri echo through the weeds. = a% sis tt 4 boy started as if shot. “Tt is Le Subtile Wolf,” said Seth, who, for tha first time, noticed the absence of the Indian from their midst; “ it means danger.” “Then s*’pose we obscure ourselves,” suggeste(| the trader, and the party at once concealed them. selves, Joyful Jim selecting a thicket some distances from the boys. They had scarcely done so ere 4 savage in war-paint came stealing slyly as a pan ther through the woods, his eyes and ears on thi alert, and his body bent slightly forward as if to give intensity to the precaution he was observing, Joyful Jim, who was not concealed from the Bri gade entirely, turned and glanced toward the boys with a comic grimace and a wink, and shook his head as if ready to burst with suppressed laughter, “ Ocb, and the oul’ bla’gard’ll not keep still,” said ses oa a rape fw ne * No danger of his betrayi ” returned : “T think he can be frosted o _ The red-skin advanced slowly, cautiously, He waa pursuing a course that, if continued, would take him
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Se, Ce — Sure Shot Seth. 5 within two of the trader, and our —— friends ao no little uneasiness for the old man's ety. They could see the trader as he stood erect behind the shrubbery, his hands outstretched before him as if to part the bushes, The savage stole wn, and when opposite the thicket he was started with all the sudden affrigkt and fer- ocity of a surprised tiger. He turned his head and saw the bushes part before him, and the face of the fearless old Joyful Jim appear in the opening. “‘Tlowdy ?—mornin’ to ye, red-skin!”” exclaimed the trader, with a desperute grin. The savage started back witha grunt, while a look of demoniac ferocity 1nounted his painted face. His hand sought the knife at his girdle, but before he could use it, the bony fist of the trader shot through the shrubbery, and striking the warrior in the face felled him to'the earth. Tien with a shout, the old man sprung from his covert upon the savage and engaged him in a hand-to-hand struggle, The bat- tle waxed warm and desperate, but in the hottest of the contest, the red-skin gave a wild yell, that was immediately answered by a dozen friends, not far distant; and the next moment ei¢ht or ten warriors oor ci through the wouds toward the scene of battle. “Let them have it, boys!’ excrimed Seth: “we're in for another ficht.” Searcely had he spoken ere the rifles of the Bom Brigade rung out on te clear morning air, and of the advancing savaes foll dead. CHAPTER VIL GIVING THD LED-skrxs ‘ Firs.” Tue instant the Boy Brizade fired, those of the red-siins that did not fall dodged behind the nearest trees and at once opened a sort of a random fire. The boys, however, had also availed themselves of the cover of trees, and, while they could render Jo. Jim no assistance in his struggle, they resolved that no assistance should come to his antagonist. There was little danrer of old Jim receiving a shot from the savages under cover, for the rapid evolutions of the tivo made it dangerous, to friend as well as foe, tofireuponthem, The only hopes of each party lay in keeping the other at bay until the contest should be setiled between the two combatants themselves, Sure Shot Seth was without a gun, but with a pis- tolin hand, kept an eye on the enemy, the nearest of vvhom were not cighty yards away. Joyful Jim and his antagonist seemed to have talon each other ata disadvantage, and so labored in the conflict. In rapid evolutions they whirled in each other’s embrace. The hold of each was exact- the same. The old trader's right arm pinioned the savaco’s loft, and the acene s Se pinioned the old man’s ]-ft. Jim, however, ly succeeded in getting holl of the red-skin’s | scalp-lock, which hung down his back; and by pulling severel upon this appendags, drew the savage’s head bac in such @ manner a3 to render him almost helpless. The ont uttered a hoarse, rattling cry when he saw that his foe was gaining upon him, and his wd reaching the ears of his friends, created a lively stir among them. By every device known to their cun- ning brains they tried to draw the Brigade from its covert. But they had met their match, and failed in every attempt. Meanwhile, firing was heard the woods some distance to the south, and that Hooseah, the young Chippewa was in trouble, the Brigade had not a doubt; but none of them dare attempt to leave, for every tree that concealed one of them was marked by a savage cye and covercd by a savage rifle. Finally, however, the Incians saw that their friend was getting the worst of the conflict, and that some- thing must be done. With a yell that might have intimidated less brave hearts than those of the Boy Brigade, the Sioux dashed from their covert and darted toward the combatants reeling as they ran, to avert the bullets cf the enemy. But the Boy Brigade was ready for any emer- ency, and having discharged their rifles, bounded rom their concealment and met the foe by the two strugrling combatants, over whom a desperate conflict ensued. The Boy Brigade now had an opportunity to call into practical use their skillful, athletic training; and right lively did they exert themselves—lea ing, whirling and darting through the air so rapic and swiftly that the eye could scarcely follow their movements. Teddy O’Roop, as he came vp near the red-ski turned a complete hand-spring and shot himse forward with such force that his feet, coming in contact with a savage’s stomach, sent him breath- Ras eie Foakl cn Bayt’, tia ee leaped Bins aliwin Judd, or Reynare e Fox, lea n the cir over a savage’s head and lanted his feet in the red-skin’s face with great violence, while Tim Tricks, tle darky, dropped his bullet-head, shot forward as if ejected from a catapult, and drove it into the stomach of a red-skin, dou him up on the earth. Taken thus, the red-skins were unprepared to meet the flying enemy, as it were. They were com- perry confused and astounded by the flying, whirl- ng, derting, tumbling forms around them, Heels, heads, fists and forms shot hither and thither in | | lips of _Hooseah, the Indian lad, who, at this junc- ture, came bounding into the midst of his friends, followed by a strange lad and brandishing above his head a Sioux scalp. “Great shockin’!"’ exclaimed Old Jim this bloody Turk with a red-skin scalp. you can civilize or tame an Ingin?” “It’s an Indian’s nature to scalp you can’t preach it out of him,” said ‘but who have you here, Hooseah?” to the white lad accompanying him. “Ed icc Ga answered the youth himself. “Ed Thornly? Haven't I seen you at Yellow Medicine?” “Yes; I reside there; you are Sure Shot Seth, I believe?” “The same,"’ answered our hero. “Then my mission is at an end, though I thought for awhile the Indians had ended it this morning for me when they ey me. Thanks to your red friend here I was liberated.”’ aa you were on your way to the Hermit uw ” “ Yes—totally ignorant of the fact that the Indians had begun their depredations. But I am here to see you, Seth, on a Lttle matter conceraing us boys at the tere To-morrow we are to have a shoot- ing-match there for boys. A fine rifle isto be the prize. There is some rivalry between Tom Grayson and Ivan Le Clercq, the two best shots at the place; but on the part of the latter it is not a friendly rival- ry. He has already resorted to foul means to de- feat Tom, whom the pares y of the people like. By the mean advantage alrea: y gained, t is feared that Le Clercg will win, so we boys held a meeting and concluded to send for you, and have you take some of the conceit and self-arrogance out of that fellow. Ihave a request here, signed by nearly all the bag be in the Agency, for you to come down and scoop Le Clercq out.” Seth's eyes brightened as Ed presented him the paper, upon which were a number of names, It was a concession to his superior marksmanship, and he felt proud of the honor thus conferred upon him by the Agency boys. He could, under no circum- stances, decline, and exp his surprise at the honor bestowed upon him, and prom Ed that he would be on hand at the shooting-match. “T'll teach your friend, iy esson he has never learned in handling firearms,” he said, ‘*and, as lam without a rifle now, it will be a kind of a Godsend to tanewone. Yes, you can tell Tom Grayson that ‘IL be there.” The whole band now moved southward, accom- nied by Ed Thornly and Joyful Jim, the reputed "That aaghe th ped miles fro t ey encam ten es m the mend Thornly went on home alone, but Agency, under cover of the darkness, Bright and early the next mo: Sure Shot Seth left the Brigade and set out for Yellow Medicine to fulfill his emngoment at the shooting-match. Shortly r his departure the e struck a fresh Indian trail leading toward the south-west, and feeling gd satisfied that the enemy were upon the war-path, they set off in pursuit of the foe—upon their first war trail. CHAPTER VIII. THE BOY CONSPIRATORS, YE.LLow Mepicive AGrENncy was the scene of no little excitement, for there was to be a shooting- match there thatday; and a Lig time was anticipa- ted, for such amusement of the border settlers usually drew a large number of persons. And, what made this all the more interesting, it was to be a match for boys. A fine rifle of exquisite workman- ship and elegant finish was to be the given to the champion marksman. There had been several matches for men during the past season, at which the boys were not allowed to compete; and so old Souire Podson concluded that he would make a match for the boys, and not admit themen. He concluded that if the threatened Indian war was an incentive to peopere skillful marskmanship in men it would hold good in boys, and so he sent off an purchased the prize rifle, then gave notice of the contest. The shooting was all to be done with the new rifle, at the distance of one hundred and fifty ** here’s vho suys and I presume Sure Shot Seth; and he turned es. The boys at the Agency—and there were quite a number of them—were wild over the coming match, and were out practicing daily in the woods at et- shooting. There were some fine shots in the ty, and the contest was likely to be a close one, here was but little difference in the shoot of Tom Grayson, Josh Parson and Ivan Le Clereq. If there was any difference, it was in favor of the lat- ter. Le Clercq was a French half-breed, and all be- lieved that he was older than he represented him- self to be. He was a fine-looking fad, with dark eyes, pleasant face, and a form straight as av arrow. e was rather wild and wayward, and some thought a little treacherous and insincere in character, There were those in Yellow Medicine that objected to their boys associating with Ivan; and there were others who exercised but little control over their boys, and did not presume to select their compan- ions. The result was that those inclined to mischief confusion; and ere the red-skins were aware | became the followers of the wild, harum-scarum of the fact, the Boy Brigade was master of the situ- | Ivan Le Clercq; while the quiet disposed were the ation. Two of the savages had been slain, and the | friends of Tom Grayson. rest, knocked breathless to the earth and secured be- The latter was a kind, brave and whole-souled lad ever, it was in the friendliest spirit; but with Ivan the characteristic jealousy of the half-breed cropped out on more than one occasion. As a boy, from a certain period, has a naturad tendency tuward sin, Ivan, as a matter of course, had the largest party of followers; and as the two parties stood divided on all other questions, so they were divided on the coming shooting-match, Ivan and party practiced off by theniselves, a ing the result a secret from the others; but in themean time he sent a spy into Tom’s camp, and thereby kept posted as to Tom and Josh's skill. The letter, however, were \not. igporant of Ivan’s movements, and his skill as a marksman, and lost no time in preparing themselves for the contest so far as practice was concerned. This was really what Squire Podson wanted, He knew that practice made perfect, and if they were to have an Indian war, a boy, if a skillful shot, could make up in marksmanship what he lacked in physi- cal power; and thus both boys and men coula be brought into service. Ivan Le Clercq finally became so anxious to be the winner of the prize that he let his ambition stoop to the unscrupulous trick of stealing Tom’s gun and hiding it away where it could not be found for several days. At least, all suspected bim of doing it, upon rey’ strong circumstantial evidence. This roused the blood in Tom's veins, and he re- solved to have Ivan defeated in the shooting-match, even at the sacrifice of the honor of winning = wize himself; and so sent an invitation to Sure Shot seth to attend the match. Some way or other, Le Clercq got wind of this movement, when another trouble was added to his list of fancied wrongs; and to obviate this new dan- ger to his winning the prize, he called a council of four of his most intimate friends on the evening be- fore the day of the contest. ys | met about sunset on the river-bank, and in tones of secrecy discussed the probable result of the morrow’s sport. felt satisfied that if Sure Shot Seth came, he would win the day without any trouble. “But we must not let him come,” said Le Clereq, emphatic ; “we don’t want the word to go away that us Yaller Medicine boys war beat shootin’ by a woolly-headed trapper boy.” “ But if he concludes to come, how are we going to help ourselves?” asked one of his companions, _ *s the question before the house,” said Ivan, “and I'd like it if you fellers could help me figger it out.” “There's no way that Ican see, unless we can in- duce the squire to admit no one to the contcst what don't b’long in the Agency,” Rube Jolinscn sug- “He couldn’t do that now, for the old fool’s givin’ notice to all the States and territories, and the citi- zens of the moon, that we're to have a shoot, and so the thing ‘ll have to go off as advertised. I wouldn’t keer if it wa’n’t for that Seth. I think I could jist scoop all Yaller Medicine slick and clean. But I've away in my mind as how to keep Seth away.” “Tiow?” asked a companion, o Guess.””’ “ Shoot him?” “ Not that a - — him into the river with a stone round his nec ” “No; watch the road he'll come to-morrow, and catch him and tie him up till after the shooting is over,” said Ivan. “That'll fix him,” exclaimed a companion, ap- provingly. ** Let’s do it,”’ echoed the others, “Nuff said,” added Ivan; “if you fellers ‘Tsay you'll help me, I'll get ropes y to-night and to- morrow we'll come down here and watch him where he ae the river, and snail him up, Whatdo you sa tan right! we'll help!” cried the young scamps, And the matter being thus settled, the conspira- tors adjourned, and retraced their footsteps toward home. But scarcely were they out of sight ere two maidens, of about sixteen summers, stepped from @ thicket near, their pretty young faces aglow with pleasure, and their bright eyes sparkling with in- ward delight. “We'll see about that tying up Sure Shot Seth, won't we, | gie?’’ said one. “We will that, Emma; and won't it be jolly to beat such bad boys?” And the two maidens laughed merrily over the idea, as hand-in-hand they sauntered leisurely home- ward. CHAPTER IX, WHO WON THE RIFLE? THe day of the shooting-match dawned bright and clear. The air was soft and light, and not @ breeze was stirring. Nature seemed to have pre- pared the day especially for Squire Podson’s entur- tainment; and by noon all the people in the Agency and vicinity had gathered in the ‘‘ Openings” in the river bottom to witness the contest. Not sf either, for Ivan Le Clereg and four of his boon com- nions were not there. Neither was Sure Shos sth, but he was momentarily expected. At one o'clock the shooting commenced, with indifferent result. Tom Grayson was not a little surprised at the absence of Ivan Le Clercq, and bitterly disappointed not to find one other face fore they could offer resistance. , | of seventeen, who loved the sports of the woods as Vy this time Joyful Jim had ended the conflict be- | well as any one living. He was kind and gencrous tween himself and the savage, and had come out to both old and young, and p od of all the at- victor without even a wound cf any consequeuce. tributes of a true and perfect man, both moral and i hysical. But somehow or other, a spirit of rivalry 1ad sprung up between Tom and his followers and Ivan and his associates. Onthe part of Tom, how- among the spectators. That was the face of Emma | Milbank. All the rest of the women and girls of | his acquaintance were there except she and io Harris. Now, Tom loved Emma very dearly; hence hia a at not seeing her there. For her to see him win the prize would have been worth more The firing heard a few minutes previous had geased, and the shout of victory that rung from Old Jim's jips was answered by’another from the i
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Sure Shot Seth. to him than a dozen prizes; for her to have cheered his success with one smile, would have been worth still more than all; for it would have assured him of her regards—that his love was in a measure recipro- cated. He was not positive that Emma loved him: but she had always received his advances in such a way as to give him encouragement. eanwhile, we will look after Ivan Le Clercq and his party rascals put out for the river, and, having reached \ | comic old owl. Early that morning the young | | circled by a rin its banks, scattered out along the stream about a | hundred yards apart to watch for the coming of Sure Shot Seth. and watching, a boat rounded the bend up the river with a single occupant—Sure Shot Seth, the Boy Rifleman. The boy that made this discovery hastily commu- nicated the fact to those below, and in a few min- utes all were together. They knew about where Seth would land, and as he would have to pass through a strip of dense woods after leaving the river to reach the Agency, Ivan and his party ran on ahead, and, having masked their faces, awaited the “nen of Seth. he unsuspecting youth soon came _ tripping lightly along, whistling as merrily as only a boy can. He was dressed in a neat-fitting suit of buckskin, with a fringe of the same material up the seams of the leggings,and around the waist and shoulders. He carried no rifle, nor weapon of any sort that were visible, which fact removed some fears from the breasts of those lying in ambush for him. A smile rested upon the face of the boy, which was evidently the offspring of some pleasant thoughts; and to this was added the spring of an elastic step and a buoy ‘nt spirit. Suddenly the rush of feet arrested his attention. He stopped and looked around him. Five persons, with masks upon their faces, rushed out of the shadows and seized him. He struggled desperately, heroically, and for awhile held his adversaries a lively fight. But superior numbers finally triumph- ed. He was overpowered, borne to the ground, and bound and gagged. Then he was carried into a thicket and tied to a tree where no human eye could detect his presence ten feet be. This done, the young ruffians hurried away in the direction of the “‘ Openings,’’ whence they could al- ready hear the clear ringing report of the rifles at the shooting tournament coming. When a few rods from the thicket they threw aside their disguises; Ivan Le Clercq’s face looked red and excited; it showed the unmistakable signs ef a guilty conscience. But calming his emotions the best way he could, he entered the crowd gath- ered in the et . “Ho, Ivan, my boy,’ exclaimed Pe Podson, ‘ you are late, young man; whar the deuce ’ve you een?” ““We’ve been out on a deer-hunt. Buck Jones said thar were three deer that come down to the old ferry every morning to drink, and we thought we'd secure one or two.” And what a falsehood the boy told! “ Well,”’ continued the squire, ‘‘ you were just in time, for the last poy has shot, and Tom Grayson is champion so far. We have been looking for Sure Shot Seth, down from the Hermit Hut, all morning, and he may come yet. But now, Ivan, do you want to try your hand?” “To be sure I do; that’s what I come for,” was the impertinent gf The squire loaded his gun and handed it to Fran. The youth turned facing the target, raised the gun —shooting off-hand—and fired, In a minute the news came up from the target that he made a win- ning shct. The crowd cheered the boy lustily. ' Each contestant was allowed three shots, the best in three winning. Tom Grayson had hit the target twice out of three possible shots. Again the gun was loaded, and again Ivan Le Clereq fired. In a moment the news came up that he had made another winning shot. Loud and prolonged rung the shouts from the spectators; while with a look of triumph, Ivan's eyes sought those of Tom. Again was the gun loaded and handed to the youth, With more than usual ceremony, intended to command admiration, Ivan raised the rifle, and glancing along the barrel, fired. Then with a bow to road spectators, he turned and handed the rifle to odason, A deep and deadly silence fell upon the crowd, and an eager and expectant look mounted every face, in the anxiety to know the result of Ivan’s last shot. Slowly upon the air came the response: ** Missed entirely.” Then the lull broke into a storm of shouts of de- rision and exclamations of regret. A general hub- bub of voices arose, and the crowd became clamor- ous to know who had won the prize. ‘“* Nobody, in course,” answered Squire Podson; “Tom and ivan tied, and so the two ’ll have to shoot it over.” This satisfied the friends of the two boys, and the shooting was resumed; but it resulted as before—in a tie. “ Shoot itover ag’in,”’ said the squire; but at this joncture a new-comer pushed his way into the erowd and demanded a trial in the contest. No one had noticed this young stranger until he was in the midst of the party; and all were,not a lit- tle surprised, as well as enlisted with curiosity, at resence, e was rather an odd specimen of the genus boy. tore vras no telling how old he was; but that he | coloring of red, black and blue, in spots. After hours of impatient w.itinz | eee ) was not beyond the limitations of the rules of the contest, was evident to all. His face was covered with a complication of rings and dirty streaks made of the different pigments used by the Indians. Around each eye was painted three rngs—the inner one being black, the second blue, and the third red —which gave him the wild, staring expression of a His nose was painted black; his cheeks were touched with blue; and his mouth en- of dirty red. His hair was cropped ristling stubs had also received a He was dressed in a suit as odd and queer as himself; and, altogether, he was the most comic and clownish- looking person it had been the fortune of our friends to meet. ‘* Mortal inspiration!” exclaimed the old squire, at sight of the lad, ‘*who in all the mystery be you?” “T are the young ring-eyed eagle, jist soared down from the Rocky Mountains to try a shot at this bis- ness,"’ exclaimed the youth, in a kind of a squeaky tone, keeping one corner of his mouth depressed; “Tare the little eagle whose dad lords it over the United States and screams along the sky. Show me the chicken that says he can beat me shootin’, and T'll flop a wing into his anatomy.” “* Hold on here, youngster,” said Podson, “‘ you're close and the a ben’t you? “Crazy! Oh-a-yi!l a-yi!’”’ he screamed, in exact imitation of the le, “‘ give me a few shots at the target, and I'll show you that the ring-eyed eaglet of Sky-Puncher-Peak can warm the wax in any boy’s ears this side of his fust birthday at shootin’. Fight, did you say? Lord,no; I’d run afore Id fight, for I’m the young bird of Freedom—a-yi! a-yi!”’ The inquisitive throng, that had crowded around the lad, filled with great excitement and curiosity, now burst into a peal of laughter at the comic antics of the rollicking young Eagle from-Sky-Puncher- Peak. ““Well, now, lookey here, Eagle,” said Podson, “whar you from, and what do you want here?” “From Sky-Puncher-Peak, I tell ye, and am here to take a hand in the shootin’-match. Jist furnish me a gun, show me the thingamagig you shoot at, and I'll show you that the ring-eyed Eagle from Sky-Puncher-Peak’s not so slouchy, if he is jist git- tin’ his fust pin-feathers.”’ Podson, as well as a number of others, saw that the lad, whoever he was, was playing a role in his disguise; and while they were wondering who he could be, and what his object was, their amusement became manifest in peals of hearty laughter. Fi- nally the old squire said: “Well, if you’ve come here to shoot, why, in course, you must have a chance. This ‘ere rifle’s the prize, but, mind, it’ll take three shots in the center of yon target to take it.” ‘How many chances’ll you give me—forty?” “Just three.’ “Oh, vampires and harpies!’’ exclaimed the outh, with a grimace that provoked a roar of aughter. “Then ‘cordin’ to that some chap has scored two out of three; just show him to me, please, till I see the white of his eye, and then I—” “I’m the chap, sir,’’ said Ivan Clercq, stepping out and confronting the Eagle-from-Sky-Puncher- Peak. “That’s nothin’,” said the youth, running his rons. Ivan’s form with a quick, but critical ook. “Thar’s a tie,” interrupted the squire, ‘ between him—Ivan—and that feller; so if you want to try a shot at the mark, why, do so.” “Thank you; please pass me yer fusilade and I'll try its mettle. Cl’ar the track, folks, for the young Eagle-from-Sky-Puncher-Peak.”’ The crowd parted in a lane extending down to- ward the target, and nrecba was the range cleared ere the boy carelessly threw the rifle to his shoulder, and the gun was discharged, as all supposed, by accident. ° “Oh!” burst involuntarily from the boy’s lips, and then an exclamation burst from the lips of those who saw his movements, and were ready to censure him for his carelessness. “ He's not fit to handle a gun,” observed one in an undertone, to a companion. ““Don’t fool yourself. He’s no fool; he’s playin’ off,” said another; ‘ but listen to the report.’ “A plumb-center shot,” was the announcement that came up from the target. A wild, prolonged shout that fairly split the heavens burst from the lips of the crowd. The boy whistled softly as if with surprise at his own skill. The shouts of the crowd turned to laugh- ter as they saw the sober,comic expression of the inimitable young clown’s face. “Ready for another,” said Podson, as he placed a cap on the nipple of the gun. he boy spat upon his hands, winked at an im- aginary friend, then took the rifle, and before it was scarcely leveled, fired. A deep silence followed the report, and every eye turned toward the target. “Another winning shot,’’ was the announcement that the recorder sent forth, and again the crowd cheered the young “‘ring-eyed eagle.’ The third time was the gun reloaded, and the third time did the lad awkwardly swing the weapon to his shoulder, squint first with one eye then the other along the barrel, to the amusement of the spectators; then he finally closed both eyes and For the next half a minute not a soul seemed to breathe, so deep and intense was the anxiety and ex- pectancy of the party. But it was the calm that pre- ceded the storm following the announcement: * That shot takes the prize—the Hagle-of-Sky-Puncher Peak has won!” HUNTED AND HAUNTED. ~ Tue shouts that followed the announcement of | the result of the shooting-match were deafening; and the young Ring-Eyed-EKagile-of-Sky-Puncher- Peak became the recipient of a hundred congratula- tions. Tom Grayson was the first to grasp the young stranger’s . and, for since he had faiied to win the prize, it afforded him supreme pleasure to know that Ivan Le Clereq had been defeated. The latter stood off at one side among his little party of friends scowling with chagrin, and burning with anger at his defeat, _ “ By heavers’”’ he exclaimed, in a whisper to his four companions, “if I can get old Podson to extend the time, ’il run up and release Sure Shot Seth, and let him come down and beat that young braggart. Tom Grayson is tickled half to death ‘cause I got beat, and I'd give an eye just to see him look down his nose, and that daubed-faced fool beaten.” “Here, youngster,” the voice of Squire Podson suddenly broke in, as he handed The Eagle the rifle and accouterments belonging to it; ‘“here’s the prize—take it, for you have won it fair and honor- ably, whoever you may be. The gun is loaded, and thar’s not less’n fifty bullets in the pouch, and pow der in the horn to shove’em. Take it, and I ope you will make every shot count so long as you may possess it.” 4 A faint scream of terror came from the direction of the woods some two hundred yards away, before The Eagle could respond, as he was about to do. Every eye was at once turned in that direction, and to the horror of all, a maiden, whom all recog- nized as Emma Milbank, emerged from the woods at the top of her speed, closely pursued by an Indian warrior. “Oh, my God!” burst from Squire Podson’s lips, “the savages are at their hellish work already.” Brave hearts trembled, and white lips quivered. Women fell faint, and children crouched with terror at the feet of their parents. It was a terrible mo- ment in the history of those people’s lives, for all seemed paralyzed with the terrors of death. But all were started from their lethargy by another shriek. “The savage has caught Emma!’ was the terri- ble announcement that now pealed from a dozen lips, True enough, the savage had overtaken her within ten s of the edge of the timber, and lift _— in his arms was fleeing back to the woods wit er. “Stand aside for the Eagle-of-Sky-Puncher- Peak,” shouted that mysterious lad, and swi zg his newly: won prize to shoulder glanced along the barrel and fired. A yell of agony came down from the woods; and when all saw the savage stagger and fall, a shout burst from their lips; the le had made another wonderful shot, and had saved the maiden With the speed of it e s of a deer the young marksman dashed out of the crowd and sped ‘iver toward the fallen foe. He met the maiden he had saved on the way, and exchanging a few words with her, ran on passed the fallen savage and plunged into the woods. A moment later a rifle-shot rung through the forest and echoed in quavering intonations along the val- ley of the Minnesota. Scarcely had the sound died on the air, when forth from the woods south of the Openings a hundred half-nude forms rushed, yelling like demons. With a cry of horror the surprised settlers turned and fled toward theirhomes. With the womenand children in front, the men covered their retreat, fighting the foe as they fell back. The savages’ on- ward rush was checked several times; but nothing daunted, they rallied and renewed the contest fierce and deadly. - It soon became evident that the settlers could not repulse the foe, and so the retreat was turned in the direction of the stockade or fort, north of the agency. The savages seeing their intentions, at- tempted to thwart their plans by a general on. slaught; but ous A and heroically did the valiant settlers fight for their wives and little ones. Many however, fell before the fort was reached and the gate closed between them and danger; and on the pages of history this struggle is known ag the Mas- sacre of Yellow Medicine Agency. On the same day, the minions of Little Crow, Inkpaduta and Little Priest, scattering out over the country, began a general massacre. Acton, in Meeker county, really became the scene of the first bloodshed, if we except that at the Hermit Hut, the home of the Boy Brigade. Fort ey was closely besieged, and the country to the south overrun, e to arms rung through the north, and everywhere the hardy young yeomanry of the land left the plow within the furrow and the harvest ungleaned and rushed to battle. The woods of Minnesota rung wild with the war-whoop of the savages and the shouts of their enemies. But few troops were in the State. Forts Riley, Ridgely and Abercrombie could not muster over two hundred men, and so the savages had but little to contend with in their onward rush to the destruction of the whites. But history has recorded all the main facts of this terrible Indian outbreak We have only to deal with one of the chains of in. cidents consequent upon the war, and which has eg. caped the notice of the historian. . en Emma joined her friends at the Openings after the Eagle had rescued her by shooting down her captor, her first words were: “Oh, they have got Maggie! the Indians have ca ws bias her!” “i efore any one could respond, the savages b from the woods, and all sought shelter th flight Not until all those that had escaped were inside of
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—-_ Sure Shot Seth, the fort was the subject of Mag; up. Then the father of the missing gir] sought out Emma, and from her learned the articulars of his daughter’s capture. But she carefully omitted tell- ing the object that had taken her and Maggie alone into the woods. Mr. Harris’s agony and suspense became intense. The savages surrounded the fort, and there was no escape until darkness should set in. Thesun was still two hours high, and during the time spent in waiting for the shadows of night, the distracted father made preparations for going in search of his child. A nurober of friends volunteered to go with him; and among them were Ivan Le Clercq and his four boon companions. ; There was one person among the band of besieged that noticed a wild look of uneasiness upon the face of Ivan and his rer and had it not been for the general excitement that prevailed among the crowd, others might have noticed that their looks were the outgrowth of a guilty conscience. Even their move- ments and very actions denoted guilt; and finally they went to one side and entered into a secret conversation—very suspicious under the circum- stances. “*Boys,”’ said Ivan, glancing furtively around — “Pm afraid an awful crime rests upon our 1eads.”’ “You mean ’bout that Sure Shot Seth affair, don’t you?” .asked Rube Johnson. “Yes; the Indians, I expect, found him and killed him,” said Le Clereq. “Ive thought of that, too,”’ added Gus Stewart. **Mebby, though,” said Abe Thorn, ‘‘ Maggie and Emma let him loose before the Indians come; you know Emma run out of the woods near where we left him.” **S’pose we ask Emma,”’ said Rube Johnson, | . ‘* Heavens, no!” replied Ivan, “for if he didn’t et away, that'll let the whole secret out; and if . should be found dead, we might get our necks stretched.”’ ‘““We might ask her if she seen him,” said Gus Stewart. “No,” persisted Ivan; “we don’t want to saya word about him, for all know that we were away when the shootin’ match begun; and if we should go to askin’ any questions, it might raise icion at once. Just keep still, and when I get out of this fort, I'll slip out into the woods and see if he is there et.” Thus the matter was settled for the time being, and finally, when darkness set in, the father of the captive girl, followed by Ivan and party, and also, Tom Grayson and Harry Busted, stole out of the fort, and away into the woods without discovery by the red-skins. When near the point where they tied Sure Shot Seth to the tree, Ivan whispered to one of his com- panions: “I’m goin’ to drop out of the crowd now and slip gie’s capture brought over to the tree; and if I don’t overtake you in ten minutes, why, you will know that I can’t find pa and so give the hoot of an owl; and if I hear, I answer.’ “All right, Ivan,”’ answered his friend. Ivan dropped behind the party, and finally he turned to the left and went off in another direction. It was so extremely dark in the deep, dense w that the absence of the youth was unnoticed, and, with the silence of shadows, the party pushed cau- tiously on. Le Cle crept softly along through the darkness of night with the stealth of an assassin. His heart lay like a leaden weight in his breast, and his breath came in gasps. The fear of discovering himself a murderer worked like a horror upon his mind; and there was nothing in the blackness of the nigh , nor the solitude of his ee to inspire him with aught else than the gloomiest noe ines van Le Clereq had no intention of injuring Sure Shot Seth. It was his intention to wander off through the woods, after the shooting-match had ended, with the new rifle that he felt certain he would win; but at the same time he intended to bappen to stumble across the luckless Seth and liberate him. Unfortunately, the Indians interfered with these arrangements; and [van knew not but he had added the crime of murder to his dishonorable trick. But cruel, envious, treacherous as he was, the half-breed possessed a heart capable of the feel- ings of remorse and fear; and, ever and anon, as he crept on through the woods and gloom, he glanced t wildly back over his shoulders as ff fleeing from the wrath of an inscrutable God. He was well uainted with every foot of the round he was cravecuing. and, notwithstanding the Sackneds, he moved toward the cket where he had left Sure Shot Seth. When within a few yards of the tree to which ae? tied the youn trapper, he paused and listened. But all was silen as tile presence of death. A chill passed over his form, and the lump in his throat seemed to grow rger and more depressing. A thousand ogreish orms seemed to unfold themselves from the dark- hess, and flit in endless procession around him. His rain throbbed; his knees p ped weak, and his hand trembled. The thought of flight from the horrible Spot entered his mind, but he seemed | ssed of no Power to execute the desire of his will. He seemed Spellbound and unable to move in any direction, Save that of the tree to which his victim had been bound. Some horrible fascination drew him thither; and ere he was aware of the fact, he stood by the tree, motionless and breathless. He could see nothing. The darkness of night, and the cloud of sin hovering over his soul, blinded him. He swal- lowed back the lump in his throat, out his hand, and touched the tree. He back, as though he had touched the municated by the touch to his whole body. For a moment he stood peering into the gloom} as immov- ably fixed as astone statue. But, gradually recover- ing; he again put out his hand, and, touching the tree, ran his fingers downward along the trunk, feeling for the rope that girded it and the body of Sure Shot Seth, were the youth still there. Slowly he moved his fingers down, and when it came in contact with what he knew to be the rope, he start- ed, with a low, gasping breath, as though his very soul had been suddenly convulsed. The rope was still there, and he had no doubt now that Seth, living or dead, was on the opposite side of the tree, for tha strands were drawn taut. “Seth!” he called, in a low tone, but started back, crouching as with abject terror, for the sound of his own voice seemed re-echoed by the sepulchral voice of adozen demons. Terror had wrought his brain toafrenzy. But now, wholly under the influence of fear, he moved around the tree, with his hand out- stretched before him; and he had gone buta step or two when his fingers came in contact with something cold, unnatural tothe touch. It was a human face, cold and clammy in death. “ Great God! he’s dead!” involuntarily burst from the wretched boy’s lips, and he turned to flee. But that terrible, invisible power seized upon him again, and held him by the side of his victim. Ivan Le Clereq was suffering all the tortures of a ilty conscience. His heart pee sick and his head izzy. Finally, the thought of detection and a more terrible punishment rose in his mind, and measures toward concealing the crime were suggested. He never son ed to think that his four companions | were equally guilty as himself, but reaching forward he cut the rope that bound the body to the tree. The stiffened corpse fell heavily to the ground. Ivan took up the rope and tossed it away out into the brush; then he dragged the body into the under- growth; and, with the reflection that the wolves would soon make identity impossible, he turned and fled from the scene of his crime, with the blood of a fellow-being resting upon his soul. CHAPTER XT, THE LED TRAIL. Mr. Harris, accompanied by his young com- panions, pursued his way rae the deep woods and lonely halls of the night. e knew not where aps A would find the captive maiden, but by scouting inall directions through the woods, hoped to gain some clew to her whereabouts. Ivan Le Clercq’s four companions hung on the rear of the party, eagerly listening for Ivan’s call: but as the minutes wore away iuto an hour, an nothing of his approach being heard, the boys began to feel great uneasiness about him, and a thousand conjectures as to his prolonged absence a Sy erogh through their minds. Something of | he same fear as that Eaberiesnet by,Ivan ‘himself. an to smite the co: ence of the four boys; an in tones of bitter an, ih they expressed their re- Ang of having aided in the affair with Sure Shot shining form of a serpent, and an icy chill was i | | ! h The ae that had so suddenly fallen upon these boys, the destruction of their homes, and the loss of friends, all conspired to render them victims of the deepest remorse and most painful fear. It was a } unishment they were receiving for their bad con- uct, their wicked ways, and cruelty to others who did not please them, or who refused to become followers of that young vagabond, Ivan Le Clereq. Hitherto, these boys had been brave and fear- less in the woods at night; but now, with the fear of retribution for the crime of murder hanging over them, they became tlmid and cowardly; and shrunk close to each other; and started, even at the snap of a twig, or the rustle of a bush, proving, beyond a doubt, that courage and strength come only of a 53 conscience—that cowardice is the offspring of evil. For hours the party journeyed on through the woods, but as Ivan failed to join them, Rube es plucked his three companions aside, and said: “Boys, Ivan has either been lost or else got into trouble; and I don’t think we’d ort to desert him.. We’re = blame, if Sure Shot: Seth is dead; and I e e is.” “Oh, I wish we hadn’t tied him up to the tree,” said Abe Thorne, Ss bg “But then we didn’t mean to have him killed,” answered Gus Stewart. “I know it; but then the law won't excuse igno- rance, and if it’s ever found out, we'll be apt to hang like Zeke Snyder did,’’ said Rube. “Oh! oh!” exclaimed his frightened, horrified companions. Here the conversation dropped, for Mr. Harris stopped to wait till and the rest of the party they came up. “Giving out, boys?” asked Harris, “Oh, no,” answered Rube; “ we can you can lead, Mr. Harris.” “Well, I'm nning to think that it’s useless tramping ’round here ugh the night, and pro- — we camp here until daybreak,” answered the settler. To this all assented, and then all but one lay down upon the earth to rest. Few eyes closed in sleep, however; the terrors and eitibeniains of the day were too fresh in every mind to admit of the com- Pe aye of slumber. ae to ybreak every man an was feady march; and without a bit of b: fast they took their lonely way through the woods, trust: to Providence for something to eat. Fortunately, they struck an Indian trail soon after sunrise, and although there was nothing in the trail follow long as é to convince them that Maggie was in the party, all concluded that, as the enemy were moving away from the Agency, they had her in custody. There had not been over five warriors in the party. They had taken no precaution to hide their trail, nor the number of feet that made it. It ran rather zig- zag in its course, owing to the open condition of the woods, and always eo pil the Lest route. From these facts, Mr. Harris and Tom Grayson, added to other circumstantial evidence corroborative of their belief, concluded that Maggie had been taken that way. They pushed on, and soon struck the smolderin embers of a deserted camp-fire; and, that it h: been left quite recently, was also evident from vari- ous facts, Not far away lay the carcass of a deer that had been slain that morning. One quarter had been removed, and had, no doubt, fed the hunger of° those who had been encamped there. Our friends pounced upon the carcass like hawks, and soon each one eae a rich, juicy slice broiling on a heap of red coals. Mr. Harris made a careful search of the ground for some evidence that his child had been there. He had no difficulty in making it out an Indian camp, but if Maggie had been a prisoner there, her captors had en great pains to conceal every trace that would apprise friends, disposed to follow: in search of her, of the fact. The keen eye of Tom Grayson finally discovered something that raised a question among the arty. | He found where a number of green boughs had been. cut from the parent branch of an oak; but as these boughs were not seen about, their absence provoked some curiosity. After some search however, they were found stuck in the ground here and there among other shrubbery where none but the keenest eye could have told but that they had grown. And even after they had been found, but few could have formed the least idea of what they had been used for; but Tom Grayson was an experienced woods- man, and at once explained what he believed were the facts in the case—that the bushes had been used for a bower; and if so, the bower had never been erected for any of their number, nor for a male prisoner, but for one whom they wished to protect from the dews of heaven and the chilly air of night. And who else could this have been but the frail, tender maiden, Maggie Harris, whose beauty was far more calculated to inspire devotion and ira- tion in the savages’ breasts than any feeling of il or barbarous treatment. Mr. Harris grasped at this clew, slight as it was, to his child’s whereabouts; and became anxious to resume the search at once. Tom, however, more _ prudent and thoughtful despite his years, advised caution and moderation; and after a sperms re- past had been made off the deer, and ions of it roasted and stowed away in pockets for future need, the took the trail. They followed on about two mil when the struck the eastern shore of Lake. Bick Island. Here it appeared that the enemy had taken to the water, and although the lake was small, it afforded an ene place of shelter among its many rocky Mr. Harris suggested a division of the party to scout around the lake, but before. this could. be carried into effect, a “ dugout,” with five Indians, —— seen creeping down toward the southern shore. Our friends at once dropped back under cover of the woods, watching the red-skins narrowly. They soon reached the shore and landed, but had no captive with them; and so Tom Grayson, as well as his companions, were led to believe that Maggie had been secreted among the islands in the lake, and as soon as the red-skins had passed out of sight, the oe began moving around the lake to the north. As they advanced, the shore became rough. broken and rocky, and in many places shelving an precipitous. The path th y were following finally promod them to the water's edge; and once there, here was no deviation to the right nor left, unless. a scaled the hights or took to the lake. ey had filed gong the narrow way until the west shore was reached, when Tom Grayson stopped and exclaimed: . = 3078, what if the Indians should cage us in ere?’ : The little party started with an exclamation; the idea had never entered their minds before. “We cannot observe too much precaution,” said Mr. Harris. “No; if the enemy should see us in here, it would be all day with us,” said Tom. ‘We could neither retreat nor advance, and of course, we couldn’t climb this embankment; so the lake would be our only avenue of escape. Who knows but that we've been led into this?” “Oh pect! Jook here!” suddenly burst from. aan Jo m’s lips, as he pointed out across the water. “Oh, God!” cried Daniel Harris, at the sight that. met his , and clutchi his brow, he back and would have fallen but for the wall of rocks that supported him. CHAPTER XII. THE BOY RESCUER. A BREATHLEss silence fell upon the little party. Rube Johnson with outstretched arm pointed. toward the nearest island in the little lake. Every eye following in the direction indicated be- held a fearful sight. The island was about yards from the shore, It was a rocky bed with but little shrubbery. A at the water's narrow defile startin terminated in a sort of low cavern, and in the sage, with her back toward them and her hands tied
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ne woul 8 Sure Shot Seth. at her back, they beheld the form of Maggie Har- ris; while crouched before her in the mouth of the cavern was a huge panther with i oy jaws glowing eyeballs, and quivering tail. The anima wvas ready for the leap, and waited only for a move- ment of Maggie as the signal. The maiden seemed transfixed with horror, for she never moved nor uttered a sound indicative of Tear. The head of the terrible beast could be seen only ino the left of Maggie’s cheek and just over her shoul- @er. To change the position either to the right or left, the walls of the defile c ncealed the panther trom view, while it was impossible to get above tem on the bluff. The body of the beast could be aeen distinctly enough, but it lay in such a position Yhat a bullet shot at it would range backward without eny fatal result, in which case the wounded creature | The only | would soon’ destroy the helpless girl. ‘ital spot exposed was the rizht eye; but this could ‘*ys reached from the shore only at the risk of eae's life; for this vital mark lay in a range with the maiden’s cheek, and that range would not admit of an inch deviation. To slay the beast without injuring Maggie woull raqaire the skill and nerve of an unerring shot. The skill was present, but not the nerve; for Mr. ifarris, as well as the boys, had all been wildly ex- ited by the terrible situvtion in which they founl the maiden. Tom Grayson was the best shot in athe y, but he refused to shoot, His hand3 He raised his rifle once, but lowered it aycain, saying: **7 dare not shoot, Mr. Harris. To wound the Mag- | } vanther would be sure to result in a horrible death | » Magzie; and to shoot it in the head, a bullet must fairly graze the maiden’s cheek.” “Oh, my God!” cried the distracted father, “ my ehild will be torn to pieces! “fhe moment she moves | it will spring upon her! make no noise that will draw her attention away. So long as she gazes into the eyes of the beast, it may not attack her. Both are under a terrible fas- wination—that of each other’s countenance, But, won't some of you try a shot?” I'll try one,” said the voice of a new-comer, and warning, all beheld that strange, wild youth who had won the prize at the shooting-match—the indomita- ble young Pagle-from-Sky-Puncher-Peak. “Dn, my young friend!” cried Harris, ‘“‘can you not slay that beast and save my child?” “TI can try it, sir,” said the Eagle, and stepping for- ward he threw his new rifle to his shoulder and fired ‘before any one had time for a second thought. A scream rose upon the island—a scream from Maggie's lips, and was answered by a shout of joy from the father as he saw the panther stretched at full length along the eartin, its limbs extended and agaivering in the paroxysms of death. e turned toward her friends and uttered a wild cry of joy, then staggering, she fell—overcome by a sudden reaction from terror to joy. “My poor child!” cried the father, “‘ she has faint- ye") = will yet be dead ere I can get to her,” was plain to all that Maggie’s hands had been ound, and she left alone upon the island. What had induced the savages to do so, was incomprehensible %o our friends. Tom Grayson expressed a belief that there were savages concealed on the island ready to entrap any one who might venture thereon; and as Maggie lay unconscious on the island, there was no way by which they could satisfy themselves ~nf this fact before venturing over there “What do you think, my young friend?”’ said Mr, — turning to the Eagle, who stood silently at one side reloading his rifie; ‘‘do you think there are es concealed on that island?” “I can’t say, gineral, for sure; it seems queer that ‘erred scavengers woul. leave her there alone uniess they thought she would not get away, and that no dare follow them here. But that’s a qnvestion that must not keep assistance from her, aad rm going to board that log and paddle over Slinging his rifle wel! up on his shoulders, he waled into the water, threw himself astride of a log that ‘had floated there, and with a large piece of bark, paddled out into the lake toward the island. The fearless lad w's submerged almost to the waist in the water, but his rifle and accouterments ‘were kept d He moved slowly and with some dif- ticulty—the log being inclined to roll in the water, With eager impatience those on the shore watched the progress of the boy as he labored on through the waves. Mr. Harris paced the shore with restless anxiety, muttering a prayer for the safe landing of the young borderman, and the rescue of his child who still lay motionless cn tie island. The Eagle had nearly reached tha island when a Hi arose to the south, and glancing in that direc- all saw, totheir utmost horror, a dozen savages eoming along the shore towari them. Before one of our friends had time for a word or act, the voice of the Eagle cried out: “* Flee, friends, and trust Maggie’s safety to God and me.” There was really no alternative but to obey, and Mr. Harris and his young friends at once beat a | — retreat in the direction they had come, pur- | by the yelling savages. The Eagle reached the island before the savages were within gunshot, and assisting Maggie to her conducted her to a point of safety on the oppo- | site side of the island. “You see, Maggie,’ the youth said, ‘I am now a chance to repay your kindness.” “Oh, my friend!”’ she cried, **I am almost crazy. ‘The Lord only knows what I have suffered since a captive. But, tell me, did the savages destroy t.10 @c.dement?” For heaven’s sake, boys, ; , | ‘*Not altogether, Miss Maggie,” the lad an- swered; ‘‘though, several were killed before the fort was reached. Your friends are all alive, I am happy to ne “T know my dear father is,’ she answered, ‘‘for I saw hima on the shore; but, are we not in great peril, here? “We're in danger, it is true; but we must not de- spair. If we can hold the red-skins at bay, we will get off after night sets in.” . “ How?” Maggie asked, perplexedly. “Some one will bring a boat to us, surely; if not, I can construct a ratt out of this driftwood. But, remain here under cover, Maggie, and I will watch the movements of those savages,” the gallant youth answered. He crept around the island and when he had dis- covered that the enemy was gone in pursuit of Har- ris and his party, the youth went down to the water’s edge and wash: d the paint and dirt from his face and hands and then arrauged his clothing in such a different, yet really natural way, that the boy was completely transformed from the odd, grotesque- looking Eagle-of-Sky-Puncher-Peak, to a different being; and that being was—Sure Shot Seth, the Boy Rifleman! laggie Harris was not ignorant of his identity. She and Emma Milbank had rescued him from the tree where Ivan Le Clereq and his companions had bound him; and that Ivanand his petty might suffer the remorse thet they now really were, these two brave and fearless girls had assisted Seth in arrang- ing his disguise and keeping the secret. Unfortu- nately, their kindness to Scth had resulted in Mag- rie’s capture; but never for a moment did the kind- earted maiden regret what she had done. Returning to Maggie, Sure Shot Seth, as we will now call the Eagle-of-Sky-l uncher-Peak, was greeted with a smile, * You have discarded your disguise?” “Yes; I think it has served me through,” he an- swered. “Idon’t think one of my five young ene- mies, or friends either for that matter, penetrated it. I affected so much when in their presence that no one could think it was I.” ‘Then you won the prize at the contest?” she said, her pretty eyes sparkling with admiration and delight, as she gazed upon the manly form and handsome face of the boy hero. “Yes; without any trouble, Maggie, thanks to you and Miss Milbank. This is the gun, and with it I slew Emma’s captor, then ran into the woods in hopes of saving you, but was too late.” I wonder what Ivan thinks of his treatment of you by this time?’’ she asged, “T presume he thinks the Indians found me and slew me; and I desire that he knows no different until he has suffered in conscience, if be has any conscience at all, sufficient to make a better boy of him.” “He is a bad boy and I am afraid nothing will re- form him,” said Maggie. “Then you haven't seen any thing of them since yesterday?” “Not of Ivan; the other four were with your fa- ther a few minutes ago; but I know they failed to recognize me.” “On, dear! dear!” cried the maiden, as her mind reverted to the horrors through which she had so Pisicaaee passed; “I hopeI will not have to through another such night of peril; hse then if an n. , Indian war has begun, we rag, Pos be " **Do not borrow trouble, Maggie,” said Seth, his eyes beaming with ali ht of admiration; “as soon as the news reacbes the government authorities, a will be sent to gel the savages.” “But it may be too late to save us, then.” “We must trust to fate, and not give up until re- sistance and perseverance are no longer of avail.” Scarcely had he spoken the last word when a bul- let whistled past his ears and flattened against the rock behind him. Glancing along the east shore he saw a cloud of smoke hanging upon the edge of the woods, nearly two hundred yards away. The distance, aud the close proximity of the shot to his head, caused him to marvel; for he knew that, as a general thing, there were no such shots among the savages. For fear that another shot might be more success- ful, he withdrew with Ragete to the interior of the island, and they concealed themselves in a sort of a cave or a pocket in the rocky slit. Here they would have to wait until darkness came to their relief; and the moments that the young people passed there in each other’s society were moments of supreme joy, to which the surrounding danger and their situation gave an air of wild romance. Sure Shot Seth became deeply interested in Mag- gie, and that interest gradua!ly deepened beyond mere friendship. From the moment he had met the maiden in the forest where Ivan and his friends had bound him, her bright, blue eyes and radiant, girl- ish face threw the enchantment of love around his boyish heart, 1t was his first love, and, scarcely conscious of the power that had come over the spirit of his usually free and light heart, he had ing which, he finally admitted ‘to himself, was the longing of love. P Ou the other hand, Maggie had conceived an ad- miration for Seth that was fast developing into re- ciprocal love; and Seth was not slow in noticing her confidence and trust in him. But, both were young and unsophisticated in the workings and changes to which the human heart is susceptible; and so per- mitted no doubt, no fear, to cross the unruffled tranquillity and pleasure of love’s young dream. As the moments wore away into minutes, and the minutes into hours, the attention of the young peo- ple was suddenly drawn to the form of an Fad ian | been led on to risk dauger and hardships in search | | of her—to gratify that strange lon standing on the southern shore of the lakelet. He was over three hundred yards away, else Seth would have been tempted to try his new rifle upon him. From appearances, he was a youn war-chief de- eorated in all the paraphernalia of barbazic finery. His scarlet blanket flashed brightly in the sun, and contrasted handsomely with _ the spolied jaguar skin that girded his loins. His movemcuts were somewhat awkward and stiff, as though unaccus- tomed to the dignity required of one of his position. “There seems to be more of the white men than the red-skin about that fellow yonder,” said Seth, “and if I mistake not, he is a white man.” “T am sure the announcement gives me no more hope than ever,’ answered M: gvie, ‘tor I would rather be the prisoner of a red Indian than a white one. “Yes, ten times, Maggie,’ answered Seth; ‘ but I ae propose that you shall be either, if I can help it. They watched the chief until he bad left the beach, then entered into a discussion of the events of theday. And thus the day wore away without any further demonstration on the part of the enemy; but about sunset a sharp and vigorous firing was hc ard in the woods east of the lake, and that a bat- tle was going on, Seth bad not a single doubt. Nicht finally closed in and put an end to the firing; aud now Sure Shot Seth became restless and uneasy. He knew the enemy would avail themselves of the cover of darkness to regain the island and their fair captive, and, as they were likely to come in force, ‘: would be impossible for him to repelthem. He hed been unable to do anything toward the construc- tion of araft during the day, and now the darkness made it almost impossible. His «nly hopes Jay in Maggie's friends coming to their reliet before the In- dians got there. The moon would not be up before ten o'clock, and the gloom was rendered more intense by the gray mist that hung over the lake. Seth silently paced the shore in eager anticipation of the approach of friends, ever and anon halting to listen for some sound. Buta deep silence reigned. Not a breath of air was stirring—not a ripple chafed the island, \ With her shawf drawn hood-like over her head, Maggie, tired and hungry, sat under a ledge within the sound of her young protector’s footsteps. Snddenly the discharge of firearms burst upon the night, heavy, sullen, and stunning; and was followed by yells and groans that fairly chilled the blood in the veins of Seth and Maggie. The latter sprung from her seat, and, running to Sure Shot’s side, grasped him by the arm and ex- claimed: ‘“ What did that mean, Seth?” “Tam afraid that the friends we have been wait- ing for, and the Indians we have expected, have run together on the water,” answered Seth; “from the sound, however, I think our friends were the ones that fired.” Silence succeeded the murderous disc » of weapons. Not a sound could be heard, and what the result of the collision had been, Seth could not tell. But in the course of a few minutes the sound of waves breaking upon the island became distinctly audible. As there was no air stirring, our friends knew a boat must be approaching. - Ina breathless silence they waited and listened. Soon the faint + of a paddle was heard. Seth strained his eyes into the gloom, and was soon en- abled to make out the dimmest outlines of a long boat creeping toward them across the lake. The silence observed was sufficient evidence of itself, that the craft contained enemies; and making this fact known to Maggie in a whisper, the two ste back under the shadow of a shelving rock, and waited the approach of the craft, Seth with his revolver in hand. The danger that threatened the young folks seem ed to strengthen thes: eyesight, or else, at this junc- ture, it became somewhat lighter, for they were now enabled to make out the dark length 0° along “dugout,” with three persons seated in it, quite dis- tinetly. row of the craft soon touched the island when the ovcupants landed, and having drawn the boat partly upon the beach, turned and moved cau- tiously away across the island. They passed with- in a few paces of Seth and Maggie; and no sooner were they out of sight than Seth whispered: “‘Now’s our time, Maggie. Let up jump into their boat and flee.” Maggie made no dissent, but taking hold of Seth's arm, permitted herself to be led to the boat. Step- ing into the craft Seth assisted the maiden in and oaseat. But the instant she sat down she uttered a little cry of terror, for her seat moved under her—a , savage, who lay curled up in the craft evidently for that very purpose, sprung to his feet and uttered a yell. But it was his last. Scarcely had the sound died upon his lips ere Seth’s revolver flashed in his face, and he fell overboard into the lake, his limbs beating the water in his last agonies. : : But Sure Shot Seth now found himself in a dilem- ma from which there was no escape. Before he could get the dugout off, or seek shelter among tha rocks, the three savages were upon him. He turned and met them, revolver in hand. One eee sh t¢ t him, and, leaping into the boat, 9 Nageic, eth was standing up in the prow at t eed et ald the impetus with which the savage “= e ‘ay the dugout shot it out into the lake BO fol mire — Sure, Shot was pitched forward, head foremost, upon 1¢ beach. As the youth fell, he fired his revolver and killeq one of ihe remaining, Warriors; and he coxa regain his feet the other 3 they fought in deadly,embrace upon the beach.
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CHAPTER XTi. THE DISGUISED CAPTOR. MaaetEr was thrown almost prostrate by the sud- den lurch of the boat, and before she could recover herself, she found that she was in the power of a savage, who, in plain English, said: ** Not a word, or I’ll smother you.” Filled with terror, she sunk half-unconscious in the wet bottom of the boat, while her captor took up the addle and kept the craft moving out further and her from the island. The maiden knew not what had been the fate of her brave young companion, She could hear the sounds of a struggle somewhere, and suppose they proceeded from the island, She breathed a prayer for Seth’s triumph, yet she felt there was little hopes for him, boy that he was, con- tending with two powerful savages. In the midst of her devout supplications, a strange medley of cries rose upon the night, and was followed by a savage yell, the crash of arms, and the shouts of com- atants. The sav ceased paddling, as if paralyzed by the sound; and, for a moment, he seemed undecided as to the course he should pursue. He dipped the pad- dle, turned and whirled the craft in one direction, then in another. Maggie could now see his motions, for the moon had now sailed up above the eastern forest and flooded the lake with a sheen of mellow light. She saw, also, that he was dressed in the garb of a chief, and was the same individual that she and Seth had seen that day ing along the margin of the lake. Ina moment the chief regained his composure, and sent the boat rapidly toward the shore; but with a fickleness unbecoming a chief, he soon cl ed his mind n, and turned into a little island, and landed, e assisted Maggie from the boat, and conducting her to the interior of the island, spread his blanket upon the ground éor her to be seated. Tired and weary, in both body and mind, the maiden availed herself of his proffered kindness; and when seated, he lifted the edges of the blanket and wrapped them about her shoulders, Pet the white maiden rest easy, for no harm shall come to her now,’ the young chief said, in good English. M e started at the sound’ of his voice, for it struck her as being familiar. She endeavored to re- call the faces of the Indians she had known and heard during the days of peace; but among the many that frequented the ney, she could {remember no face to which the voice Re- meas covering her power of speech she answ' ; ‘Why, then, have I been taken from my pent a ‘* Why does the maiden pluck the rose from the parent stem?” was his answer. Maggie made no answer. “Tt because she loves the flower,’’ the chief answered, ‘‘ and that is why I have taken the white rose of the pale-faces.” “You were not with my captors last night,’’ she answered. ** My warriors were,"’ he answered, ‘Long has Hawk-Eyes loved the white maiden and wanted her for a wife, He has spared her life that she might brighten up his lodge with She Haht of her face."’ “Then you may as. well me here, for I will never be your wife,”’ answered Maggie, indignan ° “Let my white rose remember her —— are all dead, and that Hawk-Eyes is her best friend, now,” “ Hawk-Eyes tells a falsehood!" reiterated the maiden, scornfully, ‘‘and I hate him for it. My friends are not all dead.”” “Ugh! the white rose has thorns that are con- cealed,” the chief answered sarcastically, for her re- tort cut sharply into his cowardly spirit; “but they are harmless,” he added, mockingly. “A brave chief would not mock a feeble, helpless girl. He dare not face the friend I left on the nd and thus to me.” ; “ Hawk Eyes fears not the dead,” was the savage 8 reply, that fairly crushed the maiden’s heart; but she ravel concealed her emotions from her tor- mentor. Upon aye she em, 00s ~ e. ; She knew her captor’s assertion, was made without any positive eee as to whether Seth had been lai ot, for they had left before the struggle had been" decided patween her friend and the sav- ages. The diseharge of firearms, the shouts, yells, and strange cries that rent the ht. soon after their departure from the island, had died out, and a deep silence reigned. Pretty Maggie noticed that her captor betrayed uneasiness, yet he endeavored to conceal it, in every way possib e, from her. Suddenly a shout rung across the e, that seemed to increase the chief’s fears, and he at once embarked in the dugout for other quarters. Some- thing in the sound he had heard convinced him that it was not safe to tarry longer; and what gave him uneasiness and fear, gave Maggie hope and courage. The chief plied his ewer with extreme caution, and darted from one island to another, pausing to rest and listen whenever under the ows of an et. Maggie sat in front of her captor, her head bowed end her ores ee’ va - glassy water rippling out m the side of the boas ey two or three islands and finally reached the one furthest south. It was covered with a number of tall pines that cast long, wide Shadows out upon the clear water. They were stretch of shadows when @ ery suddenly and involuntarily burst from Mag- gie’s li le in the shadow where The moonbeams, struggling through the tree- tops, fell upon the as ted there in a focus. In this pa tch of light, as they paused, Maggie beheld an upturned human Sure Shot Seth. face—a face white as that of a corpse and stained in spots with blood. She recognized the face; it was that of Sure Shot Seth! CHAPTER XIV. " A MYSTERIOUS CHARMER. To return to the island where we left Sure Shot Seth engaged with a savage, is to follow up the events | that have been rapidly crowding upon us. The struggle of our hero had lasted but for a mo- ment only, when he succeeded in getting the muz- zle of his revolver against the savage’s temple, and | fired. This ended the hand-to-hand conflict; but scarcely had he time to realize his victory, ere he caught the dip of a number of oars and the heavy swash of a long batteau plowing its way through the water at a fearful speed. Simultaneous with this discovery, the bark of a fox, the howl of a wolf, the scream of a panther the hoot of an owl, the cry of a night-hawk an other sounds rose upon the night, filling the soul of Seth with joy; for in the sounds he recognized the presence of his friends, the Boy Brigade. With a shout h- answered them, then ran around the island and met them where they landed. Maggie’s father and Tom Grayson accompanied them, and almost the first words of the former was an inquiry after his child. Seth had scarcely time to answer ere the savages landed on the opposite side of the island, and with a yell came rushing across toward our friends. The moon now lit up the surroundings and the whites were enabled to see the dusky forms of the enemy uite pete BB an instant a dozen rifles rung ! orth on the night. There was no telling how many fell, but, with a random discharge of their guns, the savages quick- ly sone shelter behind the rocks, and silence fol- owed. The red-skins had evidently been surprised, ar were ignorant of the number that confron them; and the result of the collision could be determined now only by stratagem and cunning. ‘*To hole, ye gory critters!” yelled old Joyful Jim, who had allied himself to the Brigade, and number- ed himself as ‘‘ one of the boys.”’ A defiant yell answered him. Only a wall of rocks running across the island like the fin of a fish’s back now separated the enemies. On the Indians’ side it rose perpendicular to the hight of ten feet, and on our friends’ side it was a little shelving and of the same hight. It varied in width from ten to thirty feet. To from one side to the other they would have to go around the ends of the wall, which would force them close upon the water’s brink. But neither party seemed de- sirous of the op te side for the sake of a fight. Each concluded act upon the defensive, being ignorant of each other's force. In a few words Sure Shot Seth made known the circumstances under which he and Maggie Harris had been separated a few minutes before. Mr. Harris groaned in spirit over the hope he had been so fondly cherishing of recove his child. “Tm going to try and get away from here at once,”’ said Seth, ‘‘and hunt M. eup. I dare say her captor will wait among the islands the result of his friends’ attack here; and, .if so, I may creep around and rescue her. She was in the power of but one savage when I last saw her.”’ # » tarrapins!”? exclaimed Joyful Jim, *thar’s just about as much likelihood of your findin that Ingin and gal to-night as thar is of old Inkpa- duta becomin’ an angel.”’ “T’ll try it, nevertheless,” answered Seth, in a Ww r; “‘one cannot tell what he can do, nor what he cannot do, until he has tried. Mr. Harris, I will leave my gun and accouterments with you, as I will have to swim away from here. My knife is all that I want, | 9 “ Boy,” said old Jim, ‘* I’m afraid you’ll git a pellet | of lead into your system. I dare say they're watch- | in’ out for us.” “Then, my friends, we must watch out for them.” ** Faith, and that we will,” said Teddy O’Roop. “ Seth knows his old friends,” said Justin Gray. ** And can trust his new ones,’’ said Tom Grayson. “Tt uires no words to assure me of this,”’ an- swered Sure Shot Seth. The young rifleman divested himself of his weapons and such outward clothing as he could dispense with. Then he one down tothe water's e and entered the lake. e swam off on his back, his head and face alone being visible on the moonlit surface of the water. His friends trembled with the fear that the savages would see him and bring their guns to bear upon him. Nor were their fears with- out foundation. Seth was scarcely three rods from shore ere a rifle rung out over the wall and a bullet, striking the water obliquely, skimmed along the sur- ed by two more that cut the water close to the face of the swimmer. Those on the island were unable to cover his re- treat. There was no way by which they could reach the top of the rock that se ted them from the foe, while the latter were afforded this means by the ‘ht inclination of their side of the wall. Not to be outdone, however, Hooseah, the Indian lad, sudden- tho sharp cry offs wolf, leaped stratett into the als e ery of a wolf, lea: st 0 the air, at the same time throwing Rie rifle at a level before him; and just as his head came up even with the top of the rock he fired. A yell of agony on the o posite side of the wall told how fatal had been shot, notwithstanding the manner in which it e. This caused a diversion in Seth's favor; and before another shot could be fired the friends of rifleman had the pleasure of seeing him disappear arom ! a little island in the distance, FE ° re, the Brigado out of sight, an’, gliding along the wall to each end, secured a posiiic 2 and opened fire on the red-skins, causing them to beat a hasty retreat to the other side. “*Yoop, ye rollicking smoky-skins of Satan!’ yelled Joyful Jim; ‘jist come over on.our side if ye want to be snaked into purgatory. We're the lolly-pops that can kink yer systems wusser than a green per- simmon, Yoop! tempest in a tea-pot, ‘possum in a holler! I’m beginnin’ to feel fightish, and fust thing e know Ill bulge through this wall and tackle the ull Ingin nation. I’m feelin’ real awful—super- bumfustic. I can’t hold myself much longer.” “Kape cool, Joyful Jim,” said Teddy O’Roop, “and save yer fire for the sthruggle that’s sure to come soon—wirra!” A shadow passed over the speaker and a stone fell in the lake beyond. “ The Booty devils are beginning to throw stones over here in hopes of crushing us,” said Tom Gray- son. Our friends were again obliged to avail themselves, of the protection of the shelving wall, for the stones were now raining down on their side like hail, while they bad no chance to return the “ compliment.” In fact, the savages possessed the most advantageous position, being enabled to scale the wall at pleasure, and with impunity. For fully five minutes the missiles hurtled through the air. Suddenly there was acrash. A stone had fallen into the canoe—a long, frail bark concern— and stove a hole through the bottom, rendering it perfectly useless. This left our friends in a rather precarious situation, and served to increase their ears. A yell from the savages told their gloating triumph; but it was immediately answered by a strange medley of shouts and cries from the Brigade. The whites, also, began to return the shower of stones as soon as they dare venture from under the ledge; and the groans and cries of excitement which came from the opposite side told that the reds were being dangerously disturbed, as they had not the advantage of a shelter that their enemies 1. This hurtling of stones was kept up untilit became unendurable by savage patience and fortitude, and with a wild yell they ce ed around the eastern end of the wall. e whites were not taken un- awares, and a deadly st le ensued. But it was brief as it was desperate. The savages were driven back to their own side, while a shout rung forth upon the air from the lips of the victorious Brigade. “Och, now,” exclaimed Teddy O’ Roop, “ and isn’t it delicious fun, b’ys?”’ “Tish fun very much,” replied young Schultz. “Hark! hark!” cried Justin Gray. With bated breath all listened. A sound, soft and weird as the strains of an Eolian fare a floated to every ear. Every sound became hushed by the magic power of the mysterious music. Even the waves seemed to still their murmur and listen enchanted. A shadow fell across the rock that separated the foes—a vision appeared uponits summit. It was the vision of a woman—the author of these enchant- ing strains of melody. e hazy moonlight; the sylph-like Fn abe ad of the figure; the gray, mist-like robe that enveloped it; the white face, and flowing wealth of flaxen hair gave the mysterious creature upon the rock a vague, spiritual form, and enshrouded it ina nimbus that partook of the light of a celestial being. In her arms she held a harp over which her white — danced and flashed like PR en of sunshine; while her face, clothed in the iance of womanly love, was lifted toward heaven; and her lips poured forth an accompaniment to the harp that would have — the stoniest heart and soothed the wildest rain. The scene was indeed wondrous, The night; the little forest-girded lake; the rocky island; the savages motionless upon one side as the unconscious forms stiffening at their feet, and their painted faces up- turned toward the strange visitant—not contorted with wild frenzy, but mute with solemn awe and mysterious admiration; while on the other side stood our friends, rooted to the spot with surprise by the sudden change from the terrors of battle to the enchanting strains of music. Neither whites nor reds had seen the strange musician Be apne and where she had come from was a question beyond their comprehension, Silent and unmoved, she stood upon the rock and sent forth those sweet seductive strains, whose | melody awoke a feeling in the breasts of the audi- face of the lake. This shot was immediately follow- | ; . had | ly,” again spoke the angel of the young | hands over her b ence that they had scarcely ever experienced. The heart of each seemed to leap forth in response to the silvery notes, while the soul became ire’ by the sounds that seemed born of heaven itself. Thus for all of ten minutes the unknown continued caida then, as the last note faded away like the vision of a dream, she turned, and in a tone soft as a flute’s, said: ‘Oh, why do my red and white friends fight and slay each other!” A profound stillness followed. The question was repeated; and from the Boy Brigade came the re- sponse: ‘““ We are enemies.” “But you are brothers—of the same human fami- whose sweet e astonished foes her white er voice into yo face looked down upon with heaven’s ene while she c , and pitching
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28 oS See en rr a er ee 7 rr oe re ee ee es es ee < ee a ere ’ -was satisfied that a an appealing tone, cried out: red and white; cease your struggles here. You are all brave, but this is not an honorable battle-field.”’ “The red: men have dug uP the hatchet,” said a Est) ,in a clear, full tone that was distinctly heard | by the Brigade. “Then go to the woods and fight where the van- nished can have a chance for life,” answered the air unknown. ‘“ Already my red brothers have iost half of their friends, while my white brothers ore strong as when they came. | | o, red-men; take | your boat and depart, and the Great Spirit will be | pleased.” Under any other circumstances the savages would have received this request with derision; but their floss of men and impending destruction made them more considerate of her appeals. “Tf we leave here, the pale-faces will slay us,” said a warrior. “J, Heaven’s Messenger of Peace and Mercy, will, | en behalf of my white brothers, promise you a safe retreat from this island. The pale-faces are not cowards, and they will respect a woman's wish.” “fair bein’! exclaimed oll Joyful Jim, “of heaven, of earth, of air, or wharever ye mout be from, we have no respect for a red-skin, | am sorry to say; but we'd be wusser than heathens not to re- spect the wish of am angel, wouldn't we, boys?” “Yes, yes,” was the unanimous response, : “Then, let my red brothers depart hence in ” said the songstress. The savazcs were only too glad to obey, andina moment they had all embarked for the shore. There were ageing: 4 a dozen rods from the island ere the maiden on the rock came nearer and said, in @ natural tone: “Repair your boat, friends, and flee, or you may wever again have the chance.” She spoke excitedly, and her voice and form now seemed more of earth than heaven. “Who in the wisdom ef Solomon be you?” asked old Jim, glancing up at her with a quizzical look, “Vishnia of the Valley,’ she answered, with ana anxious, impatient gesture, at the same time glanc- ge tee ge around her. veral of the boys flew to the damaged boat, and, dragging it up on the beach, set to work to re- pair the injuries, which could only be effected by contributions of Or pag emp clothing stuffed into the aping rent. While they were thus employed, Mr, stood and conversed with Vishnia of the Val- Te vichnia, where do you reside?” he asked. “In the valley of the Minnesota, with my father, whose mission on earth is love and truth, and the in- culcation of the principles of peace and glory of ” she answered. “But how came you here?” he asked. “As I now depart,” she said, and, tripping down from the wall, she sprung into a canoe, that was so small her robe almost concealed it from view. Then lifting a light. paddle, and wishing our friends a God speed, she darted away over the waters with wondrous rapidity, and soon disappeared from “Great shockin’!” exclaimed Joyful Jim, “she’s a sort of a star of the fust magnitude, ar’n t she boys? | Bless my eyes, if 'd mind marryin’ such a woman = that, though Ialers swore that I'd never marry ar—"’ “Y aboard?’ cried one of the boys, as they | launched the boat es 4 4 for departure. The next moment all had embarked for the nearest nt on the western shore of the*lake, and where tumult of battle had waged a few minutes be- fore, the silence of death now reigned. CHAPTER XV, A SECRET COUNCIL. Magere Harris was paralyzed by sight of the face she had seen in the water. Unable to move, unable to rage she sat motionless, with fixed eyes staring at little pateh of moonligiit. But she saw the face of him she loved no more. The distauce and | ndency. foom had énshrouded it, and her heart sunk in Ba wk-lbvos used the paddle nervously and awk- wardly, which would have been evidence to any one | in the nature of the Indian that he—the chief —was not a red-skin, from the first: and. asit gave her no relief to think | that he was a while persou in disguise, she dismissed the matter from her miud. Slowly they made their way toward the southern | shore, and were already wit in the deep border of | darkness that skirted the margin of the water wien there was asudden commotion alongside the boat; 2 heavy blow, a groan,and the fallof abody | into the water. The boat rocked violently; Magyie was almost thrown into the lake, and before she could recover from her fright, a voice said: “* Maggie?” A low, subdued ery burst from Maggie's lips, for Maggie uttered a little cry at Maggie mistrusted as much | Seth’s “Oh, my brothers! him that there were wounded warriors among th em; and he felt satisfied they were the Indians who had engaged his friends at the island. And this now forced the query upon him: who had been victors? his friends or the savages? A figure swept suddenly past them, going toward the Indians. is movements were heavy and clumsy —evidence of excitement and want of savage pre- caution. He was no Indian; of this Seth was as- | sured, and a moment later he found he was correct. The figure reached the Indians and began talking in plain English, but in an excited tone. “Seth, do you not recognize that voice?” asked Maggie, clinging closer to her young friend. . “Tt sounds familiar, but I really can’t place it,” answered Seth, 2 “It’s the voice of Hawk-Eyes, that Boy Chief, whom you threw overboard.” “Sorry, then, that I didn’t kill him.” ’ “Seth, he is’not an Indian. He is a white boy in disguise,” affirmed the maiden, ’ “What? Hawk-Eyes a white boy and a Sioux war-chief?’’ exclaimed Seth. “ Yes.”’ “Then we have more to fear than if he wasa savage. A white Indian has a less human heart than a genuine Indian.”’ “ Where, then, shall we go?”’ asked the maiden. “ Let us bear off to the left, and edge around to the uorth. There is no telling where we wiil be safe now. The wood is full of enemies, and the Agency closely besieged,” “Seth, you are endangering your life for me,” said Maggie; “‘it is better that I—” “Not a word, Maggie,” wept, pe the gallant outh; ‘it is the greatest pleasure I ever enjoyed to enabled to protect you. Moreover, I owe you all this; had it not. beeu for you and Emma, would have been slain there where Le ers and his com- panions bound me. It was your own hands, Maggie, that liberated me from that tree, and had you not one there for that purpose you would never have een captured. So you see I am indebted to you.” “TI blame Ivan Clereq for all our present troubles.” “* And at the same time, Maggie, I can’t say that I am sorry he acted as he did,” said Seth, in a slightly hesitating voice. “Why, Seth?’ she ask in surprise. ‘* Because I might never have met you.” “Oh!’’ she exclaimed, involuntarily, and some- thing of the truth flashed across her mind, sending the warm blood coursing through her veins. They moved on a few moments in silence; but the thoughts of each were busy. A dozen times Maggie asked herself if Seth had been actuated in his mo- tives of kindness toward her by a feeling greater than friendship. She wanted ow | the assurance of this fact to make her supremely happy, notwith- standing their danger. On the other hand, Seth was laboring under the same anxiety and uncertainty, gie was the first to break the silence. *‘ Have you seen Ivan Le Clercq since the shooting- match?” she asked. **T have not; his four friends, however, were with your father and Tom Grayson this morning; but I ‘ave them no chance to eye and I presume ey all think Sure Shot Seth is ‘*T hope Ivan and his friends may know no differ- ent until their conscience has punished them severe- ly,” said Maggie. hey moved slo onward through the lonely wl | halls of the forest. deny miles were traversed; but ie brought the tired fugitives to no point of safety. ‘Lhe morning dawn was fast breaking into the light of another day, when the glow of a fire burst sudden- ly upon their gaze. Iv was not more than twenty rods away, and it required no second glance to tell Seth that it was the camp-fire of whites. There were four of them—all boys; and to the surprise of both Seth and Maggie, they beheld the companions of Ivan Le Clercq. They were seated before the fire, apparently in close conversation, Seth was undecided as to the course he should pursue; but, before he could arrive at any conclu- sion; he saw a young Indian chief emerge from the woods beyond and approach the boys with quick strides, ight of him, while 1and sought the weapon at his belt. It was Hawk-Eyes, the Boy Chief, who was wel- comed by the four youths to their camp-fire. CHAPTER XVI. A STARTLING DISCOVERY. - Sure Snor Sern was astounded by what he had seen, and trembled for the safety of the fair girl at his side. They occupied a parce not altogether secure from the keen eyes of a savage, and the first | act of the youth was to retrace his footsteps and | gain the friendly cover of a dense thicket. she recognized the voice as that of Sure Shot Seth. | | There is some treachery going on, and if I can learn The youth had swum silently up to the boat, and b a well-directed blow knocked the chief overboard. Then neving made his presence known, he sprun into the boat, and, having ad«dressed a few words o: cheer and assurance to the maiden, took up the pad- dle and drove the boat ashore. : Having landed and assisted Maggie from the canoe, he conducted her rapidly away around thelake. He e had not slain the young chief, and that his cries would soon set a horde upon their trail; and so the greatest precaution and haste were | a essential to escape. had gone.but a short. distance when the sound” of voices fell upon Seth’s ears. . He stopped and listened, and, by the soun! of the speares woices, discovered they were Savages. ; 8 A grean toid en he turned to Maggie and said, in a subdued tone: ** Maggie, I must know more about those boys. the object of their interview with the chief, I may be able to save those at the Agency. Iam going to try to overhear their interview.” ‘* Be very, very careful, Seth,’ Maggie answered. With a word or two of caution, Seth moved away. Maggie watched him out of sight, then sat down. He approached the party, keeping a clump of bushes between. He gained a position within ear- = and pausing, listened. He heard Hawk-Eyes “Do the e-face youths know that Sure Shot Seth is dead?’ He spoke in good English, but ina tone evidently disguised and unnatural. : ** We found the skeleton of one whom we believe was Sure Shot Seth,” answered Rube Johnson, | 10 Sure Shot Seth. — —<— 3 “ Do the settlers mistrust anything of the truth?" the chief asked. ; Seth saw at once that the chief was there to con- fer with the four boys by enpotntp en’, and that aoe was some kind of an understanding between them. “Tam afraid they do,” answered young Johnson; “just last night I had a conversation with Emma Milbank, and in speaking of ‘tom Grayson gittin’ beat at the shootin’-match, she got mad as fire, You know what a little spitfire she is when she gits mad; and as she’s sweeter’n maple molasses on Tom, why, she won’t hear anything against him; and so she up and says: ‘ You'd better not say much about that shootin’-match, for there’sa secret con- nected with it that might hang somebody I know.” “Then, by heavens, she knows all about it!” ex- claimed Hawk-Eyes, forgetting the dignity of his position as a war-chief, and betraying no little ex- citement and cowardly fear. Seth started at the change in his voice. “Yes,” he heard Rube Johnson continue, “I be- lieve she and Maggie seen Sure Shot Seth tied up te the tree, and know who did it.”’ ‘** And as sure as it is found out, we'll all catch an invitation to court,” said Gus Stewart. “Between the Indians, and the fear of punish ment, we'll have no rest for—well,God only knows how long,” said Abe Thorne, in a tone of penitence. ‘*] wish we had left him_ alone, for after all, Thx Eaglet-from-Sky-Puncher-Peak ot the gun,” ‘Do not fear the Indians,”’ said Hawk-Hyes, ‘fur if you show them no hostility, Iwill assure you of their friendship,” “Good!” exclaimed Rube; ‘why not join the In- dians at once and be done with it?" “That would never do. I want you to work for te in the Agency. You can place both Maggie and Emma in my power, and then you willhave hothit » to fear from them. d expect to remain an Indian chief. But a few days ago, Hawk-Eyes, the Boy Chief, was slain, and, I have taken both his name and rank, and have sworn to exterminate half of Minnesota’s whites.”’ ** Just so my worthy young villain,” said Sure Shot, to himself; ‘I thin.. you'll have to swear to that again.” et But,” continued Johnson, “ we are afraid to re- turn home, and had concluded to skulk and hice oon in the woods until assured, it °d be safe to fo ck.” “I think your friends have need of all their forecs to keep the besiegers away, and that they ‘ll have no time to investigate Sure Shot Seth’s case.” “Well, we will hang around in the woods awhile anyhow; and if the Indians capture the fort, we'll te outside,’ Rube put in, “Tm for = goin as home and makin’ a clean breast of it all,’ said Abe Thorne, “and take the risk. We can tell em that we war in fun with Seth, and mebby they'll let us off. I'd rather be shot than hicin’ ‘round in the woods and startin’ and shudder- in’ at overs sound just like a guilty murderer.” “Hear Abe whine, will you?” sneered Gus; “he's been a-tryin’ to crawfish in this matter ever since last night.” “ Boys, I have an old mother dependin’ on me for oe — bread, and I cannot desert her,” Abe pro- “Then I sup you'll desert us, turn State’s evidence, and let us swing,’ suggested Ches Pa- gan. “No, I will do no such thing; I want to git all out of this scrape in an honorable way,” persisted Abe. * You'll get out inno such way as you prepose,”’ replied Ru indignantly, “for you can’t make crime honorable.” “7 have a right to do as I please,” was Abe’s reply. PX oa may bave the right, but not the liberty,” was the threat of Hawk-Eyes. “T want to do whit is honorable with you all: but I will not be driven to add crime to crime. I hava fone just as far as I’m going in this matter, and shall return to the pa you fellers go wiih me, all right; if not, al richt. I shall keep silent, however, untill am called upon to tell the truth in this matter.” ; “Yes, you confounded eoward,” exclaimed Rub, “vou mean to betray us all.” ““T mean to do just what I say, and you can’t scare me into ye else, either,” was Abe's response, given in a tone 0 unflinching determination. “Then go, seek your skim-milk mates—go!” anit Rube spoke in a tone of authority, his boyish face Abe orne Rose to_his fee flushed with anger, and his eyes blazing with indiv- nation. Abe had not been hopelessly lost in wicked- ness; nor had his companions; but he was, by na- ture, both kind and honest. He was rather wild and reckless yet had no desire to commit crime; and he shrunk from the idea of ng to conceal the sup- posed death of Seth in the way proposed by Haw }x- yes, the Boy Chief. Taking up his rifle, the youth ke a few partir words to his companions, Gen turnéd and movi d away. The eyes of the Boy Chiéf followed his retreatjy form with a fierce, murderous look that caused S«i |) to start with sudden fear, That violence was upp ;-- most in the young villain’s mind there was nct a doubt in the world. Seth watched the conspirators until Abe was ¢1:t of sight, then he turned and crept back to where Maggie was waiting for him “Maggie,” he'said, his voice betraying no Jit! je surprise, *‘ f am com letely shocked, for I havé nade a discovery that will no doubt surprise you, Jian Le Clerey and Hawk-Eyes, the Boy Chief, are one and the «ane person |!”
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Sure Shot Seth. ——— $e * CHAPTER XVII. WAS IT THE SHOT OF AN ASSASSIN? A RIFUE-sHOT rung suddenly through the forest, starting Seth and Maggie with sudden fear. The re- rt was followed by a groan, and that Abe Thorne’s Friends had assassinated him, Seth had not a single doubt; for the look the young villain, Hawk-Eyes, gave him when he turned to leave, meant mischief. “Tam afraid,” said Seth, “that they have mur- lered por Abe, for they quarreled with him, and he ‘eft then.” ‘““Tf Hawk-Eyes is Ivan Le Clercq, as you say, he ill not besitate todo anything,” replied Maggie. ' Why »re you afraid they have killed Abe Thorne?” ( Seth 1 riefly narrated that he had heard at the ' amp-fi’ e conference. — Scare ly had he concluded, ere a peculiar cry rung orth uw on the air—a cry that sent a smile of recog- ition over his young face. Then, from different quarter | among the wooded hills, rose half a Gozen answer ng eries, plain and distinct. “Ah! my friends, the Boy Brigade, are near,” said Se' h. A fiei ve savage yell rung through the forest, then the she tp, stinging report of a rifle followed, only to be suceeded by other shots fired in rapid suecces- sion. The boy coxspirators started to their feet, and, like so many frightened deer, bounded away into the woods, while Hawk-Eyes turned and crept through the shadows in the direction whence the sounds of conflict came “ Jhaggie,”’ said Seth, ‘‘m friends are near and eng» zed with the savages: You will be safe-here for © while, and I wi! go to their assistance; but return ~¢you soon, escape will be certain.” ; ‘*Go, Seth, to your friends’ assistance. I will await your return,’’ said the brave little maiden. Seth crept away through the woods, and soon came in. sight of the combatants. He placed a whistle to his lips and blew a sharp blast uponit. Instantly from different quarters, rose the answering cry of the Boy Brigade. A savage yell answered the latter. A deep hollow divided the foes, who were conceal- ed in the timber that:crowned the summits of the bluffs. But not a friend or:foe could Seth see. He could see, however, a little’: cloud of smoke puff up from behind a tree, now and then, telling him where the combatants were. B mn aged well under cover, he moved on toward his r e. ‘“Ho-ate thar!’ suddenly exclaimed a voice over- ead. Seth looked up and saw Joyful Jim, the trader, erched upon a limb loading his gun. His head was are, and across .is forehead was a — wound or abrasion, from which a little rivulet of blood was running down each side of his face. The body of the tree screened him from Indian bullets. Te Jim!’ exclaimed Seth, ‘‘what are you do- ing up here?” Punchin’ red-skins, Seth,’’ was the laconic reply. “Tt seems to me they’ve been striping your ead. ** Yes, the ‘tarnal sulphurians knocked the bark off my trontiapiess; and ng a leak in my system. ‘Gallons of the best blood, unadulterated with cold water, have evaporated,’ but it’ll soon return in a pees shower to Tr ish and fructify the “My old friend,” said Seth, “‘a red-skin Tl get sight of you, first thing you know, and put a bullet ee 4 Bay system.” “Till risk it, Seth; besides, I’m up here where Tcan see how the cat eee and warn the boys. Oh, I t ll ye, it’s de-lightful sport, Seth—this Ingin fight- in’. " . used to furnish the *tarnal smoky-skinned sulphurians their spirits; now by alittle tapping pro- cess with powder and lead, I extracts their spirits. Don’t you perceive the difference with half an eye?’ “Do you know the force of the enemy?” asked “now nothin’; you can’t count snakes that are in their holes. But I opine thar’s quite a number of ’em—say half a million or less of the superbumfus- tic varmints.”’ “ Are .ne boys all afoot yet? “Yes; and perambulatin’ red-skins over the Jor- ding ata lively rate. I tell ye, Seth, your Boy Bri- e are a reg’lar set of young squackers on the oot. But, lookey here, whar’s that gal?’ * Safe for the tine being,” answered Seth. “Good,” ejaculated Joyful Jim; then, having eapped his rifle, he began peering cautiously around +he tree for a red-skin; but before he‘had the chance of a second shot, a fierce yell rose in the rear, start- i g both with a shudder of terror. ; ‘Flanked, by the New Jerusalem!” exclaimed old Tim, turning and glancing toward the horde swarm- ag through the woods upon tem. Seth took to his heels, fleeing in the direction of | his friends. The savages on the opposite bluff charged from that direction. Joyful Jim started down the tree, but he saw at a glance that he could not escape the foe, and so ee his notion and climbed higher among tho | brane es in hopes the savages would not discover Sure Shot Seth soon came to where his friend, the Beaver, was, and together the two ran on toward the valley. ’ Others of the Brigade fell in with them, and by the time they had gone fifty rods, the whole of the band, including Maggie Harris's father and Tom Grayson, had joined them. Tne Indians, now to the number of nearly a hun- were in pursuit of them. Sure Shot Seth led ard the precipitous bluff that overhung the way tow: .f we succeed in defeating the foe, our | | the head of the valley, and which he knew to be |! honeycombed with numeious caverns and subter- ranean passages where one might elude an enemy with ease. ‘o reach the mouth of one of those pas- required but a few moments, and no sooner were they under cover than all turned and poured a deadly volley into the ranks of the advancing aye A number of the latter fell; but their death only served to madden their surviving friends, who, like demons, came on toward the cavern, determin- ed on exterminating the band of whites. That the savages were ignorant of the advantage of which*our friends had availed themselves, was evident from the incautious manner in which they approached. The Brigade fell back a few paces , from the entrance, and, facing about, waited-until | the foe came up, when from the black mouth of the vault they poured another withering volley. This caused the enemy to retreat with a full knowledge of the situation, and, for the time being, all relapsed into silence. “Well, here we are cooped up like so many fowls,” = J ustin Gray, ‘‘and are likely to remain so fora while.’ “Night let us out,’ said Hooseah, the Indian lad. ““Och! and it’s meself knows what will let us out widout a doubt,” remarked Teddy O’Roop. “ What?” eagerly question young Jud¢ **Death, be jabers!”’ ‘Ay, Ted; this:is no jesting matter,” said young Gray, soberly, ‘“‘for other lives depend upon our safety.”’ “What of Maggie, Seth?” asked Mr. Harris, re- | covering breath. Tiett her alive and well,” was the answer; “‘ but God knows what will be her fate ere we escape from this place.” The father Sgr in spirit, and with heart beat- ing in agony, he listened to Seth’s recital of his ad- ventures since he had rescued Maggie. When he broke the news of Ivan Le Clereq’s traitorous con- duct, Tom Gravson started as though pierced by a | dagger. He couia scarcely credit the statement, yet the absence of Le Clereq and his sudden disappear- ance went, in a measure, to corroborate the young rifleman’s story. While most of the brigade guarded the entrance to the cave, Seth and Tom Grayson set off in search of an outlet. They found the passage sinuous as a serpent’s path, and in places reduced in size, so that it was with difficulty they were enabled to pass on. The passages also rose and fell at irregular intervals, but finally took an upward slant, which led the boys to believe they would succeed in finding the sought- .or exit. In this, however, they were disappointe |. | The slope finally terminated in a network of roots, stone and dirt; They were satisfied, nevertheless, that it was not far to the surface, and a few hours’ tunneling would admit them to the open air. Before they could decide upon any definite course, further | than that already arrived at, the sullen roar of a =. rolled through the resonant chambers of the vault, ‘By gracious!” exclaimed Tom Grayson, ** they're having a fight down at the entrance. *“Come,”’ said Seth, as diseharge after discharge boomed through the cavern. They hurried back and found their friends engaged with the savages who were trying to force an en- trance. But being in the dark, and each provided with a revolver, and some with a pair, the boys were | enabled to hold their position against ten times their number, and so the meth were driven off. A yell of defiance and triumph followed the red-skins, who, in dismay, sought shelter behind trees where they could watch the mouth of the cavern. A close watch was now ed 9 upon the movements | of the enemy, but no further demonstration was made during the day.. As the shadows of night gathered outside, the brigade began to discuss the subject of escape. To Seth, the day Lad seemed a week. The thought of Maggie was never absent from his mind, and in his anxiety to return to her, tim” seemed to drag on-leaden feet. - was nearly dark outside, and all arrangements for escape were perfected, when, to the sudden sur- prise and dismay of all, the bright glare of a light suddenly lit up the mouth of the cavern, he enemy had lighted a number of fires near it, destroy- ing all hopes of our friends’ escape that way for the | time being. “Oh, my child! my child!” groaned Harris, in bit- ter despair. “Let us not despair; perhaps we can tunnel out,” said Seth. “Let us try at once,” suggested Tom Grayson. With Teddy O’Roop, Sure Shot Seth repaired to the extremity of the cavern, and with knives and tomahawk began the uncertain task of digging out. Their labors was attended with difficult ¥. othe darkness prevented them working with dispatch. The knife and tomahawk clinked on the stones, and sparks of fire were emitted by the contact. . If they were near the surface, and an enemy should bap- pen to pass that way, he would be sure. to hear the sound of their working; so, altogether there was nothing to insure escape, éven should they succeed in working a way out. However, Seth resolved to lose no time in testing the result, for the pretty, fair face of Maggie Harris stood before his mind in con- stant appeal for help and protection. They worked diligently for nearly an hour; but scarcely had the sounds of their own blows died away ere Teddy grasped Seth by the arm and in an excited whisper said: ** Whist, Sith, me b’y!”’ They listened intently. They heard a sound. It was so very faint they could not locate the _— | from which it came. It seemed dull and far o “Tt must be the echoes of our knife and toma- } about his face, like the | hear it. it hawk still reverberating through the cavern,” said eth. + “Niver, lad, niver. Press yer ear against thi» wall and yees can hear something or some one dig ging.” Seth did as requested. He started, with the me ply: x You are right, Ted; there is some one digging bat ee a foot of our cavern wall. But who can A. if in answer to the question, the left wall of fie cav.rn fli inward, revealing a passage beyond. A cloud of dust rose in the cavern, but through the black fog thus pervading the place a dim light sws- denly wigigcin and behind it was a fearful humage visage CHAPTER XVII. A SPOILED COUNTENANCE. “Hoty Moruer!” burst from Teddy’s lips, as hie eyes fell upon the horrible-looking visage, bloatet and distorted. Sure Shot Seth started back in amazement, his eyes fixed upon the face just visible, through the cloud of dust, in the lurid, wavering light clutehed in a bony hand. The face was contorted like that of the demon ef rage. It was covered with dirt and blood, while the wet, matted hair ‘ung in twisted, serpent-like loeks rir of tho Furies. “Haw! haw! ha.’!’ Lurst in a deep, sonorous peal from his lip-, the soun | starting a shudder in the hear‘rs, as the echc:s repeated the fiend like guffaw over and over in a hundred places through- out the cavern. Seth grasped his revolver. The click of the lock brought the man to a sense of his situation, and ina more natural tone, he said: * Boys, don’t you know me? Can't, you perceive | who I be?” “Joyful Jim!” exclaimed Seth, dropping his weapon, “The same,’? exclaimed the old man, creeping through the cpening into the retreat; ‘ though Pm to-t'ly bumfusticated.” * What in the name of goodness have you been doing?” exked Scth, completely astounded. “Havin an old 1oarin’ time of it by myself among the rcd-skins and hornits,” answered Jim, “And how came you here?” “T came through that back passage, which, with a little digging, let me in here, I alers thought that but a few feet separated the two caveii.s, but never had cccasion to find out,’’ he answered. “Good! then our escape is certain,” “Persume so; but is the boys all afoot? Glad to But I tell you I had a narry escape, Lere Shot,” Jim continued. ‘“ You see, I hadn't time to get out of that tree, and so I advised myself to climb 1 little higher. The Ingins passed on arter you ones, and I s’posed all I had to do war to git downand efi; but, ro sooner had I begun my descent than pop! suthin’ took me like an arrow that jist forced a clear oath right outen me. .Then I heard a noise below, and looked cown; and, great rage of the Furies! thar stood two Ingins looking up at me, smiling like Judas *Scar’ot.”’ “The bloody spalpeens !”” intecrupies O’Roo “ What to.do,” continued Jim, ‘1 couldn't, for the life of me, tell. I knowed they'd salt me, and ex- pected "em to up and bore me wight through; but. instead, they invited me down. In course, I war gentleman enough to accept of their request, and be- gun my descent. The good Lord cnly knows the thousands and thousands things that darted thrcugh my mind as I climbed cown that tree; and one thing that did dart J remember ver well. It war a big, healthy hornit with a javelin like a hasr- poon, ie ‘tarnal critier came aloit on airy and plumped its *tarnal p‘ison barb right inte, the end of my nose; and afore half a second it kad swelled up big as.a unicorm’s probosis. I fired an awful savage malediction at that insect and went on down, to the amusement of them rec-skins. Lwar neatly to tle ground when L heard an awful buzzin’ near my ears, and lookin’ around, I see’d a hornits’ nest about the size of a pap ence hangin’ among the branches, not two feet from me, . A big hernit whisked out cf the nest just as I set eyeson it, and spat! it took me. But it poked an idea into my | just as it did its javelin; and reachin’ out, I grabbed the nest, tore it irom the bough and dashed it. down into the very faces of them royal red dewdraps that war waitin’ to slip off my hair. Oh,great fury! you had ort to’a’ heard *cm. Ten million hornits, by actual count, waltzed out of their overthrown and attacked ‘em. 1 jumped to the ground and 1:un into a thicket, and throwin’ myself on the ground, eluded further persecution, though a million of "em follered me, but findin’ I'd give ‘em the slip, they went back and teek a crack at the red-skins. [ never see’d sich squirmin’ in all my days, and I Isid thar in them bushcs and just shook with laughter till I setthed myself a foot im the ground. Why, them half-naked red-skins jist rolled,and claw and kicked, and floundered, and pounded, and ho “di wusser’n a hundyed fiends smokin’ hot from Hades. I just laffed and latfed till the bushes got to shakin’, and then to dancin’, and if ever there was a gay old time, it was then and thar Them red-skins got stung so that they puffed up wusser than an inflated bladder. They could not lay on the hillside, and so rolled into the valley, and as I couldn’t do ‘em good, and thar bein’ several stray hornits hangin’ ack as a reserve ready to lance their harpoons into | anything that might show itself, I vacated that vi- | cinicy in blooded-racer style. I retreated south, anc! as I war makin* my way alon that face the valley of the B fell upon my ear.” the ledge of blots k Woods, a groam
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oe ae a ae oe a Sea SS re ee ee ee wets ee ee ee 12 “A groan!” exclaimed Seth; “ did you find Maggie 2. * id ' Harris “*No; war thar whar you left her?” “Tt was near the ledge of which you speak that « left her,” replied Seth, excitedly, “T saw nothing of her; but I found a dying boy there. It was Abe Thorne, He had been shot through the lung and was nearly gone when I got to him. He tried to talk and tell me somethin’, but the seal of death was upon the pear lad’s lips. He pointed this way and that. is lips moved, but I couldn’t catch one word. I shouldn’t wonder, Set but he war trying. to tell me "bout Maggie. Ah! tell ye, boys, I war teched to the very heart. If . laughed with joy a few minutes before tell I cried, « couldn’t keep back tears of pity as I looked upen that r lad with his pale face, his quiverin’ lips, and dilated nostrils, dyin’ there with no mother, nor sister, nor friend's d words to cheer him up, nor bid him adieu afore he went away into the unknown world. I stood by him till he died, then I carried the -away and buried it in the woods undera tree, It went hard to put him away without a word bein’ said, seein’ he was a boy. I remembered a real nice prayer that my old mother arnt me when I was a cub, but my heart failed me when I come to say it. I war afraid the Lord would pay no «tention to the oN TE of a blasted old sinner like ‘1 Joyful Jim. No; laid the boy away as nice as possible; covered him up and piled stones on the (rave; then I took myself away into the woods. I crept around to the north of this nill and got into the vavern, enterin’ from that side, I’ve been diggin’ four solid hours.” “ Poor Abe Thorne!”’ said Seth, “* he has been slain by the hand of a boy friend, or one who pretended to be his friend. As to Maggie, I presume the {indians have got her. Fool th was for leaving her; but then I acted, as I su for the best.” 7, What's the rest of the TP eade ?” asked Joyful “* At the mouth of the cavern! Let us join them at once and prepare to leave this place, I'llsuffocate if I don’t get into the open air soon,” They at once returned to their friends, and in as few words as possible, reported the discovery of other passage opening on the north side of the an Harris became almost frenzied as he listened to Joyful Jim’s story of -Abe Thorne’s death and the sup oy of his daughter. \/ith as short delay as possible, the little band inde haste to vacate the cavern, Led by Joyful Jim, they filed away through the dark passage. ‘the sav: seemed to have instinctively antici- pated their intentions and swarmed in after them. heir yells echoed in tones of thunder through the chambers of eo. vault. But, nothing daunted, our friends pushed on. They fin reached the reay opening of the chamber. halted just within, = sent Pom J =F gee to reconnoiter, 3 arp rinutes the s agreed upon was given, e little band lot out and joined the scout, “ Now, which way?” asked the old man, “Toward Lake Luster,” answered Seth, and tating the lead, headed toward the south-west. Savage cries, announcing the escape of the Boy Brigade, rose upon the night. From all points the wore answered; bunt, silent as phantoms, our frien fialked on through the darkness, led by’ the indomi- ticle yo rifleman, Seth ually bent his course so as to bring him back to where he had left Maggie Harris; but, when the reached the — and found her gone, he saii nothing but pushed on into the valley. soon entered what was known as the Black Wi deep, dark, and almost impenetrable Yorest, where the shadows were eternal. Stately pines reared their heads heavenward like giant sentinels; the mold in which their roots found nour- ishment was heavy and sodden; the atmosphere vamp and depressing. Animal life seemed ed t-om the place, and a depressing, foreboding silence ere, "Sah this silence lasted only for a short period—a few minutes—ere voices could be heard calling to ach other, from out the depths of the woods, in un- tones. They were savages. Suddenly a sharp and sullen boom, not unlike that of a cannon, burst upon the night, its echoes re- from hill to valley and away in quavering intonations, The tom es ee and discussed the matter of the noise; but as they could form no conception as to its meaning, they pushed on through the woods, ‘hay had journeyed nearly a mile when, all of a sud- cen, @ broad expanse of dazzling light burst upon thoir eyes. They stood upon the shore of Lake Luster—the tiny jewel that sparkled ayer the bosom of the grim toyz Woods, as it lay bathed in the mellow beams of the full, round moon. CHAPTER XTX. WHITHER SHALL SHE FLY? Maacre Harris was a brave and peerless girl. When left alone to await her tat protector’s re- t she stilled the beating of her heart, and recon- " led nae mind a pos aes hear the firing of guns n the w and knew that a desperate conflict was goingon. Then, when the Sa charged the Boy e, and their yell pesatensd and fierce upon the air, she was filled with a grave fear. But, before she had time for much ©peculation, a movement in the bushes arrested her <.-tention. She turned and beheld an object creeping along the earth, with great difficulty; and a second glance told her itwas a human form. Her first impression P13 flat a pavege was creeping stealthi!y upon her, Sure | Shot Seth. Acry rose to her lips, but with supreme éffort she restrained it. She recognized the voice, but not the rere. The latter was haggard and covered with blood. It was Abe Thorn. He was wounded, and bleeding to death. Maggie moved toward him, all the kindness of her oung heart w.kened by sympathy for the wounded OY. *¥ou, Maggie? Are you alone?” asked the youth, in a feeble tone. “Yes; but Abe, what ails you?” asked the maiden, shuddering. “Oh, M e!’’ he cried, in a feeble tone, as he sunk upon the earth, overcome with sheer exhaus- tion from loss of blood; “I’ve been shot, and I’m roing to die,”’ “Who shot you?—the Indians?” “No; one whom I always knew was. treacherous, yet whom I considered my friend—Ivan Le Clercq, who is now an Indian chief.” “My f.iend suspected as much; but, Abe, let me bind up your wounds and take care of you till help comes.” “No power on earth can save me; that I know,” replied Abe. “Our troubles all come “about on ac- count of Sure Shot Seth. The day of the shooting- match Ivan and some more of us caught Seth and tied him up to a tree, so’s he couldn’t win the prize. But the Indians came before we could release him, and he was killed while bound helpless to the tree.” “Are you sure he was killed, Abe?’’ questioned aggie. “Yes; Ivan found his form stript of flesh still lashed to the tree, The wolves had eaten him, And so you see, Maggie, I die with a heavy load upon my soul, and I'm afraid the good Lord will not Torgive me.’ “He will not punish you for the death of Sure ae Seth, Abe,” Maggie answered, “ for Seth still ves.’ Abe started as if from a dream. “Sure Shot Seth alive!” he exclaimed. ‘ Maggie, are you not mistaken?” - 2am Bek: 7 “" me but a Reyer groan: ago,” en I can die in peace,” he again sinkin to the earth; “‘ but, Maggie, let me warn you of prone r. The fear of pu ment for the wupaomed eath of Seth drove Ivan Le Clercq to the Indi and, for some deed of valor, he was given the . tion lately occupied by Hawk-Eyes, the Boy ef. Ivan loves you, ie, and he will exert every effort to get you into power, Because I opposed further wickedness, he shot me down when I Soeeed to leave them. I know not what the other boys will do; but I do know mother will think a deal more of me dead, dying as I do, than a living traitor. If you ever meet her, Maggie, tell her of me, and our. talk. But you had better not remain here Maggie. There are many Indians in the Black Woods bent upon the destruction of all the whites they can find.” “*T cannot leave you, Abe, ering as you are.” roe can’t suffer long, Maggie, for I am nearly me.’ OD raebditid with emotion, Maggie sat down by the dying Eee AR burying her face in her hands, we rly. ppt ran broken only by the maiden’s sobs, en- sued. When Maggie again turned to Abe his eyes were half cl is lips were slightly parted, while his face wore t calm, yet awful expression of death, She supposed he was dead then; but he was not. “Poor Abe!’’ sobbed the maiden; but she started at the sound of her own voice. It sounded hollow and unnatural. She glanced wildly around her, The distant report of fire-arms, the moan of the woods, and the presence of death, all conspired to fill her soul with horror. She started to her te saa turned and fled the spot like a frighten though now and then a faint stra: dim and ooety fell across her path. An indescribable horror lent speed to her feet, and she glided on until her steps were by a blaze of light bursting upon her from before. She found the forest had terminated in a broad sheet of glimmering water. She stood on the shore of Lake Luster. She glanced over the little sheet and around its m No sign of life we — The place seemed wrapt in profound solitude, Deep in the bosom of the at black forest re- posed the little lake. The stately pines grew out to he very shore. Their branches reached out over the water. A narrow rim of white sand encircled the lake. A border of shadows hung over all. Here and there a little cove or inlet indented the shore. Wild flowers mingled their breath with the odor of the green wood. Half exhausted and half delirious by her violent exercise, sunk down under a tree. She leaned her ibbing head against the trunk, and clasped her hands over her bea‘ heart. She closed her eyes and sunk into mental repose, She inhaled the air and the sweet essence distilled on its breath; and, lulled by the soft cadence of the breeze among the gn oe she sunk into a gentle slumber, that was as sweet and refreshing as am- brosia to the lips. Even the sense of hearing was enraptured as she slept. The soft, flute-like notes of music fell upon her ears in dreams. Bright visions and enchanting scenes passed in rapid review before her, like the figures of a panorama, Iinally she awoke. Was it mockery?—all bitter disappointment that Isd atterded ber refreshing slumber? No, not at all; the sweet breath of the woods was there, and low, soft and melodious the weird and solemn refrain of a harp came to her ears. She started up in partial bewilderment, gaz- ing wildly around her, She bent) her, head and list- ened. Nothing save the ravishing strains of music, broke the silence. They seemed to issue from a cluster of bushes along the shore to the left, and, as if unable to overcome the weird fascination) of the sound, she turned and moved toward. it, She soon came to a little bay surrounded by a deep fringe of green-foliaged trees, whose boughs overhanging formed an Arcadian bower over the still placid waters of the bay. Upon the bosom of the latter rested a strange-looking craft, resembling the long, narrow roof of a house with gables. A door opened in the side of this .roof-ike structure, and in front of it sat two persons;an old man and a young girl, his face buried in his hands, The former sat with apparently absorbed in deep. reverie; while the maiden, with snowy fingers flashing over the strings of a Spanish , called forth those wild, weird strains of celestial music. CHAPTER XxX. PALACE OF OLD NEPTUNE. ENCHANTED by the music and startled by the scene, Maggie Harris stood silent and motionless, listening to the one ond ane Sg other. The ayer was @ young an u possibly not — eighteen years of age. Her rare Felines, her sylph-like form, her queenly grace, and air .of b- born accomplishments contrasted with the parrounding scene, Her eyes were of a soft brown, ares and lustrous, and full of tenderness and love. She was robed in a gown of misty blue with a white collar around the snowy neck. Her olden hafr hung like silken floss down her back. A y, golden clasp at the throat, and a modest little rose in her hair were the only ornaments the fair creature wore. She sat near the old man, her very attitude, the pone of the head, and the manner in ‘which she held her harp, all were positions of ex- quisite grace and ease. . The man was upward of sixty years of and in type and dress the personification of old Neptune. s face, his beard, his hair, and even his trident apents bore a striking resemblance to those of the of the Sea. His brow wore the contracted fur- rows of care and deep thought. his side lay some mechanical contrivance, co’ of wheel ree and —s oni eee sand by — sata kit o such as wo ° & master me- chantoal hand. ” The craft upon which those two mysterious people were seated was as odd as it was enious, fe-vas about twenty feet long by ten in width, and. sloped ually from the water to a point like the comb of a house-roof, though it was plainly evident that some portion of its square was submerged. The whole was plated with L peaage sheet-iron which ave it a white, clouded color. On the top were our small tubes resembling chimneys, though it was not ble that all were used as such. Magpie regarded the strange mot for some time with speechless emotion. She had often heard of Lake Luster and the foreboding solitude that surrounded it; but never had she heard of tl ese people, who ad, from all appearances, dwelt there for some time. She posposls knew whether to consider them friends or foes. ere was something in the stern looks of the old man and the desolate repose that surrounded his habitation, that made her doubtful of hischaracter. But, the fair and lovely creature at his side—isnocence, womanly love and kindness were written upon every feature of her face; and in the strains that floated out from the came the accompaniment of a sweet and holy spiri While the fugitive maiden stood undecided as to the course she should pursue, the old man started up, seized his trident and thrust itinto the water. A smile overspread his face—a smile that drov:- away all those hard lines, and relieved the fears of Megalo EArt, As the eid man drew back hisspea: , our heroine saw a aes fish impaled upon it, cue: gling in the grasp of ible barbs. Releosing the fish, and securing it from escape. the old man again relapsed into silence, while th:: maiden continued at the harp. Five minutes, pei- haps, had passed, when he again threw his spear w in a second fish. W he was releasing it, the maiden ceased playing, and, walking to the olu man, said: , “Oh, what a nice fish, father! The two will be ample for our want for a day or two.. The poor thing, how it struggles. It seems a pity to kill them, ged hans enticed them here by the enchantment of music.” “God has placed the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea at our command; and we have only to take them when our needs de- mand them. A slice of venison, or a roasted fow}, would be a welcome change at our table; but these are perilous times, and the report of a rifle migh?, guide enemies to our retreat.” “Enemies? what enemies have we, father?” ques tioned the maiden. “There's no telling; the sav will doubtless re- gard all whites who do not join their ranks as ene- mies; and, if so, we will be in danger, for I will never bear arms against my countrymen.”’ ““Why not observe a strict neutrality, father?" “This would be impossible with the red-skins be have no knowledge, in their savage ignorance, of civilized warfare, and we could not convince them Sat, as neutrals, we had any rights they were bound res ’ ~: ¥ not quit Lake Luster till peace is restore: father?” ; ‘ }
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~I could not think of it, Vishnia; ly, while apon the eve of success in my invention that must give me fame and wealth through all ages to come.” ** But, father, if there is a war between the North and South, the sale of your pe nm pace self-act- ing torpedo may give you both fame and wealth, Now would be a good time to introduce your inven- tion.” “Not very, daughter. The war between the North and South will not be a naval war. It will be princi- pally on land,” the old man replied. “At any rate, why waste more of your life over a project that you may never achieve, and which has ruined the life and mind of many a wise genius?” Maggie heard all this conversation, and was not a little surprised. She saw that the old man had se- cluded himself there to work out in secret the com- plication of some great invention. She had heard and read of such self-abnegation before, on the part of wise men, for the furtherance of science. But such great sacrifice had been uncalled for, and was usually attended with an overwrought imagination. In the subdued light of the old man’s eyes, his knit brows, and snowy temples, she could see the pres- ence of a partially-clouded mind. His conversation revealed this, and Maggie had resolved not to in- trude upon the privacy of his beloved schemes, and was about to turn away when she heard a rustle in the shrubbery to her right. Turning her eyes, she beheld a clump of bushes carefully parted, and a painted savage face appear in the opening. A af A rose to her lips, and like a deer she darted from her concealment and ran toward the water. She had gone but a few paces, however, when the savag’ overtook her. He grasped her by the arm and a rested her flight; then he lifted her in his naked, brawny arms and turned to flee. But, before he had taken a dozen steps, something struck him in the back witha dull thud. A gasp — li and with a convulsive quiver ng ugh ] whole form, he sunk heavily to the earth, falling across the unconscious form of Maggie. A massive footstep approached from the lake, and the tall form of the mysterious old man of ) Luster stood by the side of the dead warrior and the helpless maiden. Stooping, he seized the savage's form and hurled him aside, then from the body he withdrew his barbed r, lifted Maggie in his strong arms and carried her aboard his boat. Scarce- ly he done so when a fierce, a ——_ burst upca the air, and a score of savages ru from the woods to avenge their fallen comrade; but, before they could reach the water’s edge, the boat was put in motion by some invisible means. The savages fired at the craft, but their bullets Ri anced from the metal covering of the structure shail from a stone wall; and, in a few moments m re, it was even beyond rifle-range, out upon the bi jom of Lake Luster. CHAPTER XXL TRULY INFERNAL, Ir was on t>e night following the events just nar- ‘ated that wa left the Boy B: e on the shores of ' ake Luster, then bathed in the mellow radiance of ‘full moon, place seldom frequented by “h shadows, seemed to have expelled inal lite trom “Yes; the water is almost transparent. In many places you can see the bottom and the fish —_ about: ‘but this is nothing more than ao sai of nearly all of Minnesota’s thousand and one lake- lets. Indian tradition has peopled Lake Luster with irits of the departed, therefore it has been seldom ted by. the living. my nf ; and I hope they’ll continue to ob- serve this absence from the spirit lake while we're here,” said Jim. ‘I’ve had enuff of hornits’ jave- lins and Ingins’ bullets to last me till next harvest.” “Wherever our trail leads, they'll be sure to fol- low, mind what I tell hae said Sure Shot Seth. ~ arfore?’’ old Jim demanded, “ They are led by a white man; or rather a whi boy, whose youth ‘will. be no’ in our favor. Ivan Le Clercq is pupeipeipled and bad. He has ust enough of Indian - bl in him to make him loodthirsty and revengeful: and enough of French to make him subtle in plotting and planning. Yes; in Hawk-Eves, the Boy Chief, we have a powerful oe'Yie Tekhee b, they dassent buck against th “Yis; bu ‘0 ey dassent bu e B’y Brigad»,” said Teddy O'Roop Ki, yi; guess de Boy Brigagz had all dat dey want at da dlast night, whar de angel come and play and ping on de rock!” “Lovely creature !"’ exclaimed old Jim; “‘she saved our bacons, I dare say; and it’d do me good to stand up befor? her and thank her with all my heart for her kindaess. Wasn’t she superb, though?” “You don’t think she was a celestial being, do you?” asked Seth, half-smiling, ‘Think it?—heavens! I know it. Nothing mor- tal that wears hair would ‘a’ dared to come onto rua reck between the muzzles of two-score of dead- es. “Sho was an entire sir r to m-, Jim; but I mow, she is morial; and, rmore, I am in- Shot Seth. Sure wielding great power over the red-skins. But, boys, we must find on, and—”’ At this juncture, Hooseah, the Indian lad, who had been absent from the main party, reconnoit- ering, came running up in great excitement, and said: ‘* Bad Ingins—lots—on ahead!” “Indeed?” exclaimed Seth; “are they watching for us?” **No—watchin’ big wigwam on the lake—see him float out from the shadows.” He pointed out over the lake, and all eyes turning in the direction indicated, beheld a long, triangular | structure floating out from the border of shadows | that lined the southern shore, into the moonlit | waters. ‘* It’s a tent!’’ exclaimed Mr. Harris. “Tt looks like a tent; but it surely isn’t one,” | answered Seth. “It appears to glimmer like a metal shield.” “Dogged if it isn’t a little queer,” said «ne of the | boys. “It puzzles me, I assure you,”’ remarked another. “It is moving quite fast, and yet I cannot see —_ whence it receives its motive power,” said The craft continued on into the open labe until it had gained the center, when it came to a stand. Then our friends saw a door open on the: sloping side and a man appear from the interior. He in front of the door and gazed around hin. The Brigade could see the outlines of a tall person with long beard and hair. In his hand he held a staff with a trident-spear on the end of it. From the darkness along the shore a tongue of fire suddenly shot out, and the report of a rifle started the midnight echoes for miles. “Och! and the bloody Ingins are firing on the stranger,” said Teddy. , “Yes; and by that,” answered Seth, ‘‘we are to understand that the stranger is an enemy of the red- skins, whatever he may be to us.” With an imperious wave of the hand, the old man = the Aad oat and entered mt ats. 7 soon he appea ag: bearing something is arms, Caréfully he scanned the surrounding shores, but seeing no one, he sat down and genet calmly around him. Our friends stood still on the shore watching his movements, and puzzling their brains as to who he was. A boat suddenly crept out from the shadows of the east bank and moved toward the strange raft. There were five occupants in it. They were sav and brightly flashed their paddles as they rose an fell in the water. The man now rose to his feet, and in deep, thun- derous tones warned the red-skins back. But they either did not understand him, or else heeded not his warning. Seeing this, the old fellow got down upon his knees and placed the article that he had ew out with him in the water. Our friends could see that it emitted a very faint party not much larger than the coruscation of a firefly. No sooner was it placed in the water than it began to move — ee smoothly along the surface of the lake directly ward the red-skins, “What now, in the name of Sodom, does that mean?’’ exclaimed old Joyful Jim. “ See it, boys?— —_— speck of fire creeping along to’rds that All answered in the affirmative. “‘ What do you opine it are?” he questioned. None could tell. » All were puzzled. “Shouldn’t wonder if it wer’n’t some of the devil’s own contraptions,” said Jim, kno ly. All rela; into silence and wate with bated breath and fixed eye the mo speck of fire. The Indians, too, had discovered a and sat holding their dies in motionless hands, regarding the tiny ob, with silent attention. Meanwhile, the old man on the boat stood with folded arms gazing after the moving speck, while a silence as deep and profound as creation’s morn hung over all. It was a fo stillness. Straight toward the red-skin’s boat, which had ne de a we od its mttaer the . own raft, the floating rk made its way. e Indians were deep] pussied by it, and although their minds were not unmixed with superstition re- garding Lake Luster, they affected no fear of the ap- roaching object. It was so very small that no eee could ibly come of it; or, at least, this was the conviction that it forced upon our friends, as well as the red-skins. A os commotion agitated the savages as it neared them, and our friends saw the foremost war- rior dip his paddle and turn the prow of the boat southward. But for this act e float light would have passed them slightly to the right; but _ the prow of the boat being thrown across its path, it came in contact with the craft, when, horrors! a sheet of flame burst from the bosom of the lake un- der the boat, and a roar like the sudden burst of a voleano shook the night, High up in the air flew water and fragments of the canoe and the riven forms of its human freight—so high that when the debris came down in an arm and torn hand fell on the shore before their horrified gaze. CHAPTER XXII. “ SCATTER !"’ “My God.” was the exclamation of Harris, at | sight of the human limb that had been torn from the ate the terrible explosion and thrown on the “Ay!” exclaimed Joyful Jim; “I told you it war | to think she is ® personage known to and | one of the devil’s own ¢ontraptions, I teil ye, boys, | Ci 13 | | Satanic majesty is aboard that boat, or else my iss Harris, if living, so let us move / head’s not hot.’ “‘It must have been a torpedo that burst under the boat,” Sure Shot Seth remarked. “Without a doubt,” said Harris, ‘‘and the light we saw floating out from that boat was, without a doubt, attached to the deadly machine.” “But from whence did it derive its power of pro- pulsion?”’ “That I cannot answer; but, I dare say, itis some ingenious mechanical contrivance of the inmate of that boat, whoever he may be,”’ answered Seth, “But who és the inmate of that craft?” ‘*That’s the question,”’ said Seth; “but an idea is creeping into my head, and I'll wager anything that the angel that came, and sung, and played between the muzzles of 49 and the savages’ guns last night belongs in that little craft.’ ~ 0? Vishnia of the Valley?” “Yes; she’s probably some wild, c girl, and the act that saved you on the Rock Island was but a freak of her diseased mind. No sane girl would dare wander alone, of her own free will, through those woods at night, much less perform such a reckless act as to come between the guns of two deadly foes asa maker,” 75 t’s mighty sound doctrine, Sure Pop,” said old Jim, thoughtfully, “and I’ll go a cookskin that, if she’s aboard that craft, crazy as a loon, her father’s thar also, crazier’n a March hare.” “‘ Crazy people sometimes perform miraculous—” was here cut short by a wild, triumphant peal of laughter ringing across the lake from the raft, fully substantiating, and settling in the minds of those who h the truth of old Jim’s assertion —that the man on the boat was a madman. By this time nearly every vestige of the terrible explosion had disappeared. The lake had become tranquil; and not a savage was to be seen. ‘ The mysterious boat still occupied its position on the lake, and its occupant his peeion upon its deck. But soon, the latter retired from view, and silent and grim the craft lay upon the placid bosom of the glimmering sheet. While Seth and his Pipe greed stood disc the tragedy, the sound of footsteps was heard ap- roaching. This enjoined silence i them; but he footsteps turned and retreated. That they were, made by sav: feet the Brigade had not a doubt, Pace ng they not been discovered was also quite evident. Scarcely five minutes had rags nae when the rush of a hundred feet was heard along the shore. A horde of savages were pares's | upon the Brigade, “ Whirr-rr-rr-rr-tr-r,”’, sudden y rose from the pet of the Brigade, like the “ whirr ” of a pheasant a copse. Instantly, almost, the whole of the little band scattered in every direction like a flock of sheep. The savages uttered a yell, and sent a volley into the darkness after them, but not a bullet took effect. The footsteps of the Brigade Seeing in every di- rection confused the red-skins, so that pursuit was ed forsome time. This gave our friends an < p- portunity to make good their escape. It wasa put of their tactics under such circumstances. e “whirr” issued by Sure Shot Seth's lips was well understood; it was a signal to disperse. Away through the darkness of the grim Black Woods the Brigade fied. Seth took Mr. with him, while Joyful Jim and Tom Grayson, who had been itted to the membership in the band, sought safety as did the rest. In ten minutes’ time a cg and profound silence ed over the forest and lake. The red-ski made no attempt to follow the boys far. ‘y knew the danger of scattering in Feige 4 Out in the wood, under the deep shadows of s past tree, Sure Shot Seth and Maggie’s father came ao and listened. be Yi F f e have escaped,” said tter; “but who knows the fate of the others?” “Rest assured they are safe,” was Seth's confident reply. ' Pkt they are all scattered like a covey of ’ I daresay we are the only two that. stuck toge’ Ray “That’s the idea, exactly, e take the quail for our example. A peculiar ‘w ’ of the leader's wings rses them, and, rest assured, each quail will remain concealed’ until the leader calls, when it will come out and answer. If all, as applied to the Boy Brigade, do not answer, I repéat the call; and if some ‘are still silent, it is to be taken for granted that danger lurks near the ones not answering.” “But suppose one of your band should be killed?” “We have made no provision for such a mishap, for we don’t intend to get killed.” “The Boy Brigade is a — organization,” said Harris, “‘and if it can find my child, I will be under eternal obligations to it.”’ “We will leave nothing undone to find her, Mr. Harris. She may have "fallen into the red-skins’ cote or she may have grown tired waiting my re- urn, and fled. e have only to be patient and con- stant in our search.” The father sighed heavily. Half an hour went by in silence, wines one word nor sound of the others had beer ra. Presently Seth rose to his feet and said: I shall now ascertain where the rest of the boys: are.”’ He uttered a clear, ing whistle, not unlike that of a night-bird peculiar to the northern woods. The sound drifted away through the night and died in the distance. The hoot of an ow) came back in response, “Ay!” exclaimed Seth; “the Owl is safe. Did you not hear his answer, Mr. is?”’ ** Was that one of the boys?
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| 1 a eee SSS —— eo Sees = ea Se: eee reawe ; i | | ! | | = 14 ae mm ei Sure Shot Seth. “Tt was; but listen.” One after the other came the respective maswers of each of the Boy Brigade. “Every one of them is safe,” said Seth, “and, in the course of half an hour, I will call them up usa hen calleth her broud.” They remained silent for some time, when Seth sent forth the hoot of an owl. It was auswered from the north, and a few moments later young Schultz, The Owl, made his appearance. Then fol- lowed the howl of the wolf, and Le Subtile Wolf, 1 the Indian lad, appeared. Thus one call after an- other was made, until the whole band was together, though no two calis were made in the same place, through fear that an enemy might zain the location. Once more together, a short consultation was Kield, which developed the fact that the Black Woods were then swarming with Indians, Justin Gray re- ported that, while he was in concealment, a number of Indians passed him carrying two canoes in the direction of Lake Luster. As there were a number of small lakes on the outskirts of the Black Woods noted for their inexhaustible supply of fish and fishing boats, it was very evident that the Indians were not going to be defeated in the capture of the stranger on ke Luster, and were carrying boats to the latter point for the purpose of attacking the enemy, despite the recent horrible fate of their com- panions. r Their persistent efforts to capture the raft were as our friends well knew, led by the Boy Chief; an the trained mind of Sure Shot Seth quickly con- cluded that,in this movement of the enemy, there was something or some one aboard that raft which they desired to possess or slay. Might it not be Mazgie Harris? Might she not have wandered from where he had left her to the lake, and been taken aboard the raadman’s raft? The stunning report of a rifle, coming from the direction of the lake, put an end to his cogita- tions, CHAPTER XXItI, A GAME WELL PLAYED, Svre Spot Srrx made known his convictions, and, at his s izgestion, tae party returned to the lake, The shadows, by this time were lengthening on the western side of the little sheet; but they had not reached the raft, which still sat motionless on the water, and to all appearance t2nantless, Hooseah, the Indian lad, was at once sent out to reconnoiter the western shore, while Seth went him- self to scout along the eastern side of the lake. It was their desire to know what the Indians were about, avd their exact location, as well as their numerical strength. Seth kept back about two rods from the margin of the lake and moved rapidly, yet noiselessly asa a ame He had gained the northern end of the ke without hearing or seeing anything of the red- skins; but, as he rounded the shore toward the west he heard a sound that told of the close proximity of enemies. He paused and listened, then with every faculty on the alert, he crept on closer and closer to the foe, stopping every now and then to listen. He at length found himself at the water’s very edge ina clump of bushes whose drooping foliage trailed itself in the water. Before him was a narrow opening or path, beyond which was another border of dense shrubbery. He was just about to step across this ath when he heard light footsteps rapes Pegs ward thelake. Remaining quiet, he awai the approach. A young chief, dressed in all the gaudy panoply of war, brushed past him and stopped on ne margin of the lake, me = Hawk-Eyes, the Boy Chief, Ivan Le ercq Seth could s restrain the terrible emotion that ran in bis breast on making this discovery. His hand mechanically sought the weapon at his girdle; but his better sdemens revailed, and he remaine as silent’as if frozen to the spot, his eyes fixed upon the young chief. The’ young renegade ran his eyes over the lake, Seth was so close to him that he could see a strange sinile of delight pass over his countenance at sight of something on the water. What it was that pleased hiin Seth knew not, nor dare he even move his head to ascertain. The chief kept his eyes out upon the lake until his attention was diverted by footsteps behind. He tirvrned and saw a young warrior approaching. “What does Hawk-Eyes see?” asked the latter. “Sh!” cautioned the chief; “look yonder.” The warrior did as directed, when a low, sinister gms of triumph shot athwart his dusky, painted ace. The next moment asuccession of tiny waves began chafing the shore at their feet and the dip of a pad- dle became audible. The chief and his companion stepped back into the shadows. This movement left Seth under less restraint, “Ah! the cunning, cowardly wretches,’ thought f'ath, drawing his revolver, ‘they are preparing to pounce upon some unsuspecting victim. But I'll see about it.’ The next moment a small canoe with a single oc- cupant vouched the bank where the path ended; and . that occupant was _a female—a young and lovely girl—the fairy-like Vishnia, the maid of the Valley. As she rose to her feet the chief advanced and con- fronted her. She started with a little cry of alarm but soon recovered her composure anc addressed the Tadian. ““Whom have I the pleasure of meeting?” “ Hawk-Eyes, the Boy Chief,” answered the young renegade. “Does he lead the Indians that surround Lake Luster?” “He does,’’ was the answer. = “Then with him I came to negotiate terms of peace.” . She stood erect in her rubber canoe as she spoke, | The tones of her voice were soft and child-like in their melody. Through the foliage that concealed his person, Sure Shot Seth could see the symmetry of her profile clearly outlined against the moonlit water. A thin shawl enveloped ber slender figure. A light straw hat was pushed back from her head till it rested on her back, thus revealing wondrous features. All the power of love, innocence and purity combined in woman radiated from the soul of this fair being; and Seth felt its power as sensibly as though under some mesmeric influence. But it was quite evident to Seth that the sweet and holy pres- ence of the girl made no impression on the better nature of Ivan Le Clercq. His heart was dead to all the nobler emotions of the human heart. <A look of impudence inounted his face. Even his savage com- panion was possessed of more of the true inwardness of manhood, for a look of admiration overspread his features. * What does the white maiden want with the Boy Chief?’ the young renegade asked, his tone and looks devoid of the first principles of courtesy. “To effectterms of peace,”’ ““How? By blowing my braves into eternity?’ “No,” replied the maiden, ‘‘ we do not wish to do violence; but your warriors would not heed -the counsel of my father. But a repetition of the hor- rible deed can be prevented by a proper understand- ing. My father takes no part in this war. He is neutral and desires to remain so; and had it been a party of whites instead of Indians going to attack im, he would have blown them out of the water all the same.” “What is your father?—what’s he doing on the lake in that craft?” questioned Hawk-Eyes. ‘** Nothing dishonorable,’’ she answered, evasively. “That's, not @ very square answer,” was the rude response, ‘** Tt is all that I feel at liberty to give,” the maiden said, fear manifest in her voice. ae Well, let me hear what propositions for peace you have to make,”’ the renegade observed. “Nothing more than the request. that you with- draw your designs against our home yonder, on the lake, and no harm shall befall a red-man, so far’as we are concerned,”’ was the maiden’s response. “We fear nothing, nor any one,’ was the brutal reply of the Boy Chief. ‘‘The woods and the lakes belong to the rea-man, and it is not for the whites to make conditions regarding them.”’ “I know the Indians are not cowards, and I do not wish to intimidate them. I only ask what is honorable.” ‘What is your father’s name?”’ ““Ncptune,”’ she answered; but Le Clerceq’s ignor- ance of my chology concealed the evasion in her an- swer, “Neptune,” he repeated; ‘‘ well, I will accede to your demands on one condition.”’ “I will be pleased to hear what your wish may me Well, there’s a young girl aboard your boat, isn’t ere?”’ Vishnia started, and hesitated for a moment to re- ply; but finally she said: ‘T have no desire to answer falsely: there isa young girl there—Miss Harris.” Seth’s heart gave ,a great bound. He was afraid that it would betray his presence. Maggie was safe, and that was joy to him. He felt so thankful that he could have kissed the ents of her who brought the glad intelligencé. But his feelings as- come, a different m when he heard the young ef say: “ Deliver that maiden into my power and you and yours shall be molested no more by the Indians.”’ “But that would be against her will,’ said Vish. nia. aa say it would; but no difference about *T would not consent to do a wrong, forif you would hold her a captive against her will, it would be cruel and barbarous,”’ said the maiden. “The Indians are classed as barbarians,” Le Clercq replied; ‘‘so it wouldn’t make any material difference.” . Father will never consent to give her up to her enemies.”” ‘* But I will make him give her up.” ‘“* Do not overestimate your power, young chief.” “Til see to that. I'll just Wold you in hostage till that girl is given up.” Vishnia started, and her face grew pale with fear. This was pcb § | she had not expected, and she saw little chance of escape from her situation. ‘“* Lhave always heard that the Indians were pos- sessed of gallantry, and under such circumstances would treat a woman kindly,” said Vishnia; ‘* but had I known otherwise, I would never have placed nyself at your mercy.” “‘Tam sorry to disappoint you, but the exigenc of this case demands that I hold you a prisoner till Maggie Harris is given up. Black Dog ’’—turning to the Indian—‘ you will take the pale-face girl to our camp.”’ Half reluctantly, the Indian advanced toward the maiden, who, seating herself, attempted to flee. But the Indian was too quick for her. He caught her canoe and dragged it half upon the shore; but, before he had time to contaminate her by his touch, Sure Shot Seth saw the bushes on the opposite side of the path move, and the next instant a toma- hawk, wielded by some unseen person there, fell upon the head of the savage. Like a log, he went down lifeless, falling partly in the water. Hawk- Eyes started back, aghast with fear and horror. He heard the click of a revolver on his left, and the next moment the weapon itself was thrust through the foliage into his very face. But not a word was spoken—not a face was visible to the half-terrified young chief. He fixed his glaring eyes upon the weapon, aud ran them along the arm thrust from the bushes; but he could not tell by whom he was contronted. That it was an ees" with a cool head and steady nerve, however, he had not a doubt. Had he known that he stood at the muzzle of Sura Shot Seth’s revolver, his terror would have been still greater; but Seth did not want him to know it, and so kept still and hidden in the bushes. For fully a minute the young chief stood wincing before the weapon thrust at him like the finger of death; but, seeing the unknown eneniy hesitated to fire, he gathered courage, struck up the muzzle of the weapon, then tuined and darted into the darkness. Then Seth parted the bushes and stepped out into the moonlight on one side of the path, and Hooseah, the Indian lad, appeared from the other. *“* Me kill Sioux brave; why Sure Shot no kill Hawk- Eyes?"’ asked the young friendly, a look of sore re- gret on his face. “I would not fire through fear of bringing dan- zer upon her,’ replied Seth, pointing toward the ittle canoe leaping across the water under the vigor- ous strokes of the fair Vishnia’s paddle. CHAPTER XXIV. é CLOSE QUARTERS INDEED. VISHNIA waited not to learn whom her rescuers were, but wild with fear, she pushed off from the beach and sped toward the stronghold of her father upon the lake. But, after she had had a few mo- ments for thought, and her mind had become some- what composed, she felt a pang of regret for having acted so hastily in leaving her uuknown friends without a word of thanks, after they had saved her. To remedy this, however, was now too late; and she was to remain in ignorance, for the time being, as to the persons who had befriended her. f Seth and Hooseah felt in no way aggrieved by the course she had pursued. In fact, it was just what they wanted, for no sooner was Hawk-lyes free than he gave the alarin that brought a horde of the savages yelling to the water's ed But, all they found was a comrade lying dead, his head cloven by a tomahawk. The two scouts at once beat a hasty retreat along the shore back toward their friends, whom they found in a fever of excitement and anxiety. Set lost no time in communicating to Harris the discov- ery he had made respecting Maggie. ‘Good Lord bless you, boy!" the hap y father exclaimed, wringing Seth’s hand. “It relieves my heart of an awful load to know that my child lives; but now, another fear rises in my mind—the fear ext the madman on that craft may do her vio- ence.”’ ‘Rest easy on that point, Mr. Harris,” said Seth, ‘for I assure you no harm can befall her there; for she has for a companion as fair and lovely a girl as the sun ever shone upon. I heard her refuse to give Maggie to the savages to insure her own and her fa- ther’s safety. No; Maggie is safe; but the mystery surrounding that raft has deeply enlisted my’ inter- est,’ “Then you don’t think the folks on that consarn are crazy, do you, now?” asked Joyful Jim. “Far from it; for if the rest are to be judged by’ that maiden whom Hooseah tells me is Vishnia the Maid of the Valley—she who rescued you at Rock Island, then they are superior beings. ‘By keeping in the vicinity of the lake we may be enalled to un- ravel this mystery. It is true, our assistance ma} be needed at the Agency; but if by remaining here we can hold a score or two of Indians away from there, we will be rendering them a great service; so sup- we now seek some safe quarters and rest easy ill morning?”’ “Nuff said,” exclaimed old Jim, ‘‘for I’m "bout bumfusticated.” All readily acquiesced in Seth’s suggestion, when the party at once moved a mile southward and bivouacked on the margin of the Black Woods. Here they passed the night, and with the first streaks of dawn they were astir. Hooseah brained a deer with his tomahawk, shortly after daylight, which fur- nished a hearty breakfast and an ample supply of food for the needs of the day. Regaled by their brief sleep, and their meal of sav- ory venison, the Boy Brigade felt vigorous, and anx- ious for the day’s excitement to begin. Hooseah and young Tricks being deployed as scouts, the party started back toward the lake. They had proceeded but a short distance when firing was heard in advance, and the peculiar war-cry of Le Subtile Wolf warned the Brigade that danger was very near. ’ In a moment every man and boy sought shelter and the dozen red-skins in pursuit of Hooseah found themselves in an ambuscade of deadly enemies ere they were aware. A short, but desperate ccnflict ensued. The red-skins were routed, and but for the dense shadows of the Black Woods, not a man of them would have escaped. Fierce and terrible the war-cry of the Boy Brigade was hurled after the foe, and wild and démoniacal came the response from the enemy. The Brigade pressed on toward the lake, and at length came in sight ofit. The first thing that met their view was the floating cabin of old Neptune. Smoke was curling from one of the little antnney like boxes on the roof. The door opened, and all saw a little female figure, with & vessel in her hand trip out upon the porch or Po me in front, and dip some water from the e, then re-enter the building. “That was the fair Vishnia,” said Seth.
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“Doin’ up the housework,” added Joyful Jim, with a strange smile. “And yonder,” said Mr. Harris, ‘“‘ you can see a horde of Indians preparing to embark in canoes from the east shore; and, I dare say, they have de- signs upon the palace of old Neptune. ys, can’t we drive them away?” “Neptune will defend himself, Ill guarantee,” said Justin Gray. “Ill venture the assertion that he’s surrounded with torpedoes.” Gaining a point where they could command a full view of the savages, the boys watched their opera- tions with no little interest. And it was soon dis- covered that, in addition to the four canoes which they had brought to Lake Luster during the night, a huge raft of logs was in course of construction. No less than a dozen logs were in the water already, lying at right-angles with the shore, and about three feet apart. Across the ends of these,a long pine stick of timber was placed and firmly lashed to each cross-piece. Another log, but smaller in size, was lashed across the other ends of the under logs, and then the raft seemed to have been completed. Be- tween every two logs, two savages took their posi- tion, their bodies submerged in the water and their heads and shoulders concealed behind the large log lashed across the ends of the others. It was rather a rude, yet effectual raft for the purpose intended, and our friends watched the ao yarations for the attack upon Neptune with no ttle fear and doubt. “Tf they succeed in getting within easy gunshot of Neptuse’s raft, 1 am afraid they will be success- ful in their attempts,’ said Sure Shot. ‘ How- ever, we will walk around that way and perha we'll gei % opportunity to take the red raecals in the rear.” 7 ** Ana perhaps Niptoon,” said old Jim, “ will bring another of them double-geared, voleano contrapshins to mince the varlets into fish-bait.”’ “TI hope so,” said Harris, “but it seems as ome he devils were bound to have my poor onan there goes the raft!” exclaimed young ray. Tie enough, the savages remaining on shore had pushed the raft away from the bank, and slowly and heavily the cumbersome a/fair drifted out, propelled by the feet of those in the water. “Now, boys,” said Seth, “let us hurry around there and do our best for our friends on the lake,” Away they glided like so many shadows and soon came within range of the Indians watching upon the bank. Without a moment's delay they opened a deadly fire upon them. The savages at once sought shelter; but in such a position as to cover the operations of their friends on the lake, Harris kept by the side of the fearless young borderman, Sure Shot Seth. and it was with a feel- ing of the deepest agony that he learned of their inability to prevent the advance of the raft upon the structure that sheltered his child. The Boy Brigade was now in its element agate, Coneealed behind trees, logs and bushes, the fear- less youths watched with eager, burning eyes for a pse of an enemy. They fought the Indians as Indians fight; and as the red-skins were labo under the excitement of a surprise, they ap restless and impatient, and kept dodging hither and thither like rats, exposing themselves to view; and whenever the clear report of a rifle, fired by one of the boys, stung through the morning air, a death-yell was sure to follow. Sure Shot and Harris were where they could command a view of both the Indians’ raft and the floating cabin of old Neptune. They saw the latter come out on the porch or platform of his domicile, stoop over and place something in the water, as on the previous night. . “Now look out!” exclaimed Seth; ‘it’s my opin- ion you'll bear something ‘drop.’ That man has sent another f his infernal machines to intercept them savages.” A savage around the lake fired at the old man but his bullet struck the water several rods short of iis mark, skimmed along the surface and sunk near the floating cabin. A derisive laugh rung from the lips of the intended victim. About this time a canoe containing a number of warriors put out from the northern shore; but they t Precoehes the raft. in a rather cautious manner, their eyes searching every foot of the crystal depths before them. Seth and Harris watched the raft closely for some minutes. Slowly and heavily it crept on through the water. At times it seemed to stand still, and the patience of the watchers became sorely pressed; but at length they saw the log that protected the savages shoot suddenly into the air, followed by a perfect mountain of water. Then athwart the morning burst an awful, pent-up roar that fairly shook the earth. A perfect maelstrom Bere? to ingulf raft and wet The waters of Lake Luster enJeav- ored to leap from their ved, but fell back with a thunderous surge. Wave after wave rolled with a sullen crash against the shore, and recoiled with a rushing, seething roar, Both savages and raft were lost in the rush of waters; but when the water began to calm down, several of the dusky wretches were seen buffeting the waves in desperat attempts to reach the shore. Those that had started out in the canoe with the ostensible purpose of co-oper- —— wit the raft, tacked about and beat a hasty Old Neptune stood in front of his floating cabin and regained the whole with remarkahl> indiffer- ence; and as soon as the savages had all GERD EATER, two female figures issued from the cabin and stooc Ly his sida, Sure Shot Seth. An exclamation of joy burst from the lips of Mr. Harris, for he saw that one of them was his own lost child, Maggie. Seth’s heart, too, gave a great bound, but he kept back the words of oy and love that rose to his lips. For a moment the father and lover watched the ge on the cab.n porch, but suddenly the crash of rifles drew their attention aside, and when they looked out upon the lake again, the three forms had disappeared inside their defense. Rendered furious by their defeat upon the lake, the savages massed their forces and turned against their persistent foe, the Boy Brigade, A sharp and vigorous firing was opened, though with what result neither party was enabled to determine, for the shadows of the Black Woods were deep, almost, as a subdued twilight. It soon became eviaent, however, that the Indians were gradually working in behicd | the Brigade, with the intention of surrounding it, | and Sure Shot Seth, seeing their danger, at once gave the sound for the Brigade to scatter and seek | safety in flight. Instantly, almost, he saw his friends gliding away; and taking the lead, he and Mr. Harris fled also. | They started south, but had proceeded only a short | distance when, to their surprise and horror, they be- held a dozen savages coming directly toward thee. To their left the woods were now swarming with the foe, apparently intent upon the capture of Sure Shot Seth. ehind, the latter knew, the way was cut off while the lake on the right completed the circle of danger menacing them. They stopped and glanced around them, ‘What will we do?—where shall we go?” asked | Harris. Seth glanced out upon the lake. A few yards from the shore he beheld a large log—one of the tim- bers of the savages’ ars apa. on the water. Its presence seemed to suggest an idea to the re who, AS ear sod his companion to follow, toward the lake. “Secure your rifle and swim for that log, Harris,” a young rifleman cried, as they approached the shore. Instantly their weapons were secured, and plung- ing into the water they swam like beavers for the log in question. The savages, with frightful yells, came rushing toward the savre, and several of them succeeded in getting a shot at the fugitives; but they acted with such haste aud excitement that no injury was sustained by the whites. In afew minutes more the latter had got in be- hind the log, enough of which was above the water to afford ample protection to their heads from In- dian bullets. Still, they were in no way beyond dan- er. The savages could poe, swim out to them, as hey were not over a hundred yards from shore, and moving quite slow. “We must widen the distance between us and the shore, Mr. Harris,” Seth said; “lay bey hands upon the log, kic« against the water, and let us swim and pull the log after us. It’s our only salvation.” “But we are between two fires,” said Harris. ‘Suppose the man on the raft sends one of his in- fe machines down upon us?” “I apprehend no Ganges from that source. He was standing on his cabin porch when we entered the lake; and I think he will see the situation at once, and, knowing we are enemies to the savages, will render us assistance. At any rate, I believe we had better attempt to reach the a Sane: “Just as you say, Seth,” answered ris. They at once set the log in motion by swimming along Lackward and pulling it after them; and when fully under headway it required, but little effort to keep moving. Seth thrust his head up over the log and saw that not less than three-score of Indians had assembled on the beach; he saw that great excitement prevailed among them; and, at length, he saw a number, stripped to the waist, plunge into the water an swim toward them. “ Now, Harris, we must work,” said Seth; “a number of the red demons are swimmin reey. toward us. If we sme! dare get from behind loz, we could swim as fast as they; but—” The clear, stinging report of a rifle rung out be- hind them, cutting short the youth’s words. Gian- | cing back over their shoulders they beheld old Neptune were) in front of his cabin with a rifle in his hand. Mr, I uneasiness clouded the face of our hero. A shiver ran over the forms of each as they saw the myste- | rious old man raise his weapon and aim it directly toward them. I report stung through the air. Our friends both “ducked” their heads, for they heard the builet whistle close to their ears; but the horrible shriek of agony that went up from the red- skin’s lips told who the object of the old man’s ~ vengeance had been. Seth again ventured to peer over the log toward the shore. He saw one of the warriors who started after them, struggling in his death throes in the water. The savages onshore saw the young rifleman raise his head, and almost instantly a shower of bullets | converged in a focus about where his face disap- peared behind the log. Some of them spattered | ainst the log,some chipped the bark, and others whistled over within two hone of his head. Sure Shot, however, had been enabled to see that the | savages Swimming after them were not over fifty yards away. The fugitives redoubled their efforts to escape, | °. now that they felt encouraged by the attempt of Neptune to come to their assistance, The reports of his rifle now followed each other in such rapid suc- cession that they were convinced he possessed a re- peater, but when a double report finally pealed out, arris turned pale, while a look of | A puff of smoke wes seen, then the | 15 | Seth turned and glanced toward the cabin to see | who this second defender was. ‘I'o his surprise he beheld the form of the lovely Vishnia, standing by her father’s side, calmly reloading a rifle whose | barrel glinted in the sunshine lice polished silver. | “Ah, friend Harris!” exclaimed Seth, “‘we have another friend in the old hermit’s daughter.” | “Weneed all the friends we can get now, Sure Shot!” said Harris, “for Iam inclined to think we | are in a narrow strait, or will be if the enemy over- | take us in this water.”’ ““Yes, we are, by heayens!’’ cried the young bor- derman, glancing over their defense, “for here comes two jogs, one behind the other, and both par- | allel with our own; and, I dare say, a dozen savages are behind each. If we'are overtaken, it will be alt | day with us,” “Work, men, work for your lives!” came a deep- toned voice from the cabin on the lake—the voice of old Neptune, “Would to heaven he could get one of his infer- nal machines down against them loge,” said Harris, ‘*Our log would intercept it,” said Seth, “and the red demons know it well enough.”’ ““Yoop! yoop! stiffen ver sinners, boys! Brace up, for here comes ole Joyful Jim to the rescue! Scat, | yered sulphurians, or another voleano will bu’st in | yer midst!’ | ‘The fugitives bent. their eyes to the left and saw | the old trader, Joyful Jim, coming rapidly toward them ina canoe, The Indians had opened fire upon him, with the ‘“.* of frightening him back, but all | to ~o purpose, for their bullets fell wide of the mark. At the same instant, however, a deafening yell came from the vorthern shore of the lake, Six In- dians had embarked in a canoe from that point, and each being provided with a paddle, they bid fair to get between the cabin and our two friends in the water, Old Jim saw the danger and pulled with all his might for his friends, finally reaching them. He succeeded in getting them aboard, then turned to- ward tho cabin of old Neptune. But, to their sur- prise and horror, they saw that the Indian canoe was standing directly between. ‘Gosh annihilate the lopin’ devils! they've squared their festerin’ karkasses atwixt us and that cabin, and so we'll have to skin out for other quarters,” He turned and pulled toward the south shore. | Seth took up old Jim's gun and opened fire on the savages in the canoe. iring from the cabin had | ceased, and both the old man and his daughter had sought the cover of their domicile. For some reason or other, the savages in the canoe made no attempt to follow; and as soon as the latter | discovered this, they came to a halt to watch the movements of the vero ’ ; Tie red-skins behind the logs soon came up to th canoe. A short conference was held, when all head-' ed for the cabin of old Neptune. “Now, by the great horned frogs!’’ exclaimed | Jim, ‘**I s*pose you see what's in their mullet heads. | Ireckon as what you perceive what ’em rare floweré | of Satan’s propagation are gorin’ to do, don't yet Great walls of he temples! how I do wish a torpedo | | *d bu’st under that canoe and spatter them red -skins all over the northern sky. Hoot! by jings! they’re gorin’ to have to fight for the cabin; the old man’s opened his b ttery on the sweet-scented larkspurs.” True enough, old Neptune had cpmer a vigorous firing upon the red-skins from loop-holes the side of his cabin. Two or three of those in the canoe tumbled lifeless in the lake, while the remainder sought safety behind the advancing logs. “ Boys,” said Seth, “‘we must not desert our un- known friends in the cabin.” ““No; to be sure we must not,” said Jim, turning the canoe. Seth and Harris's rifles had been rendered useless | by their long submersion, but the former took old Jim's rifle and opened a slow, but destructive fire | upon the heads behind the moving logs. But the red-skins seemed determined in their efforts to cap- ture the cabin of the old hermit of the lake. They pores on—they soon came alongside the cabin. hen they swarmed up out of the water upon the Jlatform in front of the door and upon the roof. lie blows cf tomahawks, the crash of rifles, the | yells of vengeance and groans of agony mingled in a horrible din, | Old Jim pressed as close as he dare—-o close that be was enabled to use his revolvers. ‘‘he savages, raped of every garment save their loin-cloths, climbed and wriggled up the steep, smooth inclin- | ation of the cabin, like huge maggots, then slippin | and tumbling back—some dead, some wowed: some unhurt—plunged into the wat: Puffs of smoke burst from the side .f the cabin, followed by stunning reports. Streaks of blood ran | down the side of the building and stained the crys- | tal waters of the lake. But like so many ravenous | wolves upon a helpless, wounded deer the savages | a ht for admittance and the blood of the old man within. | But, suddenly, a wild cry of horror burst from every lip, and the savages sprung away from the | cabin as if stung by ions, | Our three friends saw the eabin of old Neptune | reel upon the water like a crunken thing, then to | their amazement and horror saw it sink beneath the waves of Lake Luster with its helpless,-imprisoned | inmates! CHAPTER XXvV. THE FACE BENEATH THE WATERS. A @roan burst from the lips of Sure Shot Seth and old Jim, while a wail of the most h ng avuny escaped the lips of the settler, Mr. Harris, when
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ne _with all the e 16 they saw the cabin that contained their friends go down in the lake. ““Oh,my poor child! my poor child!” cried the bereaved father, starting up as if to leap in the water. ‘*May Heaven smite their destroyers with its most terrible vengeance!’ moaned Seth, sick at heart. “Can’t we help them?’ cried Harris; “can we not—” “No, Harris,” said old Jim, “we can do ’em no good, See, the red demons are *bout to turn to’rds us. We must flee from, instead of going closer to, the fiends.” True enough; the savages, satisfied of having destroyed the cabin of old Neptune and its inmates turned toward our three friends in the boat flushed with their recent victory. A number of them had entered their canoe, while the rest, getting hold of the logs that had afforded them a bulwark in com- is Grek pushed out for Sure Shot Seth and his riends, Old Jim dipped the paddle and set the canoe in motion. Seth continued to load and fire upon the red-skins; while Harris, with a look of the deepest agony upon his face, watched the spot where the eabin had gone down, and from whence the waves were still circling outward, and hundreds of bubbles were boiling and su g up. - Every vestige of the cabin had disappeared be- neath the lake save the four chimney tops; and of these, but a few inches were visible above the waves, There was no possible hope for the inmates of the cabin; and, sick and sorrowing at heart, Har- ris turned his back upon the grave of his child. Old Jim sat silently plying the paddle, a strange smile—half-bitterness, alt foy—resting upon his face, They moved toward the southern shore, pur- sued by the savages. The latter, however, relin- quished their chase as soon as they came in gun-shot of the beach, for the rest of the Boy Brigade was oor sight, ready to cover the landing of their friends, The red-skins withdrew to the eastern shore, and in a few minutes Lake Luster was deserted of every semblance of life. Even its shores seemed resigned to solitude. Under cover of a clump of trees the Boy Brigade held a council, their hearts overshadowed by the dis- aster on the lake. « Rida, Me here now,” said Justin Gray, “ since we sd oF no avail to the inmates of the floating cabin? ““ We owe the dead as well as the livin’ a duty,” said old Jim, thoughtfully, yet with a strange smile upon his face. “Yes, it is a duty—a Christian duty we owe the dead to give them a Christian burial,” declared Sure Shot Seth. Mr. Harris bowed his head and wept, too full of grief for utterance. And so it was decided that they remain by the lake until the bodies could be rescued from their confine- ment, and interred. Seth and Harris hastened to put their guns in con- dition for use; for an attack from the red-skins was momentarily expected. Fortunately, however, they were disappointed. Not a red-skin was seen dur- ing the day; but that they were about, and busily engaged in concocting some trap to catch their ene- mies, the Brigade had not a single doubt; and so never permitted their vigilance to relax for a mo- ment. To remain inactive, however, was a persecution in itself to the little band of bordermen; and as the hours wore heavily on, propositions for some move- ment were presen yy various persons. All were decided in the negative until Seth announced an adventure omg ee ye eh ot ep he roposed to go, himself, upon the lake, and examine the situation of the sunken cabin, leaving his friends ashore to cover his movements, should the savages make any demonstration against him, No one could see any material danger in this, and so the young rifleman at once embarked in the canoe, still in their possession, for the scene of death, He used the paddle with remarkable skill, and sent the craft fi ng over the water. He was guided toward the ph spot by the four square chimney-tops protruding above the water. The surface of the lake was smooth and tranquil, and shone like polished silver under the oblique rays of the declining sun. As the youth neared the spot where the craft went down, his heart almost ceased to beat, while a sense of indescribable horror stole over him. He realized more fully the bitterness of his heart’s crushed hopes —the sad awakening of loye’s young dream. Nerv- ing up, however, he gee softly on toward the four chimneys—now the monument to his sweet- heart’s watery grave. He soon came within five feet of the chimneys, when he ceased dling and permitted his boat to come to a rest. e gazed over. the side of his craft into the water. Its liquid depths were clear as crys- tal. He could see the bottom of the lake, and the lower edge of the sunken cabin. He turned and looked over the other side of his boat. He started back with a cry of horror. Beneath him lay the cabin. There was @ small glass window or skylight in the roof, and at this window, her hands clutched hold of the lower sill, her white, ghastly face uplifted ion of terror that death could stamp thereon, he beheld Maggie Harris, standing erect, rigid and motionless. CHAPTER XXVI. SURE SHOT CAUGHT AT LAST. “On, Heaven!” burst from the youth’s lips, as he beheld the face of his dead darling at the dow of the sunken cabin. He turned his eyes away, unable to look upon the ghastly scene. But, he could not drive from his mind the ghastly face, the eyes that were staring wide open; the flowing locks of hair; and the look of despair that he had seen at the window. For a moment or two he sat motionless, para- lyzed. A shrill, quavering whistle rung upon his ear. He started—he ag gs it as the warning of danger that belonged to the Boy Brigade’s code of signals. He glanced around him, and, to his sur- prise and fear, beheld three canoes, loaded with savages, put out from different points around the lake and move rapidly toward him. Taking up his addle he headed toward his friends, while two of he canoes bent their course to cut him off from shore. This, Seth knew, they would almost accom- lish, considering their advantages, were it not for is friends, who would leave nothi undone to cover his retreat. But, scarcely had he considered this self-assuring fact, ere the report of firearms, mingled with yells and shouts, came from the direc- tion in which he was going, telling him that the enemy had attacked the Brigade and that he could look for no succor from that quarter. What had pg a quiet, uninterrupted visit to the grave of his sweetheart, now threatened to be a dangerous adventure. With no one to keep the In- dians back, he could not reach a landing-place be- fore they came in rifle range. He knew by the rapid evs S and the fierce, savage yells in the woods, that his friends were being sorely pressed; and, as he had to depend wholly upon his own exer- tions for safety, he turned his boat and attempted to escape between the canoe to the south and that to the east of him. He worked as he never worked before. The piration poured from his face; the blood leaped in hot currents through his veins; and his nerves seemed ftrung to nerves of steel. The elastic blade in his hands bent like a bow; the canoe fairly leaped under each powerful stroke, and a white, frothy streak across the lake defined the wake of the boat. For awhile, — hope of escape encouraged the young rifleman in his almost superhuman efforts; ut, in an instant, all was dashed to the earth, the paddle fell from his hands, and he sunk half lifeless n the canoe, a stream of hot blood spurting from his nostrils. Nature had been overdone, An artery had been ruptured, and what of life the hemorrhage left, was now in ession of his implacable foe, Hawk-Eyes, the Boy Chief, Weak and still bleeding, Sure Shot Seth was taken by the savages and conveyed ashore and out into the be into the midst of a large band of young war- ors. A yell of triumph hailed the captors’ arrival, and a general rush to see the captive followed. th was permitted to sit down, and holding his extended arms above his head succeeded in stopping the flow of blood from his nose. He was literally covered with his own crimson life-tide. The savages ected his misfortune so far as an Indian can respect a wounded enemy. No indignities were visited upon him; but many, fierce and vindic- tive, were their threats. Seth ran his eyes over the faces of his captors for that of the Boy Chief; but it was nowhere to be seen. Presently, however, that young renegade made his 2 tate with a number of others from around the lake. As he pressed through the crowd of sav- ages surrounding Seth, a cry of abject fear burst from his lips when he caught sight of the prisoner. He st. back, at first, as if from the presence of one he feared, but quickly recovering and concealing all trepidation from his braves, he advanced to where our hero sat. “Sure Shot Seth,” he said, half to himself. Seth raised his eyes, while a cry of surprise burst from the red-skin’s lip. “Who are you that knows me ?”” demanded Seth, “and speaks English so well?” “We met last on the morning of the shooting- match at the Agency,”’ was the chief’s response. Seth knew it, but pretended ignorance. *“T have no recollection of you,” he answered. “ Well, you will know me when you see me again, TI assure you.” “ Ah, that’s a threat,’ Seth replied, with disdain. “None but a coward would mock and threaten a prisoner.” “You are my prisoner—you, the leader of a band under whose rifles scores of my braves have fallen,” returned the chief. “Tt has been a fair, free fight. You have the odds, and if you get whipped, you have no reason to eom- plain,’’ returned the fearless boy rifleman, “Then if you get scalped and roasted, I suppose ‘Ul have no reason to complain?” ““Of nothing more than that it was done at the in- stance of a cowardly knave—a white red-skin, whose name is Ivan Le Clereq,’’ said Seth, contémptuously, “and who, with Benedict Arnold and Judas Iscariot. or ‘Eo down to posterity in history base hound and “ye “But the historian will never know the fate of Sure Shot Seth, he who played it well the day of the shooting-match; but I wasn’t asleep.” “Coward ! you believed me dead till you met me here, a minute ago; and fearing the vengeance of the law, you fled—deserted your own people and en- deavored to coax your four white friends agg Asta you; and for all I know suc ed, after having sneakingly murdered Abe Thorne. You are a vile wretch—too vile even for an Indian.” The Boy Chief started as if thunderstruck at these words; but he saw that his manifestations of fear brought looks of derision and to the faces of his followers, and so he rallied his spirit of bravado, and replied: “Sure Shot Seth, you know too much to live.” “And you too little to die.” ‘** And, therefore,” the chief continued, “I shall - that you do not escape this time. Nor your band either.” He turned aside and held a short, inaudible con- sultation with his braves. When the pow-wow had ended, Hawk-Eyes took the majority of his warriors and left, going toward the lake. Seth felt sure that the Boy Brigade was the objective point of this movement. Those left in charge of the prisoner finally took him and moved away toward the lake also. On reaching the water they embarked in a canoe for the interior of the lake. Two other savages in a canoe, that was sunk to its gunwales under a load of stones, followed behind. A third canoe with three occu- pants, towing behind a huge log by means of a rope made of fibrous bark, followed the second. When about one hundred yards from the sunken cabin of Neptune, the canoe of the prisoner stopped. The second ran alongside of it, though leaving a few feet of space between into which the third party towed the logs. Something of the truth now entered Seth’s mind and sent a shudder through his veins. He believed he was to be lashed to the log and left to die, where his friends, as well as his enemies, could witness his agonies, and yet render him no assistance. Nor was he left in a moment’s doubt. The red-skins lifted him from the canoe and laid him back down upon the log. "He was then bound with strips of tough fibrous bark as securely as though he was a part of the log itself. His hands were doubled cake the log and bound so that he could not move a muscle. long rope of bark was next attached to the log and the canoe loaded with rock. Then the bottom of the canoe was cut through in several places; the craft filled with water and sunk to the bottom of the lake, securely anchoring the log in the center of the little sheet. Having completed their fiendish work, the sava- ges retired to the woods to await the result, Seth at once saw through the whole of this devilish work; they had set a trap for the rest of the Bri- gade. Exposed as he was, the red-skins knew full well that friends would discover his situation and endeavor to relieve him, when they—the sava ges—would pounce down upon them from. their coverts along the shore like hawks upon a brood, Seth’s hands and feet were in the water, and as a strong breeze now disturbed the surface of the lake, tiny waves dashed against the log and sprinkled their spray over him. Rendered weak with the loss of blood and the terror of his situation, this exposure affected him greatly. He could not turn his head; he could not move a muscle; nor could be breathe with half his usual freedom. He could see no but thesky, from which the light of day was fas fading, for by this time the sun one down, He saw long, “mare tail” clouds stretched across the sky, which were a forewarning of a night of wind. As the twilight shadows deepened around him, he summoned his strength and sent forth the bri- gade’s signal of distress. It was answered from the northern shore: but the answer was immediately followed by the report of a rifle—evidence that the savages were in close proximity to the Brigade. Darkness at length fell. e sky was overcast with swift-moving clouds. The wind swept across the Black Woods and tossed the surface of the lake into tiny billows. Seth was soon drenched to the skin and chilled to the marrow. An inevitable death stared him in the face. Wave after wave broke over him. He rose and fell and tossed like an egg- shell on the crest of the billows. The rush and roar of the elements drowned all other sounds, Deep, black and boundless as eternity grew the darkness around him. A thousand vague and awful horrors crowded upon his soul. Strange visions rose up be- fore him and hovered like spirits around. Strange icy arms were clasped around him like hoops o steel. Then followed an awful roaring and the sen- sation of being swept away into the illimitable depths of eternity. Down, down, deeper and dee into the unknown void he felt himse: sinking—that buzzing roar gradually dissolving into the notes of far-off music, sweet and eee and finally fading into that oblivion which knows no pain, no suffering —the hand-maid of Death, CHAPTER XXVIL THE SILENT SLAYERS OF THE LAKE. Wrrn anxious, eager hearts the Boy Brigade watched their young leader depart upon his explor- ing expedition. They watched him as he glided out over the glassy waters of the lake tow the spot where the floating-cabin of Neptune went down, never dreaming that lynx-eyed danger lurked in ambush for him until they saw the three canoes loaded with savages put out from different points around the shore. At that time Seth was in the vicinity of the sunken craft; and con to his usual precaution, ap- peared not to see his peril; whereupon, Hooseah | and the signal of danger. In a moment Seth n is retreat, and the B e prepared to cover it; but, ed the most ae Pers a score of savages charged upon them from the woeds, com them to seek shelter in the sooees shuderae bask from the lake. This they lost no timein d and had the good fortune to stumble into a “ win ” —a number of trees uprooted and piled in such away as to afford a temporary defense. The sav- ages endeavored to dislodge them from their retreat, but were met with such vigorous resistance that the were compelled to relinquish their object and geek shelter from the unerring rifles of the rigade. The latter now had a moment's respite to enumer- regrets of all, ate their casualties. To the fear an one of the band, Teddy O’Roop, the Irish lad, was
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SS missing; and there was not a doubt left in the mind of any one but that he had been killed. Two others had n slightly wounded; and the worst of ail, their beloved young leader wos, ere this, in the power of his cruel enemy. Nothing but the inter- vention of Providence could save him. The yells that finally rose along the lake told that their worst fears had been realized—Seth was a ca; tive. Disasters were falling thick and fast upon the Boy Brigade, ‘ . ‘* What do you suppose the fate of Sure Shot will be?” asked Harris. : , ““No doubt a horrible death,” replied Justin Gray, A look of sadness overspread each countenance anc a solemu grief trembled uponeach lip. Still the courage of the little band did not flag. Taught by Sure Shot Seth. and they were coming almost directly toward. the boys, who touched their lances twice, then drew them back, and when the canoe came up, thrust the weapons forward into two of the upright figures within it. A yell of agony burst from the warriors lips, and a momentary confusion followed. The un- suspecting warriors knew not from whence those death blows had come, so silently had they been dealt, so dark was the pabtone The paddlers dropped their blades, and assisted their comatose with the two struggling in the agonies @f death. This left the canoe within reach of the Beaver and Le Subtile Wolf, who, following up the advantage gained, launched their terrible weapons through the darkness again. ‘!'wo more of the six had been stricken down by the deadly sting of death; and be- past experience and similar trying circumstances, | fore the others could recover from their fear hey resolved to put forth every effort in behalf o ud consternation, the fina: blow had been struck their young friend and leader—to risk life and limb | and the two desperate boys had won a signal vic- in an attempt to save him, aS p As nothing had been seen of their enemies since hen assured that they had nothing more to tear entering the. ‘‘ windfall,’ Hooseah was sent out to | of those in the canoe, t ey swam alongside of the reconnoiter, He soon returned and announced the | boat and threw themselves into it. To consign the way clear to the lake, The sayages had doubtless | bodies to the troubled waves was but the work of a withdrawn to join their friends in their fiendish tri- | moment, then each laying his lance by his side, took umph over the capture ot*Sure Shot Seth. The up a paddle, Brigade left their retreat and. stole back to the shore It required some moments now for them to get of the lake. They found the litle sheet deserted; | their course, for in the silent and deadly encounter not a sign of Seth, his canoe, or the savages could be | they had lost their bearings. When assured they seen. were right, they dipped their blades and crept away Scouts were at once sent in opposite directions | through the gloom. 'They were now compelled to arouad the lake, but, before they returned the B.i- | use more precaution than ever, for the water, when gade saw the savages emerze from the forest on the | lying with their ears upon it. was a better conductor opposite side of the la‘e, enter a canoe with Seth, | of sound than the air. Moreover, their elevation and row out upon the water. Half an hour later | rendered it more difficult to discern objects around they saw the object of this movement. Setbhad | them. But they felt themselves equal to the occa- been left almost in the middle of the lake, bound to | sion, being greatly encouraged by their recent vic- a log anchored there, by some means or other, tory. It had been a part of their programme to The object of the red-skins was evident; it was | maneuver for the capture of a canoe in which to con- the capture of any one who might attempt Seth’s | vey their friend ashore, should they succeed in re- rescue, And, as the Brigade was now withouta boat | leasing him. It was this that they had in view when of any kind, and the water was growing ro it | they constructed the deadly weapons they carried would | be next to impossible to reach their friend by | with them, swimming. There was such a harmony of instincts in these To and fro beneath the forest shadows, the little | two boys, trained as they had been together, that band paced uneasily, suffering all the excruciating | they had not spoken a dozen words since leaving the misery that the predicament of their young cap shore. The touch of their lances had kept them to- could force upon them. I said all; this, however, | gether, and any sudden movement of the weapon by was not the case, exactly. Old Joyful Jim sat down | one seemed to convey his thoughts to the other as and with that grim, queer smile that had been no- | naturally as one conveys words upon the electric ticed before, on different occasions, upon his face, psp * . With their minds centered upon the one he watched the helpless young rifleman, great object of mercy, it was natural enough that “My God, boys!” Justin Gray finally exclaimed, | the details followed in intuitive harmony. One his face marked by desperation, “1 can stand thisno | made no movement that did not “dove-tail,” as it longer; Seth mag be saved! I will swim out there were, with the other’s, and with this silent and per- and release him, if I die for it.” ect sameness of action, which was, in a manner, *“‘Wuss than useless to undertake to swim out thar | characteristic of the whole Brigade, had they been now,” said old Jim. “ Jist wait; it’llsoon be tark; | enabled to accomplish so much in the gloom. then mebby some of us can make it.” They moved on, and were finally n the spot “But, he may be dead by that time,” persisted | where they had last seen Seth tossing on the waves, Gray. when the sound of voices fell upon their ears. “Don't fool yerself; Seth’s not goin’ to give up so | They at once ceased paddling, and holding the easy as that. I never see’da boy that was as chuck, | blades so that their boats might not drift back, the jam full of life as that Seth. No, them ‘tarnal brim- | listened. They could hear the audible dip of a pad- stonites don’t want him dead till they git us; there- | dle, mingled with a voice speaking English. The fore, we want to save caloric, and I'll bet Sure | boat of the unknown was crossing the path of our Shot'll live to impale more’n one red-skin on @ sun- | two adventuresome friends, and when nearly oppo- beam.” P site the prow of their boat, they heard the person “I wish I knew that youspoke praphesioatiy. Jim,” —- say: ; said Gray, puzzled by the indifferent view the old ex- I tell ye, I've jist all Ican do to keep that trader took of the matter, and the coolness he had | Boy Brigade off the scent. I've been afraid, a time manifested all along. or two, that they’d find out the little game I’m “Wait and you'll was the answer.” te They did wait until darkness set in; but time had A shadder thrilled through the forms of the two scemed to lag so wearily that all hope of Seth's es- cape had about died out. It seemed impossible for him to have lived so long. Highs shut every object from view upon the lake; and only the roar of the wind and the oan of the woods broke upon the eager ears of the little band. Old Jim left the Brigade with the avowed purpose of reconnoitering the northern shore of the lake; while Hooseah and Justin Gray prepared to swum out to Seth’s rescue, be the result what it might. These two boys had no superiors in werenennis and upon several occasions had displayed almos superhuman strength and endurance, as well as wonderful feats, in the water. They were well aware of the dangers and difficulties they would have to combat; but there was no ne ty, no hardship they would not undeitake in behalf of their beloved youn, leader, So, they divested themscives of most 0 their clothing, and having securely fa tened their ‘unting knives to the ends of long, slender rods, nhey “put to sea.”? They swam side by side, lying apon their backs, their hands and arms submerge their hastily improvised lances slightly elevated and the points touching like the antenna of insects. The darkness was intense, and as the lake was rib- bed and furrowed by waves, Le Subtile Wolf and the Beaver experienced considerable unpleasantness as they cut their way through the water, side by side. They could just distinguish each other’s presence alcng the surface of the water. They guided them- Selves by the wind and waves They had gone near- ly a hundred yards when a sound fell upon the ears of the Beaver that caused him to start. It was the dip of a paddle. Le Subtile Wolf answered in a similar manner, when both at oucé became silent and motionless on the water. 3 Without a doubt a canoe was approaching. They could hear the dipof the paddle, and the prow cut- ting the waves. It came closer and closer. ey can now see the dark outlines of the hull, along the surface of the water, and the shadowy out- lines of grotesque figures above it. They know what it means. it is asavage canoe patrolling the lake for oe They prepare to act, for their situation is perilous, | boys, ane Sanne their lances as if to strike. As the boat w nearer and passed on by them, they recognized the voice of the speaker. It was that of Joyful Jim! Was he a traitor to the Boy Brigade? Alas! what else could he have been? CHAPTER XXVIIL JOYFUL JAMES UNDER A CLOUD, Tur Weaver and Le Subtile Wolf continued on until they eayooeed they were in the vicinity of the log to which Seth was bound; but to their surprise and pels they could find nothing of their young friend, They searched the water over and over, but without reward; and were finally compelled to give up the search. Sad and heavy-hearted, they returned to shore with the intelligence of Seth's 2 mre no doubt beneath the waves of the wind-tossed little sea. The Tittle banc was plunged into the deepest gloom, Their hearts sunk within them, and their courage seemed to falter. To add still more to the intensity of their feelings, the words that Justin Gray and Hooseah had overheard upon the lake had been construed into the words of a traitor. “I have often remarked the indifference with which old Jim regarded some things of a serious nature to us,’ said Gray; “ especi things con- nected with this lake.” ‘* Yes,’’ replied Mr, Harris, “I have noticed that on erent occasions.”’ “But,” said Tom Gra: n, inclined to give old Jim the benefit of a doubt, ‘“hasn’t he done things since he has been with us that would be a little un- accountable if he was a traitor to us?” ‘“* Yes; but that has been part of his tactics to mis- ‘He has pretended to serve “Hooh!” exclaimed Le Subtile Wolf, suddenly; “light on lake —see him?” rue enough, a dim light had become visible near the middle of the lake. it shot a long, subdued beam across ‘the water to where our friends stood. lead us,” said Gray. us, while he has a—” ‘H There were, at least, six red-skins in the canoe | It wassuch a light. as shines from a window on a } 17, dark night, and seemed to be elevated a few feet above the surface of the lake. One of the boys decided that it must be a will-o’- the-wisp; but this idea was exploded by the light dis- appearing ever and anon as though forms were pass- ing to and fro between. he boys puzzled themselves over this light for more than an hour, but they could obtain no definite information regarding it and were at length compel- led to give it up and retire to somesafer point in which to pass the weary, dreary hours of night. They sought the *‘ windfall,”’ which had afforded them a safe retreat during the day; and having posted two guards that were to be relieved at intervals of two hours, the rest lay down tosleep and give their tired minds = se. Little sleep, however, closed the eyes of the peril- environed band that night; and when one did fal} into a doze, the vagaries of an excited brain conjured up a thousand horrors and dangers. Slowly and wearily the night dragged away, and with its darkness went many of the terrors born of it. Bright and early the boysall were astir, but not until the rising sun had dispelled every shadow did they venture out of their retreat. aving first partaken of their morning repast, they started toward the lake. They had proceeded but ashort distance when a “chirp ” like that ofa bird overhead caused them all to look et when, to their astonishment, they saw old Joyful Jim re- clining in a sort of hammock attached to a limb, looking as smiling and innocent as a clown in acir- cus. Mechanically the Brigade drew back the hammers of their guns, while a look of sudden surprise and. unutterable scorn mounted their faces. “Careful! careful!’’ exclaimed the old fellow, throwing up his hard; ‘it’s me, Joyful James! Don’t shoot—he—avens!” The last exclamation was occasioned by a ibe. yell not far away, and quick as a flash the Brigade turned and started back to the windfall; while old Jim —— out of his bed and began to scramble down thetreeinahurry. As soonas he had reach- ed the ground, he followed the Brigade, and was nearing the windfall, in which the boys were already ensconced, when a savage with an uplifted toma- hawk sprung from behind a tree and confronted him. As the murderous weapon of the savage de- scended, it was dextrously warded off by the gun- barrel of the white man. But the sudden deviation of the tomahawk, and the force with which it fell upon the gun-barrel, carried both from the hanas of their owners, leaving them face to face and empty- handed. Old Jim expected a shot from the Boy yee ge to. help him out of his difficulty; but as it was not forth- coming, while a dozen Indians behind him were, he saw that he must act with dispatch. He thrust for- ward his bony hands, and seizing the savage by the : throat and waist, raised him aloft as though he were a child, and as Jupiter hurls his thunderbolts against the mountain, so he hurled the red-skin to the earth, crushing the life out of him. Then he grabbed be his rifle and attempted to escape inside the windfall; but before he could do so, three Indians were upon him, and turning, he fought them with the fierce- ness and desperation of a tiger driven at bay. With clubbed rifle he swept the foe down betore him. The breech of the —— snapping off left him the iron berrel, a formidable weapon that crushed and crunched its way through the air around the power that wielded it. The Boy Brigade watched the conflict with aston- ishment. Theysaw the old man in combat with those whom they had decided were his friends. But the thought that they might be mistaken flashed across their minds the instant ee aires sight of his face. It seemed transformed to that of a mad- man. The cords in his neck and face had swelled out almost to bursting. His eyes glowed with the ferocity of a Fury. He seemed endowed with superhuman power as he fought for his life. The iron og om in his hand had become bespattered with the blood of his victims. It fairly dripped with ore. The Brigade saw it. It was enough—it told em that old Jim was no friend to the red-skins, and in another moment they were out of their covert to the rescue of the brave and heroic old man. The red-skins were at once driven away; and with Jim, the Brigade sought their shelter again. Here the old ex-trader sunk down, weak and helplers, al- most as if stricken with paralysis. His nervous sy s- tem had been strung to such a tension by excitement that the sudden relapse completely prostrated him. The boys supposed he had been wounded, and ran to his assistance, all anxious to serve him. = banc are you hurt Jim?” Justin Gray im: quired. ‘“‘Nowhar in partickler,”’ he answered; “my physi cal stamina’s poin’ back on me, that’s all. ut didn’t I make the claret fly, though, outer them 1 ed- skins? Shades of the Temple! I never got into sich a muss in all my life; and I thought you fellers war never comin’ to help me. Reckon you didn’t want to spile my fun, eh? he boys exchan significant glances, but re- mained quiet. Old Jim finally recovered his strength and rose to his feet, with the announcement that he was him elf again, As the Indians did not make any further demon- stration upon the windfall, the Brigade resolved to leave it and go down to the lake and make some in- quiries regarding the light 7 had seen during the night, as old Jim could say nothing definite regard- t ey struck the lake where they could command a full view of its si rface; and, as they ran their eyes over it, an exclamation burst from every lip. Out near the center of the lake they bebeld the
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| | ct ea res ree re een ee a ae ee oe floating cabin of old Neptune, or one exactly like it, resting calmly upon the placid bosom of the little sheet. From one of its chimneys a thin wreath of smoke was curling, and through the open door, look- ing south, the lithe form of a female was passing to and fro, What did it mean? This was the passed from lip to lip; but no one coul was a mystery within a mystery. CHAPTER XXTX. LIFE IN A NEW WORLD. We left Sure Shot Seth unconscious ay a lo in the middle of the lake, overcome by the loss o blood, cold, and the horrors of his situation. But he was not left alone here to die. Under the canopy of night a canoe crept across the water with two cloaked occupants, who released the youth from the log, took his almost helpless form aboard, and then disappeared in the direction they had come. How long he had remained unconscious Sure Shot Seth had no means of telling; but when reason be- gan to assert its power, it was with a vague uncer- tainty that he regarded his state of existence. He found that he was not in the water nor upon the log, of which he maintained an indistinct reccllec- tion; but upon a soft pallet surrounded by walls, and shadowy forms that were passing around him. The murmur of voices in the distance also assured him of the vague, dreamy existence in some sphere or other: but his mind was so heavy and sy rg that he could not collect his thoughts. Little by little, however, objects around him began to as- sume more tangible and material shape. Out of the shadows of unconsciousness those moving figures gumuets unfolded themselves until he found that é was surrounded by men and women. At length he had so far recovered as to recognize a face bend- ing over him. It was that of Vishnia, the Maid of the Valley. At one side sat her father, old Nep- tune. ith their presence was connected some vague horror. He closed his eyes and tried to recall the past. One by one the events of the last few days came trooping back; and when at length a remembrance of the sinking of old Neptune's cabin, with all on board, ente his mind, a cry burst from his lips. They lived as he did himself; but was it not in another sphere? They had surely been drowned in Lake Luster and passed into another existence. He had met with a similar fate on the log where the savages had left him. This expla- nation seemed cogent enough to him; but as an- other thought ed into his mind, he started up, eryin out: ‘Where is she? Maggie?”’ “Here,” responded a soft voice, and Maggie Har- ris or. before him, her face radiant with love uestion that answer. It and joy. ; es “iden we are all here,” he said, sinking back upon his couch, a greek load seeming to have been re- moved from his brain. “Yes, Seth, we are all safe in the cabin of Nep- cone answered Maggie, speaking in a low, gentile oiee. . * But have we all not undergone a change? we are not on earth, are we?’’ the half-delirious youth asked; ‘ you were all drowned when the cabin sunk, were you not?” “No, Seth,’’ answered e, ‘“we were not drowned. This is a wonderful structure. Neptune sunk it at his pleasure to save us from the ananese. Every opening can be hermetically sealed, so that no water can enter the rooms. It was Neptune that rescued you and brought you here. You have long been unconscious.” Her words swept away the cloud that hovered over the youth’s mind; and ina moment he was in full possession of his senses. He opened his eyes and azed around him, He saw that the room was nice- i furnished. The walls, which gradually sloped rom the floor to the apex overhead, were heavily painted and varnished. A small sheet-iron stove oc- cupied one end of the long room. In one corner were cooking utensils and dishes. Further down the room was a table covered with books. In the other end was a sort of a stand or work-bench, upon which lay an almost countless number of tools, A machine—apparently unfinished—of some kind or other, and composed of innumerable cogs, wheels and pulleys, stood upon the table. On the floor near the bench were the other parts of complicated machinery, which were evidence themselves of the occupation of old Neptune. Under the table were two rubber canoes, one large, one small. Near the center of the room was something that puzzled our hero. It wasa huge box with a crank on one side and a fly-wheel on the other. But what could it be used for? At first he concluded that it was some apparatus for propelling the floating cabin, if such the domicile might be termed; but, further investigation revealed a long rubber hose dying oiled at the foot of the machine, and whith led to oeappoenen that it was used for manipulating the er: In addition to these things, some wea: pees two or three rifles, a guitar, some beautiful pictures, a couple of pallets and some other articles and orna- ments composed the furniture of the strange place. Three windows, of but a single large pane each, lighted the room, while overhead were four open- ings, one of which served as a chimney, the others pg aor nig strange structure; but in t was a ruc ; bu per- fect keeping with the wild mysterious air that sur- rounded its owner, old Neptune, and his fair and lovely daughter, Vishnia. There was nothing to fear in the old man’s looks on the con there was a ma y in his tall form, his intellectual face and pa’ beard, that commanded respect and admiration. His dar gray eyes, massive brows and expressive mouth. carried the expression of a deep thinker and pro- found student of nature with them. He came and sat down by Seth, administered stimulants to him, and at the same time kept up an easy pleasant eonversation. The former strengthened his body, the latter his mind; and in the course of a few hours the youth was on his feet. Neptune con- ducted hinyto the door and out upon the porch, from whence he ‘had a fair view of Lake Luster and the surrounding shores. He searched the latter for some signs of his friends; but saw nothing, The beach seemed entirely deserted. ‘*I wonder if my friends are alive?” he said to the old man. “They were at ten o’clock last night,” replied Neptune, ‘‘and I think they had a conflict with the savages this morning, for I beard a sharp firing over on the west shore.”’ “The savages seem determined on the destruction of the Boy Brigade,” said Seth, seriously. “Yes; and the floating-palace of old Neptune.” ** But you can outwit them when we cannot.” The old man burst into a peal of laughter. Seth continued: “Your residence here is a wonderful structure. Its mechanism surpasses my comprehension.” “No doubt of it, my boy; but if you will come with me inside, I will explain the whole thing to you in a’batisfactory manner.” As they turned to go in, Seth caught sight of a savage standing on the eastern shore; and by his dress, recognized him as Hawk-Eyes, the Boy ef. CHAPTER XXX, PRINCIPLE OF THE FLOATING CABIN. WHEN Seth and Neptune entered the cabin, Vish- nia was playing upon the harp from which she had called forth such ravishing strains a few nights pre- vious on Rock Island. The old man motioned Seth to a seat, then sat down himself, and burying his face in his hands remained silent until his dhiighter had ceased playing. Then, raising his h and nervously ecg, e his fingers through his gray locks, he took a book from the shelf near at hand, and turning to Seth, read, in a clear voice, as follows: “PRINCIPLES OF FiLoTatTion.—When a body is plunged into a liquid, it is urged downward by its prope weight, an aware by the buoyant effort of he liquid. If the ensity of the immersed body is the same as that of the liquid, its weight will be equal to the ant effort of the liquid, and it will remain in equilibrium wherever it. may be placed. If the density of the body is greater than that of the liquid, its weight will be greater than the buoyant effort and the body will sink to the bottom. the a of the body is less than that of the liquid, its weight will be less than the buoyant effort, and the body will rise to the surface. e body will con- tinue to rise until the weight of the displaced liquid equals that of the body, when it will come toa rest.” ‘*Now,’’ said the old man, closing the book, “ these are the philosophical principles upon which my craft here is constructed. I have always been a firm be- liever in the ability of talent and genius to construct a submarine house and boat in which people may live and travel under water as well as on the sur- face of the earth and water. The former I have de- monstrated to mij satisfaction. In the first place, I had a reservoir constructed thirty feet long, twelve feet wide, and twelve inches deep. Its os mage 1 therefore, is three hundred and s cubic feet. It was made air-tight, and provided with stop-cock and faucets, and loaded with stone until its density was almost equal to that of the water. Then on to of this reservoir this cabin was erected, and the ad- ditional weight caused the reservoir to sink still deeper so that a part of the cabin is submerged. You can see that the threshold of the door is two feet above the floor, which bri the line of flota- tion nearly the same hight above the floor, so that a portion of the cabin is always under water. cabin, as you saw, was covered with galvanized sheet-iron, all soldered together, and the door and windows made to close hermetically. As the amount of water displaced by the air chamber, below, is ome to the weight of the aye gee part of the cabin, all I have to do, to sink the whole concern is to open a faucet and let the reservoir fill with water, when down we go. The shape of the roof aids the downward pressure. While thus submerged, we receive fresh air through those pipes overhead that project above the surface of the water.” “But suppose you should sink beyond your Ty then those pipes would flood the interior,”’ said Seth. “That is an obstacle that I propose to overcome soon,” continued the old man, thoughtfully. “I pro to invent an apparatus by which a supply of fresh air can be had at pleasure, even when fathoms below the surface. But, when I wish to rise to the surface, I force the water from the reservoir below by means of this force -pump; and the buoyant effort carries me to the surface. This much have I demonstrated in living under the | water. As to traveling under the water, I am a firm believer in its accomplishment; and have already invented a little machine that travels, by means of a screw worked by a series of clock-works just under- neath the surface of the water- As soon as I had ac- complished this, the idea of a self-moving torpedo was ited to may ine and as rumors of a war were abroad in the land, I thought it a good time to invent something of the kind, and soI went to work; and how well I succeeded, you have doubtless seen illustrated within the past few days.” “T have seen a sav: canoe and raft blown out of the water within the past day or two, if that is what you have reference to,”’ answered Seth, who The | had become deeply interested in the man’s explana- tions. “It is; andif I had possessed more than the two torpedoes, no savage canoe would ever have reach- ed my cabin. Since the last attack, however, I have completed another, ready forsome desperate emer: geney, for which I am hourly veep. “But I don’t see how you can send your torpedoes so direct as to intercept the craft of the enemy every time,” said Seth. “Well, it requires care. The instrument being shaped somewhat like a fish, has, what I call ‘sights,’ on each end, by means of which I get it set on a line directly with the object I wish it to strike. The principal machinery is submerged, and to pre’ vent it sinking, a buoy is attached to it which floats on the water's surface. If the water is smooth and there is no cross waves, or other objects to interfere, the machine will glide away in aline straight as a bullet could travel. When the canoe is reached, an upright wire that Sieben just above the water, strikes the boat, and having connection with the in- side machinery, fires a»pistol which in turn fires the magazine, and the explosion follows. So far, I have tested it only on a small scale; but propose to apply the same motor to a magazine sufficient to blow a ship-of-war out of existence.*’ “TI daresay you will succeed; but I am surprised at your coming here, into this wild, savage country to pursue your experiments,”’ said Seth. “Tis the seclusion, the seclusion, my son, that I sought out here,*’ the old man said, glancing vaguely out across the lake, ‘“* Neptune, then, is not your name ?”’ observed Seth. “*Not at all,’’ was the laconic reply of the old man. Seth relapsed into silence; he saw that the old man had communicated all that he seemed desirous of doing, and, finally, he rose and going to where M ie and Vishnia were seated said: “Maggie, your father and friends mourned you as dead yesterday when they saw this craft sink be- neath the waves.” “Poor papa !”’ said M must have suffered,’’ and t her eyes. “Yes; and had you been lost I would have consid- ered myself, in a measure, the cause: for I should not have left you the other day when I did.” “You did only what you supposed tc be for the best, Seth,” she said, gently. “T know it; but then I cannot be too thoughtful of one who saved my life at great expense to herself.” “It was not only a duty, but a pleasure,” Maggie answered, her eyes sparkling with all the true in- wardness of a woman’s love; “if the future has no perils, I'll never regret the past.” ““ Well, I hope our dangers are past; but I fear we have much trouble yettoencounter A few moments ago I saw our enemy, Ivan Le Clercg. Yesterday I stood face to face with him. It is his desire to get you into his power, and me out of existence. He is a desperate character, and I shall always believe that he knew of the intended attack on the Agency, if he did not help plan it. Withcut some previous merit he could not have attained the power of a war- chief in a single day. I daresay he has been the enemy’s agent among us.”’ “Friend March,” called out old Neptune, who was standing at the open door, “ will you come this way a moment? I want your opinion on a little matter.”’ “Yes, sir,” answered Seth, and he walked down to the old man. ‘“What do oe think of the prospect for a battle?” the latter asked, poms out upon the lake where three canoes, filled with savages, were approaching. “Too ee answered Seth; “but if you will provide me with a rifie I assure you they'll not reach here alive, if I know myself.” “That you can have, Seth,” replied old Neptune and turning aside he took a rifle from the wall an handed it to the youth; ‘I have heard that you are called Sure Shot on account of your marksmanship; so now I want to see your skill demonstrated.” ‘ They went out upon the platform. Seth looked the rifle carefully over, balanced it upon his hand, tried the trigger and ped throu h the sights. Then with a satisfied air he drew the hammer back, raised the piece, and, taking deliberate aim at the nearest savage, fired. A yell followed the report: and the next moment not a savage was to be seen. They had elevated, over the prow of each canoe, a sort of a breast- work made of slabs thick enough to ie, sadly, “1 know he e tears welled up into | resist bullets. Three or four of these had been made fast to crors-pieces, and being about five feet lon and four wide completely covered the inmates of each boat. No sooner did N pes discover this than his face assumed a look of serious gravity. He shook his head in adoubtful manner, and then turning to Seth said: . “T am afraid we will be unable to repel that orce.”” “They are well covered from bullets, friend N tune,’ answered Seth, “ and seem determined on the capture of your craft. However, we can prepare to give them a reception.” ‘Let them come,” said the old man; “if they get the boat they'll have to dive for it.” “Then you propose to sink?” “‘Come in; I want you to realize the marvels of Nature under the waves,”’ answered the old artisan Seth turned and followed him into the cabin, The door was closed and_ barred, and panels were placed over each window, shutting out the light. “The Indians are coming again, children,’ the old hae said to the two girls, ‘“‘and we have got to go own.’ . Vishnia was unmoved by the news; but M. e w a shade pale, and her eyes having sought ose of Seth, she involunta: drew nearer te
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f A I PTE ER RS TE SB EES = through fear and the yearnings of her heart. eptune walked to one end of the room and seiz- ing a post that protruded through the floor pulled it upward a few inches, Instantly, almost, Seth felt a tremor pass through the cabin followed by the rush and roar of water ander them. There was a downward motion of the building; a cloud seemed to pass over the windows and the cabin came to rest on the lake’s bottom. With a feeling akin to awe, Sure Shot Seth glanc- ed around as if expecting to see the sides of the structure give way undor the pressure upon it, But in a@ moment all became scttled, and stepping under one of the holes ia the reof he glanced through it, He saw the blue sky, and heard the surge of the waves above him, “What do you think of my submarine hut, Seth?" the old man asked, his face beaming satisfaction. “ So far it is a success,’ answered our hero; “ but if the enemy finds out the use of those pipes it would be an easy matter to flood us in here.” “But I don’t want them to fird it out,” replied Nen*u7e, *; But how are you going to prevent it?” I cannot prevent it; but should one of them dare to look down one of the chimneys he will be shot while in the act.” “Yes, you can do that,” replied Seth; for all, the youth felt that their situation would be a dangerous one should the enemy make g, close investigation-of the sunken craft. And this they were likely to do, for the cabin having risen from a previous submer- sion would doubtless lead to a solution of the mys- tery connected with it. Several minutes elapsed. Ihe water had become still. A clear twilight pervaded the submarine hut, Seth went to where Maggie stood, and together the two walked to one of the vyindows and gazed out. The water around them was clear and transparent almost as the atmospher+ A hundred little min- nows darted and flashed across their vision like birds in the air. Some >of them w bolder and bolder, and approached within a few feet of the window-pane. Presently a whole shoal of large fish came trooping along anci began to hover around the window. A huge fellcw finally approached the wr slowly, cautiously. He came so close that th and Maggie could jee his bright aoe the move- ment of his fins, and the very quiver of his nose. The scene wasa beautiful one, rendered all the more grand by the sun’s rays, which, fall ob- liquely upon the watur, encircled the fish in all the prismatic colors of the rainbow. “Isn't that delightful?” exclaimed a their danger in her admiration for and joy at being at ‘Seth’s side. “Tt is very beautiful,” answered Seth. “Yes, it is beautiful, my young friends,” said Neptune; “but suppose we were in the middle of the sea? grand sights would be presented to our gaze! Fish of all kinds, the monsters of the deep; beautiful submarine forests; mountains and valleys, and the wondrous formations of the coral- line polypi. I shall yet complete a boat similar to this, by which I will descend to the bottom of old ocean, and there gaze upon the wonders, and drag to light the mysteries of the deep. I tell you this is no dream—it's stern reality.”’ : “T hope you may be successful, Neptune," re- plied Seth, “ for the dangers and privations you are undergoing ‘n the interest of science deserve great roward.,’ At this juncture a shadow appeared over the win- ‘low Met the young folks stood. A little cry burst from Maggie’s lips and she shrank closer to Seth, grasp arm as if to pre- vent falling. The color faded from her cheeks; her lips grew white with fear; and her eyes became fixed ner azed upward through the window. “What is it, Maggie?” asked Seth. “Look!” she answered. Seth did as directed, and, to his surprise and _hor- ror, beheld a canoe pote fg the surface of the lake, nearly over them; while in the craft he could distinctly see four savages, all of whom were gaz- iny down through the clear water at the little win- # w7—into his very face! e, forget- scene, CHAPTER XXXI. NEPTUNE NEPTUNE NO MORE! Sern started back in alarm, calling the attention vf Neptune to the proximity of the enemy. The old man evinced some uneasiness, and advanc- Ing to the pane, looked out, The foe were still there, the canoe appearing to rest in the air above, so clear nnd transparent was the water. They were still gaz- ing down at the little window, their black ferret-like eyes seeming to dart rays of diabolical terror into tae very sou's of our fricnds, Neptune stood and watched them for a moment, . then turned away. Seth noticed that a look of un- easiness was upon his face; and when he saw the old man take a brace of revolvers from a box on his work-bench and examine their priming he felt satis- fied that the cabin was in danger. “The red scavengers of the forest tamper with those air-pi three of which are open. But in order that Phelr i lead them to look through one of the o may be fully satisfied, I want each tube ed, and the moment a red-skin's face appears ve it, a bullet put through his savage b ir “But suppose they undertake to chop off those Schves, whet ll ee act" isstioned Be Pao what’ . G) “ts ache tase. ee have to rise to the surface and fight it out,” replied Neptune. Sure Shot Seth. 19 “Father,” cried Vishnia, who was watching at the window, “the canoe is moving over the cabin.” “Seth, here is a revolver; watch that tube, will you?” asked Neptune. Seth took the weapon, and scarcely had he taken his position under the pipe ere a dark object a peared at the upper end, and in a moment all light was excluded therefrom. Believing it to be a red- skin’s face, he raised his revolver and fired. A groan of agony, followed by the dripping of some- thing warm upon his hands, and the appearance of daylight at the top of the tube, told the youth that his aim had been fatal. The dip of paddles, the sound of excited voices, and thé plash of the water above, told of the excitement that prevailed among the red-skins. And this in- creased the fears of old Neptune, for he now saw that his submarine hut was not invulnerable to the at- tack of enemies. To prevent accident, he caused the panels to be closed over the be te thus excludin all light except that which struggled down throug the pipes above. For some time the little band was kept in dire sus- nse by the foe. What their next movement would fe they could not conjecture. They entertained hopes of the red-skins withdrawing; but as the moments passed, and their presence continued above, these hopes were dispelled by the sound of a blow like that of an ax, which sent a tremor through the whole building and a chill to the hearts of its in- mates, The meaning was obvious enough—the enemy had attacked the pipes with their hatchets. A cry of terror burst from Vishnia’s lips, while, with a look of awful resolve on her father’s face, he apogee to the pump in the center of the room. With the power of a Hercules, he applied himself to the work of saving himself and friends. The pump worked almost noiselessly, and as the water, which overcame the buoyant effort of the ed ats i Pa gradually forced from the reservoir beneath the double-action machine, the sub- marine cabin began to rise toward the surface. Nothing was more evident of this fact than the cries of dismay and baffled triumph that rose from the lips of the red-skins. Their blows upon the tubes ceased, but were resumed upon the sides of the plated structure with the f of demons. The cabin continued to rise rapidly, and in ten minutes’ time had reached its line of flotation. Then the faucet and stop-cock were closed, and Neptune’s labor was done for the time ' ey had now = drowning no doubt to en- counter another death more horrible at the hands of the red barbarians thundering at the door. But Seth and the old man resolved to sell their lives dearly, and with revolvers in hand stood ready for the worst. Pushing aside one of the panels that protected a window, Neptune thrust his revolver t h the qian and opened a deadly fire upon the foe, driving em beyond ra around the angle of the building. This be repeated, with the assistance of Seth, upon the other sides, and to their happy pee the enemy was compelled to beat a warent oreward with serious loss. They had, however, gained a oe tial victory. They had unraveled the mystery of the submarine hut, and inflicted such damage upon it as would prevent its being sunk with impunity —— The windows were shattered, and in several Pp the wall had been battered and hacked until day- light was visible through it. In fact, the floating. cabin of Neptune was almost a wreck. Neptune sighed with the a t as he looked upon the ruthless spoilation of his craft— peed his vague, but cherished hopes of immor- ity. The men went out upon the porch and — around them. A shout of triumph greeted them from the western shore, and the presence of the Boy eh evoked an answer from the lips of Neptune and Seth. Old Joyful Jim came close to the water's and shouted aloud to those upon the craft; but himself seemed to have sent his imps broad- cast throughout the Black Woods, and before answer could be given back, a horde of red-skins put the B e to flight. “Tt seems as though we are all doomed to cer- tain destruction,’’ said the old man, gravely, serious- “Yes; those red-skins will give us no as long aswe are upon this craft,’’ answered Seth; “ there- fore I would suggest that we leave it under cover of the coming night.” “But, my boy,” replied Neptune, “‘ you will not have strength to endure a long, laborious flight. You are thin and pale as a sheet. “T know I have suffered the loss of strength and blood; but I think I could stand a forced march to the Agency.” “ Perhaps,"’ replied Neptune, away like one phanged in deep deliberation; ‘ therefore we must avail o ‘lves of the shadows of the coming night, as you suggest, Seth, and get away.” ith this understanding, the iittle party made reparations for flight. gloom settled upon the row of Neptune over the thought of desert his quiet retreat. But Vishnia seemed pl with the idea that was to release her from the se- clusion of a wildwood prison and her dangerous thralldom. Soon after darkness had fully set in, Neptune and his party core their retreat. By means of a long le, the was set in motion by the old man. ey moved slowly toward the western shore, the nearest ttoland. It was their intention to ap- roach the shore as near as possible, then take bo Gaddonty woo cones Mick siemawian of them uddenly two canoes shot alongside o1 and a dozen dusky figures in the boats became visible to . the eyes of old Neptune who was on the Jook-out for danger. ’ Turning, he sprung int¢ the cabin and cloved the door after him. A yell rose in the night, fendish and jarring. Blows fell upon the e~bin thick and furious. Another attack had begun, “My God, we are attacked again!’ shouicd old Neptune, growing furious. cry of despair escaped the maidens’ lis. The light inside was at once put out; the windows opened, and a random firing opened upon te fce; but with but little success. the darkness lavored the enemy. ° In the midst of the tumult of the attack a shiil cry resembling that of a beaver was heard to coms from out upon the lake. Seth, who stood near the window, recognized it as the cry of Justin Gray, the Beaver, and at once gave an answering signal. Then from other directions rose the sharp bark of a fox, the howl of a wolf, the scream of a pa. ther, and the hoot of an owl. There was a lull in the attack as these sourds is- sued through the ht. bitter experience the savages had learned their import. “Glory !’ exclaimed Seth, beside himself, “the Boy Brigade is near.” e savages resumed the attack on the cabin al! the more furious. They cut and hacked away until eee a yell of agony from one of them caused the whole party to suspend operations. Searcely a minute had ela when another war- rior tumbled into the water with a frightful «cream of agony; and as no shot had been fired from the in- terior of the cabin, the savages knew that a now and silent enemy had appeared upon the scone of action. Silence was imposed upon the party, and all listened with bated breath. A sav: advanced to the edge of me guess in front of the cabin, and leaning forward, peered down at the weter. He caught the outlines of a blac., spherical object lying upon the surface of the lake not ten feet from him; but before he could make his discovery known, the object raised slightly and thrust forward a long slender rod with a sharp lance-point which enteré< his throat, mt page a the windpipe. A half-moan, half-cry led with a horrible gurgling, gasping sound follow , and the doomed red-skin went overboard into a watery grave. Something of the truth now began to enter the wild brains of the over-triumphant warriors and it at once became necessary for them to act upon the defensive. They beat a hasty retreat from the vicinity of Neptune's cabin. No sooner was their flight an assured fact, ere a shout of triumph went up from the water around the cabin; and a moment later five of the Boy Brig- ade climbed upon the cabin pen where they were greeted by Sure Shot Seth and old Neptune. “‘ Boys,”” said Seth, “‘you have saved us. But we must get away from here; the enemy is too strong for us. The Brigade can't work when confined to one place.” “Yes; and the sooner you leave the better,” said Gray, “‘for they are growing stronger all the time.” ““My son,”’ replied Neptune, ‘we are all ready to depart—in fact were making ashore for that pur- pose, when the red barbarians attacked us_ I will proceed to lannch my cance at once.” In a few moments Neptune had launched his rub- ber boats alongside the platform and placed a few simple articles of food and clothing inthem. Then the old man and his daughter, and Seth and Maggie bid farewell to the submarine hut and entered the boats. Asthe small boat would carry but one person, and the large one barely three, the old man took the former, Seth and the two maidens the latter. Justin Gray and his four companions led the way; Seth and his fair friends came next, while Neptune brought up the rear, It was with no little difficulty that the leading boat was followed, owing to the ess and the reme silence observed by the members of the Brigade in handling their paddies. Seth, however, being once more in his element, with the responsibility of the two maidens’ lives resting upon h exerted every faculty to keep close bebind his friends, and to guard against nee: It was this extra precautionary from shore, owe objoet enon Stealthil at a o creep) he es toward them; and having assured him- it was a canoe filled with enemies, he at once gave the of alarm. But it came too late. The enemy were upon CHAPTER XXXIL Pu. f li pall 7 z ‘or your lives! p ! The demons are u us!” ane teg Shot Seth. eptune is canoe and started in pursuit of hie friends, But all acted with such predipitous haste that in the darkness and confusion the three canoes became separated. The red-skins pursued; and as the fates would have it, Seth and the maidens, the weakest party. became: the victims of the chase. When about twenty rods from the shore they were overtaken and made prisoners despite Seth’s heroic efforts. Mi aad he Gipcaverca the rp rasan om - himse' maidens, than he gave the Brigade’s well-known cry of distress. From differ- ent quarters the answer came, and no doubt assist- ance; but before he could repeet the cry, a bandage all three were taken Ten minutes’ rapid brough eastern shore, w oe all landed; and without a moment's hesitatio 1, they hurried away through the deep, dark woods. Seth's hands were tied at his back. while he was led
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ss ~. - gither got to 20 _ Sure Shot Seth. on by a cord round his neck like a haltered beast. Twice had he tripped his hands to agin» falling, he went down, jerk- ing the cord, that held him in the ranks, out of the red-ekin’s hand. Before he could rise, however, the and not having the use of | warrior pounced upon hiin like a hawk and secured | the rope. By watching his chances and taking the warrior off his guard, he thought, by making a sud- den leap, he might be enabled to jerk away from the foe, and then, with a bound, gain the freedom of the woods under cover of the sariness, Several miles, however, had been traversed ere this opportunity was afforded. Both the maidens, as well as himself, were nearly exhausted with their foreed march. The surroundi circumstances were not favorable, but he resolved to make the at- tempt, so, summoning all his strength, he made the leap, springing abruptly to one side. The rope was er from the red-skin’s hand, and Seth was ree, One bound carried him beyond reach of the enemy’s grasp; but at the next, the earth seemed to open before him, and the Boy Rifleman felt him- self falling downward into unknown depths, CHAPTER XXXII. A DROP SCENE, ) A Few miles east of Lake Luster was a valley | opening upon the Minnesota river, known there- abouts as the Deer-Drive Valiey. The name belong- ed tothe nomenclature of the West, and possessed an aptness in its application, At the river the val- ley was nearly a mile wide, with low bluffs; but as {it receded into the woods it grew narrower, and the bluffs more precipitous—finally terminating in a rift or narrow gorge, with perpendicular walls of rocks, In years past, the Indians had used this valley for ng deer by driving them iv at the river and then forcing them into the head or rather the neck of the valley from whence there was no escape alive. Hence the name, Deer-Drive hows. § Of late years, however, it nad never been visi for this purpose; for, since the establishing of the Yellow Medicine Agency, most of the game had been driven out of the woods by the Indians and white hunters to- | ether; and as there was nothing in the rugged soli- | ude of the valley to command even passing interest, | it was seldom visited, It was un admirable hiding-place, as long as one was not hunted there, and, conscious of this fact, three persons who have figured in our story hereto- foue, took advantage of it. These three persons were Rube Johnson, Gus Stew- art, and Ches Pagan, lately the followers of the noto- rious Ivan Le Clercq, It will be remembered that we left these boys in the council with the Boy Chief on the margin of the Black Woods, which terminated in the death of Abe Thorne. Since that time they had been wanderers, as it were, upon the face of the earth. Their minds had become so terrified and excited that they started like guilty, conscience-stricken thi at every sound The steaithy steps of the administers of jus- tice could be neard, in imagination, at any moment, At satiny grown tired and foot-sore from long wandering. they crept into the head of the Deer- Drive, and there hid themselves, It is true, their leader in sin, Ivan Le Clereq, had offered them immunity in the Indian ene ge but tnis cold-blooded and cowardly assassination 0: Abe Thorne filled them with abject fear of him; and they fled from him and his followers as from all others, Everybody and everything they now re- ed as enemies, and miserable, dejected, and ard-looking that the : from the vengeance 0) counter that of God. They had made a good selection of the many hid- ing-places offered them in the vicinity, They had en- camped in the narrow neck of the Deer-Drive, where the walls were fully a hundred feet high and not over twenty feet apart. Over this rift nature had thrown a covering as wonderful and intricate as the gossamer web of the spider, From the facade of each perpendicular bl a multitude of parasitical vines Nat pron out, and from the very bottom had the rift grown full of these slender creepers. Years had lent their growth to those vines which had be- come interlaced and matted into a perfect net-work, fnto which no human eye could penetrate ten feet. The young fugitives made their way through these vines to the very end of the chamber, or rift. There they found themselves in darkness; but a pine torch was readily procured, when with their knives, they set to work clearing a large space—crowding the gevered* branches and twigs back into the spongy mass, They cut the vines as high as they could reach, and when their task was completed they felt somewhat elated over the result. the dim glow of the torch the surrounding walls allseemed of a solid mass, so evenly had the vines been cut, The und beneath their feet was hard, gravelly and ry though a little stream found a source in a cool, limpid spring within five feet of their retreat. Laying in a supply of venison and some pine fag- ots for fire, the trio felt that they would be safe for a few days, at least, in the Deer-Drive. They pass- ed their time in lamenting the course they had pur- sued, and tn pondering over the fate of their friends at the Agency. It was night, and a dim, feeble light from a sput- tering torch pervaded their novel retreat. The day had worn wearily by, and they found themselves there after two days’ confinement, suffering the of inactivity as well as of fear and terror, Bo ” said Rube Johnson, “ this layin’ ’round in these holes is gittin’ to be intolerable to me, I’ve t out of bate. ge you'll have a dead 8 to bury. man, only en- e on your were, hiding and ; ; | } “Yes; poor Abe Thorne is out of all this trouble,” added Gus Stewart. ** Probably if we'd all not been cowards, and done as Abe resolved to do, we’d be happy to-night with our folks,’ said Rube; ‘‘but like 4 fools that we were, we didn’t dare to oppose Ivan, and so here we are, sufferin’ worse than if we’d gone boldly up and acknowledged our sin and received our pwnishment. A silence now came over the unhappy trio. Not a sound was heard save the melancholy chir- ruping of a cricket, and the soft bubbling of the little spring near could be heard: and even these had become so monotonous to the fugitives that they — incorporated into the solemn stillness of the ace, Suddenly Rube Johnson sprung to his feet, a look of wild terror upon his face. His companions followed his example. The turee exchanged startied glances — they seemed speechless, But their looks spoke plain enough, A strange sound had burst suddenly upon their ‘God only knows what we have suffered, Seth. Hell couldn’t invent more excruciating tortures than we bave undergone,”’ Rube affirmed, stoutly. Gus and Ches beth advanced and asked the for- gercpess of the young borderman; and when it had een granted, the souls of these three boys seemed metamorphosed into different beings. netead of that furtive, haggard look, the joyful radiance of a cleansed soul beamed upon every lineament of the | face; and the hollow, depressed sound of their | of the shooting-match, voices changed into the clear, happy and metallic ring of youth. Sure Shot Seth had been a benefac- tor to them—a being of divine mercy. “IT hope, Seth,” Johnson at length remarked, “that you'll press us into your service, sO we can make up for our meanness toward you on the day I know you'd ’a’ won the rifle if you'd ’a’ got a shot against them fellers.” **T did win it,” said Seth. “Not that day: a stranger-lad callin’ himself the | Eaglet won it.” ears. It was the sound as of a heavy body crashing | down through the tangled vines overhead. * Boys!” cried Rube, “* we have been discovered.” * And our enemies are trying to crush us by rollin’ something down upon us. Oh, my God! when will this end?” cried young Stewart. “*T fear never,” added U es Pagan. The sound of the falling body bad ceased, as if arrested by the great web of vines; but it was soon resumed again. Down, down, crashing and tearing itcame, nearcr and nearer. It seem saw the top of their retreat quiver and sway. 1e falling mass was near them; but so terrified were they that they stood as if rooted to the spot, gazing with distended eyes upward. And at length a pair of human feet, incased in moccasins, appeared through the roof above them. They were followed by a pair of legs clad in buckskin leggings. Slow] downward, as if twisting and struggling through the brushy mass, the body continued to descend until the feet touched the ground. Then the para- sites, which clung to the head and shoulders of the intruder like leeches, let go and sprung back to their former position, trembling and rustling. With speechless horror the fugitives gazed upon the stranger who stood with back toward them. Ss hands were tied at his back and his clothing torn and tattered. Fora moment he stood as if bewildered by the dazzling torchlight, then he turned and faced the trio of terrified boys, CHAPTER XXXIV. " RENEGADESS TO ‘THE RESCUE! “ My Lord!”’ burst froin Gus Stewart’s lips, “A ghost!’ added Ches Pagan, shivering. “The ghost of Sure Shot Seth,”’ gasped Rube Johnson. The trio shrunk back amazed and horrified. A smile mounted the face of the ghost; its lips moved, and these words were plainly articulated: ** Boys, how’s this?”’ “It’s him in the flesh and spirit,” said Rube. “itis for a fact, boys; but I thought I'd tumbled over into the fathomless pit,’’ continued Sure Shot Seth, his mind relieved of a terrible load. Rube, Gus and Ches drew a long breath of relief, st htened up and assumed a look more human and free of terror. They felt like new beings, “ We thought _ were dead,"’ said Rube. “ T know vou did, boys; but I’m not. If you'll just free fay nands back here, I'll tell you how I ha ned here,’ replied Seth, doubtful of their attitude ward him. _Rube took his knife and set the Boy Rifleman at i to be bring- | ing the whole mass of parasites with it. The boys | go Seth’s face and hands were terribly scratched and lacerated by the vines; but he paid no attention to these wounds, and having gazed around him ina sort of a doubt, he asked: “* Where the e are we, anyhow?” “Tn the mad of -Drive,”’ answered Rube, on you thrown over the precipice?” asked ““ Why do you ask that question?” asked Seth. “Your hands were bound.” “Yes; but the red-skins bound them, and in order to get away from them I jumped over the embank- ment; but I didn’t know where I was goin’ to tillI was on my way. Fortunately, the vines broke the force of the fall, and let me down easy by jerks.” “Then there are red-skins about?” | | | | “T left a party of six at the top of this rift. But | you have nothing to fear of them, have you?” “And why not?” questioned Rube. “Your friend, Ivan Le Clercq, is their leader.” “We know it; but we have renounced him as a bad character; and believing you had been murdered, | | after tying you to that tree the other day, we have We'd all be better off dead,” said Pagan, sadly. » been hiding away through fear of punishment.” “Well, 1 wan you to suffer in conscience for that mean caper; for Maggie Harris and Emma Mil- bank told me who you were, if you did wear masks. The girls set me at liberty, and a few minutes after the Indians came that way, and but for the girls I would now be dead.” ** But that skeleton--” “TI tied a dead Indian up to the tree and the wolves helped me out with the deception,” ex- plained Seth, a smile mounting his face. An exclamation of surprise and joy burst from the lips of the trio. Rube Johnson advanced toward Seth with outstretched hand and said: “Seth, can you forgive?” —wil/ roa forgive me?” ** With ali my heart, Reuben, I forgive you,” said Seth, taking the proffered hand; “for I feel certain } | | i | thet yon have suffered in conscience for your con | duct, 2nd wih jenilt by it.” | mitting that such fs ‘he va: Seth indulged in a low —— jaugh, then said: P “4 was the Young EKaglet from Sky -Puncher- eak, * You!” exclaimed the trio n amazement. “Yes; Maggie Harris and Emma Milbank nad overheara you posure oe me the day before the match; and so they had it all arranged as to how you were to be beaten. But poor Maggie! she isin the power of the savages again. They cap. tured her, another maiden and myself last night, and we were marched off this way—” ‘*Then the girls and their captors are near here?” ie 1 left them, they were at the top of this rift.” “Then the red-skins ‘ll be apt to be lookin’ after ou.” ‘* Yes; and I presume the sooner I get out of here, the better it’ll be for me.” “Then come along,” said Rube, taking up his rifle and entering the dense canopy of foliage. The four made their way out of the thicket and passing down the valley, climbed the bank and set off in search of the savages. The three boys were well armed with rifles and re- volvers, and furnished Seth with an outfit. They crept back to the head of the valley where he had escaped from the red-skins, expecting to find the lat- ter somewhere about. But in this they were disap pointed. No trace of them was to be found. As the savages would be compelled to cross the Minnesota in order to reach their te vem & th supposed, from the course taken atter leaving the lake, that they were aiming ‘or what was known as Fagan’s Ferry, where a number of boats were usual ly to be found. Acting upon this supposition, he and his new-made friends set off for that point. They traveled rapidly, to 1 ake up time lost and to get in ahead of the savages at the river. But in this they were disappointed. The red-skins hada preceded them to the ford by several minutes; and had just embarked with the captives, in a flat-Loat belonging to the ferry, for the opposite shore as they cam¢ up. Ri Too late!’ exclaimed Seth, his voice full of bit ter disappointment as he looked upon the expanse @ water that separated them from the enemy, CHAPTER XXXV. f THE TOUCH OF A CLAMMY HAND, Srru, though greatly disappointed at being thus preceded to the ford, did not despair. No sooner had he discovered the embarkation of the enemy than he forthwith devised a new course of action; and was about to begin its execution when he discovered a second canoe, containing two war- ae pee down the river. This again interrupted his movements, and he and his three companions would be compelled to remain in concealment until the boat had passed. Unluck- ily the two warriors intercepted those with the cap- ves near the middle of the river, when both parties came to a halt and entered into a conversation, which, at times, was inaudible, then loud and bois terous. Finally, to the bitter surprise and res ret of the boys, they saw the two warriors mount the flat boat and haul their canoe on board aiter them; while the craft turned slowly down the river. “What can that movement mean?” asked Rube Johnson, puzzl d by the red-skins’ change of course. “T don’t know exactly,” replied Seth, “ thoughi assure you it is nothing good. They may intend to land at the bend below, in order to conceas their trail. Let us follow along the bank anu watch J don’t intend they shall escape by such a dodge.” So saying, the quartette crept stealthily along the wooded re, keeping in sight of the drifting flat- boat, but taking good care not to expose themselves, A sharp wind blowing down the river served as an extra motor to the craft, and compelled the boys to move briskly. And, to make the — still more difficult, the moon was hidden half the time behind banks of drifting clouds and stately pines. The bend, where they expected the enemy to land, was at length reached; but to still add to their surprise, the boat contsnued on down the stream. “That’s queer,” said Rube, “that they should travel toward the Agency. “To me it is terribly portentous,” remarked Seth. ‘ so?” “T am afraid the Agency has beén captured; no- thing else would take the savages down the river. The two in the canoe acquainted those with the captives of the fact; whereupon, all turned ir the direction of the Agency. Old Little Crow en his followers have been to the Yellow Medicine what Hawk-Eyes has been to Lake Luster. Pu‘ o< several miles separate us from the poet yet, an eA t t : CeWE ALUSU thei
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Sure Shot Seth. 21 — (a —a- ——_ — 3 =a ingly; and never let those girls get into deeper danzer, We must rescue them.” “+ Buagest your plans,” said Rube, “and we will do all in our power to help you.” They moved on down the stream, keeping the flat- boat just in sight and themselves well under cover. As much as two miles had been thus traversed, and they were fast nearing the Yellow Medicine, where, if the Agency had fallen, all hopes would be lost. Further delay was dangerous. “We must do something, boys,” Seth declared; “‘we'll have to meet an opportunity half-way this time. I already have an idea in my head. Do you see an object floating on the water a few rods in ad- vance of the flat-boat yonder?” “Yes; I noticed that some time ago; what is it?" asked Rube Johnson, gazing at the object. “A canoe, or a skiff, floating bottom up—nothing more. It is doubtless one of those that belong to the ferry, and has been turned loose by red-skins and sent adrift. Iam going to utilize it. I believe that Ican swim out and get under that canoe; then if you fellows can follow me, one at a time, we will float alongside the raft and board it.” “We can follow you, Seth; but we can’t take any firearms," said Rube. “No, our knives will be all we can take; but if we surprise the savages we will have no trouble in get- ting possession of the raft. ‘Lead out and we will follow,” said Gus, eagerly. They hurried on down the river, when a bend in the course of the stream threw its entire width under the shadows of the stately pines that guarded the shore. Here was the point selected to initiate Seth's plans; and d vesting himself of his superflous clothing, he entered the water. Throwing himself upon his back, he swam with ig cing f an effort, out inthe river ere he found that the inverted canoe had floated into the shadows of the bend, while close behind came the flat-boat. Putting himself into such a position as to counter- act the force of the current, he waited until the canoe came up. Then, “ducking” his head under the water, he came up under the craft. An in- spection of his covert showed that the sides of the canoe, or rather the gunwale, were surrounded by a narrow box-rim which had been intended as a seat, and which now greatly facilitated the buoyancy of the floating craft. There was plenty room under it for half a dozen persons. The ventilation was good; and both fore and aft was a little hole through which he could see a faint rift of light. He had taken his sition near the forward end, and, by placing his load upon the side, was enabled to float along with the boat quite easily. The wind was still blowing, and at intervals a wave would dash over or against the craft, causing it to tossand rock. It was pitchy dark under the boat, and the swimmer had begun to cogitate over the further execution of his plans when ae touched his legs underthe water. His first though was that one of the boys had followed him and was then outside; but this was soon dispelled when a cold, dripping hand came in contact with his face. Mechanically he threw 4 his bir Soke hand. It came in contact with a stiff and rigid human arm. ‘*My God!” burst in horror from his a death is here with me! a lifeless human creature is my companion!” CHAPTER XXXVL on ee a telt a chill of rey ashes hoerch’Diie Sure SHor Seru ielt a chill of repulsive through his form when he realized that he was shut up under the canoe with a dead person. His first impulse was to leave the dread, dark place; but be- fore he could do.so he heard a voice say: “*Divil take the spalpeen!” The words were audible _— yet spoken so low that Seth could not recognize the tone nor accent, But he was assured of one thing; if there was a dead man under the canoe, a living one was also there; and thinking that it might be one of his friends who had come there unknown to him, he said: ‘“ Who are you?” ; * And it’s none ave your bisness,”” was the prompt reply, spoken with the un mistakable Celtic bro7ue. ‘Yl make it my business,” replied Seth, “if you dou’t answer me. Now, sir, who are you? “And be the Howly Moses! and yerv ce sounds familiar,” responded the unknown, speak.ag louder and in an easier tone. \ ‘ “By heavens! It’s Teddy O Roop! “And sure is it, Misther Seth,’ responded the Irishman. “Why, boy, the Brigade has mourned you as dead!” answered Seth, completely astonished. “ Andit’s meself that mourned my death, too, = by the love of the Virgin, mees come out all roigh sie up. The red spalpeens knocked the sinses outen me head, and then toted mees off away up here a captive. But mees couldn't sthand it, and so mees ups and knocks a couple ave the bucks sthiff, and away mees run, and run till mees reached the river. Then it was dark, and foinding this boat mees tipped her over, got in and set sail down the sthream. “Do you know a dozen Indians are close behind you?” aeeenes Seth. m4 * Divil the bit does mees know it. i ““ Well there is; and they have Maggie Harris and Vishnia, the Maid of the Valley, in their power. | : “Holy Mother!” exclaimed the young Celt; "an whyfore are the varmint going down-st ream?” | ‘. Iam afraid the Agency has fallen into Litt Crow’s hands, and they are going there. “Och! and’ would that an ave-Mary would extor- uuents re bane Crow = -_ poo” and mees would put forth all me soul in the proyer. as Tho Lord has been with us through all our troubles and trials of the past week; and, rest as- sured, He will not desert us in the end,” replied Seth, feeling that the mercy of a Higher bower watched over them. ‘“And what brought yees here, Sith, me b’y?"’ “T came here in opes of getting a ard t flat- boat.” “ And gitting scalped? What could yees do alone, now?” “Three others will be here to join me soon,” “Three of the b’ys?” ** Yes; but of Ivan Le Clereq’s band, They found out that I was alive and forthwith enlisted under our banner. I left them a few minutes ago.” “Do say, now!” exclaimed Teddy; “ wirrah! and what next have you to tell me, Sith?” “A great deal; but I have not the time now. Isn’t that a light shining on the water, back of you, Teddy?” Teddy glanced out at the hole he had cut in the end of the boat, and, sure enough, saw a faint light streaming across the water. It shone from the deck of the flat-boat. The savages had lit a pine torch ce pene it to an upright post in the center of the at. “That may interfere, somewhat, with my plans,” said Seth, uneasily; “if those boys, however, would come now we might strike whenever the raft floats alongside of us, It seems to me they have had time to reach here.”’ “Sith, and du you think them b’ys ‘ll do to tie to?” questioned Teddy, manifesting some doubt. “T believe they wili not betray me, nor deceive me in their pretended lage g a8 They freely ad- mitted their wrong-doings, and gged my forgive- ness for what they had done to me.” “They may be all roight, but, seeing as they war onc’t mean,it makes me juberous of thim,”’ exclaimed Ted, glancing out through the aperture at the flat- boat, which was nearly alongside of them; “ just change position and look on board of that boat.’ Seth changed position with Teddy, and looking out, he was started with surprise and bitter disap- ointment to see, within the glare of the light on ard the flat-boat, the forms of Rube Johnson, Gus Stewart and Ches Pagan among those of the sav- ages. They were enjoying the freedom of the boat, and engaged in conversation with the foe, as uncon- cerned as you please. Maggie and Vishnia stood at one side of the boat, locked in each other's arms, downcast and sad. “Oh, curse the folly that ever led me to trust those boys!" cried Seth, in the bitterest tones of regret. “Och! and they're the divil’s own brats.” “Wo'd better getting out of here,” said Seth, “for if they are traitors, they will not let me escape —good heavens!—some one overboard!” * Holy Mother! it’s one av the girls!” These exclamations were occasioned by a wild scream and plash in the river. Glancing out, Seth beheld Vishnia struggling in the waves; and simultaneously with this discovery, the’crash of firearms on board the boat burst through the night—wild, startling and terrible. CHAPTER XXXVII. THE RIVER GANTLET. Tue flat-boat was alongside the floating canoe. Vishnia was struggling in the waves close to it; and without a moment’s hesitation, or a thought of his own danger, Seth forced the canoe toward her. He soon felt her clin, and ling at the side of the craft, and reaching out under the edge of the boat, he grasped her by the arm ard drew her under the water into the canoe. Half a she now lay upon the youth's arm, making it difficult for him to keep himself and bur- den above the water. But Teddy coming to his assistance, the maiden soon recovered from her submersion, and although still in the water to her arm-pits, became pacified by the assuring words of her rescuer whose voice she recognized. By this time the report of firearms had ceased aboard the flat-boat, and in loud and anxious tones @ voice was shouting: “Seth; ho, Seth!’ It was the voice of Rube Johnson. Something of the truth flashed through the young rifleman’s brain, and he felt ashamed of himself. “Teddy,” he exclaimed, “help me remove this canoe from over us. Those boys have captured the flat-boat.”’ In an instant the canoe had been turned over and the heads of Seth, Teddy and Vishnia uncovered. They clung to the sides of the boat until the raft came up and they were taken aboard. A shout of triumph pealed from the lips of Rube, Gus and Ches, and was answered, though feebly, by Seth and Teddy. Maggie rushed forward, and with tears of joy in her eyes, received Seth and Vishnia aboard the raft; and for a moment the wild- est excitement prevailed. Three or four dead savages lying at the further extremity of the boat told what the wrongfully-mis- trusted boys had been about. “Boys,” said Seth, “how is this? Why did you reverse my plans?” “Couldn’t help it, Seth,” answered Rube. “We found a canoe soon after you left us; and having remembered that Ivan Le Clereq had offered us our choice of joining the Indians or becoming out- casts, we resolved to avail ourselves of what he told us. He gave us our own time to think the matter over, and in case we concluded to join the red- skins, he gave us certain secret which woula admit us as friends into the Indian ranks. Well, we jumped into the canoe, paddled over to this boat, gave our signs when discovered, and were taken aboard, We pret nded ay an by and by, succecded in making them believe that a small y of enemies were on the east side, and got of them out in search of the foe. When they were out of reach, we seized our rifles and attacked the others with the result already seen.” “ Vishnia,” said Maggie, “‘why did you jump over- board?” “TI saw them seize their weapons and thought they were going to murder us all,”’ replied be cree we cet te her wet clothing. ‘‘1 am really asham of myself, but I couldn't help it.” * Well, we are right so far; but there is no pelting how long we will remain so,”’ said Seth; “ those - skins that went ashore will be apt to look after us; and Iam sorry to say we are not entirely beyond rifle range of either shore.”’ “Very true, Seth,’ responded Rube. “ But I see you were not alone under that canoe,” ““No; I found my friend, Teddy O’Roop, tucked away under there, snug as a muskrat in his den.” ithout further delay, the boys proceeded to put | the boat in a more secure condition for its crew. This was effected by removing several deck-planks and opening a way into the hold, which, although not over three feet deep, furnished a shelter from sav bullets. Maggie and Vishnia, and three of the boys, took refuge therein, while the other two boys, Wing. flat upon the deck, kept a close watch upon sides, he boat following the main current of the stream, keptin the middle of the channel without any effort from the occupants. It moved slowly, though harassed by the wind and waves. One thing of importance had Rube and his friends learned of the -skins while on the boat: Yellow Medicine Agency had been evacuated and the sol- diers and settlers had retreated in the direction of Fort Ridgely, situated on the river several miles be- low. The fort and all the houses and appurtenances thereto had been destroyed; while the whole of the Sioux tribe, with their families, had been concen- trated upon, and in the vicinity of the ruins. This discovery of the situation increased Seth’s alarm. They were then within a mile or two of the Agency, and to run the gantlet of the enemy there would be impossible. He kuew the news of their coming would precede them to the mouth of the Yellow Medicine and that the enemy would leave nothivg undove to entrap them, To leave the boat before reaching that point would be attended with great danger also; and what course to pursue to avert a deadly perit became a question of great mo- ment. It was finally agreed, however, with Maggie and Vishnia concurring, to keep the boat and run the vantlet at the Agency. With this in view, all prepared for the terrible ordeal. Seth was not inclined to trust entirely to chance, and at once set about making some yc ments for escape, should they be attacked. With an Indian tomahawk he cut a hole, about two feet square, in the side of the boat between the deck and water-line; and within reach of this he had one of the Indian canoes placed. Then all the planks but one were replaced over the*hole, and arrange- ments were completed. Lights on the river-bank among the ruins of the Yellow Medicine Agency soo appeared in sight; and the wild, fearful sounds of a war-dance rung hideously through the — The sounds of this midnight orgie gave Sure Shot Seth some relief, although there was a horrible meanirg in the demoniac reve He knew by it that the savages were so occupied in celebrating some mae victory that they would be likely to overlook all measures of precaution, and thereby enable them to slip by unnoticed. Silently the boat continued to drift onward. Not a word above a whisper was — rs Bw inmates. Finally, to the great fear of all, Seth discovered a dusky sentinel seated upon the shore, looking out over the river. He was plainly outlined against the sky, now lit up with the glow of the Indians’ camp- fire, several rods back from the river. “By heavens!” cried our hero, “I am afraid we will never get past without that sentinel seeing us.” b “y, the word, and he’s a dead Inging,”’ respond- ed Teddy, meth ng to his feet. ‘ “Tam a it would be rather hazardous to at- tempt to remove him,” Seth answered. “TH td him, anyhow,” answered the fearless young Celt, and he began preparing for action. CHAPTER XXXVIII. AN TRISH BOY'S EXPLOITS. Drvestine himself of his coat, hat, and shoes, Teddy crept out of the hole in the side of the craft, and dropped noiselessly into the water. The next moment he was gliding away, with nothing but his face exposed, swimming rapidly, and as silent asa floating object, toward the west shore. He moved oblique as the stream and finally reached the shore, about ps | yards above the sentinel. He crept out under the shelving bank and glanced back over the water. He was startled by the distinctness with which he could see the flat-boat in the glare of the Indian fires. It was already opposite and discovery seemed inevitable; however, he resolved to lose no opportunity in behalf of his friends, and began creeping along under the bank toward the sentiuel. € soon came to a passage leading down toa sort of landing, where three or four ca- noes were tied up. To weaken: the enemy’s little fleet, he cut the painter of each boat and permitted it to float away. Then he ascended the and peered carefully around him, He saw the sentinel still at his post, gazing out over the stream with a stoical silence, while two other warriors were ap- proaching from the direction of the camp. Fierce and deafening rose the yelis of the red re- velers dancing around the fire a few rods away. Teddy again glanced over the river, The flat-boat was almost opposite the sentinel, The latter had
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[SS ee only to bend his eyes slightly to see it. The frish lad took in the situation at a glance, He believed that even the death of the sentinel would notsave the boat from detection, The youth resolved to a desperate stroke. He rose to his feet, and utter- ing a sharp war-whoop, well-known to the red-skins, darted away toward the scene of Indian revelry. The sentinel sprung to his feet and diseharged his rifle at the daring enemy. The two warriors approaching uttered a war-cry and started in pursuit of him, The alarm was at once sounded through the camp, and, like a stream of water bursting from its banks, the dancing horde dissolved and went streaming away in pursuit of the daring enemy, Teddy bent his course to the north when he saw he had drawn the attention of the whole camp; and with the agility of a cat and endurance of the wind, he sped away across the clearing. He found it no difficulty to keep beyond reach of his enemies. The red-skins are naturally swift runners, but Ted- dy O’Roop was without a peer in the North-west; and it was this assurance of superior speed that led to such a fearless expedient to save his friends. It was not his desire to throw his enemy off his trail until assured that the boat had passe danger. The whole of the clearing was lit u with the glow of the fires, and while the river guarded the eastern extremity of the camp grounds, and prevented the fugitive’s escape in that direction, the surrounding forest offered him a safe retreat. Aware of this fact, the Indians endeavored to cut him off from the woods, and Teddy permitted them to indulge in strong hopes of his capture. He manifested signs of failing strength, and ran on in a zig-zag course—the long stream of pursuers stretching out behind like the tail of a comet—bending and winding over the ridges and depressions, and along his reeling course, like the form of a night serpent, Teddy liked this wild rt. There was a sort of fascination about it that he enjoyed; and he regret- ted that none of his ges omy ae were present to witness the grand chase, He felt a sense of delight at the excitement of which he was the author—that he, a mere boy, was the sole object which swayed the wild horde behind him—that turned and directed their course. He ran on until he had reached the woods, into which he plunged, with the red-skins close behind. Here the darkness was deep—rendered all the more intense by comping so suddenly out of the glare of the lights. But the Indians, spreading out popes to cover the trail of the fugitive and drive him into the river a short way ahead, where the stream made an ohruge bend. But, Teddy was not to be caught thus. e knew that the river swept around in front of him, and no sooner did he get well in under the shadows ere he stopped short and pressed himself close up against a huge tree trunk. coup de main worked admirably. The savages neither saw him dodge behind the tree nor missed his footfalls before them; but ran on past him. It was fully five minutes before the rear of the pursv- ing column had gone by; and even then he could hear some stirngglers crashing on with heavy foot- gieps through the brush. Of the latter, howeve1 e had no fear, and stepping from his concealmen he started back tow e Indian encampment. Before he had gone far he heard a savage approach- ing, anddropping flat upon the ground, he waited. The red-skin came on, stumbied over the prostrate boy, and fell. Before he could rise, Teddy was upon and with one or two well-directed blows with his knife, silenced the Indian's lips forever. Teddy took the blanket from the dead warrior’s shoulders, threw it around his own, and sauritered on until he had reached the n of the woods. ae he stopped and glanced out into the opening. e saw a few warriors scattered over the clearing, all slowly retracing their footsteps .to camp. The spirit of adventure again took possession of him, and drawing the blanket closer about him he en- tered the opening and started leisurely down toward the Indian encampment, keeping: a ‘careful watch around him, and imitating the walk of a red-skin. He drew the blanket close about his head and face, and kept aloof from the returning st lers. amie, Oo toward the encampment made his way: he _——- it, he saw that a number of warriors were there yet; still he was not discondert- ed by the discovery and moved on, He soon found himself inside the camp, and the full glare of the fire, where it. became neces ary to use great precau- tion. Heapproached within a few rods of the main party, and Eoeiag assured himself that no prisoners were there, turned and moved leisurely away to- ward the south. But this movement did not escape the notice of the Indians, and a couple of warriors ndvanced toward him, their be seo aroused. » Disguise being no longer of avail, Teddy threw aside his blanket, uttered a shout of defiance and darted away like a deer. The savages were complevely astounded by this impudence of the young pale-face; and while a few ve chase, others set up a howl of alarm to draw e others back that had gone north. The second chase was brief as it was exciting. The woods being nearer, Teddy soon gained its cover and eluded his pursuers. -The lad felt certain that those on board the boat had had sufficient time to pass all r: and so he at once set out to reach them. In a few minutes he struck the river about a mile ‘below the Agency; but now the question arose in his» mind—were his friends above or below him? His inability to satisfy himself on this amet left him in a state of great anxiety. He sat down to rest. He knew the boat could not be far away if above him, and to make sure that he did not miss his friends, he concluded to wait. 4b hour passed and no boat came. This convinced eS him that 16 pac. sassed wee he moved rapidly away, down-strean. ae came, and rising, He ha traveled about two miles when, to his delight, he | came in sight of the flat-boat. It was floating Teisure- ly along, though no sign of life was visible upon it. his, however, gave him no uneasiness, for he su posed all were concealed in the hold, and getting in ahead of the craft, he plunged into the river and swum out to intercept it, When alongside the boat he hailed, but received no answer. e climbed in at the hole cut in the side. All was silent as the tomb. He called upon Seth; but no answer. The boat was deserted! Teddy now climbed out upon the deck, and as he did so, his foot slipped in something wet, on the | lank, He bent his eyes downward and saw that it was a pool of coagulated blood. A ery burst from the lad’s lips, and'a sense of fear crept over him behalf, his friends had been attacked, and all, no doubt, killed or captured. What course he should now pursue was beyond his power to determine, and while he stood meditatin over the matter, a slight sound behind him arrest his attention. turning, he was startled with horror to see two savages leap out of the hold and start to- ward him. With ‘a bound he reached the end of the boat, then = off into the river and disap from the ynx eyes of the astounded red-skins, beneath the waves. CHAPTER XXXTX. A DOUBLE DODGE, We will now look after Sure Shot Seth and his party. After Teddy left them above the ruined — they waited, with burning anxiety, the re- t of his adventure; and when the yells of the sav- ages. convulsed the night, and they saw the sentinel leave his post, they knew that Teddy had been dis- covered, and that the whole tribe was in pursuit of him. Their fears of his capture were great, but they could render him no assistance. They had floated past the point of danger, and were once more under the cover of darkness. The con- gratulated themselves upon their escape, but, in the midst of their rejoicing, Sure Shot suddenly dis- covered a batteau filled with warriors, glide out from ay shore toward the boat, and rejoicing was changed to terror. “Girls,” said Seth, “get out into the canoe, and perhaps you can steal away unseen in the darkness,” “But you, Seth, what—’ “ Never mind us, Maggie; we will remain here and engage the foe, and take our chances.” 1e crack of a rifle rung suddenly through the night. Rube Johnson raising his head and shoul- ders through the opening on deck, had fired tpon the advancing foe. And then Gus Stewart and Ches me or followed his example with fatal result to two “skins. But it made their companions all the more furious and determined; and pushing on they soon reached. the side of the boat and boarded it. Meanwhile. ie and Vishnia had, with Seth's assistance, clim out through the hole in the side of the craft, made for just such an emergency, into Lae eae ie predecuing ends Of the Obck Plank; e enemy by the ends of the - : and as Seth anced 3 addle in each one’s hands and unloosened boat, he said: ‘‘Now work with all your might, girls; and keep down the river. If we escape, we will follow you; but if we hever—” “May Heaven aid you, Seth,” Maggie broke in, her voice half-choked with emotion. The next moment the canoe glided away. Both of the maidens were skilled in the use of the patel, and summoning all their strength they plied the slender blades with Sati The red-skins were too deeply engaged at this mo- ment to notice them. At the o g onthe deck a deadly strife was going on. e savages, ten in number, were endeavoring to force an entrance to the hold, while the three boys, Seth’s companions, held them at bay with rifles and pistols skillfully handled, The latter sessed a great advantage over the foe. Being ‘in darkness the enemy were unable to direct their aim with any degree of ac- euracy. Thus the conflict continued until half the savages were slain, when they, considering discretion the better part the boat where the boys could not get at them. Here they waited in hopes the pale-faces would come out of their defense; but an hour’s patient watching convinced them that their enemies would hazard no chances in an open air fight, and so they iesolved to adopt other means to dislodge them. ith their tomahawks they pried a wide plank up at the end of the boat, then through the opening thus made, dropped themselves into the hold. For a moment a deep, unnatural silence reigned within the black, dismal place; but it was broken by the savages creeping along on all fours toward the ys. Tt was not the latter’s desire to engage the foe in a hand-to-hand encounter; and to avert such a conflict they must act with decision, So, at a given signal from Sure Shot, the four youths sprung out upon the deck; then running to the side of the boat, they leaped down into the savages’ batteau, cut the rope that fastened it to the raft, seized the oars and pulled away across the river. So swift and uninterrupted was this movement made that the brave lads succeeded ir. getting: three rods from the raft before the savages could conceive what was up, and get out upon the deck, A yell of the outwitted red-skins and was answered a Se FS SST . them. when he beheld the signs of a bloody conflict on the | deck. It told him that, despite his efforts in their . of valor, withdrew to the lower end of | | lived and prayed — shout of derision from the lips of the quartette which was now beyond immediate danger. “ By Jove!” exclaimed Rube Johnson, * that was a a, exchange of boats and positions for us, Sure ot.’’ r > ae ” rejoined their leader; ‘‘and it will enable us to ollow the girls on the river, and, consequent- ly, run no risks of passing them, as we mig)it other- wise do. If Teddy O’Roop was only safe with us, I would feel that we had won glory enough for one campaign... But, I shall not worry about him until I know I have cause. Teddy is a brave fellow; and | while he is the luckiest mortal I ever saw, he ran out- wit a red-skin, or white-skin, too, for that matter, as easy as he can sight a rifle.”’ Dismissing all fears from their minds, the four lads turned their attention to the eis before 2 The batteau being provided with several airs of oars, each and all were enabled to take a and at Seine, 8 This gave them great speed, and as mile after mile was traversed, it finally eccurred to them that hey cen to have overtaken Maggie and Vishnia in that distance. They thought it im- ssible for them to have journeyed so far and rap- aly, weak and exhausted as = must have been. s it was almost daylight, however, they con- cluded to keep on down the river, and if they did not come up with the girls, or gain some clew as to their whereabouts by early dawn, they would turn back up the stream in search of them. The red beams of dawn that had so long quivered in livid bars along the eastern sky, finally burst into flame; and the light of another day. was upon them. Going ashore, they succeeded in killing some large fat fox squirrels, which were dressed, roasted and served for breakfast. This meager repast served to invigorate their worn bodies and revive their spirits. After an hour’s rest they again took to the batteau and started back up the Minnesota. They had journeyed against the current but a short distance when the sight of an empty canoe floating on the river arrested their attention and filled their breasts with the gravest fears. recognised it at a glance as the identical canoe in which Maggie and Vishnia had left the flat-boat. They intercepted and examined it to make certain that they were right. They identified it beyond a question; but there were no signs of violence about it. The paddles were both gone, and how and under what circumstances it had been deserted by the maidens was a question beyond their comprehen- sion, “Oh, if this canoe could only speak!’’ cried Seth, in the anguish of despair. “Tf it could perhaps it would tell a tale that to us would be better untold.” “Very true, Rube; but it does seem as though the fates are against those two innocent, feeble girls. But then I shall never stop short of the very heart of the Indian stronghold until I know where they They “Count on us following wherever you dare lead, Seth,” answered young Stewart. With heavy hearts they pushed cautiously on up the river while the happy, twittering birds seemed to mock their misery with their joyous songs and merry-making among the green-robed trees. In the midst of the many sounds that rose on the breath of the bright, rosy morning there suddenly arose a low, prolonged w e, such as might issue from human lips: It emanated from the western shore, and turning their eyes in that direction the boys beheld a bare head and white face peering from a clump of bushes on the bank, “Who can it be?’ questioned Seth, unable to recognize the inter tobing visage. As if in answer to his question, the unknown stepped from the clump of shrubbery, and, with a wave of the hand, shouted aloud: **Good-marning, me hearties!”’ “Teddy age burst from Sure Shot’s lips, as he headed the batteau toward the shore. It was the Irish boy, true enough; and he was not alone. As soon as he hailed the t, a young man, in the uniform of a captain of United States Troops, appeared on the bank at bis side. CHAPTER XL. WHERE WERE THE MAIDENS? SKILLED in using the paddle, favored by a stro current and light canoe, Mager aud Vishnia lided rapidly away from the side of the flat-boat and scon found themselves some distance down the river. But they were not beyond the dreadful sounds of battle behind, and their very souls trembled with fear. Mentele they prayed for the success of ther friends; eagerly they listened for some sound indi- cative of their triumph. Not until all sounds of the conflict had ceased could they find coneage to speak. Then Maggie was the first to break the awful silence that weighed like the presence of death upon them. “The battle has ended,” she said, solemnly. “Yes; but it leaves us in a terrible suspense. e know not who have won,” answered the fair Vish- nia. “Let us hope and pray for the best,” Margie bravely responded. ‘‘1 think the boys had some ad- vantage their foes in position, and rest assured they have made good use of it, eventhough the odds were against them.” “My dear friend Maggie,” sighed Vishnia, ‘have for the best so long that my strength and hopes have all nearly deserted me. One peril after another follows in such rapid suc- cession, even when success seems the most promis: ing, that I am growing despondent and sick at affied triumph burst frem the ge of | heart.”’ ya “Don't give up yet, Vishnia,” entreated the Lravs
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little Mageie; “this may be our Just perii; 2 tniud we will find friends ere long.” “A week ago, Maggie, I know no fear; but that was before the Indian outbreak, and when all one had to fear was the wild beast of the woods. The Indians were our best friends and daily companions; and no one could ever have convinced me that they would be the treacherous enemies they are. Father and I often visited their v e, whe e we were re- } ceived and entertained as distinguished guests. They gave us many valuable presents and seemed to vie with each other in doing us honor. They offered us a home in their village, and, in case we accepted, to confer upon me the royal dignity of queen. For hours have they sat and listened to me play upon the guitar, their very souls, apparently charmed by the music. So kind and devoted did they seem to us that I never dreamed of their turning against us. Even since the outbreak have they obeyed a request of mine, though it is a won- der they did not kill me instead. It was on the night the Boy Brigade was attacked on Rock Island. e heard the din of batile away over at Lake Lus- ter; and when we learned from a messenger, who was on his way to the tribe for reinforcements, that a conflict was going on between the Indians and whites, father and I set out for that point. We didn’t know at the time that a war had begun, and supposed it was merely a personal affair between the two parties. However, I took my guitar; and in order to reach the island, father took a sma rubber canoe, Our object in going was that of peace, We felt in hopes we could bring about an adjustment of their troubles; and when I tell you, Maggie, that I paddled over to that island and took a position between the combatants. at the very muzzles of their guns, and there played my instru- ment, you may know a courage is fast failing. But then I accomplished my object, and induced the red-skins to withdraw from: the island, and thus the conflict terminated. But the war has not, and all the influenc> I possessed over the savages vanished in a day; and father and I became hunted as enemies as we had once been honored as friends.”’ ia bes were brave, Vishnia, to risk your life on the an a “T would not do so again, knowing what I do of {ndian treachery and vengeance.” “Thave often wondered to myself, since I first met you, why it was that you and your father ever kup your abode in such a pay obscure place as Lake Luster. I know you have been ac- customed to good society, and have had the advan- tages of intellectual culture as well as of the com- forts of wealth.” : “That is it exactly, Maggie; my father is a wealthy man and a great student of nature aad science. After mother’s death, three years ago, he shut himself up with his books and sorrow, and studied and brooded over them until his mind was well-nigh overwrought. It became evident that he was killing himself by degrees—that his once power- fulintellect was yielding to the ghar upon it. dur physician recommended travel and a change of climate forrecreation. Acting upon this advice, he traveled in the north-west one summer wine bo time he found Lake Luster. But, while he was ben:fited by his travels, he was far from being re- stored to health; and having conceived an admira- tion for the life of a frontiersman, he concluded to spend a year or two in Minnesota. So he made up a arty consisting of himself, myself and three gen- men friends, The latter are, at — gone to St. Paul for supplies. ‘They were to have been back in two weeks from time of leaving. “Father having some queer notions about subma- rine navigatio ought it a good time to perfect an invention that he conjured up in his mind, years ago, and being an ingenious mechanic, he, wit the assistance of his companions, erected the floating cabin’ in which we have lived eversince. Toithe applied some of his ideas of a submarine vessel, and he not been disturbed by the red-skins, he would soou have completed his invention. His theory of pulsion he was demonstrating on a small scale by a series of clock-works applied to the torpedoes ors 4 you saw ge A the SN ‘ok Sashes ‘We manage eep our Luster a weured from all but the Indians, better than we had anticipated; and had it not been for this Indian war, there is no telling how long we could have remained there unknown at the Agency, Father has quite’ regained his usual health and strength, and we liked our romantic home so well that we had concluded. to spend another season there; and next summer a young lady friend of mine was to have joined us with her father, I have been living in hopes of a — time with her on Lake Luster; but alas! all is now gone, and for all I know, my poor old father may be dead—a victim of the treacherous Indians.” Here Vishnia choked with emotion. “ Don't borrow trouble, Vishnia,”” Maggie nage Bo couragingly; ‘“‘I might say, and truthfully too, t 1 for all I know, my friends are all massacred; but don’t want to think so, for trouble is sure to come to us without our going to meet it, and I want to hus- band my courage for it when it does come. “Maggie, you are a dear, brave girl, and I actually feel safer in'your presence,” answered Vishnia. “I am glad of it, Vishnia; and if we are awhile longer, I think we'll be out of danger. “What point will we strike below here where we would be likely to find friends, Maggie? A “Fort Ridgely, I think, is the nearest int of safety; but I feel in strong hopes of meeting with friends before we reach :lere,"’ Maggie answered. Yas, [ should think t''e boys would soon come u "th us if they escaped the Indians, At any rate, it patient / | 1 Rae ne ee Re ee ee Sp St Ned see es ee EE 8 ee eee ee ee ee ee eee Ste. Sure Shot Seth. is growing ight in the east; and daylight will be a welcome blessing to me; for the shadows seem full of lurking danger. Oh, Maggie! just think what a night we have passed!” - : ‘It has been an awful one,” replied Maggie; and here a silence fell upon the maidens and continued for some length of time. Both plied their paddles with their utmost energy. ’ | souls. At length day dawned, and the sun rose bright and | warm above the tree-tops, infusing new life and vigor into the delicate forms of the maidens. The birds warbled their morning carols, and the great trees shook the pearly dew-drops from their emerald robes. The woods were ’wakened by the soft, weird melody of nature’s diurnal song, while the river and its wood-bound shores, overhung by white ethereal mist, seemed like the picturesque vision of a vague dream. As their spirits revived under the magical influence of day, all the buoyancy of their young hearts re- turned, Their eyes assumed their old sparkle, and their cheeks their wonted hue. They forgot the dan- ers of the past in the joy of the present, and the ips which through the long, dismal night were mute with terror, were now wreathed in smiles. The loud dip of a paddle suddenly broke the spell that the rosy morn had thrown around them. glanced around them. Out from under cover of a bunch of reeds—into the river toward them they saw a canoe with three ames occupants glide. Vishnia’s paddle dropped from a nerveless hand, while Maggie sat motionless with a new-born terror in ssion of her very soul. he savages paddled alongside of them, and with- out the least resistance or scarcely a word expres- | sive of terror from the girls, took them captives and transferred them to their own canoe. When they had recovered somewhat from their sudden shock of terror, and had fully comprehended their situation, maete cried out: “Oh, Vishnia! what a delusion—what a mockery has the beauties of this morning been to us!” Vishnia could answer her only in a sobs. The savages were delighted with their captives, whose passive demeanor seemed to imply indiffer- ence to their fate; but they knew not that their si- pace came of the despondency that loss of all hope the red-skins turned their boat up-stream, and with measured strokes be- gan stemming the current. There was an —_s bend in the stream just above them, and, as they approached this, an ex- clamation burst from one of the warriors’ lips. The other two ceased paddling and with distended eyes searched the waters before them. The captives saw that they were alarmed, and when they, also, looked up the river and discovered a number of waves chasing each other from around the bend they took courage; for the conviction that aaa were approaching was intuitively forced upon them, One of the warriors finally addressed his compan- ions in a quick, hurried tone, and in his own dialect which the captives were unable to understand. But the expression of his face and the violence of his — were plainly indicative of excitement. As urther evidence of this fact, they at once headed toward the eastern shore and ran in behind a little clump of reeds where no human eye upon the river could penetrate, a from whence a view of the Having seated themselv: "Something of the truth How passed through th me’ 0 ruth now rough the minds of the captives, and they exchanged expres- sive glances. “Tf it is friends,” thought M. e, her hopes re- viving, “I can call to them, and wid if I die the next moment,” _ But, —_ oa hope! As if he sess ok tate er ve: ou a savage tore a couple o from his blanket and bound them over the mout breathe, ae s' ages, but their hands were held at their back in such a painful position that they could scarcely move a muscle; and so they were compelled to yield to the brute force of their inhuman captors. They were not deprived of their sight, however, and, turning their faces toward the river, they beheld a long boat, contai four white persons, creep slowly around the bend above. They recognized the occu- __ at a glance; they were Sure Shot Seth and is three young companions, Johnson, Pagan and ae M ad last despairing effort a e made one ng effort to free her mouth, but in vain; and all hope and cour- age faded from her young heart as she watched the — — her friends pass down the river and recede rom view. CHAPTER XLI. BEATING UP THE QUARRY. As Sure Shot Seth and his companions approached the shore where Teddy O’Roop and the young officer stood Seth cried out: ‘Oh, Teddy, we cannot say how glad we are to see you alive!” “Och! and it was by the skin av a hair that you see me at all, at all,” returned O’Roop; “ but this gintlemon,” he continued, pointing to the officer, “is Captain Sayton what the red devils are after,” “Captain Sayton,” said Seth, leaping ashore and grasping the officer's hand, “Tam 4 to meet you, ° ough your presence tells me that you are here against your own wishes.” 23 man. I was scouting up tcWard Liac Luster Witau party of ten mounted infantry when my horse was suddenly killed under me by ambuscaded Indians; and it was by mere accident that I escaped on foct to find my way to the river where I fell in with your | friend, O’Roop.” led desperately to remove the band- | “Indeed, captain, these are times that try men’s For one week I have been into one trouble after another continually,” replied Seth. : “You seem to be all right now,’’ remarked Say: on. “Not exactly in spirit, captain,’’ Seth answered, ‘for last night we were compelled to separate from acouple of young girls whom we have been unable to find since.” “ And be the Lord! yees jist passed them,” put in Teddy O’Roop. “Then you know where they are?”’ “Sure and I do, Sure Shot; and it’sin the hands of three av the divil’s own children that they are, this minute.” “T assure you Teddy is right,” affirmed Captain Sayton; “we were conceale above here when we saw a canoe with three Indians and two white girls coming up the river. Just before they reached that abrupt bend above they heard you coming and at | once concealed themselves along the east shore Both started with a little cry of terror as they among the reeds. You passed on, and we would have warned you then, but we darenot. When we were free to act we watched for the boat to appéar again. We resolved to attempt their rescue by some means or other. But as they have not left their con- cealment, and an hour or more has passed since they put into the reeds, I presume they are still there, or else have gone ashore and hurried away.” “Then let us lose no time in getting after them,” said Sure Shot, entering the batteau and inviting the captain to a vane with t “ a . @ young officer accepting, the ut out from shore idto the river, iii wk ‘Now, we have got to work this matter fine,” Seth said, “orour game may dodge us. The main force had better land and keep along the shore, while the other creeps along under cover of the bank with the boat, and have it near should it be neces a hed us all to take to the river.” ey crossed the river, and Sure Shot Seth, Ca: tain Sayton, young Pagan and Johnson lande Teddy and Stewart remaining in the boat. ‘The ad- vance was at once begun, and with all the caution — Seth led the way, and in a few minutes ner. came within sight of the reeds where the foe had hidden; and there, true enough, lay the boat with the three red-skins and their two white cap- tives. The heads of the former were erect, like those of some wild animals. They instinctively de- tected danger in the air; but seemedin doubt from whence it came. The maidens sat entwined in each other’s arms, apparently in great and terrible grief. As the whites surveyed the situation, Captain Sayton seized Seth by the arm, and with ted eyes and excited voice asked: ae, Shot, who is that captive looking this way?” “Her name is Vishnia; that is allI know about her,’’ answered Seth. “Thank God, it is she!’ burst involuntarily from the captain’s li “ 0, capta n?”’ . “Pardon my excitement, boys; Iam quite beside myself. But, that girl is Miss fda Heath, of—of— well, no matter where,” “Well, now, captain, that embarrassment tells me that Vis is more than a mere acquaintance to you. The i of Teddy’s paddle coming around the bend, put a stop to their whispered conversatio and warned them that the time for action ha come, There were but three rifles in the party, but. Cap- tain Sayton was provided with a brace of reel and ata given signal the four charged with a ye | down toward the water’s edge. of both the girls so tight they ‘could scarcely | The savages fairly bounced in their seats, so sud- den was their surprise. First they seized their rifles, but seeing the odds were against them, and that flight by water was an advantage that the enemy could not overcome, they dropped. their and took up the paddles; but, at this juncture, the “naval force,” consisting Teddy and Gus, put in an appearance for co-operation with the “land for- ces.” A yell announced their appearance on the By oe de of the reeds. or a moment the savages seemed bewildered, but | quickly recovering they took in the situation at a “ Quite right, Sure Shot, as I believe my Irish guide | told me you were that distinguished young border- | Were suffering with hunger and | ca glance. They fixed their eyes upon the captives, and their tomahawks with murderous in- tent. But, before they could execute their bloody thoughts, every one of them fell dead. Teddy and Gus then pushed through the reeds, and, running alongside the Indian's ted the maidens with words of cheer and triumph, while a shout of joy rose from the shore. Teddy towed the boat to the bank and the maidens landed, though scarcely able to stand. The handsome uniform of Captain Sayton ht the eyes of the maidens, and as Vishnia scanned the face beneath the brim of the soldier's cap, a cry of joy burst from her lips, and she rushed into the tain’s arms. Oh, Charlie!” she cried, forgetting all else in that me) 7 ay of bliss. mi “Ida, my darling,” murmured the young officer, prindng a kiss upon her brow. d thus Vishnia and her lover met, CHAPTER XLIL A WONDERFUL SHOT Sern and his friends saw that M e and Visnnia ustion, and at
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24 Sure Shot Sezh. ence took measures for their relief. Teddy and Rube were sent out in search of game for food, while the others selected a favorable spot for a | camp, and lighted a fire. The maidens being comfortably seated, Seth and Captain Sayton entertained them in a manner calcu- lated to revive their spirits and strengthen their courage. The captain proved a very interest.ng companion, and after a general epitome of events, he and Vishnia became engaged in a private conver- sation; and while they were talking over the past few months thet h separated them, Seth and Maggie were also engaged in sweet communion. What passed between them we wiil not attempt to record; but that the result was one of infinite pleas- ure an. deiight was evident from the radiance and joy that beamed upon their young faces. Teddy soon came in with a large, fat wild turkey, which was at once dressed and roasted in true hunter style. The savory smell of the meat had sharpened the appetite of the maidens, and when it was placed before them they ate with a keen relish. Never did food taste so luscious to the maidens, It seemed rich enough to tempt the palate of a king, or invoke the envy of an epicurean, After their meal preparations for departure were at once made; but up to this time Rube Johnson had not returned from his hunt, and grave fears for his safety were entertained. It would never do to go away without him, so they could do nothing but sit down and wait. Suddenly the rapid firing of rifles stung through the woods, and the war-whoop of Indians followed, This told our friends that danger was approaching, and they were at once compelled to flee; for they were afraid that Rube was being pursued, and in his excitement would return to camp instead of leadinz the foe in some other direction in order to save the maidens, They embarked in the batteau for the opposite shore, having first destroyed the Indians’ boat. Crossing the river they landed, and entering the woods pursued their way westward, Seth taking the | lead. hey were now in a vicinity, every foot of which was familiar to the members of the Boy Brigade. Not over am le from there was the vailey in which their cabin stood, and in hopes of finding it still standing, Seth headed in that direction. Wien but a short distance from the place tho oung rifloman suddenly discovered a numbor of ndians ona little knoll about two hundred yards in advance of them, The eminence was covered with a spare growth of tall, sleader saplings, while underneath was a heavy growth of brush just tail enough to conceal a man, The Indians percepti- ble, however, were climbiny into a tall, straizat sapling, trimming olf allthe branches as they as- cended, ‘“What the mystery does that mean?” asked Cap- tain Sayton. * Devilment, I assure A halt was ordered w ments of the foe. There were four Indians climbing the sapling, and when the foremost one was within a few feet of the top, he stopped and looked down at his com- anions. The slender bush, already swaying under ts load, incliaed down the hill, and the moment the warrior looxed down, it seemed a signal for the red- skins all to throw themselves on one side, which they did, when the sapli g bent gracefully over un- til its top tonched tbe earth. The red-skins all disappeared in the undergrowth, ona only the graceful arch of the sapling was visi- ble. “Heavens, but wees lost a good chance for a shot,” lamented Teddy O’Roop. ‘*We may have a chance yet, Ted,"’ returned Seth, “for I’m of the opinion that that movement means miischief of some kind.” “*T am inclined to think there are a number of In- dians in that thicket,” Sayton said, ‘* judging from the movement of the bushes.” “ My God! look there!” suddenly burst from Sure Shot’s lips; “it is as I had expected.” They all saw the sapling spring back almost to fts former position, pulling up with it, between hea- ven and earth, a human form that had been attach- ed to it by means of a slender cord or rope. The rope had been tied to the victim's feet and then to the tip end of the sapling, which, bending slightly, held him beyond reach of limb or shrub. From their position our friends could see the un- fortunate man’s arms beating the air and struggling in all the activity of life. Tae maidens turned their faces to avert the horri- ble sight. From away off in the woods came thé long howl of a wolf. Sure Shot started, for there was something famil- iar - the intonations that droned through the woods. } The bark of a fox answered the wolf. Again Seth, and Teddy, too, started and exchanged quick, inquiring glances. “*By the blessed Vargin! and I believe the B’y Brigade is near!’ Teddy exclaimed. “7 know it is, Ted, and that man hanging yonder is none other than our friend, Joyful Jim.” A ery of distress burst from Vishnia’s lips at these words. “Ts there no hope for him?” she cried. **But little, Vishnia,’’ answered Seth, “ but I shall maxe an effort. Teddy, lead these folks south to- ward the old spring and there wait; Gus, give me your rifle, for I find it is a trusty piece.” Teddy led the captain and maidens away toward the spring, while Seth, Ches and Gus remained where they were. The savages on the knoll had now beeome boiste- ou,” answered Seth. e they watched the move- rous in their inhuman trea.ment of the old border man, and were hurling stones, clubs and even toma- hawks through the air at the dangling form, * Now, boys,” said Seth, ‘‘I shall try my skill as | a rifleman in behalf of old Jim.” ‘* You don’t mean to slay him, do you?” asked Pagan. Seth made no answer, wut raising the rifle—a trus- ty Sharp’s—he leveled it toward the knoll, ran his eye along the barrel, and pressed the trigger. Simultaneous with t e report, old Joyful Jim was seen to drop to the earth like a stone; while the sap- ling whipped the air, as, relieved of its load, it sprung back to its perpencicular. ‘**T did it, as I live!— cut the rope that suspended him!’’ exclaimed Seth, highly elated at his wonder- ful exploit in marksmanship. Before any report could be had from the knoll, the discharge ef firearms to the north, and down the western side of the eminence, startled the woods with a thousand reverberations, “Thank God, the Brigade is near!’’ exclaimed Seth, as down along the forest halis sounded those culiar cries of his different followers, while over rom the knoll came groans of agony and yells of savage dismay. CHAPTER XLII. A GRAND KEUNION AND GOOD-BY, Dusky forms were seen darting rapidly along the ridge, evidently fleeing from the deadly aim of their invincible foe. Seth and his two companions hurried across to the knoll to look after old Jim, baving first an- nounced his presence by a signal to his friends scat- tered through the surrounding woods. The trio soon reached the scene of tragedy, where a sad, ghastly, and laughable sight combined, was presented to their view. A couple cf savages lay dead before them; three others were writhing in all the horrible agonies of death andin their midst sat old Joyful Jim,ywith a | serio-comical expression upon his face that would have provoked a smile from the soberest judge on | earth. He was looking around him like one bewil- dered, while he held on with a terrible gripe to some tufts of grass, and braced himself upon the earth as though he were about to be hurled from a giddy hight. i Hullo, there, Jim, what's the matter with you?” Seth exclaimed, as he approached the old man. Jim started and gazed wildly about him; then Seth discovered that he had been partially stunned by his fall, and that he was out of his mind. Suddenly one of the Boy Brigade came bounding into the thicket and seized Seth by the hand. “Thank the Lord, old friend, we are permitted to meet again, sound and well!” he exclaimed, joy- fully. “Tis by the skin of a hair, as Teddy says, that I am here, my dear friend, Justin,” returned Sure Shot. “Teddy?” exclaimed Justin Gray; “is Teddy alive, too?” “Yes, and with Maggie and Vishnia near this point,”’ “ Seth, can all this be true?” “It is a solemn fact.” Justin uttered a shout of joy. And now, one by one, the Brigade came up, hail- ing the presence of their young leader with deafening shouts of joy. The presence of Gus Stewart and Ches Pagan, the known companions of Ivan Le Clercq, caused the Brigade no little surprise; but Seth briefly explained their attitude toward them, and received the best wishes and congratulations of the boys for the change they had made in their conduct. Meanwhile, old Jina sat muttering incoherently to himself, but finally he started up with an exclama- tion and an odd oath, and rubbing his eyes and gaz- ing around him asked: “ Boys, how’s this, now?” An explanation was not necessary, for in a mo- meuvt more Jim’s mind was clear; and rising to his feet he gave the Indian lying before him a startled glance, then advanced and greeted Seth with a shake of the hand and a hearty, good-natured laugh. “Strikes me you were in a predicament, Jim,” said Sure Shot, smiling. “Wal, I reckon as what I had a teter in the clouds, and if the string hadn't ’a’ broke, I reckon them superbumfusticated vampires ’d ’a’ seen the last of Joyful James. But, great Jehoviah, boys! When 1 drapped from up thar I fell plump on a red- skin, and butted—drove—jammed him cl’ar down to the antytods; and it camedimmed nigh splatterin’ me all over this woods. It war only the adhesive- ness of the bony structures of my cerebellum that kept me from squashin’. But Seth—Shure Shet— friend March,I am monsterously dee-lighted to see you among us once more. I was afraid that young hashint of a Hawk-Eyes had got the dead wood on you this time; but seein’ he didn’t, I will be-safe in sayin’ he'll never—no, never, bother us again.” ‘Why not?” asked Seth. “Owing to the attraction of gravitation, invented by that great, good and jolly old philossofer, Sir Isaker Newton, he came to his death, and—’’ “What! do you mean to say Hawk-Eyes has been killed?” ““Ys-as; as I war goin’ to observe,” said Jim, with a gesture, “ by means of that invention of old Tke’s, I war forced downward to’rds the yearth when that string broke with me, and as luck would have it, I gravitated onto the chief's head and broke his on- gg neck, tharby cheatin’ the gallows, Turn hat karkiss over thar and you'll see that whatI have said is as true as the solar system is perfect.” The boys did ae directed, and when the body, ee eee cece a which had lain face downward, was tured, ak looked upon the face of Ivan Le Clereq. Young Stewart and Pagan were deeply affected by sight of the dead face of him who had nce been | their companion and leader. They siuddere¢. as | they thought of their own narrow escape from the sin which had ended the life of Ivan; and they thanked Heaven for the moral courage that enalJed them to overcome their fears and turn into the path of right and honor. And, too, the face of poo: Abe Thorne rose before them, and tears of grief and sorrow filled their eyes when they thought of his oor, childless mother, who would watch in vain for is coming. But they knew not that, at that ~wry moment, Abe’s mother lay silent in death—a victim to savage vengeance. Old Neptune and Mr. Harris soon joined the perky; and when the presence of Seth was discovered, a scene of great excitement ensued. Eager to receive — some tidings of their daughters, they plied him witb a dozen questions before Ea could answer one. But when he broke to them the glad news, that botk were safe. they — with joy. Sure Shot finally led the party to where Teddy and Captain Sayton, with the maidens, were in waiting. Then ensued another scene of joyful reunion. ‘Gosh a’mighty!” exclaimed old Jim, looking on with delight, ‘it’s better’n a camp-meetin’; and dog my cats if I don't wish I had a darter or a—a sweet- heart to embrace. If I had, I think my idear of paradise would be complete. I had a smatterin’ taste of love onct; but the dratted critter I sweet- ened on got mad at me and we parted forever. She got mad "boutnothin’ too—jist because I told her she hadn’t ort to make a corn-patch of her feet by crowdin’ them into number-eight boots and then un- dertake to kick a fractious cow into submission, But it war all for the best. She married another fel- ler, and now dishes up corn-pone to a cross hus- band and fifteen children. What parental responsi bilities I escaped! Humph! killin’ b’ars, bu’stin’ In- gins, and gravi ation are nowhar.” “I see,’ said Gus Stewart, “ that you are still igno- rant of the fact that Sure Shot Seth cut the ropes that suspended we in mid-air, with a bullet at the distance of nearly two hundred yards,” “You don’t tell me!” **T do; and for a fact.” ‘“‘P've no more to say “bout gravitation and tho | superbumfustic force with which I drapped onto the cerebellum of that Hawk-Eyes imp!"’ The distant report of a gun suddenly reminded our friends that peril surrounded them and that delay was dangerous. From Captain Sayton they learned that the set. tlers of the Yellow Medicine Agency, or those tha( had escaped the Indian tomahawk, had fled south and taken refuge at Fort Ridgely; and as this was the nearest point of safety, our friends at once set out for that place. Shortly after their departure the party were over taken by Rube Johnson, who had been th considera ble trouble with the Indians. His coming left no om, — and so the party all moved on more cheer- ully. On the way old Neptune revealed his right name and the place of his home; and while his sojourn in the wilds of the North-west had, in the end, been full of great peril and suffering, he did not regret that he had come, for he had’ been restored to his wonted heath and strength. With the cloud that had once seemed gathering over his powerful brain went all his eccentric no- tions of submarine navigation; though to have fo)- lowed up what he had accomplished at Lake Luster might have led to a success and fame equal to that of George Stephenson and oie Fulton, Upon one other point the Boy ade was enlight- ened; and that was the queer and even suspicious manner in which Joyful Jim deported himself while around Lake Luster. The fact is, old Jim was in the employ of Neptune as a scout, and secrecy being en- found upon him, of course he kept it tohimself. So t was his voice that Justin Gray and Hooseah, the Indian, heard on the water the night they swam out to Sure Shot's relief; for it was Jim and Neptune that released him from the log. Although greatly harassed by the savages, our friends finally reached Fort Kidgely, which they found closely beleaguered i for enemy ; but, assailed by the indomitable Boy Brigude, the savages wero compelled to raise the siege, withdrawing in the direction of New Ulm. Old Neptune and his daughter soon returned to their old home, where, a few years later—when the war had ended—Captain Sayton claimed the hand of the fair Vishnia in the b: nes of wedlock. Mr. Harris took his daughter south, beyond al dangers of Indian invasion, where, in company with her friend, Emma Milbank, and the other women of the Yellow Medicine Agency, she spent the summer, while he went back to fight under the banner of her lover, Sure Shot Seth. The Boy Brigade rendered inestimable service during the terrible Minnesota war, and although it was in many hard-fought battles, and lost some yf its members, its gallant young leader, Sure Shot Seth, passed through the hottest of all anscathed to fall meekly into the ranks of married men, an become one of the most devoted of husbands to one of the most devcted and charming of wives—Maggie Harris THE END. 136 Night-Hawk Kit; or, Tak Davem TER OF THE RaNcHE. By Jos. E. Badger, Ji.