SKELETON SCOUT;

on.

THE BORDER BLOCK.

BY MAJOR LEWIS W. CARSON,
AUTHOR. or ran FOLLOWING rocxn novnu: '

17. BEN, THE Tmrmm 22. INDIAN Jo, 'mE Gun)!

NEW X'ORK :

BEADLE AND ADAMS, PUBLISHERS,
93 WILLIAM STREET.

 

Inbred according to Act of Congress, in the year 1870er
FRANK STARR & 00..
In tho oflce of the Librarian of Conn-cu u Wum

 

-w’s,..»-. W

THE SKELETON SCOUT;

OR,
’I‘HE BORDER BLOCK.

 

CHAPTER I.
armsnoxamo.

TEE scene opens upon one of those great rivers of the
West, in the Country which Tecumseh claimed and fought for
so gallantly. The forest was at rest, save only the songs of
birds and the splash of the fish leaping in the river. A thicket
of bushes which bordered the path down to the water, was
suddenly pushed aside ands. grim face peered out, a face
rendered doubly fierce by its war-paint, for it was that of an
Indian of Tecumseh's noble race.

Satisfying himself that no one was in sight, the Indian rose
slowly, stalked out into the path, and took his course toward
the river. 1

Another and another followed,until ten had come into View,
gliding in silence down the forest-path. '

Each savage was naked save the breech-cloth and moccasins.
Only the man who first showed himself, was difi‘erently
dessed. He was a tall, stately warrior, bearing upon his naked
breast the totem of his tribe painted in bright colors, and
wearing upon his dark hair the plumed head-dress of a chief.

Each Indian carried a rifle of the most approved make in
the English service, together with the inevitable scalping-knlfeI
and tomahttwk.

Not one of them spoke, but followed their chief ’s cautious
steps down to the water’s edge, where, sheltering themselves
behind the bushes, they peered across the stream.

It was late in the afternoon, and the sun was already out
of sight behind the tree-tops on the western shore. But, not
upon the glories of nature did the eyes of those fierce-theil
sons of the forest rest. What then?

I

 

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Upon the other shore, close to the river, stood a log cabin
of the largest size, with heavy walls and doors, calculated
to resist any ordinary attack. The fields around it were green
with varied crops, fiir it was now near the end of sum-
mer.

A strong wall of logs, hewn smooth, and leaving no
chance to a climber, surrounded the house. It was plfiiu that
the builder, whoever he might be, was fully awake to the
dangerous position he occupied in the midst of the Indian
Country, but that he did not apprehend any immediate attack
was apparent, for his huge stockade gates were off the hinges
and leaning against the walls on either side.

The Indians lay under cover of the bushes, their gleaming
eyes riveted upon their expected prize, but. they made no
movement, for they beheld a man standing upon the point
which stretched out into the stream, a rifle in his hand, pacing
up and down as if on guard.

As they gazed a strange sight greeted their astonished
vision. Something was coming down the river in mid stream
It seemed to be a man, seated in a canoe.

The current swept him rapidly downWard, and, as the
nondescript craft came near, they saw a man seated astride
of a log, keeping its head down the current by the aid of a
flat stick which he held in his hand. As he neared the
stockade he began to paddle vigorously, and whirled the head
of the log more toward the shore. By this time the watcher
on the point had run down to the water’s edge, and the click

I of a rifle-lock sounded.

“ Ahoy, there i” he shouted.

“Hello l” replied the man on the log. “ How de dew ?”

" “ Hadu’t you better come ashore ?” said the sentry, per
suasively, pointing his rifle.

“ Seeing it's yew, I donno bdt I had,” replied the navigator,
coolly. “ Yew seem mighty pressing, somehow."

“ I’d like to persuade you to come ashore,” replied the
sentry, with a laugh. ,

“ Ain’t I coming i" growled the man on the log. “ Yew
needn’t put on sech style over me, I guess l I ain’t said nothing
,tew yew, I judge. Dont be seeh a ’tarnal fool tew keep
p’inting that weepin at me. It might go on!“

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“It will go off, if you don’t come ashore, sir," replied the
sentry. “ Hurry up i”

The Yankee—there could be no mistake as to his nation-
ality—turned the head of the log toward the shore, and asit
struck the land, began to rise slowly from the water. The
sentry kept up his attitude of command so long as his Yankee
friend showed only the ordinary amount of bone and muscle,
but his eyes opened as foot alter foot rose from the water, and
the Yankee stood six feet seven in his stockings! A queer
looking specimen of the genus homo he was, such as, for the good
of the race, nature rarely framed. In breadth of shoulder and
girth of body he was no larger than men of ordinary size,
and thisadded to his imposing hight His face, which did not
show a particle of heard, was round, good-natured and smiling,
furnished with a month of mighty breadth, and a nose curved
like the beak of an eagle. IIis arms were of extraordinary
length, even for so tall 0. man, reaching nearly to the knee. His
hair was of a flaming yellow.

He was dressed in a dirty shirt of homespun, which never
had known any other cleansing since first put on than that it
received from the clouds or streams. A black leathern belt
was strapped about his waist, but it bore no more deadly
Weapon than an ordinary knife. His feet were covered by
moccasins rudely made and tied with buck-skin strings.
Upon his head he wore a cap of beaver-skin, mangy and
worn bare in spots, giving him a far from prepossessing appear-
ance. A certain whimsical, devil-may-care air marked the
fellow, which was irresistible, and the sentry laughed aloud,
as the long stranger faced him on the beach. The sentry was
a young man in the dress of a ritleman, with the bar of a
captain on his shoulders. He was a stout-built, handsome
fellow, and looked with an air-of commingled amusement
and astonishment, at the lofty proportions of the new-comer.

“ You are a nice specimen of a prize-baby,” he said, running
his eyes up the long, lank body,

" Yaas, yaas ! My mother always said I was a sweet little
infant l" replied the Yankee. “ How’s all the folks ?"

“ Oh, they are in good health. I hope you left your own
family in a good state of preservation, my long frieut .”

“ My fam’ly allers travel with me," said the stranger. “ The!

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ain’t so many of us so‘t we kin afford to sep’rate. Got a

right neat little place here', ain‘t yew ?
of it myself."

“ What were you doing on that log ?” demanded the sentry.

“ Lord love yew, I thought you knew that l I was riding.”

“ Any fool knows that,” replied the young man, roughly

“ Then what made yew ask me, it yew know’d it so well ‘5”
demanded the Yankee, indignantly. “Yew git eout! kan'
a Teller-being take a ride if he Wants tew ?”

“ Certainly.”

" Waal, I was a-coming down the river, and I thought I’d
rather ride than walk, so I took to the water. But look it
here ;.darn and blast sech contrary logs as that thar. I’ve
bin pitched neck and crop inter the water four times in the
last five miles, and darn my ear ef this ain’t the trewest thing
I’Ve said this good while. I got along a darned sight better

when I could get my foot on the bottom and steer that way.
Yes I did.”

“ How far have you come ?”

“ I dunno nothing ’bont distances in these dangerous woods.
It might have bin ten miles an’ it might have bin twenty
I dunno,"

“ Do you travel without arms ?”

“Not by a darned sight, I don’t !
things ?"

He stretched out a pair of arms nearly as long as an ordinary
man’s log.

“ Pshawl I mean have you no weapons."

“ Got a jack-knife,” replied the Yankee, coolly.

“Is that all ?"

“ Ain’t it enough? Thunder l yew don’t want a man tew
be a walking armory, dew yew ?" i

“ You are an odd chicken.
giving me your name ?"

“ No, thank yew, I don’t like to give away my name. I
dunno whether I could git a better one."

“ What is your name ?”

“ Oh; yew want me tew tell my name. Waal, try Seth
Spink, and see how that will work. I'm the all-flredest man
you ever did see. I’ve traveled from St Louis tew Bostin,

Sort 0’ like the looks

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this created hemisphere where I ain’t set. my foot. Yeas,”'
he continued, “ I’ve rode alligators in the bayous of Louisiana

and it make it more lively for a man, ’cause he has to keep jerk-

ing up his legs to keep the young alligators from chawin’ ’em

ofl‘.”

“ There; that lets you out,” said the young Captain. “ Now

[‘11 return your confidence. This is one of the outposts of the
fir company, and my father’s house at the same time. His
name is Matthew Floyd. My name is William Floyd, and I
have the honor to be a captain in the rifles, upon the stafl' of
Governor Harrison.” V

“ Glad tew meet yew, William,” said the Yankee, extending
a hand looking like a side of mutton. “ Shake.”

‘ “ Confound your impudence,” said the stafl‘ ofl‘lcer. “ It
passes all belief. But come into the house and get something
to eat, although I am afraid that long body will breed a
famine.”

“ Don’t yew believe it i yew give me a little hog or tew and
a small beef-critter for supper, and I won’t complain. I like
a light meal, I dew.” I

" A small hog or two and a beef-critter? Do you mean to
eat the provisions of the entire garrison at a single meal 1*"

“Tain’t much of a garrison that don’t eat no more nor that!
All right; then bring me a loaf of bread and a ham, and
I‘ll show you how tew eat.”

Captain Floyd laughed, and led the way into the house
through the open gate of the Stockade. The Yankee had
picked up a stick on the bank and was whittling away
dextrously, whistling in the minor clef, but keeping his eyes
about him nevertheless. He shook his head when he saw the
gates oti’ the hinges, and muttered to himself. Floyd turned
upon him quickly.

“ What are you growling about there?
once .” '

“ Git eoutl Waal, if yew must know, I was thinking
what a darned good pertection a gate is to a~house when it’s
of! the hinges, standing ag’iu’ the wall.” '

“ You are inclined to be sarcastic, and are more observing
than I gave you credit for. To tell the truth V) to this time

Let me know at

THE 8KELETON SCOUT; 03,

we have been in no danger. The Shawnees have been friendly,
and Tecumseh himself has eaten in our house. The Prophet
was here only last week.”

“ Who ‘3"

“The Prophet; the brother of Tecumseh, who has built a
town upon the upper Wabash near 'l‘ippecanoo.”

“ Idunno much about it, but it seems to me I (lid hear
summers that that Prophet is a treacherous old cuss," said Seth.
“I have heard the same, but he appeared very friendly.”

The Yankee said nothing more, and they entered the house.
A girl, who was readingr near a window, rose to receive them,
looking surprised as she saw the stranger.

“ Cousin Madge,” said Floyd, in a banteriug tone “let me
introduce to you an errant knight who has wandered from the
paternal castle even to the banks of the Wabash. His ances-
tral name is Spink.”

“ How can you,Will ‘3" said Madge, laughing.
Mr. Spink is very welcome."

She was very beautiful—a strange flower to bloom in the
wilderness. She was not the daughter of Matthew Floyd by
blood, but the child of a dear friend, Herbert Carlisle, who
had long ago gone down into the valley of the shadow, leaving
her to his care. And when the hour of trial came to her
adopted father, she followed him boldly, to make a new home
and fortune upon the prairies of the far west. She was, as we
introduce her, a young girl, with hair banded back from a lofty
brow, and rolled in great braids upon her regal head ; a.
face a little browned by exposure to the sun, but very beautiful.
She came forward immediately and greeted the Yankee with
cordial ease and grace, and he looked down on her with a
broad smile.

“ A strange place tew bring sech a gal as this, Capting
Floyd,” he said. “ The towns would be the safest place fur
her, now.”

“ She will not leave my father,” said Floyd. “ If we could

\have our way she would not be here. Madge, our friend is
hungry. Will you go to Phillis and ask her to get him some-
thing to eat? She probably will not. do it unless you speak

coaxineg to her, for a more obstinate old woman never
breathed.”

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“Wat?” exclaimed a voice “Who you's talking ‘bout,
mass’ Will? You t’ink cause you's white dat dis ehile gwine
ter lay down so dat you can tramp on her, but she ain’t; no
sah! 1’s a nigger, but Goramity he med me black hese own
self, an‘ all do water in Egypt can‘t wash me white, hohow.”

“ Now Phillis—” said Will.

“ Oh, hold you hush, do, mass’ Will! You gwine ’bout to
mek mischief, dat’s w’at you‘s gwine to do! You s’pose I
gwine to dirty all my dish for dis low-lived Yankee truck,
gwine ’bout in de woods like a roarin’ lion for to come for to
go fur to eat ebbery t‘ing? How we give him ’nough to eat,
a great long shadder ?"

‘Phillis had come up unobserved while the they were talking,
and stood in the doorway when Will made that allusion to
her native obstinacy. She was a ponderous female, weighing
very nearly three hundred pounds, being built on the model
of the redonbtable Wouter Van Twiller, of famous memory,
who was five feet six inches high, and six feet five inches in
circumference. She held in one hand a dishcloth, and in the .
other a frying-pan which she had been washing when curiosity
called her to the door.

“ There’s a sight to wake the finer feelings of our natur’,"
said the Yankee, looking at the negress with a grin. “ A good
fat, healthy female like that is a credit to human natur’, she is,
by Jehosaphat. She makes me think of my maternal grand-
mother, only the old lady had the misfortune to be white,
more the pity! ’Cause the good Book teaches us thar was a
good chaince of black men in Scriptcr times. N ow, my grand—
mother—3’

“ See yer,” said the old housekeeper, “ you’s git inter trouble
one of dose days, of you fool roun’ dis chile. G’way, g’way,
you‘s makin‘ mischief! Oh, gosh all to pieces, you gwine
stan’ dar and poke fun at me all do time? Berry well; wait
till I gul) you any t’ing to eat, dats all !”

“But, aunty—” said Madge, eoaxingly.
so 1'”

“ Dar, dar, chile! ’Tain't dat I valley cookin’ de leastest
bit, it do mek me powerful mad when dey pokes fun at me."

-“ Did the old lady think I was funnin‘ ?" said the Yankee,
with. a solemn face. “ I wa’n’t, now that's a fact. \Iy grand-

“ How can you act

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mother was a bu'ster, now you’d better believe!

Why, ef you
was to put her on one end of a beam, and this old lady on the

other, you’d see this old lady fly like a bird in the air. She
wouldn‘t weigh a feather alongside of my old lady, that gal
wouldn’t.”

“ Tole ’em I wa’n’t so dreil‘ul fat,” said Phillis, considerably
mollitied. “ But, dey won‘t none ob ’em beliebe me, nohow.
Dar; I’s go an‘ see w’at I kin pick up for de gemman.
Would you like some venison ?”

H Yaas."

“ Or mebhe veal would suit ye better ‘3"

“I ain’t partic’lar. I‘ll taste ’em both. Ef ye’ve got some
pickles handy, throw a bushel or two on the table with a.
couple of hams, and two or three loaves of bread. Any thing
will dew for a lunch."

Phillis looked at him very much as she Would have looked
at a dangerous maniac unfit to go at large, and went slowly
out into the kitchen, the floor shaking under her ponderous
tread. The next moment a storm of vituperation directed at
the heads of her satellites, announced that she was at work,
and a. savory smell was waited to their nostrils. Seth pricked
up his ears like the war-horse “that smelleth the battle afar
off,” and waited. When the table was set, he marched in and
gave Phillis a grand exemplification of the power of a good
appetite. Pone bread in huge masses leaped down his capacious
maW. Slice after slice of venison followed, washed down by
various cups of coffee. Phillis, appalled at his appreciation
of her cookery, watched with uplifted hands, and finally fled
to Will Floyd in dismay.

“You git dat wolf outer dis house jus’ as quick as you kin!
He stay har one week an’ he eat us out ob house an‘ hum v "

     

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CHAPTER II.
mLmscK, THE WYANDor.

BY the time the Yankee had finished his repast, night had
come on, and he came hurrying out of the kitchen, with his
mouth full of venison steak, and ran to the window.

“ How many dew yew reckon in this post, boss ?” he said,
turning to the young soldier.

“Myself, my father, two soldiers of the rifles, and two black
boys.”

“Yaas. Now let me ask yew a little question. Does it
.look like common sense for yew tew keep yure gates of the
‘ hinges ?”

“ To tell you the truth, I have some doubts myself, but the
Prophet seemed to think it showed confidence in the Indians
on the Wabash to leave the gates open, and it was more to
please him than any thing else that we did it."

“ The Prophet? Now, see here, capting; I ain‘t bin but a
little while in this kentry, but I know what the Shawnee
Prophet is. He's a treacherous old fox. He‘s got some plot
ag’in’ the people of this section, and I know it, sartin sure!
Jest see the raft of villains he’s got round him up thar on the
Wabash. Kickapoos, Winnebagoes, Micmacs, Shawnees, and
the Old Scratch knows what other nations—the rifl‘~rafi' and off:
scourings of the tribes. They’re nice fellers to live nigh, ain’t
they ?”

“ I have often thought them dangerous," said Floyd.
what can we do ?" ‘

“ Yew kan put up yure gates, anyhow. And say; hadn't
yew better call in yure men, ef yew’ve got any outlyin’, ’cause it’s
gittin' dark.”

“ I think you are right)” said Floyd.

He took down a horn, and going to the door, took a long
breath and blew a gallant blast, which echoed far and wido‘
through the depths of the forest. Shortly after, the trump of
coming feet Could be baud, and than» emerged'ftom the woods

“ But

18 me man scour; on,

behind the house four men advancing at a hurried pace. As
they entered the stoekade the Yankee saw that two of them
were common soldiers of the American army, one an Indian
of the Shawnee nation, and the fourth an old man with white
hair. The Yankee swung himself up on the head of a cask
standing within the stockade, and, taking out a piece of pigtail
tobacco, twisted off a mighty “chew,” and sat there, rolling
the sweet morsel under his tongue.

“ What made you so late, father '1" said young Floyd, advanc‘
ing.
“ Willimaek got puzzled in regard to the path, and if we

had not heard your horn, I do not know how long we might
have stumbled about in the darkness.”

The Yankee uttered a long whistle and thrust his tongue
into his check. The sound drew the attention of the old man
to him, and he scanned him curiously.

“Who is this?” he said.

“ A traveler, who has stopped here for shelter,” replied the
young man, coming forward. “What did you mean by that
whistle, Spink ?” .

“ She, now! Don’t be so blasted inquisitive. I wouldn’t,
anyhow. I‘ll tell yew by an by; but, the fust thing yew dew
‘is to put up them gates, do ye hear?”

The Indian had been standing just within the gates, and,
as he heard the voice of the stranger, he cast a quick glance in
his direction, and his hand stole to the handle of his hatchet.
But, the Yankee sat upon the cask, heating time with his heels
upon the sides, and muttering to himself. The Indian stalked
gravely to his side, and looked fiercely into his face. The
savage was a rather good-looking brave of the Wyandot trih.:,
whose powerful limbs, strong shoulders, and muscular hands
gave promise of great strength. The dc wn-easter endured his
fixed gaze for the space of three minutes without moving a
muscle of his set face, until the savage spoke.

“ \Vho is this?" he said. “ Dare you Come here to sing
an evil song in the ears of my father with the gray hair, to
make him distrust his brethern of the Shawnees and Wynn-
dots ?"

“ 0h, git eoutl Who said any thing tew yew ? The most
cantankerous Iujin I ever see in all my born days."

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A. “You laugh at Willimack, the chief 1’ Why should my
them 1 Esther put up his strong gates ?”
ndian i “ ’Cause he’s a man of sense, I guess. Now, don’t rile/
White _; up, Injin,don’t! "I‘ain’t that I care any thing about yew,
cask  understand, but I sort 0‘ hate to see ‘Jiings go this way.
lgtail  Willimack, they call you ?”
lliug ,' “ Willimack is my name.”
‘ “ All right. Been guiding this party on a prospecting tour,
anc. I0 tew speak ?"
I “ We have been exploring,” said the elder Floyd.
we  “ See any Injin signs?" asked Seth.
ght I “ A great many,” replied the old man. “ What of that? I
. The Indians are friendly now."
Tue ' “Glad to hear it, ’cause I didn’t know it. So this man
an Willimack lost his way .1’”
a. H Yes."
“ Youngster,” said the Yankee, leaping ofl‘ the barrel,
[8 i " you come here a minnit. I want tew speak with yew."
Lt  Young Floyd went with the Yankee aside, followed by the
 suspicious glances of the savage, who would have gone aside
, ' with them, but Floyd signed to him sternly to keep back,
'  and he obeyed, chafing inwardly.
 “ Look here,” said Spink, when they wore out of ear-shot.
l, “ They say we Yankees are a little gumptious, an’ I guess We
5 be, but, it don't need much smartncss tew see threw his gild-'

ing. That Injin is a Wyandot, and knows every foot of the
soil along the Wabash, and yit he (om his way! Now, does
that sound nat’ral? I only ask yew fair.”

“ It does look strange.”

“ Then put up yure gates I won’t tell yew why, but it’ll
be better for yew. Now I’ll tell yew how tew prove Willi~
« mack, cuss him ! Go out an’ offer tew put up the gates, and
~ yew see ef he dou’t half and want tew hurry away.”

“Let him go.”

“Umphl No; don't. dew any thing of the kind. Keep
him all night, by all means.”

“ For what purpose ?”

“‘ Never mind. Yew will find eout, afore morning. 0h.
blame my cats ef it ain’t hard tew git any thing threw w],
Why don‘t yew go an’ put up them cussed gates ?" "

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’ “ I will do it,” said the young man, turning back quickly
“ Here, Forbes, Let‘ebrel Iwant you to help me put up
these gates."

Willimack started and turned upon the young man almost
fiercely, for his eyes burned like glowing coals. The young
soldier looked at him in surprise.

“ Let my young brother pause before he puts his hands to
something for which he will be sorry,” said the Wyundot.
“ He has trusted-the great tribe, and they have never deceived
him, then why should he do wrong to them now? Let the
gates rest. There is nothing to fear from the Shawnees
and Wyandots.”

“ The Indians have no right to be angry if we close our
doors," replied Floyd. “ There are good warriors as well as
bad, and some of these wicked ones might chance to pass
\y-fl

“ Then the chiefs of the Shawnee would punish them,"
said Willimack. ‘

“ That would be but little help to us, you understand,"
said Floyd, “ after they had taken our scalps. No, I think
I will close the gates.”

“ Don’t let him waste time talkin’. Shet 'em up now l”

“ Ha, dog of the long hack,” Stil‘etlmt’tl “illlmzutk, "(in
you come to make a bad heart between the Indians and their
white friends? Willimack will drink your blood.”

“Ah, no yew won’t,” replied long Seth, with admirable
composure, thrusting his hands into his pockets, and look-
ing keenly at the savage. “ Yew ain't so dry as that comes
tew. Shet them gates, darn yew l I tell yew nct tew lose
time i" ‘

Willimack suddenly drew his hatchet and rushed at the
imperturbable Yankee, who did not even take his handl
from his pockets, but, when the Indian came within reach,
planted his moccasined foot in the region of the knife-belt,
with a force which sent the Wynndot flying against the side
of the stockade, half stunned. The elder Floyd Would have
helped him up, but Spink demanded of him angrily to de-
sist, and help them to raise the gates, while the negro boys
nought out this heavy bars and had them ready to drop in-
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gate to its place, the Indian staggered to his that, and turned
to go away. '

V “ Farewell, men of the bad heart," he said. “ A deep so:
row has come upon the hem of Willimack. His soul is very
sad, because the brother with the gray hair has turned against
him.”

“ Oh, hush up, yew,” said the Yankee, releasing his hold on
the gate, “ and git intew yure corner ag’in."

“ No,” said Willimack, “ I will stay no longer in the place
where I have been insulted.”

“ Yew won't, eh ?"

“ No ; Willimack will go.”

“I differ; Willimack will My. Yew ain’t goin’ tew git
eout and call yure comrades up here afore we git the gates
in shape. Don’t yew b’lieve it i”

“ I really think you are too fast, my friend,” said the elder
Floyd. “ The Indians have always treated me well.”

“ I don't care a darn how they‘ve treated yew. That Injln
ain‘t goin’ out of this gate till it’s hung; and if yew take my
advice, yew’ll keep him till morning, ’cause I b’lieve my soul
he’s got comrades outlying in them bushes.” _

“ I will go i” screamed Willimack. “Who will stay the
course of the chief of the Wyandots ?"

“ This identical cuss. Yew offer tew go coat of this gate,
and I’ll give yew a back-hamlet that will make yew forgit
yure parents. Now yew bet yure boots on that."

Willimack was no coward, and made a rn-t at the imniov-
able figure of the Yankee, knife in hand.

For the first time the ire of Seth Spink seemed to be fully
aroused, and, rushing at the I“;in with a snarl like that of a
wild beast, he caught him hy the wrist, and, giving it a wrench,
shook the weapon from his grasp. Then, seizing him by the
shoulders, he lifted him from the ground, shook him as a ter-
rier shakes a, cat, and dashed him to the earth with stunning
force.

“Bring ropes here i” he hissed. “The devil is in this con-
demned skunk, bigger than a woodchuck.”

Will Floyd threw him some pieces of buck-skin, with which
as bound the feet of the savage, and then sprung up to war!
upon. the gate.

 

    

THE SKELETON SCOUT; OR,

’3.

“ Work, ye devils, work I” he shouted, applying his Heron '

lean strength to the huge door. “ Up with her, quick 1 How
a man of yure understanding could take them gates off the
hinges I don’t know.”

“ We thought it would please the savages," said the elder
Floyd. “ I am afraid we are doing wrong.”

“ Ef yew don’t sing another song in less than an hour, then
I’m a nigger. Home with a will,b0ys; no time to lose. It’s
the mercy of God that yure son blew that horn for yew tew—
night, mister, or Willimack would have led yew into an am-
bush.”

' “ I can hardly believe that, sir,” said the old man.

“ Can’t yew? Take hold of that gate there. Lift away i
What's that? Somebody give the son of a. tinker a belt in
the mouth.”

Willimack, lying upon his back, had begun a succession of
fearful yells, intended to hasten the movements of his friends.
He was answered by a cry so close at hand that the people
of the stockade were appalled by the closeness of their ene-
mies. They worked away with desperate zeal, and with a
cry of delight felt the door swing to its place and dropped
the heavy bars before it. Long Seth turned in a fury upon
the Indian.

“ Yew ought to have yure coat tails filled chock full of
boots—old boots, big boots, heavy boots, long boots, and moc-
casins tew match. Ef I had my way, yew’d git it, tew. Ah,
yew pizen critter i"

As he spoke, they heard the sound of rusthg feet, and the
first of the savage band who had been lying upon the other
bank of the stream. and who had crossed at dusk, rushed up
against the gate and uttered loud cries of disappointment as
they found it strongly barred against them. The signal of
Willimack had come somewhat sooner than they expected;
indeed, they had been waiting for him to lead Floyd and his
soldiers into their ambush, and they were sorely disappointed
when they heard his voice within the stockade. Nevertheless,

they expected an easy prey, for they did not know that the
acute Yankee had taken measures to have the gates put up.
He answered their yells of disappointed rage by wild laugh-
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“Hawl haw! haw! Didn’t expect that, did yew? New

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""‘what dew yew say abeout the gates, mister?”

“ I say that you have saved our lives, and we thank you,”
replied the old man. “I was foolish to trust a proverbially
treacherous race. What do you think they will do now 1’”

“ Kan’t say," replied the Yankee. “ Try tew gaminon us,
It would be jest like ’cm, by gosh. Neow I‘m green,
I allow; I‘m awful green, that’s a petrified trewth. But, I
dew think Seth Spink is ekal in p’int of intellect to any Shaw-
nee on the footstool, saving one man.”

“ And that man ‘1’”

“ Tecumseh,” replied Seth, shortly. “ Now look here: We
c’u’d hev had the good will of that man ef we was a mind
tew, but we wouldn’t hev it. Neow let me tell yew that he
ain’t no fool, the sachem ain’t. Thar’s wuss Ginerals in our
army, tew. Let it go; we‘ve made a mistake, and he‘s our
inimy, I’m sorry tew say. These chaps want tew speak tew
yew.”

The Indians were pounding at the door of the stockade,
and calling to the Floyds, under the names by which they
were known to the Indians, to come out and speak to them.

“ I will answer them,” said Captain W'ilham.‘ “ In the
mean time, load all the rifles and get out a supply of ammu-
nition. I believe they mean to make the assault to—night,
though how a dozen Indians mean to beat half that number
of Whites behind a strong stockade, I can not tell.”

He stepped to a loophole and looked or The warriors
were grouped carelessly about the large gates, striking them
with their hatchets, and making all the noise they could.

“What do you want here ‘3” demanded Will. “Are the
night-owls flying low to-night ‘3"

“ The warriors of the Shawnees would rest tonight under
the roof of the Gray llair,” replied one of the braves. “Let
him open his great gates, that we may enter."

“Let my brothers seek other shelter to-night,” answered
young Floyd. “ A bird has sung in my ears to-day, warning
me that the Shawnees and white men must not sleep under
the same roof to-night. Shawnee braves are not children;

let them rest under the bending houghs, and may they sleep:
Well." _'

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um summon scour; on,

“ Hugh i” cried the spokesman. “ Does the young war-
chief refuse a place under his roof to his friends ?”

“ We do not want any visitors tonight,” replied the young
man, firmly.

A chorus of angry cries arose, in the midst of which the
Yankee sprung to the young man’s side and whispered in his
car. He nodded gravely, and called out to the Shawnecs to
be silent. A hush fell upon them, and he spoke again:

“ I know that the Shawnees have come with malice in their
hearts, and would have slain us if the gates had not been
barred. Let them go back as they came, for if a single Shaw-
nee is in sight when morning breaks, Willimnck shall die.” ;

“ Would you slay the great chief of the Wyandots, the be-
loved of the Prophet ‘3”

. “ Yes, and he deserves death a hundred times for his trea-

Chery."

“ Willimack is the friend of the white man,” replied the
outside speaker.

“ Yes, of the English," replied Seth.

“ Dog of a Yengce I" shrieked a voice close at hand, Willi-
mack, chief of the Wyandots, laughs you to seem."

The Yankee whirled quickly, and saw Willimack free from
his bonds, standing upon the summit of the Stockade. The
next moment he waved his hand in derision and was gone.

CHAPTER III.

THE SKELETON SCOUT.

To their utter surprise, the Yankee run madly toward the
high wall of the Stockade, and, leaping upward, clung like
a cat to the top. It seemed hardly possible that so heavy a
person could display such agility, and certainly no one in
the Stockade would have thought Long Seth capable of it,
but for the way in which he had handled the Indian. He
hung I moment upon the edge 02‘ the stockude. and then,
drawing himself up by a strong muscular action, looked o'er.

   
 

 

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Then, waving his hand toward the occupants, he slid over
No sound indicated
that the savages had heard him, for they remained pounding
It the gate, uttering wild threats against the Floyds if they

did not open.
Somewhat Burpi’iSed at the desertion of the Yankee, Will

. Floyd made no answer until the harsh voice of Willimack

': came to his ears.

J; “Hark to my words,” shouted the chief. “You have
’ disgraced Willimaek, a chief of the mighty tribe. Dogl’
Could not be used worse than you have treated him. I am

not a fool and I will have revenge.”
“Leave the gates,” replied Floyd, angrily, “ or my men

« shall fire.”

“Let them fire at us if they will,” replied the chief. “ We
will enter the big Wigwam. I will eat the heart of the man
Who shook me, and kicked me with his foot.”

“ I tell you to go away 1” said Will Floyd. “ I have
no desire to quarrel with you, but if you try to break in here
it is your own fault if you get hurt."

The only reply was the crash of axes against the heavy
gate, and the young man saw that they were determined up-
on making a persistent effort to break in. Bringing forward
a short ladder which was lying near the wall of the house,
he ran up to the top of the wall and fired his pistol at the
Indians below, and knew by the cry of rage which went up
that be had not missed his mark.

This determined course roused the ire of the savages and
they began to bring up poles to climb the walls, full of hatred
of the men inside. Will shouted to his men and they brought
their ladders—for they had one for each defender, and the
walls were manned. The number of savages was not great.
enough for an assault; yet they fought with determina-
tion. They climbed like eats up the sides of the Wooden
fort only to be beaten back by the defenders. Each soldier,
besides his rifle, had a hatchet and a pair of pistols, and so
armed, they were more than a match for the Shawnecs, who
retreated to a little distance, out of reach of the rifles, where
they. halted and‘seemed to consult for a moment.

. Just then came a horrible yell. and, to the utter terror of

   
     
       
      
   
   
 
    
  
 
 
 
   
   
  
   
  
 
 
   
   
  
      
   

  
 

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the Indians, there bounded from a thicket near at hand a" toting

fearful creature calculated to strike terror to the stoutest. New"
heart. To the white men looking on from the wall, there stratt-S‘

was something supernatural in this strange appearance “H
flaming out in the darkness. Two blazing eyes gleamed in  “ 1“
its forehead, emitting lurid flashes as it bounded on. lui wt“
hight it was nearly seven feet, and the head was that of a “7
skeleton, grinning and ghastly! an:

The Indians saw that terrible creature coming down upon : “
them, and, with wild cries of dread, they broke and ran in ‘; dref
every direction, some Seeking safety on the river and others ‘ old
running up the bank. Will Floyd beheld the figure seize up- » em
on a flying savage and drag him shrieking to the earth; “ re?

then a great silence fell upon the scene. All was dark out- g
side; the indians were gone, and, in the place where the l “‘
fiery figure gleamed a moment before, nothing was to be  iii
seen. Soon after the sound of hurrying feet was heard, and I
the Yankee came climbing over the rear of the Stockade, ‘ 1'
evidently terrified nearly out of his senses. i
“Did you see it ‘3” he cried. “Oh, holy Moses! I never ‘
was so skeered in all my born days! Whew;1’m out of i,
breath I” 1
“What did you leave us for?" I
“ Wanted to ketch that Injin. I couldn’t, though ; he run
so like the devil. Then I calculated I’d git round in the
rear and give ’em a shot, an then holler as ef a. hundred
sojers was in the woods, when, Jehosaphat! up got that
b‘ilin’-hot Image, with his fiery eyes, and Skeered the life out
of them lnjins, and me too, I guess.”
The Yankee sat down on a log and panted for breath.
“ Did you see it closely ?” said Floyd. er
“Close as I want tew, darn it! This beats my fust wife’s
relations all tew pieces. Whew ! I thought I were a goner.”
The men looked at each other in surprise. What was
this strange being, that came and went like a shadow, leav-
ing no trace behind? Will Floydnvas not naturally super-
stitious, and yet he could not account for this apparition in
any natural way. Long’ Seth evidently was as much puzzled,
and looked from one to the other in ludicrous dismay. The
black boys, who also had seen the specter, stood with chat-

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tearing teeth and a sort of ashy gray color in their faces.
’ Nature had made it impossible for their hair to standup

straight or it would surely have done so, then.

“ Hi, you Pomp,” said one, “see dat ar' t’ing, dat time ?”

“ Iss, Dick; I seen him, an I so skeered I dunno w'at I's
gwine ter do. Oh goodness gracious l"

“ Dat’s de debbil. Pomp. Dat’s juss de Ole Harry, heself,
ant: notting else. \Ve's gone chiles dese times.”

“ That’s trew,‘ said Seth, glad of an opportunity to pass his
dread onto some one else. “And I have hern tell that the
old ’un is partial to black fellows. Mebbe ’tain’t trew; I ain’t
enufi ’quuinted with the Old Boy to speak sartz'n, but I’ve good
reason to helievethat he duz like ’cm.” -

“ Sho, now, you, ."’ roared Pomp, raising one leg in agony.
“ Git along dar l w’at you a-tryin’ to do, say ? De old debbil
likes a Yankee. Eberyhody knows he likes a Yankee."

“I don’t think it,” said Seth, as it' revolving the subject in
his mind. “ May he jest as yew say, but, I think they'd make
it tew lively fur the old man down thar. They’d trade him
out. of his throne, sartin ! They ar’ all-fired hands at a (ticker,
yew know. and they’d beat him, sartin! So I guess Yankees
are poorty safe. Not too safe, yew understand, but pooty safe,
pooly safe. I don‘t reckon they’ll trouble us a great deal,
nohow. Guess we’d better git a light an’ go out an’ try them
cussed Injins, and see what’s likely to he. done.”

“ Maybe they are hiding somewhere,” said Will Floyd.
“If they are, it. would not be safe to go out.”

“ Waal, ef I’m any judge, they ain’t hiding anywhar on this
side the river," rejoined Seth. “I hern ’em jump intew the
water, nn’ swim as ef the devil was chasin’ ’em clust. Yew see
they’re mighty feared ot' the devil, and ef that wa’n't him, then
1 damn what it was. ()ld Satan on a scout, shure !"

“ Did you ever hear of this figure before ?”

“ Yaas,” said Spink. “ When I was in old man Harrison’s
camp they said something ’bout it and they called it the
filtileton Scout.”

“ ’l‘he Skeleton Scout l"

“ That’s the name. ’Tain’t s putty name, nyther. Not by
no manner of means. It makes me shake all over when I
think the pesky critter is round here, though I must own he

 

    

 

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lontern or a torch." '

Will went into the house for a lantern,nnd when he came
back Seth took it from his hand and gave it to Black Dick.

“ Here, boy, take that and go out and look around to see if
my of the red niggers are hiding anywhere.”

“Me, mussa ?"

“ Yaas, yew ! Who else do yew s’pose I mean ? Come, don’t
keep us u-waiting. Why don’t yew git ?” '

“ But, mars’ I dunno w’edder I likes to go out (131‘. Plenty
Injin out dur, I t’inks. How we ebber fine ’em ?”

“ Oh, go ’long! That's what. we want tew find out, whether
they are or not. Et‘ they should be, why then they’ll s110ot
at yew, and we‘ll hear ’em."

“ S’pose dey hits Dick?” said the negro.

“ Why then, Dick will holler like all possessed, and put
back ef be kin. Et‘ he kain’t. then we’ll bury the sod Dick
with the honors of war."

“See yer, marse Yankee, you t’ink I ain’t a fool, I ain’t.
I’s gwiue tet‘ stay yer."

“. Then mebbe Pomp would like to go, seeing he ain’t a
coward? Come, Pomp; distinguish ycrself and laugh nt
Dick." ‘

“ Don’t tink‘s I keer ’bout it, marse," replied Pomp.
“Dick good {ren’ ol) mine. What I wants to laugh at he
for ?”

Long Seth laughed, and taking a pistol from the belt of
one of the soldiers, led the way into the open air. An Indian
lay under the wall, and the Yankee stumbled over him. Seth
held the light closer and saw that the savage had a. broken
leg.

“ Got a knife, boss ?” he said, speaking to Will Floyd.

“ Certainly I have.”

“ Stick this man and come along.
I’ve got both hands full."

“ What do you mean '2’”

“ Don’t want tew save the red nigger, dew yew ?”

i“I will not allow him to be killed,” replied the young sol
d or. ‘ '

The-Yankee straightened his long back, and looked at the

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. young man as if taken completely aback by this speech.
“ Not kill a red-skin? Not stick him when yew’ve got him P
By the morta, ef this ain’t pizen. Not—good gracious, yew
raise my dander mortal bad! What yew goin‘ tew dew with
the critter then, if I may ask ’lhout giving offense ?”

“ Take him into the stockade, cure him of his wound if
possible, and—”

“ Give him yure skulp when he gitsstrong enufl‘ few take it l
That’s right! Keep up the repitation of the fam’ly, by all
means! Waal, I won’t say no more. Come along, yew!
But, if the time don’t come.when yew jest ez live stick an
Injin as eat a b’iled potater, then ther ain’t no snakes in Ken-

. tuck’.”

They hurried on to the place where the Skeleton Scout had
been seen; the grass was bent and trodden down, and, further
on, an Indian was lying on his face, dead. Floyd turned him
over, and saw that it was a Winnebago, a. desperate villain,
who had been suspected of the murder of a white family,
years before, but escaped through insuflicient evidence How-
ever, innocent or guilty, he had met his fate at last.

“ How Was he killed ?” said Floyd. “ I don‘t see any— blood.”

They examined him closely, but not a mark could be found
upon the body to show how he had died. Dead he certainly
was, and the stiffened muscles told that he had not died easily.
The puzzled look again came into the face of Seth Spink.

“ NOW, don’t this beat all natur' ‘2" he ejaculated. “ We’ll
hev tew believe pooty soon that the Skileton Scout is a skile-
ton, artcr all. Leastways he don’t leave no marks upon his
victims.”

“It is strange indeed," replied Captain Floyd. “ Hold the
lantern close, will you ? There must be a mark on him sumo-
where."

A still closer Search failed to elicit any further information.
The Indian was (lead, but how? He had not been choked,
for the face of a man who dies in that way always shows un-
mistakable signs of strangulation. lIis neck was not broken,
as Floyd began to believe, and not a drop of blood was visi-
ble upon his perSou.

Yankee Seth stood holding the lantern, and looking down
npon the face of the dead Indian, while his young companion

  

  

 

 

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was searching him. A slight. noise, so slight that Floyd did
mt notice it, but Seth heard it, yet did not turn his head or’,
show that he was aroused. Looking covertly toward the spot a,
he saw a dark ohject extended upon the earth, not ten feet
away, and caught the gleam of a rifle-barrel.
panion a sudden push which sent him rolling to the earth,
Long Seth hounded four feet into the air just as a rifle cracked,
and came down uninjured upon the hack of a prowling sav-
age, who, hiding in the bushes, had crept up unobserved.

As Will Floyd started to his feet, confused and angry. a
terrific struggle \'as going on upon the grass a few feet away.
Seth found his enemy, whoever it was, “ no chicken,” to use
JlS own expression, and his powerful muscles were tried to
.he utmost.

Will Floyd darted forward, but the lantern had gone out
md he dared not strike in the darkness, fearing that he might
wound his friend. Then, two figures rose; there vas a mut-
ered curse, and a heavy blow or tWo, and the sound of hurry-
mg feet succeeded, followed immediately by a splash in the
water, and Seth came back, furiously angry.

“ He got away, the cussed sneak,” he said. “ He’d ’a' cookeu
yure goose or mine in another minnit. Lucky I saw him ”

“ Why did you push me down ‘8" cried Floyd, angrily.

“Did it jest tcw he mean, youngr ’un,” said the Yankee, in-
dolently. “Did it a-purpuss. Yure head vas rite in a line
With a rifle-harrill, and like ez not yew’d ’a’ got hurt if yew’d
’a’ stood up half a sceond longer. "l‘ain’t no matter.”

“I beg your pardon, Spink,” said W'ill, frankly. “I was
so confused by your sudden action that I really did not know
“hat to do or say. So you pushed me down hecause the
title was aimed at me .9”

" Sorter think I didl There; don’t say nothin’ ’hout it.
Let's git hack tow the stoekade. "l‘ain’t. edzackly safe tcw
stay here now ; these critters mout Come back, yew know, and
a shot from a bush ain’t what I hanker arter."

The ritle-shot had been heard, and Captain Floyd, with one
of the soldiers, was hurrying out to meet them. He expressed
his satisfaction at their-safety, and listened eagerlyto their ex.
planations.

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, ‘denvors to make friends with the savages have been of no
d did "ail. What. had we better do, Mr. Spink? You seem to
‘d 0r_ underslmid the Indians hotter than I do, after all.”
’31)“! “ “ Any one is likely tew git fooled,” replied the Vermonter.
“‘9‘ j “ Yew can’t bet a. cent on an Injin. Mont he friendly tow
“ml-’3 yer face while he was stealing out a knife tew tnke yum
n‘th,  .sknlp. I m Sol‘l‘y the gill is here; she ort tew he in the vil~
was Inge.”

3"‘V- 3 “ We can take her there."
“’Tain’t safe. The road is full of red-skins. I tell yew

'» 3 that the Prophet—darned little profit we’ll make eout of it-—-
i')’- is up, and his cussid hlack-and-tan tribe are with him. ’Twou’t
'39 be many days afore the woods will be full of the pizen heathen.
‘0 ' My advice ain’t much, but, if I was yew, I'd send one of the

a" men tew Guvnor Harrison for reinforcements, and stay here
't  til they cum.”
‘1  “ You think that the safest plan ?”
‘ l “It’s the only one I think of. Willimack ’ll be on the

watch, and yew kain‘t git cont. Give the man that goes a
’ canoe and Send him down-stream. I’ll go with him and show
the way.”
“ Who shall go ?”
l “ I,” replied Will, promptly.
“ I am afraid we can not spare you, William,” said the cap-
tain. “ Let Forbes go.”
’ “ One more or less won’t make no manner of difference,”
said Seth. “ I think the young ’un is in the right of it, and
I’ll pilot him till I think he's safe. Look out sharp, night
and day, till we come back. Now, young ’un !”

There was no time for long partings. Will ran into
the house to bid Madge good-by, and came back with traces
of emotion on his face. Then, pressing his father’s hand, he
followed the erect figure of Seth Spink out into the gloom.

 

 

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CHAPTER IV. j u\
A menu or- PERIL.  that
THE darkness was intense. but the Yankee moved on lid  5mg,
a man who knew the ground well, toward the spot where  he \
the canoes were hauled up on the shore. They selected a  “In
light one, and the young soldier found a paddle and would * ‘mm
have taken his place as paddler, but the other took it from I Q
his hand, and stationed himself in that place himself. l p?
The canoe shot out into the darkness at once, and was  0“
headed down the river, gliding in between the green banks, 2:“
the paddle dipping in the bright water without a sound! I at
Nothing but long practice could have enabled any man to ._. N
use a. paddle so dextrously. On they floated down the tran- h
quil stream in the darkness, while nothing but the cry of the v

loan and other night-birds disturbed the solemn stillness of
the scene. Once Captain Will began to speak, but the guide 3
laid his hand upon his knee with a low “ Hist 1" Floyd took ‘
the hint and was silent. He began to understand that the 1
danger must be great, or the sagacious Yankee would not i,
Work so cautiously. He also began to feel a sort of respect l
for the knowledge of Woodcraft which he saw that the strange 1
man possessed, a great trait in a. borderman.

After paddling on for nearly an hour, without making the
slightest noise, the head of the canoe was turned toward the
shore at a place where the overhanging bushes almost touched
the water. Parting these bashes with great caution, Seth
pushed the canoe past them, and showed an open space be
tween the bushes and the bank deep enough {or the canoe to
lie in, without being seen from the bank above.

“ Yew stay right here, can,” whispered the Yankee. “ I‘m
going on a scout."

“Had not you better let me go with you?" queried the
young man. '

“ Yew t Kin yew walk like yew was steppin’ on feati era,
and hold yurs breath an hour? Dew yew know every inch

\

 
 

  
  

 

 

, down ’thout breaking a stick?

THE 8011?!!! BLOCK

of ground aLWeen this and Harrison’s camp? and kin yew set
Ther’s a deal tew learn ’fore
yew make a good Scout.”

“ I know it. Perhaps I had better stay here then.”

“ Waal, prehaps yew had,” said the Yankee. “Gimme
that hatchet. All right; now lay low and keep dark. If
yew hear the painter call three times, that’s me.”

So silently did he move away,that \Vill hardly knew when
he went. Lying down in the canoe, which was kept in its
place by the bushes which hung low on all sides, the young
man waited anxiously for the coming of his friend. An hour
passed, and there came no sound to indicate the whereabouts
of his strange guide. He was about to give him up, and had
almost concluded to take the paddle and attempt to escape
in his own way, when he heard light footsteps on the bank
above. Thinking that it was Seth Spink, and that he was
returning with less caution than he showed in moving away,
he was about to rise and meet him, when he heard a deep
voice on the bank above, which was not that of the Yankee.

“ Willimack ?" it said.

“I am here, great chief," replied a voice which he well
knew. “ What would the Prophet say to his brother
chief ?” >

“ You have done wrong, \Vyandot," said the other. “ You
have openedvthe eyes of the white men, and if the young war—
chief gets safe to Vincennes, we can no longer throw dust in
the eyes of Harrison. This was not Well.”

“ Williniack would have had the scalps of all, but for the
tall warrior who came on the log. He opened the eyes of
Floyd, and he saw blood in the eyes of the Wyandot.”

“ Who is the tall warrior?”

“ My brother has seen him many times at Vincennes. His,
hair is yellow as the rays of the setting sun, and his form tall
as a pine. He is Very strong and bold. Who is there in the
Wyandot nation, unless it be Tecumseh, who can overthrow
Willimack, the Wyandot ‘2”

“ The Long Man is very strong,” said the other. “He in
cunning as the red fox. But, he is on the river, and my
brothers above and below will give a good account of him
if he try to escape.” '

   
 

 

  

    
     
   
     
   
  
    
  
  
   
  
 
   
  
   
     
 
   
 
    
 
   
 
   

THE SKELETON SCOUT; OR,

  
   

Floyd raised himself slowly and peered up at the two, bu ‘
could not make out who the speaker was. Willimack had W
spoken of him as the Prophet, but it might be either Tecum- '

seh, or his brother, Elslnvatawa, the man who was properly - u. 1.]
known by the appellation of “the Prophet,” and to whom is have
' imputed the odium of drawing the great Tecumseh into war . Shaw
with the whites. At this moment the moon rose slowly over i we},

the treetops, and shed a light upon the tranquil scene, and he  T‘
could see their faccs. It was Elskwatawa, the Prophet, and  mm
a more cute] or ambitious man never lived upon the earth. ‘; wne
Cunning was the great trait upon which he prided himself; ‘3 - T
and while to all appearance friendly with the whites, he was ‘

gathering the Indians for that great mOVement which was to ‘. 
sweep the enemy from the face of the earth. Will Floyd ‘ cm.
was a hold man,but even he felt a thrill at the imminence of me
the danger by which he Was threatened. The Prophet leaned 0“.

against a tree, not ten feet away, and Willimack, with his -

hands clasped upon the muzzle of his rifle, stood close to 1;,

him. fl.
“The moon shines bright,” said the Prophet. “They can 

not pass unless we see them. Ila! what is this?" ‘ 1,
He pointed with his hand to a canoe with a single oecu- i ‘

rectly toward ’the spot where the two chiefs stood. They
disappeared as if suddenly blotted out of existence, crawling
like serpents in the dense underbrush, and Will turned to
watch the new-comer. The moon was now bright, and he
could see him plainly.

It was a chief, in the war-dress of a Pottawatomie, bedizo
ened in all the bravery these men love to affect in a time of t,
war. He was tall and strongly made, with a rather hand- k
some face, and dark, brilliant eyes. A rifle lay in the bow
of his canoe, and in the belt about his waist he carried a. t
hatchet and knife. His keen eyes swept along the bank for
a moment, and then he pushed his canoe up to the beach not
ten feet from the place where Will Floyd lay hidden, and
l , drew it up out of sight. Then, taking his rifle, he mounted

the bank. In doing so, he laid his rifle down, and when he
stooped‘to take it up, the two men on the watch rose and
denly and threw themselves upon him. So sudden was the

pant which was crossing the river in front, and heading di- \ ‘

 

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10k had
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mlx’rly -
horn is
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ned
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ihave you now!

run 301mm 31.00:. as ,
I set that the warrior was taken completely by surprise, and
Wes bound before he could speak or move, though he now
made desperate efforts to break his bonds.

“ Hal Dead Chief,” cried Elslnvatawa. “ Dead dog, we
Prepare to sing your death-song, for the
Shawnees and Wyandots will not wait long before they drink
the blosd of a fool.”

The two seiZed him, dragged him to his feet and bound

'him to a tree close at hand, cursing him in no measured

tones.

' The name they gave him satisfied the young man as to
who the prisoner was, and he knew that he was a friend to
the American Cause, who had boldly offered to confront Te-
cumseh in his own perSon, and prove that he meditated hos-
tile designs against the Americans. He had called both Te-
cumseh and his brother traitors, and offered to tax them with
it in the presence of the two brothers and their followers.
This declaration was made in the presence of Tecumseh‘s
friends, and the chief was quickly made aware of the fact.

Neither had seen the Dead Chief until this time. He
looked at them boldly, with a half-smile upon his face, and
Will Floyd fingered his weapons and longed to spring out
to his aid. But, the danger in which he had left his family,
and his fears for the safety of Madge, had made him wary.
Elskwatawa drew a knife and ran his fingers along the pol-
ished edge in a. significant way.

“ Dead Chief,” he said, “ you are a Pottawatomie, and the
men of that tribe are brave. But every tribe brings forth
dogs. and such a dog are you. You care nothing for the
glory of the race, and will not join the great Tecumseh in
making the people free.”

“ Tecumseh is a fool,” replied the Dead Chief. “He does
not know that the sun warms him and the moon gives him

firm. Why should we chaan masters? The white men
I» a

will always rule the Indians, because they are wiser than we
Why do you stop the Dead Chief on his way ?"

“The Dead Chief will be dead in half an hour,” replied
the Prophet.
plans." .

“ Let me free, and I will go into the camp of Tecumseh

“ He knows too much of Tecumseh and his

80 was summon scour; on,
and heard him. Did he dare to give you orders to take thoL
life of the Dead Chief ?”

“ You shall See. Stay here. Willimack, while I call some?
warriors to see the death of a dog who cares not. for his
race."

“ Wait,” said Willimuck. “If the Dead Chief is to die, we
must build no tire, for that would show the young war-chief
and the yellow-haired scout that the Shawnees and Wyau-

 

dots are on the trail.”

“Good. The Dead Chief shall not die yet, for I have
sworn he shall perish by fire, and so he shall die. Elskwa—
tawa has spoken. Let us leave the Dead Chief here and look

for the young war-chief and the Yellow Hair, and we’ll burn ’

them all at one fire.”

The two Indians glided away, and as they went, the Dead
Chief began to struggle furiously with his bonds, but they
were too strongly tied to break easily. In spite of his efforts
he remained bound to the tree, still making impotent efforts.
His face did not express fear so much as anger and humilia-
tion at having been outwitted by the men he affected to des-
pise. The moment the two captors Were gone, Floyd slipped
out of his concealment and approached the Pottawatomie.

“Ugh,” said the Dead Chief. “ My brother sees a friend
tied up like a dog. Let him loose the bonds upon his hands
and feet."

The young man obeyed, and the warrior rubbed his excori-
ated limbs to restore the circulation, muttering to himself.
Then he searched about in the moonlight, and carefully cov-
ered the trail which the young soldier had made in coming
from the canoe.

“ Let the war-chief do as the Dead Chief shows him, and
leave no trail," he said. Grasping the limb of the tree over-
head, after strapping his rifle to his back, he swung himself
back and forth until he had gained sufficient momentum, when
he released his grasp and dropped over the bank into the wa-
ter in a place where it was not more than two feet deep.
Floyd followed his example, and then the Indian waded to
the place “mere he had left his canoe and drew it from the
bank into the stream, and pushed off a. few yards until he
could look up and down the stream for some distance. Satis-

“WT

’t- fyin

pus'
Der

sav

 

 

the _

87

\

J‘Hl BORDER BLOCK.
 fying himself that none of the Indians were in sight, he
pushed in again.

“ Come,” he said. “Floyd would go to Vincennes, and the

me? Dead Chief will show the way.”

his

W8

101
ill-

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a.
k

y
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“I can not leave this spot," replied Will. “Go on and
save yourself. Deud Chief. I must wait.”
i “ Vtht you wait for ?” demanded the chief.

“ My friend,” replied Floyd.

“ Speak his name in the ear of Dead Chief," said the Potlu-
watomie.

“ He is known as the Long Man and the ‘ Yellow Hair.’ ”

“ Ugh,” said Deed Chief. “ He is a good man and loves
the Indians who are true to the American father at Vincennes.
Listen : Dead Chief has a warm heart toward the Long Man,
and will stay. Is he in the woods ?”

“ Yes.” '

“Good. One canoe is enough for us.
Where is yours?”

Floyd drew it out from the cover, and the savage at once
knocked a hole in the bottom and sent it out into the stream.
It filled quickly and floated out of sight just as a hurried
step was heard, and Yankee Seth came through the bushes,
and looked down into the place where he had left the
canoe.

“ Will,” he said, in a half-whisper.

“ All right,” said Will. “Here we are l”

The canoe closed in and Seth took his place hurriedly,

b

Mine is best,

 

. ,',..., 

casting a quick glance at the Indian to see who he was. He
gave a low whistle of surprise.

“ Ha l” he said. “ That yew, Dead Chief? Thought yew'd
gone under, sartin.”

“ The Dead Chief of the Pottawatomies does not die so
easily.”

“ Push ofl', boys. Git intew the stream as soon as yew can.
Thar's the all-firedest pickle in this yer woods yew ever heru
tell off. I knoWed I was right. I knowed the Prophet
meant. mischief all the time, and mebbe old man Harrison
will believe it now. How did you come 'here, chief?"

The Indian explained how he had been overpowered by
Blskwatswa and Willimsck, and rescued by Floyd.

88 THE summon scour; on,

“ Good euufi‘l We wanted a man with us that knows
something of Injin tricks. Yew must understand, cap., that
this chief hez stood up like a hero for our side, and Tecum-
seh hez given orders to kill him on sight. I thought it was
done 't'ore now.”

The Indian shook his head proudly.

“ Tecumseh has long arms, and I am dead if I fall into the
hands of his men. What of that? Can he make a chief 8
dog? No. I will die as I have lived, a warrior true to out
American father and his men."

The canoe was by this time in the midst of the current,
floating slowly down, for they Were not using the paddles.

“ Push her tip-stream, boys,” said the Yankee. “ Most of
the devils is down below. They’ve got six canoes, and I
guess thar ain’t less than a hundred men in all. Cuss that
Prophet! I wish I hcd his skulp."

" It Would gratify me immensely if you had,” replied the
young Soldier. “And that scoundrel Willimackl There is
no end to the benefits he has received from time to time from
my father and myself; and yet, he Would have killed us all
to-night, if you had JOi foiled laim."

“I will wear the scalp of Willimack in my girdle Some
day,” said Dead Chief. “ He is a dog. He cares nothing for
either white man or Indian, if he can get blankets, powder
and rifles. He has taken belts from both sides and hates them
all. He talks with a. forked tongue, like a snake. One tongue
is for our white father at Vincennes, and the other for the
red-coats. Tecumseh is a slave of Elliot, the red-coat agent."

Zip! Zip!

Two bullets cut through the air close to the canoe, one
passing between the Indian and Floyd, and the other clipping
a piece out of the stern, close to the immovable figure of Seth,
who nodded smilingly.

“ That means business," he said. “I knowed they’d hev
somebody up here tew watch. They knowed we must go
down-stream to git to Vincennes. Throw yourself, Dead Chief l
Up-stream fer yure life.”

The canoe seemed to leap into the air under the vigorous
strokes of the Indian, and they quickly passed the point from
which the shots had come.

/

 

 

 

 

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' um manna amen.”

 

Just beyond, agreat forest swept down the water’s edge on
both sides, and the banks lay in shadow for a. hundred feet on
either side. Seth uttered some low order in the Indian lan-
guage to Dead Chief, and he at once turned the bow of the
canoe toward the shore, and they shot up under the dark bank
in exactly such a place as the one in which the canoe had
been concealed when the Yankee went out upon his scout.
The forest seemed to be alive on every side of them, the furi-
ous shrieks of the Indians echoing and re-echoing among the
huge old trees. Seth Snatched a hatchet and knife and
bounded up the bank, closely followed by the others. The
cries told them that their enemies were about them on every
hand, eager for their blood.

“ Tree 1” said Seth. “ We can’t afford tew show in an open
canoe in the moonlight. Mout git hit, yew know i This
fly !" .

He plunged into the woods, heading from the river, and
ran for nearly a hundred yards before he stopped. Then se-
lecting a tree of the right size, he mounted hastily. His ex-
ample was followed by the others, and not a moment too soon,
(hr the gathering cries told that the Indians were being guided
to the spot where the canoe had been seen by those who had
fired into it. The Yankee climbed to the crotch of the tree,
selected a convenient place and sat down coolly, resting his
feet upon the branch beneath. He felt tolerably safe, for, in
the dark woods, trailing them was an impossibility. As the
shouts came nearer he only grinned widely and threw back
his head for a yawn, when, to his utter consternation, he saw
a pair of gleaming eyes looking into his, not three feet away!

  
    

  

 

  

CHAPTER V.
IN A TREE-TOP.

THE Yankee looked hard at the gleaming orbs close to his
OWn, and could just make out a dark body stretched along the
limbs. He was far from liking the appearance of the afl‘air.
It might be an Indian, or it was just as likely to be a panther.
If the latter, a struggle with him would bring the Indians upon
him,whose footsteps already sounded along the bank. He
loosened his knife in its sheath, though he well knew how
poWerless he would be in a tree-top, fighting against an animal
which could light like a feather upon a bending bough an
leap to another with all the quickness of a cat.

“Jehosaphat!” he muttered. “ What’n thunder will I do
now? I guess I'm gobbled ’up this time, shure. I wish I
had a pike, I dew. Thunder and lightning, this ain’t pooty.”

The dark object upon the limb did not move, and there
Was no time to he lost. Seth determined to know what it was
at all hazards. Thrustiug his hand into his pouch, he drew
out a box of punk, struck a spark and ignited the whole piece.
As the light flashed up he caught a glimpse of an Indian,
extended at full length along the limb. Dropping the fire he
hurled himself downward, falling upon the prostrate figure and
clasped his long arms about its throat tightly, with his bony
knuckles pressed hard against the windpipe. So quickly was
it. done that the Indian had only time to utter a smothered cry
before his breath was stopped completely. The limb bent and
swayed under the weight of theheavy bodies, and they began
to slide downward. A fall of twenty feet was not what Seth
wished for, but, locked in the embrace of the savage, he could
not help himself unless he let go his hold upon the throat, and
then the cries of the Indian would bring his friends to the
rescue. They slid down, turned completely over once, and
fell with a dull sound upon the moss-covered knoll at the foot
of the tree, the Yankee uppermost. A fall from that distance
would have been likely to shock the savage some, but addto that

 

 

  

 

 

THE manna BLOCK. ‘1

1'
the avoirdupois of a man weighing as much as this Yankee,
and the damage is likely to be greater. All the remaining
breath of the Indian Went out like the flame of an expiring
lamp, and he lay senseless under the body of Spink, who was
somewhat confused by the full.

“ Dead, I guess,” he muttered. “Teach him to tree in my
place, the darned heathen. Ugh I"

Picking up the senseless body he threw it over a log out of
sight, and then, instead of returning to the tree, he crept cau-
tiously back toward the river. The Indians Were scattered
along the banks, and, just as he peeped out, a loud whoop
announced the discovery of the canoe.

“ That'li bring ’eni together." said he to himself. “ I guell
we‘d better put out for camp.”

He turned to go back, when, to his utter surprise, from every
direction the savages hounded out upon him and clung to him
like cats. At this moment the wonderful strength of the
athlete showed itself Stretching out his long arms, he dragged
the Indians who clung to him on either side from their hold,
and dashed them to the earth, and then, placing his back ton.
tree, he drew a knife and hatchet, and brainlng a Wyandot
who rushed upon him incautiously, sent his knife through the
shoulder of another, while he planted his right foot with des-
perate force in the stomach of a third, doubling him up and
sending him rolling to the earth with the life nearly kicked
out of his body. At the same time he gave utterance to a
terrific yell, which rung through the arches of the deep woods,
rivaling the shouts of his asSailants. With savage screams
the Indians rushed at him from three sides, but those long arms
and feet made deadly work among them, and though a. dozen
rushed at him together his desperate valor kept them all at bay.

There was a hearty shout and war-cry from the rear, and.
the Dead Chief and \Vill Floyd rushed in, scattering the nav-
ages right and left. They reached the side of the Yankee,
Who was fighting with desperate zeal.

“ Break for the canoe,” he whispered, as he struck" down
an Indian. “ It’s your only chance." _

Darling round the tree, and overthrowing the savage: who
barred their way, they reached the canoe, which still lay up-
on the shore. So sudden Was the action that the W

 

 

0 'ma neuron scour; on,

were stupefled, and the brave trio gained a rod or so in ad-
vance before their foes started in pursuit.
the canoe, the Dead Chief and the Yankee were already in
it, and Floyd was following, when he fell by a hatchet. hurled
at him by Willimaek. Seth would have turned back to aid
him, but the Dead Chief seized the paddle and pushed off
quickly, just as the Indians pounced upon the fallen man. A
more of them plunged into the water, each with a hatchet
or knife in his teeth, but the quick strokes of the paddle
soon left them far behind. A useless volley from those on
shore followed.

“ Poor lad,” said Yankee Seth.
under.”

“ The young soldier is very brave,” replied the chief. “ If
he is not dead, he will die like a tuan. And now, hear the
Words of the Dead Chief. Iswear by the grave of my father,
by the totem of my tribe, that I will not go back to the vil—
iage where my squaw and pappooses dwell, until the young
war-chief is saved or I have avenged him. It is spoken; the
“Dead Chief can not lie."

“ Good for yew, old man," said the Yankee. “ I’m with
yew threw thick an’ thin. Thar‘s my hand on it. Shake.”

The two woodmen clasped hands, while the canoe floated
at will in the midst of the dark stream.

“I’m afeard he’.’ gone

 

They lifted Floyd and dragged him up the bank into the
bushes, where Willimack and Elskwatawa stood. He had
been stunned at first by the stroke ofthe hatchet and was
still dizzy and faint when he faced the chiefs. Their dark
_lo«)ks convinced him that he had little to hope from them. The
death-wail was rising from the Indian hand as they lifted the
bodies of the fallen and laid thetn in a row along the bank.
Four were dead, including the neighbor of the Yankee in
the tree-top, and as many more desperately Wounded. In
such a melée as this, when a body of men assail a desperate
athlete like the dreaded Long Man, some must get hurt. The
dead upon the face of the Prophet grew darker as, one by
one, the dead were brought out, and Willimack uttered a
snarl like a tiger as a man who had been his best friend was
laid with the rest.

They had gained

    

  

 

-M‘._.... A- --. .

 

  

 

     
 

 

 

 

Ichief of a great nation.

 

TBI 303m m. V CB

' It. is finished then,” thought Floyd. “ They will, revenge
themselves upon me for the death of these men. I can only

' meet my fate like a man; but my poor father, my darling

Madge! Oh, it‘ the Skeleton Scout would but come now
and SCutlt'l‘ these fiendish knaves as he did at the‘stockadel
I \\'()Il(lt'l‘ it' Yankee Seth or the chief were injured? Even
if they are safe, what can they do against so many ?”

At this moment the panther-call of which Seth had spoken
came from the opposite bank of the stream. A faint hope
came into the heart of the prisoner. The call was given to
show that he was safe and would not desert him in the hour
of need. Willimack advanced and looked in the face of
Floyd with that vicious glance of triumph which small na-
tures feel in the power they may gain over an enemy. .

“Floyd,” said he, “the white man can not have all his
own way. To-night I was insulted in your Wigwam—I, a
I told you then that a chief never
forgot, and that the day of revenge would come; behold it is
here already I"

“ Do not trouble me by too much talking, Willimack. I
am in your power, it is true, but for all that you shall
not force me to cringe to you, or to ask mercy at your
hands.”

“ Waugh! Will you not beg for life from the Wyandot
and Shawnee?”

u N0.”

. “Listen. Was it you that cut the bonds which bound the
Dead Chief to the tree ‘3"

“ It was.”

“Good! That is another thing against you.
know that the Dead Chief was our prisoner?"

“ Yes. That is the reason I set him free,” replied Floyd,
in an uudaunted tone.

“ It is well. You speak like a great brave, and had you
lived would have been a great chief among the white men.
But, the white men must cease from oti‘ the face of the In-
dian country. We love it, too well to let the feet of bad men
press it, and tread upon the earth where our fathers’ bones
are laid. The English are friends to us, and will not take
our country; the Americans steel :11."

Did you

  

    

THE mum scour; OB,

“ Do what you mean to do, and at once. I can bear any
indignity you may heap upon me, as becomes a man."

Willimack stood aside, and the Prophet advanced. His
dark fare was working with passion, and he seemed to strug-
gle- to repress a desire to strike down the young Soldier where.
he stood. His fingers clutched the handle of a hatchet con:
vulsivcly, and now and then he half drew it frotn its sheath.

“ Let Elskwatawa speak, for he is the great Prophet of
the Shawnees. I see before me the dead of my tribe and
one warrior of the Wyandots. They had hoped to live to
fight many battles against the whites and again possess the
land of their fathers. The Manitou came to me in a dream
and told me that the time had come for the Indians to drive
out the white dogs and take their own again. Therefore you
see us in our war-paint to-day.”

lie paused and cast a wild glance about him which seemed .

to have a great effect upon the savages, and they uttered a
wall of agony.

“But see,” he cried. “ They lie in their blood upon their
own soil, and the man who killed them is in our hands."

A triumphant shout went up as he said this, and fierce
looks were directed at the young soldier, who returned them
by a glance of haughty defiance.

“ The Indians deal justly by all,” said the Prophet. “ No
man can die by their hands who is not worthy of death for
some great wrong done to the nations. Warriors and chiefs,
I have gone among the white men at Vincennes, and have
spoken to the war-chief Harrison. The tears have flowed
from my eyes when I spoke of the wrongs of my people;
yes, my tears have fallen like rain. He is a tuna of iron, and
I can not melt him. He cares not for us, but for his own
people.
Seated and Tecumseh stood up like a child about to be pun-
ished. At last they saw how great an insult this was to the
great chief. They offered him a chair; but the chief looked
at them with scorn when they Said, ‘ Your father offers you a
seat 1’ ‘ My father?’ he cried. ‘The sun is my father and
the earth is my mother. I will repose on her bosom.”

“ The chief will bear no more. The battle must. be fought

0AM

You stood by, \Villimttck, when all the chiefs were‘

  

l

 

 

I“

uwamog‘v—a-

  

 

 

 

  

rm: 303D“ BLOCK.

‘ and we will win again the lands of our fathers. We must

not fail. The mortification of failure shall never be ours, and
my great brother will not disgrace me by a mistake. I hear
the warriors shout as they gather. I henr them in the South
and East, in the North and West, with a sound like the sum-
mer leaves rising and rustling in the breeze. I hear their
tread upon the mountains, by the silent rivers and in the
breen valleys. It is well. Shall Tecumseh tremble and shall
Elsltwatawa fail? No! The mountains and plains the Great
Spirit gave us are around us, behind and before.

“I too have my warriors; and here, on the \Vabash, on
the Scioto, and on the broad waters of the North, my voice
shall be heard for war.”

He ceased for a moment, and cast a sad glance upon the
bodies on the ground.

“There be our brothers, who had thought to take a part
in this great battle to come. Their eyes are closed, their
voiCes are not heard, their lips are pale, their ears hear no
sound. What is this I see upon their faces? It is blood,the
blood of the white man’s shedding. And now,I think I hear
a voice, speaking from the dead lips, and it says, ‘ Avenge me
on my foes! My blood has been shed, and 1 can not cross
the dark river until I smell the blood of one of the uccursed
race.’ ”

His eyes again fell upon Floyd, and fire seemed to flash
from their depths. -

a “ Who is this I see before me? His hands are red with
blood. It is the blood of Negarish and Monndo, of Curtain
and Zemnn. My brothers, let us light a fire and burn thi:
white mun, and then the souls of my brothers shall find rest
and peace.” ~

A wild cry arose from the assembled band, and they began
to collect dried leaves and sticks from the surrounding Woods,
and pile them about the limbs of young Floyd after they had
tied him to a. tree. The pile rose until it reached nearly to
his shoulders, and he felt that his last hour hud Come. He
Was brave enough to meet his fate, but it was agony to him
to know that, when the flames had consumed his body, there
would be no one let! to protect his father, and Madge, whom
he had hoped to make his vi“ when the autumn lave: were

  

  

    

' ma. SKELETON scour; on,

yellowing in the sun.
Was gone, Willimack would go back and storm the stoclmde.
What then would be the fate of his father and that sweet girl

He began to suspect that “hen he

he could not think. Madge was brave, he knew, but, would
she have strength enough, when the hour of her great peril
Came, to save herself t'roni dishonor with her own hand ‘5"

“Stand back,” said Willimack. “ Let the voice of a chief
speak terror to the ears of his enemy betbre he dies. I am
Willimaek, chief of the VVyandot, and I am ashamed to he
at the death of a child. I see water in your eyes, and I
know you are weeping in your heart. You fear the pain
which will Come when the flames curl and the smoke rolls
slant you. Let the chief of the VVyandots speak. You
know that you rel’uSed me the shelter of your dwelling when
I came to it. The yellow-haired hunter struck me down and
bound me, but I saw that the Bright Eyes looked sadly upon
the disgracc of a chief. Good; the Bright Eyes shall make
the tire bright in the lodge of \Villimaek."

Bright Eyes was the Indian name giVen to Madge by those
who, from time to time, visited the cabin of the Floyds.

“ Oh, red hound l” shrieked Floyd. “ Oh, if I had dreamed
half the villainy you had in your black heart, I would have
killed you as you sat by my fire.”

“The heart of a chief is not open to the eyes of a dull
pale-face,” replied Willimack, seornfully. “ The Bright Eyes
is very beautiful. Her voice is like the song of the birds
when the summer sun is high. Floyd would have made a
11 st: for her that she should sing for him alone; but Willi-
maek laughs, for he knows that she can only sing in his
lodge.”

Floyd struggled manfully to break his bonds, glaring furl
ously at the savage who knelt at his feet, and, striking a flin
and steel, began to kindle the flame. It burned slowly, lo!
the leaves were damp. Again and again it smoldered and
went out, but the Indian persevered until a little jet of flame
leaped up. This he fed, leaf alter leaf, until he had a little
fire burning, apart from the pile, about the person of the
young soldier. He took savage. delight in prolonging the
scene, and the Indians, understanding his motive, yelled in
concert and danced wildly about the tree. '

 

 

 
   

_4!‘__..--A_.—mn__.‘—-——

      

\ /

   

m BORDER BLOCK.

 
  
 
 
   
   
 
   
   
    
  
   
  
  
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 

Willimack now took up a lighted brand, and with it touched
the person of the prisoner in various places, laughing in de-
moniac glee when he shrunk from the contact. Others took
the hint and followed the same amusement for some time,
the young man hearing it bravely. They at length lit the
pile, and the flames began to creep up about his person, and
a thick smoke arose. He was dimly able to see through the
smoke and flame, that the Indians were dancing and shouting
all around, when a new cry arose, and he saw the Indians
break and run in every direction, evidently in the greatest
{I dread. Then the figure of the being known as the Skeleton
Seout bounded into the open space. Seeing him closely, the
young man could conceive of nothing more horrible than the
ghastly head, blazing eyes, and tremendous hight of this strange
being. “ Oonah! Oonah 1” was the cry of the Indians as
they fled, and the next moment the brands were scattered
and the young man was free!

Stand here until you hear the loon-cry, and then make for
the river, where your friends are waiting. Remember the
Skeleton Scout 1”

 

CHAPTER VI.
A YANKEE nose.

Tm: strange apparition was gone, and the next moment
the loon-call sounded from the depths of the woods, mingled
with cries which seemed to burst from a hundred throats.
The young soldier bounded across the open space, and ran
at his best speed toward the place where he had left the boat.
Suddenly, without warning, two dark figures started up in
his path and seized him, and he thought himself again in the
hands of his enemies, when he heard. one of his captors say,
in a nasal tone not to be mistaken: “ This yew, eapting ‘5”
He had fallen into the hands of his friends!

“ All right, Seth,” he answered. “ Get back to the canoe
as quick us‘yon can. The Woods are alive with savages.”
The Dead Chief led the Way, and la a moment they were

      

 

    

m cannon scour; on,

agstn in the canoe, and pushed off from the shore.

The
moon had gone down, and a darkness like Egypt had fallen

on the river. The Dead Chief had taken the paddle, arid,
undet the strokes of his vigorous arm, the light craft was
shooting down the stream.

course Hell, and how much danger lay before them. Not a
Word was spoken, for they knew the virtue of silence. They

must. Lreak through the cordon of their enemies at any and
Holy hamrd. On they went, the shadows dark about them,
each grasping a weapon, and ready to defend himself to the
utmost if attacked. They knew that by far the greater por-
tion of the wild hand had gathered about the death-fire, and
yet they were certain that the Prophet was too able a warrior
to leave the path to Vineennes clear.

“Back her a miunit, chief,” whispered the Yankee.
want tew speak tew the young ’un here.”

By the skillt'ul use of his paddle the chief managed to keep
the canoe nearly stationary in the midst of the stream,
while Seth bent forward and whispered to his young com—
panion :

“ Yew got away ; heow did yew dew it ?"

“ By aid of the Ske.etou Scout,” replied Floyd, in the
same tone. “ Whatever he may be, he is at least a friend to
us.”

“ He never hunts nothing; but Injins, he don’t,” said the
Long Man. “Clever of hint tow help yew, anyheow. Was
they going to scorch yew I?"

“ The tire was lit already,, replied the young soldier.
“ Ugh! my throat is dry by even thinking of it.”

“ A close shave l" chuckled the Yankee. “ That Skeleton
Scout is a darned nice ghost, by gracious. How many In-
jins below, think 1’” I

“ Seventy or eighty danced around me at the stake.”

“ Pooty dancers ?”

“ Can’t say I appreciated their efforts.”

“ No? that’s queer! Let her goon,chief. The men we’ve
got tew tackle are waiting for us in the mash (marsh). Git
ynre weepons ready, ’cause we are ’most thar.”

Again the canoe glidei softly down the stream, until it
struck the marsh of which he spoke. It was a level bottom,

“I

D

A

The Pottawatomie knew his~

    

fl—mpflmflfif’.

 

 
  

  

on the soft bottom.

 

II

1where the soft soil had drifted down and been lefl, leaving
, scarcey room in places for a, canoe to cross without grounding

In this soil gigantic rushes had grown
up. as we see them in our creeks when duck-hunting. These
rushes rose above the water, to the hight of eight or ten feet,
and stood so thickly together that, unless a man was well
acquainted with them it would be impossible to force a canoe
through. Of Course there was a channel running through the
marsh, but it was more than likely that the patrol canoes of
the Indians occupied this water-course, and it Would not he
an easy task to get down, facing their Weapons. The Dead
Chief seized one of the rushes and held the canoe, and all
bent forward to listen. Not a. sound was heard except the
sighing‘ of the long blades as the wind rustled through them.
If the Indians were Watching, they knew enough to keep si-

lent, and, for all the environed men knew, their foes might be

lying within twenty feet of them.

The Dead Chief was acquainted with all the passes through
the marsh, and had not for a moment thought of forcing a
path through the reeds. The rustling they must of necessity
make would apprise the lurking Indians of their vicinity, and
put them on their guard. They were rather ready to trust to
their Woodcraft on shore, but they would have liked to find
the exact position of the canoes of their enemies, before strik-
ing for the shore. But, though listening carefully, they could
hear nothing of the red-skins, and determined to try the
land.

The head of the canoe was pushed into a little channel
which the Dead Chief knew ran close to the bank, at a good
place to land. This was accomplished without a rustle, and

‘ Floyd leaped with the chief to the shore, closely followed by

his Yankee friend. The canoe was left as of no further use
to them, and pushed into the rushes out of sight. This done,
the Dead Chief sat down on the bank, and drew his moccasins
from his feet, and made Floyd nndvrstand by the sense of
touch that he was to take off his boots, and put on these.
Will hesitated to make the Indian go burefooted through the
Woods, but the Dead Chief took his hand and pressed it upon
the sole of the bare fine. The moment his hand came in son-
that with the hard and balloon foot. he understood that—me:

 

  

 
 

    

was exan seem; on,

Indian had a protection there which made a moccasin rather
an object of ornament than use. He offered no further ob.
jection, but drawing ofl‘ his boots, he left them on the
bank, and put on the moccasins. He understood that the In-
dian thought the boot a poor thing for a scout to wear. The
moment he was ready, the chief again took the lead, bending
his body low, and keeping one hand on the ground, carefully
removing every obstruction from the path which the less ex-
perienced soldier might step on.

It‘lnyd followed, imitating his attitude, and betraying at once
a keen Sense of woodcrafl, and the attributes of a scout. Not
a. stick cracked, not a twig bent. The Yankee who followed
him was surprised at the celerity of his motions, and the quiet
way in which he performed his part. Their course led directly
away from the river, for they knew that they must make‘a
wide circuit to get away from the Indians, who had doubtless
lined the shore with scouts. It was only the extreme dark-
ness of the night, since the moon had gone down, which had
allowed them to pass the scntries unperceived. Seth had no
doubt that, favored by the darkness, they already had passed
one of the guard canoes, but there were two more. One was
probably in the center of the marsh around which they were
now describing a circle, and the other further down, though
where it was, they could not say. Once out of reach of the
river by half a mile, the Yankee gave a signal to the chief to
wait, and they sat down together in the darkness.

“By jinks,” he chuckled. “Had a right nice time of it so
fur. I ain't enjoyed myself so mighty well this year. The
pizon critters didn’t sort 0’ kulkilate on finding us so foxy, did
they? I hey all I ken dew tew keep from lafling rite eont
when I think heow I walked intew them cussed thieves arter
I tumbled coat of the tree with that ornery critter that would
law that pcrtickler tree.”

“I should think you would be afraid to talk so loud while
we remain in danger," said Will Floyd.

“ Ain’t no danger here. Lord love yew !” replied the Volatile
scout. “It’s glorious “'Ol‘k‘ fighting these cussid thieves!
Now, look here; thar‘s lots of good Injins in this created
mirth. but thar’s a pizou heap of bad ’uns. There's my
mend, Dead Chief, now ; he‘s what I call a good Injin. And

 

 

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" m'aoaom’m ' Gil.

If you raally want a mighty bad specimen, yew jest take up
Willimaek or the Profit.”

“ That. scoundrel Willimack threatened our family while I
was tied to the stake. Do not let us dally a moment, my
friend. Think of them I have left in danger—my old father
and my, darling Madge. He insulted her, most of all, for he
designed for her a tate worse than death—a place in his
lodge.”

“ I-Ie duzi Now look at me, yew. I’ll never stop hunting
that pesky critter until I’ve got his skulp or he’s got mine.
Take that pooty gal into his lodge, will he? Wants her for
a squaw, duz he? Yew jest wait! He won’t live to see it,
bet yure life he won’t! I’m so cussid mad I could hop rite
over that tree-top. Oh, holy fly ! Hold me, somebody, or I‘ll
go charging back rite intew them Injins, and cut and slash
and back and how. Oh, bu’st me all to picCes! Take my
hat and stamp on it, somebody, I’m so darned mad. Lite-
ning strike me intew a blind nigger of I ain‘t growed nigh a
fool sense yew told me that. Come, let’s git along. Er old
man Harrison don‘t rair rite up on his hind feet when I tell
him this, then thar ain’t no huflier on the prahary; not a
darned buflier.”

The party kept out from the river for a quarter of an hour,
and then inclined again toward the stream. The Dead Chief
still kept the lead, but all at once he stopped and dropped to
the earth as suddenly as i! he had recieved a ball in his bosomf
The others followed his exampel and listened, and understood
what it was which caused this hasty movement. It was the
sound of human voices, just below them. The bank at this
point was rather high, and crawling on their hands and knees,
to the edge of the blutf they looked down. The Indians who
held this last guard‘boat evidently were not trained Warriors,
for they had built a fire and were cooking some meat. To be
sure, their tire was built in a sheltered nook and could not
be seen from the river, but would have called down upon
their heads the wrath of the Prophet, if he had known of it.

There they sat, six stalwart young warriors, grouped in
various attitudes of ease and comfort about the tire, gnawing
the flesh from the bones of a young buck which one of their
number had brought down by a well-directed arrow. The

 

 

    

up _' m matron, scour; on,
flame lighted up their bronzed figures and dark faces, and
danced upon their waving plumes and headed belts and moc-
casins. They were chatting in low tones over their feast, it
being evident that they did not think it possible that the two
Whites—for they knew nothing of the Dead Chief—Could
escape from the hands of their companions above. But they
had not reckoned upon the fertility of resource possessed by
the Yankee scout. Long Seth touched his companions light-
ly, and they drew back cautiously at least a hundred yards
from the dangerous vicinity, where they could converse with
ease and not he heard by the Indians below.

“ Ain’t got much time tow talk ’bout it,” said the Yankee.
“ What do yew say ? Thar’s six Injins, red with white blood.
Shall we give ’em goss or not? If we lick ’em—I’d ingage
tew lick the hull bilin’ myself—we kin git the canoe tew ride
tew Vincennes, and I’d ruther ride than walk, any time.”

" I’m for thinning this band as much as we can,” said Floyd.
“ There will not be so many to attack my father’s Stockade.”

“ Dead Chief is ready,” said the Pottawatomie, in his short
way.

“ Good enufl‘l” replied Seth. “ Waal, I‘ll creep down the
bank below ’em and come up on the back. You tu'o creep up
in front, and jest ez soon as I give my loon-call, yew pick eont
tWo of 'em and knock ’em over. Pick coat the biggest, they
ginerally fight the best. I‘ll give a good scoount of number
three, and then charge ’em like smoke. Th‘em’s the sentiments
I express upon this momentous occasion. Now for it.”

They separated, the chief and Floyd creeping cautiously
to the front and making their weapons ready tbr a shot, and
the Yankee moving away rapidly but silently'to the left. Af-
ter allowing five minutes to pass, they heard the icon-call on
the river.

Lifting their rifles, each sighted a man and pulled trigger.
Down went two of the savages, one shot through the brain
and the other through the breast, and with a hearty hordcr
about they grasped their smaller weapons and darted down
the bank just as the weapon of Long Seth spoke and a
third Indian uttered his death-cry. At the same time the
Yankee appeared, and the three closed in upon their enemies,
who, like rats in. trap, turned and fought like men.

 

  

 

 

 

 

t

 sown 31.00:. W

Singling out an adversary, the determined whites rushed
on. Dashing down the weak defense of his adversary, Seth
struck him with his fist a blow which seemed to shatter his
jaws, for the bones absolutely rattled as he went down.

“ Take that, you red devil,” he hissed, turning to seek a
new foe. But, the struggle was already at an end. The
. Dead Chief had hurled his hatchet at his antagonist with
the skill which only long practice in the use of that Weapon
can give, and he rolled to the earth, the bright bowl of the
keen ax only showing through his skull. \Vill Floyd, at
the expense of a slight flesh-wound in the arm, had buried
his dagger in the breast of his own antagonist, and the strug-
gle was OVer. U

Seth knew that no time was to be lost, and darted for the
canoe, though for what purpose the chief remained behind.
the young soldier could guess. When he joined them in the
canoe he touched the soldier on the arm and ofl‘ered him two
bloody scalps.

“ No, no," said Floyd, pushing back his hand. “I can
not take them."

“ Two for you, Long Man," said the chief, offering the others
to the Yankee.

“I didn’t hev time te‘w wait for 'em,” replied Seth, coolly,
taking the bloody trophies and thrusting them into his belt.
“ Thank yew all the same, chief. I reckon yew ain't used
tew this sort of thing, cap. ?"

“ I confess T \m not.”

“ Yew’ll gi' over that. Climb intew the canoe and git
hold of a. paddle. I reckon we’ll hev a hard time of it yit.
I hear them du vils up above coming down the rushes; hark!
Du yew near that ‘8” .

They listened and Could hear the dip of paddles upon the
rit’er below. They had been mistaken in the anber of
their enemies after all, it seemed, and they had yet another
patrol canoe below the rushes!

“ Load up yurc rifles, boys, and yew give the pistils fod-
ger if they ain’t full already, Will. This old thief, the Pro-

t, meant business when he pitched on us. If we git threw
it won't be for lack of head-Work.”

For some moments nothing was heard but the sound of

 

    

a» .i. I"

M ' a m summon scour; on,

preparation, as they loaded their weapons Then the canoe,
which was a large one, shot out into the stream, and Spink,
who sat in the stern, caught up a heavy stone which lay on
the bank and laid it in the bottom of the canoe, close to his
feet. “Yew needn’t mind the paddle jist yit, Will. Let the
chief keep her stiddy, and put her rite on tow the other canoe,
old manl I’ll fix these heathen, yit.”

The canoe was now only a few rods in advance, coming
up under the full sweep of the paddles in the hands of half
a dozen strong men. The morning was coming fast, but it
was still too dark to distinguish faces.

“ Put her straight for ’em,” said Seth. “I’ll show ’em a
trick."

As the two canoes neared each other, the Dead Chief
shouted to the coming savages in the Indian tongue:

“ Who comes P”

“ Brothers,” replied the voice of the warrior in command.
“ Have the white dogs been taken?"

“ Who can escape the snares of the Prophet l’" replied the
Dead Chief.

“ Are they dead ?” demanded the warrior.

“ Why should we kill them?” replied the Dead Chief.
“ Come back and we will See them burn by the same fire.”

The canoes were now side by side, and the Indians were
trying to peer through the gloom of the morning to make
out the figures in the other craft, when Seth rose suddenly,
and, uttering a wild cry, dashed the huge stone through their
canoe’s bottom, tearing a great hole, through which the water
rushed in a torrent, and in a moment the Indians were flouno
dering in the water, while the other canoe, impelled by the
strong arms of Floyd and Dead Chief, passed on down the
iver. In spite of 'the toils which the Prophet had set about
them, his prey had escaped.

 

      

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:chosen by Harrison, as Governor of that territory.

 

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«,/

C H A P T E R VI
ma AMBUSCADE.

VINCENNES, on the Wabash, was the seat of government
Here he.
was gradually collecting his forces for the coming struggle
which he was assured must come, with the Indians under the
control of Tecumseh and the Prophet. In the mean time his
spies were everywhere gathering such information as they
could of the position and designs of the enemy. In choosin

'these men, Harrison showed great knowledge of the Indian

character, and for this reason his most trusted scouts were
from that class of hordertnen who, trained in border warfare,
had also suffered loss at their hands. These he sent into the
Indian Country upon all sorts of pretenSes, to Collect informa-
tion for future use.

Thus he learned who were lukewarm in the British cause,

' and therefore might be won over to the Americans.

Thus, when the struggle commenccd, he knew upon whom
to depend, and what he had against him. The Governor was
at his own private residence when informed that the Pottawa-
tomie, Dead Chief, and his companions, Captain Floyd and
Long Seth Spiuk, desired to speak with him. He at once
ordered them to his presence. Floyd was admitted first, and
found the Governor seated at a small table, covered with paper's
and maps. ~

“ Ah, captain,” he said, “I am pleased to see you, although
your leave of absence has not yet expired. I don’t see what
brought you here ahead of your time. You surely can not
have had a quarrel with Miss Madge ?”

“ No, your excellency. Far from that, but the family are
in great danger.”

“Hal In what way '8"

“ The Indians are on the war-path. ’

Harrison started up eagerly. “ By heaven, I thought 80
Who are their leaders ?” '

“ The Prophet and Willimaek are with the party we most”

  
   

  

 

    

m micron. scour; on,

5‘

“ Give an account of the affair in few words.”
Floyd commenced with his meeting with the Yankee in‘
tire morning, and the attempt of Willimack to enter the stock-
sde, and told the story up to their entrance into the town.

“ Then there is not a moment to be lost. Take out your
company of the rangers and as many more as you need, and
march up the river to the stockade. How far do you call it ?"
“ About twenty miles.”

“Very good. Get your men under arms. Take the Dead

Chief with you as a guide, and I will let this man Spink go
,

also. You may send him to me at once.”

“ The Dead Chief?"

“ Seth_ Spink.”

“ Oh; do you know him, then?”

“I have heard of him,” replied Harrison, with a slight
smile. “This action on the part of Willimack is premature,
it is evident, and I am certain that the Prophet is not pleased
with it, nor do I think Tecumseh knows any thing about it.
Send Spink to me.”

Floyd went out into the next room, but the Governor fol-
lowed him to the door, and, speaking with marked kindness
to the Dead Chief, told him to go with the captain as guide.
Then beckoning to the scout, he again entered the room. The
Yankee followed him, closing the door after him. They rev
maimed closeted in the room for more than an hour, when the
scout came out with a hurried step, and went down to the
river-side,where the company of Will Floyd, consisting of
nearly a hundred men, were under arms.

“ Ha, Spink, my good fellow, hurry up," shouted the cap-
tain. “ Death, man, do you not see that I am impatient?”

“No use to hurry now, cap,” replied Seth. “My father
died in a hurry. Ef he’d taken time tew think about it he
needn’t hev died at all. But, he got it intew his head he
couldn't live, and so he went off without thinking. He won't
dew that ag'in."

“ Is this a time for jesting, sir ?" said the captain, angrily.
“ Take your place. Fall in, men. By fours; trot !”

They set off at a rapid pace, and rode along the river-side
beneath thebending branches, heavy with the morninz dGW.
The birds mug in‘ the laden branches, as if a thought of blood

   

 
   
 

 

  

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‘But, the heart of young Floyd was heavy, for he feared that
Willimack Would make good his threat of the night before,
and attack the stockade before his return. The men shared
his fears, and a shade of doubt once or twice crossed the face
of the Yankee, but he kept up a good heart, singing snatches
of old songs now and then in a quaint way, which caused a
smile among the ranks. But, before they had gone five miles
Lhis mood changed, and he began to glanCe quickly from side
to side as if expecting an enemy. On they went through the

  

-oak openings until the woods began to thicken, when the

Yankee bent in' his saddle, and whispered in the ear of the

,captain.

5 “ No, no,” said Floyd, testily. “ They have retreated, I tell

.you. They will not risk an encounter now.”

“ But I think I’m right, fer all that, cap.”

E “It is impossible. You do not know my rangers, or you

Would not think the Indians capable of resisting our march.”
“I don’t believe that the Prophet would fire a gun at. a

‘white man, dew yew ?” said the Yankee, with a quizzical look.

2“ Cum mi'ly nigh scorching ynre legs last night, though.”

’ “ He is capable of any small villainy like that," replied the

,captain. “ But, he certainly is too able a warrior to commence

before his plans are ripe.”

"‘ It's forced upon him, cap. He knows that we’ve got

>clear, and that both yew and the Dead Chief are aware of his

lbostility, so he can‘t wait. You’d better ride a lcetle grain

lmere keert‘ul.”

“ N onsense.”

“ I ain’t used tew being talked tew that way, cap. I’m a

‘strange critter, yew know. I dunno heow it is, but I’ve got

'a sort of sneaking notion I know soniething’bout Injin fi’tln’.

Come; order the men tew pull in, and don't make quite so

‘much noise in the ranks.”

“ You take a great deal upon yourself, friend Spink,” said

I Floyd, with a light laugh. “Perhaps you had better lead the,

' company yourself, as you seem inclined to take commanc ."

“ See what it is tew be young,” muttered the Yankee, with
’ an appearance of great vexation. “ Yew‘ll force me tew dew
“bathing I 'don’t want tew, up Nominal here; yew ain’t

 

57:

,r battle never could or would disturb their grand old wands;

       
     
  
 

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m mmox scour; on,

geing tew ride intew yonder narrow path, are yew, withoa
sending out. scouts?” ’

“ What would you have me do, sir?
as I do that it makes the road three miles longer to keep in'
the oak openings."

“ S‘pose it duz?
looking boys, dew yew?
go threw them woods.”

“I will ride directly forward without turning out of my 7

course for a mere scarecrow cry from you.”

A dark frown crossed the face of the Yankee, and he pulled
hard on his bridle and left the ranks.

“ Go on then, if yew will.
to fur.”

With an angry exclamation Floyd put spurs to his horse,
and calling to his men to follow, dashed into the woods.
Scarcely had he done so when there was a rattling volley of
musketry, and several saddles Were emptied, while high and
wild above the rattle of the small-arms, rose the gathering
cry of the forest banditti. Dark forms glided from hush to
bush, and the young captain saw his error.
thick woods they must have been lost, but for his prompt ac-
tion. Snatching a bugle from the hand of a musician, he
sounded the call to fall back, and, taking their wounded com-
rades—for the rangers would not. leave them—they hastily
retreated, and sheltered themselve behind the bushes in front
of the woods and looked after their wounded comrades Some
of the savages showed themselves for a moment, but a Volley
from the rifles of the rangers quickly drove them back, and
they waited for a new advance on the part of the horsemen.

. Floyd cast a sidelong glance for the Yankee, but he Was 
In the tnelée he had taken his horse and slipped away, .

gene.
no one knew whither. Angry with himself for his error, Flo) d
sent the wounded men back to the village and buried the
single dead man in the path, riding over it with the rangers
several times SO that the Indians could not find and mutilate
the body. This done hetook a wide detour, leaving the Woods
on his right, and set off at the best rate of speed for his home.
Three miles on the way they, met the Yankee coming back
with a look of' sorrow on his face.

You know as well ,

Yew don‘t want to lose half these nice- ‘
Come; take good advice, and don‘t. .

Bet‘yew forty dollars yew don’t '
?

 
    
  

V'va

,—-.

Entangled in the . .

m4:

1'

 

 

    

m noun-n awe: ‘ a  

ho" f “ I couldn’t wait tew see it, cap.," he said. “ How many

we!" :' of the boys went under?" .’ .

) in. ' “ One,” replied the captain, sorrowfully. “ You were right,
Seth. I ought to have kept out of that trap. I know it now,

Iice_ . but, that will not alone for my folly. But, think what I feel

0m, now when I tell you that it would be a kindness in you to
shoot me through the head.”

my V “ No," replied Seth, slowly. “ I don’t think that would pay
us, principally because we kain’t afford tew lose yew, and

“ed ycw’ll take advice next time. I‘ve been out scouting a little

i in advance. Ride a little to the front and I’ll tell yew what.
mm I’ve found cont.”

5 They quieltened their pace, and the Yankee bent, in his saddle
me and said lira low voice: “ Willimack hez been over the road
’ds’ E Since last night.” I I
of' i Floyd started Violently, and his face grew pale. “ How do
“I i you know that?” lieeried.

"g ,1 “ I kan read Injin Sign,” answered the Yankee, calmly.

to ~ “Thar’s another thing. Ibeheve the critter they call the

Skeleton Scout is arter Willimack.”

he . u  ?n ‘

L: 3 “ ’Cause I’ve seen his sign. Ef he’s a ghost, then he's a

m. mighty heavy one. Why, he‘s got a. foot bigger’n mine, ef I

I I kin judgehy his trail. Now mind, I don‘t say he's a human :

'n); sartin he don't act like one; but yew bet all yew’r Worth be

me don’t like Willimack, or heow in natur’ would he chase him

7‘ I up the way he did last. night."

"i “ But my father; my dearest Madge l” moaned the unhappy

“I t young man. “ Oh, why did I ever leave you '3” ~

”' , “ ’Twuuld only hev been tew more Sculps el‘ we had been

'_8 thar," replied the Yankee. “ Now, I’ll tell yew what I think.

‘1' I Willimack turned hack with his owa warriors arter the Skile-

( ton Scout set you free, and put out for the Stockade.”

 2 “I am afraid you are right. Let us press on as quickly as

f x we can." -

L ‘ “No use of that. If he did turn back, and I’m pesky

3 ’ ’t‘raid he did, all we kan do won‘t bring us thar in time. I’m/ ’

L E afeard the old man didn’t half understand his danger, nuther,
” and was .keerless arter we went away. Here, order yure /

 

-men to close up. Them Iujim are behind us now,bntl ,

 

x

as m museum; on,

reckin they won’t leave a stick or stone standing along the
Wabash, now that their blood is up."

The rangers closcd up. They quiekencd their pace, and,

late in the afternoon, began to near the clearing in which the
aettlerlhad built his house and stockade. As they entered
the clearing. a Mary smoke was seen to rise toward the sum-
mer sky, and, uttering a cry of agony, the young soldier
spurred quickly forward, to see what he had most feared and
yet had hardly dared to hope had not haI‘)pene(l——his father’s
house in ruins, and still smoking, though the flames had
nearly gone out! It was a terrible scene of desolation, but
one all too common in the history of these Indian wars.

The rangers surrounded the blackened walls. In some
places the fire had lost its power over the walls from their
green state, and they still stood, though blackened and half
consumed. The house itself had fallen, and the charred raf-
ters lay among the smoldering embers of that once happy
home. The desolation did not stop here, for there, in the
opening between the Stockade and the house, lay the bodies
of the two soldiers, who had been killed and sealped and
horribly mutilated.

“ Poor Lefebre l unhappy Forbes l” Sultl the young soldier.
“ Yours was indeed a sad, sad fate. God in his mercy take
you in his keeping! But, where is my father?"

They searched here and there, and, at length, half hidden
by a heavy beam which had fallen upon their lifeless bodies,
they found the murdered forms of the three negroes, like
the soldiers, scalped and gory. All the indignities which
savage ferocity eould invent had been heaped upon the wretched
men who had here met their fate. Floyd was ghastly pale,
and reeled in his walk like a drunken man as the five bodies
were drawn out into the open space and laid down, side by
side. One of the soldiers dismounted, and,taking his blanket
from his saddle, and begging another from a comrade, covered
the lifeless forms from the public gaze. The Yankee, whose
face seemed twitching coiivulsively, looked fiercely about him
as each new exhibition of savage spite showed itself.

“ Why don’t you help me, Seth ?” said Floyd, feebly.

“Idon‘t know. I‘m eartin of one thing, and that is that
Hill Mndge would kill herself if Uh. could to keep herwa

 

 

    

 
 

 

 

 

 

    

1.1 .

 

um sown max. 61"
out of the hands of them pizen critters. It's awful, awful!
Move round, boys, and look (er the capt’in’s father. Be alive,
men, and don't look so scared. I don’t blame yew, poor
lads, when tew of yure Comrades are gone. And then, them
black boys and the old lady. Here, take hold of these rat"-
ters and throw ’em ofl‘. Mebbe the old gentleman is under;
Death."

They tossed aside the still smoldering rafters and yet
found nothing. The floor was only partly burned. The
Yankee threw off a trap-door which had led into the cellar,
and looked down. He mnld see nothing as yet, for a mass
of dense smoke was rolling slowly upward from the cellar
and he stOod aside until this passed off, and then descended.

" Hurry l" he cried, at length. “I’ve got somebody. Two
of you boys come down.”

Down tWo of the rangers leaped, and in a few moments’
time reappeared, bearing a body to the surface. It was found
to be that of an Indian, who evidently had been killed by a
pistol bullet. The rangers kicked the senseless form to one
side just as the face of Seth appeared at the opening.

“ \Vho is it?" he asked.

“ It's a cussed Injin,” answered one of the rangers.

“ Darn him,” roared Seth. “ Raise his ha‘r, some of yew,
while I go down ag’in. I’m sartin I’ll find somebody down
here.”

He disappeared again. By this time the smoke had passed
out and he could m plainly. Upon the cellar floor was a
track of blood, which led into the large drain in the corner.
Following this trace, the Yankee stooped and saw that the
feet of a man were just within the drain. He seized upon
the feet and drew him out, and showed the bloody form of
Mr. Floyd, senseless from a hatchet wound in the head, but
breathing heavily, like one in a trance.

 

 

 

THE SKELETON SCOUT; OB,

 

C H A P T E R V I I I
TECUMSEH.

THE body of the wounded man was carefully borne to the
surface, and the young soldier, with a cry like a wolf seizing
his young, lifted the beloved form in his arms, carried it out
of the stockade and laid it upon the grass outside. The old
man breathed heavily, and Floyd looked up with hope im-
printed on every line of his young face. But, the Yankee
was downeast in expression, and stood leaning against the
wall of the stockade, at times striking his hand nervously
against it.

“Bring water, boys,” cried Floyd, anxiously. “ Water,
water.”

Two of the men hurried 'down to the spring with their
canteens and brought them up full. The captain took one
of these and washed the ghastly wound upon the skull and
showed that it was fractured.

“Oh, heaven,” cried the son. “ My father, my dear father.
Was it for this that I left you last night, to find you here,
murdered by the hand of brutal savages? But he lives; you
can See that, Seth. A little care might save him.”

“ Oh, he‘ll live fast enough, said Seth, gloomily. “ It isn’t.
that. I’ve seen that kind of a hurt afore and they ain’t no
good. Let me see what I can do, and while I am doing it,
yew go and look arter the gal.”

Floyd started up eagerly and hurried away, while the
Yokee kneeled at, the side of the Wounded man, and looked
at the wound, shaking his head. “ "l‘will be a pity for him
it‘lte does live, poor man," he muttered. “ In course he’ll
be crazy while the bone presses down into the brain that
way. Poor old than; I‘d do any thing to save him, but 1
durcn’t touch that wound. It looks a little tew bad fur ute .
to handle. Thar; he‘s coming I‘OUDL .”

As he spoke, the eyes of the old man opened slowly and
he stared vaguely about him like one in a dream Seth

 

 

 

 

5::‘fl

.n s...

   
 

"1:

 

i

.,\

tapped his forehead significantly and pointed at him, and the
men understood. “ Cracked,” muttered the scout. “I know’d
how it would be. Thar, old man. How dew yew feel ?”

“ \Vhy don’t you stop that horrible noise there ?” demanded
Floyd, angrily. “ I won't have it in my house, you know.
Silence, and listen to my orders at once."

“ That’s right, captaing. If any of them refuse to obey,
you’d better order him forty lashes.”

“ What does he grin at me for ‘2” cried the Wounded man,
starting to his feet. “ What does he mean by it? Does he
know that I am master here ‘3”

“ Of course he does,” replied the Yankee, quietly.
won‘t be quiet unless he gets forty lashes, l’m afraid.”

“I don't know what’s the matter with my head,” said the
old man, gravely, putting his hand up. “ Didn’t I fall some.
where ?” '

“ Oh, yes,” replied Seth.
you remember ‘3”

“ I believe you are right,” said the captain, looking fixedly
It the blood upon his hand. “ Look at this now; my hand
is exactly the color of a fellow I had some trouble with this

u Ho

“ You fell into the cellar.

morning, and I was forced to shoot him. I didn’t like to do'

it, but I had to. Then I fell down and hurt my head, and
it feels rather light.”

“ Yes, that fellow Won't trouble you any more.
your son coming.
light or it will make him feel badly.”

Here is

“ He looks like a boy of mine,” replied the demented man,'

looking at his son, who was approaching rapidly, overjoyed
at seeing his father on his feet, although he had found no
trace of his aflianccd. He ran to his father and took his
hand eagerly.

“ My dear father, you can not tell how overjoyed I am to

find you so little injuret .”
“There, there,” cried his father, pushing him back with
his left hand. “I think you are getting too familiar.”
“ Father I"
“ I allow no liberties taken with me, young man.
a red fellow this morning for this. By the way, do you know

‘ that I would like to get very drunk today in honor of the

Weizmann, am y 8.

Don’t

Don‘t let him know that yure head is-

I killed

I

I! m smmu scent, on,

Conjunction of the planets in their separate orbits? Venus
is a particular friend of mine. I met her at a ball. No-—
where did I meet her? Where did you get that hat?” ‘

‘ “ Seth, what does this mean? I do not understand this.
Why does he act so strangely ?” -

“ That is the funniest hat, as I‘m alive,” said the old man,
laughing. “ ’Why will you wear such an absurd thing, young
‘ man? I wish you would take pattern by me.”

“ Father, where is Madge ‘3”

“Madge? Who is Madge? Oh yes, I know. A little
rosy-cheeked creature that used to live here, on sufferance,
mind you! Well, a red fellow came along yesterday—was
it yesterday ?——-1 don’t remember exactly—and I gave her to
him. She was no manner of use to me, so I thought I might
as well part with her, as the red fellow really seemed to want.
her.”

A look of agony came into the face of the young man.
“This is horrible. IIe demented and can give us no infor-
mation in regard to my dear Madge. What shall we do ‘8"

" He must be sent down the river at once, for a doctor is
what he wants. But, I don’t see how it can be done. The
woods are full of Indians.” _

“ Let the Dead Chief speak,” said the Pottawatomie, advanc-
ing. “ Let me take him to my lodge, and the young war-chief
can bring the medicineman to my lodge. The Gray Hair
would not live to go to Vincennes.”

“I believe the chief. is right,” said Floyd. “ Oh, my poor
father, how it grievesane that you should be reduced to this
piteoua state."

“ I would like to know what all this talk is about,” said
the old man. “I don’t understand you at all. What does
this man want?” .

“ Come and dwell in the Wigwam of the Dead Chief,” said
the Pottawatomie.

“ I really feel obliged to you, but I have so much business.”

“ You may make a good trade if you go there,” said Floyd,
though it made his heart ache to aid in deceiving his father.
“ We think you ought not to have given Madge to that red fol-
low yon speak of. Which way did he take her r"

V v“ How would I know? I fell into the cellar betbre she

 

answers,

 

‘ went away, and hurt my head.

. en 39mm 'noox.’ I! .
Well, if he cheated me, then
the bargain is oil‘. I’ll go with this other red fellow and see
about it.”

They found a canoe at the landing, put him in it, and, with
the chief and two of the dragoons for a guard, he set 03' up
the flaw, while his son, atfectcd almost to tears by his melan-
choly state, stood upon the bunk watching him until he dis-
appeared around a bend in the river. Ashe turned away
they heard an ominous sound among the men, and the click
of pistol-locks, as an Indian came out of the woods and ad-
vanced into their midst. A man of large size, with a lofty
and commanding appearance, richly dressed for an Indian,
and wearing a wampum-belt which denoted a chief of great
rank. Half a dozen pistols were leVeled, knives Were_half
drawn from their sheaths, and the threatening murmur was
deepening, when Yankee Seth threw himself between the wea-
pons and the chief.

“ What yew going tew dew ?
sachem ? It is Tecumseh !”

“ TECUMSEH !”

The leveled weapons were dropped in an instant, and
every one looked at the commanding figure of the chief, as
he gazed in evident surprise at their hostile attitude.

“ What is this ‘1'” he cried. “ Do they level their weapons
against the heart of So great a chief as Tecumseh when he
comes to them with open hands ?” I

A louder murmur rose as the rangers pressed in upon him.
“ He is the chief.” “No, no, do not harm Tecumseh.” “ He
knows all about this vilainy, and at least can punish the red
devils who did it."

In the midst of all the chief stood firm, his eyes fixed upon
the swaying mass of the rangers, flashing angrily at their at. 1
titudc toward him. Once or twice his hand strayed to the hilt
of a weapon, and he half drew it from its sheath, but the
Yankee threw forward his rifle.

“ Neow, see here, men. I'm a plain sort of teller, and i
talk plain tew. Look eout what yew dew, fur, as sure a!
yew take a step tew hurt the chief, yew git me in yure 1111'“
He cum among us in good faith, and by vum he shall go away
“re.”

Don’t yew know the great

“ m swarms scour; on,

“ Down with your guns, men! What one among you, has
suffered greater wrong at the lmnds of the Indians than I
have? The chief is innocent of all this bloodshed, I fully be-
lieve. Tecumseh,you have come among us in a bad time. Do
you see yonder smoking ruins, and can you tell whose hands
did the fatal deed? I warn you that I am not in a good
temper to-day, but for all that I would not see wrong done

gyon."

“ The heart of Tecumseh is very sad,” said the chief. lay-
ing his hand upon his broad breast, “ for he sees the desolaa
tion about the home of his brother. Who has done this?"

“The men of Elskwatawa, led by Willimack the VVyan-
dot,” replied the young soldier. “ Stand fast, men. Chief,
Come with me.”

He led Tecumseh to the place where the bodies lay beneath
the blankets, and throwing back the cloth from them, showed
the gushed and gory faces of the dead. Tecumseh started
back in evident surprise, not unmixed with anger.

“ Listen, Floyd. Tecnmthe* is above a lie. If by my hand
these men were slain, or by my orders, I would not lie to save
my life. If my brother‘s hand has done this deed, he is to
blame, and is not the power among the tribes I thought him.
Where is the Gray Hair ?”

“ He was stricken down by the blow of a hatchet, and has
lost his minc .” ’

“ The Gray Hair never did any thing but good to the In-
dians. Why should they do him Wrong? Where is Bright
Eyes, the light of the Wabash ?”

“She has been taken prisoner by the chief, Willimack,” re-
plied Floyd.

“ Willimuck is no friend of Tecnmthe, although the Prophet
loves him. You saw him, in the council-house at Vincennes,
point his pistol at the breast of Tecumthé. He is a dog, and
one day I will have him hung up in the center of the Shaw-
nee village, because he is a traitor both to red and while men.
Where has the Gray Hair gone ?"

“ The Dead Chief has taken him to his lodge.

‘tum Soon.”

A dark cloud passed over the face of the sachem as he

s _ ‘ The name of the chief was so pronounced by the Indians.

He will re-

 

   
  

TEE 303.023 31:001.
i " rd the name of the great chief of the Pottawatomles. He
" ated him because he had denounced him to Harrison, and
tiered to do it in the face of the whole tribe.

“ The Dead Chief is no friend to the white men,” he

id.

“ You are wrong, Tecumseh. The chief is our firm friend,
and says that because he is, you have ordered him to be
slain.”

Tecumseh did not deny this, but a look of terrible anger
i’passed over his face, and his hand closed upon the hilt of his
knife.

“ We shall see whether the Dead Chief can make Tecumthe
{a dog,” he said, savagely. “ Then, listen: here above these
tYrdead men, I SWear by the bones of my fathers that I had no
:,part in their death, and that these are dogs who have slain
Alien). Tecumthe has spoken.” '

‘ “I believe yew, chief,” said the Yankee, who had come up
unobserved. “ Yew are innercent, as fur as these murdersare
. consarned. I believe my soul you mean fight, but yew’ll fight
i fa’r, not murder wimmin and ehildern."

Tecumseh looked furtively at the Yankee, evidently study-
: ing him closely.

“ You came between the pistols and Tecumthe,” he said.
, “ Why did you do it 1’”

“ Oh, I like fair play, yew know i
C that goes.”

“ Teeumthe thanks you, and perhaps some day it may be
in his power to give you aid. in that day, ask any thing in
honor of Tecumthe and he will grant it.”

He turned about and gave a loud, startling signal-whoop.
Scarcer had he done so when there started out of the thicket
a diminutive figure, that of a dwarf, who was the messenger
l of Tecumseh, a being scarcely three feet high, who stood look-
ing up into the face of his revered leader.

" If you would send any word to Harrison, the Weasel WiL
carry it,” said Tecumseh.

I alwnys did, as fur as

"_

 

“ Will it go safe ?” Said Floyd.

“ The honor of a chief is sacred. It shall go to Harrison,

3 “you trust me.”

 

“ It shall be done. Order the men to dismount and picket

 

as m ammo}: scour; on,

their horses. The chief will remain with us until his return
with the answer.”

“ It is Well,” said Tecumseh.
Floyd stooped and tore a leaf from his note-book, upon
which he wrote in cipher to Harrison, aequainting him with

the melancholy fate of his family, and asking permission to '
take Yankee Sethand as many of the rangers as the latter -

thought necessary, to track \Villimack wherever he had taken
Madge. This cipher he intrusted to the Weasel, who wok it
with a self-satisfied air, thrust it into a small bag he carried
at his belt, and set off at a pace which bade fair to take him
quickly to his destination.

The morning came at last, and the rangers were up and .

prepared breakfast. When they had finished, all waited
anxiously for the coming of the dwarf, though few believed
him capable of performing the journey in so short a time.
Tecumseh said he would be at hand in half an hour, but
while they waited there came a loud, defiant whoop, and the
Dead Chief, gorgeously attired, suddenly bounded forward and
faced the astonished Tecumseh, hatchet in hand.

0 H A P T E R 1‘ X.
HUNTING THE HUNTERfi

THE first movement of surprise over, the chiefs glared at
each other with looks of implacable meaning, and then Te-
cumseh turned carelessly away as if no such person as the
Dead Chief lived upon the earth.

“ Listen then, Tecumthe," shouted Dead Chief. “ When a
chief speaks, let a dog of a Shawnee listen to his words. Do
you know that Naboekalish, the Skeleton Scent of the Ameri-

cans, is on the trail of the Shawnee? He follows you from

place to place; he saved the Dead Chief.and Floyd from the
anger of the Prophet, and he will live to tear the heart from

Tecnmthe, from Willimack and Elskwatawa, if the Dead Chief ‘
does not do it first."

in,

ED

 

 

I .
'  “I have seen him," replied Floyd.

——"-§v‘hg

’_ " Sch.

/ me wanna noon. at
“ Who has seen Nnhockalish ?" said Tecumseh, taming tc
F‘Floyd and paying no attention to Dead Chief.
“ So has the Dead Chief
I and the Long Man."
“ Yaas, yaas,” said Seth,“ I seen him, darn him.

And I

i  will say that, of all the outlandish critters I ever see, he beat!
1;: my time.”

“ Nabockalish is like the wind of the prairies,” said Tecum-
“ He comes and goes as he will. Tecumsch has never
‘ seen him, but the dead men his hand has laid low are many
‘ among the Shawnees. Some day Tecumseh will meet him,

j and then we shall see who is strongest, the Shawnee chief of ‘

V . the Skeleton Scout.”

 

, .

,. ging the Pottawatomie away by main force.

I

The Dead Chief again threw himself in the way of Tecum-

' sch.

“ Listen, Shawnee.
me when we met 1’”

“I think the Weasel is coming, Floyd,” said the chief.
“ I hear his whistle."

Dead Chief saw that it was the design of Tecumseh to ut-
terly ignore his presence, and again throwing himself in the
way, shook his open hand in the face of the Shawnee and
uttered a single word in the Indian language. That word
was the most bitter and opprobrious epithet which one Indian
could give another, and an insult not to be forgiven or forgot-
ten. The chief drew a long breath and his fingers which he
had laid upon Floyd’s arm, closed with a convulsive gripe,
that it left black and blue spots upon the arm. But, Floyd
knew that if the Dead Chief or Tecumseh ever met, one or
the other must go down.

“ That saws yure leg off, Dead Chief,” whispered Seth, drag.
“Yew come

Did you not bid Elskwatawa to slay

along, neow. Here's the Wease .”

As he spoke the mannikin came gliding into camp, and draw-
ing a letter from his pouch, handed it to the captain, who
immediately called up his lieutenant and gave him his order:

’ in a low voice.
“ Tecumseh," he said, “ you came among us freely and

f  you must go away safely; you are at liberty to depart.”

 “ Have you good news from the Governor Y" said the chi“

‘1
=1

 

 

70 THE snm’ron scou'r; on, /

“ I can do as I wish,” replied the soldier. “I think it betr
ter that you should depart now, and let us go our way. Yan-
kee Seth, come here. The Dead Chief must stay with me too.”

Tecumseh hid them good-by and turned away with astate-
ly step, closely followed by the \Veasel. He had hardly left
camp, when the rangers were in the saddle, and after scouts
had beat the bushes on every side to make sure that no In
dians lurked there, they rode away toward Vincennes, takin
the captain‘s horse with them.

“ Take my hand, here, Seth Spink, and you, Dead Chief, and
join me in this vow. I will not turn back from this search or
see Vincennes again, until Madge Carlysle is freed from bond- '-
age or I know that she is dead. And if they have killed her, '
I swear to give my life to vengeance on her destroyers. Hea-
ven hear my vow.”

“ And mine,” said Seth, solemnly. “ This is business.”

“The Dead Chief is with you,” added the Pottawatomie,
quietly.

The three clasped hands oxer the compact and stood locked
in that firm clasp, three strong men, confident in each other.
Nothing can give a man respect for another like that of dan-
ger shared together.

“ Now for the trail,” said Floyd. “ Can you find it, Seth?"

“ I raylherjudge I kna," replied the Yankee. “ Leastways,
I know a critter that kan do it for me quicker than you can 1
say scat, ef you kan find something the gal has worn lately’ ’

“ This will do, then,” said Floyd, with a visible flush, tak-
ing a ribbon from his pocket. “I stole this from her neck
last night when we parted, and have carried it since. What
do you propose to make out of that ?”

“I’ll show yew.”

He raised his hand to 'his mouth and emitted a long, sharp
peculiar whistle. It had scarcely ceased to vibrate on the morn-
ing air when a rushng Sound was heard and a huge wolf-dog,
with a cross of the hound in him, came breaking through the
bushes at a rolling gallop after the fashion of the beast from
whom a. part of his thod was derived. This creature fawned
upon the scout, who laughed and patted him.

“Wolf is a good dorg,” he muttered. “Yew wouldn’t
think it» but the pesky brute hez been on our trail ever lenco

 

 

 

 

'mn nonpim BLOCK. ‘ 71

I cum deown the river last night, and he wouldn’t come to
me unlest I called him, no matter how long I was a dewing
of it. Here, \Voli’; smell tew that ribbin.”

The dog put his nose to the ribbon a moment and then ran
up to Floyd and rubbed his cold muzzle against his leg.

“ ’Twon’t dew,” said the scout, with a puzzled look. “ The
ribbon ain’t rite, ’cause yew hev carried it tew long. Must
bev something else.”

They searched carefully everywhere, until with a cry of‘
delight, Floyd stooped and picked up a broken bracelet which
lay upon the earth, half-trodan into the soil.

“ Here is the very thing, Seth. This bracelet—I gave it to
her myself in happier days—must be the thing to lead me to
my darling."

“ Let’s have it,” said the Yankee. “ Ilere, Wolf.”

The dog smelled the bracclet over and over, and then threw
up his head, giving utterance to a low howl.

“ Silence !" cried the scout. “ Seek Iwr, boy I”

The dog put his nose to the earth and began, to run to and
fro in an erratic manner over the ground, until he struck the
scent he sought. This done, he gave a short yelp and struck
into a. slow trot, which the woodmen Could easily keep up
with, and started for the forest to the north. They slung
their rifles and started upon the trail of the dog, which led
into a forest-path. Keepingjust far enough behind so that
they could keep him in sight, they soon Were in the dense
forest. The Yankee took the lead with a stride which even
the agile savage found it difficult to keep up with at a walk,
and he took the long lope so characteristic to his race, and
kept close to the heels of the Yankee. Will Floyd, dogged
and determined, kept on after them, though it cost him more
of an effort than either of the others. On, on, the forest
growing deeper at every stride, the dog accommodating his
pace to that of the men following, and looking back from
time to time, to see that they had not lost him.

“ That is a noble dog,” said Floyd. “ You must give him
to me if we succeed."

“ I Couldn’t do that, cap. Wolf and I are old friends. It’s
seven year now we hev tramped the woods together; but he‘s

’ sitting old now, the old dorg is.” '

7g ' 'rms SKELETON SCOUT; on,

“How many Indians do you think the captors of Madge
‘number ‘2”

“ Six,” replied Long Seth, laconically.

“ How do you know that ‘3"

“Because I know it,” was the somewhat dogmatic reply.
“I ain’t going to give any better reason.”

“ Is VViliitnack with them ?"

“ Ugh,” said Dead Chief, laying his finger upon a spot in
the path, “ Willimack here ; See l”

“ I’m not posted enough in scouting to read a trace which

might have been left by a falling leaf, it is so light. Do you
see any thing of Madge ?"
“ White girl walk woods,” replied Dead Chief. “ Look

close.”

The young man stooped and examined the soft earth, and
saw there the imprint of a delicate foot, and he realized how
great was the knowledge of woodcraft possessed by the two
men.

“ I say no more,” he said. “When the time for fighting
comes. I shall not be behind you, but in scouting I am much
inferior to either of you. Do you think we can catch them,
Seth ?”

“ Got tew dew it, ain't we, if we keep our vow? I. fur
one, want to see Vincennes ag’in. The Guvner treated me
right well when I was thar this morning, and give me a rous-
ing good drink, and it tasted mighty well after so much river-
water last night Hal the dorg is puzzled. lie is trying

., back.”

As he spoke the dog doubled suddenly and “tried buck ”
on the trail, but without sueccss, at first. llis master encouro
aged him to continue, and at last he stoped at a half-uprooted
tree, leaning at. a very acute angle across a little str-am, so
that its bushy top was hardly ten feet from the ground on the
other side.

“They’ve begun tew play Injin,” said the Yankee.
—they hev, and it suits me. I like a hard job, ef I like any
thing in natur'. And Wiliimack is a. right good scout, once
he sets his mind tew it. The dorg has lost his trail."

“Let us search for it,” cried Floyd, eagerly. “My dear
fellow, you see how impatient I am.“

“ Yes

3-K

 

 

 

TEE manna BLOCK. 7!

“ I see it,” sr'd Seth, coolly. “ The dorg hez lost the trail
but I’m darned ef Seth Spink hez, nor the Dead Chief, either.
Hev we, old boy?" ‘

“ Wah l” said the Dead Chief. “ Willimack is a fool, if he.
thinks to throw dust in the eyes of so great a scout as the
Yellow Hair.”

“Sartin! sartin l” said Seth. “The trail is on the other
side of the creek. Now. I s’pose it puzzles yew tew know
how they managed tew break the trail afore they got tew the
bank, capting ?"

“ It does indeed.”

“ Then look at this tree. Yew won’t be the worse fur a ,
lesson in woodcraft, and I’m the man tew give it. Yew see A
that the bark is scraped off a lettle here at the root. I s‘pose
Willimack gtt up, and one of his men handed up the gal tew
him, and then he walked eout intew the branches, and dropped
her on the other side, onlest one of his men went first tew
help her. Anyway, they left footmarks when they dropped."

The Yank 2e ran up the tree like a cat, and the dog sprung
up after him. The next moment they were clambering in the,
bushy top and dropped to the earth on the other bank.

“ Thar’s t'te trail," said Seth, “clear as mud. They made
a good plant for green hands tew foller, but they don’t half
know me, the critters. Now look at this. By gracious, this
is a new phatt. The trail ends here.” '

“ I I'm afraid we shall never overtake-them,” said Will.

" Yew sl' et up! It takes jest ez long tew hide a trail so
that Wolf and me kain’t find it as it duz tew find it, and no
longer. I’lt stttdy that sent in a minnit.”

He lookrd quickly about him. Under the tree-top, where
the Indiam had dropped to the earth, the soil was tramped
hard in p aces, but these (lid not extend over a distance
of more tlan ten feet, and none of them led toward the
bank. How had Willimack broken the trail this time? The
dog was at fault, for, though he ran to and fro,upon the tram-
pled bank, he could not strike the Scent again. At last the
eye of the Yankee was attracted by the appearance of the
ground toward the stream, and following the trace it led him
to the bank. Looking down into the clear water he could
seq the tracks of moccasins in the sand at the bottom. '

74 m mmrcrt scour; on,

.“ Water don‘t leave no trail,” he muttered. “Yaas, but
sand does, bet yure life! Wolf, this way. Stay here, boys,
and if I give a whistle, follow me as quick as yew could say
‘ scat'.”

He ran swiftly up the bank of the stream, with the dog
beside him. Five minutes after they heard his whistle and
rushed after him. He stood upon the bank of the stream
holding his dog by the neck.

“ They took to the water. I knowed they would, Floyd.”

“ But how did they get to it ?”

“Stripped a piece of bark from an elm and walked tew
the water on it and then threw the bark intew the crick.
’Twas cute, by gravy. But, I’ll cheat ’em yet, see ef I don’t.
G0 it, Wolf!”

The dog again bounded forward on the trail, and the three
men followed him with unabated vigor. Trick after trick in
woodcme was unraveled by the perseverance of the Yankee,
whose skill was aided by that of the Dead Chief, no tyro in
the art. Night came and found them still on the trail, which

I now began to freshen, so that they knew their enemies could
, not be many miles ahead. The scout halted when it became
too dark to proceed easily and told them to sit down and eat
something.

“Eat; what have we to eat? And besides, I have no up.
petite for any thing now.”

“ Hain’t yew '8 That’s jest whar we differ. I’m as hun-
gry as a b'ar, and I’d like a bit of b’ar-meat tew. But, es
that ain‘t accessible, so tew speak, we’ll hev tew make eout
with jerked venison. That won’t come so had, neither.”

The scout produced a pouch and took from it a quantity
of jerked deermreat, and began to eat henrtily,lnying the meat
out where his companions could easily reach it. He had
hardly begun to eat when he had two helpers, for, upon, see.
out] thought, the young Soldier found himself quite as hun~
gry as the others, and he devoured his share.

“ That‘s something like it,boy. What kind of a fight dew
30" 5'P088 yew’d make ’thout any fodder? Yew’d double
up like a dish-clout‘ in the hands of the fast Iujiu that yew
struck, and that ain't the kind of man we want.”

“ Are they far ahead t”

d

 

 

 

 

 

' m 303mm BLOCK. 7!!

“That‘s jist what I’m going tew he sartin of. No they
ain’t very fur ’ahead, leastways I think they ain’t. Here,
Wolf; ketch hold of that.” ‘

He threw a large piece of the venison to the dog, who
devoured it eagerly. When they had finished, the scout sig- ~
naled to them to follow, and, turning aside from the path
they had been pursuing, he broke through the tangled bushes
and came out in the center of a little clearing made by the
hand of man.

In the midst of this sequestered spot some borderman had,
built a cabin of rough logs after the manner of the settlers of
that day. The grass was green and bright about. the cabin,
but the logs were smoke-begrimed and the roof gone. Upon
the grass not far from the door were three gravelike mounds,
laid side by side. The one in the center was the largest, and
the others looked like the graves of children.

“ Yew stay here,” said the scout. “ It’s a good pl ace tew
rest, and nobody ever comes here ’eept me and one other."

“ Why do they not Come here ‘2”

“ ’CatiSe the place is ha’nted,” replied Seth.

“ Ilaunted l” '

“ Yes. Them mounds thar are what they look like, graves.
And the hunters hev a story that the dead won’t rest that,
because they were fonlly dealt with. Mebbe the story's trew,
and those are the graves of little children. It mout be; sad:
der things hev happened in the history of these times.”

“ Do you know any thing of the settler who lived here ?”

“ He never ha’nted me ; that I know, and I’ve stopped here
many a time tew rest. Keep quiet here and wait for me."

“ Suppose any thing should happen to you ?” said Floyd.

“ It won’t. Waal, yew stay here until morning, and if I
tin’t here then, go on yure way.”

He slung his rifle into the corner, loqked to see that his
tnife and hatchet were in his belt, and disappeared in the
darkness. ’

73 THE neuron soom’ on,

C H A P T E R X .
TOO MUCH “FIRE-WATER."

Tm: fears at Yankee Seth had been but too well founded,
for Madge had indeed fallen into the hands of the traitorous
Willimack. Early in the morning, not long after the escape
of Will Floyd from the stake, the stockade had been surprised
by a sudden onset from a savage party under the brutal chief.
Matthew Floyd, defending her with desperate valor, was felled
by the stroke of a hatchet and had dropped into the cellar
just as the roof of the burning building began to fall. Willi-
lnack seized the half-litiuting girl and dragged her out of the
burning cabin by main forCe, keeping a tight gripe upon her
Wrist, for he knew that she posseSSed enough moral courage
to kill herself if he gave her the opportunity. A malicious
grin writhed his dark face as the flames curled about the rat'-
ters of that doomed house.

“ Wah !” he cried. “Burn, home of the white man, burn l
The shelter which you refused to the chief, Willimaek, you
will give to no one. Burn, burn, burn l"

“ You are a wretch," cried Madge. “ Are you brave enough
to kill me now and let me go to the noble man who had
given the orphan girl a shelter through these long years?”

“ Why should ’I kill you ‘3" said Willimack. “ No; live to
000k the venison in the great Wigwam of the Wyandot when
the white man has ceased from off the land.” '

“Release me, then, and let me go back to my people. You
have done wickedness enough.”

He only laughed scorufully, and pointed to the bleeding
bodies of the two soldiers and the negro servants. “You
see all these," he said. “They stood by and laughed me to
scrirn when the Yellow ilair struck me down at his feet
like a dog. Was this well? A chief is not a dog, and
Willimaek only lived for vengeance. See; you will from this
time be an Indian, live as we live, die as we die, and be
buried as we bury our dead. I have spoken. Willimack
can not lie.”

 

 

 

' ,

mm mm nLocx. ‘ 77

  

He turned about and uttered a signal-whoop, at which the
men gathered about him, and he addressed them rapidly in
the Indian language, which Madge did not understand. He
had no sooner done so than they scattered and crossed the river
in eVery conceivable conveyance, upon logs. planks and
charred beams, leaving Willimack with oniy five men beside
the ruins. He still held her hand, and turning away from the
iver, began his march to the West, closely followed by his
men. She saw with ill-Concealed fear the numberless arti-
fices the man used to hide the trail, and feared that she was
lost. Only once during the day he had stopped, and gave
her food, and then marched on again. Her shoes were soon
torn by the rough path over which she trod, and her feet
bleeding. Once she stopped and said she would go no fur-
ther, and Willimack turned fiercely upon her with a hatchet,
but she did not blench.

" White girl,” he said, “do you not fear death ‘3”

“No,” she said, boldy. “ Death is preferable to the fate
you design for me.” .

“ Good. You will make a good wife for a warrior because
your heart is strong. Must go; we drag you.”

An Indian seized her by each hand and dragged her on.
\ Seeing how powerless she was to resist them, she told Willi-
mack that she would walk if they would not touch her, and
kept up boldly until nightfall, when the savages paused and
made a camp in a. deep hollow, surrounded by heavy Woods.
He gave her food from his scanty store—cracked corn and
dried venison, with water from the running stream hard by.
She ate quite heartily, for the long walk had made. her hungry.
Willimack looked on with a calm smile while she ate, mutter-
ing to himself. When she had finished he took green withes
and made her sit down at the root of a tree and tied her fast
to the mossy trunk. He had hardly done so when one of the 1
men, with a low chuckle, drew from his bosom a huge bottle
which he had stolen from the Stockade, and flourished it above
his head.

“ Ugh l” grunted his companions in chorus. “Obisenay
somet’ing got, eh ?” .

“ Fire-water! Wa-wa l” replied Obisenay. .

The lucky tinder lifted the heavy bottle, and a musical gur-

 

78 ~ ' ' THE mama memos,

gle followed. When he lowered it there was quite a differ-
.ence in the weight, and he passed the bottle to the chief.

“Good?” demanded Willimack.

“ Much good,” said Obisenay. “Drink.”

Willimack did as he was requested, and drank quite deeply.
The others followed, and the heavy bottle passed round the
circle. A curious scene followed. A man who has never
seen a number of Indians drunk has missed a remarkable
scene. Seated in a circle, with the girl-prisoner in the center,
they kept drinking at a rate which would have aston-
ished a habitual drunkard among the whites, swaying their
bodies to and fro, and giving utterance now and then to a short
quick whoop as the liquor began to aflth them. The bottle
Was quickly dispatched, and one of them, by a singular in-
stinct, found out that he had purloined a similar one, and they
took to this. Now they began to dance and howl, brandishing
their hatchets and leaping wildly about among the trees, look-
ing like demons in their war-paint. In the midst of the wild
orgie an Indian came suddenly from among the trees and
joined them. Willimack by this time was Very drunk, but he
had sense enough to see that a stranger had come among
them. He was a tall, finely-formed man, painted for war, in
the dress of a Huron.

Willimack advanced to meet him with stately gravity, reel-
ing in his walk, and endeavoring to stand straight.

“How do, brudder ‘3” he Said. “ Why you stand no still ?"

It was a remarkable feature of the great Willimack that
when he copied the white man’s vices by getting gloriously
drunk, he forgot that he could speak Indian and \fell into
broken English.

“ What does my brother mean ?” said the new-comer.

“ Why you whirl, whirl, whirl, so? Make ground swing l0\
much.”

“ My brother has tire-water.”

“ Ugh, good. Huron drink fire-water with his VVynndot
brqther,” said Willimack.

They brought the second bottle, grievonsly lessened in
weight, and the Iluron lifted it to his mouth. He kept it
there long enough to drink a great deal, but if he did, the
throat did not show the process of swallowing in the slightest

 

 

rmc BORDER mm. 79

degree, and he kept his face partly turned away from the wild
band. It seemed to affect him strangely, however, for he
drew his hatchet and began to dancc wildly with the rest un‘-
til his eyes fell upon the hound captive.

“ Who is here ‘3” he cried. “ IIer skin is white.
does she here among the Wyandots ‘2”

“ Prisoner," said the chief. “Take much scalp, take much
fire-water. Wah l”

He had indeed taken much, too much fire-water for his own
good. The Huron looked hard at the prisoner, and then
turned about and asked for the bottle, and preVailed upon the
Indians to sit down again.

“ Brothers,” he said, “ there is a. devil in the woods."

“Walt,” said Willimack.

“ He is as tall as a blasted pine, his eyes are like blazing
stars. We call him Nahockalish, and white men call himtthe
Skeleton Scout.”

Wlllimack shook his head gravely at the unwelcome
name.

Skeleton Seotrt no good. Hate him, hate Long Man, hate
Floyd, hate every one. Skeleton Scout too much no good."

“ It is true. But if the Skeleton Scout should come, what
Would my brother do ?”

“ Run l” said Willimaek, shortly.

“ Run / Does a chief of the Wyandots run?
look, sons of the Wyandot.”

One look Was sufiicient. Out of the woods, holding a.
blazing torch in each hand, came the tall figure of the being
they had known as the Skeleton Scout, hearing down upon
them with a frightful yell. It was too much for human na-
ture to bear, and they stumbled over each other in their wild
efforts to CSCIIDC from their dreaded enemy. 0n: fell into
the clutches of the Skeleton Scout, and they went down ‘0-
gether, and then the strange specter rose again, and pursud
the now scattered and sohered savages, who, wild with terror,
were flying in every direction. The Huron had not run tar,
and to the terror of Madge he came bounding back, flOUl‘ihih
ing over his head a heavy knife, and she closed her eyes. for
it seemed the hour had Come for death. But, to her utter

What

Ah i look

surprise, instead of striking ‘her, he cut. the houdl uyou has

,‘ “W5 ,,,, .-

' 80 'run SKELETON scour ; on,

hands, just as Long Seth came out of the woods on one side
and Floyd upon the other. The young soldier run to Madge
and clasped her in his arms, and the poor girl dropped her
head upon his shoulder with a cry of joy. '

“Oh, Will. I hoped you would Come, and you did not
desert me. But your dear t‘uther, Will. Alas, he is dead !"

“Almost as bad," said Will, sadly. “He is badly hurt,
and is demented. But thank God, you are safe.”

“ Who is this Indian who cut my bonds ?” she said, turning
to him.

“Bright Eyes does not know a Pottawatomie in the war-
paint of a Huron,” replied the Indian. “ Dead Chief is the
man who will do much for the beautiful daughter of the for-
est.”

“Thank you, chief. And Seth too; I might have known
he would not desort me.” .

“ Neow shet up,” said the scout. “ Nuff talk of that kind,
yew know. Ef yew are glad I cutn, keep it tew yureself.
Talk abeout it, and I won’t believe yew are glad, so thur.
Besides, we ain’t got time tew now, I jedge, seeing that the
pesky vurmints will be :trter us in less thun half an hour.

But, by George, cup., of I didn’t see that pesky critter they'

call the Skeleton Scout, then I don’t know nothing ‘bout it.
He shot by me like a bull out’n a rifle, the flamed critter did,
and he yelled wuss than :my painter yew ever hern tell of."

“ A W'yttndot lies yonder," Said the Dead Chief. “ Let us
see if his hand is upon him.”

Seth snatched up n blazing brand and followed the chief.
Obisenay, the Wyundot, who had brought forward the firm
bottle of liquor, luy upon his face on the green sword. They
turned him over, and us in the case of the man they had

found outside of the stockude upon the night. when Willimuck.

first attacked the block-house, they could find no wound upon
hitn. Without stopping to comment upon the singular cir-
cumstance, Seth signed to his companions to follow, and hur-
ried away.

How had Seth Come so quickly to the aid of Madge? It
was explained easily. When he left Will Floyd und the In-
dian in the ruined hut, he knew well the camp of Willi-
muek could not be far away, and he chose to go upon his

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

um ‘ BORDER snocx. * at

first scouting expedition alone. He had found the camp not
half a mile from the ruins of the hut, and, utter satisfying
himself with regard to it, he at once returned to his friends
and went back on the trail. They first painted the Indian
like a Huron, and so smeared and stained his scanty clothing
that it might have belonged to any tribe, and sent him into
camp after seeing that the Indians were likely to get very
drunk. He had been instructed to brain an Indian with his
hatchet upon getting a preconcerted signal, and was wailing
for it when the Skeleton Scout burst out upon them, and put
the Indians to flight. '

“Seems tew my benighted intellec’ that this skcllington
mixes in ‘with my business a good deal,” said Seth. “ I was
making up to git my posish so that I could throw an Injin
cold, jest about the time I give the signal, when, “yak!”
went this living skellington, blame him, and when I got that
the work was all done! You’d better kerry the gal, capt’ing
She’s mighty tired.”

Will lifted the girl in his arms, and carried her for Some
distance, when Seth reached out and took her. “ Thar, baby,”
he said. “ I’m ashamed of yew. Allow yer feelings to over-
come yew that way, eh? Let me kerry her. I’m powerful
strong in the logs and arms. Guess our fam’ly are all pooty
healthy that way. Injin, don’t let any of them niggers creep
up on as unwar‘s. Keep yure weather eye open, fur I don’t
trust that pesky Willimack a cent’s wuth. I don’t’ by Jehos.
aphat.”

Even while talking, the Yankee managed to keep up his
long stride, carrying Madge like a child. “Lay yure head
on my shoulder, little gal," he said. “ Yew needn’t be afraid
of tiring me, not a bit! I ain’t liable tew it, nohow. I’ve
kerried heavier weights than yew are, twice as fur as from
here to VinCeunes, and rnyther liked it, by gosh. Neow my
father, when he was a hundred and forty year old, serried
tWo hundred pounds of wheat across his farm, easy."

“Oh, hush, Seth. How can you tell such stories?" said

Madge, who somehow felt the utnmst Confidencc in the skill

and knowledge of the country possessed by the Yankee.
“Don’t believe me, so tew speak. Neow, that rites up

my foolings, powerful bad. It dun, “my gracious! Tow think

as m summon scour; on,

that this little critter her. the face tew doubt the faintly try
ditionsl Ef it was a man that dared tew say it I’d make
him repent in dust and ashes. But, as it’s nothing but a gal,
I dunno ef thar's any use getting mad. What’s that, chief?”

“ Wyandot on the trail,” replied the chief.

“I thought so. Waal, thank fortin’, they kan’t trail us in
the dark. Yew don’t think the etarnal critter has picked up
any more men, chief?”

“ Good many,” said the chief. “Prophet keep camp not
far away. Bad Indian very bad ! Good many in, woods."

“I reckin yer right, chief. He’s picked a party some’rs
that he knowed of. He wouldn‘t hcv stopped tew git drunk
ef he didn't think himself turnation safe. Ob, blame my
cats ef this ain’t tew cussed bad.”

" Let us keep on all night.” said the young soldier. eagerly.

“Oh, git eoutl \Villitnack is sure tew hev every path as
black with Injins as a nigger-’s pocket, and we’re likely tew
blunder intew a trap, I guess. So let’s try another way.”

He had stopped a moment hesitatingly, and turning aside
from the path he had been pursuing, struck into the woods,
crossed the clearing in which the hut stood, casting a side-
long look at the three graves whose outlines he could just
make out in the darkness, and Madge felt a slight shudder
run through his frame, and she thought him tired and begged
him to set her down. But he refused. " I could kerry yew
in one hand, little one," he said. “Yew rest easy. I tell
yew, I was thinking of something else.”

The clamor of pursuit could be heard on every side as the
Indians closed in upon them, and the Yankee muttered to
himself. “ Hunted close! But I’ll save her yit; I sw’ar it.
Ah, here we at" I”

As he spoke he reached the base of a little hill, rocky and
precipitous, rising in the center of the forest. Up the rocky
slope he climbed, lifting Madge overthe rocks until he reached
a sort of parapet running round the crest of the hill.

“Gather leaves and brush, boys," he said. “ We’ve got
tew hev a fire tew tight by. Build it here, outside the fort,
so‘t it will throw a light down the hill. It’s the only place
they kin come up by, and three rifles will make it lively
for 'em.”

 

 

It ,
A ~._.¢._.h.£_ '

 

 

  

 

.mnonnnm ' C

' As the fire was kindled and the flames leaped up, Madge
ooked curiously about her. She was in the center of one of
those curious Indian forts which remain in many of the
States, now grassgrown and in decay. A low parapet, per-
haps five feet high, inclosed a space of three or four hundred
square feet. Behind them, the mountain rose high and wild,
nearly inclosing three sides. The place where they had come
up, a narrow defile not three feet wide, was the only course
by which the Indians could assail them. The fire blazed
merrily up, just as two or three savages appeared at the base
of the hill.

“ Fire i” cried Yankee Seth.

C H A P T E R X I .
um moms-rues.

As his command rung boldly out upon the air of night,
the scout leveled his weapon and fired at the foremost sav-
age. There was a horrible yell, and the man threw up his
arms and rolled headlong down the slope. Two others darted
out into the light and were received by the Dead Chief and
Floyd. One of them fell, shot through the shoulder, and the
other dragged himself groaning away, with a broken thigh.
They quickly reloaded their rifles and Were ready for the
next rush. The warm reception the foremost had received
somewhat damped the ardor of the rest, and they remained
in the edge of the timber, firing a useless volley at the party
so nicely concealed behind the old rampart.

“Kinder sets ’cm back,” laughed the Yankee. “ They
didn‘t s’pect us tew turn on ’em so darned quick. Neow,
don’t it beat all natur‘ that lnjins back deown so quick?
Oh, come out, Willimack, dew ; I want tew see yew l Don't
hung back and be a coward. That ain’t noting like a man,
yew know. Come out and be a mun. I Wotlltl, yew know.”

But, in spite of this feeling adjuratiou, the Wyandot per-
sisted in keeping out of sight. To tell the truth, be was not
yet certain whethr- his brain was quite clear of liquor. and

    

\

  

    

  

05

m mum: ace-Jr; on,

was inwardly cursing Obisenay up hill and down dale for put
ting temptation in his way. He had met With a party of
his own men, who were coming down the river to join the
Prophet, and had enlisted them in the service, so that at
least sixty men were ranged in the Woods in front of the an-
cient fort. But, they were mostly young men, and though
good hunters, the majority of them had never been engaged
in a battle except with men of their own race. The loss of
one of their number and the severe wounding of two others,
had given them a wholesome awe of the deadly rifles of
the hunted men. Willimack was beside himself with rage,
and moreover was in deadly fear of the Skeleton Scout. He
had not dared to tell the new-comers that this fearful crea-
ture had assailed them, and that it was by his hand that the
unfortunate bottle-bolder, Obisenay, had met his death, for he
feared they would scatter in every direction and leave him to
do the fighting alone. None of his original party remained,
for they were doubtless running yet, satisfied that the Skeleton
Scout was at their heels. Willimaek knew his men, and de-
termined to try an assault, and passed the Word to that effect.

Hardly had he done so when there came bounding over the
rocks toward the fort a score or more of painted figures, howl-
ing like demons, and brandishing their weapons in air.

“ Crouch down, Madge,” cried Floyd ; “ you may get hurt.”

“ Am I better than the rest?” replied Madge. “Give me
a knife. I will not fall alive into the hands of Willimack if
I Can help it.”

There was no time to hesitate. With a look of unutterable
affection the young man gave her a small stiletto which he
carried inside his coat, and whirling uddeuly, shot a savage
completelythrough the head ,wlio was coming too near—
“ throwfd him cold,” as the Yankee said. Two more went
down before the weapons of the scout and Dead Chief, and
the rest swarmed on for vengeance. Will Floyd said nothing,
but, grasping his rifle by the barrel, he poised it for defense.
The Indians must advanCe upon them through a narrow space
where more than three could not pass abreast, and were
hemmed in by perpendicular walls of rock thirty feet high.

“ Give ‘em the pistols, Will,” cried the Yankee, “ and then
charge ’em.”

 

't 1.

“like.

 

 

 

 

 

meonnnnnnoox. 5'

Both men drew their pistols, and fired into the coming an.
ages. The Dead Chief had no pistol, but he stood with his
lips apart as if after a race, his body thrown into a statuesque
attitude, with his left foot advanced, and body slightly inclined
toward the Coming foe, ready for a spring. They could trust
him to tight braVely. The discharge of the pistols at such
close quarters into the compact body of savages, could not
fail to make had work, and groans and cries succeeded.
Then, uttering wild yells which none but forest—men could
imitate, the three brave men leaped over the stockade and
rushed at the leading savages.

“Give ‘em goss l” cried the Yankee.

They stood in the narrow way, Seth and the Indian, With
hatchet and knife, and the young soldier with his clubbed
rifle. The foremost Indians, unused to such enemies, would
havo fallen back if possible, but their companions in the rear
pushed them forward, only to fall by the deadly weapons of
their determined foes. \Villimack, who had heard the polite
request on the part of the Yankee that he would “ come out
and be a man,” had prudently kept in the rear, and new
found that his men were meeting a strenuous resistance, and
indeed that they made no advance, while the groans and cries
from the front, the clash of weapons, and the triumphant cries
of the defenders, told that they had the best of it. Indeed,
it could hardly be otherwise, for the Indians were so wedged
into the narrow space that they Could scarcely move their
hands, while the others stood where they could fight freely.
Seeing that he was gaining nothing by this mode of fighting,
the \Vyandot called off his men, only to find them sadly de-
cimated by their encounter with the trio.

Cnrsing the obstinacy of the defenders as heartily as any
man could do, Willimack drew oil“ his men after bringing
away such of the dead and wounded as the Dead Chief would
consent to part with. Upon counting the loss and gain, after
the battle, Willimack found this total: four killed outright
in the charge, three desperately wounded,'aud left on the
ground, and as many more brought 011". Over a dozen
wounded in various ways, though not so badly as to disable
them, and they had no reason to believe that their enemies
had been wounded in the least

 

 
 

as 'rnn‘. summon scour; on,

.They had already fallen back to the fort, and were taking
breath after the struggle. The Dead Chief was eoolly arrang-
ing the hideous trophies he had taken time to strip from the heads
of his enemies, paying no attention to the look of horror upon
the face of Madge, who wondered that a man who had fought
as gloriously as he had done in beating back the enemy, could
think of tearing and mutilating the dead. But, he handled
them as coolly as if they had been pieces of paper, shook the
blood from them, and tlr'ust them into his belt with a grati-
tied air.

“ Wah l” he said. “ Why do we wait? Let us charge the
enemy and take their scams."

“Easy, chief, easy,” said. the Yankee. “Don’t rile up so
darned quick. I reckin on are safer hem than we would be
eout thar’ in the woods. h‘Jarnal Jehosaphat. but didn’t we
let intew ’em? The critters don't like us a bit, I judge.”

“ We are able to keep this was against them,” said Will.

“ Throw a. couple of sticks on that fire,” replied Seth. “ I
reckon yure right, but it looks tow me as ef this pass was
going tew keep us. We ain‘t (Mt pervisions encnqh tew last
half a’day.”

“I never thought of that.
siege,” replied Will.

“Np, cuss the luck. Give we cant? grub, and I‘ll hold
this place alone ag'in’ the hull VV'mnilot nation. rut, Lord,
I’d give my old moccasins fer a drink of water now."

“ Here is my flask. There is about a hint of brandy 1.x it.”

“ Good," said Seth eagerly. “ Take fast one swallow, and
be sure yew don’t make it a long one, ’came we want it low

T" bed, we could net stand a

‘ last.”

Will did as the Yankee told him, and passed the flat
along.

“ I’ve got a big month,” said Seth. “I could take the hui
at one swaller, but that wouldn’t be fair. Hem, chief ; tak a
lroldz” ‘

The chief shook his head.

“Oh, I forgot. Beg pardon, chief, yew are a. ti‘etotaliov
It would be a darned sight better fer the Injins ef they 3‘
follered the same principle, but unfortnitly they don’t. Hm
gal, take hold."

   
  
 
 
 
    
 
  
   
  
 
   
  
   
 
   
  
 
 
   
  
   
  
   

  

 

m Bonmm‘BLocx.

O

“ No, said Madge. “ Indeed, I am not thirsty. Remember
that. I had just been eating and drinking when you rescued
me, and have not been going through the same struggle since.
I can wait until to-morrow before I need any thing.”

“ \Vaal, lie down, little ’un, and try tcw git a little sleep.
I’d dew any thing tew save yew, little gal.”

“Thank you, my good Seth. I know you would.”

He scraped a pile of leaves and twigs into one corner of
the work, and induced her to lie down and rest. Then he
went back to the others.

“ Now look here, boys,” said. “ It’s all right tew talk
about holding eout a week or a fortnight here on a flask of
brandy and a piece of jerked venison about big enough teW
give one h’arty man a good meal, but, it won’t work. We
kan’t dew it, and I reckon some on us has got tew go under.
Neow 10ok herel I kin hide that little gal so that the devil
hisself kan’t find her, and I kan hide one more along with
her. But, I kan’t hide three or four.”

“ Save her, Josh, at all hazards." .

“That’s what I say. I’m going tew save 'her, but some
one hez got tcw be with her, yew know. Now then, who
shill it be ‘2”

“ You, by all means,” said Will.

“ Not a bit of it. I’m tew long tew stick intew my hiding-
place handy, and besides, the gal mout not like it. I guess
you’ll hev tew be the one.”

“ I will not desert you, Seth.”

“ 0h,git eout. Desert the devil ! Once I git yew tew safe
I laugh at evory lnjin in the territory. Come here.”

A nearly perpendicular but irregular wall of stone formed
the back part of the fort. A point jutted out considerably
further than the rest, leaving a fissure about four feet across. In
this fissure a large stone, apparently broken oil‘ from the rock
nbove,lay loosely upon the earth, 'with its side pressed against
the rock. Putting his ponderous strength to the stone, the
Yankee moved it easily to one side and disclosed an opening
close to the ground, nearly three feet high. “ Git in, and see
how yew like it,” hesaid. “ It’s one of my holes.”

The young soldier crawled in, and strikngr a match, saw that
he was in a hole scooped out by the hand of nature in the

\

 

  

89 mi: SKELETON scour ; on,

solid wall, which was large enough for two persons to sit in
comfortably, though they could not rise to their feet. Having
‘satisfied himself, he crept out as he came in. “The air seems
pure,” he said.

“ How is it when the stone is replaced ?”

“ First rate. Lord love yew, I’ve been in that hole menny
and menny a time. Yew kan’t think heow com’fable it is tew
\ay thar and hear the Injins howl outside, and wonder heow
the devil yew got away. It’s mighty nice. Git the gal and
bring her here. Tell her tew stoop low, ’cause some of them
pesky cusses may be on the watch. Pass the word for the
Dead Chief tew keep up a good look-out. Dead? He ain’t
dead, not much he ain’t."

Madge was resting peacefully upon her bed of leaves, but
lose and followed her lover without a word, while he explain-
ed to her the nature of the hiding—place which Yankee Seth
had showed him. Seth 'saw that the young man was stll very

much averse to leaving him to tight himself out of the cordon '

of his enemies alone, and made an angry movement.

. “ Neow, don’t say a darned word, \Vill Floyd. \Vho but
yew ought to sta ' and take keer of the little gal? As fer me,
I’m in the hands of the Great Being, even the Injins adores,
and ef my time hez come tew die now, I ain’t the man that
will kick ag’inst it.
my bones. Go in, little gal.
boy. Yew may need it.”

“ Yes,” said Will, sternly. “Madge shall never go to an
Indian lodge. I promise her that. and I will keep my word.”

“ That’s right, keep yure word tew the little gal, and when
the Injin wars are done and yew are married, I’ll come tew
see yew in yure house on the Wabash. Yew bet! See this
peep-hole here, cap. Yew kan lie flat in thar and see all the
fun. and I’m going tcw give yew some.”

“ Do not be rash, Seth. Escape it' you can.”

“ A rash man is never a good scout,” was the quiet reply.
“ Go in !” -

Will followed Madge into the hole in the rock and lay upon
his face after the stone had been replaced, peeping outinto the
fort. The Yankee was standing just in front of him, with his
hand upon the shoulier of the Indian. and Will thonght he

Take yure rifle and am’nition,

But, my time ain’t come yit, I feel it in .

  

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had never seen two nobler specimens of manly beauty in his
life.

The firelight shone upon the noble figures of the two men,
' and the Yankee was whispering in the ear of the savage. A
bright smile crossed the face of the Indian and he looked at
him in a puzzled way, and then shook his hand heartily.

“I wonder what they are up to now?” muttered Will.

That Yankee is equal to any deviltry, and now that he has
me off his hands he don’t seem to fear the Indians in the least."

“ What is he doing ?" said Madge, who felt a strange secur-
ity in the odd hiding-place.

“ They are both laughing,” replied Will. “ There, they are
trampling out the fire. I can see no more. Hal the Indians
are on the move; I can hear their hurrying feet. Do you
fear, Madge ?”

“ No. Am I not with you, dear Will."

“ Yes, darling, yes. And if they find us out—”

“ You have two pistols. One for me, one for yourself. If
you escape alive and I fall into the hands of Willimack, never
look your friends in the face, for you will be a coward.”

“ Hush,” he said, in a hoarse voice. “ You have my prom-
ise already. Come close to me and keep quiet. When the
time comes. give me the word, and then—oh God, it will drive
me mad to do it.”

“ When the time comes I shall die as bravely as another,”
replied Madge. “Kiss me once upon the lips, and we will
die together, my hero, my 0Wn !”

He kissed her frantically, and she returned the caress. At
another time, it might have caused a blush to this innocent
girl; but, in the presence of this great danger, she forgot all .
this, and with her hand clasped in his, waited for the blow
which was sure to fall if their h.rling-place was found.

A wild yell of mingled rage and hatred burst from the
woods around, and the savage foe came pouring over the
rampart of the old fort, some Carrying torches, some holding
their weapons ready for a blow. But, they found no en-
emy, and the frantic cries told that they were disappointed
of their prey. Will pressed the hand of the brave girl,
which did not tremble in his grasp, and kept his eyes fixed
Upon the movement: of the enemy. They were rushing

    

00 m summon sewn; on,
madly about the. inclosure, looking in every place where a
man could by any chance be concealed, without effect. Willi~
~ mack was at their head, painted to the waist, holding in one
hand a blazing torch and in the other a heavy hatchet.

As the young man saw the scoundrel, he raised his pistol,
and it was only by the thought that her life would be sacri-
ficed that he refrained from shooting the wretch through the
heart.

The Indians came into the crevice in which they were
hidden, and one of them actually leaned upon the rock which
shielded them! The grasp of the soldier tightened upon the
wrist of Madge, and she met his pressure by raising herself
a little and putting one rounded arm about his neck. But,
the danger passed, for the moment. The Indian went away
and they breathed more freely, when a commanding voiCe,
which seemed to come from the sky, shouted:

“ Willimack !”

The chief looked up, and there, upon the rocks thirty feet
above his head stood the Skeleton Scout, pointing his un-
shaking finger at the Wyandot.

CHAPTER XII.
THE LAST TRIAL.

AT the sight, nearly all the cowardly followers of the Wyan-
dot took flight and buried themselves in the woods, or bur.
rowed like conies among the rocks. Willimack was evidently
frightened beyond measure at the appearance of the being he
so dreaded, but was too proud to seek safety in flight.

There stood the Skeleton Scout, the grinning death‘s-head
revenled, the fire flushing from his lurid orbs, and that long
finger pointing downward.

“ Dog !" cried the spectral being in n hollow voice. “ How

much blood must yot slit-d heron-you will he sutistled? [low
long must the spirits of the rocks and the trees carry your
evil deeds t0 the Great Spirit before he sends the Great White
Bear to carry you way to the abode of the loot ?”

~;‘

 

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m norm BLOCK. I [9}

This was spoken in the Indian tongue, and seemed to have
I terrible effect upon the savage, for he bowed his head in
terror, with his arms folded upon his breast.

“ Nabockalish is a strong spirit,” he said. “ The VVyandot
nor the Shawnee is not strong enough to stand before him.
Why does he hate the poor Indian ?”

“Because the Indian is a fool !” replied the Skeleton Scout,
flet'Cely. “Listen to the words of Nahockalish. I see a great.
cloud in the sky. The Indians have roused the anger of the
Great Spirit, and an evil day is come upon them. There will
be war along the \Vabash, and many will fall in battle. The
Shawnee will be driven out and no longer possess the land of
his fathers. Perhaps the Wyandot will go with him? There
is a cloud before my eyes and I can not see it plainly. 'l‘urn
back, then, Willimack, and flee the wrath of the Great Spirit.”

“ Why should \Villimack turn back 2’” replied the Indian,
fiercely. “A lying spirit talks through Nabockalish—a spirit
which has no love for the Indian. Let the lying spirit de‘
part, for Willimack will not listen to his words. He will
fight under the banner of the Prophet until the white man
shall cease from the 1am .”

“Then, listen,” shrieked the speCter. “The spirit of the
rocks and trees have heard your words and will eurry them to
the Great Spirit. Behold I"

As he spoke there was a strange, hissing sound, and a bril-
liant flame leaped up, lighting the surrounding darkness. The
flame ran in erratic circles like a fiery serpent and vanished
into thin air, and when they looked again, the Skeleton Scout
was gone, while the air was heavy with a sulphurons smell.
The sightwas too much for the savages, and they broke and
ran in every direction, stumbling over the rocks, the re.
doubtahle Willimack leadng them in their flight. Bursts
of horrible laughter followed them as they fled.

“ Astonishing,” muttered Will. “This passes my compre-
hension.' Is my friend, the Skeleton Scout, an inhabitant of
the lower world, after all ? I am ashamed to say that he has
very nearly succeeded in frightening me.”

’l‘errible screams sounded through the forest and accelerated
the flight of the savages. A dead silence succeeded, and than
the stem was violently pushed aside.

  

 

 

' OB rm: Amman-ox scour; on,

“Now,” cried Madge, “keep your Word, if you love me,
Will.” '

“ Hold on,” cried a. voice they well knew, “none of that,
Floyd; come eout. By gra‘vy, that Skileton Scout is agentle-

man of great penetration, and I’d give forty dollars fur the '

privilege of shaking hands with the darned fool. He‘s a
little brimstony in his karacter, but darn it all, what's that,
once yew git used tew it? He routed the Injins, boss, foot
and dragoons. Lord bless my heart aliVe, heow they did let
coat. I thought Willimaek Would break his neck, sartin.”

“ Where have you been ?” said Will, helping Madge out of
their hiding-place.

“ Oh, we shinned up the rocks thar.
gal up or I’d ’a’ done it afore.
her, yew know.
these days ?”

“ Running,” replied the Dead Chief, sententiously.
much scared.” .

“ Yew look a little shaky ynreself, old man !" said Seth,
with a laugh, “and, by gosh, it set me back a lt-etle trifle,
when that fiery sarpint went flashing deown the rocks. The
outlandish critter desarves a pension for helping us eout of
this scrape. Ilere; gimme the gal. Show a light, chief.
The red devils will think it’s the Living Skellington coming
arter ’em ag’in, and run the faster. Haw! haw! haw! It
tickles me most tew death tew see how the critters run."

The Dead Chief caught up a half extinguished torch
which one of the Wyandots had dropped, and led the way
out of the narrow pass. Once safe at the bottom, be ex-
tinguished the torch and led them in the darkness. The
Yankee came next, carrying the girl in his arms, while Will
Floyd, with leveled rifle, brought up the rear. In this way
they passed on for over a mile, when they struck a well-
beaten path, and pursued it for LWo hours in silence. Then
the Yankee called a halt.

“ I guess we may as well halt, boys. More as like ez not
we’ll foul a snag ef we keep on in the dark. The Woods are
chock full of lnjins, and when Willimack gets over his little
scare he’ll come a~raving, and charging arter us, that I know.
Sit down on this log, little 'un. Yew don’t weigh so much on

We couldn‘t lug the
’Twouldn’t dew tew desart
Now, chief, what are they dewing abeont

“ Very

 

 

 

   

.» 3:43! 

 
  
 

 

 
    
 
    
   

 

ram 303nm BLOCK. 9'3

the start, but, Lord love yure little heart ef yew don‘t grow
mitey heavy arter a while! I’m glad we got eout of that trap.
How dew yew feel, little gal? Considerable kind 0’ tired, eh ?”

“ Very tired. and I am sory to say, a little sleepy,” replied
Madge.

“ That’s all rite,” said long Seth. “ Nat‘ral ez life. Waal,
thar ain’t anything ag’in' a snooze, 02 I knows on. We 'Won’t
go any furder till morning. Scrape up them leaves and make
a bed fur the gal. Capting. yew won’t mind lending her yure
coat, I guess ‘2”

He stooped and spread out the leaves, and Madge lay down
beside the log and her lover spread his coat over her, and sat.
down to watch while the Yankee took his station, rifle in hand,
to wait for any emergency which might arise, while the In-
dian rolled himself against the log and fell asleep, but with
his weapons ready to start up, at a moment’s warning. Madge
was awakened at early morning and found her friends ready
for a start.

“Rouse up, little ’un,” said the Yankee. “ We ain‘t got any
time tcw waste. I ain’t got anything fur yew tew eat ’cept this
cracked corn. The Dead Chief took it from an Injin last night
that didn’t want it no more. You kan eat it as yew march.”

She followed them cheerfully, eating the corn he had given
her, and laughing lightly. In the midst of great danger she
maintained a cheerful confidence which was inspiriting to the
men who had come to save her. This happy confidence in
them made their task lighter. Yankee Seth would have car-
ried her again, but she refused utterly, saying that her night's
rest had left her strong and able to bear any ordinary fatigue.
They marched slowly, for the signs were ominous, and once
or twice the scout stopped and listened carefully to see if the
sounds about him were suspicious. She could see that he
feared danger, yet maintained an unswerving fortitude.

“ Brave gal,” muttered the Yankee. “ Make a good sojer’I
wife, she will I”

They stopped at noon beside a little brook, which the young
man remembered to have crossed the day before, and again
took food. But, the Yankee scout kept glancing from side to
side and often started up and looked about him. Near by
was a giant sycamore, with a hollow near the root, large
enough lc-r a person to enter.

 

    

9‘ ms: summon scour; on,

i

“ See here, Miss Madge,” said Seth. “ We've got tew so :t
a little. I don’t see no other way, so yew jest git intew t. .at
holler tree and wait fur us. We won't leave yew long.
Yew‘ll find a step cut in the side, wide enough fur yew tew
stand on. Yew’d better git up on that, fur mebbe an Injir.
might take it intew his darned old head tew look in thar.
Now, boys, come with me." ‘

The hollow was very dark, but Madge grasped the stiletto
“'ltlt'll her lover had given her, and did not fear. An hour
passed, and they did not return. At the end of that time a
head was thrust into the cavity.

“Bright Eyes,” said a Voice which sounded straneg hollow
in the cavity. “ Come down; the Yellow I-Iair has sent for
you.”

“ \Vho is that ?” said Madge.

“Dead Chief,” was the reply. -

She descended hurriedly, and stooped to emerge from th
opening. As she did so, she was roughly seized upon and a
hand pressed so tightly upon her mouth and nostrils that she
found it impossible to cry out. Ascarf was torn from her
neck and speedily transformed into a gag, which was thrust
rudely into her mouth, and when she looked up she saw the
leeriug face of Willimack close to her own.

“ Aha l” he liissml. “ Where is the Skeleton Scout?
Where is Nabockalish now to save you? The spirit of the
rocks and trees are things at which a great chief laughs 1"

Taking her in his arms he dashed into the forest which
bordered the path, and she found herself in the midst of the
remnant of theband of Willimaek, and in their midst, tightly
hound and bleeding from a cut in the lbrehead, washer lover.
llc uttered a cry of horror as he saw her brought in.

“You too, Madge! Then the cup of my misery is full
intlvetl."

b‘he tried to speak, but the gag forbade it, but he understood
her.

" Yankee Seth is «lead. Isaw him fall into a deep gully,
shot by the hand ot‘ this traitorous savage. 'l‘he brave fellow
fought gallantly, but fell overpowered by numbers."

The Wyundot laughed in a Sardonic manner, evidently
triumphing in the misery of which he was the cause. He 9;)-
prouched and took the gag from the mouth of Madge.

    

wf‘

 

 

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was .

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Tn: noxnna moon.  

“ Talk to him, talk,” he shrieked. “ Let him tell you how
Willimack, the Wyandot, avenges himself upon those who
have done him great wrong. The Long Man is dead, though
warriors have not yet found his body. The Dead Chief is
flying though the forest with four fleet runners upon his
track, and you two areshere, to try what it is to dare the ven-
geance of a. great chief.” '

“Listen to me, Wyandot,” cried Will, angrily. “ I am in
your hands, and you have it in your power to use me as vou
will. But, so surely as you do a wrong to this sweet girl, I
will find a way to haunt you from my grave.”

“ You shall never know a grave,” screamed the chief, shak-
ing his clenched hand in his face. “Your ashes shalle
scattered to the four winds of heaven. Even your bones
shall be consumed and the winds shall carry them away.
She shall look on and see. Aha! Her face grows paler!
She is like the white lily that lies upon the summer water
when the sun is high.”

“Chief,” she said, “here I am and in your power. Let
me see if you care for me as you say. Let Floyd go free.”

“ And if I do, will you go into my Wigwam ?”

“ I am in your power, as you know.”

“ Do not promise,” cried Floyd. “ Do you think I would
purchase my life on such terms as these ‘3”

“ Ha! ha! ha! Is a Wyandot a fool to let you go free?
No; she shall see you die, and then she shall enter my wig-
wam all the same. A great chief never lies. You shall die
upon the spot where you came and stole the Bright Eyes
away, when the aecursed fire-water of the white man had
robbed me of my strength. Come l”

He made a signal, and several Indian ponies were led from
the surrounding thickets. Madge was forccd to mount one
of these and Will another. The latter had his feet tied be-
neath the horse, and in this condition was led away, sur-
rounded by about twenty of the wild band. It was growing
dark when they reached the scene of the first escape of
Madge; there the party dismounted and tethered their horses.
This done, they tied the young soldier to a tree, and heaped
light wood about him, while Madge threw herself at the feet
of the stern chief and begged for her lover’s life. He only .

90 m neuron scour; on,

shbwed by a scornful smile that he saw and heard her, but
stood gazing at the prisoner, the second lime he had seen
him at the stake.

“You escaped from the Prophet; from me you can not
escape,” he hissed. “Away, squawi How dare you come
between a great chief and his vengeance ?”

“ As you hope for mercy, chief; as you expect ever to
‘ know a quiet home, do not torture him," cried Madge. “ I
ask it on my knees.”

" Away i” cried the chief. “Light the pile l”

As a hand was outstretched to do his bidding, there was a
rush of many feet, and the glade was filled with mounted In-
dians of the Shawnee nation! Willimack understood at a
glance that they had come to rob him of his prey, and, with
8 yell of baffled rage, darted at Madge with uplifted hatchet.
But, there started up before him the giant figure of Yankee
Seth, who dealt him a tremendous blow with his fist which
felled him to the ground. Madge started up with a glad cry
and threw herself into his arms.

“ Thank God you have saved us, gallant man 1 A life
would not repay the debt I owe you now.”

“ Oh, git eout,” replied the excited scout. “I don’t ask it,
dew I t” '

There was a suspicious moisture in his eyes, however, and
he brushed the sleeve of his hunting-shirt across them in
a hurried manner, and putting her gently aside, ran to cut
Will Floyd loose.

“Who are these ‘3" said Will, after pressing the hand of
the Yankee warmly in his own. “ They are Indians. I am
‘ afraid it is out of the frying—pan into the fire.”

“Not a bit of it I” replied the Yankee. “Tecumseh is
here."

“ Tecumseh 1”

“Yes,” replied the full rich voice of that noble chief, ad-
vancing. “The white man has been wronged by those who
claim to be friends of Tecumseh, and who but he should set
it right? Willimack has a bad heart. He has done more
evil than he knows to the Shawnecs. Bright Eyes, let the
chief tell how glad he is to see you safe.”

Madge came forward and gave him her hand thankfully.

 

 

 

 

 

‘ THE BORDEIx BLOCK.

l

“ You came in time, chief. How did it happen?"

“ Yankee Seth is a great brave. He tell into a hole which
was very deep, but the Great Spirit was watching over the
safety 3f Bright Eyes, and saved his life. Tecumseh-was al-
ready on the march to save you from VViilimack, and we
met. The rest you know.” -

Willimack had risen, and was looking on with a lowering
brow. 1115 men were standing, cowed and fearful, in the
presence of the great chief, but he alone maintained an an
daunted mien.

“ Can Tecumseh come to me and steal away my prison-
ers ?” he said. “ Is this being a friend to the \Vyandots ?”

“A great chief should not be cruel," replied Tecumseh.
“ Willimack was never the friend of Tecumseh. Chief, you
have been very wicked, but you are the friend of the
Pmphet. Go; I will take care of your prisoners."

Willimack seowled fiercely about him, and for a moment
deemed to meditate an assault upon the great Shawnee. But
the abject submission of his men showed that he would have
no backers, and he dared not trust himself alone against the
mighty arm of Tecumseh. Shaking his hand in anger at
the chief, he turned away, and the forest hid him from View.

“ Go on," muttered Seth. “ Yew are a marked man from
this hour. I am on yer trail!”

CHAPTER XIII.
CONCLUSION.

THEY camped that night. upon the spot which had witnessed
their last. trial and rescue, and set out at early morning to
ride to the town of Vincennes, accompanied by Tecumseh
and a portion of his hand. Upon the evening of the next
day they Camped again a few miles from Vinccnnes, where
they were met by the rangers of Floyd, who had been sent
out on a scout in the direction of the mined station. Know-
ing them to be safe, Tecumseh bade them farewell. Hi:

 

a

THE SKELETON SCOUT; ‘03,

hand already were on the march, and he stopped a moment
to press the hands of Floyd and Yankee Seth.

“ The heart of Tecumseh is made of stern stuff,” he said.
“ But, it is very sad when he thinks that when we may meet

‘ again it may he as enemies. In that hour do not forget that
we have been friends.”

Making them a mute gesture of farewell, he turned upon

{'1 is heel and left them. The young soldier took the hand of
Madge and they stood alone in the gathering darkness. In
that sad hour, a father driven mad by his wrongs, his faithful
servants slaughtered, the young man felt that she was indeed
all to him. A low growth of bushes separated them from
the rangers, and they were very close together, when there
rose before them the fearful figure of the Skeleton Scout. It
stood a moment lonking fixedly at them, when the ghastly
head disappeared, although the body remained, and a hois-
terous laugh greeted them as Nabockalish, the Skeleton Scout,
stood confessed in the person of Yankee Seth.

“ Seth Spink!” cried Floyd. “ Is it possible i”

“ You the Skeleton Scout ‘3" murmured Madge.

“ Jess so. I’m that identickle cuss,” said Seth, laughing.
“ But, don’t tell the boys, fer the disguise is a right good ’un.”

“ But you were always as frightened at the Skeleton Scout
as any one,” said Madge.

“ That was a blind, you know,” he replied. “Ef- ycw’d
'a’ taken time tew think, yew’d ’a’ seen that I was never on
hand at the same time the Skellington was. I’ll tell yew
how it was done, et' you’ll promise tew keep it secret.”

“ Agreed,” said Floyd.

“Wat, then, I’ve got the apperatus here. Come closer,
yew’ll see how easy it works. Yew see my hunting-shirt is
loose round the neck. That leaves ronm fer the thing tew
lay cornf’able and out of sight. Ipull up this black cloth
like this, yew see, and it covers my head, leaving a place fer
my mouth and eyes. Then, here's a blow-pipe. I blow on
it, and yew see what happens.”

He inflated his cheeks and hlew hard upon the pipe, and a
number of white stripes upon the surface of the black cloth
began to rise and swell until they assumed, in the darkness,
the appearance of a ghastly skeleton head. When it was in~

 

ran 303nm 31.00:. 99‘

fluted he turned». stop which kept in the air, and putting up
his hand, turned the'slides of a pair of small “ bull’s-eye ”
lamps, and the Skeleton Scout was before them. Floyd
could not avoid a hearty laugh at the ease with which the
thing was done. Seth joined in the laugh, turned the stop
and allowed the air to escape, pulled down the contrivance
and pushed it under his loose hunting-shirt, and appeared in
his own person.

“It don’t take me tew moments tew change characters and
be Nahockalish or Yankee Seth, jest (-z I like,” he said. “ Let
the gal go to camp a miunit, Will. I want tew speak tew
yew.”

“A moment, my friend, and then Iwill go,” said Madge.
“ How did you produce the appearance of the fiery serpent
upon the rocks, after we were hidden in the hole in the rock."

“ I dropped a train of gunpowder in the shape I wanted it,
and set fire tew it,” the Yankee said, laughing. “ ’Most any
specter will be ez easy ’eounted l'er ez I am, if people Could only
git tew the root. There, go away, gal.”

Madge went slowly back to camp, and the scout stood a
moment in deep thought.

“ Yew seen them graves by the ruined cabin in the woods,
my boy '2" said he. “ I didn’t tell yew whose they were, be-
cause that would ’a’ bin 02 good ez telling yew my seen-t.
My wife and children lay thar, jest e7. I buried ’em when I
found ’em scalped and gory, when I cum back from a hunt.
I've lived a scout and hunter since, and not a had one, ez old
man Harrison will tell yew, and I’ve had my revenge on a
few of the reptiles. When I wear the disguise of the Skeleton
Scout I spare none.”

“ And how is it you leave no sign ‘r" said Floyd.

“Yew didn’t look in the right place. Both those dead
hounds yew seen were stablth threw the brain behind the
ear, I’ve got a knil'e with a thin blade, that leaves no blood
outside. Perhaps I‘m wrong, but, whenever that idee comes
over me, I think of them green gravcs on the sunny Slope,
and then I'm an iron man ag‘in. Don’t tell thistew any one,
and try tcw forgive me if I have hin tew blame.”

Floyd silently extended his hand and the scout grasped is
firmly in his own. They were tried friends from that hour, and

 

It!) TEE SKELETON scour, on,

never in the after peril which came to that frontier forgot the
dangers they il‘td Shared together.

Matthew Floyd, under the care of a good surgeon, recov-
ered somewhat his shattered faculties, but, the sound of an in-
diam war-whoop Would always drive him Wild in a moment.

The young Couple were married the next week and lived
in Vineennes, and remained happy in each other’s love
until the war began in earnest along:r the frontier, and the ran
gers, with their gallant leader, marched to the fierce battle at
Tippecanoe, where the power Of the Prophet was broken, and
Willitnaek lost his life.

Dead Chief remained true to the whites, and at last, in a
fearfully tragic manner, which another tale may saw to
show, sealed his devotion with his life.

The Skeleton Scout was still seen at night, flashing in the
darkness beside the Indian camp-fires; and when the war
was over, cmne back to live in quiet upon a farm just outside
Vincenues, and go down to the grave honored and beloved.
And Madge Floyd taught her children to honor the name of

Nabockalish, the Skeleton Scout. and her first, a noble boy.
5:58 the Seth of her fair houSehold.

 

STAIN]_)ARD

U131]; DIALOGUES

For School Exhibitions and Home Entertainmma.

m... I “'21 inelusivs. "to-:5 Popular Dialogue: and Drums in nch book. Lwh volums "I
32an mg", uni pout. paid, on m riyt of In ire, u-n cults.

[kindle & Adams, Publishers. 98 William St... N. 2’.

'1. liege volumes have been prvpnrexi with aspen“ rvl'rrenre to their nvnilxhilitj' fur Exhibitions
'0‘“: M1“ Md lo "hm-ls and Ivnrluri With or er out ilir lurnitnm of a rMfl-numl umth to SQ‘HO L
alts AN YOUNG l’EL)!’ .l‘l of gvery kgedvah mule nnii leumla. it in inir u: mcumc tlmt
'53 b. nus in the nmrket, at :in\' PH'IE, contai . L0 many ninth] and avallubiu dinlngw. mmdn-m
In». pathos. humor and sentiment.

DIME DIAl I/GUES, N0. 1.

(fig of tho Muael. For niue yourg imiie‘ Hnbnubhiuz. l-'..r fin- . "mite".
oxiting A Live Engliahumn. Fur turn (my; lThe Sz-rretivISiicreau. l-‘w tll,rp.. “It”.
ftm'n Corn-nation. For mills and female. ,Ynung Amerim. ‘i‘hrve InnLA nn two {gm-lg
Fruhion. For lWo ladies. Josephine”: lie-tiny, from {,,,m]"' w.l".k_
The, Rehearsal. Fur six h vvs. :Thc Fnlh of the ltnoi. Fa. tiirvc malelpu-Ju
Which will put (HIOmii-l l-Uir two boyl. :llngumiiun. For three m..|¢ .‘lcflkfll.
(m- men of )lll)’. Fur tw-r little girls. "l'he lgnmnni ('vliluuudul Fm two In.”
The Te' l-arty. )‘urluurlndiea. ‘,'l‘he l'ust Ymmy Mm. Furlwn “ml,”
rhiee 2. er.” in Wort.ch Life. Mal. and lax-n 1Tb. Yur‘l Ruloning i? i‘omnlu And i Ind.
11. SiillIt‘E' (Junie-aim. For unto and (urine. The Village with On: G.» "hr—H. F0' .5.“ .
ho “nation of the Spirits. PM: young luiiu. l male: uni 0». "ml...

DIME DIAIDGUES, N0. 2.
mm Geninl of Libon . 1 "min and l townie. How in \i the ‘ Pupulur’ Sumac. Two min.
Cimierailn; or, flu ldttle Him Sllppvr. The N2“ Ami the UM, Far two xvi-la
Doing Good And Sxylng Bud. Severnl t-hnriu'terl A Sauna-Him It Lust. For two Hillel.
Tha Golden Rule. Two lnlli'fl uud two t'mnniu Thc (ireen‘mrn. Fur t-m "min.
Tim Gift of the Fairy Queen. Several icmniol. 'llc Thur, Men of Scicrtcr. For four mil-l.
Tnkan in Mid D nu For. For two clmrni'wra. l'he (llii l.mi_\ '- Wil'. Fur [our Inniel.
The Country AI nt’! Vin t to the City. For no The Lillie him "who". For two little girk.
onl chnrnrterq. lit-w to Mini nu Heir. For tin Hill..-
The Two Rornmzn. For tmi main. Thu Virtual Fur six young lndlcl.
frying thn Charmin“. For three nmlou. A ’lonnnhinl l‘lctngue.
flu Happy anily. For neverni ‘Inl unls’ Th1 Pni-iiv meeting. Hum-in Ind "new
a. RamNW. For Ieverni clmmcwn. Tim Enylinh Thu-clay. You two lbllll.

DIME DIALOGUES, N0. 3.

,b. Mu» Quinn. For an onnro vhool. 'l'hu Gent-oi Cook. Iw two mules.

9mg Refmn Convention. For Mn femulu. lMutnr-‘ue. Fr.- two main and two tannin.
km: in: lhd Co'npnnv. A ’nrca. Fur five mllol. Tho Two Rut-mm. For two much

vnvlt'lr,f l’nder Difficulties. 2 main, 1 {om-h. .Th- Rama Pound Mono. For two min.

A.“ ll [{oprneumivu. A Burluque. 4 tall... IShowing the Whip: F-ntlmr. 4 main, I hm.“
heaping tne Drlil- For numomui main. iTh— nun. (all. A Recitltl-o. For on. nub.

mm: numuUEs, 1m. 4.

‘L. M“ King. For m or more persons. The Stuib'etomn Vot-mtm. ‘I mllu. I no»...
Martingi'i Life. Three malannd two {em ll". A Hi me from “ Pnnl l'ry " For (our main.
faith, It.» a mid Charity. 90' threa little girls The Ci-srml. For thm mniu xnd one imnn
Darbv an ln-m. For two males and one frr'mio. BM, Clock and Broom. Fur thh-a little xirn
.m :w. A Finrni Fancv. For nix Iitt‘o girls. Th. [tight “3,. A Colloquy, For nu my:
rm Eu Hunted Prlnrt'll. ‘2 umiumeveral tuna!" What toe lm‘lnr San. Fartvo main.

.nnrto Whom linnnr in Due. 'n male-,1 (annals. The Crime: nfDrOlI. A Cclloqvv. Fnrt obo-

~Gorntlei'11imt, Foruveul mnlelmne female The Reward oi Benevolent“. For (um an);

nongy. A Discussion. For twvnty "min. The latter. Fur two nmlu.

DIME DIALOGUES, NO. 6.

‘ o ‘i'.‘.wa (1mm... For .- hnoi ur mrtnr. Putin: on Mn. A i‘nliv- my, Far \‘n. nun:
Stdtnm-m. A “ Three Pl‘l‘llrh" ” FA 41-. Th9 Stnighl erlt Powwow! b‘) 1.
Sushi d the (‘Imnim For wmiw Alltl {om-loo. ‘1‘le Men M link. A Pulloquy. llor In. wink
fha Eta Pi Socio‘tv. Five bun unit a tench". fund from .‘lnri'u- r‘niioro.
Examination DIV. For‘evr-ml innale churn-ton. Nn-trv-Mnnv)‘. An Aciinu Climatic.

A railing in “ Trn' n " Fnruverll main. The Six Virtnn Fm ix vnunc India.

rue Schwl Boy: 'l‘rihunnl. For tun ban. Tur iri-iilnnr. l. Hume. Fur twumlin
A lmu Tonguo. Sevznl male: and Inn-lea. Puliionnbie quuinmvnu. For thm ark.
How Not to Get. sn Anlwu. For two ferrule-l, A LL-vy o! i’. (Era) For uiglnto: ieu Hub...

DIME muonuvs, no. a.

l'ho Way Thty Kupr. ugmnt. Mal» Ind felnnltu l‘hu Two (Ti-unwion. For tine ml...
hl Poet under Difficultiu. For {no main. Thu Val-rim 0" Fully For I Dumbo-r (f‘en’ov‘
lllinm Tell. For a whole Ichool. \nnt Bohy‘l Hunt. Fun! {cumin And two In“
woman’l Right; Sewn {om-lama two mxlu. The Libel Suit. For hm tannin aid on. M
.‘.II in not Gold that Glitm. Mal. Ind ham-la. Smut Claus. For n number of how;
I'll. 0mm- ch. For nix m-in. 't'hriutmn Fniriv I» am ml limo git-Is.
hmnu lul’ thumb- ud on hum. [Tin Tin» Ring. ca two min. .4

 

    

 
   

‘nmn so 200:. mama—n: noguu‘.

 

DIME DIALOGUES, N0. 19.

tn waul mylhi‘y. Two female! null twii innlu. The ro'finml nlznpletonn. Fur fr‘nr indict.
or

Cuxiuntrnw'w five little boys. ‘lt umnher ltensun. For lilrer "mica.

“'ho nrn th' Hints! For ihrv-n yi-uug g rls. M‘I‘Wil‘lll v lll":lll0". 'l'hrrern-il-1 «nil 0n.- fem“
California uni'ln. Three vnnlns «nil three {amide-shim .\ :tn 1..” .mivh lune. Fur threr mulu.

Be kin l t» the poor. A little {IlkS‘ play. il'hv miry‘a warmng. lira-n pii‘t't‘. For twii girln.
“0w poi-pic Ara iiuureil. A “ :lm-l." 1x\unl i‘luuh i"! rxp'rmwnt. Fur Icvrrnl.
Mnylur. Acting rhum-l». For fwur chnmctcrl. ll'lw in \ ntl‘l‘lullfl H 1". 'l‘uu funnies mud (\n( nle.
The mm .« fiend. For fmr h. vs. iWu‘ll lien. in inurtnugc the lurm. For um; 11‘":

 

A kindergarten .linlngne. Fur-fit (‘hristinn Fm» and two {t‘lfllll s.
tirml. l’ersomted by seven chin-lute”. ‘.\n uhl inshinneil duet. ‘
The no ohtudy. For three girls. i'l‘hu Imtiun. Far numeroue chnrncterc

DIME DIA' OGUES, N0. 20.

i "1erqu man. Thren mill»: and three females lAn nir muilv. For five mule! And throu tum... -.

(ternoinn culls. Fur two little girls. \‘ity lllullllrrl and country hearts. For three 3'.
Neil's present. Fnr fuur boys. and ullc buy.
Judge not. For tam-her and se Ieral lcholnrs. The, Iilly dispute. For twu L'll‘ll flu“ “Mil”-
Tellin: rlaw-mm. Fur four little folks. Nut mm then-l rz-r fuur mule rlmrncttrl.
Saved bv love. For "In bars. Funt- irint. For nuluernun r'hnrncteru

Mutuknn identity, Two males nml three femnl l.-Kei-;nng luflfl'dt’rl. ’l'wn (um ile mni three main.
Couldn’t remi English. For 3 males sud] tannin. A cure tor xud’d. ()ne lndynnd two gentlemen.
h little Vesuvius. For six little girls. The i-reduluun wise-EM. For two males.

:‘ Bold." For three boys.

DIME DIALOGUES, N0. 21.

A Inmeuful donation party. For loveral. anrk llristingu‘ return. For {our mnlu.
Out nf :lebt nut ol‘ danger. For three mul es Ind Cinl rulla. Fur newml children.
three ruinnlel. Tim innitll fur Aunt )lutililu. For three femdn.

Little Rm! Ruling llood. For two children. Wit ntzninst Wllt‘. Three Innlel And one female. \
How the nu is him rupnse. A (luut. lA Iiniilvn remvrry. For thrue mnlel.

The lwuuo an the hill). F {our (amnion. l'l‘ho- ilouhlu Itrntxgem. Fur t'nur (amnion.
Eviiilncn Pnnug I. For tW'I 'l’l‘llcfl. Counting chickens bcfvro they were hatched.
Worth and \Vuullll. For inur t‘enmlu. For {our males.

Waterlnll. Fo' Nverbl

DIME DIALOGUES, NO. 22.

Thu Dark C-m‘1; 0r. "hw Mi tukn of n Morninml'l‘itnnin‘s B-m mt. Fm’ a number o!zlrll.

For three ufntl-m‘a I Ami twu 1mm. li-ws Will lie ay-i. Fur two boy: and one girl,
That Nd'or«lo~Weli ; or, a Hrnther'n ‘euon. For A lininy DJy; nr, the School-Girl Philotoph“
two main-a l|llll twu rt'lt'llfid. For three yuun: imiiub.
Hugh Art, or the New M min Fni No girls. Gail in Love. For n nunihe-r uf Ichnlarl.
Btruuzn AJVUIIIIIW‘I. For twu hay» 'l'lm \Vu)’ lie Managed. Fur ‘1 main. 1 fuml".
The Kin: I Supper. [*‘nrfour gin-h. i‘th-iungt). Vnrinns clinrncterl, white I d other
A Prnv'ti'tsl Eumpliflcatinn. Fur two in". W'W'.
Munsieur l‘hie‘l in Ainvricn; or, Yankee v5. The. Little Dortnr. Fartwn tiny girls.
Frunchinan. Fur fnnr buys. A Swat Revenge. l"-ur four hoi‘s.

Dani’s Diplulnucy. 3 female: and ‘ incidental-3i A Mny [)ny. For three iitile alrll.
A Ermammu; or, um ()Mwmed Aunt, For gm,‘ From the thliim mtho Ridiculou For 15 .'
indies-m1 on. gentleman. llurl Not Flu. For five boyl. ‘

DIME DIALOGUES, N0. 23.

Rhndr. Hunt's anedy. Fn‘ a {e nah-.1 mule. 1A Bear Garden. For three mnlel. two [can];

Haul Schniil 'n Rocuvnvuvn 3. Fur twn initial. i'l‘hi- Busy Bet-n. Fur l'nur l ttlr gills.

Cheorv nnvl Grumhlu. For WM 1 tzla hnu. (‘hcclun-ite. For uuumrnuu rlurvctur...

The Ph mt nn Dimglniuta, 1" )l' nix l'cinulel. ’Schnnl Time. Fur twvv lit-ll" L'iri.

D m. it Pm-l For six mule» ilk-all) Sane. ‘2 prin. ipnl churncturl umuiljuncu.

Cmupnuv Minnie" nnl llama l npolituneu For Druuunil Gal-l. :mvuml cit-meters, "null. and l.-
twn "mlel, tum {aimth and twn children. I "ml"-

The GLM Dari. For two Mtle bnyn, :(‘flnl‘uullli Mllle '. For tllrrn “ml”. "'0 {0mm

Unfortunate Mr. lirnwu. For i Innlofi fem-lent. l'znnrum'o \‘I. Jiutivu. For eleven melon.

11m Real Cult. For two girls. l'eduntl All. For tour foxnnlel.

W The above hook: arm will by Newfi.‘|len erer where or will be sent. out- id to
m.“ mipt of price. 10 emu inch. y ' p l" ' a

13qu & ADAMS. Pnbth'O. W11“.- itm N. Y.

 

 

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~Illue lllt'k. iix t‘wpt, ,\l:|\nellrl1l.
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“The “'hlte 'I‘rnu-ker. PZ-luuM 3. Ellis.
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Hi'l‘he ’l‘nll 'l'rupper. lh Al mt W. A».
9 7LI¢htn|ng Ju. l.) ('n; c. A-lu'x .4
10- The l-luud l'lrute. lr‘v4 u- t. ane livid.
ll ~'l‘he "0y Hunger i_\ Hll 1‘ In a.
l2~lle~m the ’l‘rupper. liv l2 ' .e.
18 ~The Frem-h hp). 'w W. J. H: 1L n.
14 —l.ouz fllmt- lh ('upL (innqurk.
lfi—The Gu lulu-r. .i‘nlms l.. ll‘rWeh.
16 —I{ed "I “I. w r.
17Alleu. the TH ‘u l..-wi. W. Canon.
1" #“'lld "tl\t'll. i‘w Hi1 (‘ .~-=.
l9‘The h‘peeter (‘hlefi My Swlin Ruliinl.
207The ll‘lIr-Klllt‘l‘. lit" l'li‘l. 1'Inllmlmk.
2| ~“'lltl Nut. l2: ll 'n. R. in »'ur.
22 Indluu Jo. in 1mm. \\'.1‘m~...n_
23 "Id Kent. the Hunger. l':il~\nr~l S. li'li‘.
2|: — The 0ne- lip ed 'l'rupper. i'm‘l. ('nnn-t. «k
' - iodhnld. the Sp). h; \ I'm“.
‘he llluek h'hlp. it, J“ n 5. Warner.
22' ih'lnxlu live. l- W aw. M. .14 w.
2" -lndiun Jim. |=- l‘lut'vlfi. l-1:.s.
29 ~The Kt'tilll. i\ \\ uhn St. Juln.
80 —Enzle Eye. “V W, .1. li .v
3| -'l'he H3 -tle ('nnoe. M} l; u
32 i’l‘he. Gulden llnrpoon. My It.
33 ~The Heulp King. lh Liwzl. .\ul ll nltur.
Bldlld Lute. lix H. W. Ar: h-‘r.
85 ~Ih|lnhu|t.Hunger. liy till (Swim-x.
86 Jl‘he Huy I'luueer. Mv lllw u-I <. P? ‘ .
8? ~(‘ur-on. the Guide. lh .l. H. ltnnfiu l; 
BK »'rl|(' Heurt. l'Iuter. li_\' “:er lln7nvil.
39 JVetzel. the henut. Hi I: wt n H. limp.
40 The Huge Hunter. lix H. <. 15‘] a
4i -“'ild Nut. the 'l‘rnpper.
2 rl. 'IIx-eup. In I'm] 1mm.
43 -T e “'hlte flutluw. li- liuvrv llnrnrrl.
4l—The Hm: Truller. it) l’r-«lur . l».- .m.
45 rThe lilk Klmz. Hy (3‘11, 1" nn. H iuuv :.
46 :‘lll’ltltl. llli' I’llnt. lh ("1. l'. ingmhum.
47 The Hun-hunter. li\\l*\r~1‘. Ruin-
4“" The I’huntnm 'l'rm-ker. '. l).«m~,\'.
49 AMoeeu-In Iilll. In hm! Milo»
V'I‘he “'uli'Queen. lh t'hmn-n Huwnrll.
'l‘nm Hun in the 'l‘ruller.
The Mud (‘hletl M} Hum. H “wrll.
The llluel.’ \Ttlli'. l5} l‘hlwin l2. lining.
54 «Arl‘fln-un Juelu “x Ilwrry ll.1.lr:i.
55 Jlluekbeurd. liv l'nnl um...
58 The Rher Rli'len. Hy Mill-x Muller.
5? -llunter Ilum. In .I. iiltunr ll”.
5" (‘IoudwnmL M J. .\l. .‘lrvrlll.
59 The Tequ "-va My Jni. E. Rug". Jr.
60 Merellen- Milt. lh (‘an ('l.m. Iluunh .
6|~ Mad Anthony‘n Remit-t. In it.
62—1‘he LueLleu Trapper. WI... L,

ll. :ln un.
Hymn.

H).

1' ml 1'!er utt. ‘

63~The Florida Henuf. Jon. E. Budtflh’r.

6 i -’l‘ile l-Iund ’l‘rupper. (‘hu-I. Howard.

65 ~\Vull' Cup. liv (filrl. ('hnn. lluwnrd.

66~~lluttllllg "ll'k. l'v llnrry llnznrd.

67“ sharp-lip e. My !\ nj: r Max Murtine. .

. tl"~- lron-Iluud. liv lr. tltfllli Fun-st,

‘ illiw’l'he Yellow lluuter. liy (1mg. lluwnrd.
Tilvr'l‘he l’huntum Rider. My Mar: 0. Rollo.
7l~lieluwure ’l‘om. My Hurry llnlnrd.

72 Silver llllle. Ii) ('npt. ('lms. llmvnrd.
'l'he hkeleton Feout. 31.111" W. Canal.
l.lttle Hille. lh' t u} t. “ lirnln " Adalnl.
The “'01th \" lteh. liy Edwin Exnerrnn.
Old Huff. the 'l'ru -r. “ Bruin " Adam.
The heurlet PlumllllArn. llnrn' “and.

t 'i i'l'he llurder Illlleman. L. W. Canon.

71L "ntlnw Juek. it) tinny linlnrd.

bib-'l'iger-Tnil. the Felninole. R. Ringwood.

Kl - Health-Denier. liy Arthur 1.. Murn‘c.

#27 Kenton. the Ranger. Hy (1mm. Howard.

fill The F teeter llor-enlun. Frank Dewey.

P4 The 'l‘ Ireo 'l‘rupreru. Sm-lin Robbins.

R5 Knlenluh. '\ 'l. irntnn St irl- n, l'. S. N.

Mi 'l'he Hunter Hereuleu. llmn St. George.

3*? I'hll llnnter. ii} (“1.1. ('lmx. litmnrd.

H74 'l‘he lndlun h‘eout. lh llnrry llnlnrd.

'l he i-lrl A\enxer. By Hum. llnwll’d.

The Red Hermite". liy l‘nulBiM-n.

htnr-l‘m-e. the hlnyer.

The Antelope lluy. fly (it-0 l..Aiken.
~ The l'huntum Hunter. liy E. Enu-raon.

Tom I'lntle, the l’ilnt. by M. Klnpp.

The Red \\ iunrd. My Nut llurtrr.

' EN; The Hhul 'l'rupperu. lh- L. W. ('mmn.
97 The hunnw hpy. My (‘n vi. Hum. Howard.

‘ 9‘ HuuLy lilek. It) Jus. l'l. lhulgov,.lr.

"it ('uluuel ('rul‘lu‘ll. li\ ('lm-a l'I. Lunllr.
0M Iieur I'nw. Hy Mnjnr Mn! Martina.
Iledlu“. lit Jun. if. lindurr..lr.

“'lld Rube. li)‘ W. J. llmrlltun.

'l‘i-e lndlun Hunters. BY J. L. anen.
heurred l‘lugle. l4) Andruw Inn-unwrn.
\lt'l“ “0) le. NV 1'. llnmiltnn fillers.
The Indian Spy. it) Jul. [—2. lhnlgflwlr.
Job Heun. i‘-\ lhgtnldlln Null,

The “'nud Kin iv In. I . Nudge-r, Jr.
The Nealpedl I r. It) ll:«rr\ llnzard.
.\Ie|n the Front. lh \V..l.ll1|x1‘iltn't.

‘ The Teme 'l'lxer. liy lulwmd \\ illett.

‘ The (‘rnn-ed Knlvep. My llnnlilum.

i Tiger-"curt, ti .- ’l m: Lo-r. lh H~-wnrd.

l The MunLed A‘enger. it) Ingrid-nut.

‘ The I'eurl l'lrutel. In Slur ln'k.

‘ llluek Panther. lh' Jon. E. iindger. Jr.

a
3!

3’)’)')') I
’;:,;v.'.

.i

‘9
(

(\hdlel. the A\ enger. it; l‘:ll. “‘illeu.
lly l'h-d. Dun-y.

By Jon, [-2. iindgor.
Hy Hurry Hunrd.

l‘utu. the Cree er.
Two-Handed at.
.\I ud ’l'ruil Hunter.
Illuek N Iek. ih' Fretlt-ril'k “'hiltnker.
Kl! Illrd. lh' \\'. J. liulnlltnn.

‘ The Hpeeter Hider-n. My t-‘cu. Glen-on.

The following: will he. issued in tln- order n'd wn the (intern indicated:

l24—Giant Pele, the Patriot.

l25—Thc Girl Captain. Bans.
NIB—Yankee liph.
l27—Sllvernpur.
l28—Squalter Dick.
l29—Tlle (‘hlld Spy.
l30—Mluk (font.

By .1118. E. Badger, Jr.
By (ienrge Gleason.
By Joseph E. Badger, Jr.

By W. J. Hamilton.
E. Badger. Jr.

By J. R. ‘VHI‘CQ‘SU'T.
By Edward \Villett.

{early May 6th.
Ready May 20th.
Ready June. 3d.
Ready June 17th.

IT "IANJ'N DIM: l‘ncxlt'r Nnvrux an» alumni in print unui (Mr lRlv‘ lvv nll nrwsdn-alern; or will he un‘
pout-paid, in any mldn-nl; mingle nunllwu, h-n rent: ; vAix nu-ntluu tlfl Mm.) tl.‘.‘.’. ; uno yet" (‘)6 Nos.) .150.

Adnlreu, HEADLE AND AIDAMH, l’ubll-hern, 9H “'illllm fltreet, New York.