Beadle's Half Dime Library (no. 562) (1888 05 01)
The text was read from the page scans by machine (OCR), so it has mistakes and its columns may run together. See the pages · About this title · At the Internet Archive
Page 1
\ . a - WRAUIA Vase eanenenneses WY VAAL WAAR” HAT Entered at the Post Office at New York, N. ¥., at Second Class Mail Rates. Copyright, 1888 by BEADLE AND ADAMS, ; May 1, 1888 $2.50 PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY BEADLE AND ADAMS, Price, Vol. XXII. a Year. No, 98 WILLIAM STREET, NEW YORK. 5 Cents. No. 562. | fo : SS, é% i= SP m == . : | : 16 “ K soP ee Pla N e ( 4 ' — Hi FN N/a iN NY Mi Wf’ i Wer, t ; 4) “a WG WL, ONY : Yih: ) | == ANN The Bad Man fom Wapsipinnicon. | BY OLL COOMES, AUTHOR OF ‘STONEWALL BOB,” “‘OLD Tom RATTLER,” “LITTLE BUCKSKIN,” ‘‘ WHIF- ; KING JOE,” ‘‘VAGABOND JOE,” “‘SIL- VaR STAR,” ‘“‘SURE-SHOT SETH,” ETC., ETO. i ii CHAPTER I. BLUNDERING BASIL. A CANOs, in which reclined the stout, sturdy figure of a youth clad in hunter’s garb, was saog wg at the will of the sluggish current down Moines River. £0. Brotde cl asec ge A ite was that aes = cious nce C) my air, found mo- FOR A MOMENT THE BOY TRAPPER WAS ALL ALERTNESS—FLASHING HIS GLANGEE where in a)) land save upon the wild prai- ALONG THE SHORE an A GLIMPSE OF HIS WOULD-BE ASSASSEN.
Page 2
ae ries and in the boundless woods of the great % West. Inthe meilow, dreamy voices of nature there was a plaintive symphony as sweetly at- ee tuned by their commingling as the harps we a hear in Dreamland, Over all—like a mystic vail softening the out- lines of the landscape—hung a blue haze—the haze of Indiansummer. But all this romantic splendor of incense, sight and sound, did not seem to stir a single emotion in the breast of the young borderman afloat on the river, He gazed “ary down into the water with passive indifference. rh The twittering of bright-eyed birds that still lingered about their summer homes; the saucy barking of squirrels in the trees along the shore; the whirr and flap of water-fowls’ wings above and around him, received not a passing no- > tice. Heseemed blind and deaf to all things en and all sounds. When he shifted his position, as he did now and then, his movements were as sluggish as the river’s current upon which he was drifting. But, why was he so lifeless? so indifferent? He could not have been sick, for his big, round and ruddy face was the very picture of robust health; nor could he have been wounded, for there was no evidence of physical pain upon his immobile features. So, toa seer observer, it must have seemed that he was indifferent to all his surroundings, and drifting, he knew not where, and, perhaps, cared less; or else he was wrapt in a profound reverie from which no or- zu Nh dinary noise could arouse him. And thus he te floated, regardless of time or tide, until— } The crash of a rifle from the shore, and a bul- let whistling over the head of the silent boat- Ba man, changed that reverie into alertness. Quick as a flash the youth dropped on his knee, his rifle in hand, his coonskin cap pushed back from his brow, his eyes wide-open as a buck’s, sendiug searching glances along the shore, his face flushed, his broad breast heaving and every chord and muscle of his strong frame oe with the strength of the Hercules that e@ was. The transformation was complete. The bey aS who had lain so drowsily in the boat now seem- an ed the very picture of defiance. He could not hy have been over eighteen or nineteen years of us age. He was of medium hight, but broad- shouldered, deep-chested, with arms and neck as strong and muscular as those of a Roman gladiator, : And thus appeared Blundering Basil, the Her- mit Boy Trapper. The sobriquet may seem paradoxical, but by this name only was he known to the settlers of Hickory Point. Three years previous to the tah opening of our story he had drifted into the _ Point alone, half-naked and half-starved. He : had been leading a vagabond life among the ty frontier settlements so ag that he bad but a ae vague recollection of where he first started. His parents both dying when he was young, he soon iby became a homeless, friendless waif. But, when ea - he arrived at Hickory Point, the good settlers By" took him in and gave him food and raiment, 9 He proved, however, to be a very eccentric fellow. He was possessed of so many peculiar traits that no one could determine upon what BY, course of treatment and advice was best for him. He was generally good-natured, full of .boyish pranks, bright and quick-witted; but, there were times when he sulked, was cross and sullen, his wits becoming dull and torpid: and at such times he was a very disagreeable per- . son. Another failing with Basil was his aversion to physical labor unless attended withsome danger _ or sport. _He would lie down by an ax or hoe and sleep like a bear in midwinter; but, give bes - him a pair of wild steers; or a vicious colt to Bi ' break, or a rifle with which to bunt, and be was all life and animation. He would never give up until he had finished his work, and, in conquer- ing the untrained animals, he always won by dint of patience, perseverence and pluck, ? And as a hunter, there was not a man in sin eg Point who could beat Basil in killing deer. Big and clumsy as he seemed, he was phenomenally lucky as a hunter, and when aay asked for the secret of his success, his answer i always was: “TI blunder onto it.” — — ‘ , ing onto it,” by bis own admission, and.so in ' time be became known as Blundering Basil. So in,the active and passive, this eccentric boy was a life and energy in the one, and ‘stupidity and laziness in the other. Some be- ‘lieved him the victim of hereditary taint, and were disposed to condone bis faults, arguing _ tbat he would outgrow them, But, try as they Bas _ would, it seemed a hopeless case of making eer ynyt ing out of the overgrown lad, but a hun- In fact, everything he did was by “ blunder-. ei Eyaiy real a ye Sl Apter raty MER hate NiCr Har enh hacatos i ndering Basil, ! ter and trapper. He could learn and did learn to read and write without any apparent effort, but he made the rifle and trap, as well as the habits of the deer, the otter, the beaver, and in fact all game animals, his principal study. He had the patience to sit allday and watch a colony of otter at play sliding down the oank, while an hour’s labor of any kind was most painful, and generally threw him into the sulks. ) The settlers finally became tired of this and concluded to get rid of him; so they purchased the best rifle to be got hold of at that time, with a good supply of ammunition, and a lot of treps, and bid him speed in the calling he seemed to love so well. Basil was anxious to get away as he knew the settlers were to have him go, but, when the time came ‘to depart, he found he-had more friends in the settlement than he thought. In fact, none of them were enemies; but, in the boys of about his own age, be found genuine friends who were sorely pained to see him leave them. Thirty miles northwest of Hickory Point Basil found a deserted cabin standing on the banks of a little lake whose outlet was into the Des Moines River, The building was surround- ed by a few hickory and cottonwood trees with an outskirt of plum and hazel thickets. It seemed a good location for his purpose, and so he took possession of the place and went to work, In trapping he succeeded beyond all expectation, and a few months after his de- parture he reappeared in Hickory Point one day, with a canoe loaded with peltries, He re- paid the settlers for the outfit furnished him, purchased supplies and departed. : wice a year at least, be visited the Point to sell and buy, and the feelings of the settlers to- ward him now had become so changed that he was received and entertained as an honored guest. At the time we introduce him, he was on his way to Hickory Point to procure his fall and winter supplies. The bullet from the rifle whose report had aroused him from one of his old-time stupors, seemed to pass so close to his head that he be- lieved it had been fired with murderous intent, and the prospect of some excitement to break the monotony of his voyage, quickened the latent fire of energy into a blaze to which every sense and every fiber of the body quickly responded. For a moment the Trapper was all alert- ness—flashing his glances ‘along the sbore for a glimpse of bis would-be assassin. His eyes caught sight of a cloud of smoke rising above a clump of bushes, and quickly raising his rifle, he was about to send an exploring bullet into the thicket, when a peal of merry laughter greeted his ears. The young trapper lowered his rifle, and, as he did so, caught the flutter of female garments among the shrubbery, and then, into plain view on the bank, waving their hats above their heads, came two young girls, who were imme- diately followed by a youth of eighteen, carry- ing arifle. The faces of the three were aglow with merriment, and Blundering Basil at once joined in the laughter, for he recognized the three as Tom Dayton and his sister Jennie, and Fanny Mcore—young nee of Hickory Point. Taking up the paddle, Basil headed his boat for the shore, and soon he was shaking hands with his young friends. Tom Dayton was a tall, manly youth, witha clear, brown eye and a bright, open coun- tenance, His sister Jennie was a year or two his junior, possessed of a slender, sylph-like form, a deep-blue eye, a pretty face and a sweet, vivacious spirit. Fanny Moore was a young girl of sixteen, a handsome, dark-eyed little creature, upon whose sun-kissed face lurked roguish dimples, and in whose eyes shone the light of a merry-hearted irl. off Well, by smokyzooper!” exclaimed Basil, after he had greeted the young PONG **s0 you folks tried to assassinate me, eh?” ‘*Tt was I, Basil,” confessed Jennie, her blue eyes sparkling, ‘‘that put brother Tom up to fire a shot over you, for Fanny thought it would be so funny to see you arg ‘Well, I jumped, didn’t I7? the young trap- r queried; ‘‘and it’s all rigbt, gals; but it’d oes awful if I’d’a’ blundered a shot into that thicket and killed somebody, But, say, what are you folks doing way up here, anyhow?” “ Nutting,” answered Tom; “ that is, Jen and Fan are, and I’m their pack-horse.” ** And we’ve had splendid suecess, too; doesn’t that look like it? and Jennie held out her hands, showing her fingers that were browa with nut- stain. ** Yes, they’ve got two bushels of nuts for me to pack home, and I’ve a notion to dump them in the river,” growled Tom. f j ‘Chuck ’em into my boat,” suggested Basil, (yy ‘and yerselves, too, and Il] float the whole out- % fit down to the Point:” which proposition was no sooner made than accepted, and in a few minutes all were adrift on the river. CHAPTER II. a ; A GRAND DEER-HUNT. BASIL was unusually lively during that river jourucy. He joked and laughed with the young people and told pleasant stories that were quite - entertuining and amusing, for be was famous as i a story-teller, ‘ _ To Jennie and Fanny he seemed to have grown, i into another being since he left the Point. In his pleasant, aay. voice, his flashing bright i oo eyes, and his splendid physique, there was muck that woman admires in the opposite sex, ‘“* Basil,” Tom Dayton said asa thought finally occurred to him, ‘‘I’m glad you’ve come down * tothe Point. We're goin’ to havearoyal old | Os deer- hunt, and to make sure that game enough is secured to last alla i igre a prize of fifteen dollars bas been offered to the outsider who'll kill the most game in a certain time.” ‘*That so? Hadn’t heard of it,” said the young Del trapper. \ = Twas afraid you hadn’t; but you're just in time to take a band if you wantto. Besides the prize, each hunter will get three shillings for ~~ every deer he kills, so that he'll be well paidif = = \ | he don’t win the prize.” P : ‘By smokyzooper!” exclaimed Basil, ‘‘ I must have that prize or bu’st a tug tryin’ for it.” “Oh, I hope you'll win it, Basil!” Jennie ex- claimed, seeming to become more and more in- terested in the young Hercules, though wholly unconscious of the fact. “Youll have some hard fellers to | buck against, Bass,” Tom Dayton said, ‘for already Old Natty Thorndyke from over on the Big Sioux, and. Jack Arp from the Wapsipinnicon are on hand, ready for business. They say Arp’s a holy screamer on the hunt. He’s got a rifle the same make as yours, and I saw him put’ ten bullets in succession inside of an inch circle at thirty paces. Besides, he’s a great wrestler and ha» throwed every man in the settlement that dared try bim. Big Bill Hohn, who'd never met his match before, got his trotters flipped into the air too nice, And then, Arp’s a sort of a dandified chap. He wears his hair long and well soaped, and his leggin’s and moc- casins are more than fancy, and with all, he’s sweeter’n wild honey on Jen, and, as Jen holds the prize, he said it’d be the ’way-uppest hour of his life to receive the money from her fair (wal- nut-stained) hands, and he'll break his neck to win that prize.” ‘*Tom, you mean thing?’ exclaimed Jennie; ‘*] hope Basil will win the prize for I don’t like Jack Arp one bit.” \ ‘*Oh, bo!” exclaimed Tom, ‘that’s an ad- mission, Bass, that she does like you! Well, I second her motion in the wish for you to win, for ay 8 thinks he’s so allfired, kijlin’ smart ‘cause he can shoot and wrestle that I'd just yoop to see him beat out of his beaded moc- casing.” . “Tl give him a rustle, anyhow,” Basil de- clared, | ‘‘I know these parts as well as the next nies and I might blunder onto a good run of uck, Thee the four conversed until they landed on the shore at Hickory Point. : By the earnest request of both Tom and Jennie Basil became their guest at their widowed mother’s cabin. They found supper awaiting I. their arrival, for it was nearly dark, and after they had refreshed themselves, and Basil had conversed a few minut2s with Mrs. Dayton, the two boys went over to the Trading Post. Basi) had a small bundle of furs to sell; besides both of them were eager to learn further particulars about the coming hunt, The ‘Trading Post” was a general variety store kept by Ward_ Brothers, who, besides dis. pensing groceries, dry-goods, and ammunition to the settlers, drove a lively trade in furs and - peltries with the hunters and Indians for miles around, It was dark when the boys reached the store which was lighted up with tallow dips, Most of the male population of Hickory Point had al- ready assembled there. Jack Arp and Sidney, Bush—the latter Arp’s friend who bad come t the settlement with him—as well as Old Natty Thorndyke, were also there. ER Blundering Basil’s arrival in the village was. already known, and when he entered the store — he was greeted by a few voices in tones that Bs 3 } more sensitive person would not have regard r
Page 3
reeting came very complimentary. But this ed upon the rr ah rude-mannered men who loo youn eft the eee three vears before. J Tom yton felt keenly the want of respect shown his friend, and would have resented it in words had he not seen that Basil regarded the rude remarks with something of his old-time indifference, and went on shaking bands with all ‘those who came forward to greet him, ‘Here, Jack Arp,” exclaimed Paul Bates, one young ‘trapper; ‘‘come over; I want to intro- ‘ -duce you to our Blunderin’ Basil,” ‘ - oe Jack Arp advanced a few steps, cee | at a. Basil, and then with a smile turned away with- out saying one word. He seemed to regard the young ape) as unworthy of his attention. ‘* He's the same ‘stupid head’ as of yore,” ‘3 er a voice in the back of the room was heard to vee a say, ‘ > Basil heard the remark but paid no more at- : tention toit than if it had been a yelp of a \coyote. atty Thorndyke, a bushy-bearded old border- ‘man of sixty years, with a pleasant, steel-gray yas eyeand a kindly voice, came up and shaking fy -hands with Basil, said: 4 ‘* Youngster, l’ve hearn heaps bout you here, to-night, and it made me anxious to see ye. > a you'll take a hand in the prize hunt, ‘*That’s what I’m here for, uncle,” responded the youth. Sidney Busb burst into a roar of laughter at ‘what he considered the conceit of a stupid boy. : : This was more than Tom Dayton could stand sand he piped out so that all heard him: ‘Some of Pe fellows may laugh out of the other side of your mouths before this thipg’s “over with!” ‘“*Sh! Tom!” whispered Basil to his friend; ‘let them talk, I read in one of Squire Smith’s ‘books that the shallows murmur while the deeps sare dumb,” Already Sam Ward had prepared a map of -all the country for ten miles around the Point, Every stream was indicated, and these streams were to form the boundaries of each of the **prize hunters’” territory. There were now three contestants, counting Blundering Basil and so three sections of territory were mapped out for them, All that part lying north of the Point and be- “tween the Des Moines and Dry Creek was to «comprise one section. . All between Dry Creek -and Honey Creek, the second; and all between Honey Creek and the river on the south, the third, The area of the three was pretty equally x ~theniselves were to take. The hunt was to begin on the morrow and last four days, . . -was made that night. The order of selection was by casting lots. Arp drew to first choice, ‘and Basil second. The Wapsie hunter, as Arp chad been dubbed, chose that section lying be- tween the river and Dry Creek. Basil took.that which would have been his choice even if he had shad first selection—lying between Dry and Honey Creeks, and Thorndyke the other. It was distinctly understood that each of the hunters must confine all his operations to his own territory. A deer killed across the line on the territory of another, would be forfeited to the owner of that territory. Tbe banks of the streams designated were to be the limits. The next thing in order was the selection of game-carriers. Arp took his friend, Sidney ush, Tom Dayton didnot exactly indorse the ‘ selection, but as neither Basil nor Thorndyke entered a protest, he kept still. Basil selected Uncle Phil Berry, than whom there was- no ‘more honest or trustworthy in, the settlement. -Thorndyke allowed the settlers to assign him a man, as all were strangers tohbim. , The preliminaries for the bunt all arranged, _ Basil disposed of bis furs, purchased a supply of ic “ay and lead, and then he and Tom returned te the Dayton cabin, and spent two hours in molding bullets. Every one of the bright lit- _ tle spheres was critically examined by the ' young trapper, and if the slightest defect was found, back it went into the ladle. At precisely midnight the youths retired. Bs CHAPTER III. THE FUN BEGINS. ' ; is i Wuern Tom _ morning, he heard some one outside the cabin whistling as merry asa lark. He looked out A -of the few fellows who would make sport of the- Dayton arose at daybreak next | man in the same light all did when he | mind and body aroused for action. | Selection of territory by the three contestants | gun. ! P ‘hn * ai re Be _- 7 . ee a rape: wd \ ‘ a sant be peal eel Phat AS Nie A , Sey & hd eG pa SA pte ol eave) € . “a 2 ee teas e ree ” => Dera ws ’ Blunderi rhe ng Basil, and saw it was Blundering Basil, his eyes sparkling, his face aglow, and all bis energies of Breakfast was prepared by the eager, hopeful Jennie, and soon as it had been dispatched Basil was ready to depart. He found Uncle Phil Berry with his pack-horse awaiting him outside. As he turned to bid the women good-by, Jen- nie approached him with an anxious look, say- ing: ** Basil, do your best, and if you win I'll add to the prize already offered a—” ‘‘A kiss, laughingly interposed the young trapper, and without waiting for the blushing maiden’s reply, he was off, Soon the settlement was deserted by all save the women and children. All but four men went away on the hunt, some of them declaring that they were going to t the hunters, even if they could get no prize nor exclusive territory. Game was quite abundant and everybody knew that Blundering Basil had the best terri- tory, but no one believed be could win. against old and experienced hunters like Arp and Thorndyke. By noon the Wapsie hunter had sent in three deer. They were taken to the slaughter-house, where they were dressed by two men detailed for that purpose. Besides giving each game- bearer a receipt for every deer delivered, they also kept a careful account of each man’s work. It was understood that the list of each hunter be kept a secret, not only from the hunters themselves, but from all others, until the contest had ended. This made the affair all the more lively and uncertain, Jennie Dayton, who was on the alert, noticed the coming of Arp’s man first. The discovery filled her breast with deep regret and bitter dis- appointment, for she was just superstitious enough to regard it as an ill-omen. owever, as Uncle Phil came in soon afterward, his horse loaded down, her spirits revived, But day in and day out she watched the coming and going of the game-carriers in suspense, her spirits alternating between hope and fear. Meanwhile Blundering Basil was doing his level best and having fine success. He did not o in at night, but slept in the woods, Uncle hil taking him his meals prepared hy the anxious Jennie Dayton. Toward the close of the third day Basil shot a doe almost on the very brink of Dry Creek. Uncle Phil was close at hand, and, while they were tying it upon the pack-horse, they heard the report of a gun over on Arp’s territory. It seemed to have come from but a short distance away, and before the echoes had ceased, the crack of another rifle was heard to come from divided, All the'rest of the territory the settlers | the same territory, but in a different direction. ‘‘ Uncle, did you hear that?” queried Basil, ‘* I did, Basil,” replied the old settler, “‘ and I | tell you thein reports wasn’t made by the same Jist_ as sure as you’re born thar’s more’n one man huntin’ over thar. Mind you, I woukdn’t say the Wapsie hunter is takin’ advan- tage o’ you and Thorndyke by bavin’ some one he’p him, but it might pay you to inquire into the matter.” ‘Uncle, I mistrusted this mornin’ there was somethin’ wrong over on that side. I heard two guns fired almost simultaneous, and they seemed to be a mile apart. But, say nothin’. To-night I’m goin’ over there to investigate matters. ‘‘I don’t propose to be beaten by rascally work,” 4 ‘¢ Them’s my sentimints, boy!” declared Uncle Phil; * I hope you'll find things all right, how- ever. The next morning when the old settler rejoin- ed Basil, almost the first words the latter spoke were to say: 4 “Well, t raed a reconnoissance over on Arp’s territory the other night, and what do you s’pose I blundered onto?” bai Some friend that’s helpin’ him,” replied Try, ‘A party of five Indians with whom Arp spent the night.” — “The scoundrel!” exclaimed Uncle Phil, in- dignantly; ‘‘expose him! expose him, Basil! Enter a protest, confound him! enter a protest against his count! Why, they’re bettin’, now, at the Point, two to one on Arp. You can’t *spect to win ’g’inst five Ingins and a dumbed raseal! Kick it all over, Basil, kick like a bull- moose! Have your rights if ye bave to fight for ’em, and co Phil Berry ‘ll stay with ye long as he can crook a finger, or bat an eye!” ‘Keep cool and quiet, Uncle Phil!” calmly advised Basil; ‘‘ be as stupid as I am sometimes, Don’t chirp a word, and when the time comes Tl blunder onto the proper thing for that Wapsie hunter. You see, I could not sw A nor can I prove, the Indians are helpin’ him, — t want to make sure of some proof first, then PL go in like a smokyzooper.” Uncle Phil having cooled down agreed to — “a quiet, although the fear of losing the bet he h ee ee made on Basil with Sidney Bush, kept his mind © , in a state of unrest. And so the work went on, That was the last day of the hunt, and it proved to be the best of the four for Basil. He had killed eight @eer and started down Dry Creek toward the Point, . Uncle Phil following him, The sun was nearly two bours high. Basil bad hoped to get an- other deer on his way in. He was nearing the point where he would leave the creek to go di- 7 rect to the settlement, when a large buck sprung from somewheres into the dry channel of the creek, stopped and sniffed the air as if in doubt as to the source of impending danger. ; Quick as a flash per yo Basil brought bis rifle to his shoulder and fired. The deer leaped forward a few feet and fell dead. Basil drew his knife, sprung down the bank and advanced to cut its throat. As he did so, Jack Arp sprurg down the opposite side, knife in hand, and advancing, said; “That's my deer!” 4 “Yours?” exclaimed Blundering Basil in sur- rise, Pm That’s what I said!” answered Arp, stoop- . ); ing and cutting the animal’s jugular.” fe “T shot it,” Basil declared. a ‘And so did I,” responded Arp; “‘ we fired ql together.” “* That’s singular—the first I knew of it, We'll see,” the young hunter remarked. hey examined the deer, and, true enough, found two bullet-holes in the head, one at the ; base of the right ear, the other at the base of the Fi left, Either was a fatal shot. y In the mean time the game-bearer of each ; came up, and was informed of the singular state 5 of affairs. : : ““There’s no denying we both shot it,” said Basil; ‘‘ that’s clear enough.” 4 “But I claim the deer,” replied Arp, “‘ on the ground of it’s havin’ fallen nearest my territory, as all can see.” ; “That’s a small margin, by thunder, it is!” blurted Uncle Phil. “Men,” spoke up old Sidney Bush, “it’s not at all likely that this ’ere deer’ll be necessary to ee settle the dispute one way, so there’s no need a- uarrelin’ ’bout it.” “Whether it’s necessary or not, I shall claim iS? a the deer!” declared Arp, in a tone calculated to a be final, A ‘* We'll see,” was Basil’s reply. 4 It was agreed that the deer be loaded upon eh Bush’s horse, and, when so secured, the four set out for Hickory Point. When they reached the settlement everybody was in a fever of excitement, and impatient to know the result, upon which every man had made @ wager, even Deacon Squire Smith bet- ting a bushel of hulled walnuts against a gallon of rum on Basil. The settlers were at once confronted with the singular dispute over the buck which both Arp and Basil had shot, and it was the uflanimous ‘ opinion that the matter should be settled before the general result of the hunt was made known. Basil proposed that it be thrown out and counted to neither. To this Arp objected. Then ay backers would make a proposition which Basil’s friends would peremptorily reject. This wrangling was kept up until it was evident bad blood was being engendered. Deacon Smith became so excited that he declared he would fight, if necessary, for his rights. ‘**T don’t keer a shuck for thet bushel o’ war- — f nuts, but—” a vty “It’s the gallon o’ rum you want,” broke in - i old Major Cooley, aud then the settlers had to ‘Cay interfere to prevent the old pioneers from pum- F meling each other. The excitement drew the eager Jennie Dayton near the wrangling crowd. Jack Arp caught sight of her pretty face turned toward him, and construing the eager look thereon as being for ; for his success, an idea was suggested to his * r mind, and approaching Basil, he said, in a tone of haughty importance: ei “Look bere, stupid! I’ve another and last zh * proposition, and that is that we make a state- ment to Miss Jennie Dayton, and let her decide the dispute—her decision to be final.” , “I blunder to that, child of the Wapsipinni-, con,” was Basil’s cheery response, “ Jennie Dayton shrunk. back, half frightened - by tbe idea suggested. Infact she would have ‘fled the place or ber mischievous, impulsive brother not caught her by the arm and balf+ a a “te ™ . Gx
Page 4
; 1 _.gyoung trapper was d = ple Ao ik , whi yee gals teed . OE ee FETS 7 savin aN ” i ie ode . : } ne ‘ BPs r lundering Basil. ees: dragged her into the presence of the disputants, saying: ‘Come, Judge Jennie Dayton; you must hear this cause and decide, Gentlemen, court’s now in session!” ‘And [ wish you were before the court for sentence,” Jenniee xclaimed, flashing a reproach- ful look at her roguish brother. After some urging, and the earnest request of Basil, the maiden consented to hear the dis- utants’ statements and decide the matter to the t of her judgment, Jack Arp made an elaborate statement, lay- ing emphasis upon the fact that the deer fell nearest to his side of the creek—a fact Blunder- ing Basil did not gainsay. After he had finished there was deep silence. Basil became conscious that all eyes were now fixed npon him, and after a few moments’ reflec- tion, he said: “* Bear in mind, Miss Jennie, that Jack Arp’s territory was between the river and Dry Creek. Mine between Dry Creek and Honey. The deer was shot dead in the dry bed of the creek. Let the court decide and I will abide.” Jennie looked at Arp and then at Basil, Her face was perceptibly pale, yet never more beau- ‘tiful, Shebit her nether lip as if to restrain some unbidden thought from expréssion in words, then, after a moment’s reflection, she sail in a clear voice: ‘“*T must decide the deer belongs to neither, or else equally to both, for it was killed on neutral ground.” Upon hearing this decision a shout burst from the settlers, Basil threw his cap high in the air and gave an exultant ‘‘ whoop!” Jack Arp’s face clouded with disappointment, but, quickly recovering his presence of mind, he said, with a forced smile, to Jennie: “A just decision by a just judge, Miss Day- Again the crowd cheered. “Now,” a settler finally exclaimed, ‘“let’s hear the result of the hunt from the butchers.” Mr, Nebrow, one of the butchers, mounted a stump, paper in hand, A dead silence fell upon the crowd. Then ina clear voice that all could hear, Mr, Nebrow made the following announce- ment: “Natty Thorndyke killed twenty-five deer. ** Jack Arp killed thirty-one deer. ‘“And Basil thirty-one deer—a tie between oi and Basil.” or a moment there was a dead silence follow- ing the announcement, The settlers could hard- ] neta iy the situation—that Basil and Arp had tied on thirty-one each. They thought Nebrow was joking. Arp thougbt so, too. Presently some one ‘‘ hurrahed” for Blunder- ing Basil; then some one yelled for Arp, and this was followed by a general confusion and ani- mated discussion of the * tie,” “*Gentlemen,” Mr. Nebrow called out from his perch on the stump, ‘‘it’s growin’ late. The sun "ll soon be down. This matter hasn’t been settled yot, The decision of Jennie leaves it just where it was in the slaughter-bouse. Now Arp, how’ll you and Blunderin’ Bass settle it?” “* Any way’ll suit me,” answered Basil. * “Then my Se ag ye Aya it off?’ asked rp, turning abru on the young trapper. 7 inokyaso ty J ist m fae at one Btincivent and fifty yards,” declared Basil, so quickly that it almost eprived Arp of his breath. '““Mebby,” retorted Arp, with a sneer, ‘* you’d as lief wrestle?” “ Wrestle ?” exclaimed the Boy Trapper— “yes, anything to piotee you. We'll take it Ingin fashion—stand twenty paces apart; at the word we'll start and meet each other and catch-as-catch-can and go in grizzlies—one fall to settle it. Oh, yes! I'd as soon wrestle as eat, though it’s been a good while since I had hold of a grizzly bear or a tornado,” “ All rigbt—one fall,” repeated Arp, for, since he was an expert as a wrestler, he had no doubt of his ability to down the big, clumsy-looking boy. Basil's friends became disheartened. Arp wasa young man of thirty—strong and agile as a panther—whose skill had becn witnessed a few days before; and very few believed there was a ghost of a chance for the boy. In fact, Deacon Smith declared that further proceedings . ‘would be a mere matter of form, and that his “‘warnuts” were goners, Jennie Dayton, sorely disappointed, turned . and went home, half-wishing that Arp had won ' in the hunt rather than see lose now and in a way that must be humiliating to him. She had heard the men expressing their opinions as to the result of the contest, and all hope for the ‘ispelled from her breast. | ~ ———————— oa & It was growing dusk and no time was to be lost in finishing up the contest. Jack Arp threw off his cap, his ‘hunting- jacket, and tightened his belt, and with an air of supreme confidence took his position with folded arms to await the pleasure of his oppo- nent, Basil divested himself of his superfluous cloth- ing and stepped to his position, twenty nies from, and facing, the Wapsie hunter, Those near him were sensibly impressed with the de- meanor of the boy. He seemed to undergo one of his sudden transformations, The light that shone with a steady glow in his fine eyes, and the look of resolution and fixed determination upon his now keenly intelligent face, seemed to change his entire countenance. The great knots and bunches of muscles on his arms and limbs, his broad chest, and the chords of his neck seemed swelling to twice their usual size with an unnatural strength that had hitherto lain dormant within him, A profound silence again fell upon the crowd when it had been so arranged as to witness the contest, Sam Ward was to give the signal for the start. He took his position half-way between the dis- putants. He raised bis hand and called, ‘* At- tention!” Arp and Basil settled themselves for the start. After a moment’s pause Ward called out: ** One, two, three—GO!” CHAPTER IV. THE BEGINNING OF THE HOLIDAY. LIkE deer starting from their lair, Basil and Jack Arp shot toward each other, their eyes flashing, their teeth set. So swift were their movements that it seemed but an instant until they came together with a dull crash; then the spectators saw the bowing and writhing and spinning of the two forms, the swinging and twisting of limbs, the straining of rigid arms; when, all of a sudden, they saw a pair of heels rise into the air, describe a curve and then a form fall with a heavy thud upon the earth. There was a wild wie forward. A yell rent the twilight shadows. Jack Arp lay prone upon the earth, half-stunned by the terrific force of his fall. Blundering Basil had won the prize! His backers became almost frantic with joy. Deacon Squire Smith demanded and received his rum, and because, from abstraction of mind, consequent upon the excitement of the evening, he went to bed with his boots on, the busybodies of the place strongly and wickedly hinted that the good and pious old man was gloriously drunk! With a look of chagrin and mortification upon his face, Jack Arp picked himself up, brushed the dust from his clothes, put on his coat and cap, saying; ‘*T deserved defeat, for overconfidence did it; but, let the bull-moose have the prize, for little good it'll do him.” To those who saw the expression on the man’s face as he spoke there seemed to bea covert threat in his words. If Basil noticed it he gave it no heed whatever, but said: ‘“*T’ve had a tussle to earn it, seein’ as what I’ve had not only you, but half a dozen Ingins to buck ag’inst.” ““What do you mean, lubber?’ exclaimed Arp, turning like a tiger upon the young trap- per. ** Just what I say!” returned Basil, coolly, de- fiantly. ‘‘ You had half a dozen Ingins up the river helpin’ you!” ** You lie!” hissed Arp. But, no sooner had he utteréd the words than ‘“*spat” went Basil’s big fist into the fellow’s face and again the hunter from the Wapsie measured his length on the earth. Nor did he rise at once for the blow had dazed him. : Without another word Blundering Basil turned and walked slowly away toward the Widow Dayton’s cabin, whither Tom had al- ready preceded him with the news of his vic- tory. The widow and her daughter met the young trapper at the door, and bestowed upon him the warmest congratulations, Finally, Jennie, with three golden half-eagles lying in her extended hand, said: ‘Basil, here is the prize money you have honorably won.” Basil reached out and grasped, not only the money, but the hand that held it, and drawing Jennie to him planted a kiss fairly on her cheek, saying, with a laugh, as he did so: ‘That was nominated in the bond, too, as Deacon Smith says.” ; Jennie drew back, a maides§ blush suffusing her face, and when she detected Tom chuckling: with laughter, she felt half inclined to resent Basil’s liberty over Tom’s head. Basil held the gold pieces in bis hand and looked at them a few moments, little dreaming that they were the price of enmity, suffering, ril, death! Finally he threw them into the: ap of the Widow Dayton, saying: ‘** Mrs, Dayton, I’ll give them to you. I don’s. need ’em; besides, I’d lose them just sure.” ‘*No, no, Basil!” the widow protested: ** you’ve earned the money by hard labor. Keep it—save it for the future.” ‘ ‘‘ The fun I had beatin’ that Wapsie dandy more’n paid me for all my labor, Mrs Dayton. You keep the money and use it.” ; ‘Oh, thank you, Basil!” the widow exclaimed. with tears in her eyes; ‘‘ you are a big-bearted and noble boy, Basil. ay God protect you, is. my humble prayer!” i Jack Arp and his friend Bush remained at. Hickory Point two days after the bunt was over, though Tom and Jennie Dayton managed. it so that Basil and he did not meet again; for is was well known that the Wapsie hunter’s blood was up, and that he would have endeavored to» obtain satisfaction for the blow Basil gave him should they meet. When he left, however, he was in bis usual good spirits, promising to re— turn to Hickory Point whenever occasion of- fered, As to Basil’s charge of Arp baving Indians: assist him, there wa» great diversity of opinion. No one believed the boy bad willfully misrepre- sented the fact, but thought there was a mis- takesomewhere, But, as all the Indians in the country were at peace with the whites, notwith-— standing the reported threat& of the followers of one Ishtahaba, the presence of the six seen by Basil occasioned no uneasiness. During the hunting and re. fice seasons the red-men wan-, dered up and down the river at will, many of them stopping to trade at the Point; and it was now about’ time they were along. In fact, it. was in anticipation of their coming that the settlers bad burried up a grand hunt so as to- secure a supply of venison while the deer were- plentiful. Three days after the departure of Arp, Blun- der Basil left Hickory Point for his trapping- grounds near ‘* Round Lake.” He was accom-. ied by his friends, Tom Dayton and Charlie: urch, who had long been promised a holiday” by their friends, ‘It had been a great desire of these two boys to visit Basil, and spend a few weeks with him hunting and trapping, and they now had the opportunity to gratify this: desire. ~~ Charlie Burch was a young.man of seventeen, tall and well-built, and possessed of courage, strength and endurance, and witbal, a big— hearted and jovial boy. . At the end of the scone cay after leaving the Point, the trio reached Basil’s catin. Every- thing was found just as the young trapper had ° left it, and that night Tom and Charlie ate their first meal in a hunter’s cabin. < After supper was over and night had set in, Basil said to his friends, as they sat before the: fire on the hearth: “To-morrow, boys, we'll take the traps and strike out. We'll cross to the north side of the lake in a canoe to save a big walk around. Then we'll proceed to Deep Creek, on this side of the river, and set some traps for beaver. Then we'll bear off to the river, cross that stream in a dug-out 1 have there concealed, set: traps along Owl Creek, Plum Creek, and at an otter slide or two, then fetch up for the night at: Mole Cave.” “What's Mole Cave?” asked Charlie Burch, “Mole Cave is a dug-out, or cave, on the banks: of the river at the further end of my beat,” ex- plained Basil, ‘I generally leave here in the moraing, visit'my traps, stay all night at the dug-out, and the next mornin’ start for here again. After we've set the traps and made & few trips, we'll takea whirl among the deer over in the brakes beyond tbe river;and the squir- rels and raccoons down in the big timber at Big Bend. Oh, we'll bave an artistic time, by the reat smokyzoopers! I have promised your holida s should be full of fun and excitement and ri jist bu’st a tug to make it all you could wish for.” ; Highly elated with this assurance the boys re- tired early, and by sunrise next .norning they were up and ready to start on their first round with Blundering Basil. \ doing, they would save a walk of over miles. The three embarked in a light log canoe or ot dug-out for the north side of the lake, for, by s0 / Th, o
Page 5
F 24: Round Lake,” as Basil had named the little Pint sheet, was about one hundred and fifty acres in | dirt, one hundred rods wide. The ae area. It was full ; first half of this distance was clear, opeu water, but the rest was grown up with a_perfect wild- Tene ; verness of tall reeds, flags, and wild-rice plants ‘ through which it would bave been impossible to force a canoe, but for the fact that the beaver, otter, and muskrats had cut both wide and nar- y. {row passages running in all directions, and Ngo ely im) ? along which a boat could pass, Into the widest 4 of one of these thoroughfares running north and ‘south, Basil guided the canoe; then laying aside an) ol his paddje, he forced the craft along by pulling eM vy upon the reeds, first upon one ake and then } ¢ ‘upon the other. By this means the light shell ; is ‘ was glided rapidly through the narrow street, re O10 ‘and in a few minutes the northern shore was byl yeacbed, Landing, they secured the boat, con- cealed the paddle, and then struck out across / \ “the prairie. o) {Wee The weather was all that heart could wish, el ‘The air was Warm and balmy. The blue haze ee of “‘Indiau summer” hung over the landscape , Jike the vision of a dream, A. faint breeze ys drifting from the south stirred the tall, dry AT ‘ grass into waves which, in turn, seemed to give Re) ae ‘the undulations of the plain a motion like the gentle swell of ocean billows, i) on Ever and anon the young hunters saw a deer | ‘go speeding away before them, his sleek, glossy hoy tae coat glinting in the morning sun like a silver ih shield, while, in every direction, almost, they rt could see coyotes singly and in pairs leaping sf ‘away into the hazy distance. f Five miles from Round Lake they struck Deep Creck, a small, but deep stream, flowing east and emptying into the Des Moines River, There Were two beaver-dams on this creek, and -at each of these Blundering Basil instructed the amateurs in the secret of setting beaver-traps. After both dams had been visited, and two traps set at each, the three bore off toward the north- east and finally reached the river at a point opposite the nfouth of Owl Creek. ‘At this place Basil had an old dug-out con- cealed. Tha boat was launched and the three ; crossed the river. Proceeding up Owl Creek to apa, See ,-some beaver-dams, they set_a few traps, then ht » crossed the country to Plum Creek, which stream Wily * they followed back to the river, Then they Lh proceeded on up the latter—stopping at two or oe a three bayous to set some traps for otter—and ot |e finally arrived at Mole Cave, about sunset. Wate , They spent the night in the dug-out sleeping ay - -upon couches of freshly-gathered autumn leaves. 4 | ot - Food they had brought with them, and a pleas- Sm ee ant night they passed in ‘* Mole Cave.” Na ie Early the next morning they started on their } : return to Round Lake, visiting the traps set the 7k ais oe previous day as they retraced their steps. On. the third day they again started on the 3, ee ssame round. All went well until they came to mh et ae -one of the bayous where traps had been set for Marc, Ne otter. There Basil found one of his traps had aie ef disappeared, and discovered in the yielding soil ‘near, the unmistakable imprint of a mocca- -sined foot. Basil. knew at a glance it was that of an Indian, and the young trapper, much to ‘the surprise of his friends, flew intoa rage, utter- ing threats of violence against the thief should he ever come across him. The Indian’s track being fresh, Basil set off -to follow it, and his companions could do noth- ing else but go with him, ‘o the surprise of all they came suddenly upon the Indian, who was moving slowly up the oie river, He was a young Sioux buck, witha slen- 5 der form, a/low retreating forehead, high cheek- + bones and small, snakish-black eyes, His feet cand limbs were clad in buckskin, while his body, from the waist up, was covered with a greasy, red blanket, drawn over his shoulders and bia > ac around his waist with a belt from whicb depended a bunting-knife and tomahawk—the * on Wy, weapons he carried. | he red-skin appeared but little surprised by _# the boy’s sudden appearance. In fact, he main- ’ tained a haughty indifference to their presence whic oapied with a recollection of the six ed-skins in whose camp he had seen Jack Arp, a added fresh fuel to Basil's burning rage. Step- ‘ping in frovt of the buck, the young trapper _ commanded; Spa “ Stop, thief!” Byigy %, The Indian stopped, giving utterance to a low 3 -—- grunt, at the same time casting a quick, furtive _. glance at each of the whites, es ‘See here!” Basil continued, ‘ you stole one -of my rape, and if you don’t give it up I'll knock ‘your head off yourshoulders! Open that blanket Cv amd hand cut that trap!” - x “Not got_trap.” quickly replied the Indian— - * Running Wolf no thief—ugh!”__ \ ‘ : on Me. ci waves es Blundering Basil. — **-You have got my hy | concealed under that blanket!” retorted Basil, his eyes flashing. ‘* Not got trap,” the Indian again declared. ‘Your tongue’s crooked, you thief!” Basil cried, and he struck the red-man a blow on_ the breast that staggered him backward, and he was about to repeat it when Tom Dayton stepped between, saying: ‘* Basil, don’t strike him again; I believe he has told you the truth.” Basil turned in his rage upon Tom and for a moment it seemed he was going to strike bim, They gazed squarely into each other’s eyes. Basil’s face was white with rage, his fist clinched and drawn to strike, but the calm, fearless look of his friend quickly reminded him of what he was about to do, and with a look of deep regret, he said, as he dropped his hand: ‘* Pardon me, Tom,” ; smiled. Tue Indian stepped from before Basil and walked on. He did not hurry or show the least sign of fear. On the contrary, there was an implied defiance in the slowness of his steps, and it struck Tom Dayton then that the blow Basil had dealt him might some time cost the impul- sive trapper most dearly, ‘‘Confound the sneakin’ wretch!” Basil said; ‘he’s as stolid asalog. He may not have the trap, but I'll bet he knows somethin’ ’bout it. The only way to get along with vagabond Ingins is to kick ’em right into the atmosphere, and let them know they can’t baboon around you.” ‘‘ Bass,” said Charlie Burch, ‘‘ that Ingin’s got grit. He’s no coward for an Ingin, and you may hear from him again.” ‘Let him come; I’m just hot enough to stay with him. Inever did like an Ingin, and I guess the dislike is mutual.” The three resumed their journey to the dug- out. Basil soon cooled down to his normal tem- perature, and discussed the incident of the lost trap in a spirit of levity; but his friends could see, all the while, that be was uneasy about something or other, and finally, after they had reached Mole Cave, the wholesecret cropped out in this remark; ‘¢ Boys, I’m goin’ to cross the river and go up to Big Bend ’bout a mile, and see if there isn’t a ang 0’ that red-skin’s friends camped there. If here be, itll pay us, mebby, to keep a watch on them, for yeu can’t tell bout an Ingin always.” Tom and Charlie helped him to drag bis canoe to the river and launch it, then sat down on the bank and watched him off. By this time it was getting quite dark, and, as Basil had been predicting all day, there had come a change in the weather in that the wind had shifted into the north, and was blowing quite strongly—scattering dark gray clouds over the sky and hiding the moon, which was tuen in the zenith. ‘“*T tell you, Tom,” said young Burch, as Basil pulled across the river, ‘“‘ Bass is uneasy, I'll guarantee he wishes he badn’t let his temper get ieee! with him to-day when we comeacross that ngin.” / . **Basil’s a freak, sure,” replied Tom; ‘“‘ he's full of eccentric moods and tempers, but withal a noble, generous fellow.” The two amateurs saw Basil land a few rods down the river where the bank was low, turn, and proceed up-stream. He had gained a point nearly opposite them when they suddenly saw a number of shadowy forms rise up out of the earth, as it were, and confront him, Nor were they long kept in doubt as to what those forms were, They heard a yell that they knew came from the throat of an enraged Indian, At the same moment they saw one of the red-skins fly at Basil. They saw the two, apparently incor- porated into one figure, whirling about and finally go down, **My Lord! Charlie,” exclaimed Tom, spring- ing to his feet, ‘‘ the Indians are over there, and have ambushed our friend!” “Yes, and they’re a dozen to one,” replied Charlie; ‘ thage’s no earthly show for Basil. We cannot aid him with the river betweenus, Run- ning Wolf is avenging that blow.” Standing like statues, their eyes strained into the gloom, the boys knew not what course to pursue, Suddenly they heard a ioud plash in the river foliowed by excited Indian yells, Full well they knew its dreadful meaning: the combat- ants had rolled into the river and added a new and relentless foe—the water—to the conflict. Dreadful indeed was Tom and Charilie’s sus- pense, They knew the water at the point of conflict was deep, and there was little or no hope for Basil. f ‘ The Indians on the bank encouraged their friend by yells and shouts; but, owing to the hight of the bank, none of them ventured in toe assist him, But, finally, two or three of th who seemed to have known that Basil had le: a canoe below, ran down and boarding the craft paddled up to the scene of conflict. But by this time all sounds of the struggle had ceased, and, by the way the canoe went groping about in the water, the boys felt certain tha neither of the combatants could be found, but that both had gone down in death in the em- brace of the silent river. CHAPTER V. A NEW DANGER, Tom Dayton and Charlie Burch stood as if transtixed—silent, speechless, their eyes staring out across the river. ‘hey could see the dim- mest outlines of the boat—they could hear the dip of the paddle, and while they stood watcb- ing its movements they saw it turn and start toward their side of the river !” Satisfied that to remain there longer was at the risk of their own lives, they took their rifles, stole away down the river and secreted themselves in the shadows about twenty rods from the dug-out. From this point they watched the boat. They saw two of the: Indians land, while the third one recrossed the river and brought over his friends, when all proceeded to the cave. Creeping back to the boat the boys boarded it and drifted noiselessly down the river in the deepest shadows, Finally they crossed to the opposite side and, sending the boat adrift, waited fully an hour there in hopes of bearing something of Basil, But, disappointed in this they turned, with sad and heavy hearts, an struck out for Round Lake. ! After traversing half a mile of woods they entered the great prairie and, while lamenting the death of their brave, impulsive, and eccen- tric young friend, they felt that they were be- ond immediate danger for the time being. But alas! how sudden, how terrible was their disappointment! They bad niade but little over half the distance to the lakelet when, upon pain- ing the bluffs south of Deep Creek, They dis- covered the prairie behind them on fire ! - The wind was blowing almost a gale, driving the flame down toward them at frightful speed. From the very edge of the timber, now two miles to their left, and fully that far to the right, stretched an unbroken wall of roaring, crackling fire. That it was the work of Indians to destroy them, they had no doubt. In fact, they could still see firebrands being carried along either extremity of the line and at right angle with it > if the foe intended to surround them with ame, For afew moments the boys stood and gazed in speechless awe at the awful sight, They knew the danger of a prairie fire driven before a strong wind, They knew it was death to every form of animal life—that the smoke, ashes, and heat, driven low in advance of fire, bewildered and suffocated everything that ‘preathed, and made the body an easy prey to the flames, The fire was a mile and a half behind, but ad- vancing soswiftly that they knew escape would be impossible by attempting to get back to the river. They had strong hopes, however, that Deep Creek woull check its advance; and so they pushed on, But they soon found that the creek was no mere a barrier to the advancmg flames than if it had been a deer-patb through the dry grass. The long tongues of flame darted across the water into the tall grass on the bank of the little stream, and swept on with renewed speed up the long re which caught the full force of the north wind. The boys now realized with a feeling akin to terror that their lives were in the most immi- nent peril. Unfortunately for them, they had not a single match else they could have started a ‘‘ backfire,” and thereby éasily have averted the danger. And to make matters worse, they — wasted some precious moments endeavoring to start a fire by discharging their rifles intoa bunch of dry grass; and when they had failed in this, they realized that their only salvation lay in reaching Round Lake ahead of the fire. So, summoning every energy of body and mind, . they started on the run for their lives. They refrained from talking, to busband their « strength. They ran on never looking back un- til, on raising a little swell, they saw their shadows on the gress before them, and involun- tarily turned their heads and glanced back over theirshoulders, The sight that met their gaze was appalling. Their hearts almost sunk in de- ye The fire was not over eighty rods away! mighty curtain of black smoke was rising into |
Page 6
3 the water to their necks. the air and drifting over them, blotting out the moon and stars, and mse the sky with the somber shadows of death, The wall of flame, when the wind struck it with a sudden gust, seemed to fall flat upon the earth and dissolve itself into a million writhing serpents that glid- ed along the ground darting out tongues of hiss- ing, seething fire. And then, when the wind slackened up would rise that quivering, swaying wall, roaring and crackling like the rush of a tornudo through a forest. Around the boys, for a ways at least, it became as light as day, so close was the fire upon them, They could hear the shrieks of prairie-birds, and the hess of their wings as they started in affright from their lowly roost,in the grass, and went whirring away in the night, or fell bewildered and choked to be devoured by the pitiless flame. Now and then they sawa coyote speed ing off before them, or a frightened deer go lancing away through the glaring light. To facilitate their speed the’ boys were finally compelled to throw away their rifles, and all! their accouterments. The dull explosion of one of the powder-horns soon after.it was discarded caused the fugitives to again look back. The fire was still gaining upon them, They could almost feel the heat upon their backs. Their strength was fast failing. They struggled hard to keep up their courage, and maintain their presence of mind; and yet the latter wag so wrought upon by terror that they fancied they could hear demoniac laughter coming from around them, and that the flames were posses- sed of an incarnate desire and determination to seize and hurl them lifeless into that darkness of ' eternity trailing behind. Gasping out a word of encouragement to his young friend, Tom Dayton led the flight, in a mechauica] sort of way. Both began to lose all definite ideas of the ends sought to save their lives, They could go but little further. The tireless foe would soon be upon them. But at last a-blessed sight burst upon their wild, bloodshot eyes, It was the lake!—their haven of safety! “*Thelake! the lake, Charlie!” Tom managed toa gasp out. The sight revived their hopes, and gave new strength to their bodies for the last effort for their lives. They reached the dug-out they had left in the morning. Charlie sprung into the craft and fell. Tom followed, sinking to his knees at the feet of his prostrate friend, He could not speak, for his lungs seemed filled with liquid fire. There was a strange roaring in his ears, and his brain was growing dizzy. He reeled to and fro, The dug-out seemed to be sinking down iuto the water, while the black pall of death settled over and around him. But sud- denly, in the midst of his mental and physical suffering, a voice seemed to call to him from out the realms of Somewhere, and he gave a start. The blood receded from his brain, and he rallied his exhausted energies, ‘ Keaching out he seized hold of the reeds, and ‘began dragging the canoe through the water, as Basil had done. Charlie rallied, and rising to his knees, aided him. Together they worked with all their feeble strength, and sent the boat along a beaver-path at a fair rate of speed. — - In this way they had made half the distanc through the reeds, when their ears were assailed by a terrific roaring behind them. They looked back. Tenfold more a ep was the sight that they now beheld. e fire had reached the margin of the Jake, and instead of stopping there, as they had expected, it was sweeping _ over the water through the dry reeds and flags with the ferocity of a legion of charging de- mons, ., Great, red, writhing, lapping and twistin flames were shooting upward with a hiss an roar as though belched from the mouth of the Inferno. Inky-black smoke rolled in monster billows over their heads, Bunches of reeds, cut off close to the water by the fire, were sucked upward by the heat currents, and for a moment were floating balls of fire in the air, Death now seemed inevitable, but the mo- mentary respite they had, made the love of life _ stronger within them, and the idea of escaping , by diving under the wall of fire was suggested to Tom. As he spoke to Charlie of this last, rae cbance for life, he took up the paddle, and thrusting it down into the water, measured the depth witb the blade and his arm. It was not over five feet deep, and, this fact ascer- tained, the boys Jeaped overboard and stood in . Then again they _ turned, facing the fire. As they did so they _ caught sight of a dark, spherical object swim- along the beaver-path toward them. At ~ Blundering Basil. fire, but a second glance told them it was a human head—the head of an Indian! Instantly they recognized the red-skin as Run- ning Wolf, the very Indian whom Blundering Basil had struck, and as quickly it flashed through their excited brains that he had slain Basil, and was now bent upon their destruction; also, notwithstanding, he was in the very pres- ence of death himself. The red-skin was coming in as mad haste as the fire behind him, and, as he approached the boys, he raised his tomahawk as if to strike, saying, excitedly! ‘Me Running Wolf—no strike pale-face boys —help ’em—save ’em—big fire!” But, in spite of this declaration, his threaten- ing attitude seemed to give his words the lie, and the boys quickly swung the canoe around across his path. As they did so, the Indian came up, grasped the boat, and with a single movement whirled it upside down; then once, twice, his tomahawk fell upon the bottom of the craft and a hole was made therein. The next moment the head of the savage dis- appeared downward in the water, and when the boys saw the boat rising up on the surface of the water, they knew the red-skin bad dodged nnder it to'save his life, But greater still was their surprise when they heard the fellow say from under the craft: ‘** Quick !—come under boat, pale-face—fire no catch ‘im here!” The fire was so close upon them by this time that the heat almost burnt their faces; and, as to death between the flames and the red-skin, they had but a moment to decide. The wordsof the Indian turned the scale'and quickly they dodged under the inverted craft. The next moment the red tongues of flame were licking the bottom of the shell and roaring and hissing over and around it. A faint pencil of light streamed into the dark retreat through the hole made by the Indian’s hatchet. The air the fugitives breathed be- came warm and steamy. The sides of the up- turned dug-out became almost hot, but they did not take fire, for they were thoroughly water- soaked. Not a word was spoken by one of the three under the boat, and as the fire swept swiftly over them, and its noise receded southward, the boys began to realize how narrow had been their escape from the flames. But were they safe from death at the hands of the Indians? This thought now, came up to trouble them, but its solution was not to be protracted long. The In- dian suddenly raised himself to full hight, lifted the shell clear of the water, and flung 1t from over them, The three. now stood in darkness, The fire had reached the margin of the reed and flag for- est.and died out. Never did a more blinding gloom hang over the land. The air was full of sree -_— ashes, making breathing difficult and painful. The Indian was the first to move after the boat had been thrown aside, He started toward the shore, saying: ‘* Boat no good—wade—walk.” For the first time in three hours the boys drew a breath of relief, and started to follow the cunning Indian ashore. CHAPTER VI. A GHASTLY OBJECT. STRANGE and, conflicting thoughts swept through the brain of Tom Dayton as he and Charlie followed Running Wolf ashore. He could not understand why the savage should spare their lives and seek that of Blundering asil, if, indeed, they had not already destroyed their friend, His interference in behalf of the red-skin, when Basil struck bim that day, sure- ly could not be the cause of all Running Wolf’s kindness to them. And if not, what then were his motives? + The truth would soon be known, for there was no other alternative but to follow the fellow ashore. The Indian reached the bank a rod in advance of the amateurs, and turning,, awaited their coming, “IT am Running Wolf,” the red-skin said, as the boys stopped before him. ‘‘ Your friend, the White-Face Bull, whose cabin is over the lake, struck Running Wolf. Me no steal trap— me no thief. You_pale-faces my friend, then— me save you now, Weeven—we part now—when we meet again we enemies—all my friends your enemy—they find you—they kill and scalp you. oS ar fire prairie to catch young trapper—the White-Face Bull. Me know way he come—way he go—me run swift. here to kill him if fire no friend to-day—me your frierf@t6-night—we part —you go—me go—when meet again we enemies. Running Wolf has spoken.” Having thus expressed himself the warrior~ turned and walked away into the blackened ° plain, leaving the amateurs standing like dumb. statues. ‘“ Well, what do you think of that, Tom?” Charlie Burch at length found voice to inquire. ‘*Tt beats all I ever beard of—all creation,” replied Tom. F ‘*But your preventing Basil strikin’ him a second blow has served us a pretty good turn,” ** Yes, it saved our lives. F would never have: thought of getting under that canoe. But say, Charlie, how is this, anyway, for a holiday-on, the prairies?” ‘* Basil promised us a high old time, and so far- we’ve been havin’ it; and if we remain here- a ways longer, we'll have more of it. That In- gin took good pains to inform us that he’d paid: us all he owed by way of kindness, and that: when we met again we’d be enemies.” ‘* That’s Ingin honor, to a dot,” declared Tom, ‘Sand I warrant you that feller ‘ll take great. pains to meet us again, so’s to get: our scalps, He's a slick savage, and we can count on trouble from him and his friends if we don’t scatter out. of this. But there is one thing I gained from his talk that made me breathe easier. He said: he’d come here to intercept Basil. It must he that Basil escaped death in the river after all.” ‘*But the fire may have caught him,” said Charlie. : ‘‘ We can only hope for the best, Charlie? Let: us hasten to the cabiv and see if he bas reached: there; and if not, we’ll have to make the best of’ the cover of this night, for we are perfectly” helpless so far as the possession of a gun, of ever a knife, is concerne’,” So saying they set off around thelake. The- sky was still murky, and the air filled with the. pungent odors of smoke and ashes, With every inspiration the young huntress seemed to in- hale into their lungs an impalpable, burning: dust. Their eyes were red and blood-shot, and their faces black as Ethiopians from the ashes of” the plain. As they approached the cabin the darkness. and solitude that brooded over the place filled their breasts with a strange dread and fear, The sullen roar of the night wind among the: creaking branches of the surrounding trees, and the gurgling ripple of the waves of the. lake against the shore made it more deathlike and foreboding. What if foes were lying in wait for them in. ! the cabin? or in the shadows? Tom and Charlie were not cowards, but their minds had been so wrought upon within the: oe few hours that tbeir feverish brains were: lled with some unknown fear. They cautiously approached the door, keeping” within the deeper shadows of the trees. Ten. paces from the building they stopped to listen. By this time the wind had swept the sky clear- of smoke, and the moonlight, dispelling some of the shadows in front of the cabin, enabled the- boys to see that the door was open. This was not as the cabin bad been left in the- morning, and they knew at once some one had been there. But who? Could it have been Blundering Basil? Was he inside asleep?— wounded ?—dead? Surely it could not have been a foeelse he . would have left the door as he found it, if he: wished to entrap them. : While the young men were ee the question in their minds without gaining the- least satisfactory solution, Tom Dayton laid his hand on Uharlie’s shoulder and whispered: ‘Charlie, isn’t there some small, dark object: swinging to and fro in the open doorway?” 1 “There is somethin’, sure,” declared Charlie. after a moment’s steady gazing. ‘‘ Basil must have put it there. He’s com home and findin’ us absent, bung the object there in the open door so’s we'd not fail to. notice it, and then went away again—maybe, to buntforus. But if he did put it there, itll doubtless give us alP desired information and directions.” “That may be exactly the case, Charlie, and as we're in for whatever presents itself, the first thing for us to do now is to inquire into the nature of that swingin’ object.” Cautiously the youths crept forward step by ‘step until they were close enough to see the swaying object was large as a man’s hand, and suspended from the door casing overhead by means of a cord or string. As it swung to and fro in the wind, Tom Day- ton reached out his hand toward it. Swinging toward him it just touched his fingers, but: — from that touch he recoiled as if ithad been ther catch him. He not come—you come, ‘You my ae “ first they it for a beaver, driven before the h
Page 7
ome parent astonis (ee Poly of a serpent. It was a hairy something, ut he knew not what. Determined, however, to know the truth he reached up and seizing the cord tore it from its fastening; then carrying it at arm’s length, he le@ the way from the cabin out into the open moonlight on the edge of the prairie. At the very first glimpse at the object the boys started with a cry of horror, while a shudder _ convulsed their very souls, for their eyes rested - upon a fresh human scalp ! CHAPTER VII. STARTLING NEWS FROM HICKORY POINT, **My God!” cried Tom Dayton as he gazed upon the bloody thing he held in his hand; **Charlie, it is the scalp of our friend er pe Basil! The red demons have killed him, an flaunted this in our faces in mockery, or asa warning!” 4 ‘¢ Let us make sure it’s Basil’s scalp, Tom,” said young Burch, and taking the scalp in his hand, they examined the hair as closely as was possible in the hazy moonlight. However, they were not fully satisfied with the examination. That it was not Basil’s scalp was to be hoped for ’ yather than expected. Under the circumstances what were they to do? If Basil was dead, then their course was plain enough—to hasten homeward. But in their doubt and uncertainty they could not think of deserting their friend who might be living and in need of their assistance. While they stood discussing the matter their ears were greeted by a far-off sound which they soon discovered was made by hoofed feet. That ’ horsemen were abroad upon the prairie they had -no doubt; and as the sound grew plainer and plainer, they knew they were approaching. But whether the horsemen were friends or foes the oung amateurs knew not, so they hastened back into the shadows in front of the cabin to await developments. The drumming of the hoofs grew nearer and nearer and finally the sound of voices was heard commingled therewith. Straight up to the door of the eabin the un- known dashed. The boys could see there wére two of them. Drawing rein, one of them was heard to say: ‘*¢ By heavens! doctor, the place seems to be deserted.” Charlie Burch started. The voice sounded familiar to him, and he was about to communi- eate the fact to Tom when the latter anticipated him by whispering: “ Charlie, sure as death, that’s the voice of your brother Fred!” -“That’s exactly what I thought,” rejoined Charlie. ‘‘ Hulloa, in there!” shouted the same voice, and then the boys knew beyond doubt it was the voice of Fred Burch. “Ho, there,” answered Charlie, ‘‘is that you, Fred!” } “* You bet it is, Charlie,” replied his brother, “but what’s the matter ’round here?—all so dark and quiet?” : “Brother, ’'m glad you’ve come,” replied Charlie, advancing from his covert; “‘ we’re ina terrible trouble.” ; “Yes, so we heard; how’s Tom?* was the reply. thin all right, Fred,” answered Tom, ‘ but Tm afraid our friend—” “Why, Tom,” interrupted Fred Burch in ap- hment, ‘wasn't you hurt?—shot in the foot?” ‘No, sir; who said I had been?” “Great God, doctor! what can thismean?” ex- claimed Fred addressing bis companion; then turning to Tom he asked: ‘‘Tom, is your sister Jennie and Fanny Moore bere?” “Why, no, Fred, of course not.” “ Haven’t they been?” “ Not that I know.” “Then, by heavens! there has been some foul work going on!” declared Fred Burch. 5 “What do you mean, Fred?” Tom asked, be- traying some emotion; ‘‘ what is wrong at the settlement? what about Jennie and Fanny??? ' “They have been deceived—decoyed from home, and, God only knows what has been their _ fate!” answered Fred excitedly. eit “Oh, Fred! Fred!” cried Tom, “this cannot 1 ; ‘ “Its true, Tom—too true! Listen—let me tell you, Early this morning an old man, mage as a hunter, and claiming to be a hunter from the Big Sioux, and giving the name Seth - Hood, came galloping into Hickory Point with _ the news of your havin’ accidentally shot yourself ‘oot the day before with a revolver. SARIS ‘through the t t He told your mother and Jennie you had sent f ge y te 5 ot teh e - ; . b : Wee ict aa Blundering Basil. him for Jennie.to come and help take care of | Burch. Stooping, you, as it would be weeks before you could walk a step, and—” “The infernal old liar!” burst from Tom’s lips.‘ But, pardon me, Fred—go on.” ‘¢ Hood looked honest and talked honest,” Fred went ou. ‘*No one mistrusted a thing wrong about him. Tbe news almost killed your pour mother, and had she been able she would have | undertaken the journey herself. Asit was, she hurriedly helped Jennie to arrange herself for the ride, Fanny Moore volunteering to accom- pany her, Uncle Phil Berry was selected to ac- company them, notwithstanding. Seth Hood was going back also. Your mother prepared bandages and some liniments for your wounded foot, and gave them to Hood. ‘To Uncle Phil she consigned some delicate articles of food for you. By Jennie she sent words of motherly love and. advice. The four left the settlement, well mounted, about eight o'clock this morning. ‘Doctor Deems here was absent at the time, and did not get home until noon, when he and I struck out for here. After the girls had left, the settlers talked the matter over and conclud- ed that you might be worse than was supposed, and I volunteered to escort the doctor here to attend you.” ‘Great heavens! this is terrible! it will kill r mother!” groaned the young settler. ‘t And ennie—poor Jennie! what has been her fate and Fanny’s?” - “Tet us hope,” said Dr. Oliver Deems, in an encouraging tone, ‘‘that Uncle Phil Berry will thwart the designs of that old liar, Hood, and save the girls.” “T tell you what, Doc,” said Fred Burch, “‘ there is more than old Hood concerned im the conspiracy to abduct Jennie, Uncle Phil is a fearless old man, but he may not mistrust any- thing wrong until it’s too late to set it aright. But, boys, where is Basil?” “We know not, but are afraid he is either dead or in trouble,” replied Charlie; ‘‘ we’ve been havin’ an awful night of it, doctor!’ * Basil dead?” cried the doctor; ‘‘ what has been the trouble?” ‘The Indians are the cause of it. A large party isin camp up the river. Basil and one of them had trouble to-day about a trap, and the whole gang seems bent upon our destruction. The last wesaw of Basil he was in the river, fighting with an Ingin, They fired the prairie after that, and Tom and [had such a narrow escape that we were compelled to throw away our guns and accouterments to save our lives. We reached the lake, and, through the instru- mentality of the very Ingin Basil had struck, we were saved from being roasted; but he gave us to understand that hereafter he was our enemy. <4 Coening: on to the cabin, what should we find hanging in the open doorway but a fresh, human scalp?” “ Great heavens!” burst from the doctor’s lips. “We examined it,” Charlie went on, “ but have been unable to make out whether it was taken from Basil’s head or not.” ** Bloody murder!” exclaimed Fred Burch; 5 whose else could 1t be but Basil’s scalp? Can it be that we are to have an Indian uprising?” ‘* Tt’s been the rumor for some time, that you know, Fred,” said Dr. Deets, ‘‘ that Ishtata- ba’s band was threatening the northern settle- ments, and this trouble with Basil may precipi- tate the outbreak; and when it comes, woe, woe to the weak, unprotected settlers! ; ‘‘Poor Blundering Basil! he was a brave, jolly-hearted and strange, eccentric fellow. ut, boys, suppose the Indians are on the war- path, what connection can that fact have with the abduction of Jennie and Fanny?” “JT was just thinking,” answered Fred, ‘‘ that this Indian trouble was the source of all our friends’ trouble. That man, Seth Hood, is un- doubtedly a renegade acting for himself, or a deeper-dyed villain among the Indians—one who has seen Jennie and smitten by her fair face, de- termined on her abduction.” _ “That may be true, Fred,” Dr. Deems re- joined, ** but isn’t it very true that whoever the villain is, at the bottom of all those girls’ trouble, he knew that Tom Dayton was here, and exactly the kird of a story to tell to get Jennie away? Of course, Fanny’s abduction may not have been intended, so the villain’s scheme was doubly successful. But, boys, we’d better go into the cabin and strike a light, and if this should prove to be, on close examination, Basil’s scalp, we'll know what to depend on so far as he is concerned,” Securing their horses, th party approached the cabin door. The rustling of a pile of dry leaves under his feet suggested an he | idea to Fred he took up a handful of the — leaves, pressed them into a ball which he lighted with a match. When the bull was well ablaze, he tossed it into the cabin. The light flared up and then went out; but the settlers had enabled to see there was nothing wrong inside the cabin, and soall entered at once, Tom Dayton lighted a fire in the fireplace, and then Dr. Deems and Fred examined the scalp. Dr. Deems proncunced the hair Basil’s, but Fred Burch did not think so. Ashe remem- bered it, Basil’s hair was shorter, and of a darker color; and so this difference of opinion left the matter still unsettled. But while 1t was yet under discussion, the ears of the four caught a sound fromthe door. All looked up, and with an exclamation of surprise started back. figure stdod in the doorway—the figure of a halt- breed Indian. He was a_ heavy-set, broad- shouldered fellow, with a face deformed by great, hideous scars, aud absolutely atrocious in its expression. The repulsive wretch was dressed in Indian outfit. In bis bead-dress he wore long, gray eagle-feathers that spread out above bis Head like a great fan, while to the under side of the fillet, which was made of spotted snake-skin, de- pended a score or more snake-rattles which gave forth an ominous sound whenever he moved his head. The most startling thing about the presence of the half-breed, to Tom and Charlie, was in the discovery, that he had in his possession the handsome rifle and accouterments that belonged to Blundering Basil; and in their minds it set- tled the fate of the young trapper. “Ugh!” ejaculated the half-breed, as he swell- ed himself out with an importance calculated 4 be feur-inspiring, ‘““me war-chief, Broken ‘ace,’ ‘Well, Broken Face, what would you have with us?” asked Dr. Deems, in a friendly tone, The Indian made no reply, but with a savage leer upon his brutal face, and a flashing of his wolfish eyes, he stepped into the room and was immediately followed by a second, third, fourth and fifth Indian, all of whom quickly aligned themselves alongside their chief, their backs to the wall, their hands upon their tomahawks, and their eyes fixed upon the whites with a malicious gleam that told plainer than words the murderous intentions dominant in their savage hearts! CHAPTER VIII. FOUND DYING. BLUNDERING Basti kad not met the fate his friends had feared. When he had been pounced upon by the ambushed red-skins on the river- bank opposite Mole Cave, it was by his own mo- tion and effort that the conflict was transferred to the river. He saw that the savage who had attacked him was not Running Wolf, buta more werful warrior; and that his chan: es with him, backed by a dozen friends, were hopeless unless he could get into the water, Even then he had no assurance of success, Basil knew the depth of the water at that point and his own skill in that element. So, when, by a desperate effort, he succeeded in dragging bis antagonist over the high bank he was } repared for the plunge end the new dan- ger therefrom; but to the red-skin it was unex~ pected and the fall and the plunge beneath the water took away bis breath, and he quickly re- leased bis hold cn Basil to fight the waves, But Basil wes ready to improve hisadvantage, and seizing the foe by the scalp-lock, he held his head under the water until he ceased struggling; but all the while the young trapper kept up a violent kicking and floundering in the water to the red-skins on the bank into the belief that an even contest was being maintained, the dark- ness preventing them from observing the actual state of affairs. In this way Basil gradually transferred the apparent struggle toward the opposite bank, and when assured he could | escape those on shore he dove down and swam under .the water for some distance, When he. arose to the surface it was near the east shore, but he was so completely winded that he was compelled to lie in concealment under some drooping willows until he could regain his strength, He heard and even saw the Indians in the boat searching the waters; and when he saw the craft head for the eastern shore, he — crawled from the river and hastened to the dug- out to warn his friends, Tom and Charlie. But to bis surprise he found thé boys gone, and thinking they must be somewheres about he | concealed himself in the shadows back of the dug-out to await the result of the Indians’ visit. — / But balf an hour rhe nothing, and now fully satisfied the boys ad fled the place, no
Page 8
ie te “ i . — ge doubt, under the impression he was dead, he stole away down the river, having lost all his weapons except his big hunting-knife. To elude the red-skins he kept back a ways from the shore. He had strong hopes that he might run across his friends} tor he naturally supposed they had gone down the stream. Vading creeks and swimming bayous rather than deviate from a straight course, Basil pushed on until be fihally drew up at a point a the mouth of Prairie Creek, the outlet to) ound Lake. He was now about five miles from home which was due west. North of Round Lake he saw the whole heavens aglare with light. He knew the prairie was on fire, but he little dreamed of the terrible ordeal his friends, at that very mo- ment, were undergoing on that burning plain. W ithout delay the youdg trapper plunged in- to the river and swam across, Landing near the mouth of the creek, where the timber was thickest, and the shadows deepest, he struck out for bis cabin. He had gone but a fow ears,were assailed by a low groan. He stopped and listened and again heard the sound. It was unlike anything he bad ever heard among the strange voices of nigut. It was a genuine ex- ression of misery, nor was it of bird or beast. t was a buman groan freighted with the palsy- ing chill of death-agony. Without a thought of danger to himself the young trapper made his way in the direction whence the sound proceeded. His first thought was that it might be one of his boy friends in distress, and not until he had stopped by the prostrate form of the sufferer, lyimg where the gloom was deepest, and passed bis hand over a rough-bearded face, was that thought dispelled. ‘*Stranger,” he said, kneeling beside the prostrate man, ‘““who are you? What’s the matter?” A groan answered him. ‘*Who are you, stranger?” the young trapper repeated, laying bis hand upon the stranger’s groping fingers. ; ‘* Basil! Basil!” burst from the man’s lips, as he nervously clutched the boy’s hand, ‘ Basil, is it | you I hear?” Blundering Basil started. He recognized the Nee espite its feebleness as that of Uncle Phil erry. - Yes, it’s me, Uncle Phil,” he replied, ‘‘ but great smokyzoopers! What are you doin’ here on your back? hat’s wrong, Uncle Phil?” ** Basil, ’'m done for—oh! my head! my head, Basil!” groaned the old man in half-delirious tones. Basil passed his hand over the old pioneer’s head to soothe the pain. A cry burst from the man’s lips as he did so, while Basil started as if from the touch of a serpent, a shudder of horror convalsing bis frame, The top of the old man’s head was bare and slippery with blood. He had been scalped ! Basil said never a word. A chill crept along every fiber of his body. It made him sick at heart. Confused thoughts flashed through his rods when his brain. It was several moments before he had recovered his composure sufficiently to inquire: Ba he ag Phil, 20ow come you in this | awful ight Pa The Ingins! the cussed Ingins—oh! my—” Here the old man’s voice failed him, His breath came quick and hard. Basil thought he was dying, but in a moment be rallied, and in a low voice said, every word seeming to cause him ain: ‘yes, the Ingins murdered me, Ob, asil! Basil.” *Unele Phil, can’t I do somethin’ for you?” the boy asked. ' Again the old man was silent, but presently he fairly shouted in a wild, incoherent manner: ‘Run, Basil, run! don’t let them hurt the girls!—stand back! stand back there, red-skin! don’t harm them 7 bers this treachery?— stop! stop!—mercy, Broken Face, merey—” gain the old man’s voice gave out. He was delirious, and almost in his last agonies. * Uncle Phil, did the half-breed, Broken Face, hurt you?” Basil asked; “‘ what girls do you mean, uncle?” Tke old man made an effort as if to reply, but he cou.d not speak, There was a convulsive quivering of his body, a rigid drawing of the limbs, a rattling in tae throat, followed by a relaxing of the muscles, and then Blundering , Basil knew that Uncle Phil was dead, and that the secret of the dark crime that had led to his death had dfed with bim. For several minutes the Penne trapper sat in deep thought by the side of the dead man. He repeated over and overin his mind the dying words of the old settler, but they were so dis- ode ieee ¥ Basil. connected that the only thing certain he could make out was that the half-breed chief, Broken Face, had scalped him, and no doubt left him for dead. But who the ‘ girls” were in whose behalf the old man had made such a piteous ap- peal, he could not imagine. The howl of a wolf not far away finally re- minded the young trapper that he owed a duty to the dead—that tbe body of his old friend must be secured against mutilation by the beasts of prey. But the only sepulcher he could give it was beneath the placid waters of the creek, at least, for the present. So he lifted the body and carried it to the stream and weighted it down with water-soaked drift-logs under the water. Then he turned away and resumed his jour- ney westward. Ashe swallowed the great lump that for some time had been half-choking him, the dying words of the old man were set ring- ing in his ears again, and then the bideous face of his destroyer, Broken Face, arose before his mental vision in all its fiendish atrocity. With these things working on Basil’s mind his feelings underwent a change. The blood began to flow in heated currents through his veins; the latent energies of his brain were aroused, and every function of his physical being responded to the call of a mental resolve. Thus in a few minutes this eccentric youth underwent a transformation. His very soul was aroused by the brutal murder of the good old man, and in his heart of hearts be registered a solemn vow to give his life, if need be, in avenging the death of Philip Berry. CHAPTER IX. A TERRIBLE TRAGEDY. As the six savages confronted Dr, Deems, Tom Dayton, and the Burch brothers in Blun- dering Basil’s cabin, the settlers quickly realized their peril. The sight of the scalp they had just been examining, the malignant expression upon the red-skins’ paint and dirt-bedaubed faces, the possession of Basil’s rifle by the feather-bececked half-breed, all told, beyond question, that the Indians were on the war-path. | To the settlers the hideously deformed face of the half-breed, Broken Face, was well known. He bad been at the settlement several times within the past two years and had received kind treatment from all. Quickly realizing the situation, Dr. Deems Inew that they must act promptly and fear- lessly, The doctor was a man of five-and-thirty years, of slight build, yet strong and courageous as a lion. Fred Burch was a man of five-and-twenty, of large frame, with a clear gray eye and open, pleasant countenance. He and Deems had each a rifle and a pair of revolvers; but Tom and Charlie were without a weapon, and they knew that any attempt to arm themselves from the belts of their triends might precipitate a con- flict. However, they soon made up their minds as to the course they would take should an at- tack be made upon them. Seeing the red-skins hesitated to open the con- flict after getting themselves into position, Dr. Deems conceived a hope that bloodshed might be averted awhile at least, by engaging them in a parley: and in what he might have the oppor- tunity of saying to the savages, he also wished to convey, by implication, to his friends, the course they must all pursue should the worst come, All this flashed through the doctor’s quick brain in a few seconds, and with a presence de- void of the least sign of fear, and in a voice cool and calm, be said: “Well, Broken Face, how do you do so, sir?” “How!” was the laconic reply of the half- breed, given in a tone, and with a look, that did not in the least conceal the malicious intent burning in his heart. “Tt?s been a long time since I’ve seen yon, Broken Face,” Deems again remarked; ‘* you hav’n’t been at Hickory Point lately; but, say, Broken Face, won’t you and your warriors be seated? Sit down and rest yourselves.” ‘‘No,” retorted the chief shortly, “ the Sioux will not sit down in the wigwam of his ene- mies.” ‘* Enemies?” exclaimed Deems, ‘we are not enemies: we are friends. Why should we be enemies?” ‘* White-Face Bull, the trapper who lives here, struck one of my warriors and killed another, We have come forhim. Let the pale-faces give him to us if they are our friends,’ presume you have reference to Blunderin Basil?” Deems said, E ‘* Yes,” answered Broken Face, ~ ‘* Basil is not here,” } Bey er kak tare Blundering The chief glanced around the room and Me) at the loft in a manner that umplied a disbelief in the doctor’s words. ‘‘Then one of your pale-faces must go in his place,” was the half-breed’s reply, ‘‘ But none of us have harmed you or any of your warriors.” ‘““The warrior White-Face Bull killed had done him no harm. The life of a pale-face must be given for that of the Indian,” , ‘* Broken Face, that isa wrong idea of justice, If Blundering Basil has done you a wrong, he’s the one to answer for it, and not one of us. ‘*Tt’s Ingin idea of justice, anyhow,” was the response. ‘‘ We take one of you pale-faces— keep him five suns. When his friends bring the White-Face Bull to Ingin camp, then let you go. If White-Face Bull not come in five suns, then you die,” ‘Oh, I understand,” Deems said;,‘* you want to hold one of us to answer for Basil; but what assurance have we that you hav’n’t already killed bim? I see you have his rifle, and yonder is a scalp your warriors must have taken.” ‘* Not. White-Face Bull’s—wish ’m was,” and the chief gave a furtive glance at the scalp. Then,” continued the doctor, ‘if it’s not Basil's scalp, it is the scalp of some friend of ours, Now, are you willing to turn over one of your warriors to us to kill for the friend of ours your Indians killed and sealped?” ‘‘ No,” snapped the chief, ** Why not do as you want us to do?” “Don’t bave to. You don’t know that Ingin killed your friend and scalp ’m,” was the impor- tant response. ‘‘ Well,” spoke up Tom Dayton, “if you haven’t killed our friend Basil, and we'll wait, he’ll come iu soon.” “Ugh!” grunted the chief, with a contemptu- ous sneer, *‘pale-face boy cunnin’ as the fox. Broken Face no git catched in trap like the beaver—no wait on white trapper—he not come, but hide away like the wolf.” ‘* Then you insist on taking one of us away to your camp alive, do you?” demanded Doctor eems, “Want one alive—that do?” ** Which of us do you prerer?” **'You guess’m.” The doctor could scarcely repress a smile de- spite the gravity of the situation. ‘** Suppose I refuse to go?” he said. oe take you, then.” “Well, now look here, Broken Face, we don’t want any trouble with you Ingins, but we are all brave men, and know how tofight, Suppose, as will be the case, at the first move you make to carry out your threat, four revolvers blaze into your face, and four of you fall dead, what a gain even though the other two jal us all?” . These words, or else his failure to imbue the whites with an evident sense of fear, seemed to irritate the chief, He straightened up and gazed at the doctor with glowering eyes. The breeze, drifting in through the open window by which be stood, swayed the feathers in his head-dress and shook the snake-rattles about bis head, until the sight and sound seemed to bring out in bold- er relief, the repulsiveness and incarnate devil- try of the peta face and heart, There were a few moments of dead silence, when the chief seeing he could not intimidate the whites, spoke a few words to a warrior who turned and closed the cabin door, Full well the settlers knew the meaning of this movement. ‘¢ Now then,” said Broken Face, his hand drop- ping to his tomahawk, a fierce light gleaming in his eyes, ‘* let the pale-faces decide without more big talk. One must go alive, or the scalps of four will—” He did not finish the sentence. Something flasbed m at the little window against which he stood and encircled his throat. Quick as a flash his bead was jerked backward and downward through the window until the broad shoulders lay upon thesill, He was beard toutter a groan, followed by a gasp, and a borrible gurgling cry, The great chest was seen to swell as if to burst; bis arms beat the air frantically. But only for an instant was the savage held thus when the body straightened up with a convulsive spring and staggered forward. the head gone from the shoulders, the red blood spurting from the sev- ered arteries of the neck to the ceiling, and fell a quivering mass upon the floor! CHAPTER X. _ UNCLE PHIL AVENGED. ; Dr. DEEMS and his friends shrunk back with horror at sight of the ghastly spectacle that was so suddenly presented before them; while the at ~
Page 9
ae ; . ~ ae Ms GS ie pr Ee mee te Se tee Aah pe 7 a Ree ve, Ey is After | buried Unele Pbil in _ awoke within me that | never knew I possessed; red-skins fairly quivered with superstitious ter- ror, and forgetting their mission there—with no other thought now but that of escaping death at the hands of the silent and invisible slayer of their chief, they threw open the door and fled from the cabin. As they lunged out into the darkness, a cry of mortal agony was heard to escape the lips of one of them; and full well the settlers knew its meaning—that the silent avenger was still at his dreadful work. Before the four astonished borderers had spoken a single word— before they could fully comprehend, what bad actually taken place, so silent, so swift, so terrible had been the tragedy enacted—the figure of a man with batless head, a long knife in his band, bounded into the cabin with a frenzied yell of triumph. *“ Blundering Basil! Blundering Basil!” burst from the lips of Tom and Charlie, And so it was, Tom Dayton advanced to greet his young . friend, but stopped short, and started back. He saw the face of the young trapper was pallid and wore a strange, fixed expression, while in his eyes burned that wild, desperate, consuming fire of a madman! Quickly the young avenger glanced about the room, and from @ne to the other of his friends, the look upon his face and in his eyes sending a shudder through their breasts. At sight of him Doctor Deemsturned to Fred Burch and said in an undertone: ‘* He’s stark mad—a raving maniac!” He had scarcely spoken when Basil, pointing to the lifeless body of Broken Face, said in a tone that at once led the doctor to reverse his decision: ‘* Friends, didn’t that Ingin make a terrible blunder when he run ag’ingt the edge of my knife? Curse him! he murdered and scalped Unele Phil Berry; but, doc.or, how did you and Fred escape?” [ He spoke in his natural tone, and the sound of his own voice seemed to dispel that wild look from his face and eyes, and subdue the fierce, white heat burning in his breast. Once more had he become Blundering Basil. ** Basil,” replied Fred Duasehs ‘“what do you mean about our escape, and Uncle Phil’s mur- der?” ** Wasn’t queried Bast ay No, ” “*T found Uncle Phil dyin’ in the woods five miles from here. He made me understand that Broken Face had murdered him, and tried to tell me sometbin’ about girls, but he died with the story unfinished. What girls did he mean, Fred? Your presence here, and Uncle Phil’s yonder, tell me somethin’ has gone wrong at ickory Point, * Fred Bureh briefly related the story of Seth Hood’s coming to the settlement with a false- hood on his lips, tbe departure of Jennie, Fanny, aud Uncle Phil with him for Round Lake. “Then Jennie and Fanny are in the hands of the Ingins!” Basil declared, that strange light beginning to burn in his eyes again, “* Yes,” responded Dr. Deems, ‘ the finding of Berry’s body settles beyond dispute the fact that those girls have been decoyed from home, and mto the power of enemies. Bnt who is the arch-conspirator? TI cannot think Old_ Hood was anything else than a hired tool. He bad never been at the settlement before, and could have known nothing of Jennie. So itis clear to my mind that the chief villain in this crime not only knew Jennie, but knew that Tom, her brother, was here with you. Now, who could that scoundrel be?” “ How'd Jack Arp fill the bill?” asked Basil. “Never!” exclaimed Dr. Deems, who had been a warm friend and backer of the Wapsie hunter while at the Point. “Then,” calmly answered Basil, “‘ there must ta and Doc with Uncle Phil?” ‘be some one at the settlement that is actin’ with the Ingins and white renegades.” _ 9 Tom Dayton paced the cabin in an agony of grief. To him Jennie seemed lost forever, and the news he must carry to bis poor distracted mother would drive her mad if not into the grave. ; en Bear it bravely as you can, Tom,” Basil said; ‘‘ we'll foller them Ingins like a witherin’, _ bligbtin’ curse be the girls dead or alive. Rest assured Blunderin’ Basil "Il not go into any _‘stoopids,’ until he has blunde across the - path o’ them villains, and rescued the. girls, if _ they be alive. The work’s already begun. and ~ that wretch there is my first victim. Outside _ the door lies another with a punctured lung. Oh, I'm awake, boys! [’m out and around! @ creek, a demon WEP Cry Blundering Basil. and, as he’s a royal smokyzooper, I’m goin’ to let him bave his way for awhile. It may not be altogether agreeable to the rest of you folks, but rest assured our enemies ‘Il find it frightfully frigid if my pet demon has half a chance. That Broken Face is a sample of our first work. Heavens! it seemed I’d the strength and fary to have tore him limb frorhn limb! But I see the ugly varmint has brought home my own Go- liath—my rifle, and outfit, Well, one good turn deserves another, and I propose to give the old sinner’s carcass burial in—the stomoch 0’ the ki- yotes already beggin’ for it out around the grove,” The body of the half-breed, as well as all evidence of the terrible tragedy, were removed | from the cabin. Then Fred Burch was put on guard outside, and Basil, assisted by Tom, pro- ceeded to prepare supper for all. This required but a short time, and as soon as the meal was over with Basil said: ** Now boys, (’m goin’.” ** Where to-night, Basil?” ““To the Ingin town fifteen miles north o? here, Who of you will go along?” Every man quickly volunteered to go. | reflected a moment then said: ““The people at Hickory Point should be put | on their guard 'g’inst this Ingin uprisin’. Be- sides, we may need help to rescue the girls,” “Then I'd better return to the Point,” said ,; Dr. Deems; “I have a very sick patient there [ promised to see to-morrow.” “All right, doctor,” said Basil. “If you come back, or send any one, let this cabin be the point of meeting. If we ere not here when you come, don’t wait on us but push on north, You'll be apt to find us up that way terribly dead, or deadly terrible. It may be that Tom, and Fred, and Charlie, have got a demon in their breasts that can be got aroused—out and around; and if so, oh! great smokyzoopers! what a pestilence ’ll strike that red dog-town of Old Ishtahaba.” With a full understanding as to the future, and the exigencies that might arise, Dr. Deems took his departure for Hickory Point; while Blundering Basil, Tom Dayton and the two ean started off toward the Indian encamp- ment, Tom and Charlie had recovered from the effects of their night’s experience with the prairie-fire, and moved away with steps spright- fy as ever, Tom carried Dr, Deems’s rifle and a full supply of ammunition. Charlie had been provided with a big navy revolver. In addition to his rifle and bunting-knife, Blundering Basil had approerigted Broken Fac2’s tomahawk, and so all were fairly well armed, Over the now black .prairie they made their | way with unflagging footsteps. The moon went down and the darkness deepened, Just asa light that marked the location of the Indian village came into view, the morning star drifted upout of the dusk of the eastern horizon ade eae the near approach of day. Too late, boys, to reconnoiter that flea-nest to-night,” Basil said. ‘* We'll have to wait un- til to-morrow night.” This was a sore disappointment to Tom Day- ton, but he knew that Basil was rigbt. The four bore away toward the river and secreted themselves ina dense thicket of hazel and plum busbes. There they spent the follow- ing day, sleeping and watching py turns, They had brought with them a supply of jerked veni- son for food, so that, as soon as night again set in, they were not deterred by the weakness of hunger from the work that was before them. CHAPTER XI. THE FATE OF JENNIE AND FANNY. Not once during their thirty miles’ ride did Jennie or Fanuy, or even Uncle Phil Berry, mistrust that they were being decoyed from home and friends by a cruel falsehood. Their only thoughts were of reaching the trapper’s | cabin and alleviating, by words and ministra- | tions, the suffering of the wounded boy. Being accustomed to horseback riding the girls were enabled to ride along at a goodly speed without becoming fatigued. Their course lay, for the most part, along the river, At noon they halted just long enough to water their rane eating a lunch themselves as they rode The sun was about an bour high when Uncle Phil who had been to Basil's Sxbie before, pointed out the tree-tops off to the northwest that marked afhe end of their journey. They were about six or eight miles away, Finally they reached Prairie Creek, and were- bearing west through the heavy timber, when Basil | with the silence of phantoms—as if conjured up from the very earth. Not a word escaped their lips as they glided forward and seized each of the horses by the bits, ‘ Seth Hood made a show of desperate resist- ance, but was soon out of his saddle lying pros- trate on the ground, Uncle Phil Berry, hereic old man, leaped from his horse and lit into the red-skins with fist foe. The girls were almost stricken dumb with ter- ror by the sudden assanlt, Like one in a trance they saw the moving figures around them, heard the blows of the combatants, and the trampling , of the horses’ feet; and finally, when their numbed,»senses bad recovered from the terrible shock they had sustained, they found that the Indians had become sheir escort, and that they | were being conducted away toward the north along the river. ‘hey discovered, also, that Uncle Phil was not with them, and that Seth Hood, riding some distance in advance, was in charge of a savage who was riding Berry’s horse, The maidens were still ignorant of the fact that they were decoyed from home by falsebood, | and at length, when their course brought them to the-edge of the prairie, and Jennie looking back saw the little grove pointed out as the | location of Basil’s cabin falling far bebind, she | burst into tears, and in tones of bitter anguish cried out: | _ ‘* Oh, my poor brother! my poor mother) may | God help them!” | The savages were unmoved by her grief. Among them were two or three whom Jennie recognized as having been at Hickory Point; but they were stoical and indifferent and without authority, else the maiden would have appealed to them upon the grounds of the kind treatment they had received at the settlement, The sun went down and found them still in the saddle. Night closed around them and brought such a deathlike gloom to the hearts of the girls that the thump of their horses’ feet sounded as if they were clods falling upon their own coffins. | Finally the twinkling of many lights before | them told that they were erence ae the In- dian encampment, and when they rode into the place a few minutes later all hope was left behind, | The Indian village was not a largeone, In fact it was but a temporary encampment of Ishtababa’s band of Sioux, who, with their squaws and pappooses, had come down from the north to hunt and trap a few weeks, All told there were about fifty lodges or tepees, pitched in a circle and facing a common center. This center, which was an open area of | an acre in extent, was aglow with a huge bon- | fire which furnished light to all the surrounding | lodges. A number of smaller fires, how@ver, by | which supper was being cooked, burned close in | front of the lodges. The lodge of the chief, Ishtahaba—Young Sleepy Eyes—was quite conspicuous in the circle by its pretentious size. When the party entered the camp the bucks were sitting or lying around the big.fire in the opening; the squaws were busy preparing sup- | per and cutting up the game of the day’s hunt ‘ for curing. Naked, dirty children, and lean, wolfish dogs were chasing each other in play, and rolling and tumbling in the dirt in all the sweet abandon of juvenile, savage life. But all this was changed ina moment when the party with the captives entered the camp. There was for awhile all was excitement and disorder. The girls were taken from their saddles and conducted to an unoccupied lodge which seemed to have been made ready in anticipation of their | coming. They were given in charge of a big, | raw-boned and masculine-looking squaw who at | once closed the entrance to the fepee to spare the timid, grief-stricken girls the sight of the curi- | ous and vulgar throng hanging around outside. | Atfirst the maidens shrunk with fear from | the red giantess, but sbe soon convinced them | they had nothing to fear from her, and gradu- ‘ally won their confidence. Then she brought | them water in a basin and ‘they bathed their hands and face. After this she fetched them some nicely-broiled venison and some bread, of which they ate sparingly. They had no’ appe- tite. The unknown fate that awaited them kept their young hearts convulsed with fear. ) Finally, Old Soutah, as their guard and at- tendant had called herself, made them a couch and told them to lie down and rest and sleep. The girls finally threw themselves on a dozen Indians rose up before and around them © and foot, and noble blows he dealt the cunning - a general rush to see the pale-face girls, and y "ere oes fe. ° ’ Z _ ein. 4 . < ’ ¢ im uv , “ s “s +, . - ; sens 1 hi a ir i a io peng en ge eS a ee om
Page 10
10 cote but not tosleep. Soutah laid down by them. The hours wore away painfully slow. To the poor, sleepless captives, it seemed day would never come, Along in the night they were startled by a wild commotion among the warriors outside. Soutah arose and went out. Presently sbe re- turned, a sullen, foreboding look upon her broad, angular face. ‘What's the matter, Soutah?” Jennie ven- tured to inquire. “The friends of the pale-faces have slain Broken Face and one of his warriors,” the gi- | antess answered, eying them sharply as if to see the effect the news would have upon them. But the captives could not regard the news as | favorable to them, but rather increased their fears. Until broad daylight the Indians kept up a commotion in the village, and so the captives did not attempt to lie down again. Old Soutah brought them their breakfast, | and, after they had eaten, she led them from the tepee and walked with them under the trees in the rear of the tents until their aching bodies | and cramped limbs had regained their strength | and circulation. Shortly after returning to their prison-lodge, two young warriors, wearing the insignia of war-chiefs, came to the door and looked in upon them with covetous, leering faces. This they re- peated a dozen times during the day, and their conduct filled the hearts of the girls with a bor- rible fear, The day wore away and night. again setin. A great bonfire was again built in the open court or circle, To the girls it soon beeame plain that the In- dians were going to have another night of de- monstration. Soutah informed them there was to be a war-dance, and that on the morrow the braves would go forth to avenge the death of Broken Face and his warriors. Along about ten o’clock Soutah left the Prison Lodge, closing the door behind her, ‘¢Ob, Fanny!” exclaimed Jennie, ‘‘ what is to become of us?” ‘God only knows,” answered Fanny; .‘ but let us continue our trust in Him who doeth all things well. He will save us, Jennie.” “Poor Uncle Phil!” Jennie almost sobbed, “there is no doubt he was killed, and the old hunter, Seth Hood, brought here a captive to be tortured to death.’ Thus the girls talked over their troubles for several minutes. In the mean time they heard the savages in the opening yelling, singing and howling like demons, but they durst not look out through fear of witnessing some horrible sight. It was not entirely dark in the tent. The cap- tives could easily distinguish each other’s fea- tures. Rare of light from the big fire in the opening found their way into the place through holes and cracks in front of the tepee, filling the prison with a soft twilight. In the midst of their whispered conversation, the ears of the captives were greeted by a gentle tapping on the sideof their lodge. At first they thought it wasa twig of the overhanging tree blowing against it, but when they finallv locat- the sound at the rear of their prison, they be- came more interested, and listened with bated breath. Presently the sound was repeated, and then they heard a low, admonishing ‘“‘ hist /” he hearts of the captives leaped into their throats: A friend was come to theirrescue. Of thls they had no doubt, and mentally prayed that old Soutah might not return until they had communicated with that friend. They sat motionless with their eyes fixed upon the side of the tent. They saw a_ knife-blade pushed through the wall and move slowly downward cutting a slit therein. A moment later the edges of thisslit were pulled apart, and a face inserted into the opening. At the first sight, the captives recognized it. Jt was the face of Jack Arp, the Wapsie hunter ! CHAPTER XII. JACK ARP TO THE RESCUE. A LITTLE cry of ‘surprise involuntarily burst from the maidens’ lips at sight of the face of the Ng she hunter. “Hist, girls!” the man cautioned in a low tone; ‘‘ for God’s sake, don’t make a noise or all will be lost! I’m here to rescue you from these savages’ power, They are in a great rage over somethin’ and it would be death for me should I be discovered. They’re preparing for a war- dance or scalp-dance, I don’t know which, and when their attention is all given to their hoodoo, Blundering Basil. I expect to effect your release. “Your horses are tethered out on the prairie, and we will secure them on which to flee. My old friend, Sid Bush, is in waitin’ out in the woods to help us, Be of good cheer, and nerve yourselves for the ordeal of flight. may not be for an hour. We want to get the horses ready first, then when the war-dance is on at full tide, il come for you. Remember that silence, caution, and nerve will be required if we’d succeed, The Ingins are wary. Make uo other arrangements except to prepare your minds for the flight, or the red-skins may sus- pect your purpose, It is well, however, to know exactly where to put your hands on your shawls and hats when I call. Till then, good-by.” Jennie would have spoken to him but before she had the chance he was gone. She longed to inquire about her brother, for she thought Jack must know something about him, * Jennie,” whispered Fanny, in the faith of an earnest and devout Christian, ‘‘ our prayers are about to be auswered, Oh! how good and merciful is God!” ‘‘But, how mysterious his ways, Fanny,” re- plied the other; *‘ He sends Jack Arp to save us, und the hunter comes in all kindness after his humiliating defeat by Basil, and after I had re- jected his attentions to me. Fanny, it seems like a rebuke, doesn’t it?” ‘* It shows he holds no ill-feeling toward you,” answered Fanny; ‘‘and it is the only course one possessed of manly courage and gallantry could ursue, if in the end he would win the victory. owever, if he— ‘Sh! Soutah!” At this juncture Soutah and a warrior en- tered the lodge, the latter carrying several thongs of deerskin in his hands, ‘* masebaba and Lekonsah, the young chiefs whose wives the captives are to be, bids me bind you,” the giantess said. ‘‘ When the war- dauce is over, then will I release you.” So saying, and, assisted by the buck, she tied the captives’ hands at their backs and _ their ankles together. This done, they lashed one girl to the other in such a position that neither could rise, drawing the cords so tightly around them that they almost cut into the tender flesh. Having thus secured their captives, the squaw and warrior left, permitting the lodge door to remain wide open. A. little after their departure, Omasebaha and Lekonsah, the young chiefs who had so often obtruded their hateful presence on them durin the day, came to the door of the tent and ood in upon them, then went away. ‘* Jennie,” said Fanny, as the cbiefs disap- peared, ‘“‘ we now know the fate that is to be ours if we remain here,” “Yes; and I prefer.death ten thousand times!” declared Jennie, ‘‘Oh, my God! de- liver us from this!” ‘‘T wonder why they bound us? Surely, they have not mistrusted anything,” observed Fanny, thoughtfully. Through the open door the maidens could see the savages engaged in their war-dance, and a wild and frantic demonstration it was, in which the women and children even took an active art. They could see the tall figure of Old outah among them, but at no time did she for- get herself in the wild performance so far as not to cast an occasional glance toward the cap- tives’ lodge. Nearly an hour had passed, when the giantess came and looked in upon the girls, then went back to the nocturnal revel. A low tapping at the rear of the lodge sud- denly caused the captives’ hearts to almost cease beating. They turned their eyes, half in dread, toward the point whence the sound proceeded. In the opening previously made they saw the face of Jack Arp! “*Come, quick!” he whispered. ‘* We cannot—we are bound hand and foot,” Jennie replied. Quickly the knife of the hunter admitted him to the lodge, and as quickly he severed the cap- tives’ bonds, The next minute the three stood together in the shadows outside the lodge, Taking each of the maidens by a hand the young hunter led them slowly, cautiously back into the woods. Not a word was spoken for half an hour—until they came to where Sidney Bush _ stood waiting with four horses ready for the flight. Then Arpsaid: | ‘*Now, gals, so fur, so good. We'll take to the saddle and then let the red varmints catch us if they can.” ; ; _Hastily mounting the four rode away up the river, Arp at Jennie’s side, Bush at Fanny’s. boa a mile from the Indian camp, Jack said oud; I may be back soon, and it | “Now, then, we can breathe a fall, long breath, Miss Jennie, for we’re out of all imme- diate danger.” “Thank the Lord!” exclaimed Jennie most fervently, joyfully; ‘‘and to you, Mr. Arp, we owe our fit of Swan You have run great risk to rescue us, and I fear we may never be able to repay your kindness.” ‘** Don’t trouble yourself *bout that, Miss Day- ton; what I done was from a sense of duty and not through hope o’ any more reward than Dve already got, and that’s your ’preciation.” ‘You area true borderman, Jack, in every senses of the word,” Jennie declared in frank earnestness, — * “Thanks, Miss Jennie; I’m glad you think so, for it war less’n a week ago that reflections were cast onto me at Hickery Point.” He said this in a tone slightly tinged with bitterness, and Jennie felt that it was intended as a gentle rebuke for ber coolness toward him when at the settlement; but she did not like the man then, and even now, while she admired bis fearless courage, and felt most grateful for bis kindness to her and Fanny, she had no reason to change her feelings toward him, It placed her in a peculiar and trying situation, The hunter had suught to pay ber attentions when at the Point, and she bad refused to accept them. He told; her then she might some time regret her coldness, and he seemed eager to remind her of the fact by implication. The course of the fugitives was due north. Of this the maidens were aware, and as their res- cuers held to this course mile after mile without deviation, Jennie was finally induced to ask: “+ Jack, how far north will we have to go be- fore we change our course so as to reach friends” home?” ‘Sid and I,” replied Arp, ‘‘ decided it would be best to keep north till we reached Snake Creek, then make for the Spirit Lake settle- ments, and from there swing ‘round to Hickory Point. Our object in this was to throw the Ingins off our trail. As soon as you are missed. they'll naterally s’pose you would take the course Jeadin’ home and rush off in hot haste that way. I do not intend they shall track us this way for right now I’m goin’ to fire the prairie behind us.” As he thus spoke he drew rein, ignited a match and applied it to the dry grass, leaning over in his stirrups to do so, ana then rode on. The wind blowing in their faces swept the fire southward, and soon the whole plain behind them was ablaze with roaring flames. } As they rode on and Jennie begaa to realize that every step carried her further and further , from home, she began to questicen in her mind, the judgment of her rescuer in taking the course he did, To her it seemed that they could have escaped the Indians as well going south as north, with the start they had. But it was too late now to change their course, even could she have convinced Arp of what to her seemed a mistake, and so she prudently kept her thoughts. — to herself. But her mind reverting to her bro- ther, she asked: “Mr. Arp, have you heard or seen anything of brother Tom who is a guest at Bluadering Basil’s cabin?” “Notbing,” responded Arp; “but I’ve been mistrustin’ all along the boys have been amusin’ themselves killin’ some of them Ingins, If so, it may go hard with them, for the Ingins have an inborn batred of that Blundering Basil.” Jennie saw by the way Arp spoke of Basil that he had not forgotten his defeat by the young trapper, and refrained from mentioning his name again. Singular as it may seem, they had heen three hours together before Arp asked Jennie as to how she and Fanny came to be in the Indians? wer, The maiden gave him the full particu- ars, but she had not failed to note his indiffer- ence to the facts so long. They rode on at a walk and just at dayhreak 4" they reached the mouth of Snake Creek, Here they halted to rest and breakfast. The horses ¢ were tied out at grass some ten rods away. At this point there was quite a grove of scat- tering timber on both sides of the river. Under a large cottonwood the party seated themselves on the carpet of brown leaves. The hunters divided their food with the girls,.and after all had refreshed themselves, Arp and Busb left the girls and went out to bring in the horses to resume their journey. As they anproached the animals they saw all four were lying down— stretched out in the grass. Without a thought other than that the faith- ful beasts were resting their tired limbs, the two men approached them, only to start back with a
Page 11
v\ look of dumb horror and amazement upon their faces, Every horse was stone dead, its throat eut from ear to ear! CHAPTER XIII. BASIL MAKES A RECONNOISSANCE. As soon as night had fully set in Blundering Basil and his three companions left their hiding- lace and moved away in the direction of Ishta- baba’ camp. When they had reached a * ipseves not far from it, Basil left his friends and crept forward to makeareconnoissance. It wasa new experience for the young trapper, yet he instinctively went about it with the caution of an old scout and Indian-fighter, He could hear the savages in some kind of a wild demonstration, and conse- quently thought it very pr obuble’ that they might not be overly cautious in guarding their camp. In this he found he was right, for he not only approached within sight of camp unchallenged, but crept so close that he was enabled to locate Ishtahaba’s lodge in the circle of tepees, This emboldened him, and he determined to see inside of the chief’s tent if such a thing were possible. He did not expect to find the maidens there, but he hoped to obtain some information i in regard to them. Ishtahaba’s quarters were located under the rag branches of an oak tree. Basil saw at by falling back into the woods and ap- proaching from the north he would run less risk in gaining the rear of the lodge than by advanc- ing from his present position, So he quickly made the de tour, and in less than half an hour he was creeping on all-fours through the shadows toward the chief’s tent. No serpent ever moved more noiselessly, end at length he reached the rear of the royal house undiscov- ered, Ishtahaba’s quarters were more commodious than his neighbors’, In fact, his lodge was an old wall tent, patched over in a hundred places with skins and pieces of blankets, and thrice the size of any one of the conical structures on either side of it. Lying down upon the ground close against the tent, Basil heard the sound of voices within, and soon discovered that a conversation was being carried on therein betwcen a white man and an Indian. That the lattor was the chief, Ishta- haba, he had not a doubt, but who could his white companion be? To the young scout his voice aiid vaguely familiar. He was very sure he had heard it before, but when and where he could not recall. As the youth could not get a glimpse into the lodge, he was compelled to trust wholly to his ears for the information he sought. Bnt the two talked so low that he could not make out asingle word spoken, and he had begun to despair “of success when there was a movement of feet in the lodge, and then the white man, who seemed to be on the eve of departure, was ‘heard to say: “Pll go at once, and try it, chief, and return in half an hour.” Basil started, a cry of surprise almost escap- ing his lips. He not only heard the words, bat was sure he recognized the voice that uttered them, and in an instant the hot blood was cours- ing through his veins, and his brain throbbing wildly, madly with the thoughts that arose therein. If he could trust the evidence of his own hear- ing, then he could clearly see the ‘‘ power be- hind the throne” in the abduction of Jennie and Fanny, and the death of Uncle Phil Berry, as well as the trouble he and his friends had en- countered. Remaining quiet the young scout revolved the matter over and over in his mind, and finally concluded that he must be wrong. He hoped so, at least, | From where he lay he could hear the yelling and singing of the red-skins in the opening, yet he was not sufficiently versed in Indian ways to understand its meaning. After all had become quiet in the chief's lodge, the youth concluded to change his position, 5 doing so he discovered a small bole in the side of the tent that enabled him to see inside the struc- ture. He saw the chief standing in the door- way watching the performance of bis followers around the fire with evident satisfaction. He had remained thus a short time when he was approached by two young chiefs, Omasebaha and'Lekonsah, Together the three entered the . lodge and seated themselves on the ground, when Lekonsah asked, every word being quite » audible to the listener ‘outsi e: “Has Ishtahaba made up his mind that Omasebaha and Lekonsah can have the white _ captives” 2 yates ete i is ear * eo rs a Moti ss: Blundering Basil, ‘* Ishtahaba,” the chief replied, ‘‘ would be fair with the pale-face, Sure Shot, for he has been the friend of Ishtababa and of his people. Ishtababa sent Broken Face and his warriors to help the Sure Sbot secure the white maidens. They are now in the Sioux camp, and Ishtahaba does not want to be false to the pale-faces, and take the white girls from them,” ‘““Then Ishtahaba thinks more of the pale- faces than of his young chiefs,” declared Omase- baha petulantly. ‘* No—not of the pale-face, but of his honor,” replied the chief, ** Let Ishtababa listen,” exclaimed Lekonsah, his voice pitched in a high key, his face the pic- ture of savage determination: ‘‘ we respect our chief; we will follow him where he leads, but the maidens shall be the wives of Omasebaha and Lekonsah |” The chief was silent. To Basil it was evident that trouble was brewing between him and two of his unruly young lieutenants about two white captives, whom the scout had no doubt were Jennie and Fanuy. It was well known that Ishtahaba’s band of Indians was made up of seceders from various Northwestern tribes. The chief himself, and a party of personal followers, were an offshoot of the Sisitons Sioux, that formed a nucleus around which Broken Face, with a band of half-breed cut-throats from the North, Omase- baha and Lekonsah, with a number of impul- sive young warriors from the Sac and Fox tribes, and one Red W ing, with a few dozen bucks. from among the Pottawatomies, gathered and formed an independe nt band. But Ishta- haba had proven himself a weak man. He was too slow and methodic for tae impulsive young rebel chiefs under him, and upon more than one occasion these lieutenants had threatened open rebellion, To his followers it was clear that the chief was almost wholly in the power of the cunning white man, Sure Shot; and, while the latter had been highly respected for his many fine qualities as an unscrupulous renegade, and had always had his own sweet way with the chief, Omasebaha and Lekonsah concluded to draw the line at the captives, and possess them in spite of the chief and his white friend. Basil regarded the situation with no little concern. e knew not what the threatened rupture between the chief and his young lieu- tenants might result in to the captives. Finally, “Omasebaha and Lekonsah left the tent, returned to the fire and joined in the revels of their friends. Ishtahaba seated himself in his lodge in moody silence. Presently he was joined by a white man, dressed in the garb of a borderman, who thus "addressed the chief: “Tt’s all right, chief, nothin’.” Basil started, not only at the sound of the voice, but at sight of the face. The suspicion, previously, created in his mind by the sound of a voice indistinctly heard, he found bad been well: grounded, The man was Jack Arp, the Wapsi- pinnicon hunter! CHAPTER XIV. OFF IN PURSUIT. To Blundering Basil many facts were revealed upon the startling discovery of Jack Arp in Ishtahaba’s ete It proved that he was *‘ Sure- Shot,” and an old-time friend of the chief ; there- fore, a renegade. It also settled the fact that Arp was the abductor of Jennie Dayton and Fanny Moore, the direct cause of Uncle Phil Berry’s death, and all the trouble that followed. ais discovery aroused the very demon of re- venge within him, The hot blood swept through his veins, and his temples thr obbed like the beating of his !eart. It was all he could do to restrain himself from some act of violence: but his better judgment prevailed, and he gave ear to the words that now passed between the chief and the renegade, “Well,” said Arp, as he entered the lodge, “I have talked to the maidens from the rear of their tent. I told them I would rescue them. They do not mistrust I am the friend of the In- dians.” “Then,” replied the chief morosel must not ‘delay long. My young chie 8 are re- bellious. Since you were here they came into my tent: They declared the white maidens should be theirs. I will have no power to re- strain them now that my true friend, Broken Face, is dead. But I do not want the white maidens in my camp. _ It will bring the soldiers upon my band and all will be slain. Let Sure Shot act at once. Soon the war-dance will be at its hight, then let Sure Shot take the maidens I see they mistrust ** vou and flee; but let noone see you~-be careful—- cunning.” “Ti do that, chief,” Arp was heard to re- spond; ‘* I will take the maidens and flee north- ward to Snake Creek, and then strike for our old. village. I will burn the prairie behind to conceal our trail, When the maidens are miss- ing, Omasebaha and Lekonsah ay lead the pur- suit toward the settlement. the time you return to your old village in Piss, Sree th the cap- tive with the blue eyes will be my wife. She will look upon me with great favor when I rescue her from the Indians’ power. 1 will bea hero, and she will love me, and be my wife; and then Lekonsah dare not trespass.” “Waugh!” ejaculated the chief with a grim smile, ‘‘the Sure Shot is cunning «s the tox, He makes love by rescuing his own pe y ** The old, red fool!” thougbt Basil: ‘* he'll not. think it so cunning when he finds the great Sure Shot bas born-swoggled him into a job that’ll cost bim his old carcass. , He’ll be worse deceived than them) girls before he’s through with this thing. The old idict! he’safeard of bis own chiefs, and of the soldiers, and is as com- pletely in that varmint Arp’s power as to be pliant as mud. But it’s all right; I want the great, love-makin’ rescuer to deceive the gals as he perposes; but the Lord willin’, I'll get in my work on bim!” The young trapper-scout listened to the two villains’ conversat,on for several minutes, filling in the occasional pauses with mental observa- tions which, if they had teen bullets or bludg- eons, would have left little e ven of the carcass of Jack Arp. Finally, wien be saw the inter- view was drawing to a close—heard Ishtahaba say he must join in the war-dance—Basil crept back into the woods and hurrying away, re- joined his friends. ‘** Boys,” was bis first observation, ‘by the great smokyzoopers! I have discovered—blun- dered onto the biggest, dirtiest, rascallyist piece of work the devil ever alloted to one of his imps to perform. In the first place, Jennie and Fanny are captives in that camp. In the second lace, that dashin’ dandy from the Wapsie, ack Arp, is their abductor, and the cause of all this trouble.” ‘Great heavens!” exclaimed Tom Dayton; ‘this cannot be possible, Basil!” “Yes, it’s so—every word of it,” declared Basil; ‘‘and what’s more, things are comiu’ to a climax. Two of the young chiefs informed Ishtababa that they were goin’ to have the girls or bu’st a tug. This made Ish unhappy. He don’t want the girls to be found in his camp. through fear the soldiers may come up and, findin’ the captives there, whale the life out of his cut-throat gang. Arp wants tomake Jennie think he’s a hero and win her affection. By this I learned that he had not shown his band in the abduction tothe girls. But he proposed to make the girls think he was a dare-devil of @ hero and rescue them, take to horse, and*flee northward.” . ‘*When were they to start, Basil?’ asked Fred Burch. “Just as soon as their war-dance was at the biggest, and all attention given to it, then was the warblin’ warrior from the Wapsie to gal- lantly rescue the captives and flee. We want him to succeed so as to get beyond reach of the two young chiefs, whose power and influence Ishtababa fears since his right bower, Broken Face, has winked out. Ob, smok zoopers! if it. wasn't for makin’ the matter ail the worse for the girls, a give Arp and Ish’s scheme away so’s the two chiefs could catch Jacksie in the act of stealin’ away, and then there would be fun for the million. But, boys, we want to start at once up the river and try and git in ahead of Arp and intercept him, As he'll go on’ hoss- back he’ll travel faster than us, so we'd as well line out. We may may miss him altogether, butit’s our only chance.” Without delay the four at once set off up the river northward, poo at a lively pace, They followed an old Indian trail which they knew Ted to and far beyond Snake Creek, After traveling six or eight miles it became a question with them as to whether Arp and his party had passed them on the right and left, or were still behind. This, however, was finally settled by suddenly discovering the prairie on fire at least three miles behind them, ‘That was the arrangement, boys,” exelevet Basil, *‘ betrveen Ish and the valorious Arp, to fire the prairie to conceal their trail from the- eyes of the rebellious young chiefs. But we'll keep on, pards, and if pees don’t run into our net, daylight will find us in sight of them, at least. All I want is one fair belt with ‘old Goliah at the rusher from the ’Pinnicon, and his:
Page 12
vs "| 4 itd g 4 A ? ee \ ty id a i 4 q } (he ‘al i. in y ‘@ a A ; Be Bi, “ ioe he Sie } ¢ Bh. {i ra. ix ft | ; aim ss a i ay ae oi >. ee mt ° oe i, Ji a? Be 2 ~ a i my Pe f fi f al we ¥ vn S Bi S - * th re meet \ ’ g. Fai f Su ie aby «t Jee i ea * > , 1g Blundering Basil. labors of iniquity and love-making will have ended forever, amen! Come on, friends! My demon 1svut and around again, and I can’t hold him back!” CHAPTER XV. THE BALL OPENS IN EARNEST. NEVER were men more thoroughly ditoulsked than were Jack Arp and his friend, Sid Bush, when their éyes fell upon their four dead horses. For a moment*they stood silent, speechless— rooted to the spot, as it were. "They seemed afraid to move, and scarcely dared to breathe, lest a bullet, or the knife that had slain their horses, should pierce treir vitals, ‘the men stood in the open valley, but along Snake Oreek, which was. about fifty paces to their right, grew a dense fringe of wild plum and hazel brush; and that the slayers of their horses were concealed in that thicket they bad not a single doubt. The work had not long been «done, for blood was still running from the horri- ble wounds The situation was one of kerri! le suspense to ‘the two villains who had just been congratulat- ing themselves upon their successful escape. A dozen thoughts flashed through their brains in avery few seconds, Arp was the first to speak: ina tone that was plainly indicative of his fear, he said: “ Bush, this is the work of an enemy!” “*No doubs o’ it, Jack,” responded Bush. “ And,” Arp continued, casting furtive glances around him as if he was afraid he would see some one, “it is the work of Ingins, A white man would have stolen—not killed these horses, Sid, Pm afraid Ishtahaba was forced into giv- ing us away to Omasebahe dud Lekonsah, and that this is their work. If so, we’re goin’ to get into a bad box. We'd better turnand makea break back to the girls and our guns, and get under cover of the grove if we ar’n’t riddled with bullets the moment we turn—” ‘““ Ah!” broke in Bush in sudden excitement, looking off to the southward, ‘what does that mean?” Arp ventured to turn his eyes in the direction indicated, and saw three persons, whom he. knew were white men, running in great haste toward the river. They were not over eighty rods away, and at sight of them the renegade exclaimed: ‘*' By heavens! they’re whites’ followin’ us! It must be that Blundering Basil and his white friends, Dayton and Burch; but—aha! by the sun and moon! They are bein’ pursued by the reds! Sidney, I don’t like the situation at all.” No less than a score of Indians were in pursuit ~of the three whites. They had suddenly ap- peared from behind a swell iu the prairie and were pressing the fugitives hard, So rapidly ' were they gaining upon the three that one of the latter suddenly stopped, turned and shot -down the foremost pursuer. This seemed to encourage new strength and ‘speect in the fugitives and the gap between them and the Indians was materially widened: ‘**Quite an interestin’ affair, Jack, that?d be if wew er an’t in a pickle ourselves,” declared Sid Bash, *t But what can the presence of either of then parties here have to do with the cut ‘throats.o’ our bosses?” ‘** We'll find out before this thing’s over with,” rejoined Arp, a little uneasy; ‘*and we’d better get back to our rifles and the girls, It wasa mistake leavin’ our guns,” In the mean time, Jennie and Fanny were ‘undergoing some surprise and excitement, also, Their ‘pretended rescuers, on leaving them to go after the horses, were scarcely out of sight when the figure of a man appeared before them from behind a clump of trees and verre rowth, And such a figure as it was! 1e girls were so terrified at sight of 1t that their tongues were paralyzed, and their bodies fairly benumbed. A ‘short, stout form; a big, hatless head with hair standing on end; a face as black as an Ethio- pian’s in which were set a gral of large, brilliant eyes and a double row of pearly, white teeth, amet their gaze. Seeing, by By the look of terror en the girl’s faces, ‘that they did not recognize him, the unknown said im a low, quick tone as he continued to advance: * Keep quiet, girls, I'm Blundering Basil!” The voice was familiar, and, as he came ‘nearer, the girls recognized his features despite their mask of dirt and black ashes from the buvat in, It was as, much as the maidens could do to obey his injunction to keep quiet, ‘but, sanabeetine their emotions, they arose and, advancing toward the young trapper, Jennie "okt an eager voice: Basil! what has happened? Is Tom alive?” = = “Tom’s alive, Miss Jen;” ‘responded Basil, “but the worst is yit to happen. I’m goin’ to shoot Jack Arp and Old Bush and let the vul- tures devour their carcasses!” ‘* Basil, you shall not!” declared Jennie, “ Jack rescued us from the Indians,” ‘* Yes, after he’d planned your capture by an infamous lie Jennie, Tom was not hurt at all. That was Arp’s scheme to decoy you from home, I heard him, with my own ears tell the chief, Ishtahaba, of his plans to rescue you, or pretend to, and make himself a hero in youreyes. Gals, they’ re takin’ you away where they can have you in theis power. But their journey’s at an end, I nightly broke my, back gettin’ in ahead of you here in time to stop them.” ** Basil is this—can it betpossible?” Jennie ex- claimed. ** True as holy gospel, Jennie,” the youth de- elared; ‘‘and y our brother and Fred aiid Charlie Bureh are comin’ down the creek. [ left them not far away.” “Thank God!” voice. ‘* Basil, Arp and Bush have gone out'to bring in the horses, They’ll soon be bs ack,” advised Jennie. ‘* Not with the horses, Jen,” the Boy Trapper replied; ‘*for I cut their throats to prevent the villains’ escape with you, providia’ I failed in rescuin’ you, and prevent pursuit if I did suc- ceed without killin’ the renegades. I see the Wapsie hunter has left bis rifle and accouter- ments here—so’s Old. Bush! Vl take possession o them, I will, so let’s be gittin’ away from here before they get— Harkee! what does that mean?” ft was the report of a rifle, followed by an In- dian yell, “ Great smokyzoopers!” he exclaimed, after a moment’s silence: ‘‘ the Ingins are on our trail! Come, gals, or all will be lost!” Taking up the renegade’s rifles and fixtures, he conducted the girls up the river a few rods, to where a jam of driftwood spanned the river. Upon this they crossed the stream, and, just as they had climbed to the top of the east bank, the bark of a pistol broke upon their ears and a builet tore througb the frowsy hair of Basil’s head, almost lifting him off his feet. Glaneing across the stream they saw Jack Ar standing on the west bank, a pistol raised in the act of firing a second shot, while Old Bush had reached the bridge of driftwood and was following them across, Leaping aside to elude Arp’s bullet Basil raised Bush’s own rifle and sent a bullet through the old scoundrel’s brain, then, taking up his own trusty Goliah, he was about to pay his re- spects to Arp when that. nimble-footed villain leaped behind a big tree. ps then Basil’s all attention was drawn to Tom Dayton and the Burch Brothers, who were coming up the river on the run, and Arp, dis- covering them, took to bis heels and fled like a deer in the direction of the dead borses, Alt this was quickly followed by a demoniac yell from down the river, and then like hounds upon a hot trail nearly a score of Indians burst into view in pursuit cf the three young settlers, Basil realizing the critical situation addressed the trembling, half-terrified maidens. “Girls, break for the open valley! /Cross to the top of yonder high bluff, and we'll join you there soon—go! Run, for your lives depend up- on it!” The two turned, and creeping through the fringe of bushes and undergrowth, entered the valley and started on a swift run toward the knoll indicated, a mile away. Again turning his eyes across the river, Basil shouted to his friends: ‘*Here, boys! Cross on that driftwood! The gals are safe! Hump yerselves! for the Lord’s sake, hump !” It required but a few moments for the fugi- tives to reach Basil’s side, and then all were prepared to dispute the passage of the savages across the river. “Now, let’s give the sun-burnt varlets one a old welt and then scoot for the girls,” suggested Basil; and raising Jack Arp’s rifle, he fired at the leading red-skin.,. This shot was fol- oe by the report of his friends’ rifles, at which the stricken and excited savages reeled and tumbled over each other as they were balt- ed in their mad pursuit. There being no other crossing but the drift- wood, and the whites, concealed behind trees, holding this with ready rifles, the red-skins quickly saw that it would be almost sure death to eae cross then, and so they scattered and sought safety in the grove. This respite gave the men an opportunity to cried Fanny, with fervent friends acquainted with the situation. Jack Arp’s gun, now in the young trapper’s possession, was exactly of the same make and caliber as that of his own weapon. There were no other rifles on the frontier equal to them in accuracy and range; and it was the possession of these two rifles that suggested to the boy's quick mind the plan of escape be bad decided upon, and the prosecution of which had already un, “I sent the girls into the pr airie,” the young borderman explained. “‘With my gun and Jack Arp’s in our possession no red-skin will dare crowd witbin forty rods of us. I know the Ingins haven’t a single shooter that will bit @ man over one hundred paces, and so, by takin’ to the open prairie where the savages can’t creep up On us or conceal themselves, I believe we can keep two-score of them at bay with our rifles and pistols, “‘Tf ’d known you folks were so near I’d ’a? tried to save the hosses, but then, asit was, I dared take no chances, and so cut the poor dumb critters’ throats. ‘Oh, smokyzoopers! T’d like just one little shot at the bold blizzard from Wupsie before I leave here. But we mustn’t stay too long and give the varlets a chance to make a flank movement on us.’! For ten or fifteen minutes the four kept on the watch for the red-skins, but not the chance of a fair shot was offered, ‘although several Indian bullets came their way, chipping the bark from the trees behind which ‘they were concealed. Basil amused himself by drawing the enemies’ fire with Tom Dayton’s cap on the end of a stick held just so the foe could see it. But aftera dozen or two shots had been fired the red-skins mistrusted the trick and ceased shooting. ‘They're fair to medium shots, boys, ” Basil observed, ‘‘ at short range. But it’s time now for us to sbin out. The girls bave got a good start, and’ll get to the knoll, or bluff, by the time we do, Drop to your ‘knees and crawl through the brush to the open plain.” Taking the lead, Basil started on the retreat, and soon the four had reached the open valley unobserved. Then rising to their feet, they dashed away at a lively run after the’ girls, But they bad gone but a short distance when they made a discovery that almost chilled the blood in their veins. CHAPTER XVI. THE RETREAT BEGINS, THe point’ to which Basil bad directed the girls was a spur of the uplands, impinging sharp- ly upon the river-bo‘tom, and when the four whites came in sight of the maidens, the latter had just begun to ascend the lon: sloping prominence, They were nearly a mile away, while off toward the southeast, fully as far from the boys, and not over half that ” srtenne from the girls, three Indians were discovered running like deer to intercept the maidens, ‘“‘My heavens!” excleimed Fred Burch, ‘if they reach the girls ahead of us all will be lost!” “But they must not be permitted to dos declared Basil; <0, boys, it] be another race or life, They’ve ‘the start two to one, but if the girls reach the bluff and see the red-skins, they can help us by comin’ back. Come, boys, no talk—save wind, and plank it down like deer!” The race was on in an instant, Heavy and stout as Basil was, he held close to the trim- built and fleet-footed Tom Dayton. In fact, it was a neck-and-neck, so to speak, between the four. Cumbered as they were with their guns, and other weapons and supplies, they flew over the ground with remarkable swiftness. Reaching the summit of the bluff, almost out of breath, Jenvie and Fanny gazed bcbind and around them, Quickly they discovered their new danger, and without a moment’s hesitation they started off down the .hil]—not toward their friends, but northward. Soon’ they were out of sight of both friends and foes, but every moment the former ex- pected them to appear in view again around the hill. The red-skins, naturally supposing the maidens bad started toward their friends, made a bold dash to cut them eff. They passed between the whites and tbe base of the bluff, and not seein the girls yet, they continued on and disappeared around the north side of the bill. At a‘loss to understand what bad become of the pitts the young borderers ran on to ay bluff and ascended to its summit. From th they had a fine view of \their surroundings, and it was with a feeling of great joy they discover- ed Jennie and her companion on the slope south of them, they having passed around tbe point by the east side—a clever trick, whether pa ht reload their rifles, and for Basil to, make his A ae
Page 13
ed or not, for it threw the Indians off their - track and brought their friends between them and danger. The Indians, however, were not in sight of the boys when the girls were discovered,*and running along to the east side of the hill, they suddenly came face to face with the savages who were trailing the fugitives around the bluff through the grass, Ss The red-skins were taken wholly by surprise. ye" They had never dreamed of encountering the ale-faces there, and :o soon, They turned to hes flee. Four rifles ce out as one and the red io fugitives plunged wildly down the steep hillside, Dee their earthly career ended. i A few moments later Jennie and Fannie were 1% with their friends, almost prostrated with the Sh Bek excitement and fear through which they had aes passed, But Fred Burch and Tom spoke words of cheer and encouragement to them, and soon ae much oe their wonted spirit and strength had yt revived, a By this time the red-skins left beyond the } river had crossed over and were coming across sling Vea the valley in pursuit. There were sixteen, all tea told, of the party, and, foremost of all the young bordermen recognized the erect figure of Jack Arp. They were coming like a whirlwind, but ae ' instead of their presence filling Blundering 3 eae Basil’s heart witb fear, he appropriated Fred wh ip Burch’s bat and defiantly tossing it into the air, shouted aloud to them in tones they must have ei heard with a feeling of Peith rage. Ere . ‘Boy, you'll burst your lungs” Fred Burch ag declared. it ‘“*T¢ had to come out, Fred,” Basil replied ' with a grim smile, ‘ but that had nothin’ to do 7 with my fightin’ and runnin’ wind, I’m ready " for either any moment.” ‘ ‘* Well,” replied Charlie Burch in downright earnestness; “‘this running from Ingins and prairie-fires, and pursuing girl-thieves are ‘ crowding onto Tom and me pretty fast, and if it keeps on a month or two longer will vote our ba holiday with Biundering Basil a blistering old Nat lips fraud,” / ** It’s good exercise, Charles,” replied Basil, with a smile; ‘‘it develops speed, muscle, en- . durance, as well as a variety of novel incidents. ~ You know I promised you bvys a ‘’way-up’ time, and between Jacksie Arp and them odor- ous red-skins, you’ll gitit. But, folks, we must be moving at once. e must keep in the open, re level prairie so that them varlets can’t get onto ii us unseen, By varyin’ our course a little we trl can have thirty miles of dead level prairie, with water to be had bout half-way.” At “But what if the red-skins should fire the } prairie?” asked Tom, who had a vivid recollec- Die tion of his and Charlie’s adventure a night or f RE two before, { } yy ‘Let ’m fire away. There’s no wind to speak a of to make it dangerous, and _ even if there was, ; ti ‘ we could easily back-fire, and they’d have their > | ee trouble for their pains. What we want is to ¥ | keep ahead of them. So long as they’re behind _ . wecankeep’m in check, They’re not goin’ to f dash up on us even if they are four to one, for area we could play on them with rifles and revolvers Rae from the moment they came in range 0’ Golia till the last one fell, No, they will not be apt to Fee charge on usin openday. An Ingin, I am told, Dy hardly ever does that caper, though Jack Arp : might persuade them to try it. I hope he will «i and that he'll take the lead, I watt to down ea him with hisown gun. But, friends, time’s up; my forward—march !” os We So saying, he led the retreat into the great, Ae treeless expanse stretching away toward the Oe ay ' east. At first the way was somewhut hilly and undulating, but in less than two miles’ travel they reached an almost dead level. ' “Take it easy, folks,” Basil had occasion to observe when he saw his friends were inclined to quicken their footsteps. ‘‘ Takeit easy; haste oe makes waste! It'll not, lessen our danger a bit -_-by burryin’. They’re bound to come just so __, close, and then it’s our duty to see that they ’ come no closer. With my gun and Arp’s on ard, two hundred yards is just my distance, he Wapsie love-maker knows the power of his Trifle, and they will not be apt. to crowd on its ‘muzzle. As to the pop-guns them Ingins have ely need be no fear only in close quarters, am ia tthey can’t get ‘less they git in ahead and _ round us. So take a natural gait and save your strength for extra occasions, if any are forced upon us.” \ Basil’s advice was received with approbation rie ac’ ae His plans of retreat and - _ fense w also concurred in by the bo, though they knew it would 7 eqnire fe “4 ce, nerve, and endurance to carry them - toa successful issue, / Biss se o3 Blundering Basil. The pursyers finally appeared in sight about | two miles behind. Basil motioned them to hurry on; but they needed no urging, for they were | coming at a speed that, in less than an hour, | carried them to within fifty rods of the fugitives, | Then they slackened their pace, to all appear- ances pretty well winded, Again Basil motioned them on; but the wily red-man was innoburry. He had already de- fined the tactics of the whites and.proposed to bide his time. And thus with’ both pursuers and pursued in | plain view—almost bailing distance of each | ether, red-skin’s subtle cunning was pitted | against white man’s skill and tact. The first move of the foe was to scatter out and then move forward at a run, yelling like | demons, Jt was evident that this movement was made to test the courage of the fugitives, as well as their prudence in the use of their rifles. But not a bit faster did Basil permit one of his friends to move. He cautioned the boys to be calm, and steady their nerves that they might use their rifles with their wonted skill. The extra rifle—that of old Bush—was given to Jennie to carry and have in readiness in case it were nee !ed, Basil kept a close watch upon the approachin foe. He was well versed in prairie craft, an noted for the accuracy with which he could measure with the eye distances on the plain. In fact, it was this gift that made him a suc- cessful deer-hunter, and now it was to stand him well in hand, as an Indian-fighter, The red-skins, however, mistrusted his purpose and, when the young trapper suddenly turned and threw his rifle to his shoulder, every one of them, including Arp, threw himself flat upon the ground in the grass, A mocking laugh burst from Basil’s lips. The dead verdure was too short to hide more than half their bodies. “The fools!” the boy exclaimed, ‘‘I see enough to aim at, and I'l] shoot a little low and try the advantages of a glancing shot.” He did so: and his friends saw a cloud of dirt puff up a few inches short of the target. ‘* A little low, Bass,” said Tom Dayton. “T don’t know ’bout that,” replied the young trapper; “1 see the red-skin doin’ a little squirmin’ as if he’d a pain. I guess he got his medicine on the glance. It’s a lovely distance for that kind of a sbot—here, Charlie, let me have Arp’s gunand [ll try another while you reload mine.” The young trapper endeavored to locate Arp’s form, but as he could not doso with certainty, he fired at the one he thought the closest; and this time there was no doubt as to the result. The red-skin bounded three feet into the air with a frightful yell and fell back motionless in the grass. This was more than the savages could stand. They sprung to their feet with a yell of dismay and fired a volley at the whites. Every shot fell thirty yards short, Basil burst into a deri- sive laugh, then quickly said to his friends: ** Look sharp, boys! they’re coming!” But to the utter surprise of all, the foe began retreating, Jack Arp well in the lead, ‘*Ha! ha! ha!” laughed Basil, *‘ they’re fallin’ back by the great smokyzoopers! But let’m fall; they know our range, now, so let’m be- ware. Oh! blessed Goliah!”—patting his gun— ‘*of you, and your twin brother, so long in bad company, I shall ever sing! But, friends, about face! Forward, march!” CHAPTER XVII. BASIL GOES DOWN. LEISURELY the retreat was continued over the prairie, the Indians following at a like pace, and at a distance calculated to insure safety against Basil's rifles which had ended the career | of two of their warriors. It was something almost unparalleled in In- dian warfare, four fugitive boys dictating the Speed at which their enemies might pursue, and daring them, as the impulsive Basil fre- quently did, by sign and even word of mouth, to approach nearer. t was the general opinion of the borderers that Jack Arp had little to do or say in the movements of the red-skins, He was ’most al- ways by himself, and generally in the rear. Frequently some of the red-skins seemed to hold a consultation, but Jack was very seldom in the council. His influen ye waning. : The renegade carried a rifle—no doubt a dead savage’s—but he seemed to have little faith in its shooting qualities, for he had fired it but once, It was well, however, for the fugitives, | that they were in possession of bis gun, | ET _ was a fine shot, and things would not have been so one-sided. Every possible contingency likely to arise was discussed pro and con by the bordermen. They had no fears of an open charge by the foe ' now, nor was there anything, to fear so long as they could keep the enemy all in sight, and the way before them clear. 1 he day was quite a pleasant one so far as- weather was concerned, A soft breeze drifted up from the south fanning the brown grass into a gentle tremor, and kissing the flushed and perspiring faces of the fugitives. Ever and anon, a wedge-shaped flock of wild-geese or | brants forged southward through the hazy up- per deep giving voice to their peculiar ** houks ” and splintered “ yil-lips.” And now and then @ | coyote conld be seen loping off across the dreamy | plain,.or loitering in the rear, balf in fear, half- expectant. The sun, a blood-red disk in the smoky sky, had almost reached the zenith when a dark ob- ject appeared in sight on the plain some miles: before the fugitives. Blundering Basil informed his friends that it was the top of a little grove, or rather a wild plum thicket, which grew near the head of a creek running away across the plain toward the south; and the news was quite encouraging, for nearly all were beginning to- taste the bitterness of thirst. Straight toward the littie oasis, as it were, the fugitives bent their course; and at once their ursuers seemed to define their purpose, and ate maneuvering to cut them off from the- ve, Two nimble-footed warriors left the main: party and started off op a trot with the evident purpose of swinging around to the right and reaching the grove ahead of the fugitives. Admonishing his friends to be careful, and gradually increase their pace for awhile, at least, Blundering Basil left them and swung off to intercept the two warriors, or force them to- take a wider circle, Seeing the fearless young borderman had the- advantage of a short cut, the savages made a dash forward, yelling like devils, in ho of forcing him to give up his attempt and fall back: to his friends; but their feint proved a costly one, and that there were others besides Blunder- ing Basil among the fugitives who could handle a gun. With Arp’s rifle, Tom Dayton, had brought: his skill as a deer-bunter and marksman into requisition, and sent a bullet through a red-skin’s- shoulder. The unlooked-for mishap checked the advance- and caused a momentary delay to inquire into the extent of their friend’s injury. Jack made himself useful now in dressing the - skin’s wound, which self-imposed duty threw him some ways behind his red allies; but he soom caught up, leaving the disabled warrior creep- ing slowly along after him. n the mean time, Basil bad kept abreast of the two warriors who refused, much to his sur- prise, to swerve from the course they bad started out upon. The result was that every ste brought them a little closer to each other and, finally, the Indians concluded they were close enough for safety, and stopping short both raised their rifles and fired at him. One bullet fell short, but the other whistled so close to his ear that he involuntarily dodged, seein which the savages uttered a derisive laugh an ran on reloading their guns as they went. Finally they stopped for a second shot at the hated enemy; but it was Basil’s time now, and he quickly improved it. Both Indians jum aside when his gun flashed to dodge the bullet, but one of them made a second and extra high jump, grasped his left foot in one hand and spur around on bis right heel like a top, while yell after yell of pain and dismay issued from his lips. He hed been shot through the foot, “Hurrah!” shouted Fred Burch, “another Ingin ready for the ambulance!” “Yes, and there goes the ambulance,” added Tom Dayton with grim humor, pointing to a coyote loping across the prairie. ‘Oh, dear! dear!” exclaimed Jennie, unable to restrain her emotions longer, ‘will this dreadful retreat ever, ever end?” “Don’t get discouraged now, sister,” ber brother said; ‘‘I’m sure we’re having the best of it so far, thanks to our superior, long-ran rifles, and the skillful generalsbip of that wild, impulsive, and indomitable Blundering Basil.” “ But I’m thinking, Tom, that our success is going to make Basil too venturesome, and lose us all,” Jennie responded. ‘‘See, he is now further from us than those Indians behind— Oh, look! the Indian is goin’ to shoot at hig» again—” )
Page 14
“- — . eo. " glory eae eee Se ee The maiden’s words ended in a_ terrified scream, for, as the Indian’s gun rung out, Basil Was seen to throw up his hands, stagger forward and fall to the earth! ‘*My God, Jennie! your words have already come true!” cried Tom, ‘t Blundering Basil has been killed !” CHAPTER XVIII, THE TIGER TURNS ON THE HUNTERS. ENCOURAGED by the fall of the dreaded young trapper, the savages uttered a frightful war- whoop and started toward the three settlers as if determined now to put an end to the work before them. At the same time the warrior who had brought Basil down utfered a yell of triumph, whipped out his knife and made a break for the scalp of his victim. The situation had now become extremely critical for the fugitives, but with Spartan cour- age they prepared to meet the worst. “* Boys,” said Fred Burch, “it’s now or never, life or death! Hold your fire till sure of your man, then drop your rifles and let your revol- vers do the rest!” The three had turned facing the foe, but con- tinued their retreat walking backward, their rifles held at a trail. The savages finaily be- gan running in a zigzag course so as to prevent the whites taking a deliberate aim; but this did not disconcert the bordermen in the least, and they maintained their ground with steady nerve. But, suddenly—before the foe were within thirty rods of them—the bordermen heard a shot and death-yel) behind them, followed by a wild shout of triumph. A quick glance over their shoulders told them all; they saw Blunder- ing Basil coming rapidly toward them, while the savage who had sought hisscalp lay dead on the prairie. A cry of joy burst from Jennie and Fanny’s lips, that found an echo in the hearts of the three young bordermen, To the savages, however, it was a terrible surprise to see the dreaded foe on his feet, un- harmed, und their friend down. In fact, it proved as effective as a volley of rifle-shots in checking their advance, for, with a half wolfish cry of dismay; they stopped, flung themselves upon the earth and opened a wild fire on the fugitives. Tom Dayton and the Burches turned and hastened on until they met Basil, whose black- ened face was streaming with perspiration, ‘* Bass, you frowsy-headed scamp!” exclaimed Tom, ‘‘ what did you do that for?” “To fool that ngin,” was the reply. ‘TI dis- covered that the smarty had a pretty good gun, and knowed how to use it, and ght to take him before he hit somebody. I was afraid, however, my trick might precipitate them other varmints onto you; but, it’s allright now, isn’t it, Jennie?” ‘* Well, I hope so,” responded Jennie; ‘ but, you gave us an awful scare and must not do so at unless you tell us beforehand or cannot elp it. he Indian wounded in the foot was limping away to the rear of his friends, and in the course of time, he and the warrior shot in the shoulder were straggling along together, with half a dozen patient coyotes following behind, Securing the dead Indian’s weapons, Basil again led the way toward the plum thicket, the foe making no further attempt to prevent them reaching it, but were content to remain ata respectable distance behind. In an hour more the fugitives halted about fifty yards from the thicket, when Basil said to Jennie and agg: & ‘‘Gals, take Fred’s hat, go to the spring and get you a drink and bring us one in the hat, ou'll find the spring a little ways south of the thicket in the holler.” The maidens took the hat and departed. The Indians made a feintasif to charge, but it was hailed by a jeering laugh from Basil, who finally shouted to Jack Arp, the wind being in his favor: “Say, Jack Arp! come over here and tell us how you feel—how you and Ishtahaba arranged the rescue of the gals—how you plotted against the young chiefs, Come over and tell Miss Jen- nie of your love and dyin’ affection. She thinks you the boss hero and rescuer from ’way over yan. | Come along, all of you! Don’t be afeard of us, We're all young, tender boys, but Fred here, and he’s no ancient bull-moose.” If his words were beard, they failed to produce the least effect upon the enemy. They. seemed determined not to be provoked into any act that ald cost them more lives, but q Weir time, etly bide. F en ees varlets,” answered Basil; ‘ and, if so, our goose’ll be cooked— What’s the matter, girls?” ‘* 4 white man,” replied Jennie, nearly out of breath,‘ is coming up the hollow toward the spring. He’s on one horse, leadiag another, with a big load on its back!” ‘‘ Sure it’s a white man?” queried Tom, ‘Yes, brother, I am very sure.” “Tl go out and see ’bout it,” said Basil, and he advanced toward the spring. Tne young trapper soon came in sight of the horseman; who was riding slowly ae valley. At the very first glimpse of him, Basil recog- nized him as Old Natty Thorndyke, the hunter who had taken part in the contest at Hickory Point. Motioning to the old man to come up, Basil returned to his friends with the news of his discovery. Soon the old man rode into view of the fugi- tives and the Indians, and drawing rein he gazed in perplexity at the two parties, Basil yelled to him to come up. Throwing his rifle into position before him, the old man cautiously approached, As soon as he recognized the whites, his fears vanished, and slipping from his saddle, he advanced on foot to the fugitives. ‘* By jingoes!” he exclaimed, as be came up, nb woulatre been more s’prised to meet a herd o’ elephants here! What does this all mean, anyhow?” fter shaking hands with all, the old hunter heard, from Basil’s lips, the story of Arp’s vil- lainy, the girl’s abduction, the death of Uncle Phil, and their retreat across the prairie. “And you say Arp’s out yander with ’em In- gins?” old Natty observed, his gray eyes snap- ping: “right out yander?” “ es.” ‘Boys, I war on my way to a new trappin’ ground north, but I’d as lief die here as any- whares,” the old hunter said, ‘so let’s go to work and larrup darnation outen them critters! The tiger’s been hunted long enough, now let the animile hunt the hunters, I’m hankerin’ arter an Ingin fight—haven’t had one for many long days.” The red-skins, in the mean time, were holding a consultation, in which Jack Arp seemed to have something to say, But it finally broke up when they discovered the young borderers, now reinforced by Thorndyke, boldly advancing upon them, They scattered right and left, making a pretense of giving battle, but the whites quickly saw that their object was to swing around on either side and get in between them and the grove. ‘* Let’s waste a few shots, boys, on-a venture,” suggested old Natty, raising the hammer of his long-barreled Kentucky rifle, This was no sooner said than done. The old man, Basil, and Tom Dayton began popping away at the nearest of the red-skias, with the result of two wounded the firse discharge. To reload was the work of but a minute, and then Basil and old Natty resolved to pay their respects to Jack Arp, although they had little hopes of reaching him, They both fired as one, and if both bullets had crashed through his brain be would not have dropped quicker, nor, to all appearance, more lifeless. But his death, if dead he was, did not seem to excite the sav- ; ages one way or another—to fearor rage. They held their ground fairly well, and returned the | fire with vigor. By charging their guns with more powder, they succeeded in throwing bul- lets even beyond the whites. seemed to he the one who attention, and bullets whistled around bim and cut the dirt before and on either side of him in a most dangerous manner. ‘* Basil,” said Natty Thorndyke, ‘‘ they seem | determined to wing you, at any rate,” Searcely had the old man spoken when Basil was seen to whirl half-round and drop bis rifle. Then he staggered forward; dropped to his, knees, and with a groan rolled over on his side. “They’ye downed him! curse ’em, they’ve ¥ fr - \ 1 hig Sarg bared celtic “are lectern . Ny e) T Ast aba eee a+ Blundering Basil | drew most of their | | blazing with rage. A yell burst from the red-skin’s lips, and the whites at once prepared to meet a charge; but | to fhe surprise of the latter, thesavages gathered | up their killed and wounded, and started in full retreat from the field, seeming to be fully satis- fied with their experience of the day. When old Natty and the three young settlers turned to where Basil had fallen, they were happily surprised to see him on his knees trying to regain his feet. Blood was running down his face and from his left sleeve and dropping from the ends of his fingers. Boy, they hit ye, didn’t they?” observed Thorndyke, ** Yes.all over,” replied Basil, with evident pain, ‘* Basil, are you badly hurt?” eagerly inquired Tom Dayton, who had overlooked a slight flesh wound he himself had received in his anxiety for his young friend, ‘*Tom, they have shot me to death!” was the startling reply, of the gallant trapper boy. “ “No, Basil, not that bad! God forbid!” cried om, Old Natty had the wounded boy carried to the spring and then he examined his wounds. He found that he had been shot in four different ekg Two of the wounds were mere scratches, ut the others were serious. One of them was in the shoulder the other in the thigh, the femoral artery being severed! Possessed of a borderman’s rude knowledge of surgery the old hunter employed it now in bind- ing up Basil’s wound, He endeavored tc be cheerful while thus engaged, and this, taken in connection with the boy’s wonderful fortitude and occasional humorous remark, led the young settlers to think their heroic friend was not as badly hurt as was at first supposed. After Thorndyke had finished his work, be went down ‘toa pool below the spring to wash p04 blood from his hands. Tom Dayton followed 1m, “Natty,” the young man said, ‘do you think Basil is seriously hurt?” “‘ Seriously hurt?’ exclaimed the old man ina half-choked voice, mist in his eyes; ‘‘ why, boy, Blundering Basil will never live to see yonder sun go down!” CHAPTER XIX. THE END. DEAR reader, we almost regret thet this is not wholly a romance—that Blundering Basil is not a mere creation of the fancy, instead of a real character whose eccentricities, deeds of heroism and undaunted courage, go to make up a thrill- ing chapter in the unwritten history of the great wild West. In that case we could baye written differently, and the, denouement of our story been more pleasant; but, sad and sorrowful as it is, the truth must be told. As Old Natty Thorndyke had predicted, before the sun of that eventful day went down, the spirit of Blunder- ing Basil/passed out of its pain-racked tenement, and/embarked on that mystic river of Life that flows eternal by the throne of God, This pen is inadequate to describe the youth’s last moments there in that great solitude, sur- rounded by weeping, heart-broken friends. Suf- fice it to say that he died as he had lived—a brave, generous and heroic boy, whose virtues to this day are extolled by those who knew him, and whose deeds of daring will live in memory and bistory as long as heroism and-courage are worthy of emulation. To Jennie Daytcn the blow fell the heaviest, Few, if any, knew that within her young breast there was a cherished affection for the trapper- ae that will last until her heart has ceased to eat. and his grave carefully concealed, until such a time as the remains could be removed to the settlement and interred in the cemetery with Christian rites, After the death of their wounded and beat a hasty retreat west- | ward: and, right here we will say, that the | young settlers received no further trouble from the minions of Ishtababa. In fact, as soon as the latter saw the difficulty into which he was likely to get himself, by permitting Jack Arp to use him and his warriors as mere tools, ke | broke camp on the Des Moines and never stop- / Old Natty Thorndyke cached his trapping outfit, placed Jennie and Fanny upon bis horses and accompanied the young settlers back to Hickory Point. And thus ended Tom and Charlie’s holiday on the prairie—an experience they never had any desire to repeat. | THE END The young trapper was buried where he died, ' Jack Arp the Indians took ° ped until he had passed far beyond the Missouri.” Ne
Page 15
ae v.tooN y vc Re ean “4 EADLES Eek aia if ‘one it P CORE &- s csi 4 CPi eee tate + f BY OLL COOMES. 5 Vagabond Joe, the Young Wandering Jew. 18 The Dumb Spy. . 27 Antelope Abe, the Boy Guide. __ 81 Keen-Knife, the Prince of the Prairies. 1 Lasso Jack, the Young Mustanger. 58 The Border ogy or, The Secret Foe. * @1 Delaware Dick, the Young Ranger Spy. 74 Hawk-eye Marsy the Young Trapper Ranger. 498 Taos Ted, toe Arizona Sport. 88 Kollo, the Boy Ranger. 510 Cool Colorado, the Hall-Breed Detective, 184 Sure Shot Seth, the Boy Rifleman. 518 Cool Colorado in New York. 148 Scar-Face Saul, the Silent Hunter, BY GEORGE WALDU BROWNE, BY ALBERT W. AIKEN, 76 Abe Colt, the Crow-Killer. 79 Sol Ginger, the Giant Tra per. 288 Joe Buck of Angela and His Boy Pard. 447 New York Nat. A Tale of Tricks and Traps in Gotham, 458 New England Nick; or, The Fortunes of a Foundling, 464 Nimbie Nick, the Circus Prince. 146 Silver Star, the Boy Knight. ne Fg 158 Eagle Kit, the Boy Demon. 86 Dandy Rock the Man from Texas Sa ae 168 Little Texas, the Young Mustanger, 90 The Drend Rider; or, The Texan Duelist. eat 178 Old Solitary, the Hermit Trapper. 99 The Tiger of Tuos; or, Dandy Rock’s Angel. RS of 182 Little Hurricane, the Boy Captain. 115 The Mad Miner; or, Dandy Rock’s Doom, a 202 Prospect Pete ; or, The Young Outlaw Aunters, 181 The Golden Hand; or, Dandy Rock to the Rescue, ag 308 ¥ tye x Barents : ~~ The Prairie Tramps. 164 Dandy Rock’s Pledge} or, Hunted to Death. ae Po 4 r Tom, the Texas Terror. » ¥ v 2 1a 4 pete Daas or; Tvapwer Toms Castle. 178 Dandy Rock’s Rival; or, The Haunted Maid of Taos. Py 228 Little Wildfire, the Young Prairie Nomad. BY ©APT. J. F. ©. ADAMS. a Se 288 The Parson Detective; or, The Little Ranger. 84 Oregon Sol; or, Nick Whiffes’s Boy § 248 The Disguised Guide ; or, Wild Raven, the Ranger. 46 GlarnFyo, ihe Great Shot ofthe Ware” 260 Dare-Devil Dan, the Young Prairie Ranger. 54 N = Hn “y }, the Boy T x ss ht a 272 Minkekin Mike, the Boy Sharpshooter, he sa Pa Na Sh top } « Nick W hisiee’s Tet $ =e 7s Valley ot Dettk. ~ © : e White Indian; or e Scovt of the Yellowstone, 30? Wits Litas door the'Bsy Terthon. iy ai 70 Old Zip’s Cabin; or, The Greenhorn in the Woods. A409 Hercules; yr, Dick, the Boy Ranger. 81 Lightning Jo, the Terror of the Prairie. Alt Webfoot Mose, the Tramp Detective. 85 Buck Buekram ¢ or, Bess, the Female Trapper, A22 Baby Sam, the Boy Giant of the Yellowstone, 247 Old Grizzly and His Peta; or, The Wild Huntres 444 Little Buckskin, tne Young Prairie Centaur, 251 Light-house Liget or, Osceola, the Firebrand. ‘A567 Wingedfoot Fred} or, Old Polar Saul. 257 The Lost Hunters; Gee Underground Camp, 468 Tamarac Tom, the Big Trapper Boy. 288 The Sealp King; or, The Human Thundervolt, A7z8 Old Tom Rattler, the Red River Epidemic, BY ROGER STARBUCK. A482 Stonewall Bob, the Boy Trojan. 562 Blundering Basil, the Hermit Boy Trapper. 25 The Boy Captain; or, The Pirate’s Daughter, 652 Don Barr, the Plains Freelance, 114 The Black Schooner; or, Jib Junk, the Old Tar. 661 Old Kit Bandy’s Deliverance. 259 The Golden Harpoon}; or, Lost Among the Floes. 670 Norway Nels, the Big Boy Mountaineer. 848 Fire-Heela; or, Old Skinflint, the Death-Shadow. -€80 Dauntless Dan, the Freelance, or, Old Kit Bandy in Arcadia. | 864 Big Horn Ike, the Hill Tramp; or, The Odd Pardes. 861 The Phantom Light-house. BY BUCKSKIN 8AM (Major Sam. 8, Hall.) 870 Breaker Ben, the Reef-Runner. ‘284 Old Rocky « ** Boyees; or, Benito, the Horse-Breaker. BY WILLIAM R EYSTER 246 Glant George; or, The Ang’! of the Range. 190 D 35 275 Arizona Jack ; or, Giant George’s Pard. andy Darke; or, The Tigers of High Pine. 297 ane Toraavals ° grees 5 at» Giant Geo e’s Revenge, 210 Faro Frank; or, Dandy Darke’s Go-Down Pards B07 e Strange Pard ; or, Little Ben’s Death Hunt. , ININ ; th fe wine Oi f or-mnost "ts te beta CWhite Pard 185 Captain rte i. be on i ecg perpen tal P a e Oaddo}; or, Th d and i . aul; e Boy Spy e Mountains. B82 Frio reds or, mt Tonkawny’e ‘Frost. a * | 280 The Yankee Rajah; or, The Fate of the Black Shereef. B The Fightin rio; or, Rattlesnake, the Tonkaway. * 349 Wild Wolf; my: Big-Foot Wallace to the Front. Gish BY GEORGE ©. JENKS, ; B57 The Ranch pathorss or, The Slege of Fort Pargatory. 485 Git Thar Owney the Unknown. 864 Snap-Shot, the Boy Kanger. . 492 Git Thar Owney’s Pledge. 875 Chiota, the Creek} or, The Three Thunderbolts. 518 The Demon Doctor. BS1 Bandera Bll; or. Frio Frank to the Front. 581 Double-Curve Dan, the Pitcher Detective. B92 Romeo and the Reds; or, The Beleaguered Ranch. 598 Flute, the Singer Detective, 404 Little Lariat; or, Pecan Pete’s Big Rampage. 414 The Dalsy from Denver, 427 The Three Trailers; or, Old Rocky on the Rampage. 442 Bluff Bill; or, The Lynx of the Leona. A55 Little Lone Star? or, The Belle of the Cibolo, 684 Cache Carl, the Chico Giant BY PHILIP 8. WARNE. 6T Patent-Leather Joe; or, Old Rattlesnake, the Charmer. 175 Gapratn Arizona; or, Patent-Leather Joe's Big Game, 198 Captain Mask; or, Patent-Leather Joe’s Defeat. ‘219 Despard, the Duelist; or, The Mountain Vempires, B88 A Tough Boy; or, The Dwartf’s Revenge. BEB Little Tornados or, The Outcasts of the Glen. 290 Little Foxfire, the Boy Spy. 616 The Ocean Detectives: or. The Last Cruise ofthe Black Bear. 681 The Pitcher Detective’s Toughest Tussel. BY OAPT. ALFRED B. TAYLOR UW. 8. A. 191 Buffalo Billy, the Boy Bullwhacker. 194 Buffalo Bills Bet; or, The Gambler Guide. . BY WM. G. PATTEN, 519 Captain Mystery 3 or, Five in One, 881 Dain? ware the Sport from Denver. 587 Old Bombshell, the Ranger Detective. 604 Tron Fern, the Man ot Fire. > ; 2 oo ee : a es BR Little Jingo; or, the Queer Pard. 619 The Boy Tramp Detective: or, The Double Grip Witness ae ri SiN Bss Histle Fs sent or, Caught in His Own Trap, } 629 Violet Vane, the Velvet Sport. " by he : 401 Little Shoo Fly or, A Race for a Ranch. 641 Dismal Dave’s Dandy Pard. Ms, Se 408 Little Leathersisrevchen 3 or, Old Jumbo’s Curse. 651 Bound Boy Frank, the Young Amateur Detective as) fe d Little Ah Sin3 or, The Curse of Blood, 665 Violet Vane’a Victory. " hs 51 Colorado Kate. A Tale of the olines. 682 Wild Vulean, the Lone-Range Rider, MS 0 ree Jolly Pards. 69R Violet and Daisy, the ee ! Pards. - f ou aim Gladden’s Deputy. - 705 Violet Vane’s Vow; or, The Crafty Deteetive’s Craft, Anat e¢ Jolly Pards to the Reacue. « Hs te BAT Sandy Andy; or, A Good Man Down. BY MAJOR E. L. ST. VRAIN, Ks $56 Lariat Lil; or, The Cast for a Life. 292 Sancho Pedro, the Boy Bandit. is ST4 Old Weasel-top, the Man with the Dogs, 801 Leadville Nick, the Boy Sport. wT. { 598 Keen Clem, the Ranch Imp. 812 Redtop Rube, the Vigilante Prince. ivy } 599 Jim Dandy the No-Name Sport. 838 Brimstone Bob, and His Lightning Horse Quartette, ing 618 Billy Blazes; or, The Skeleton’s Legacy, 852 ombstone ‘Tom, the Arizona Boy of “Sand.” Ps Sas rep a tog Thier Scout. sor purenre wares the Young Champion Wrestler. ms my arry’s «x Find. n ) ria, the Young Hard-Shell De ‘ t 664 Cheeky Charley, the Special. 880 Avalanche Alf, the Foothills Guide 890 Jaguar Joe, of the Mountuin Mail-Line, 167 Aaa Scott, the Steamboat Boy. BY EDWARD 8, ELLIS, 199 Featherweight the Boy Champion of the Muskingum. 6 Bill Biddon, Trapper. 228 Ozark Alf; or, Featherweight Among the Outlaws, 8 Seth Jones; or The Captives of the Frontier. oA 282 The Typo Detective ; or, Weasel, the Boy Tramp. 10 Nat Todd; or, The Fate of the Sioux Captive, 295 Fearless Phil; or, The King of Quartzville. 21 ‘rne Frontier Angel. B11 The Roving Sport; or, The Pride of Chuckaluck Camp, 98 The Boy Miners; or, The Enchanted Island, s ' B22 Nemo, the Detective; or, Kit Kenyon’s Vendetta. 182 The Hunted Hunter; or, The Strange Horseman, ; | 840 Clip the Contortionist: or, The Montana Vigilantes. 254 The Ualf-Blood; or, The Panther of the Plains. 271 The Iluge Hunter; or, The Steam Prairie Man. BY 30 PLEROCR. j BY MAJOR LEWIS W. CARSON, ’ the B ,Th : ; $2F Beh othe napclcatee reece Stowe | aru whe Thrce Trappers: orThe Maiti Monty, 452 Wotapur Bob, the Street-Boy Detective. . 288 Indian Joe; or, The White Spirit of the Hills, of rer’s Shadow ¢, or, Luke’ F : on Bee Frente Yae, the Young Horee- King, BY CAPT. MARK WILTON, BY EDWARD WILLETT. “ . 494 Rurly Sim, the Young Ferryman Detective, 256 Young Kentuck;: or, The Red Lasso, 5, 504 Five Points Phil. 270 Blizzard Benz or, The Riot at Keno Camp, Ey , ‘ sey Jack Je werk, on rg ee: eh Mes 286 Josh, the Boy Tenderfoot. od Neen 6 i or, Five Pointe Phil’s Menagerie, . 7 Bi BOS Borin Hives Nat; the Pier Detective, ; BY BRACEBRIDGE NEMYNG. 89 Island Jim: or, The Pet of the Family. 91 The Captain of the Club; or. The Rival Athletes, 101 Jack Narkaway in New York, BY MAJOR WENRY B. STODDARD, Ex-8cout, 3" ; 588 Wreatling Rex, the Pride ofthe Sixth Ward, ae Jef Flicker. the Stable Boy Detective, : 651 Nick Nettle, the Boy Shadow. ' 559 Harlem Jack, the Office Boy Detective. 569 Brooklyn Ren, the On-His-Own-Hook Detective, red ST Pavement Pete the Secret Sifter. Ad +44 Jack-o’-Lantern, the Under-Sea Prospector, ace Raphael; or, The Swordsmen of Zacatecas, | ®OR Wide-Awake Bert, the Street-Steerer. 891 Kid-Glove Kit, the Dandy of the Rockies, y 614 Whistling Jacob, the Detective's Aid. 898 Kid-Glove Kit and Pard: or, The Gold King. 623 Buck Bumblebee, the Harlem Hummer. 406 The Mad Man-Hunter: or, The Golden Gulch Mystery. 6 unrixe Saul, the Express-Train Ferret. 505 Powell's Pard; or, The One-Armed Giant. - $49 Gamin Bob, the Bowery Badger; or, Scooping a Slippery Set. BY CAPTAIN FRED. WHITTAKER. > 88 Sky-Rocket Rob, the Life-Saver. ry 15 The Sea-Wat; or, The Witch of Darien. 691 Sole one wel ba New York ys pn £3 my, the Only One of His Kine 29 The D b P. * _ 206 Tom Thistle, the Road-House Detective. uke ree Dueling fe Ru taeree ae j zance and Lasse: or, The Child Chaco. J BY J. W. OSBON. 154 The Sword Munters; or, The Land ofthe Elephant Riders, he Rival Giants of Nowhar’- 159 The Lost Captain; or, Skipper Jabez Coffin’s Cruise. 498 Cactus Burr, the Man from Hard Lack. 200 The Boy Bedouins; or, The Brothers of the Plumed Lance, 587 Old Ruckeye, the Sierta Shadow. 214 Wolfgang, the Robber of the Rhine. 4 Powder Phil, the Boy Miner. _ | 249 Milo Romer the Animal King; or, Round the World. beet pene the Veteran Detective. Me seno halen oe MY at Sa vag eee League of the Jungle. Ny Agrhtuing’s Leagues or, T! ofthe Island. ac Sek, the Demon Rider. | " 688 Plucky Paul, the Boy Prospect 895 California Joe's War Trail. seme! § ‘ IME+ LIBRARY. Published Every Tuesday. Hach Issue Complete and Sold at the Uniform Price of Five Cents. No Double Numbers, ' 11 The Two Detectives; or, The Fortunes of a Bowery Gir). 608 The Pitcher Detective’s Fotl; or, Dan’s Double Play, 489 The Diamond Sport; or, The Double Face of Bed Rock. alas | a BY JOSEPH E. BADGER, JR. 2 Vellowstone Jack ; or, The Trapper. 48 Black John, the Road-Agent; or, iy ne Outlaw’s Retreat, 65 Hurricane Bill; or, Mustang Sam and His Pard, 119 Mustang Sam ; or, The King of the Plains. 186 Night-lianwk Kit; or, The Daughter of the Ranch, 144 Dainty Lance the Boy Sport. 151 Panther Paul; or, Dainty Lance to the Rescue. 160 The Black Glant; or, Dainty Lance in Jeopardy. 168 Deadly Dash; or, Fighting Fire with Fire. 184 The Boy Trailers; or, Dainty Lance on the War-Path, 208 The Boy Pards; or, Dainty Lance Unmasks. 211 Crooked Cale, the Caliban of Celestial City. 810 The Barranca W olf; or, The Beautiful Decoy. 819 The Black Rider; or, The Horse-Thieves’ League. 885 Old Double Fist; or, The Strange Guide 855 The King of the 449 Kit Fox, the Border Boy Detective. 625 Chincapin Dan, the Boy Trailer. 677 Chineapin Dan’s Second Trail. 688 Chineapin Dan’s Home Stretch. 698 Old Crazy, the Man Without a Head, 708 Light-Heart Lute’s Legacy. oods: or. Daniel Boone’s Last Trail, BY W. J. HAMILTON, 68 The Red Brotherhood; or, The Twelve Avengers, 66 Single Hand; or, A Life for a Life. 72 Mad Tom Western, the Texan Ranger. 887 Ben Bird, the Cave King; or, Big Pete’s Scoop. BY JACK FARRAGUT. 815 Ned, the Cabin Boy. 820 The Sea Sorceress; or, The Boy Skipper. BY LIEUT. H. D. PERRY, U. 8. N. 176 The Boy Runaway; or, The Buccaneer of the Bay, 180 The Sea Trailer; or, A Vow Well Kept. 192 Captain Kit; or, The Mystery of Montauk Point. BY COL. A. F. NOLT. 899 Black Buckskin; or, The Masked Men of Death Canyon, 419 Kenneth, the Knife-King. 485 Littie Lightfoot, the Pilot of the Woods. B28 The Dandy gport; or, The King Pin Conspirator. 678 Ralph R 691 Headlight Harry’s Raul. enwood, the Lightning Express Detective. BY CAPTAIN MAYNE REID. 78 Blue Dick} or, The Yellow Chief’s Vengeance. 87 The Land Pirates; or, The League of Devil’s Island, 187 The Helpless Hand; or, Backwoods Retribution. 289 The Gold-seeker Guide? or, The Lost Mountain. "BY FREDERICK DEWEY 818 Cimarron Jack, the King-Pin of Rifle-Shots, 478 Tangemund, the Desert Detective, 542 The Canyon Parda. BY ARTHUR C. GRISSOM. 440 Little Foxfoot, the Gold Bowie Kid. The Sure-Shot Pard 558 a. 621 Truthful James, the “ Pecooliar’” Man, BY LIEUT. A. K. SIMS, 546 Captain Cactus, the Chaparral Cock, 568 The Dandy of D 576 The Silver Sport. 588 Saffron Sol, the Man With a Shadow. 589 Tom-Cat and Pard; or, The Dead Set at Silver City. 601 Happy Mana, the Dutch Vidoeg. 611 Bilda Barnacle, the Detective Hercules. 622 Texas Tom-Cat' 681 Tom Cat’s Terrible Task. 688 Tom-Cat’s Triumph; or, Black Ivan’s Great Combine, 646 ale Gid, the Cattle-Range Detective. 657 Warblin 665 Jolly Jeremiahs the Plains Detective, 676 Signal Sam, the Lookout Scout. 689 Billy the Gypsy Spy. 699 Staple Sim, the Broncho Buster. 712 The Mesmerist Sport; or, The Mystified Detective, odge. « Triad gz William, the Mountain Mountebank, MISCELLANEOUS AUTHORS, 4 The Wild-Horse Hunters. By Capt. Mayne Reid and Frederick Whittaker. 9 Adventures of Baron Munchausen, 12 Gulliver’s Travels. By Dean Swift, 14 Aladdin; or, The Wonderful Lamp. 16 Robinson Crusoe. (27 Iilustrations.) 18 Sindbad the Sailor, His Seven Voyages 22 The Sea Serpent; or, The Boy Robinson ‘Crasoe. By Juan Lewis. 88 The Ocean Bloodhound; or, The Red Pirates of the Carribees. By S. W. Pierce. 86 The Boy Clown; or, The Arena Queen. By F S§, Finn. 88 Ned Wylde, the Boy Scout. By Texas Jack. 51 The Boy Rifles: or, The Underground Camp. By A.C. Irons. 95 The Rival Rovers; or, The Freebooters of the Mississipp. By Lieut.-Col. Hazeltine. 98 Robin Hood, the Vutlawed Earl; or, The Merry Men of Green- wood. By Prof. Gildersleeve. 105 Old Rube, the Hunter; or, The Crow Captive. By Captain Hamilton Holmes. 112 The Mad Hunter; or, !he Cave of Death. By Burton Saxe. 124 Tippy, the Texan; or, The Young Champion. By George Gleeson. 128 The Young Privateer; or, The Pirate’s Stronghold. By Harry Cavendish. 148 Sharp Sam; or, The Adventures of a Friendless Boy. By J. Alexander Patten, 227 Dusky Darrell, Trapper: or, The Green Ranger of the Yel- lowstone. By Edward Emerson. 261 Fergus Fearnaught the New Y irk Boy. G. L. Alken, 266 Killb’ar, the Guide; %r, Davy Crockett’s Crook ed Trail. By Ensign C. D. "Warren. 298 Red Claw, the One-Eyed Trapper; or, The Maid ot the Cliff, By Captain Comatock. 817 Peacock Pete, the Lively Lad from Leadville. By Lieu- tenant Alired Thorne. 828 The Sky Detective; or, A Boy’s Fight for Lifeand Honor By Maior Mickey Free. 850 Ked Ralph, the River Rover; or, The Brother’s Re venge. By Ned Buntline. £65 Baltimore Ben the Bootblack Detective. By A, P. Morris, 874 Gold-Dauat Tom: or, Ben’s Double Match. 876 California Joc’a First Trafl. By Colonel Thomas G H. Morse, ver Monstery, 418 Riily Bombshell, the Cliff Climber. By F. 8. Winthrop. 475 The Black Ship. By JohnS Warner. 484 Comauche Dick and Hix Three Invinetblea. By Henry J. Thomas. 582 The Cowboy Duke. By Edwin Brooke Forrest. 552 Artel the Athlete. By David Druid. ; 585 Will Waters, the Bov Ferret.. By H, Enton. 682 The Dead Jetective’s Double. By Gerald Carlton A New Issue Every Tuesday. The Half-Dime Library i» for salé by ail newsdeslers, five @ents per copy, or sent by mail on receipt of six cents each. BEADLE AND ADAME, Publishers, 98 William Street, New VYoerk,
Page 16
en a ‘ Pa) re =x Published Every Tuesday. Se eee : . ‘ s Oa: Sa Ta nore % scien ask in 6020, : , oe ii . a a rr oh a % -, ig bali + > a a . BEADLE’S+H ALF-DIME*LIBRARY. Each Issue Complete and Sold at the Uniform Price of Five Cents. No Double Numbers, BY EDWARD L. WHEELER. Deadwood Dick Novela. 1 Deadwood Dick, the Prince ot the Road, 20 Deadwood Dick’s Defiance; or, Double Daggers. 28 Deadwood Dick in Dis se; or, Buffaly Ben. 85 Deadwood Dick in His Castle. 42 Deadwood Dick’s Bonanza; o:, The | vantom Miner. 49 Deadwood Dick in Danger; or, Omaha Oil. 57 Deadwood Dick’s Eagles; or, The Pards of Flood Bar. %8 Deadwood Dick on Deck; or, Calamity 3 \ne, the Heroine. @Z Deadwood Dick’s Last Acti or, Cordurvy Charlie. 100 Deadwood Dick in Leadville. 104 Deadwood Dick’s Device; or, The Double Cross Sign. 109 Deadwood Dick as Detective. 129 Deadwood Dick’s Double; or, The Gorgon’s Gulch Ghost. 188 Deadwood Dick’s Home Base; or, Blonde Bill. 149 Deadwood Dick’s Big Strike; or, A Game of Gold, 156 Deadwood Dick of Deadwood: or, The Picked Party, 195 Deadwood Dick’s Dream; or, The Rivals of the Road. 201 Deadwood Dick’s Ward; or, The Black” Hill’s Jezebel. 205 Deadwood Dick's Doom; or, Calamity Jane’s Adventure. 217 Deadwood Dick’s Dead Deal. 221 Deadwood Dick’s Death-Plant. 282 Gold-Dust Dick. A Romance of Roughs and Toughs, 268 Deadwood ick’s Divide; or, The Spirit of Swamp Lake. 268 Deadwood Dick’s Death Trail. 809 Deadwood Dick’s Deal; or, The Gold Brick of Oregon. 821 Deadwood Dick's Dozen; or, The Fakir of Phantom Flats. 847 Deadwood Dick’s Ducats; or, Days in the Diggings. Deadwood Dick Sentenced; or, ‘the Terrible Vendetta, 862 Deadwood Dick’s Claim. 405 Deadwood Dick in Dead City, 410 Deadwood Dick’s Dinmonda, 421 Deadwood Dick in New Yorks or, A “Cute Case,” rt ay hale prek’e Huet or, The Chained Hand, eadwoo ick, Jr. 448 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Deflance, 458 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Full Hand. 459 Deadwood Dick, Jdr.’s, Big Round-Up. 465 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Racket at Claim 10, ai pose week pre) so Harrahs ons aaa a Bill. end woo ck, Jr.’s, Dog Detective, 481 Beadwood Dick, Jr., tn Deadwood. 491 Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Compact, 496 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Inheritance, 600 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’a, Diggings. 508 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Deliverance, 515 Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Protegee, 522 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Three. 529 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Danger Dacka 584 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s,; Death Hunt. 589 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Texas. 544 Deadwood Dick, Jr., the Wild West Vidoog 549 Deadwood Dick, Jr., on Mis Mettle, 554 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Gotham, 561 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Bosten,. 567 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Philadetphia, 572 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Chicago, 578 Deadwood Dick. Jr., Afloat. 584 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Denver, 590 Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Decree, 595 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in. Beelzebub’s Basin, 600 Deadwood Dick, Jr., at Coney Island, 606 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Leadville Lay. 612 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Petroit, 618 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Cincinnati. 624 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Nevada. 680 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in No Man’s Land, 686 Deadwood Dick, Jr., After the Queer, 642 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Buffalo. 648 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Ch by Py es ees pies? $¥-p Among the Smugglers. end wo e r.’s, Lusurance Case, 666 Deadwood Dick, Jr., Back in the Mines. 672 Deadwood Dick, J 684 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s. Dazzle. 690 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s. Dollars. 695 Deadwood Dick, Jr., at Danger Divide. 700 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’«, Drop. 704 Deadwood Dick, Jr., at Jack-Pot. 710 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in San Francisco, Other Novels by E. L. Wheeler. 26 Cloven Hoof, the Buffalo Demon. 82 Bob Woolf’; or, The Girl Dead-Shot. 89 Death-Fuce, Detective; or, Life in New York, 45 Old Avalanche J or, Wild Edna, the Girl Brigand, 58 Jim Bludsoe, Jr., the Boy Phenix, 61 Buckhorn BI; oF, The Red Rifle Team. 69 Gold Rifle, the oye or, The Boy Detective, 80 Rosebud Rob} or, Nugget Ned, the Knight. 84 Idyl, the Girl Miner; or, Rosebud Rob on Hand. 88 Phetograph Phil; or, Rosebud Rob’s Reappearance, 92 Canada Chet 3 or, Old Anaconda in Sitting Bull’s Camp, 96 Watch-Eye; or, Arabs and Angels of a Great City, 118 Jack Moyle the Young Speculator, 117 Gilt-Edged Dick, the Sport Detectivo, 121 Cinnamon Chip, the Girl Sport. 125 Bonanza Bill, Miner. 188 Boas ob the King of Bootblacks, 141 Solid Sam, the Boy Road-Agent, 45 Captain Perret, the New York Detective. 161 New York Nell, the Boy-Girl Detective. 177 Nobby Nick of Nevada; or, The Sierras Scampa, 181 Wild Frank, the Buckskin Bravo, 209 Fritz, the Bound-Boy Detective, : 218 Fritz to the Front; or, The Ventriloquist Hunter, 226 Snoozer, the Boy Sharp; or, The Arab Detective, 286 Apollo Bill, the Trail Tornado. 240 Cyclone Kits the Young Gladiator, 244 Sierra Sam, the Frontier Ferret. 248 Sierra Sam’s Secret; or, The Bloody Footprints, 258 Sierra Sam’s Pard; or, The Ange! of Big Vista, 2558 Sierra Sain’s Seven; or, The Stolen Bride. 278 Jumbo Joe, the Koy Patrel; or, The Rival Heirs, 277 Denver Doll . the Detective Queen. 281 Denver Doll's Victory. ~ 285 Denver Doll's Decoy ; or. Little Bill’s Bonanza, 291 Turk the Boy Ferret. 296 Denver Doll’s Drift ; or. The Road Queen. 9 A No, 1, the Dashing Toll-Taker. $08 ’Liza Jane, the irl Miner; or, the Iron-Nerved Sport. 825 Kelley, Hickey & Co., the Detectives of Philadelphia, B80 Little Qu!ck-Shot; or, The Dead Face of Daggersville, Kangaroo Kits or, The Mysterious Miuer. 9 Kangaroo Kit’s Racket, 848 Manhattad Mike, the Bowery Blood, B58 First-Class Fred, the Gent trom Gopher. 868 Yreka Jim, the Gold-Gatherers or, The Life Lottery, 872 Yreka Jim’s Prize 878 Nabob Ned or, The Secret of Slab City. 82 Cool Ki, the King of Kids; or, A Villain’s Vengeance, 885 Yreka Jim’s Joker} or, The Rivals of Red Nose, B89 BRieyele Ben; or. The Lion of Lightning Lode, 94 Vrcke Jim of Yuba Dam, ‘ ; Wrinkles, the Night-Watch Detective. Hat Harry, the Base Ball Detective, » the hg oy Detective, nal Pal, Private Detectives, 'e Sal, the Slasher, | Sam, the §; ' Heer ase Acroas the Continent r.> (un Durango} or, “ Gathered In.” 678 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Discovery; or, Found a Fortune, BY COLONEL PRENTISS INGRAHAM, © Z The Flying Yankee; or, The Ocean Outcast. 1% Ralph Roy, the Boy Buccancer; or, The Fugitive Yacht. i irk 3 or, The Mystery of the Yellowstone, 2 The Shadow Ship; or, The Rival Lieutenants. » The Boy Duelist; or, The Cruise of the Sea-Wolf, 2 Dick Dead-Eye, the Boy Smuggier. 1 The Sea-Devil; or, The Midshipman’s Legacy. 6 The Hussar Captain 3_or, The Hermit of Hell Gate, @ Little Grit or, Bessie, the Stock-Tender’s Daughter. 204 Gold Plume} or, Buffalo Bill, the Pony Express Rider. 216 Bison BALL, the Prince of the Reins; or, Bustal 222 Grit, the Bravo Sport or, The Woman Trailer, 229 Crimson Kate; or, The Cowboy’s Triumph, 287 Lone Star, the Cowboy Captain. 245 Merle, the Middy ; or, ‘he Freelance Heir, 250 The Midshipman M 264 The Floating F eather; or, Merle Monte’s Treasure. 269 The Gold Ship; or, Merle, the Condemned. 276 Merle Monte’s Cruise; or, “The Gold Ship” Chase, 280 Merle Monte’s Fate ; or, Pearl, the Pirate’s Bride, 284 The Sea Marauder; or, Merle Monte’s Pledge. 287 Billy Bine-Eyes, the Boy Rover of the Rio Grande. 804 The Dead Shot Dandy ; or, Benito, the Boy Bugler, 808 Keno Kit; or, Dead Shot Dandy’s Double. 6 ‘ 10 il if 19 877 Bonodel, the Buy Rover} or, The Flagless Schooner, 888 The Indian Pilot; or, The Search for Pirate Island, 887 Warpath WIL, the Boy Phantom. 898 Seawall, the Boy Lieutenant. 407 The Boy Insurgent; or, The Cuban Vendetta, 412 The Wild Yachtaman; or, The War-Cloua’s Cruise, 429 Duncan Dare, the Boy Refugee. 488 A Cabin Boy's Luck; or, Tie Corsair. 487 The Sea Raider. 441 The Ocean Firefly ; or, A Middy’s Vengeance. 446 Haphazard Harry ; or, Tne Scapegrace of the Sea, 450 Wizard Will: or, The Boy Ferret of New York. 454 Wizard Wills Street Scouts, 462 The Born Gulde; or, The Saiior Boy Wanderer, 468 Neptune Ned, the Boy Coaster. 474 Florays or, Wizard Will's Vagabond Pard. 488 Ferrets Afloat; or, Wizard Will’s Last Case. 487 Nevada Ned, the Revolver Kanger. 495 Arizona Joe the Boy Pard of Texas Jack. 497 Buck Taylor, King of the Cowboys. 508 The Royal Middy ; or, The Shark and the Sea Cat 507 The Hunted Midshipman. 511 The Outlawed Middy. 520 Buckskin Bill, the Comanche Shadow. 525 Brothers in Buckskin. 580 The Buckskin Bowers, 585 The Bue skin Rovers. 540 Captain Ku-Klux, the Marauder of the Rie.) 545 Lieutenant Leo, the Son of Lafitte. 550 Lafitte’s Legacy; or. The Avenging Son. 555 The Creole Corsair. 560 Pawnee BILL, the Prairie Shadower. 565 Kent Kingdon, the Card King. 570 Camille, the Card Queen, 575 The Surgeon-Scout Detective, 580 The Outcast Cadet; or, ‘The False Detective 586 The Buckskin Avenger. 591 Delmonte, the Young Sea Rover. 597 The Young Texan Detective, 602 The Vagabond of the Mines, : 607 The Rover Detective; or, Keno Kit’s Champions, 617 Ralph; the Dead-Shot Scouts or, The Rio Raiders, 644 The Hercules Highwayman. Bill’s Boy Para, 656 Butterfly Billy’s Man Hunt. 662 Butterfly Billy’s Bonanza. 668 The Buccaneer Midshipman. 674 The Wizard Sailor; or, Red Ralph, the Rover. 679 The Sea Shadower; or, The Freebooter’s Legacy. 686 Orlando, the Ocean Free Flag; or, The Tarnished Name. he Scarlet Sombrero; or, The Sharp from Texas. TOT BY BUFFALO BILL (Hon, Wm. F. Cody). 8 Kansas King; or, The Red Right Hand. 19 ae Phantom ony! or, The Pilot of the Prairie, 55 Deadly-Eye, the Unknown Scout, 68 Border Robin Wood; or, The Prairie Rover. 158 Fancy Frank of Colorado; or, The Trapper’s Trust. BY CHARLES MORRIS, 118 WIIl Somers, the Boy Detective, 122 Phil Hardy, the Boss Boy. 126 Picayune Pete; or, Nicodemus, the Dog Detective. 180 Detective Dick; or, The Hero in Rags, 142 Mandsome Harry, the Bootblack Detective, ao Will Wildfire, the Thoroughbred. 152 Black Beas, Will Wildfre’s Racer, 157 Mik Billy B nge, the Railroad Boy. Jard ; or, Will Wildfize Wins and Loses, 4 Bob Ree ett; or, Mysteries of New York. 9 Bob ropes, the Bank Runner, ue bd pa send eee Revenge. re alyard, the Life Boat Boy; or, The Smuggters, 189 Bob Rockett; or, Driven to the Wall. al 196 Shadowed ; or, Bob Kockett’s Fight for Life, 206 Dark Paul, the Tiger King. 212 Dashing Dave, the Dandy Detective. 220 Tom Tanner ; or, The Black Sheep of the Flock. 225 Sam Charcoal the Premium Darky, 235 Shadow Sam, the Messenver Boy. 242 The Two * Bloods”; or, Shenandoah Bill and His Gang. 252 Dick Dashaway ¢ or, A Dakota Boy in Chicago. 262 The Young Sharps: or, Rollicking Mike’s Hot Trail, 274 Jolly Jim, the Detective Apprentice. 289 Jolly Jim’s Jobs or, The Young Detective. 298 The Water-Hound: or, The Young Thoroughored, 805 Dashaway, of Dakota; or, A Western Lad in Quaker City, 824 Ralph Ready, the Hotel Boy Detective. Tony Thorne, the Vagabond Detective. 858 The Reporter-Detective; or, Fred Flyer’s Blizzard, 867 Wide-Awake Joe: or, A Boy of the Times. 879 Larry, the Levelers or, The Bloods of the Boulevard, 408 Firetly Jack, ihe River-Rat Netective. 428 The Lost Finger; or, The Entrapped Cashier, 428 Fred Flyer. the Reporter Detective. 482 Invincible Logan, the Pinkerton Ferret. 456 Billy Brick, the Jotly Vaganond. ace bd mers Sab Jerry, Es dag a or, rae Alive. etective ‘e¢ or, The Mystery of Fran earty. B01 Foote, the Mackie Too Sharp ft Hit 00 e Boy Fireman: or, Too Sharp for the Te 566 The Secret Service Roy Detective. 5 ef 896 none | the Kid; or,'A Lamb Among Wolves. m 627 To ruce of Arkansas: or, The Wolf in the Fold, 655 Plucky Paul, the Roy Speculator. 667 Bob and Sam, the Daisy Detectives. 709 The Curbstone Detective; or, Harry Halo’s Big Beat, o Bill’s Pluck, utineer 3 or, Brandt, the Buccaneer, 814 The Mysterious Marauder; or, The Boy Bugler’s Trail, 402 Isodor, the Young Conspirator 3 or, The Fatal League. 650 Butterfly Billy, the Pony Kider Detective; or, Buffalo 692 The Rival Sharps; or, Redfern, the Secret Service Scout. 6 T 0 ine Jacket Bill; or, The Red Hat Rangers’ Red Hot Racket he Ked Sombrero Rangers; or, Redfern’s Last Trai), cents per copy, or sent by m PS BY J, ©. COWDRIOK, 860 Silver-Mask, the Man of Mystery. ; 869 Shasta, the Gold King}; or, For Seven Years Dead. 4241 Cibuta Johny or, Red-Hot Times at Ante Bar. 489 Sandy Sam, the Street Scout. 467 Disco Dan, the Daisy Dude. 490 Broadway Billy, the Bootblack Bravo, 606 Redlight Ral hy, the Prince of the Road, 514 Broadway Billy's Boodle, 524 The Engineer Detective. 536 Broadway Billy’s ‘ Ditlikilty.” 548 Mart, the Night Express Detective. 557 Broadway Billy’ Peath Racket. 571 Air-Line Luke ‘the Young Engineer. 592 The Boy Pinkerton. 615 Fighting Harry the Chief of Chained Cyclone. 628 Broadway Billy’s Dead Act. 640 Barebsek Beth, the Centaur of the Circle. 647 Typewriter Tilly, the Merchant’s Ward. 659 Moonlight Morgan, the *‘ Pizenest ’? Man of Ante Bar, 669 Broadway Billy Abroad. 687 Broadway Billy tn Clover. 696 Broadway Billy in_Texaa. 708 Broadway Billy’s Brand. 711 Broadway Billy at Santa Fe. BY T. ©. HARBAUGH. 28 Nick o’ the Night; or, The Boy Spy of 76. 87 The Hidden Lodge; or The Littl Hunter. 47 Nightingale Nat ; or, Tne Forest Captains, 64 Dand ack 3 or, The Outlaws of the Oregon Traij. 82 Kit Harefoot the Wood-Hawk. 94 Midnight Jack 3 or, The Boy ‘Trapper. 106 Old Frosty, the Guide; or, The White Queen, 128 Kiowa Charley the White Mustanger. - 189 Judge Lynch, Jr.t or, The Boy Vigilante. 155 Gold Trigger, the Sport; er, The Girl Avenger. 169 Tornado Tom; or, Injun Jack From Red Core, 188 Ned Temple, the Border Boy. 198 Arkansaw ; or, The Quwn of Fate’s Revenge. 207 Navajo Nick, the Boy Gold Hunter. 215 Captatd Bullet; or, Little Tovknot’s Crasade, 281 Plucky Phil; or, Rosa, the Red Jezebel. 241 Bill Bravo; 6r, The Roughs of the Rockies. 255 Captain Apolio, tne King-Pin of Bowle. 267 The Buckskin Detective. 279 Old Winch; or, The Buckskin Desperadoes, 294 Dynamite Dan; or, The Bowle Blade of Gochetopa. 802 The Mountain Detective; or, The Trigger Bar Bully, 816 Old Eclipse, Tromp Card)of Arizona, 826 The Ten Pards; or, The Terror of Take-Notice. 886 Big Benson; or, The Queen of the Lasao. 845 Pitiless Matt; or, Red Thunderbolt’s Secret. 856 Cool Sam and Pard; or The Terrible Six. 866 Velvet Foot, the Indian Detective. 886 Captain Cutlass; or, The Brccaneer’s Girl Foe, 896 Rough Rob; or, The Twin Champions of Blue Blazes, 411 The Silken Lasso; or, The Rose of Ranch Robin, 418 Felix Fox, the Boy Spotter. 425 Texas Trump, the Border Rattler. 486 Phil Flash, the New York Fox. 445 The City Vampires; or, Ked Rolfe’s Pigeon. 461 One Against Fifty; or, The Last Man of Keno Bar, 470 The Boy Shadow ; or, Telix Fox’s Hunt. 477 The Exceislor Sport; or, The Washington Spotter, 499 Single Sight, the One-Eyed Sport, 502 Branded Ben, the Night Ferret. 512 Dodger Dick, the Wharf-Spy Detective. 621 Dodger Dick’s Best Dodge. 528 Fox and Falcon, the Bowery Shadows, 588 Dodger Dick, the Dock Ferret. 548 Dodger Dick’« Double; or, The Rival Boy Detectives, 558 Dodger Dick’s Desperate Case, 568 Dodger Dick, the Boy Vidocq, 5678 The Two Shadows. 582 Dodger Dick’s Drop. 594 Little Lon, the Street-Singer Detective. 610) Old Skinner, the Gold Shark; or, Tony Sharp on Guard. 626 The Champton Pards. 687 Dick Doan, the Dock Boy Detective. 645 Kit, the Pavement Sharp. 658 Billy Bantam, the Boy Beagle. 671 Jersey Jed, the Boy Hustler; or, Shadowing the Shadower. 685 Happy Hugh, the Boy-Musician Detective, 701 Photograph Fred, the Camera Sharp. LATEST AND NEW ISSUES. ‘ 718 Carl, the Mad Cowboy; or, The Lariat Queen, By Col, Prentiss Ingraham. 14 Old Misery, the Man from Missourl; or, The Mystery of the Mountain League. By Wm. G. Patten. 215 Wide Awake Len, the Quaker City Ferret; or, Caging the Cormoranta, . By T. C. Harbaugh. 716 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’#, Still Hunts or, The Second * Round in San Franciseo. By Edward L. Wheeler. 217 Mosquito Jack, the Hustler Gamin; or, Move-on Mike's Grand Catch, By Jo Pierce. Ready April 21. , - Lute’s Last. Trail; or, The Gold Crater’s hed Tish gaa E. Badger, Jr, : Ready April 28. 719 Pawnee Bill’s Pledge; or, The Cowboy Kidnapper. By Col, Prentiss Ingraham. Ready May 5. A New Iasue Every Tuesaday. The Half- Dime Library is for sale by all newsdealers, five on receipt of six cents each, BEADLE AND ADAMB, Publishers, __ 98 William Street, New York, pours 420 The velective’s Apprentice; or, A Boy Without a Name, 579 The Chimney Spy; or, Broadway Billy’s Surprise-Party, 605 William @ Broadway} or, The Boy Detective’s Big Inning, 675 Broadway Billy’s Beast; or, Beating San Francisco's Finest, --