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Copyrighted, 1884, by Blunu um Ann“. Enlemd at the Post Omen at Nrw YorkV N. Y., as Second Clnn: Mall Mum". SapL 10, 1860.

32.50 Published Weekly by Beadle and Adams, Price, No 35
I I

n Yul" No. 98 WILLIAM St, NEW You. 1'1"" cum"

 

THE BOY RIFLES; or, THE UNDERGROUND CAMP.

BY ARCHIE C. IRONS.

 

 

 

/7  '«

 

 

 

 

THE RECONNOITER.

 

‘9?-

' ized. for we are

, .
’ The Boy Rifles;

The Underground Cam .

a Banana. mile nod River of the North. .

BY ARCHIE 0. IRONS.

CHAPTEZI’I.
A RIVIB RACE.

“Wm, F
n the Land of the Dacotshs ‘—are
actually standing on the banks of that famous,
romantic stream, the Red River of the North."

The speaker. Albert Arlington, stood balancing
himself on the crest of n roc.:, and gazing oi! over
the bri ht sheet of water that lay below. and that
ripp‘l along in the brl ht, morning sunlight, seem-
ing to single song of we come to the two boys stand-
ing on its anks; one with c pin hand, and his dark
curling-hair blown back from his forehead by the
breeze that reached him in his elevated position- the
othorfair-haired and fair‘slti med who lenned list ess-
ly a ainst a tree a few feet below. seemingly oblivi-
ousgo everything save the river flowin at his feet.

He was not over sixteen, and his face still held its
boyish look. and was soft and smooth as a girl‘s.
Though his dress was not rich, it was strong and
durable, n'nd was fanciful] ornamented with strips
of colored fur. The belt a lit his waist which .con-
lined his clothes, sons to show his lithe. slnewy form
in all its perfectness. held a. handsome silver-mount-
ed revolver. belt size. and a buckhoru-handled hunt-
ing-knife in a neat sheath, was in close proximity to
it. On the other side was a light hunting-hatchet
witht‘be handle through a loo attached to the belt.
In short from the cnrtrldge- )0}: at his side to the
double, reech-loading rifle in his hand, he was a
he ‘s ideal of a " full-rigged" hunter.

is companion‘s voice aroused him, and turning,
he clambered up the rough sides of the rock till he
reached the crest.

"Yes; and it‘s more magnificent than anything I
had dreamed of. Look at that bi . steep rock on
the other side. We straight up an down, and up-
stream from it are the cosnest woods imaginable. i ll
bet you there’s no end to the deer that hide in them "
and Fred‘s ho ish fnce grew animated as he thought
of the grand an in store. -

Now that they stood close to ether you saw what
a wide dimerence there was in be two.’ Their dress
was similar. and their Mcouterments identical. Al-
bert was twenty-omgears of age and was half a
head taller than Fre . His complexion was clear
and ruddy, and his face ma:in witnaL A very slight
mustache. jet black in color, ornamented his up r
lip, but the rest of his face was cleanly shaven. be
two made a handsomo picture against the dark
background of reen.. ‘ '

.1 “ i wonder w ere Rarity and Will are?“ said Albert
suddenly. “ Theyill he to camp before we are if we
don’t hum up."

The w breezed up strong ashe_ceased speakinr,
swaying the trees across the river ti'l their tops fair-
iv danced in the bright sunshine. And at the some
instant the distant report of a rifle came to them
from up the stream. »

“Therm” exclaimed , ert, suddenly. “ That
must be they new! And must be Rarity. himself,

it

for khg said 0 was going ‘Z'Jat way on his own

‘No it ain’t," 'id Fred, decided! . ' r“me the
crack of .1131: lglazelton's run batter that.
Nor-lit w ‘t 1 either: I'll bet you it'g' Indians.
You know; old tram“ the se meat. told us
w ’ , Indiana > anythingelne‘if‘wecame

up in m"

The no} Rifles.

. at least, of-our dream is real-,

 

H)

The oung man did not reply to his companion .at
that inztant. Somethinghad come on the air that
sounded like a faint shout. He could not tell,
for certain, it was so far oi! and indistinct, but
his ears did not deceive him, for amomentafter
it was repeated, followed by a second rifle-shot.
and a perfect chorus of siouts that seemed to
echo from bank to bank, and from bend to bend
fit the river, till it finally died away among the

ills. mi“

The boys looked at each other in bewilderment
for a brief second. then Fred said: ‘

“ It must be Indians Albert. What if they should
seeRanty and Will? rki hearthem shonti .They
are coming down the river, tool" ' '

“Yes. and we must get out of this. Do you see
that thicket ri ht above~us here, that almost over-
hangs the ban ? That will be a capital place to
hide and we will be where we can see.‘ .

With one accord the two sprung down from the
rock,and ran with the fleetness of deer along the
brow of the bank. When they had ne a hundred
yards, they reached the thicket and alted.

The bank here was very steep, and from where
they stool it was nearly one hundred feet to the
water’s edge. A rfect network of scmbbyscedars.
lined it from top bottom and scarce tray of sun-
light could pierce their thic , green foliage. "At the
brow of the bank was a. thick cluster of imali pine
and white-oak trees, and in this the boys halted.

“ We‘ve got a good view from here " said Albert,
peering out from between two low-imbed pines.
“ We can see the river, over the togs of these cedars,
till it gets almost under us. '1‘ ey ere certainly-
coming down it, and we’ll soon see who and what
they are."

The shouts continued at intervals and each time
seemed nearer than before. The hays lay-quiet in
their hiding-place. and watched and waited. 9
they could command an unobstructed view of the ,

river for some distance, it would require a keen e e

to detect them, screened as they were on all si es ‘
by Tare thick foliage.

bouts grew plainer and plainer. The bogs ‘
8 g

e s
strained their eves to catch the first limpse of t

comers when_ ti:er should appear. ey were evi- ;
dently followmg own the river and were yet some a
distance on'. -

Albert drew himself u among the limbs of one of
the small nes to one. is him to see overaimv.
busing tree- p that overhung the river on the point
of a endsome distance up. He had been up there

but amomentwhen Fred heard a muttered excisma- .' ,1

tion from hi mnnd looked up. Albert was shading
his face with his hand, and his black eyes, were in- ,_
tent) fixed on 3 p0

"Vhat is it?" he asked in awhisper.
see them?" ' - _ .

“ It's Ranty as sure as you live)" answered
Albert. excitedly. “ He‘s coming down the river. in
a canoe. and a-pnddling as if the Old Nick was after
himi There he comes: see?"

Al he spoke a l ht canoe rounded tho river
bend. and came swift down-stream. It contained
but a single occu ant,a boy. and he was paddling
as Albert had 83. d. as if the " Old Nick" was 
him. He was near the center of the stre w
at this point was nearly twp hundred y s W! 9.
but as he approached he swung off toward the op-
ponite bank as if about to land.

“ It is Rantyl" exclaimed Fred, “and the. Indians
are after him. too. 'Seehimi he salike the wind!
But where did he get the canoe , ’ '

“ It must be one of the Indians' 'Iguess. Fred. we
must let him know we are herel'iie s gem almo t
opposite us, but he‘s oing to landon e 0 or side.
I‘m going to climb th s tree and si nal to himi"

Reaching his rifle to . Albe worked bliss!

 

rs id] u among the limbs. Kevin a
goggr’osit on. he drew from an inside pogir a4 , t-'.
I ed ping-rod Knot” i‘is handkc -‘ By .1
shout the end of this, e put his his DI; ‘

 

int above where Fred could see. ‘ .

v “
rt
ch ~

d

     

 

has}. ' .v\ ‘.}‘;:..~f. Lt,

 

   

  
  
   
   
   
  
   
   
 

    

‘s

I‘llh-e- Boy Rifles.

 

and blew a long, shrill whistle, and as it echoed

across the water. he reached his arm out from the

lagsth waved the rod with the handkerchief at-
e .

The occupant of the canoe heard and saw, and
with a single stroke of the paddle, turned his craft,
and came scudding swiftly toward the high bank.

But before he had gone a dozen lenitahs a howlin
of hoarse voices came over the wa r, and roun
the bend scarce a quarter of a mile u‘ , cured a dozen
canoes tilled with Indians, that commenced rapidly
lessening the distance that lay between.

Without a second‘s hesitation the boy whirled his
canoe, anduput back toward the bank at the spot
where he had first intended to land.

1n ten seconds his canoe struck, and stpringinfi
out he sent the boat adrift, and with a tie ant ye
that echoed clear and long among the hills, he dis-
appeared in the thick woods.

‘ Great Heavens!” exclaimed Fred, “ he is wound-
ed! Did you notice how he limped as he went into
the woods? Albert, h ~ will be overtaken and killed!
Oh, if we could only at across and help him!“

A chorus of bio chilling ells from a score of
dusky throats, echoed along t 0 river as he spoke.

Albert slid down the tree with a white face.

“ Heaven help him, Fred. The Indians have found

out that he is wounded. We must get across now, if t

we an im 1"

 

CHAPTER 11.
'ms FIRST sno'r.

Tn'r: two boys looked at each other for a moment
almost undecided. But it was for a moment only.
The next. the were bounding along the brow of the
bank down t Ie stream. Suddenly their eyes caught
8 ht of the canoe Rarity had set adrift.

‘ Fred." said Albert, decidedly, “ we must get
that! There is ahend in the river ri ht below, and
a mass of drift-wood in the curve. eel the canoe
is already bearing toward it! If we can get there in
time, we can catch it!"

The he s strained eve nerve as they flew along.
The hen was fully three undred yardsdown-stream
from where they were, but they reached it-some dis-
tance ahead of the boat. The friendly cedars had
screened their flight, and now the point of the bend
hid them from the view of the savages.

The light. birch-bark structure came dancing
down the stream, the current steadily bearing it in
toward the .

Albert ran out on the furthest point of drift-
wood, and made ready to gras the canoe as soon as
it should come within reach. 0 engrossed was he,
and so fearful lest the frail craft should get by him
that he did not look around, but of course supposed
Fred was close behind him.

The canoe whirled around in the eddy made by
the drift-wood, retreated, balanced on a tiny wave,
then swung in a little nearer. Albert held his breath.
The current was very swift immediately below, and
he laid his rifle across some solid pieces of drift-wood
and repared to jump, should the canoe fail to come
within reach.

But, as if it had only been acting thus to tantalize
him. without really meani to escape, the birch-
bark swung further in an the next moment was
rocking‘gentiy on a little spot of still water, its side
grating against the huge Jam of wood u n which

lbert was standing. The young man cou d scarce~
1y redpress a cry of satisfaction as he reached out his
ban and grasped it firmly by the row.

“ Jump m, quick!" he said, in a ow voice. “We
haven’t an instant to lose!"

There was no response, and for the first time he
glanced behind, and over the drift-wood. His com-
panion was not in sight! r

“ Fred." he called in a subdued voice. “ Fred
Carter. Hurry, for fieaven’s sake!"

Still no response. A complete wall of foliage and
vines overhung the water’s edge where they had just

 

come to in, and rustled and sway‘ed in the wind
which was now blowing quite strong. But no sound
betrayed that any one was near.

. A sudden fear took possession of Albert. What
could Fred have stopped for at such a time? Witha
powerful pull, he landed the clmoc high and dry on
the drift-wood and catching up his rifle, bounded
across from 10 to log, till he reached the shore.

As his feet struck the bank, the sharp whip-like
crack of Fred's rifle. within a dozen yards at him.
brought him to a sudden stand, and the next instant
a savage, with a howl of pain, sprung from behind a
tree and disnp cured in t 1e thick woods.

“ Run!" exc aimed Fred, as he came in sight and
ls’tarted for the canoe. “There may he more close

y! ‘

Albert understood without further words and in a
moment they were both in the canoe, paddling rap-
idly toward the other shore.

“[ saw him just as we were starting out on tho
drift-wood.“ said Fred, chan ing his position for one
a little nearer the prow. “ ou were a little ahead,

ou know, and he didn’t see me at all. I crept be»

iind two bif: trees that grew close together, and I
could perk t trough and see him plain as day. He
was waiting for you to get still long.r enough f r him
to shoot. But had a bend on lnm from between
the trees, and I could have shot him before he could
you. Then when you started back he got further
around behind his tree. and I couldn’t soc anything
but his arms."
be“ And there‘s where you hit him !“ exclaimed Al-

rt.

“ Must have been, I guess. When he raised his gun
to shoot. I let fly at his elbows. My! but how he
yelled! One of his arms was dangling at hi§side
when he ran oil, so I know it was broken.“

The boys reached the bank,and springing out,they
drew the canoe up under some low bushes. and then
started up the stream in the direction where Ranty
had landed, bearing stealthily away from the river
as they advanced.

The wind, by this time, was blowing steady and
strong, and in the same direction they were roing.
The shouts had long since died away. and am d the
soughlng of the wind through the branches the re-
port of a rifle would have been almost indistinguish-
able two hundred yards away.

The ground grew higher as they advancod, and the
timber less dense. They had gotten out of sight of
the river and were ascending a rocky slope, when
some sound on the air auscd them to pause.

“ It was surely somet lug," declared Albert, stand-
ing on tiptoe to look over a huge log that had fallen
down the hill. “ And it sounded from in front. Did
you hear it?"

“ Yes," answerer] Fred, “but I couldn‘t tell what
it was. Maybe it was Ranty calling."

The bare suggestion seemed to strike a chill to
both . their lit-arts. Standing close together, they
listened for what the dreaded to hear—Ranty‘s
well-known voice call 113‘ for help. But they heard
nothing, and had started on, when Fred caught his
com anion b the arm.

“ herel d d you hear that?" he said, in a low

voice. “ It wrm some one calling for help!“
Their hearts fairly stood still as the listened.
Yes, it came again; mt it was not a cal for help.

It was a shout, half-angry. and w oily commanding,
as they could tell by the tone. 6 words were not
distinguishable. but the sound came from directly
ahead. and without a word, the two boys moved
cautiously in that direction.

They had gone but a short distance when the tim-
ber suddenl ceased, and they came to a rocky, re.-
cipitous hi1 , that a glance showed them woul be
impossible to scale.

‘ We must make to the r‘ght around it,“ said A!-
bert. " There must be an open spot of low round
ahead, for away across yonder are the tops 0 trees
that are almost on a level with where we stand.“

Albert took the lead and a few steps brought them

 

 

d The Boy Rifles.

 

 

.
to a thicket of low brush that grew along the foot of
the rocky hill.

“ We shall have to go through this. I guess it
won’t appear so thick when we get fairl into it.-"
And Albert. shifted his gun from iis shou der to his
hand and commenced icking his way along, fol~
lowed closely by Fred. t proved even thicker than
they sugposorl, but they had gone but a short dis-
tance w on they “ saw daylight. ahead,“ and a mo-
ment after, they halted, and parting the bushes,
peered carefully out.

One good, long look; then Albert drew back. with
a. white face.

“ Look, Fred,” was all he said.

 

CHAPTER III.
RANTY on'rs Isro 'raouann.

Wan Ranty Hazclton ran his canon ashore at the
termination of the river race, he. had two plans in
his head concerning it, one or the other of which was
almost sure to succeed.

He knew of the bend in the rivcrimmodiately be-
low; and he reasoned that, should he set the boat
adrift, it might mislead the Indians into thinking
that he was still in the bottom floating along, or fail-
ing in this, it would be almost sure to o ashore at
the bend, thus giving his two compan ons a ready
means of crossing the river to come to his relief.

That the former Ian failed h the Indians coming
in sight around t. e bend, an that the latter suc-
ceeded, we have already seen.

With the spirit of mischief that was ever predomi—
nanUn Ranty‘s mind, be conceived the plan of limp~
ing as he entered the woods, thus giving the savages
the idea that he was wounded, never thinking that it
would make them still flercer on his trail.

But, the instant he was under cover of the woods,
he straightened out with surprising quickness. and
started at a breakneck ace in a direction almost
parallel with that in whic the river ran.

He felt comparatively safe now that he was un-
der cover of t 6 Woods, for it was but a short dis-
tance toa spot where, if he could reach it in time,
he felt sure. should the Indians hunt for a week, they
would fail to‘discover him.

This hiding-place was a small cave that he had dis
covered that morning, and which 0 ened on a. nar
row platform thatjutted out from t c face of a high
precipice near the river. The latform was scant
three feet wide, and was fully t )irty feet above the
ground on the smooth face of the erpendicular rock,
which ran up from the ledge near y thirty feet more.

Within ha f a dozen feet of this perpendicular wall
grow a tall, slim tree that, denied the sunshine, had
reared its brambly top some ten feet above the brow
of the rock.

“ Now, Mr. Randolph Hazleton, there‘s the tree
that suits you better than any other one in these
woods," exclaimed the boy. with his usual sangfrofd.
as he came in sight of it. “ You were fifteen years
old a week ago, and much smarter than boys usually
are at that agel ahem l—anrl if you can‘t climb that
with fifty ainted Indians to help you, when you have
done it wi h nothing; but your own legs, you hadn’t
better call yourself the great hunter of the North-
west.“

He had strapped his rifle to his back while speak-
ing, and with the agility of a squirrel, he commenced
the ascent. _

A strong limb grew from the tree about thirty-
tive feet 11 , and as if it had been calculated for that
SurposeJ was on the side next the precipice. and

moped slightly toward the shelf, thus forming a
good chance for one with strong arms and nerves, to
and safely thereon.

Rarity reached this without mishap, but here a
difficulty arose which he had not calculate: on.

The wind, which had been blowing steady and
strong, had almost reached a gale, and getting a. fair
purchase upon the top of the tree above the rock, it

 

 

bent so far away that Ranty was unable to get upon
the ledge. Again and again he slid down the limb,
hoping a lull would come, that would allow the tree
to swmg back for asecond. Once or twice it did
sway almost within reach; so near that Ronty had

X‘epl‘f‘ed to jump. when a sudden gust would bend

he slender body a full dozen feet away.

The loud shouts of the savages, now but a. short
distance away, warned the boy whatever he did
must be done at once, or they would be upon him.

Dropping his body under the limb, he hung sus-

nded by his arms 11 mid-air, and strove by swing-
ing himself back and forth to incline the tree nearer
the precipice.

But it was a futile attempt, and relinquishing it,
he started to climb up among the thicker branches,
when the Indians burst into the open space beneath
the true.

With a silent prayer, Ranty remained motionless,
hoping they would pass along without seeing him.
But one of the savages, kecner-eycd than the rest.
detected his clinging form, and a moml‘nt after 3.
din was raised that would have shamed Babel.

Ranty saw that he was discovered, and for a mo-
ment 3. deathlike feeling came over -him as he
thought of the many stories of prisoners who were
burnt alive by the savages. He threw it off with a

powerful eff art of will, and determined, now that he

was really in for it, to put a bold face on the mat-
ter. Though he was well armed, he saw he could do
nothing, and so he sat calmly on the limb and await-
ed his fate.

“He 1" yelled one of the foremost savages who
seeme to be a sort of petty chief. “ We got you
little ho?v tight. You no go up tree ‘gin, hey?"

“Wei now, you can bet I will if I‘ve a mind to l“
returned Rarity, sitting down on a limb and swing-
ing his feet leisurely.

“ You little brave. we make you git up an' git
right smart," continued the chief, who had evidently
been among the “noble white men," judging from
his talk. “ What~nam8~hey?" -

“ Randolph Hazclton, qu.," returned Ran‘ y,
promptly, continuing to swing his feet in apparent
unconcern.

The Indians all stood around beneath the tree, a
silent party to the confah, havin veiled to their sat-
isfaction on first coming up. ev saw that their
game was nothing but a boy and t ey were some-
what astonished at his make- elieve indifference.

“ You come down~heap quick!" exclaimed the
chief, stepping up close to the roots of the tree.

“ Hey?“ returned Ranty.

" Come down i” reiterated the chief, in a loud
voice. " Me shootl” o
"Trade?" exclaimed Rarity.
thing except an old fack-knifc!”

" How-you?“ yel ed the chief, fairly black in the
face. “ You come doWn—me shoot in little big
piece bitsl"

He raised his gun threateningly, and Rarity saw
that he had gone as far as would be advisable under
the circumstances. So he commenced to slide slow-
ly down the tree.

His heart beat like a trip-hammer as he thought
of the perilous position he was in. Half-way dew"
the tree he stopped on a short limb, and with his
left arm thrown round the trunk, took a second
survey of the savage group waiting for his descent.

There was fully a. score of them alto ether. some
naked to the breechvcioth, and all aubed with

aint: a motley-looking set. with fierce, savage,
rutal faces. Ranty‘s heart fairly forsook him for
an instant.

“ You come—quick !" exclaimed the chief.

“ Don't you be in a hurrv. old leather-head,“ re-
torted R'mty, just savage enough to be reckless, as
he saw there was no possible chance of 0801136.
1" I’tvo,’ got a lame leg, ere. and I can‘t come very
as .1‘

And with this, Ranty thought necessary “ flb," he
again srarted to slide slowly down.

“Hav'n’t got any-

     
 

:c‘

 

   

 

   
  
   
   
  
 
 
    
  

 
   

 
   

 

   
   
  
  
   
   
   
 
    
   
    

 

 

’ A the river where Rarity said

finer...

 no withs

The Boy Rifles. ‘ r I

 

CHAPTER IV.
THE prom: warrma.

As the day advanced,the wind seemed to increase..
Now and then a scattered cloud trailed across the
sky; the trees waved and creaked, and ever and
anon one was snapped in twain and came crashing
to the ground.

St 1: ing upon a high point of land where asmall
stream emptied its waters into the Red River was a
ho sixteen or seventeen years of a e. and it needed
onE a glance at the dark, serviceah e dress trimmed
wit fur, the double breech-loading] gun and the

belt with its revolver, knife and hate et. all the very

counterpart of those worn and carried by Fred Car-
ter to show that he was " one of the four,“ the

WI 1 Macdnnaid spoken of by his two companions,

Albert and Fred

He had started with Ranty from camp that morn-
ing, but they had separated shortly after leaving it,
with the agreement that they should meet at this
spot and return together.

“ He‘s one on some wild-goose chase or other.
and don't now that it lacks only an hour of noon,"
muttered Will. lookigfi off up the river as he spoke.
"Here I’Ve been h an hour if I have a minute,

, ans} was late, and he hasn‘t put in an appearance

ye .

He put one hand to hi lips, and whistled shrilly
on his finger. but there was no answer.

“I sha’n‘t wait an longer, anyhow. for I'm as
hungry as a unit. I’ 1 drive a stake here, and lea vo
a cartridge shell on top of it, so's he'll know I‘ve
been here, and wen't wait for me. and then l‘ll go
for camp.’ _ .

It took but a short time to arrange this and then
gifting up the brace of partndges he had killed, he

' s r e .

His course lay directly u the small stream which,
where it emptied into the ed. was erhaps a dozen
yards wide. A brisk walk of two nn es, and then he
come to a sudden halt.

The land was low here and the timber extraordi-
na‘nly thick and large. 'l‘he boy looked about him a
moment, as if at almost a loss a: to his exact “ loca-
tion," then he turned back from the stream.

“I came ve near passing by," he tho ht: “but
gethg loo just like everything else ere, any-

w “

After oing a few rods, he came wa monster syca-
more, w th a hole burnt out of its side, from the
gonad uJ) nearly four feet. This had been “ en-

rged an improved " and a slab from another syca-
more fltted in for a “ door." This Will removed and

entered. r

This huge sycamore was a mere shell. nearly as
large on the inside as on the out. One or two holes
were cut through higher ugrtolet the light in and al-
low the s-noke o escape. arious things were scat-
tered about. but no sign of any of the he s.

. “ Well, that's odd, anyhow," mused ill,
built a fire n the remains of a former one. “They
must have ound more game than I did, or some of
them would have been here before this."

He prepared a dinner ample for himself and his
three companions. and waited long and patiently for
their appearance before he decided to eat wit out

em. '

"I should like to know what keeps them " he
thought,half~aloud, as one o'clock cnme and the
boys were still absent. “ I believe I shall go back by
he was going when we

ted this momi ."
I started off in tug? direction. As he neared the
river, he struck the wide. fresh trail left by the nav-

been in the country but a few (learn,
only come to this present e

da before; and as yet had seen no 0 Indians,

ding what the old trapper mid them

’ at the s” t ment, and boy-fashion. t thought
but little about them. their minds be fully occu-

' “pied with something else. hut here n the soft

.-

     

  
   
  

  
   

 

ground was the plain impress of moccasined feet.
andl the small, mule-like track of a drove of Indian
pon es.

“ Shades of Jupiter!” Will muttered, as he exam-
ined them. “It s been a party of Indians, as I’m a
sinner! Can it be possible—"

He broke off suddenl and commenced a re-exam.
ination of the tracks. ng and atlently he search-
ed, but the prints of no other set, save those al-
ready discovered, rewarded him. He followed along
the trail, but had gone only a few yards when
he heard the rapid hoof-strokes of galloping horses.

“Somebody‘s coming: or I don t know what a
ridden horse travels h 'o." be muttered. lancing
back in the direction from which he ha come.
“ I guess I‘d better sit down and rest me for a few
minutes!" '

And with this bit of facetiousness, Will dnrted' into
the thick undergrowth and took up a position where
he could watch the trail.

An instant after two savages. mounted on fleet
ponies, cameegalloping along

They pass the he ‘s h ding-place like a flash,
but a dozen yards furt er on they came to a sudden
halt and sprung from their seats to the round, and
commenced examinin an object. whic up to this
lime, had escaped “‘1! ‘s notice.

It was a short stake driven into the ground near
the center of the trail, and into a split in the top,
made by a light blow from a tornahawk was drawn
a iece of w ite-birch hark, plerhaps a foot square.

t was this piece of bark w ich had attracted the
lndlnns' attention. Will saw them detach it from
the stake, and examine it critically turning it this
way and that, t. lking busilgmn most excitedly
at times, as they seemed to lscover something new
upon its face.

At last one of the Indians strai htened up. and
drawing his huntingdmife from ts sheath, said
somethin to his companion‘ and started at ahalf-
trot direc ly toward where will was hiding.

“ You old sinner!" muttered Will, irreverently.
squeezing himself into the smallazt ossihle s ,
and loosening his revolver. " I don’t now who you
want, but if t's anything of me. I'll try and aceoxn‘
modate you."

Theho an to think he did want him in dgood
earnest or t e savage came within two at s of
him before he halted. But he appeared ut erly ob-
livious of Will’s proximity. He was intently eyin
a birch tree at the foot of which he had stoggfled,
after he had satisfied himself as to the t spot
from which to strip apiece of bark, he commenced
the operation.

It seemed to Will that the savages must hear the
thumping of his heart. It sounded to him as loud
as the pnffln of a steam-engine. and when the red-
skin would s paround still nearer to him as his
work would occasionally require. it would rise in his
throat, till it nearly suffocated him. Twice he
thought he was discovered, and started to raise his
revolver, when the next act of the savage would re-
assure him.

At last the workman seemed to have gottena
strip that suited him, and with a guttural exclama-
tion of satisfaction, started back toward hlscornpan-

ion.

The latter had returned the piece of bark to its
original Hosltion in the top of the stake, and then the
two sat at down on the sword and commenced a
drawing of some sort u on the new strip.

Will nearly stretched is neck of! in his eflorts to
watch the proceeding. but it was very little he saw.
so closely were the savages bent over their work. At
last they seemed to have am it to their satis-
faction, for they placed it besl e the otheron the '
stake. and ‘moun lng their ponies, set 01! on the
trail at a hrealmeok pace. ‘ ’ -

Will'waltod till they were a safe distance away.
then he ventured from his hiding-£0 , and ap-I , l
g; the stake. He detach th pieces of -

k, and again proceeded to his hidingopiooe. Then -

 
       

  

  

 

 

   
   

     

The Boy Rifles.

 

e I read the largest piece upon his knees, and pro-
Eeedped to examine it. But oftera five minutes‘ scru-
tiny, during- which his face underwent the test of the
severest scowls. he had failed to advance a jot toward
understanding the picture before him.

At the right-hand corner of the bark were drawn
in outline twenty-four Indians, as was shown by
each one wearing feathers in his hair. In the front
ranks of these was a smaller ii ure wearing a hat,
and carr ing his arms full 0 something—what,
\\'ill cou] not make out. These were all facing one
way. Close behind them was marked out a stream
with a smaller one emptying into it. In front of
them were burning four small fires and still a little
further in front and up, some bir s were flying in
the direction of some mountains at the left of the
picture. Just at the base of these mountains was a
small stream that emptied into the main one at the
extreme back of the picture. N car, and a little
above one of the savages' head’s, was a round disk.
and about his feet, and extending nearly to his waist,
was a cloud of dust or smoke.

The other stri ) was smaller, and contained much
less drawinz. n it two Indians with horses' ears in
place of their own, and they were following a. wide
Plain trail. Behind them, near a stream. was a thir

ndian in a sitting posture, and upon each side of one
of his arms was placed a stick, a thong going round
the whole. From his mouth to the ears of the two
Indians was drawn a line.

The only remaining thing in the picture resembled
a uare sheet of pager, with a lot of hieroglyphic-
logiing characters t ereon.

These pieces of bark Will rolled up carefully and
consigned to his pocket.

“ it's my opinion, whoever that was intended for,
won’t get it, unless they get me along with it, which
I presume they wouldn‘t hesitate to do if [gave
them a chance. l‘ve a great mind to follow along
the trail a ways. I guess, if 'I keep in eyes about
,"i can see Indians as soon as t ey can see
me.

This resolution grew stronzer in Will's mind as he
pondered - it. and finally he determined to carry it
out. He didn‘t go boldly out in the center of the
trail but kept und r cover of the bushes, sometimes
maki quite detormi to do so, however‘, but he had
decid not to give any savages who might be fol-
lowing a chance to come on him unawares.

He had not proceeded more than half a mile in this
manner. when he come to a s t where the trail led
throu h a thick streak of un ergrowth:

At t e edge of this he stopped. electrified by hear-
ing voices. A moment's listening convincedh m that
they were lndians.

With a cat-like tread. he entered the brush. and
picked his way carefully along in the direction from
whence the sound proceeded. A few steps brought.
him to the edge of the trail.

Dropping u on his hands and knees, he mwied
along a few set further, till he had attained the
shelter of a prostrate log, then raised slowly till he
could peer over the top. .

_ Within a. dozen Kurds of him were two savages;
aha lidentical two e had seen a half-mile further
so

The had both dismounted from their ponies, and
one 0 them held in his hand a bit of paper. as Will
could plainly see from. his hiding-place. . It resem-
bled a leaf torn from a memorandum or account-

booir. .

“ Now what in all that‘s wonderful are they doing
there. and what have they been doing ever since I
new them before!” wondered Will, in astonishment.
“ At the rate they went off. the could have been
too » miles away before this, an I only wish they
were! Hello, the other one is going to have a bond
in, tog! “Wonder if it isn’t som' e more of their hiero-

cs.
,2?th other Indian now took the pa r and ' turned
it. over, upside down. and in every ot _er conceivable
shape. keeping up a continuous talking and gesturing

/

 

 

meanwhile. Then he tore it in two pieces and let“ it a
sail ad on the wind.

“l‘ll have a look at that, or my nmnr-nin‘t Will
Maodonald," thought that young gentleman. as he
watched where the paper caught and hung in a
thorn-bush. “ That's right, old jabber-boxes; mount
your ponies, and travel!"

The latter part of this soliloquy was addressed to
the departin Indians. When the last clatter of their
horses’ boo s had died away upon the wind, the
youth came out and picked the bit of paper from the
thorn-bush. It was enuine writing— per,
Will‘s eyes grew roun as moons as 6 saw that
aortas!) words were penciled on it in Albert‘s hand—
w ng. -

“Here‘s somethin that amounts to something!
Now if I can only fln the other piece. It went 01!
here somewhere."

He stepped alonga few feet past the bush. Yes,
there it was sure enough, lod ed against a little tuft
of grass. With fingers tha trembled in spite of
himself Will picked it up and fitted it to the other
piece. ‘lt read as follows: .

“Ranty is taken prisoher by the Indians. We
1: nk they are going to take him toward the moun-
ta ns—perhaps to a camp on Beaver Creek. We are
following to see. If you come across this to-day,
some 011va not, wai . Annun'r AND Faun."

 

CHAPTER V.
m novs on THE TRAIL.

A wmn tempestuous. gloomy night was settli
over the River country. From horizon to holil'fi
zon stretched a dull may mass of watery-lookin
clouds, that went scudding before the blast, evening
anon spattering big drops from their tattered edges '
in their flight. The wind soughei dismally through
the darkening forest, and shrieked, and moaned and
howled around the hillto
prairies, as if the s irit of ‘ Old Nick ” himself had
taken session 0 it-—a night in which the cam
els-ou of the Red River country looked to
everythingsdoubly secure before they turned into
their bun .

Standing under the woods, on an elevated loco of "'4’ 'v

ground that ov rlooked a densely wood walls
were two motion ens figures who aid not the Bligh -
est attention to the fierce threaten ngs of the coming
storm. in the every instant deepening darkness. it
required sharp e as to detect them from the tree-
trunks among w ich they stood.

But suddenl there was a slight motion on the

rt ofone of hem, a warning “ Sh." and the next
nstant the spot where they stood was unoccupied—
the figures had vanished.

At the same moment a shadowy shape dined
among the trees a few yards away. and that also
vanished! '

Vanished but to reappear an instant after, an up.
right motionless form, so close to a. giant tree-t
that it seemed apart and parcel of it in the dut- ‘

neon. -
“ If I didn’t see something or somebody then. I’m
madly mistaken. that’s all," soliloquized Will Inc- ,
donald. for he it was. “ Maybe they think I’m nop- '1
play, but they‘ll find their mistake." »
or fully ten minutes he stood there, his body mo“ l
tionloss, but ever faculty on the alert. Suddenly ’_
there came to .h s ear a. sound which he was con-
vinced was not made by the wind. ' v
The darkness had deepened so rapidw that objects
were not distinguishable half a dozen yards away.
Will strained his eyes in a vain endesvor to m»
the gloom. and looked ion nntd intent] in t di- ‘

onhomwhichhefa heso hadoome.

But no moving object come within range at”? T"

vision. 7 . . .
“Fred ” said a low voice. which Will 
wit “Em asAlhert's.“Fredi" ‘ .r ..-,..»s~,;!~;~,

“ at you went!” responded Fred’gyoie‘ehwn ‘

“if

    

and over the naked 

 

 

   
   
   
    
   
   
    
   
     
 
  
   
    
   
    
   
   
   
    
   
   
    
  
      
    
   
   
  
    
 
 

 

    
   
 

   

  
   

 

 

 

The Boy Rifles. * ‘I .7

 

6 out the gloom, and the next instant Will caught
sight of a shadowy shape moving along.
. ‘ Boys!“ he exclaimed, in a low, eager voice.
. s, .

“i ell, if this don't beat anything I ever saw."
exclaimed Fred, as the two came up. “ That we
should run across you here! It‘s too good luck to
have come."

A dozen uestlons were asked and answered in a
breath, as t e trio huddled together under the tree.
.It was. indeed, a most fortunate encounter, and
seemed little short of s miracl '

“Rsntyis safe yet." said A rt. “The Indians
arecamped right close by. We thought you were
one when we first got a g impse of you ten or fifteen
minutes ago. But, how did you happen to come on?
You must have found our ‘letter.' "

“ I did," re lied it ill. “ And you can just consider
that I have one some tall traveling since that, too
to be here. I took a regular Indian trot about half
the way. I found where they‘d camped at noon, and
saw some more of your ‘ si n‘ there. I went to the
sycamore for dinner, and avcn't had a. mouthful
of an thing since."

“ ell, here,“ returned Albert fumbling about in
the dark to get into his pocket. ‘ Here's some roast-
ed rabbit done up in a piece of birch-bark. It’s one
we cooked this noon.“

“E luribusi" cried Will. “And now, while I eat,
I want to hear all about the whole thing."

The seated themselves on the gnarled roots, and
while ill munched his meat. Albert related all~the
particulars of Ranty‘s capture that they knew.

“They'd got him when we first come in si ht of
them, after we crossed the river," Albert cont nued,
shiftinfi‘hls rifle to a new spot across his knees.
“ They ad his hands tied behind him. and they were

bbering away like a. flock of geese. We thought

t, of going to the sycamore .and waiting for you,
and then we tuought if we did they would getso
much the start of us, that. like as not, we couldn‘t
follow the trail. They didn‘t have horses for all of
them to ride. or we couldn't have kept up. And it
turned out that Ranty wasn‘t wounded at all. But
he pretended he was awful lame. and so they put
him on a” horse with one of the 1ndians. We haven’t
been here but a few minutes. When we came up
and saw the Indians were prepaan to encamp, we
commenced skulking round to find a good lace,
where we could see what the Indians were oing,
and be hidden ourselves." ' _

“That's precisely what I was doing." declared
Will. "I knew you boys were somewhere here. of
course, but i didn‘t exnect to find you so easy."

They held a consultation to see what was best to
be done. At inst they decided, now that it was so
dark, to separate, each going in different directions.
and find the best spot for concealment close to the

cam .

Algert went directly forward. while his two com-
Knions turned. one to the right and the other to

a left. Albert. being older, had been looked upon
as a sort of leader since first coming into the coun-
tu and in the present case the two boys looked
to him for counsel. and coincided with the plans he
proposed. r cautioning them to use their ut-
most vigilance, he moved away in the darkness to-
ward the camp

The night was almost inky b this time. save

. whcnthefaint flashes of sheet-l htning illumined

the sky for an instant. The Indians had chosen a
sheltered spot under some broad-to pod trees. where,
in the little open space they had p tohed their camp

I and were busily cooking their supper over the fires

hagvblazing  (afferent places"!e i d d
steparn oncrep up. wn rown-
infiggc s'lhrht noise he made, till at last he had

to a position within a‘ few yards of the seam
fire. around which half adozen savages were squat-

From here he could command a View of the entire

 

‘ - camp. Romy was near one of the ‘center fires,

 

 

 essy-heads,"he sol
o

hound tightly, but looking as unconcerned as if no
such things as bloodthirsty Indians were within a
dozen miles of him. His hands were released to al-
low him to eat the surfer brcudght him, but' were
tied again when he ha ilnishe . After a rather
protracted survey of the camp, the young man are t
silently own to meet his two comps! on: at
place agree upon.

The were both at the spot, and after some con-
sultat on, they all crept forward in a body. yet With
the greatest caution, to the place Albert had so
menu vacated.

“We i, if they ain‘t an admirable-looking seti"
muttered Will, peering between the leaves of 11 thick,
scrube hush. “ Where‘s Remy! Oh. I see him.
He looks as sober as a deacon."

“I guess you would if you were in his place.“
whispered Fred, “ e cting to be roasted by a slow
fire when their mig ty lordships could spare the
time from gormandizin ."

Huddled together on or the thick bushes. the trio
talkedover‘their plan in the lowest of whispers.
But. had they made double the noise they did. it
would not have reached the savages. above the
Bouilliing of the wind. -

" y lplan is this,“ announced Allie: . “ In all
probabi fly it will' rain before very longI and this
will still further favor us. When the camp gets
quiet one of us must manage to enter it in some
manner. The may leave one or two of their num-
her on guard, ut 1 think we can get over that dim-
cuity. We are all well armed, and I trust. have

luck enough to stand quite a fight if worst comes

worst. .Ranty must “liberated, and tonight. too,
for we don’t know what may happen tomorrow. If
we can get him loose, and get ten yards the start
whgficgh they do toward finding us on such a night
as ls

“ Not anything of course." answered Fred. “ Why
theycouldn’i seetwo feet, and the wind blowsso
they couldn‘t hear us run. I‘d risk them catching
us.“

“ And I, too,” res nded Will. _

“ That‘s settled t en. 80 all we‘ve got to do now
is to wait."

"Which ain't very hard work for me." returned
Will. “ I’ve tramped so much my legs ache. Hanoi
Nam what’s up?"

The last part of his sentence was caused by seeing
the chief approach Ranty with the latter‘s double
rifle. which 9 had taken possession of that morn-
ing. He knew something of breech-loading arms.
butJiot of this pattern. and he desired a little infor-
ma on.

“What matter wid gun, eh! He no good. Went
this morning—no go now. You flx ’im. ‘

“ There isn't anything the matter with it." answer
ed Ranty composedly. “ It‘s the best gun you ever
saw. but t won‘t go for you. \It don‘t like you. I
shouldn‘t be surprised if it should hits. You better
let it alone."

" While boy great fool—hi3 chief mus' have gun-—
you no fix him, he ilx oh.“

Rant meditated. e did not think he stand in
need 0 any “ fixing." but he decided that he should
not explain the working of the gun. unless obliged
:3 do He changed his mind. however, on second

on t.

“ ntie my hands and I‘ll fix it." he said. -

The chief comfiilied but Rant ‘3 plan of pa
was suddenl fo ed by the l s got ins
“Flam. mmho if r a. ht c: boys

‘ rv any w, on; s were
’round."‘mmty muttered to himself. as be withdrew
the empt shells and inserted the cartridges the
chief ban ed him from the belt. But in all probabil-
ity the boys were not near him. and he decided, to
await s more favorable opportunity. ‘

“ But you candnst make up your mindll'u
uisod, when he

bound and max on the
before long, tool“ - ~ '

 

 

    

 

iI‘ile 30y Rifles.

  

 

/

 .cmr'rna in.
m HIMSELF seam.

TI! night seemed to grow darker; the camp-fires
hlusd oheerily, and fanned by the wind, sent out a
flatly lare upon the wall of foliage surrounding the

e g e.

The tnree boys never left their covert, but la si-
ien waitin for the cam to become quiet. he
rain eld bac s' rangely. ow and then a few drops
[mattered on the leaves, but none fell of any account,
and one b one the Indians wrapped themselves in
their b ets and com sed themselves for slee .

. “ Boys." whispered ill. excitedly, “ they a n‘t
m to leave a guard as sure‘s you‘re born!

1-55 the last red imp rolling himself in his blanket,
now .

It was even so. Will crawled round where he
could t a better view. Ranty, bound hand and
foot I. was given a blanket and made to he be-
tween the chief and another lndian, who laid a little
apart from the rod, b a separate tire. The chief
took the precaution o attach a. cord to Rant ‘s
ankles, the other end of which be tied about is
own. -

A total silence fell over the camp, save the noise
made by the tea and rushing of the wind. An
hour before mldnig t the rain commenced falling
slowly, but kept increasing, till when midnight came
it was storming quite hard. The fires were begin-
nin to die out.

“ ys," whispered Albert, “nowis our time. If
it rains muc harder the Indians will begin to look
for some kin of shelter, and our chance will be over.

.Foilow me, and tread light.“ '

With the greatest of caution the bogs crept round
to where Ranty lay It was onl y the faintest
flicker from the fire that the con] mark the 51 0t.

Arlin tou had assi ed to imself the task 0 en-
tering t 3 camp an with directions to his two com-
panions as to how they should proceed, should he
chance to be discovered. he cautiously advanced.

inch b inch, sometimes so slowly that he seemed

almost still till at last he reached a spot
within a ard of the sleeping trio.
eir ying a little apart from the rest favored
him. He glanced back where he had left his com-
mions, Their forms were shadowy and indistinct,
ugh less than a dozen yards away. -

He glanced around on the slee ing Indians. All
were I“ t, and stooplng forward slightly he touched
Raaty shoulders

Slowly and cautiously, Ranty raised his head, till
his eyes rested on Albert. 'The latter held his hunt-
ing-knife in his hand. One glance, and Ranty un-
derstood, and then he commenced slowly and quietly
to remove the blanket. The next instant the cords
that bo’und his wrists and ankles were cut, and he
arose softly to his feet.

Not a word had been exchanged between the
two. Ranty’s rifle lav by the side of the chief and
the helthuni near. Albert had already secured the
latter. but w on Ranty stooped to ick up the rifle
he iaund the chief‘s hand was. rest on it. even in

flewlyand cautiously, and with bated breath. the
boy began drawing it forthn The savage stirred un-
easily; rolled over, and with a low. guttural “ ugh,"
started to rise to a sittinws‘Jpoeture.

. but never flni ed. With the quickness
of. Entity caught the rifle by the barrels. and
using the weapon as if it had been a spear. dealt the
chief a blow in the tsmplewith the sharp. iron-bound
mean! a bug-erg“ of the stock.st I th
.. - houtevena rugge echief
Marianne award. andla likeone ad.

.Wifll Med breath, and loudlyzheati hearts, the
he stood motionless. their eyes fix
“tougt'hig? "“i‘é'i‘ ‘iiim’e'l‘gomt'ullm mn-
a V an! an s .
 ., ‘ hearts revoltrd at the y“Miltof killing the
savage. , But if they ~ him,.he might

 

recover before they were a. dozen yards haul the ' 
spo .

Suddenly a we out of the difficulty siifiested

itself to Rauty. Slle motioned to Albert to ethe V
chief by the shoulders and he would by the feet. and > i .
they would carry him away.

At that instant Will, who had. with Fred. witnessed "
the whole, lided up. It was but a moment‘s work
to give the 1‘ guns into his charge, and then, lit
the insensible form of the chief they bore it tow
the edge of the glade. ' A I

It was their only way. , should they be discovered u
they could drop their bu en, and stand a 0041
chance of escape then. ut, fortunately. ey
reached the cover of the woods without mishap.

Once here Fred assisted them. and in a short time
they Were several rods from the camp. “

" All right, bnys." exclaimed Albert. in a low tone. : ' r
“This is far enough. Now to fix him." ’

“ Here’s the thong fast to his ankle yet " respoud- ,
ed Ranty. “ And it’s just the thing. I‘ll puta gag
in his mouth, while the rest of you tie him up."

Albert wound the thong firmlvabout his ankles,
reserving a short piece of it with which he tied his ,
hands behind his back. . ‘

“You old heathen!" muttered Ranty, wrathfuli .
as he tugged away at the knot behind the c in s
head. “ I‘ll miss my guess if you’ll be in 8. 00nd tiqn
to screech very loud when lget you fixed. hope
you'll cotch cold. and it will settle in your big toe ' - '.
and make on lame for life." - 

“Come,  dolph. ou‘re getting wicked." put in
Will, soothingiy. “ on should rememberw do to . .
others.’ and so forth. You know it's much better to ' > .
give than to receive." .1 

“ That's just exactly what I mean I" returned
Ranty, giving the gag a vicious pull. “ I‘d like to have
him come to about fifteen minutes, tillI could thrash , ,
lnm asmuch as he has me. I’d enjoy ‘ving liar KOOd . -* i”
deal worse than Idid in taking itl ‘ll bet he‘d rc- .,
member it as much as a week, tool There, you red -.
budget of paint and feathers. I’d give some hing to
see on when you come to your senses!" ‘

"‘ e’ll be ike the Jew in ‘Morna an.‘ his ,
thoughgswvivlilll betktloo gacaeghm s ak aloud." re-
s ne ,as ey xe eirc argenapartlv
sitgin .posture ainst the roots of agree, “Good!
byx o d fellow! a py dreamsi"

‘ Now then," sail Albert, “ to get as far away be-
fore daylight as we can. The wind is southeast.
We will take our course by that.“ . . . '

They moved off in the darkness, Albert ahead. I .
Renty recounted his adventures, and asked and. au- . j
swered questions all at the same time. He was
elated, as were all the rest, at his escaping from the . _
savages so easily, and with all his arms and equip- V . > N ‘ /
mini“ “‘8' to t m  i ht 'i he 7‘

‘ was going ry ge ng awa -n g , ‘
said, clamhcring over a log that he {tad run plump
a ainst in the darknes -. “ You ought to have wait-

and given. me a chance to have covered myself
with lory." . .

“ on have already,“ said Will. ‘_‘ But oh, Ranty ~ K
what if we shouldn’t have succeeded in rescuing youi’ g -
What would have become of us? We never could >
have gone home.“ ' . ~ ' . 2,.

Ranty was a little sobered by this view of the case , ’
and trudged along in silence forafew moments. But *1 -
his tho hts soon took a new

 

a. . i

 

  
 
  
   
   
  
   
    
   
 
   

 

 

   
   

“M l ut they won't swear nor anything when '
they nd out all about it!“ ‘ . I" ‘
“Swear!” said Fred. “Pooh! Indians can’t u

sweat-l"

  
 

“ They osn’t. eh? That shows all you know about
Indians. That chief would swear on all to pieces
in less than two minutes." return , Rarity. baeki
up and conclude to jgo around a {me ,
grillirough it. “ on not ought to have,

In ‘3 " 5‘
“I thought you looked rather smallerthen ‘ ‘ w"
remarikted Wil, “ but i didn’t think before,
med. 9 ." ' " "

   
   
     
  
  
      

 

    

 

 

 

 

   

  

s trudged on in silence after this. In the

The boy

intense arkness they made but slow progress. and
the wind and rain were additional discom forts. The
had reached a strip I f low, heavily-timbered lan ,
and now and then little streams. swelled- to twice
their natural size, would bar their way, but gener-
ally a friendly log furnished them t e means of
crossing. And so they trumped on, eager to put as
much land as ible between them and the sav-
ages before morning should dawn.

CHAPTER VII.
m mamas. homes or run comma-rs.

“ Tua'r‘s just as I expected,“ said Rant ', turtly.
“ I might as well have staid among the In inns, for
I shall smash myself all to pieces, anyhow."

“It was me-you ran against that time," said Al-
h‘gln, as Ranty stopped to adjust his cap, and rub his

11

“ Well, it‘s all the same.“ returned Rarity. “First
a log, and then a tree and then you. l’m pretty
afar drowned, too. re ain't one of you wet. is

ere?‘ ’

 

“ 0h,ho, only a little damp, is all," answered Will
facetiously. ' I vote we stop somewhere, and wait
till morning."

“ Let me carry one end of that opinion,“ returned
Ranty, “and allow me to congratulate (you on it as
being the most sensible thing you’ve sai to-night.“

“1 don’t know butit is the best thin we can do,"
said Albert. “ But we want to fin some place
where we will be more sheltered than here.“

' “All ht,” returned Rarity. “Scatter outx boys,
and look or a. turned-up root or a hollow log. ' .
They “ scattered out accordingia and each be-

a search on his own account. nty proved to
fifths most fortunate, for he discovered a spot
where they could all be sheltered from the storm. It
was nothing less than an upturned tree that had, in
rowing. spread a mass of fine roots over the top of

e low, soft ground, and when uprooted. had car-
ried ‘ a portion of the ground up with it, and the

’ edge. logping over. formed a tunnel almost high
enough or the boys to stand upright, 'and giving
ample room for them all to sit.

“Shouldn’t wonder if there was a bear in there,”
averred Ranty, fumbling in his pocket for his match
case. “ I'll pull him right out by the ear, if there

"Yes," returned Will. “ If you should hear one
in there even, you‘d run like a locomotive going
down rade.”

Ran y had
and succeede

otten on the' leeward side of a tree
in striking a match and imitin

a
roll of birch-hark. And with this held above filiS’

head. he piloted the boys “ indoors."

“This is a much better place than we expected to
find, boys," declared Albert.
in here as our sycamore."

“ Which shows the necessit of having a rson
alon who amounts to some iig." put in nt .
“Bu I don’t 9 ct anybody 'll ap reciate me 1
aft'eryl‘m dead. at’s always the ay with genius-
as.

The boys collected a quantity of wood, and soon
hadabright fire axing. And then the gathered
around, and p ed to wi out an examine
their armig,I and dry their clot as. They were com-

tallya sh

“It’s almost as cozy

tered from the wind and rain, and soon
made over hing pleasant.

"If we only somet i to out now: we should
spicy ourselves finely," deci ed Fred. ‘I'm going
on to kill a partridge, as soon as daylight cornea"

"‘ Which wgg‘t be very long. It s (our o‘clock

how," Albert, looking at his watch.
In a little while the gr dawn‘beggu to up at.
h ' “ as y some as

Fred. accompanied ,

\called wm, started out to look for a brace of par-
for their breakfast. They came upon a (5:1:-

and V ‘thembefoi'etheyworoadoaenrods m

' ‘ camp. , \ . V, .
j- . They made a‘veryaoocl breakfast for the four

    

 

The Boy Rifles. I

hungry hunters, and before the windy cloudy morn-
ing was fairly born, they were on mule toward the
sycamore. \ '

The reached there without mishap, and bound
eve hing safe. The rain of the previous night

, mus have obliterated their trail up to their sto im-

der the root. and the boys had'but little fear 0 file
Indians finding their retreat that day, and they [in"
pared to take the rest they so much needed. r

The hollow in the sycamore was nearly six feet in
diameter, which gave room for two of the boys to
sleep comfortably, and have a fire at one side. For
the accommodation of the other two they had ar-
ranged a. " bunk " just above their heads bysettinc
four oats and layin some small les upon them,
the w ole covered w th bark and eaves. This was
the resting-place of Masters Ranty and Fred.

“Help! tire! murder! thieves! Jupiter Pluvious.
wake up!"

Rarity tho ht he was in the center of a hundred
locomotives a screaming at once. but by dint of
rubbin his e es a sufficient length of time he dia-
covere on ill Macdonald standing on the side of
his “ bunk, ' holding a formidable strip of bark
threateningly over his head. and yelling at the top
of his lungs. ’

“ Wake up! Who's asleep. I‘d like to know!" re-
turned Ranty clapping his hands over his ears and
coming to a. sitting posture with considerable an.
patch. “ You’ll tear this whole human habi tion
right down if you yell an more likethat. .1
could have heard you if I' have ‘been in C l".
and Rarity put on a deeply-injured look.

“ lwish you had have been, thenlr I’ve screeched
enough to rouse the seven sleepers, and here you
snored right along just as regular as the pumng‘of
a steam-engine. sha‘n‘t be able to speak for a
week I know.” \

“ What would you do if the lndians got {20. say?"
was Ranty’s pertinent in$1iry as he clam red over
the edge of his bunk. “ on d have to talk then. or
they‘d thrash you till ou couldn’tseei" .

“ ’d risk .‘emi Di n‘t you know supper ,waa
SgadyiflYou stare as if you never sawany victnala ,

ore. .

“ Venison!“ exclaimed Rarity. in astonishment.

“Of course," answered Will. he ding up a temple
ivnF slice within a foot of Rauty’s eyes. “ Don‘t you

sh on had some?“ ' v .

“ “ on see." explained Albert, comin in at that,
moment with Fred. "1 was ,out soon a round a
little this afternoon, and ran right over t is follow.
almost. Will put a piece to roast as soon as we got
him 11 here.’

“And prime it is, too. It will fairly make your
mouth water. Let‘s commence on it. for I am as
ggngry as it's possible for a well-regulated youth to

“You‘d have thou ht he was if ou‘d have been
in here and heard im howl," the
quartette gathered around th ‘I I
couldn‘t have made such a terrible screec as he
did if I had gone without victuals for a week. ’

for a few minutes after this the boys wen content
to rest talking, and confine their energies to the
“matter " before them. .

“ My appetite isn't very good." remarked Fred. at
last. as he added another rib bone to the file by hi
birch-bark plate. “ But they say living in heyoods
tends to improve one in that line, so perhaps mine
may come in the course of time.” - -

 

“Mine is r too," concluded Rarity.~ loofln‘
istf at ri 'ui shceathat remained“-
:aten‘.m¥‘3ut 1 $9; lfkye to eat

heal-2' it's

Q

attobrin and psialgassshl

ngw, I don'g feel 3:50 well," and Rent: 

face down to a formidable length. . v . ,

Rant ; don‘tgivc up fumed“-
toanotbcr also. Yum

n. eaten lyauythingl" » . , . 4..

' I’ll do toi- this time,“me “to.”

      

 

.u
,w

 

       

10 The Boy Rifles.

,

 

    

 

 

up with an audible yawn. “ I‘ll go out and be getting
some wood."

The darkness fell over the forest at last, shutting
out everything from view with its inky mantle. The
boys' fire blazed and crackled cheerily, lighting
up their genial faces as they gathered around it, a
ha py, contented group.
hey had all been companions from childhood;
had lved and attended school in the same town.
Their tastes were similar; all loved the woods, and
although Albert Arlington was twenty-one, he on-
joyed the companionship of the boys as well as
though they had been of his own age. He with an
other oung man had planned an expedition to this
Rad iver country, and the parents of the three
boys, his present companions, had consented to their
accompan ing them. Then, when everything was
ready. Ar ington's companion failed to keep his
gromise, ani gave up the enter rise. Ra'her than

isappoint his younger compan ons, Arlington car-
ried out the ori:inal plan, and he opening of my
star; found them snugly ensconced “in the Land
of t e Dacotahs," the gameabounding “hunter's
garaglse of a country," about the Red River of the

ort .

They had taken pains to arm themselves with the
same make of wea ons and accouterments through-
out and add to t is the simplicity of their (11133:,
an as ar as outside sppearancs went, they were
certainly very much alike. Ranty, rollicking, good-
natured, fun-loving Ranty, was the life of the com-
pany. There was never anythi g stupendous
enough to surprise him; never anything serious
enough but what he could find as apt words for it,
as would be spoken by much older people- never
an scrape desperate enough but what it had its jok-
ab e side; ani never an thing enough provoking to
mar his sunnv temper or any length of time. And

Mtthree companions had equally commendable
tr s.

Will had produced the picture-writing he found
the day before, and the boys examined it long and
earnestly about the tire. But they had even a less
clew to work on than the reader, and they could not
solve it connectedly.

An hour after Rantv climbed up to his bunk.

“I don‘t think much of such a hou 'e as this " he
remarked as he reached the to , and "shed" his
cap upon Will‘s head, knockin t at worthy youth‘s
beaver down over his ears an eyes. “There isn’t
any‘glace to lay anythln at nlll"

' ell, you needn't to. 9 me for asholf." returned
Will, with asperity. “ And I‘ll bet you two to one,
you won‘t never have as good a house as this, for
this is original, if it isn’t very large."

“No it ain‘t, either," returned Rant , poking his
head over the side of his bunk. " l‘veheard of peo-
gle living in hollow-trees before. Sneak had a good

eal better one than this.“

“Sneak? who was he?"

“An old hunter and trap or that lived off West.
But 0 tode likea good y, now, and don't ask
ques ions," and Rarity sunk back from view.

Arlington was already rolled u in his blanket. and
Will took Rantv's sensible adv ce, and rapidly en-
sconced himself in another. and the four “inhab-
itants of the sycamore,“ as the last-mentioned youth
facetiously termed himself and companions, were
soon sound asleep.

It could not have been far from midnight when a
shadowy form glided stealthin along, and, approach-
ing the sycamore halted at one of the openings
made to admit light, and peered cautiously in.

There wasno sound save the heavy breathing of
the tired slee rs. The fire had died down, till only
an occasions iitful flicker came from its embers.
throwing dancing shadows over the recumbent

forms. .
Long and intently the keen eyes red about then

the face was withdrawn, and t e shadowy gure
moved silently around to a second aperture, where
it could obtain a better view of those within.

 

 

CHAPTER VIII.‘
A TREACHEE')U8 cums.

Ovna a beautiful, undulating country, made up al.
ternately of prairie and forest, and that is seventy
miles souther.y from Fort Garry, three revelers,
mounted on strong, good-conditioned horses, were
galloping leisurely alon .

The first, whose age c aims the recedcnce, was a
small, wir -looking individual, w th A thin, strag-
gling bear , covering a still thinner pair (1 cheeks,
and a bony chin. His features were small, and the
eyes, which were small also, were deep-set, and
more remarkable for some]. crafty expression than
aughtelse. He carried a rifle across the saddle in
front of him, and the belt about his waist fairly

bristled with weapons. He was known as “War-r

ner " by all those who knew anythin about him,
and he claimed to be a trapper and ur-trader oc-
caslonally acting as guide to parties going over and
from Fort Garry, a position which he was now fill-

in .

ills two companions, riding abreast, nml a couple
of yards in the rear, were both young girls, yet very
1m ike. One was perhaps nineteen, with a pure
fair, beautiful face, brown eyes, and a In of Asian 0
nut-brown hair, very light, and whose flossy little
curls and waves glimmereri golden in the sunshine,
as the breeze lifted them from the graceful shoul-
ders. Her form was woman] and erfect of medi-
um size. and she sat on her sp endiv animal with the
ease and assurance of one to whom the saddle was
a familiar scat. Her name was Madge Lenn )X.

Florrie Stanley, or “Flo,” as she was familiarly
called, who rode beside her, was perhaps fifteen

ears old. Her form was slender and cefui, but

ad not yet attained its womanly fu lness. Her
complexion was dark, yet very clear. and her eyes
were bright and large, and fair y] bewildering, in the
frank, straightforward way she ad of turning them
upon you. Her horse was similar to her compan-
ion‘s, and in the holsters of the saddles were revol-
vers, while, in addition to these, each carried a tiny
silver-mounted one in the dainty belts that encircl
them. Each wore serviceable traveling-dresses of
brown cloth.

This, with the pack mule managed by the guide,
comprised the party, and their equipments.

The two girls had been somewhat sus icious of
their guide since starting, and almost w shed they
had not undertaken the journey: but they were in a
hurry to reach Georgetown, and had accepted his

roi'fered services. he assuring them that e was
Rsmiliar with every foot of the route. and that
they, under his guidance, could pass unmoleated
through the country, as he had great influence
timing the different an'ls of Indians, having been
among them very much in his trading trips.

“ Flo,“ said Miss Lennox in a low tone, asthey fell
a little further in the rear, “ what do you think of
our guirl - now?"

“I think he‘s outlandishl" returned Florrie, de-
cidedly. -

“ Yes, but what about? He is gentlemanly enough
in his actions and conversation.“

“ That‘s just the trouble with him," returned
Flo, ari usting her dainty little h t, “he is too much
sol W on such it looking 0 r as he turns saint,
there’s mischief brewing. Have you noticed how
glum he has been for a few minutes though?" ‘

“ YeS' he acts as though he was looking for some-
thing. but i have noticed ever since we started,
that he appears different from what he was at the
fort; something in his whole air, but nothing that
you can get an tangible hold of. If we were safely
through the lndian count , I wouldn‘t care."

“I wouldn’t either; an I don‘t much as it is," ‘

and Flo touched her revolver significantly.

At this instant the guide suddenly halted.

The, were going over a genth undulating prai
dotte here and there with clumps and s reaka
timber. A mile or more Need, and a little to the
right, was one of these clumps, and from it a horse.

  

  

  

  
   
  
   
  
   
  
  
   
  
   
  
   
  
  
  
  
   
   
  
  
   
  
  
   
  
   
  
    
    
  
 
 
 
 
 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
  
  

"‘7‘

   
 
 

'4

T

W

The Boy Rifles.

11

 

man emerged, and came galloping swiftly toward
them. The guide‘s eyes were fixed upon h m as the
two rls reached his side.

“ nd who do you think that is. Mr. Warner?"

ed Miss Leunox. as she reined up. ” It looks
like an Indian, doesn‘t it?“

“Yas; it is. ‘ replied the man, “and he’s a-comin'
right for us. too. but they ain’t much use in runnin‘
for one Ingin. He's coming purtv fast; guess I‘ll
go forrard and see what he wanls."

He gave the lariat attached to the pack'mule in
Modge‘s charge and rode out to meet the new-comer,
who was now not more than two hundred yards
away, and who could plainl be distinguished as an
Indian. mounted on a sma lish horse; across be-
tween the mustang and pony.

The two halted within a few feet of each other.
and exchan ed a few words, then rode up close
together. ey remained in conversation several
minutes, at the end of which the Indian got to t '1]:-
ing and gesticulaiing excitedly. The girls could
hear the words distinctly, but bein uttered in the
Indian dialect, could only guess at t eir meaning.

“He acts savage enough to eat any one,“ said
Flo, as the two sat auietly on their horses and
waited and watched. What do you suppose they
are talking of?"

“I can‘t im ne, unless it is something about us

ng throng ,“ replied Madge, as she watched
he motions of the two. “ I wonder if there are not
more Indians onder in the woods?"

“1 shouidn be surprised if there was. and they
have sent this one out to investigate and report.
What‘s going to be done now. I wonder?"

At this juncture the ‘saw their finds pull one of
his revolvers from his it, and ri n up close to
the savage, present it to him. The la r examined
it closely. and then wheeling his horse. rode oi!
toward the woods from which he had come. Their
guide watched him till he was away some distance,
and then returned to his companions.

“ Well?" asked Madge, e erly, as he rode up.

“ It's all right, I guess, in ss,‘ returned the man.
shifting his eyes uneasily from Flo‘s l iercing glance.
“ This Ingin was one i knowr‘d. or mebbe we would-
n’t have got off so ea. y. He‘s camped with another
one up in the grove and they‘d 'a’ nabbed you purty
quick if I hadn’t been along. He says they's a biz
lot of 'em ofl' here a ece.‘ jerkin his thumb 01!
toward the river. “ an he says they ain‘t no obilec-
tion ter masoing thro h, but that you war anot Ier
th . But I told him on was friends of mine, and
I’d ve him one of my revolvers if he‘d let us go
through an' say nothing about it to t‘other ones,
and he said he would. So I guess we're safe enough.
The revolver war an old one, and I didn‘t care much
‘bout it. anyhow."

“ Nevertheless. I think we had better ick our
campingground to night, in a spot as ssi hie for
defense as ssiblc," eclared Madge, looking at her
watch. “ t is now five o'clock. Do you know of

- place that we can reach before dark 1'"
eman had hisbacktothstwoglrlsat that in-
stant. inng something about the fmpplmt! of the
k-mulc and it was well for their peace of mind
at they did not see the expression that fitted over

‘ his face, nor hear the words he muttered under his
breath

 

 

 

   

 

wi
the party drew rcin’ggihe banks of the in. is stream.

" all I know a tip-top place." he replied after a
momen 's silence. “But we‘ll have to ride purty
sharp to reach it store dark. it's clns‘ to a stream
that empties into the Red." I

He turned round as he finished speaking, and re-
mounted his own horse. And then, without more

81 v the whole {party struck into a sharpsfallop
I); v9 m

or a long blue line lied
ahead. and in Warner informed t m was the
timber that

the banks ot‘thc stream on

l,Ilichind, the hills. smug
crimson and 1d, when

 

The lnttr-r was perhaps a dozen yards wide. and rl
)ch1 along over a stonv bed, with a musical soun .
ts banks were low and well timbered, and the trio

dismounted on a little- oint of land around which

the stream crooked, an which was covered thickly
with trees. about whose trunks a profusion of grape-
vines slumbered.

“ What a. lovely lac-cl" em (1 Flo enthusiastically.
“It is just splendi l How I wish we could stay here
a week i“

“ And live on roasted rabbit and fish, a la Indian i“
laughed Madge. “ I should prefer to have a little
civilization mixed with it."

“ Miss F‘lorrie likes the Woods," said the guide.
looking admirineg at Fio. who was swinging airily
from a grape-vine. “ But what (1% you think of the
gi‘oun?d here, Miss Madge? Ain‘ t a purty good
p ace "

' “ It appears like it,“ returned the girl. glanol
around. “Or at least as good a place as we coulifi
find about here. The shape of the bank on the op-
posite side will preclude the ussilzility of an one
crossin at this point. But I ope there will eno
necessi y for defense.“ and she looked inquiringly at
the uide. ‘

“ on‘t think there's the least bit," returned the
man, husying himself about the erectin of a small '
tent. “ tori don’t think the lngins will 0 er totrouble
us any. But, Ingins be queer sometimes. and it’s
best to be on the safe side."

There was apparent sincerity in his tone. but could
Madge have seen the sinister glance he cast at them
from his stooping Bosnian, she would have mistrust-
ed him far more t an she did. As it was, she was
beginning to think she had misjudged him. a .

“ I wrong him by mistrustlng him, when there is
no good cause for it," she thought. “ But if his face
did not so openly proclaim him to be a bad man. I
should never have mistrusted him. for I have had no

ust cause from his actions. But. time will tell, and

shall not ‘ borrow trouble ’ about it, at all events."

Before the darkness had fairly shut down. ev -
thing was made secure for the night. The e
had erected a small tent, for the accommodation of
the two girls; as for himself. a blanket, and a grass
spot under a tree. was all he generally cared abou .

“ We will have our arms more than usuall handy,
to—night. Flo,“ said Madge, as she exam ed her
revolvers carefully. “And if we should be obliged
s) usenthem. we will. I think we could stand quite a

e. ~
qg'l‘hcre mustn’t any savages come pokin round
here. if they know when hey are well 0 ." ro~
claimed Flo. with a decided nod of her little hes , as
she peered out into the darkness. and then closed
and secured the flap that served as a door for the
tent. “We wouldn‘t think anything of extermina-
ting a whole tribe."

And Flo. with visions of dancing savages before
her c es. and she making them fly {light and left
with or revolvers. crept u close to edge. and in
three minutes was sound cog.

Madge la ' listening to her reathing. and to the
murmurs o the wind through the tree-tops. and
wondering!“ the should 'et safely through this
ournoy t ey ha underta en. until she. too, fell

9 .

Sh?awoke sometime in the night to find that the
wind had risen, and was blowi steady and sirens.
It roared through the trees so oudiy, she was 1) f
alarmed, lest some of the unsound ones should fall
upon the tent. But she con uered her fears. and
composed herself for sleep. ttlc Flo‘s breathing
was for tten; the heavy roan-in of t wind 11 ,
subsid to adistant murmur, e was losing
herself in dreamland. when she was wddcmy
aroused b the whlnny of a horse.

At one time she might have paid no attention
to it, but to-nlght the vcrg air seemed tobe prim
nantwith .toher. hehad assured he
it was notbi at her own fancy, but she could not
throw the fee lng OR. I

 

  

 

12

At this instant the whinny came again. sounding
ion or and louder than before.

“ hat was Ned, I am sure." she- thou ht. “ I
wonder what can be the matter with him? have a
great mind to go and see—and I will.“

Rising quietly. so as not to disturb Flo, she took
her r waiver. and pulling back the curtain of the
tent step ed soft v out.

In the eep shadow of the woods the darkness was
almost zilpable. She paused an instant; then
movedo in the direction she knew the horses had
been left.

A few steps, and she paused beside Ned. He rub-
bed his nos against her shoulder, and whinnied

softl .

" \fihy. Ned, what’s the matter?“ asked she. pat-
tin his neck. Did ou think you heard something?"

T ehorse looke¢ intently off in n. certain direc-
tion. whinnied again, and pulled impatiently upon
his fastening.

Madge stepped along to where the other horses
had been left. To her astonishment she found them

 

gone!

She looked further to assure herself she was not
mistaken. A moment‘s search convinced her that
she was not.

“ Can it be possible that Warner has moved them i"

. she thought. “ I will go back and see.”
She rspidl retraced her steps to the guide‘s rest
ing-place. blanket lay on the ground, but he

was nowhere about. .

She stood irresohite for a moment; then she crept
back to the horse. '

Shehad reached his side. and had aused a mo-
ment, when she heard a step 11 on t e leaves. and
a voice, that she recognized as arner‘s, said:

“ Cuss you, anyway! Can't you be quiet a minute!
You want to wake up them beauties. don't you, and
sp’ile all? I’d 'a’ taken you first if I'd thought vou’s
going'to make a confounded fool of yoursel . Whoa,
now

There was a total silence for fully two minutes.
Madge had sunk down, soft] , at the first sound of
the voice. and now she coul see the guide‘s form,
standin motionless beside the horse, and knew that
'he was istening.

“ Guess ever thing‘s all right." he muttered. at
last, taking t e horse by the halter and starting
along. “ Tain’t likely they heard him, the win
makes such a noise.”

With a loudly beating heart. Madge arose, and fol-
lowed him. The noise made by horse and man'was
considerable, but it tax 'd her utmost vigilance to
has them in hearing. and yet run no risk of betray-
ing erself. A dozen yards. and the man halted.

There you be. all safe an' sound, the whole on

yo; an‘ I‘I risk their flndin‘ ye on sech 3 hi ht as

' this. Now. if Iy’vg’ll all keep quiet for twenty In autos
the thing will done.“

The man muttered the words hardly above his
breath, butthey reached Mame. And the next in-
stant hedhad moved away in the darkness. and dis-
s eare .

p he sound of his footsteps had hardly died away
— before the brave girl's determination was taken. She

‘ cre t silently hack, and entered the tent.

“ 0." she said. in a low voice. shaking her gen;
tly. “ Flo !"

“ What," answered Fiorrie, sitting up suddenly.
broad awake. “ What is the matter “

" Don’t be alarmed " returned Madge " but gather
up all our wra and put a couple 0 blankets in a
com t bund e. We lave got to continue our jour-
ne mediately, but we can't stop to take an -
t ng with us but what is strictly necessary. I w
be back in a minute." . ,

“Stop!” said Flo, catchingflher by the arm. “and
tell me what the matter is. as the guide gone. or

are the savages coming or what?"

Fora moment the
new words as
what had transpired,

gin hesitated, and then, in as
possible. related to her an outline of
After the first shock. Flo was

 

The Boy Rifles. ' l a

 

 

,-_—

 

as co eons as she, and hurriedly commenced to
pre to or the ourney.

“ tay here til I come with the horses." was
Madge’s parting words, as she moved away in the
darkness. She found no trouble in selecting her
own and Flo‘s horse from the others, and leadin
them along, left them a few feet from the tent. An
at the same instant Flo glided up. and stood beside

er.

" I heard you and thought if I came it would save
time,“ she sai( ,in a whisper. "I have got every
thing you told me, and here is your other revolver
that belon s in the holster. A re the saddles on?“

“No, bu we must put them on. It will take but
a minute. Here is yours."

With fingers that trembled in spite of the most
heroic efforts, the brave girls buckled the girths. and
pre ared to mount.

“ arki" whispered Flo, suddenly. “I thought I
heard something.

Both sunk to the ground, and listened intently.
There was a rustling of leaves, and then against the
shining water were outline! a dozen dark forms,
gliding directly toward them!

CHAPTER IX.
A NEW-counn.

 

"Hanna!"

Ranty had just waked up. and was deliberatin
whether to get up and re lenish the fire, or lie sti ,
and go to sleep a sin. e had about decided on
the latter, and r0 ed over. and drew the blanket
closer about him. Then he raised his head, and
listened intently. . '

“ Bel-101“ continued the voice, in a little louder

ke . ‘

’Yl-Iel-loi" mimicked Ranty, poking his head over
the edge of his bunk, and peering in the direction of
the sound. " Who are you r “ 1

“ Look—a-here, young man; is this the way you use
yer company ?" continued the voice.

11’ ter let me in i"
There was a stir among the sleepers. and before

Ranty could reply to this, last appeal. Albert came ‘ _
“What 5"

suddenly to an upright position.

“ What’s the matter. Rantyi" he asked.
are Eon talking about?"

” e’s got the nightmare!"

It was the stranger's voice. and it sounded preter- '

nat solemn. Arlington sprung to his feet; Will
follow him with amazing celerity and Fred sat
upright and stared. in sublime astonishment.

“Company. be '5, and he wants to come in!“ ex-
claimed Ranty, umping down and running to the
(looped Cautiously opening it a couple ofinches, he
pee out. I

“Say you sure there ain't any Indians at your
back? ’he continued, in a doubtful t ne. . a

“ Lord. no, youngster. They ain’t a peek;
critter of ’em in ten zmle!” and a tall form loom
up in the darkness close to the door. .

“ All 1;. then: forward march.” and Ranty
swung back the slab that ed the opening. and
ducking his head, the newcomer entered.

Arlin n ha- turown a few sticks of wood upon
the c and the fire blazed up brightly. throwing
its ‘ii ht over the msnbefore them. He was nmly
six eet tall, fully equip;ed as a hunter. and a fur
cap, with the tail of the animal as atasse
apex oiL the crown. was rchecl on the bac
head. face. what 0 it was visible, fqr a heavy
beard covered the tgreiaitcr part of it. was bones -
frank and good-nu. ured in ex ression. He stood
erect. in the flrelight, and his b nefm eyes 1nd a
rather amused expression in the r epths. as he
glanced from one to the other of the surprised
youngsters. . i
‘ “ al, now, on didn’ r’allguelxpect to see old Abe
Anderson com 11’ in to-night. ye! No.1 ’speotye
didn’t! But that’s allcrs the way in this ’ere wor d
of earn" continued lh the
of hi!

 

e stranger dro butt ‘
as to 1" ~ ground, ,“ Suthlaf  arthi'qg '

“Ain‘t yego- I 

 

El
4
f r,

 

..'~,¢Ifly.du _ .

  
 
 
  
   
 
 
 
 
   
  
 
 
   
   
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
   
  
   
   

 

 

 
 

  

in' up that a feller don‘t expect. Good Lordi I've
went ter in traps many a' time when I knew they
wa‘u‘t noth ’ in ‘em, 1111' jes’ as like as not i’d find
half a dozen squealin' beaver. An' then, ag'in, when
I'd go out a-hnntin', not 'spectin’ to see anything, i'd
kill a b‘ari"

The old trapper a sad an instant, to glance
around, but before e ther of the boys could reply,
he continued:

“ I s'pose I’d orter
but the fact ar' I ha
evenin‘ or i’d 'a‘ got my top-knot lifted.
outer about forty Injuns, an’ the war jist old in
nose on the run. And, on see, war lookin‘ fora
place to snooze in, when see'd your habitation, au'
thought I‘d call." I

“And you did exactly right," res nded Albert,
heartily. as he piled more wood on he tire. “ We
haven't much to offer in the way of accommodation,
but gon are doubly welcome to such as it is."

H companions expressed the same, and in five
minutes they were ai gathered about the tire, and
the conversation was general. Ranty had put a
liberal steak to roast, on learning that their guest
had had no supper, and he watched it zealously,
while he listens to the old hunter, who had lighted
his ipe and was relating his recent adventure.

e tire sparkled cheerily. The traits and habits
loe Indians, upon which the conversation drifted
wasan interesting one to the on hunters,‘ and
the time all ped b unnoticed w list my listened to
the words t tel from the lips of the old trapper.

" You have spent a great portion of your i e in
these western wilds?" Albert asked.

" Yes—here, an‘ between here an’ the Saskatche-
wan river. Some moughin't like the life, but I do.
An‘ in the woods one learns a heap that can‘t be
tau ht him anywhere else too."

“ have got something that I would like to show
you,” said Will; “and if you can explain it, we
should like to have you, for we have all got our curi—
osi aroused concerning it."

e produced the Indian picturewrlting as he
spoke, and numbing it handed it to the trapper.

“ Wal, now, Uncle Abe, you’ll have to open your
 if ye read that," said the old hunter, as he

the largest icon of bark and'spread it out on
his knees. ‘ "I‘a n’t very plain, I’ll allow. for them
that’don‘t understand it, but I guess I kin make it
on . ‘

The s sat round in s'lence, while he examined
it minutely. takingl lon whilts at his  mean-
while havmg relig ted t after finishing s supper.

“ Wal, he s." be said at last. “They's consider-
’hle in tha , and the way! read it is this: them
twenty-four tellers isIngins, of course you can see
,that- an’ that chap with the hat on is a. white prison-
er. e‘s got his arms full of wood, which means
he’s to be burnt at the stake. This stream here,
emptying inter the big one, is where he was took,
an‘ that round thing 0v 1.- that Ingin‘s head shows
where the sun war at be time. Them fourth-es
means the ’1] eat {our times store the' reach the vil-
lage, whic are- yender where them mountains is,
fl which they're goin‘ straight to, ‘cause, see the

1’ .
The boys crowded around to examine it, and Will

logize for comin‘ in this way,
to make myself scarce this

“ What does that dust mean that’s about that In- '

dian‘s fret?" '

- “ By Jiminyi I hadn‘t see'd that atorel" exclaim-
ed Abe, as he looked closely atlt. -“ I know that fel-
ler, an' he‘s the very same chap with the reds, that
I run ag‘in‘ tor-night. They call him some great
long name. or other, that means ‘He-who-goes-in—
the-smoke) .Wonder where they t that teller?
gill r370%1 nnnd this lately?" conoiud old Abe, turn-

: o . - ' "

“ch,” answered Will. " And I’m on” you who
that prisoner is: it was Rant ,heie, but-.23 gust
1151190241 in among them last n t and cal-ti in

.. o . ‘ '

The Boy Rifles.

Igotrl ht‘

 

18.

“ Yes, and that fellow that goes in the smoke went
in the rain." put in Romy. “ We give him a free
ride into the woods. and tied him u .~ I guarantee
he was in a beautiful frame of min when become
to himself." .

Old "Uncle Abe," as he styled himself, was anx-
ious to hear the particulars of the aflair, and was
loud in his raise of the boys' bravery, at the con-
clusion of e narrative.

“ They's good stuff in all you tellers to make prime
lngindighters. Ye done that right up science. But
I tell you what, boys. they‘s a heap of danger ter be
run. in sich a life as a hunter an“ trapper leads, off
here. You‘d orter had a man what knowed the. ways
of the country and the highs; like a book to ‘a‘ ilot~
ed you ’round till ye go ‘eddicated ' a bit. if if
you take mIv advice, you v ou‘t live in this concern

on . ’i he ngins is ready for hizness now, an’ they‘ll
flu ye less‘n three days. You want ter git som‘-
where, where, if they discover you, you’ll have a
chance ter do som’thin‘.”

This advice, the common-sense of the boys told
them, ought not to be disregarded; and the result of
a conference was that they decided to move as soon
as daylight shon d come. A cave that Ranty had
found, near the river, might be exactly such a place
as they wanted. They would examine it. and see.

‘ “ But here is a little more hieroglyphics. that I was
going to show you." said Vi ill, producing the other
strip of bark. “ When I was hiding, two Indians
came along and after examining that piece, made
this one an stuck up with it, for the benefit I sup-
pose, of any~more savages that might come along."

“ Of course, that‘s what it “or did for," said the
old hunter, as he examined the piece. “I‘ve come
across piles on these pieces in different places.
These two In ins here with horse’s ears. are manni-
04/, and that eller bsclr there by the frog is a chief,
Leapin’ Frog. I've see‘d him store: an’ that string V
from him to these, means he‘s told 'em somethin.
He‘s wounded, too, see his arm i’\

“That is some of Fred‘s work," interrupted Al-
bert. 3‘ He shot at him the morning Ranty was

" But what does that square thing pictured on
there mean?“ asked \\ ill

“ Was the two pieces 01' hark close together?" ask‘
ed the trapper. . ‘

“Yes; both on. one state "

“ That's it, then. It nu an“ tl is wounded teller
has told these two, about u 1.1.1 ‘s on this big piece,
afore they read it. ‘

Ranty arose, and stretched himself with a sleepy
yawn.

“ I vote we go to bed again I don’t fancy this sit-
ting up business very much, in self. I have to prop
in eyes open, now, to see any hing. Ouch! ' '

ham broke 0!! suddenly, and began, examining
his too with alrectionate zeal.

“ I don‘t fancy a stove that leaves coal all round
the floor for unsuspecting youths to tracing) upon“
he muttered, walla mac, as he climbed into is unk
“ And other de enerate youths who have a way of
making light 0 other people‘s—troubles, ain't much
to my fancy either." and he made a grimace at
Fred, who was laughin himsell into a sidewhe at
the comical picture he ad presented.

But the night was waning a ace, and the balance.
of the company took pattern the example Romy

sat, and soon all was quiet theucamore.

, CHAPTER in.
I‘ll UNDERGROUND CAII‘.

Tan nut II in of the earl awn loan the
boys astir. 9 came superinten’ded the hrs-grunt
gm we“? busy packing up their equipments

an I carry. A '

“ “fa ma es me think ' one time I moved," laid
old Ab’e A 

noel-son, a blank t with a camp
Wing‘an for a center piece. , “Yo; see they we!

I

 

14 The Boy ms...

 

alot of us, up on Bridger‘s Fork, when one night
the Pesky reds stole every hoof we had. Good Lord.
you (1 orter heard the boys swear! Soon's dayli ht
Peeped, every feller war ready tor blzness; w en

long come 'bout fift Injins ,mustang-muunted, and
they jist on lit us, an we he to skedaddle for cover.
Then the esky brutes would gallop out of sight, an'
when we (i; make a break, up they’d come ag‘in.
Then we’ make a stand au’flght, and back they‘d
go! And that's the way them varminta worked it.
on them fellers 'that stole our hoeses. ittin’ oi!
further every minit. 'lhey ws’n‘t only -a-dozen
-of us. but we could have chawed a hundred In ins
right up. if we could have got to ‘emi But b ess
,yer gluon“ They war mounted. an' we wa‘n't, an’
they wa‘n‘t nary git there! We war all so mad that
we turned black and blue all over! An' then we
come a little strata'mn, an‘ cornered a few on ’em
an’ get some bosses, an‘ then We‘s fer gittin‘ out
after the tellers what stole our hooters, an' then we
hagpened ter think if we left our camp—stun! the
ot er Indians would git it! Oh Lordi bu: what a

‘ time we had!"

“ What did you do?" asked Ranty, as he served up
the meat.

“Do? Ireckon. youngster, ou‘d 'a' thought we
done somethin', if you'd been t ere! We packed up
our valuables, tra. ped 'em fast to our mustangs.
and named, bag an baggagei An' mebbe we didn’t
do it store a jack rabbit could whisk his teal! He
wouldn't have got it mor’n half round. sure! That's
the beauty of not havin‘ much housekeepin‘ stuff;
you can move in a hurry." .

“Did you get your horses?” Albert asked. as the
old hunter paused to look lovingly at a slice of

steak.

“ Be I a-eatin' this ’ere meat?" returned the trap-
par, 1:as he began a rapid “jaw—attack" upon the
s a

“Yes,” he continued, as he finished it, and leaned
back With a satisfied sigh. “ We got our horses, but
we had a hard run.“

They were all ready to start, at last. Each one
had a goodly bundle and the tra per had the lat eat
of all. Rant led them tow the cave be ad
found, in as ‘rect a route as ible.

“ It seems to me," remarke Albert, as they filed
alOng. each kee ing a sharp lookout for any signs
of an enemy, “t at there must be some other way
to get into the cave, besides climbin that tree. Did

myou explorenit any, to see what dof a place it

waskRanty?

“ ot much," replied ‘Ranty, shifting his load so
it would pull on the other shoulder. “ I happened
to see the led e, as I come along, and the tree was
so close I too a notion to climb u . and see how it
looked. And when I got up there, found the cave.
It must be guite big, for it looked darker than a
pocket. I di n't care about ing the thing
alone. sol thought I‘d wait till we were all together.
But I'll just bet it‘s a capital place."

“ You remember. Fred, what a rough, rocky hill
there is over it?‘ The one we went around when we
come upon the Indiana the morning they got Ranty?
firm. there‘s an opening somewhere on the top

“We‘ll soon see," said. Ranty, “shedding” his
pack upon the ground. “ for here we are.”
u 
thetra r's nt may. as he, too, do ited
Ms upon he ground‘. ‘ I've often thoughts I’d
like ter be able ter be in two places to once. but I
“levies-rde yit. Good Lord! have we‘got to climb
I .
‘ For-‘h‘Ranagnlzad dolled llhislc'ap, flmwfgdglgmbing.
with o a u re , .
v “ thinktheieo s(itoat lg‘a’sttwoofusremain
august-d here." sai Albert, looking inquiringly at
the hunter. “In case any savages should come
along. we would be lam box."
- ‘9 like an o "returned
. “A teller-always wants terbe on

 

.I‘OWQ

else could we as, I‘d like to know i“ was I

 

IoldAbé;:&,
l

safe side in case of happenstances which are som‘at
gommon, if not more so, in login irentry. I‘ll stay
or one ' ‘

“ And I, for another," said Will. “ So you can
‘ sacf'ili‘d this noble monarch of the forest ' as soon as
you i e.

“ Tumble upl" roared Ranty, thrusting his head
over the ed 9 of the ledge.

“ Pare o the northwest corner of your voice, or
you’ll have all the Ingins in the country atop of us,"
admonished Abe.

Albert now commenced the ascent, followed close-
ly by Fred. “ We‘ll be off a hit, an' if any Ingins
put in an appearance, we’ll let ‘em chase us a piece,
so you kin come down." called the hunter. as the
two reached the led e.

“ Now," said Ran y. “to explore this wonderful
and magnificent underground apartment. which the
mysterious hand of nature hath wrought.
tbs £10 Ehr‘respo ded Albert rod i all ht-

ere, n . p no a
ing, one of several which he had pregred. “ (1
don’t ‘ drift away on the flowery paths of rhetoric '
too much. It may turn out less magnificent than
you think." ~

“ Ticket number One!" exclaimed mnty, enthusi-
astically, as they entered the cavern through a nar-
rture, that opened from the ledge. “ Now
what ave you got to sa ?"

Albert held e torc high above his head, and
allowed the light to flash around the a artment. it
was about a dozen feet high andwl e, and nearly
double that in length, and walls, fioor and ceiling
were solid rock.

“Epluribusi” cried Fred. “ If this isn't just the
place. then where will you find it? Move along, and

et's see What this is." '

From the 0 site end of the room, an irregular
passage led o to the darkness, and wide enough,
some of the way, for two to walk abreast. Through

this the ho s and soon emerged into another
cavern aim or to the first. But from th es
led in every direction. and some of t om do

enough to form small irregular rooms. Upright -

lsrs of rock. and sharp corners jutting out from he ’

walls, or guarding turns, were eve where. and the
passages were constantly unltin 43d diverging. till
t selfelged as if the whole (ban was fairly honey~
com .

“I vote we follow this ‘lead '" suggested Fred.
indicating a passage that led a little up from where
they were. ‘It seems to go straig t ahead. and
Rigethually lead out somewhere. Hello! what's

T ey had been advancin
h " as Ranty facetiou termed it. when they
suddenly came upon what appeared almost like a
flight o stairs. There were no stg‘fs.buttherock
was rough and' uneven. and form a secure foot«

.I guess you wlshgou hadn‘t said anything about
my cave, now." sai , triumphantlv. as he
clamhered overabowl er. batreared itself in the
ver center of the stairs. “ rgnu can getu any
be r cave than this. on so she a notice, I’dl e to
see on do it. that‘s all!" -
‘ " e‘ll own right up, Ranty," said Arlington,
laugfih‘ln} . “ It's a fabulous place without mistake;

“ i" exclaimed Fred, suddenly. -

A subdued murmur came to thelrears, distant,
yet gladly distinct. '

“ hat must bewaterl" said Albert, as theyld-
v “ Look out that you don't stepn no-
thing before you know it,‘
who was walking as if for a w er.

"1:0 ‘fnear dweliswclg'hlnlfiiis bread!” is nded
Ran y. ,atraglevo , on s stah‘
to ace a gleam herein it must be dt'me' at

I. I

“ What's up now,  degenerate youth?"  g 7
" liarrabi" shouted Booty, making a grablor ‘ ,

Where’s

along the “monaroh‘s '

he continued, to ty, 4

 

.(  @‘H_

 

“use a.

The Boy Rifles.

cap to wave, but suddenly remembering that it
wasn‘t “ there." Da light, as sum as you lvei"

With one accord t e three rushed forward, and
the next moment stood in a s at resembling a dis-
used cellar, with the blue sky a ove their heads, and
the murmur of the trees sounding pleasantly in their
ears.

For a moment there was a total silence, as the boys
looked about them.

“Well,” said Albert, at last, “ if we had planned
this ourselves, I doubt if we would have been as well
suited with it as we are now. But the next thing is:
Can we get back?"

“ Let's climb up, and go ‘round," suggested Ranty.
"It can’t be far. '

After a little deliberation, they concluded to do so,
but after fifteen minutes' “ investigating," they
found that they were not likely to “climb out" so
easily as they had expected. The top of the hill,
where the were, was so piled with rocks, and was
sosteep, that it was impossible to descend in any

lace.

p “ This is the only available spot I can see," said
Albert, clamhering upon a huge bowlder, and look-
ing over. “if we could once as this I think we
could manage to descend; but it is too high to ump
from, and we have nothing by which we co d let
ourselves down.”

“See here!" exclaimed Ranty. "The bowlderis
smaller at the bottom, and here is a flattish stone
that fills the s ace between it and the rock. Ibe-
lieve If we coul move this, we could crawl through."

The three exerted their strength upon it, and to
their satisfaction, succeeded in moving it. It left an
opening full two feet square.

“ Plenty 0 room," was the informs tion Rant vol-
unteered as he passed through. “And 1 thin the
rest will easy."

It roved so; and making the descent, without dif-
flcul y, they, in five minutes. stood on the brow of
the recipice, overlooking the spot where they had
left heir friends. I

“ Hello!" called Albert, in a subdued votce.

“ He ? Wal, by thunder!“ and old Abe appeared
from t e co sewood, and gazed in astonishment at
the forms 0 the trio ranged along the cliff. _

“How in' tarnai Jerusalem did you fellcrs git up
there, I'd like to know?" he continued, coming up to
the foot of the tree, with Will. “ ‘ Pears to me you
must have found a way through.“

“ We did “ returned Rant , promptly. “ And. it‘s
a capital idea, too, i can to i you! Swing upa httle
closer, old) tree! I want t.) go down."

“Hold on!" exclaimed Fred. “you can‘t go down
that! You‘ll break your neck."

“ Will, eh? you wait and see," was Rant 's re ly.
and an instant after he had caught one o the p-
most limbs of the tree that reached above the reci-
pice, and sliding down it to the bod ', rapid y de-
scended it til he stood on the ground eneath.

“ Drat m moccasins, youngster, if you ain‘t some
on the cl mbi" exclaimed old Abe, admiringly.
“You‘d make yer fortin' in a circusl Throw up
trip in’ an‘ huntin' an‘ go an‘ jilw!"

‘ (yh, you can make fun of my climbing." returned
Rant , " but I guess
the when l was young.

“ Fun? Good Lord, youngsteri I hadn't the re-
motest idea of it! Sure‘s you're born! No.“ con-
tinued the old trapper, in a philosophical strain,
leaning his elbows on his rifle which lay across his
knees. “I never make fun 0 anybody: it‘s ag’in‘
my principles. I. knew a feller. though, once—
Hello!"

“ We thought. seeing Ranty had set us an exam-
ple. that we would take the shortest cut " ex lained
Albert. asthe trapper broke off suddenly in a dis-
course, to glance at them as they struck term

rma.
’1 “ And accordingly. here we are," concluded Fred.
They then proceeded to ve the hunter and Will
a detailed account of their iscoveries. The former

you wouldn‘t .t‘ you had seen

i

 

1‘

 

gave it as l.i:; opinion that i'. would be the very spot
they want! d.

“ ‘ I wars stranger an‘ you took me in.‘ vou know,
an‘ as I‘ve kinder took a likin'fer ye all. want ter
see ye safely settled afore I say good-by,“ concluded
old Abe, producing a strong cord from stout his
shoulders. “80 Ill see ye housekeepin‘, an' then
I'll mach-aw, as the Ingins say."

Three of the party now ascended the tree to the

ledge, taking with them the cord. Once up there,
one end of the cord was lowered, the packages fast-
ened to it by those below, and so, one after anotl er.
the blankets, cam utensils ammunition, and cattle
equipments w: re rawn safely u , and last, but 1 0t
least, the provisions, includln t e remains of ti a
buck Albert had shot the day efore. Then the re-
mainder of the party clambered up. The ‘ conclud-
ed to take the front cavern for their ma n use. It
was quite difficult of access, would not he likely to
be discovered by Il:e lndlans, and they could use the
"back entrance" for coming and goln if they
thought best. And in case the Indians 5 ould dis-
cover them, they could retreat at the oppc site en-
trance and get away safe.
’ It was nearly noon before everything was com-
pleted to their satisfaction. Meanwhile some of the
party had discovered a shorter way to the opening
on t e hill, and had brought in a. good supply of
wood with which to make a fire. And it was as
hungry, hap y, and contented a lot of hay hunters
as ever was t at gathered about the steam ng com-e
and hot venison steaks.

“The only thing you lack now, boys. is some
good hosses," sai be old trap or, as he sipped
away at the delicious fluid in iis cup, while his
honest face beamed all over with the good-nature
that was characteristic of him. “ I’ve got one what
«'8 one, up on a little creek further towards the fort.
fin; lie‘llkb‘e tickled nigh about tew death, too, when

g t ac . '

“We fully intended to have some," replied Ai-
bert. “But we nearly gave up coming, when all
read , and then, when we final y decided to come,
we ad no intention of getting so far away. We
will be wiser next time."

A bright thought seemed to strike the trapp‘er
and he was evidently about to speak, but chec ed
himself, on second thought.

“ We]. boys, keep asharp lookout for Ingln,“ was
his partin advice, an hour later. “ l've took a

werfull in‘ n-w e all an‘ ye mustn‘t he s’prlsed
f ye see me pokin‘ n among ve ag‘in some day. I
shouldn't be surprised myself."

“If you have ‘taken a liking” to us, so have we
to you," returned Albert with a laugh. “And
rest assured, that whenever you can pay us a visit
you will he douva welcome. So come often and
sultay long."

ut little (lid either of them dream, as they shook
hands with the old hunter, under what circumstan-
ces would be their next meeting.

 

CHAPTER II.
A rats or nanomns.

11' was a moment fraught with the keenest rll,
to the two brave girls crouching there in the ark-
ness their eyes intently fixed on the forms of the
stea thli -a proachin savages. Trembling with ex-
citem a; Flo gras her revolver tighter, deter-
mine , like the brave little Amazon that she was, to
fight to the " last gasp “ before submittin herself a
prisoner, for it seemed impossible, now, 0 avoid a
collision with the savages.

With lightning rapidity, Madge tried, in her mind,
todevise some means of escape. The might -
8th cree away in the darkness uno rved, ut
wit out t air horses they would stand hut slight
chance of escaping eventually.

But to sta where they were, would be only giv
themselves nto the savages‘ hands. while abol
might possibly result in their escape. By springing

 

    

16

The Boy Rifles.

    

 

upon their horses, they might take the savages so
b surprise that in the darkness they could elude
t em. Madge was on the eve of carrying this plan
into operation, when a low voice, which she recog-
nized as their false guidc's, said something in the In-
dian dialect, and instantly the file of savages. now
not more than ten yards distant, turned a little to
the left in their course, and passing the shining back-
ground of water, were instantly lost to view;

“Now, Fioi" whispered Madge, excitedly, but low.
“ Spring upon your iorse, and keep close to me. It
is our only chance.“

An instant after the two girls were in the saddle.
But before their horses had stirred from their tracks,
a warning cry arose from the direction in which the
sav as were

“ e are discoveredl" cried Flo. as she struck her
horse asharp blow. for at sound of the cry of alarm
Madge‘s horse had started wildl along.

“ Keep close to me," called adge for she knew
should they get separated in the darkness, there
would be a hundred chances to one that they would
be taken. And as she spoke a perfect pandemoni-
um of yells arose on the still night air, and rushed
in a body in their direction. while above the din
sounded the uide‘s voice, yelling some hoarse com~
mand in the ndian tongue.

The horses reared and plunged wildly, and the
two brave girls had to exert their utmost strength
to keep them from dashing awa at their topmost
speed. In the in tense darkness t is would have re-
sulted in their being dragged from their seats by
the lower limbs of the thick timber. But Madge
hadnoticed particularly the lay of thelground on
coming in, and she chose a nth out where she
knew were the least obstructions. But their pro-
gress was not ver fast at the best, and the yells of
the savages soun ed frightfully near.

“I do believe they are gaining, Madge i" cried Flo,
in sudden alarm. ‘ What—"

She broke off. and reined up her horse with a sud-
denness that threw him back upon his haunches.
For, from the ground about them had sprung half a
dozen dark forms and were on every side of hem in
an instant. Two lad grasped the horse Madge rode
by the rein while another nid hold of her to pull
her from her seat. But with bravery that was a

rt of her nature the girl clung to the saddle.

wifth the hand holding t is revolver came to a level
with t e savage‘s breast. and with a silent prayer
for hel‘paghe pressed the trigger.

The h and the report came together. By the
light that for an instant illuminated the spot, Flo
saw the savage clutch his breast with a spasmodic
motion and fall heavily backward. But while the
report was still echoing upon the air, a second one
blended with it. and with a howl of rage one of the
savages, who was grasping the rein, sprung back,
his face distorted with agony.

Flo had cocked her revolver at the commencement
of the melee. and sat holdin it with a tenacious
gripe. gazing s ellbound at t 6 scene. A low, gut-

ural exclamat on, and a strong hand attempting to
wrest the revolver from her, brought her suddenly
to a realization of her position. A strange cry, half
of terror. half of defiance, came from her lips, an'l
she clung to her weapon with the gripe of despair.
It was discharged in the struggle, and the savage
half released his hold for an instant. and before he
could ti hten it, Flo had jerked the weapoh from
him, an cooking it again, shut her eyes and blazed
away.

She was conscious of a wild yell, following and
blending with the report; of the sudden plunging
forward of her horse: of a dark form rising before
her that was borne down and ruthlessly trampled
under the feet of her frightened steed, and then she
was going like the wind along a. little. narrow flat al-
most on a level with the water's edge, while Madge,
just ahead, slackened her speed a riof instant till
she came up. Then she was herse again, and they

were flying along, their horses’ feet over and anon

 

plashing‘ into the shallow water; while behind, a
din reigned that would‘hnve shamed 'Babel.

" Are you hurt. Madge?" inquired Flo, anxiously.
as soon as she could speak.

” No, but I am afraid you are?" -

“ No, I am notl liut some one else isl 1 gave one
savage the headache I'll be bound. But. oh. Madge.
wasn‘t it a most fortunate esca i"

“It wasindeed; but we are not ‘ out~of the woods '
yet. But I don’t fear ver much. We are better
mounted, or at least as we 1. as they, and. thanks to
our training. we have a little practical knowledge of
riding and shooting, and I guess we have the cour-
age to back them up," with a smile into Flo's fluslr
ed face.

" We gave them a sam is of what we could do. to—
night," returned Flo. “ ut,oh, my racious! W at
a. mean old tramper that guide is! ‘d just like to
get m fin 91‘s in is hairl I‘ll betI’d pull for once!"
and 10 c inched her little hands and her eyes
flashed like little coals of fire in the darkness, just in
anticipation of such an event.

“ He has certainly turned out a SCOllndl'i‘l and
proved that our fears were well founded. But hark!
we have outrun them completely.”

They were still following the stream, the nature of
the banks sometimes forcing them into it; but now
they drew up for a moment on a narrow flat close
to the water‘s edge, and listened. But not a sound
came to show that they were pursued.

“ I guess they didn’t look for us to follow the
stream, and have gone in some other direction.
They can do but little to—night, anyhow, but I am
afraid when daylight comes they wi i find our trail.

“Let them," returned Flo, spiritz-diy, “I think
we are am ly able to take care of ourselves. Ain't
we Bessie? ‘ and she patted her horse’s neck ca-
ressingly.

They sat there for some time and listened for
the Si ghtest sound that would tell them their pur—
suers were upon their track, but nothing broke the
stillness of the night. save the murmur of the wind
through the trees, and the breathing of their steeds.

“ I think we had better leave the stream. here.“
said Madge. “It is taking as nearly in an opposite
direction now. from what we wish to ursue. The
stars furnish an admirable guide; an I think we
had beltz-r take our course by them."

“ If they‘re not a better guide than the one we
have had, Idon‘t think they amount to much,“ was
Flo‘s opinion, as she gathered up the reins. “lint
you are better fitted for a general than I, so take
command, and march."

They struck oil! from the stream, and traveled for-
ward as rapidly as they thought advisable, iookin
to the saving of their horses for a sharp run if i
should be necessary. Flo‘s spirits seemed to rise
still higher as no signs of the savages appeared, and
though Madge, with more experience and a pre-
monition of the trials ahead, which her years, if
nothing else, told her they might expect, could not
feel hopeful, she was careful to say nothing that
would damp her conipanion’s spirits.

And so the long night were away. and the first
gray light of coming dawn found them man miles
from t ieir camping-place of twelve hours he ore. ~

A suitable 8 0t was chosen and a halt made.
About the mi die of the forenoon Flo, who was
watching while Madge slept, saw what she tho ht
to be a man. fully two miles away. It was so or
oil! she could not tell for a certainty, and it only re-
mained in view an instant. It was under the woods
at the further edge of the lain or prairie before
her, and in the direction of ed river. She awoke
Madge and told her what she had seen.

“ Whoever it was, I hope they didn't catch a
glimpse of you, for it is not at all probable they
would be fnendly to us," said Madge, as she drew a
small glass from her pocket and levelej it at the
corner of Woods Flo had pointed out.

The two girls were securely concealel by the un—
dergrowth and thick timber among which they had

 

 

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‘ his good-natured weather-beaten face.

The Boy am“. ‘ e 11

 

urposely sto )pcd; and keen indeed must have
Econ the eyes t’That, looking from the direction of the
prairie. could have detected them.

But they were detected nevertheless. Under the
droo ing foliage of a giant tree on the outskirts of
the clump of timber toward which the two girls‘
attention was directed, a man was crouching, his
eyes intently fixed on the spot where they were
standing. Butattcr a long and patient. survey with
her glass, Madge failed to see aught that was the
least suspicious. _

“You can just depend on it, though, that there
was a man there,“ declared Flo, nodding her head,
by way of emphasis, till her curls all danced again
in the morning sunlight. “And I shouldn‘t won-
der at all if it was Whiskerando Brigando "—Fio’s
“ t " name for their false guide.

fill: it was not at all likely that the person or per-
sons were friends, and sn, the sooner they chan ed
their present position for one further away, the ess
danger there would be of their encountering them.

With this viuw they at once got under way. Their
course would carry them a little nearer the suppos-
ed enemy, but as they could travel under cover of
the timber, they decided not to ma':e any deviation
on that account. I

They had gone perhaps three miles when they
again struck the prairie, which curved around the
point of woods through which they had passed.

They'were congratulating themselva on fpassing
the danger in safety, when directly ahead 0 them,
and appearing from behind one of the higher
“waves '. of the prairie, rode a single horseman.
Madge’s quick eye caught him the instant he came
in view, and the two halted instantlg. Then. as he
reached the level ground, they saw t at he had sev-
eral led animals in tow.

“It‘s a white man, Madge!" cried Flo, after they ,

had watched him a little. “ Who knows but it may
be the one I saw a. short time ago?”

“It may be ” answered Madge, who was watching
him through her glass. ." Whoever it is, it is not our
guide that was, at any rate. What do you think we

ad better do?“

“ Go and make his acquaintance,". responded Flo.
prom ly. " Who knows but what he ma be some
one t at we can get to guide us throng 1’ There
he hunters and trappers here, and he is prohabl
one. He is only one man, anyway, and I don't thin
we need be much afraid, let him be as ugl as old
Whiskemndo himself. Shall we, or sha‘n' we?"
and Flo stroked Bessie's neck, and waited for her
com ion’s o inion on the subject.

“ 'e had be ter go on," responded Madge. “ He

oes along as unconcernedly as though he had no
fiiea that we were near." '

But when the horseman came to the spot where
he would have crossed the trail, had the girls been
following one. he came to ahalt, and waited for them
to advance.

 

CHAPTER XII.
ran orm‘ flaw emu.

“Wu. now, by thunder!" muttered old Abe An-
derson, or it was no other than the old hunter him-
self. “If I hain‘t run cater somethin‘ thil time that
don‘t ’habit the Red river count to any great ex-
tent. Lord! i'd e’ena‘most think hey warghosts,“
the bosses wn'n't stickin’ up their ears so.- ey
knowed in a minute they wa‘n‘t any cheat 'bout them.
What d‘ye think ’bout it. Jimmy? Been some time

since you‘ve seen any gals, hain‘t it?”

Jimm ' laid back his cars. as much as to say
3but im

' “.Yes," mediater stuck them forward again,
to the new-comers, now but a few yards
awa

" ' rain', ladies,“ greeted the trapper. sllplping
from his seat, as the came to a stand near im;
while his eyes twink and a broad smile‘§,xp%id§d

m a e

Abe Andersnn. I , an' I was specially designed by

‘Providenc’e ter help all reinan critters what war in

 

trouble, which I can see is yer present circum
stances, so, if I am a lcetle rou h on the outskie,
I’m ready ter'sct ye ri ht, if any 0in can,“ and the
old trapper leaned on is rifle, while Jimmy stared
with eyes and ears, as if he thought they might
vanish at any instant and then began to paw, and
champ his bits impatiently. r

" Thank you," answered Madge. " We are. in.
deed, in trouble, and if you can help us, we will pay
you amply " 7

“ Oh. wal, I sha'n‘t charge you very mrch, seein‘
as you‘re wimmin—whoa, Jimmy; have yourself
now! If ye can it me a nice marble house an‘ a
hundred Acres 0‘ and in some big city an‘ give my
gran’mother a few thousan‘ dollars ter make her
last years kinder comfortable, an’ make some llh der
a. treaty with the Ingins 90's to have this Red river
country («led to me, forI can't trrpnn' hunt in any
peace now, un‘—“ '

Old Ale paused at the end of the last modest re-

uest and, with his eyes and ti o nppvr purl of his
lace visible over the arch of Jimmy‘s neck, iegarded
the two girls with a beaming e ression.

"I hardly think——" began It ndge, hositatingly,
concluding that the trappt r must certainly be
crazv. '

“ h, wnl. never mind l“ intt rmpted Abe. as if he
had suddenly chan ed his mind. “I em, on the
whole, such a rarv ce ain't worth Inuc or 'how, so
I'll guide yer where on want to go fer not in’. My
time ain‘t very valer 1e.“

“Seems to me vou have drop d amazingly on
your terms." said 10, regarding im uizzically. '

“Ibegin to think," added Mange, "t at tlat was
a way you took to inform us you wouldn‘t charge
anything. But we are willing anu able to pay you
a good price for your services.”

'Don t talk about ayl" returned Abe, contempt-
uously. “Lord! I'd the meanest man everlived
if I‘d take pa fer helpin‘Cye out of a difl‘lkiliy. l
’spect yer gui efigot kille , maybe?”

‘No," answe Madge; and she roc( ceded to
give the old‘irapfier an account of hair journey
since starting. ‘ v companion here is a cousin
who lives with us in Minnesota and the party whom
our people expccted we we d return with from
Fort Garry gave u coming at present, and as we
were anxious to get ome, we hired this guide. who
waslve'ry certain that he could pilot us through
an e v.

“What fer lookin’ chap was he?" asked Abe.

Madge described him.

“I know him," said the tra per, mqsingly; "or
at least I think it‘s him. But 5 name wa’n t War-
ner then. I never liked him much, but I didnlt
s’pose he war a p‘izen sarpint like that.“

‘ Were you the peison I saw at the point of woods
over yonder?" asked Flo, indicating the spot in
which she had seen a glimpse of the man. '

“ Can‘t say for certain, but I war then and I aee'd
you, but you were so pesky fur on', I couldn't r’ally
make out what you war; so I thought I‘d strike in
ahead an‘ make yer acquaintance.’

“I don‘t see how you could have seen us," said
Madge. in surprise. ‘ i thought we were effectually
concealed". i

“A fellerhaa to see all each things or he don’t
smut-ninthis kentry long " paid old Abe. "'Fu‘st
t he knows some I n will‘ be liftin’ his top-

lt"s risky business not to keep yer eyes peel-

ed here.’

All this time the trapfir had been bu revolving
the case before him, in s mind. Ho (11 n’ttell the
two girls that the four led animals were horse- that
he .bad “ borrowed " from the Indians. But such
was the case, and he was now on his way with them
to the cave, where he had left our four boy hunters.
He had intended.to push through. and race it that
night but this laid cw him to alter his plans ma-
terial . Shoal he e the cave on his route, and .
leave he horses? 'No: that wouldn’t do. ’ *

" I war tbinldn' how 'l‘d manage some unusual ,

 
 

 

 

 

  

18

The Boy Rifles.

 

had on hand " he said. removing his ea , and
tcblng with his fingers among his tmgie locks.
“ know where they‘s a safe place to leave my
bosses. nn’ I’ve ’bout 'cluded to take “em there. I
can guide you through ter the settlements in a few
days. an’ then I kin come back 1121' git ‘em. We're
urty near the river, here. Thev's a place on the
suit of it that I kin leave you while I take ‘em away;
then I‘m for bizness."

The trapper led them to a high. timbered point
of land on the rivenbank, and with many injunc-
tions to guard a‘zaiust discovery, he left them. It
was now about ten o'clock, and he thought by three
at the furthest he \voui-l be back.

“W011. Flo," sail Madge, as they were eating
their lunch an hour later under the overhanging
trees “we have got a guide now. I think, that is
fap‘able and honest, and will take us through safe-

She looked dowu, and off over the country as she
5 ice. The river was visible, at intervals for two or
t ree miles, its waters glistem silvery in the bright
sunshine, as they rolled tranqmll along. But sud-
denly her eyes caught sight of w at would always
attract attention in such a country; a light column
of blue smoke rising above the treetops that grew on
the river flat a fourth of a mile above, and that were
hardly on a level with the high point on which they

were.
. “If it should be Indians!" suggested Flo, breath-

“Knd more than likely it is," responded M .
“ Who else would be camped there? It might
trappe , true, but it is not robnble. It looks
open there at the left of them. y creeping a little
nearer the river, here, I think we can see them, who-
ever they are."

They attained the positionwithout dlficulty. Tho
first‘flance confirmed their fears, for in the edge of
the mber, were several white tents, and the score
or more of dusky forms moving about. could be
none but Indians

The girls crept t‘guietly back to their cover. and
waited and watch for their guide‘s return. They
kept close to their horses so they could mount on
the first alarm. But the ours passed, and no In-
dians disturbed them, though they saw several but
a short distance away. ' ,

“ If he would only come,” cried Madge for the
dosentb time, looking in the direction from which
Abe must soon appear. And then her eves wander-
ed to where glimpses of the river could be caught
among the hills.

“Flo " she said suddenly, “there is a boat coming
down 9 river! it must be more Indians."

Flo s rung up and joined her. The boat was lain-
ly visib e, thou h nearly two miles away, an was
00 down t e stream. . *

‘ “ It oaks as thouigb there was a load of them." an-
nounced Flo, shad ng her eyes with her hand, and
scowling her forehead into a perfect network of
frowns. - “ Wouldn't it be just lovely if they should
tip over and get a good ducking?’_‘ she continued,
thinking of the ludicrous in the midst of the danger-
ous  Lend me your glass. Madge, and let me view

Madge drew the glass from her pocket and handed

, it to her companion. One look, and F10 uttered a

little ,
“ u tomes! 0h, Madge, it islvit is! Assureas
on ve ‘
y e book the glass has . Yes, there‘could be
no In . They were too ar 03 to tell much con-
them, but their whole air and appearance
"9 e “limnl'éiiwfib ddenl lasgln h hands,
’ c an c or
Y. t S

I
3' he don’t know the In are ere! They will
alleeiilledl We mnstwarn em of their-danger!"

:l'he‘two looked at each other a moment with
white faces. Their own danger was forgotten now,
when this}: new others rushingso scrolling? their

ey w e
‘ ' /

didn’t stop to wonder or they

doom.

/

 

were friend or foe. They were white. and were un-
conscious of their danger; what was the best plan to
warn them of it?

"We must makesdetour and come to the river
be end the save es.” explained Madge hurriedly.
" nd we must 8 art at once. for there is not a mo-
ment to lose, if we want to be in time."

They sprung u on their horses, and dashed 01
down the slope. hey made a half-circle about tho
Indians, keeping all the time a ood half-mile of
ground between them, and struc the river amilo
above where they were before. They had urged
their horses at the top of their speed. and the were
reeking with sweat and panting heavily. {Rut it
mattered little. if they were only in time.

“I will dismount here and creep forward],l said
Madge, as they reined up a few rods from the
water’s edge. “ Anddyou stay in charge of the
horses, No," she sdde ,
may go forward. and I will stay. It will be safer so.
There may possibl be Indians near."

Before the wo s were fairly spoken, Flo had
skipped from her seat, and was flitt ng for-Ward like
a water-sgnte.

Madge ept-akeen lookout about her, but failed
to see the form gliding along through the conse-
wood. and that halted a few vards from her. And
all unmlndful of the gl ‘ , basilisk eyes it
Flo reached the water’s go. and peered bro h
the overhanging branches. The next instant a lit le
cry of thankfulness went up from her heart. Then
she had sprung from the cover of the foliage to a
huge stone that lay in the edge of the stream and
wit heriittle form drawn up her hair unboun and
tra in a golden shower hind her, her lovely
face a aglow with excitement. was standing there
waving her handkerchief with all her might: a loti-
ous, dazzling vision. to the occu ants of the st
floating serenely along a few ya above. ’

_ CHAPTER x111.
THE YOUNG HUNTERS CONCLUDE T0 XOVI.

“San?” said Ranty, in exasperation. " Of course
I saw! Wasn’t he a-looking over a big stone, and
didn’t his whole top-knot show as plain as day, to say,
nothing of his face clear down to is neck—"

“ His shoulders, you mean," corrected Will.

“ Will you keep still, say? Now you have made
me lose where I was.” . -

“ But you know his face does go to his shoulders,"
insinuated \V‘i meekly.

Rant gave h m a wi hering look. and went on.

"An there he was gazing like Jeptha in thron-
chanted castle. all 6 es and earsto see where I would
go. But he dodged it before you could ‘ Jack
Robinson ‘ as soon as I looked that way. 3 old
filling: 1’: he had waited two seconds, I'd have am

And Rant sat dow lookin about as wrath as s
“ well-goverlied youth1 wouldgbe expected tolook;
a kind of ‘ eat ‘em up ‘ expression." as Will remark-

 

if for a wager.
They had been in their cave is little over a week:
had hunted fish trap ; had had two or three

come “ whole-skinned," and altogetherhad had
quite as lively a time as any four young and inex-
gerlenced hunters would have expected tohave, “ un-
er the circumstances." Rarity said. But today that
lsstrmentioned individual had been out to attend to
some traps he had set on the river, and re
Just before fight. with several pelts and the saddle
of a deer, in imagined that he had been disco
bv some growling savages, and was bel followed.
He had eard, two or bree tunes, soun s that he
was sure were not made by the wind, and net as ho
was about to enter the cave from the bill; a caught
,a glim of a dusky face peerlns at him from over-
a neig boring rock. Ran y had instantly covered
hlmwithhisrlils;snd whenhe dodged behind an

i

 

 

on secoan thought. “You -

nher, ‘

ed afterward. and stared at his three companions as '

sli ht brusth with the ndlans, out of which they ‘-

 

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'there‘il

"the Boy Rifles.

 

stone, had started down the hill at a breakneck
pace, re ardless of consequences. When the savage
saw that he would have to take to his heels, or fight
he chose the former way from the difficult , an
lea ing from behind the stone, discharged h s rifle
at giant , and then before the latter could “pull
up,“ as he expressed it, and draw bead upon him,
he vanished from sight.

“But you can ust depend that he knows we are
here," declared nty, after they had discussed the
matter ro and con. “And before we know it,

go all the lndinns in the Red river valley
stewin about this hill. And they’ll make it a warm
place or us, too. “

“I don't see but what we shall have to chan e our
quarters." put in Albert. “ it is too . , too, or we
were getting along finely here. I think it a mere
chance if we find another place as well calculated
for a-‘house ‘ as this." .

"I! we had only thought and brought along a low
cans of nitro- lycerine," suggested. " With
them we conl no don t have remained in undis-
turbed possession of our domicile as long as we
wanted to. We would have let them attack us and
then we would have rolled a can down among .t em.
The%would have dispersed.“

‘ ell. what will we do? Wait till they move us,
or move ourselves, in anticipation of such an event?
it will come. now they have found out where we are
and perha sooner than we want it,“ and Fred
looked as he rather favored the idea oi! vacating at

once.

f‘ I won‘t o for all the Indians in North America,“
protested anty stontly. “Here net as we have

t nicely settled. and are living li kin s. It the

ndians want to come rampaging aroun , let them
rampage; I reckon we can do a little in that line
ourselves "

“ Oh. yes," suggested Will, “you'd eat up three or
tour tribes. let them come one at a time: any of us
could But what if they should find both entrances,
and a lot of ‘em lay around each one, to p0 over
thewflrst fellow that came out. Then where (1 you

“In the cave, of course," returned Ranty compos-

“yYes: and there‘d be a famine the second dayi
Noah-eel 1 vote we pick up traps and march.
don‘t time being roasted or stayed out. myself."

“all fit," returned Ranty. “I want to 0. too.
but I thought I’d wait and see it any of you ellows
bad spunk enough to stay. But I see you haven’t.
Oh for the spirit of ‘76," and Rauty heaved a lugubri-

ous sigh. .

“You do need some of it sadly," returned Will.
“But this isn’t business. When had we better
start?

“I! we really conclude to go, I think the sooner
the better.” answered Albert. ‘ And I really think
we had. La ng aside the fact of to-nlght‘s discov-
ery, it we be an advisable plan, in my opinion.
The Indians are thick as bees, and we are not safe

. outside the cage. No doubt that savage could have

ht. had he not wished to follow

him to thgyhidinnig- lace of his companions. And
that being settled

" e next thing is, where will we

“It took some time‘to decide thit. Finally they all
settled on some point further down the river.

“It is lucky we built that canoe.“ said Albert. "It
is exactly what we want now. I think I had better
so and see if it is safe while the rest ot you attend to

packin u . ‘

Bantg vglunteerfll to accompany him, as it would
take but a short time to or up the things, and
the two other he would we am le time.

The darkness fairly settl down as they
 the back entralgcgiogzhiggge. fags 1.235
pick heir wa carom o
firs on the for any enemy that mi‘glfit lurk-

: about.

Their canon was a huge. birch-hark sanctum,

   

made after one they had found floating down the '
river, only much larger. it was of snfiicient size to
hold the tour and their accouterments. They kept
it in a little sheltered cove on the river. where it
'was Securely hidden until within a few feet 0! it.
l‘hey were gratified to find it reposing snugly where
they had left it.

""l‘hat difficulty is over with then," remarked
Fred. as Ranty and Albert entered the cave.and
reported everythi right. “Will and I have been
th nking," he con inued, as the gaihered around
for sufipcr, “that we had better leave a lot of our
stuff ere; I don‘t see how we can take it all with

“Nor. I either." concluded Ranty, making a fresh
attalk on a venison rih. "he have ot so many
hides and pelts, to say nothing of the drfed meat."

“ We can‘t take all of those, that is a sure thing,"
decided Albert. v

“ Well. here is the plan Will and I have," contin-
ued Fred. “ You know that little square cave that
opens on the ‘stairway?‘ The entrance to it isn‘t
more than a foot and ahal! 2 mare and we have
found a stone that is a peri’ ct t. 'e crowded it
in till it was just even with e wall, and I'll wager
you might look at it titty times and never mistrust
it wasn’t a part and parcel of the solid wall. That
cave we can leave our extra things in, and it
we; don’t come back in a year, they will be there
as e.

They at once commenced moving the extra things
into it. Then the remainder was made 11 in com-
pact bundles, and everything put in trim or depar-

are.

They concluded, however, to remain at the cave
till toward morning, giving themselves Just time to

t nicely awe from thencighborhood before the

awn. Acco ugly, they took turns in sleeping
and watching, one remaining on guard all the time
at the back entrance of Ihe cave. 1t clancerl to be
Ranty's watch last, and at a quarter-past two he
roused his companions.

“ What’s up?’ asked Will, as he felt Ranty‘s ener-
getic pokes.

“Murder, the, thieves, and Old Nick let loose
finer-ally " answered Ranty. “Come, turn outi

orning has s read her pansy mantle over hill and
dale, and by t e time we get breakfast, it will be ten
0

c oc .

“ Looks like it." returned Will. pokln about after
amissing moccasin. “Darker than t eunder side
of a coal-mine shaft Darn the thirg, anyhow:
Where’s it gone?" . "

“ Softly, my lad! Disturb not the peaceful silence
by the melodious cooing of your voice,“ drswled
Ranty. as he brightened up the light. “There ou
are}9 When I get some breakfast, 1 shallteel t-

I.)
“Thought you had the stomach-ache," averred
ill. “Seen any Indians)"

“11% an Indian. Everything quiet as a lamb.

The tone in which he uttered the last word enjoin-
ed the strictest of silence upon his companions. All
four listened for fully a minute.

. “I heard something." Banty whispered. “You
stwhero- I’llbebackdirectl . ‘

hile their things were in the cavern that
opened from the ledge, they had come to-night, to
see intheone nearest theentrancetromthe hill.
Ran yglided silently along to the narrow passage
that opened into the air, at the place mentioned he-
tore, as resembling amused cellar. and peered
cautious out. .Ths darkness was not so intense,
but wha objects were distinguishable some feet
away, and for a moment his heart host rapidly, as
banished n n the scene before him. ' »

tdsnn lessltanty. with a courage and assurance

 

equal to halt a dosen 0rd boys, was undecided
buttforhan hyafikgm next" “as”. h. to
, w ore. mac n s l o
.I'  an unobstrncntgd view. p

  

.

 

so The Boy amen."

 

 

Within a dozen feet of him, in the hollow before
alluded to. a number of shadowy forms were con-
gte ated, while more were climbing silently over the
mo si

 

CHAPTER XIV.
' ‘A main UNDER ononun.

“ Now there‘s the tallest kind of a fuss brewing,"
muttered Rarity, with more force than elegance.
“ And the size of it will greatly depend on Randolph
Hazelton, Esq. who is a most remarkable and extra-
ordinary yout , but who isn‘t given to boasting,
when there is any one sound to hear,” he added.
with a slug froid‘ that was rcfrcshin . “ But the
best thing you can do now is to et bac and let the
balance of the company know w at‘s up."

Moving as light as a cat, Rarity reached the env-
ern. 'The “ balance of the com ny " were standing
where he had left them. every faculty on the alert.

" There's murder in the camp and Old Nick to pay
generall i" declared Ranty in a shrill whisper.
“ The ce at is half-full of Indians, and more coming
in all the timel What will we do?"

“ Block up the entrance!" exclaimed Albert.
“ Here is a rock that will go far toward it, if we can
onl get it in position. Move careful—that‘s it! Now
We' 1 throw some of theso torches ever in the —
sage, and two of us will take our position behin the
stone, while the other two get more rocks to furnish
the barricade l"

His orders were carried out in a twinkling. The
blazing torches lighted up the passage beyond. and
while red and Will took up their position behind
the rock the had rolled to the mouth of the en-
trance, Ran K and Albert commenced c ng
rocks to fluis the obstruction. But, before hey
had hardly made a beginning, a Babel of shouts and
yells arose, and echoed through the cavern. The
savages had discovered the light, and saw that the
su rise' was not such a one as they had planned!

ere was an instant's silence; then with the
most diabolical screeches they were capable of ut-
tering, they rushed pell‘meli along the narrow pas-

sa 1

53: a terrific rece tion awaited them. The blaz-
in bark lighted up t eir brawn forms to the best

vantage. Over the rec}: be nd which the two
brave boys were crouched. the frowning muzzles of
two double guns ap eared' a cloud of smoke for an
instantconcenled t em, then came a report that
seemed to shake the whole cavern,'so deafening and
terrific was in ‘ ~

The loud yelling of the sav es was drowned in
the prolonged roaring that t! ed’ the place; then
came another flash. and a report seemingly more
terrific than the flrsti- ‘

"IComc right along. don’t stop to knockl“ rung
out Ranty‘s ole 1r, metallic voice. as. he leveled his
revolver upm the strun'gling mass in thepass e-
way. Albert stood beside him his eyes blazing; is
manly young form drawn to its ful hight his own
revolver on a level with his com anion’s. They-had
sprung to the‘ rock on the first arm. ‘

Blinded by the smoke that filled the passageway,
confused and panic-stricken by the terrible recep-
tion, and by the sight of their dead and wounded
companions, the lndi’ans rushed in a body back

ong tharocicy way pulling each other down in‘

1' their mad retreat, an yelling and so ng tillthe
ve walls trembled with the terrible uproar!

‘ urruhi" shouted filmy, wavin his smoki
revolver. around his h ; and " urrahi" an
"hurrahi"echosd around the cavern till it seemed
as if a dozen voices had taken up and repeated the

sound.
And this: almost salience  N31: an Ipditgn
' see save and n e
w“' w . The boys examined themva c tically,
mono had received a scratch. I

I ' “That is what I cell being fortunate!" exclaimed

Albert. "’Butlwe mustn’t stand idle. They ma
make another rush soon." -

'we can do is to improve the opportunity to get a

 

I

Every one sprung to the task of barricadin the
entrance. In ten minutes it was done, and n so
effectual a manner that twice that time would be
necessary to undo the work. Occasionally a faint
chorus of shouts would reach them from the out-
side, but no other sign that the savages were near.

A consultation was immediately held. It was
thought best to leave at once bf; the other entrance.

" Two of you can carry the t ings out and. lower
them, while I stay and watch and ‘the other gets
breakfast," suggested Ranty. “We‘ve got to eat, 1
you know. What do 3011 so ?" ' ‘~ ,

“ I think the plan a mirah v," answered Albert’.

They at onco preceeded to put it in execution. ‘
Twenty minutes passed. but the Indians made no
attack. Then the party partook of the breakfast
Will had prepared. '

” Now then, everything is ready for a move," said
Albert. “The things are all in asafe place below
the ledge. Hark, Wfilat'fl that?"

“They are coming ag‘aiu, as sure as you’re born!"
exclaimed Ranty. ‘T a old sinners! Look out!"

It was spoken just in time. A volley came from
the sageway. some of the balls ilnding entrance
t2; ecavern between the interstices in the barri-
c e.

The boys returned the salute, with better eil'ect,
and againthe Indians beat a retreat, the counter-
part of the first.

“I think it will be some time before they make
another attempt," said Albert. “ And the best thing

‘4

 

start." .

They threaded the pas till they reached the
outer cavern, and from the edge descended, by way
of the friendly tree,.to the ground. It took them
some time, having to move with the utmost caution
after leaving the cave. ~

“ All safe?" asked Albert, as he glanced keenly
around in the darkness.

“ All safe, and ready for mischief,“ answered

Ran‘ty. . -

“  well; follow me. then, and step as lightus . i "
possx e.‘ '

So saying. Arlington moved away in the darkness, . i
followed c 05er by his three companions. Being .r
impeded b the heavy load each carried. it was - ‘. '
some time efore they reached the s t where the
canoe was kept concealed, and all fe considerably {
wearied, and were glad that it was no further.

" All whole. so far," said Albert, with satisfaction.
“ And now—" ,

He broke off shrug iy. Stooping down. he had \
reached forth his han , expectigg to lay it upon the ’
prow of the canoe, but it lElm.me empty space. He
stooped still lower, and g nced under the. overhang-
ing bushes. The rest were also lookin : but the lit-
tle glimmering spot of water bore not ng upon its
surface—what they looked for. was not visible within
ran 9 of their vision.

“ y all the kinks of ill-luck, boys!“ exclaimed Al-
bert, in a shrill whisper. “ The boat is gone!“

‘CHAPTER XV.
A masow ESCAPE. ,

A no“ then would have shone u n four of the
blanket faces that could be imagin . Each looked
at the other in the darkness, the same thought in the
minds of all. -

“ Well, if here ain‘t a go!" exclaimed Rarity. at 5
last. . drawing a long breath. “Now, what in the
name of old Mytho ogy. and the Greek deities, in 1
general, are we to do?‘ ‘ a , . v .
“ The first thing is, has some ’one taken it, or built  t

i

 

 
 
 
  
  
   

got 'lro‘ose, andfioaezgd away?“  atlbert.  h
“ e vary ‘on was in to ,
added Will. .9“ - m - ' 4
“Let's scatterout, and examine the bank," sue: .
grated Frch “ i don't believe it could havo gotten
out of the cove. without hel . and in case it has
broken its tastenings we'll (in it some where."
“An idcawcrth ng, practically,"

 

 

an”
a

" able po

 

. hicko

.the others

Ranty. And dividing, two went each way around
the lagoon.

“ Not on our side, at any rate," remarked. Albert,
as they reached the spot where the water jomed the
river. " Perhaps Ranty and Will have had better
success. but I hardly dare hope for it."

They retraced their steps, and had followed to the
river on the other side before they met their coni-

nions. Their hearts had “ descended to their boot~

eels." Fred said, when, to their surprise and satis-
factiOn, they suddenly perceived the shadowy out-
lines of the canoe close to the bank of the river and
saw Ranty and Will Seated therein, pushing it silent-
ly ii -8trenm. - H

“ f all the good luck in the world, boys! ex-
CIaimed Rant , as the prow grated on the sand at
the water‘s e ge. " We foun it eight. or ten rods
down. lodged on a tree that had fallen into the river
Md sunk, with one long limb sticking up. that
muzht it near the stern! if it wasn’t lucky, then I
don‘t know what could be!“ '

With‘light hearts, the young hunters towed it into
the cove, loaded in their aucouterments, and pre-
pared to start. Albert being older and more expen-
enced, took his place in the stem, to guide the craft,
while the three boys ranged themselves along in
good ositions to use their paddles. And they push-
ed 0 . and commenced floating down the swzft cur-
rent of the river.

They’ kept near the center of the stream, and the
boat, impelled by the skillful paddlers and the cur-
rent, fairly seemed to fly.

“ Boys,‘ said Rant , when they had been afloat
twenty minutes or h an hour, “ it‘s coming day»

h Soc there!“ and he ponitod his drip ingnpad-
d e to where a faint streak of light was vi 1e the
eastern horizon . .

“ Thaitegoglifii from hazing tfdfiuss around soilon ,“
res n ' ving spa! e an one etc o
intt‘inthe water. $5We ought to have beenrgen index;

away now." . - -

The light streak widened rapid] ; and soon the
gray dawn spread over n'ver an forest, and the
morning was fairly begun.

“_They are using some forcible language back at
the cave about now," said Albert. looking u Ithe
river. “I presume to say they are as mad 3 at of
savages, as could readily be gotten together on so
‘short a notice." ‘ ‘ » .

” I hope they won’t burst a blood vessel in their
wrat ,j‘ added Will. “The loss to society couldn‘t
be estimated. What if there should be fifteen or
twenstly of the imps alonz the river-bank somewhere,
and ould pepper away at us as we are going down.
I reckon there would be some lively times."

The party scanned the banks closely. They were
78 high on one side‘, slopln from the water’s edge
an covered with cedar. hem ock and pine, to their
very summit. nearly a hundred feet above. On the
other side, for one or two hundred yards back, was
alow flat, covered with a dense growth of butternut.
, and the like, then the bank arose similar to
“$2.? half “i: “m a ii.“ if“ “it's?”
e n: . or an w t suc regu y as
to keep a bank and flat opposite each other on their
reflective sides.

om the high bank an enemy could have found

perfect concealment, and been in command of the

river. The boys knew this. and held themselves
to act on the instant shonldit be necessary.

" e twisted my neck to watch. till it's crooked
worse than snag crane‘s ever was," declared Will.
resting his pad eon the edge of the boat. “ Indians
or no Indians, 1 vote we sto and rest, and get some-
thing to eat. It‘s ten o‘cloc ." .

“ second the motion,“ responded Rarity. prompt-

-l , holdin his .
yAll felt ghup our

3 need of food and rest, as they had been
steadily for several hours. and so, at a suit-
tba canoe was turned shorewu'd. ~
It was a beautiful spot where they- lnndsd. While
prep-rod something to “ti-uh the “ inner

paddli

, The Boy Rifles.

 

boy,“ Albert decided to climb the bank, and take a
look at the count . '

He took whatris termed in hunter parlance ‘a
“ hog's-back," a long n'dge that sloped from the
very water‘s edge. and was not as steep as the bank
on either side of it. Reaching the top of this. he
halted to take breath, and look about him.

A splendid country spread out before him. A
glam came to withina few’yards of the timber-lined

ank, covered wuli rich grass and occasional patches
of. trees. while away beyond arose a chain of moun—
tains. their tops looking hazy and blue in the dis-

[108.

Not a livin thing was in sight' all was peaceful
and quiet. an the feeling, which the entire absence
of. any‘slgiis of Indians, since starting, had formed,
this quiet scene seemed to increase.

f‘ I don’t believe there is an enemy within a dozen
indetsnof here. I feel ,as though there wasn’t, at
ens .

At that instant a slight crackling in, the .under-

rowth startled him. e glanced quickly that way.
{l‘he noise continued, and while he-was wondering
what it could be a hu 0 bear can e lumbering out.
and started alon as if to descend the be nk.

His first thoug t was to let the animal go, as the
report of his gun might attract any savages who
were in the neighborhood. But so sure was be that
there were none near that he at last decided to run
the risk, and shoot the bear.

By this time the animal had gotten nearly st
him and had halted an instant at the brow o the
bit . Evidently he scented danger, for he was look-
ing directly at our hero, and the first motion the lat-.
ter made toward raising his hit to his face the bear
saw, and with a snort start sw1ftly along.

Albert fired at him on the. 'unip. The huge ani-
mal let outs. lolid snarl. am giving a trgn'iendous
leap disappeared over the bank. The instant he
fired Albert started toward him. He heard the
crushing of the brush in his downward course, and
1r;aching the spot where he had stood peered eager-

over.

The bank was very stee . Albert could not see
the bear. but the waving o the tops of the under-
growth showed him his course. He was half-way to
the water‘s edge.

“ I am afraid I made a
soliloquized. _
they would makea finish of him. but he is going too
far to the left to strike them. I believe he intends
crossin the river. if he does there will be a chance
to at in yet." _
truck With this last thought Albert started up.

At the same instant the heavy crack of amnsketv

broke the si ence, and with a groan he fell forward.
and the next moment he was. crashinglthmugh the
brush that lined that steep, precipitous bank!

“Hark!” exclaimed Ranty. stoppingvthe-wipher "
and on e

half-way up in the rifle and resting his
cap- “ wasn't that Albert‘s gun?"- _ ,

" othln shorter, as sure as on‘re born!“ cried
Will. “ at can he be shoot iig at? He said he
thought it best not to use firearms unless absoluter

ecessary. And here he is setting the example him-

ll
self."
“Pei-ha it was necessary,“ su gesled Fred.
“ But it enigma that he has run afou
should hear more." ,
But while they were talkinga second report came,
but not such a one as the first. While th t was the
whip-like that denoted the rifle, t is was a
broad, heavy report. unmistakably that of asmooth-
bored musket. ,
"Something “g, boys!" cried Rarity. jerkingout
the wiper and astlly inserting a couple of car‘
trio in. the empty barrels.
coo %i Grab your revolvers, and come on!”
A yell of triumph,
:32: none but an Indian

from
or .

or shot that time.“ he
“ If he won (1 only run over the boys ,

of reds, or we '

"Never mind the‘ ‘
a.yell that cquld come '
in. throat echoed

 

 

29 The Boy Rifles.

 

“ Indians i" cried Fred.

“ Tumble up i“ roared Rarity.

The advice was superfluous. Both Fred and Will
were rushing up the steep bank like a tornado.

The shouts from above continued and seemed to
come nearer. Suddenly Ranty stumbled over some—
thing and the next instant a strange cry broke

from is lips.

“ It’s Albert, and he's killedi“

It was Albert sure enough. He laghupon his back
on the grassy ban bare-headed, face covered
with blood a

kl
nd dirt.

The boys stood an instant as if struck suddenly
dumb. A crackling of the undergrowth. and a wild
yell amused them, and broke the spell. Two savages
descending the bank. had discovered them.

“ You smutty villainsi"yelled Ranty in a rage.
“ We'll fix you 1"

Their rifles leaped to the shoulders of the three
bo hunters with one accord, and three pair of
gmef-stricken, revengeful eyes glanced along the
s ning barrels. The sava es saw the motion. and
with a loud shout, one 0 them leaped behind a
range of trees that completely concealed him from
view. The at er endeavored to follow his example
but it was too late! Three heavy reports suddenly
broke on the air, so close together that the blended
into one. and'with a s asmodic clutch at is naked
breast. the salvage ree ed backward, and was dead
before he fell.

With another howl, this time of defiance, Ranty
sprung up the bank. But the other Indian had
made ood his escape. ~

The ree gathered around their prostrate coma
Egon, and silently and tenderly, lifted his

I “ The motion brought a groan from the insensihle
orm.
" He ain’t dead!" cried Ranty, in a trans rt.
“ Oh hallelujahi" and a moment after he was ar-
in like a lunatic down the bank to a little stream,
w are he hastily filled his cap with water. When he
returned two minutes later, Albert was sitting up,
wi‘pinfi the blood from his face. '

A right Rant ," he said with alittlelaughas
he noticed his \vh to, scared face. “I'm not hurt
any to spaak of, and no bones broken. But I‘ll take
the water to help me get of! this blood and dirt.
That‘s it. Youiook like a ghost."

“ Well, I ess you would,” said Ranty. “My
heart goes i? i-ta-hop yet. ' I th ht on was
dead, and pret y near buried. I won't e n such a
hurry next time." And Rarity sat down on aroot to
recov:r breath.

"Don‘t, and I can assure you I am as good as
half a dozen dead men yet," replied Albert, as he
arose to his feet and‘examined his bruises more
carefully.

But not a wound was on his rson save a gash
over his left temple in the edge 0 the hair. An ex-
amination of this showed it had been done by a very
small bullet. ‘ "

“A buck-shot more like," corrected Will looking
at it closely. "You can see it is cut smooth. If it
had been a bullet from a grooved ride it would have
torn, because it would have one whirling. And it
wasn't a rifle that we heard e ther.“

This proved correct, for on the body of the dead
Indian was a pouch of buck-shot and some birch
bark stripped very fine for wedding, while beside
him lay an empt musket.

“He-has gone hislast acccun " said Rantv. as
they examined him. “It is no more than right.
He liin‘t'en led to kill Albert, and would us, if he
can

it was almost a miracle that the fall had not killed
Arlingt-rn. He had slid and rolled several yards
down the steep bank, stopping» last on the little
lelvel spot wherp his companions had found 1111.
re Would

  

 

 

was when you picked me up." he said, in answer to
their inquiries.

They scoo a shallow grave in the soft bank
and buried t 6 dead savage. Three ghastly holes in
his breast showed that everv bullet fired had taken
effect. Though an enemy, the three boys stra ht-
ened his limbs and laid him reverentlyin his set
resting~place They were not enough accustomed to
death to look upon it without awe. and hardlya
word was spoken till the grave was filled. Then
they returned to their cam lug—spot.

Albert's wound was noth ng serious. Ranty rum-
maged diligently among a lot of “ extraneous mat-
ter " in his knapsack, consisting of scraps of buck-
skin, strings, tangled fish-lines. and a half-a-doaen
loose cartridges that had s illed from a hursted
case and tie ed out there rom a roll of salve.
Meanwhile Will had prepared some bandages with
which they were supphed. and when the woimd
was nicely dressed Albert declared he felt as “good
as new.”

After the had finished dinner, Ranty avowed his
intention 0 following along the river a few rods, to
see if he could find any 5 of the bear Albert had
shot' while the rest put 1: eir camp equipments in
the boat. He had been gone but a few minutes
when‘ they heard him shout, and going up found
him beside the (lead hear.

“You see he couldn't get any further," said
Ranty, pulling away at one of the monstrous hind

:1 a vain endeavor to roll the animal upon his
back. “ See where the bullet went in? El ht there
idlthe side of his neck. Wasn’t so bad a s at after
a .

Fred and Will assisted him, and together they
turned the bear on his back. And while Albert sat
on a. moss-covered log, the young hunters stripped
the hide from the carcass.

“ Won't that make a gorgeous robe?" exclaimed
Will, holding it up with Ranty‘s help. “ The future
Mrs. Arlin ton will have the pleasure of taking a
ride, snug y ensconced under t, no doubt. Happy
will be the day!“

“ Amen!" laughed Albert. as he rose from ihel .
“Ibelleve I fee rathertore and stifl. But! thin
the sooner we get under way, the better."

And fifteen minutes after, they had left their tem-
porary c'imping-spot some distance behind. Hour
after hour they floated down, but saw no further
sign of any savages.

Suddenly, Rant , who was nearest the prow, ceas<
ed paddling, and ooked intently at a certain spot on
the bank.

“ If I didn’t see that bush yonder. move. then my
eyes are not mates. But, shades of Caesar's speeterl
Look there!"

The boys looked. Ranty, with his paddle elevated,
his eyes the size of dinner-piates—orless—and an
expression of sublime amazement on his face, sat
rooted to the spot.

And no wonder. The vision before them. seen
in such a place, where miles and miles of deepest
wilderness ay between them and civilization, was
calculated to ins ire astonishment in any one not
entirely devoid 0 he emotion. For there. stand-
ing on a rock, her form clearly defined against the
 round of green, was a dazzling
in the breeze.

Hard] the s e of one instant she stood there;
then a c ear v oe. full of warning reached the boys
ears The little figure gave a quick lance behind
and before the young hunters could ake a second
look, she had sprung ashore and disappeared! .

And simultaneously the sharp crack of a rifle
sounded, and a bullet whizsed past them, striking
the water a little beyond! -

anionmcmnonorrmomlnr. A ‘ 
“Pnu. for the abbre, boysl" cried Albert, “'9
have no chance here!" .

o—her face all aglow, and her curls dancing .

 

~n1g:c - 

k-

 

 

  

 

~43:-

 

 

WA...\

The Boy Rifles. 83

 

The canoe was whirled with the rapidity of light
and bended for the shore. But. be ore they had
gone a dozen lengths, the crack of revolvers and the
shrill war-cry of the savages came from the bank,

' showing that some kind of an engagement was tak-

ing Rises. _
f un the boat right up in this hole: it‘s a on ital
lace!“ cried Rarity, who was in the prow. “ T rat’s
It! Now ull down the bows a little, so, and it won’t
be notices."

With one accord the boys sprung out, and rushed
in the direction of the metre. _But the firing had
ceased. and the yells were receding. .

“ They‘re running of! l" exclaimed ‘\ ill. “ Hurry
up and we’ll see them when we raise the bank !“

» “ That's 00d advice. when you're two or three
rods ahead, ’ returned Ranty, who was pumng along
like a miniature e inea little behind.

“A few more suc runs as this would make a new

man of me, I guess," said Albert. who was running .

beside Ranty. "I couldn‘t hardly move when
started ”

“Desolation and ruination 1" elled Will. scram-
bling to his feet from a “ scoope out " place in the
ban . “Running into another such a hole as that

e

will be my comp te demoralization. Oh, Jupiter l”
uh“ slurry upl' roared Ranty, now a dozen yards
e .

They reached the top of the bank out of breath.
Far away below, on a little open plain, rode two
figures at full speed. A single glance showed them
to be women. And in hot pursuit was a considerable
party of lndians, mounted on fleet mustangs who
were yelling and brandishing their weapons to incite
their ponies to eater speed. ‘

The four s and watched the scene with inter-
est. The two pursued were evidently well mounted
and had considerable the start. But what uzzled
the young hunters the most, was the fact t at the
pursuing sava es were going in a direction which
showed that t ey had started from a point some
(1 co below and not from where they were stand-
inks and where the skirmish had taken place.

But while they were looking out upon the edge of
the Plain some distance in the rear of the pursners
appeared a single savage on foot, who followed on a
steady run.

' “I think I have the true solution of the case."
said Albert. suddenly. “That Indi‘n is the one who
was With that one we killed this forenoon. He has
{glowed down to here. and was lying in ambush for
“ Then the two in 'tivos onder ran across him
here; the skirmish tglld theyother savages further
down the river a fight was going on. and they. start-
im saw them. and set out in pursuit,"

was the true solution of the airair, and so the
boys thought on hearing it. But while they stood
xfihing 0th pursuers and pursued vanished from

It will be remembered that ourpart had not de-

‘ clded on their stop ing- lace when {hey left the
cave and commen i:th river journey. A consul-
tation held now on the brow of the bank ended in
their determination to stop at this point.

Albert was the one who proposed this. The In-
dian who had been lying in wait for them. would
inform the others of t e party descending the river.
ten? the result would be an ambush at some point

ow. « .

But this was not all. The beautiful vision of
which they had caught so brief a glim so on the
river bank and again ug here had imbue the oung
hunters with a strong esire to know more 0 both,
and how they camsto be here in this vast, unbroken
Wilderness. Were they alone! And were they
5110'": to optical to them for he] i What else coul
“If,” Object ha“ been in sign ng to them."

I can fiat 951] you what." expostulated Rarity,

[energetiesinn if we don’t stay here and try to
1mm "‘0‘! “D. I shall have a , mean opinion of

  

‘ ‘ tournichiganboys. nowI'ean toil youl Jupiter!"

 

continued Ranty in the exigency of the case, “ how
do we know but what both of them will be taken by
the savages and be burnt up, or somethi else?
I feel as if I could ear every Indian in the River
country right upl" and Rarity looked as though he
wtas ready to commence his masticating operations
a once.

According] equ ments and camp utensils were
made into 5 ape o carry; the boat hidden in a
spot wherelt would require keen e es -to detect it.
and then the party climbed the k and struck
straight off from the river toward the distant moun-

anus.

The crossed a small stream that bordered a sort
of pl n, just at sundown, and deciding that it was
as good a spot as they would probably find, pitched
their camp on its low, timbered banks.

They had not fully determined on their final stop-
ping-place. Some situation adapted for defense.
and one where the save cs would not be apt to dis-
cover them: and from w ich they could make hunto
ing excursions in difl'erent directions.

As soon as it was fairly dark 8. fire was kindled.
but in such a spot that it could not be seen till di-
rectly uggn it.

“ i ve on thinking," remarked Albert in a sort
of musing tone.

"An unusual occupation for you to indulge in,"
interrn ted Will. gravely as he polisheda roasted
rib. “ ry it light at firs .“

“ Children shouldn't talk when grown people are
conversing," putin Rnnty. r0 rovingly.

“Oh, go ahead Albert, an never mind the 
pooses,’ advised Fred. covertly stealing a t e
coffee from Raul ‘5 cup to resplenish his own. “Tell
ushxhat you thin , and we‘ll p our beverage mean-
w e."

“ You‘ll sip something else, most irreverent youth,
if you don’t look out,‘ admonished Ranty. with a
sus icious glance at his cup of diminished coffee and

ll ‘3 full one. “I‘ve borne and borne with resig-
nation and patience, till a lack of coffee has ceased
to be a virtue—so look out.” ,

“ Brslnrss before pleasure, gentlemen." sug sted
Albert. helping himself to another rib. " was
about to say that I think we didn‘t reflect an great
credit upon ourselves b leaving the river w an we
did. I am afraid misch of .will grow out i f it."

“ Why so?" was the query from all.

" Well, you see, in the. first place that Indi will
carry news to the rest, that we were there. then
I think when they ve up the chase of the two girls
—for it is my opin on itwill result in 110th , as
they were the best mounted—they will come
there, and take our trail. If we had kept down the
river a short distance further. before leavin . it
would have rendered ountrail much harderto
As itis. nothing stands in‘the way of their following
us immediately!" v

This was a view of the case the had not taken be-
fore. But it looked very probab e now. However,

the savages would have to relinquish the trail. now,

that darkness had come.

“ And if the want to come in the morning. let
’em." said W , with a fierce look, as he chewed
away on a steak.

It was thought unnecessary to station a guard'
and so the fire was gut out. and the party Wm
‘bil‘si‘mséitihi’th’me"w““dn§”“32%.... '

e o e morn ng we
through the treetops when Albert awoke. He hut -
1y aroused his companions. and then.takina his rifle,
went out to the edge of the plain to see if there was
anv sign of savages visible on their trail.

‘Their course. before reaching their resent camp-
in -spot, was traceable, at intervals, or nearly two
miles from Ms standing-point. but though he scan-
ned it long and critically. nothing susptcious met his

eyfi'e returned and: reported to his mpgim

t . not about to start down-stream
figuriflit‘lie. while Will and Fred “kept camp."

  

.‘J'Aé-’ .

 

  

 

“ I won‘t be gone over fifteen minutes," were his
parting words; and taking his rifle he sauntered
:wglyalittle dreaming what “ game ” he was destined

o .

 

CHAPTER XVII.
A suarmss AND A rim-res.

RANT! kept a sharp look-out in every direction as
he passed along. He kept within sight of the
stream. and had gone perhaps a uarter of a mile,
when, stopping to peer through t e foliage at the
water to see if any ducks were in view, he was start,
led by hearing a girlish voice, clear and sweet, and
but a short distance away.

“0h. Madge, isn’t its perfectly splendid morningi
See how the sunshine glmts through the trees and
the sky is ‘dsrkiy, deeply’ blue and every bird is
tryin to sing the loudest! Let‘shnild a cabin, dress
ala id maidens, and spend the remainder of our
days in peace, comfort, and a shanty. What do you
say?"

“Allvory nice, Flo.“ replied a silvery voice, and
Ranty heard the musical laugh that accompanied it.
“ But what about the wolves. and Indians, and the
other inhabitants? Would they be sociable, pleasant
neighbors. think?“ .

“i‘m afraid they would be sociable but not very
pleasant. But, that is always the wa i I can see
we shall have to give it up! If one fln s a aradise,
there‘s always a skeleton in it somewhere. b, Ilearl
What a world of tribulation and other things this is!
Do you sup one Uncle Abe will find them?“

“ Vhat, t e trih :lation, and other things?" Rmty
heard her companion ask.

“ You know what I meant. Madge Lennox! Those
four dashing hunters that wore in the boat."

“ How do you know they was dashing?" asked
Madge. while Ranty so far forgot himself as to give
an audible whistle.

Perhaps the sight before him had something to do
with it. For he had crept along in the direction of
the voices till he could command a view of the
speakers. It is unnecessary to say that they were
none other than Fiorn’e Stanley, and Madge Lennox.

They were standing in a beautiful little open spot
in the woods. Mad e‘s han'd rested on the neck of
her steed. while Flo old a. handful of grass tantaliz-
ingly near Bessie‘s nose. Rarity gazed in stupid
amazement at the si ht. The two girls. with their
glowing checks. the reeze'toying with their sunny

air. and their bright. airy dresses looking so n at
an: tiffracefui. might have dazzled older boys than
v n y.

He was still standin there, thinking what was
best to be done, when t e report of a rifle broke on
the still morning air. It sounded about half a. mile
away, and seemed to come from the vicinit of atall.
conical rock which the boys had passe the day
previous. a short time before encam ing.
tmgelclllfhat‘st'in the wind le. lIi‘id Elie mknow?" mudt-

any,mttovooe,oo u ediyaroun.
“Hello! they've heard it, tooll'fihe continued. as he
saw Med and Flo preparing to mount. “ Guess I
won‘t ma myself known just at present, butsaun-
ter‘back and investigate.“

If the gait Rarity took, when a safe distance from
the girls. was a “ unter," it would require a lively
imagination to deci 3 what would constitute a run.
Over logs that lay close to the und; under those
that lay u ; ducking under ease-topped under-
growth. on clearing piles of debris, Ranty pranceri
along, presenting an a pearance more in accord-
ance with an escaped unatic, fleeing from a. thou-
sand imaginative terrors than a “ respectable well-
governed youth," as Will informed his companions
afterward. for that individual, coming at s'simiiar
gait from the camp. slacked up just in time to avoid

‘ 9°33?“ r w aspod Ra t pum m:

‘ at‘s s 00 ’ n n e a.
miniature steam-e no. . ‘y' 

“ Indians!” yelled ’ whirling around and 
. . ' ’ ' \

 

The Boy Rifles.

 

  

_~..‘-

bling over a deco ed log. "Only part of 'em’l
mounted! Ju iter luviousl Come oni"

The two dos ed forward, and in a moment came ‘
upon Albert and Fred at the edge of the plain. And
there, less than a quarter of a mile away, were s
score or more of mounted Indians. with nearly half
as many on foot. yelling, brandishing their wv-apons,
and urging their mustangs toward a single white
horseman a good rifle-shot away. ' And then ike a
cloud, started up a second Earty of Indians in front
of him. and spreading out, 0th parties commenced
hemming him in!

" Follow me. boys." cried Albert, in a clear. ring-
ing voice, forgetting everything in the excitement of
the moment. And with one accord the four started
on a run for the scene of action.

The fu itive saw them, and like a clarion note
rung out is shout of defiance. as he urged his steed
toward the enemy. And simultaneously a puff of -

smoke curled from his rifle, and a brawny brave .

tumbled from his horse.

A score of the savages started with wild yells to
ward our party, on perceiving t em. With one ac-
cord the boys halted and prepared for action.

“ Wait til they are within a hundred yards." came
Albert‘s clear, even tones. “ and then take ood aim,
and don‘t waste a shot. 000d fighting is a l the! can.
s we us now .’ "

Not a nerve trembled at thought of the peril be-
fore them. Like statues they stood, waiting for the
progfar moment to arrive. ‘

“ ow.’

At the low-spoken word, their rifles leaped to their
shoui iers. Four curlin puffs of smoke: four heavy
reports. that blended a most to one, and four of the
oncoming sava es reeled and fell.

The line half— alted, wavered, then closed up. But
their indecision was fatal. Again came a volley from
the youn hunters. plowing through their ranks with
terrible e ectl .-

_ “ Come. on, e sut-begrimed, buckskin-colored,
heard-eating by rirlsl Screw up yer courage to the
sticking p‘mt, yell yer best ell, an’ precipitate yer-
selves forrad outer the ms. 11’. clawin‘. funeral-maiz-
ing terrors o' the Northwest. the. ramps eons ram-
pagers of the Red River!“ yelled a deflan voice.

The young hunters looked up. There. riding as
though pursued by the Arch Fiend himself. was old
Abe An'ierson. his empty rifle fast to his back. a re-
volver in his right hand and a knife in the other, his
long grizzled hair sailing out on the impromptu
breeze. He had broken through the garty of sev-
ages behind. and taking advantage of t e hesitation
and wavering of the char-gingham. had passed them
like an arrow. ‘

.But by the time he had joined our party, the In-
dians had recovered and were coming forward. giv-
ing vent to yells of exasperation.

Then the sharp crack of revolvers followed each
other in quick succession. and a rfect din reigned.
Suddenly old Abe uttered a cry 0 alarm. Following 1
the direction of his gaze, Albert echoed the cry.
There. scarcea hundred yards away, were Flo and .
Madge, urging their horses toward them at their
best speed, their long drapery flowing behind them
on the breeze the engendered. Albert at once re-r
gogmzed them as t e two they had seen the day be-

ore. , i ,
‘ “Go back!" yelled old Abe. forgetting foram/o-

ment the conflict raging about him. “ Tearln' Jeru-
salem! Go Mex!” . ‘ ‘

He threw up his arms: he waved his ca,me yelled
himself hoarse. But still they came on. Al saw
in the hand of each a tiny revolver, in their faces the
determination to take rt in the aifrayl".i

“ 0h. climbin’cate rsi bey‘ii he lied. surei“
ygllgrli‘ old Abe, hnl , dist . “ Greet Gohoso'v
p a ' r‘

A new party of Indians suddenly appeared. s -
in: like a tornado down upon them, and in such a
direction as to cut the two is 011'. Old Shoat!!ka ,
his horse asharp blow, an shouted to the boys: . _

 

 

    

 

.A/Ao-x

 

‘e

«in

 

 

“ Mount and run! I'll help the
gals!"

" We had better take his advice,“ shouted Albert.
;]Secure a mustang, and all keep together if possi-

e,"

A dozen ponies were galloping about hither and
thither; ponies belonging to the killed and wounded
savages. and that seeme loth to leave the fight, but
rfimalned as though some strange fascination held
t em.

Albert caught one of those asit passed him and
vaulted upon its back. A savage sprung toward him
with swinging tomahawk. but went down before his
revolver. And in one minute all were mounted, and
breaking through the lines, lashed their steeds into
a dead run.

“Look, onder goes Abe and the two girls!" cried
“FEW. 118 ie pointed to them.ga110piug awa in a
diiferent direction. with old Abe ahead, and a orde
of savages in pursuit. “ And they’re pulling away
from the red-skins, tool"

“ Yes. but we ain't i" cried Will. “There‘s forty
or flfty after us, and gaining every minutel"

A quick glance behind proved that he spoke the
truth, and they lashed their mustangs into the best
sgeed they were capable of making. But, either
t ey did not understand the art of urging them for-
ward, or the ursuing savages were better mounted,
for the latter continued to gain slowly, but sure] ,
alnd now and then a stray bullet flew unpleasant y
c ose.

H 8",?Dosing we shoot a little, ourselves?“ suggest-
ed WI l. looking over his shoulder. “ They ain't
more than forty rods behind, and I had just as soon
risk losing a little ammunition as not."

Ranty thought so, too, and they turned in their
saddles. and blazed away. aiming at the whole mass.
Their bullets evidently flew somewhere near their
lmendt‘d place, for the savages spread out like a
“00k 01 pigeons when a hawk dives among them.
This was a little trium h, and the two kept blazing
“WSW. laughing in spi e of their erilous situation,
at t e frantic dives and dodges 0 the lmmms-

ut they found that it resulted in a little good also
for it checked the s of the Indians, till they, I
anything, lost groun . And so our party took turns,
and a running fire was kept up for several miles.

They struck the stream at last on which they
had encamped the previous night, but many miles
below where the race commenced. Here it was
Quite a stream and had low rocky banks. They
turned down it, and were galloping along as fast
as their new tired horses would permit, whenthe
Indians, getting a little nearer, opened a fresh fire.

At the first discharge Ranty‘s horse stumbled.
and the boy had only time for a nimble leap when
he staggered and fell, shot through the neck.

All three saw the mishap. and pulled up.

“.We shall have to make a stand!" cried Albert,
springing from his horse, and looking hurriedly
around. “But there isn‘t a tree nor bush to hlde
behind! Back up here to the brow of the bank, and
let them come!“

Will and Fred had spnxng from their horses, and
then all four started on a run for the bank, but a few
Yards awa . But, suddenly, a hole, a dozen feet
across, an half as dec , barred their way. The end
next the bank looked li e the entrance to acave.

“It‘s our best chance i" shouted Albert, and they
bounded into it just as a shower of bullets and arrows
from the ailing Indians, now not a dozen yards
away, hurt ed over their heads!

CHAPTER XVIII.
“ WORKING FOR LIBERTY.
I REGION we did that just in time!" cried Ranty,
as they ran to the furthest end of the hole. 1
went back, cave fashion, a dozen feet, or more, and
by stonping they could see out the opening. but
being dark where they were, the savages could not
see them.
A moment more and they had dismounted. and

It's the only wayl

 

The Boy Rifles.

 

     

  

 

25

t

    
  
 

 

were gathered about the opening shouting and es—
ticulating excitedly. Then a lot of stones and ul«
lets struck the round at the boy‘s feet. thrown out
as a “ feeler " y the Indians to determine their
position.

“'They‘ll have to aim a little higher with their
‘ bnckbats ‘if they expect to damage us,“ whispered
Albert, and a moment after. his rifle cracked, and a
savage would have fallen headi’oremost into the
hole had not his companions caught him and drag-
ged im back. ,

This incident raised a erfect din, and the ab-
berlng grew more excite than before. But t ey
were careful not to expose themselves as atarget
again, but kept back out of harm's way.

At last their excitement cooled down a little, and
soon almost total silence reigned. This was broken
by a voice that evidently was that of a white man;
but the speaker kept back from the edge of the
opening, so the young hunters could not see him.

“ Hello, dovVn there!” it began.

“ Well, what of it?" was Ranty‘s pertinent query,
in return.

“ Any ’bjectlons to tellin‘ who ye are?“ continued
the voice.

“ Not in the least."

Silence a full minute.

“ Wai, who the devil be you then 1'"

“Four Michigan boys," answered Rarity. “ (‘ap-
tain, commanding, A bert Arlington. aged twenty.
one. Balance of party, Randolph Hazelton a ed
fifteen; Fred Carter, a ed seventeen, and Will aw
donald, seventeen; al pilgrims. Which means,“
continued Ranty, by wa of ex {)lanation, “ that we're
very grim, and deal in cad p Us for the benefit of
you and your clique.“

A muttered im rccation came from above.

“ Don’t swear,’ admonished Ranty. “ It’s wicked."

“ We‘ll give you something that will be worse than
lead pills, you little cuss." s outed the man, savage-

y“Oh. tales untoldl You chill our blood with hor-
rorl“ exclaimed “ill, in tragic tone. “But why
don't you come out and at us see how you 100 l"

“Say. you think I’m a fool, don‘t ye? ’

“ Ceitainly i" answered Ranty, gravely.

Another muttered lmprecation followed, and then
a rock, weighing a dozen unds, came ii in through
the air, and so well aime that, had not an y sprun
hastily aside, it must have struck him He utter-e
a deep. hollow groan, as if in agony, and instantly
brought his rifle to his face.

The result was as he expvctcd, Hearing'the roan
the man sErung to the edge of the o )6"ng a arge,
heavy rec in his hands, thinking to ake a vantage
of their attention to their wounded companion, to
hurl it upon them.

He was only in view a. brief instant, as he swung it
aloft, but it was enough. ’l‘beioud report of Rant ‘9

iece echoed out, and the bullet struck one of is

ands. carrying away a finger completely, and, flat-
tenin against the rock he held, 5 uttered into his
face, linding him for an instant. A and warning-cry
was raised, and a dozen dusky arms stretched forth.
but all too late, and losing his balance, the man fell
headforemost into the opening!

Before he could collect his scattered senses, Albert
rushed out, and seizing him by the collar dragged
him into their retreat, while Ranty covered him with
his revolver. And there he lay, trunking with fear,
no other than the treacherous guide, \\ arner, who
had attem ted to betray the two brave girls into the
hands of t e savages.

" Well, you arn't- an over-and-above fair looking
specimen even of the kind of bipeds ou represent, '
said Rarity. regarding his pain , bloodstained
face. while Will and Fred were binding his hands and
f

eet.
“ Now then," demanded Albert, “ who are you,
and how came you in such bad company i"
"Ye needn‘t ask me. for I shan‘t tell yer nothin‘,"
was the sullen response.

 

{8.6

The Boy Rifles.

  

   

 

 

“We could make on, if we chose, but we care
nothing about your dcntity, and had as soon you
would keep it to yourself. However, you undoubt-
edly havamtiuence among the yelling horde above,
and we will give you a chance for your iit‘.-. if you
will have them withdraw, and give us a mile the
start, we will give you your liberty. Otherwise—"
and a. significant look finished the sentence.

This was thrown out as a feeler to determine the
position held by the prisoner amon the Indians.

he rufflan‘s face turned more ghast y than before
under the paint and blood. He declared he had no
power among the Indians; he reiterated it in a quak-

ng voice, when Ranty pressed the cold muzzle of his
revolver against his temple, and told him to “ talk
straight."

The din above had ceased. The savages were evi—
dently waiting to see what the young hunters would
do next.

“ You red-skin that can talk," called Albert, after
havin questioned their prisoners a little, “come
out w new we can hear you."

” What want?" rcs onded a guttural voice.

“To get out, you 0 d sinnerl"

“ Keep still, Ranty. and let me do the talking," ad-
monished Albert. ‘if you will draw off, and let us
have a halfAhour‘s start." continued Albert, raising
his voice so the Indian could hear, “ we will let him
go free; otherwise we won‘t promise you that you
will ever see him again."

“He big heap, much fool; don' want to see ‘im
any more—- ut n wood an' roast you all togedder,"
res onded t o lndiau.

" e’ll see about that, you smutt
Ranty wrathfully. “Iii bet you'll
you get us!"

“ Of course he will," said Fred. “ And it won‘t be
long either. We can’t live in here without food or
drink more than three months."

“ Who said we could?" responded Rarity, setting
his gun against the side of the cavr, and commenc-
inglto roll up his sleeves.

is companions looked. at him in amazement.
They saw by the expression of his face that he had
thought of some plan of escape. For answer he took
Albert by the arm and pulling him to the rear end
of the cavern. motioned him to bend down, and
listen. Albert did so. A heavy, dull roar came
faintly to his ears.

"The river!" he exclaimed, suddenly.

"Exactly," said Ranty. “ It ain’t more than
twent or thirty feet through to it, and to-night
we‘ll unuel out!"

Like a iiash it entered the mind of each, before
Rarity had ceased s asking. They stood looking at
each other for a ful minute. Here was an easier
wfay out of the difficulty than they had dreamed
o l

They commencei the labor at once, while the
prisoner lay and watched them, hoping their tunnel
would cave in upon them. But, though the ground
was not so hard as to render digging extremal,
laborious it was still solid enough to preclude a1
danger 0 its failing in.

The work progressed rapidly. When dusk came
it seemed from the sound of the water, that they
must be nearly through, and they concluded to rest
awhile. All were huu ry and thirsty, but neither
food nor water was to gbe had till they reached the
“outer world." Their besiegers had settled down,
determined to starve thcm into submission. They
little thought how they were spending their time,
and the young hunters had gagged their prisoner
to prevent him from calling anything that would
give them a clew as to Ihcir operations.

After an hour‘s rest, they again commenced
work. They had been digging but a short time,
when Albert, who was ahead, suddenly uttered a
suppressed exclamation. In thrusting his knife deep
into the upper edge of the tunnel to commence pul -
ing down another course of dirt, it went through
into empty space; the dirt crumbled in every direc-

impl” yelled
now it when

 

around them, leavi a
meter. throu h which, ut
r ver could be

tion and fell chattering
hole fully two feet in d a
for the darkness, a full view of the
obtained.

They held their breath, expecting the Indians
had heard the clatter of the fallin dirt, but all
was still. They enlarged their outle a little, and
found the had aimed exactly right, having struck
a narrow at of sand that stretched along the river
about a foot above the water. Peering out. Albert
discovmed thesavages had a small fire. as the light
from it was thrown on the river from the bank,
lighting up the dark water as it rolled along.

Albert crawled cautiously forth to reconnoiter.
In three minutes he returned, and imparted what he
had learned to his companions. He had found a
good passage alo the river‘s edge where they
could retreat with ittie danger of d scovery by the
Indians. By peering over the bank. Albert saw a
host of the latter squatting about their small fires,
smoking and eating.

It was dejded to leave their prisoner where he
was. The Indians would discowr their escape be-
fore he would be in any danger of starving.

“And a little wholesome hungriness will do you
good, you know," said Ranty, fixing the gag more
secure in his mouth. " And remember, when on
do get rec, not to swear. Besides being wicke , it
shows bad bringing up. We are sorry to be obliged
to leave you gagged, but you know it can’t be
helped in he present case."

“‘Fare-ye-well. and if forever,’" said Will, as
(he turned to leave, followed by his scowling looks.
{:1 ‘we we never destined to meet again, so mote it

e.’

They passed alon their tunnel, and emerged
on the narrow, san yflat. The soft, [yielding soil
gave back no answering footfalis, an like dusky
shadows they glided along, following down the
s ream.

The bank was covered with short grass and partly

imbedded stones and bowldcrs; was nearly rpan-
dicular and from five to ten feet high. A one of
the highest points Albert, hearing something, ste -
ped upon a stone that lay on the flat close to th 9
bank, and this raised him, so that by bracing one
foot on the perpendicular bank and hanging to a
bush with his hand he was enabled to see over the

to .

Iizhey were fully two hundred yards below their
starting point, but there, within twenty feet, were
several savages.

Albert held his breath, and clung to hi 1 support.
It was a frail one at the best, and began to give un-
der the continued strain brought upon it. But the
suspicion of the savages was evidently amused, for
they were looking apparent] straight at him. but
in the darkness the to iage o the bush concealed the
part of his head above the bank.

The bush settled slowly, and each moment Albert
felt it weakening. He was afraid to relinquish his
hold, for fear the lndians would hear the noise he
would necessarily make in descending, or see he
sudden straightening of the bush.

But, suspecting something was wrong, Will grasp.
Pd him from behind and an ported his whole weight.

'Albcrt relinquished the bus 1 slowly, and the next in-
stant was standing safe on the ground.

. But a slight rattling followed, and a small stone
came thundering down. With a motion from Albert
all four threw themselves flat on the ground, close
to the bank.

And none too soon was the precaution taken, for,
a moment after a guttural sound (‘a'ue fro-u above,
and several dusky faces peered over the bank, clear-
ly outlined against the sky.

But the shadows were deep and dark where the
bov-hunters lay, and the eyes of their dusky foes
failed to perceive them, and after a somewhat
lengthy scrutiny, the faces were withdrawn and the
force of lnd’ans moved off, and soon the sound of
their footsteps died away.

  

  

 
   

  

   
 

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A CAPTURE THAT DIDN'T HOLD.

“TRIP: and b‘ar's meat 1 what ails the hose? You
ii at ’round wuss nor a Blackfoot with the nettle-
rafil. You‘ve allers been a well-‘lll_ived hoes, Jimmy,

but, by thunder! I b‘lieve yer gittin‘ over it.
gins? You sniff us though they war some ’round,
ut hain't I been out two. lliree times an‘ seen nary
i Sign? Which on us is mistaken? One or t’other,
cur» l"
; Thus did old Abe Anderson address his horse, as
he stood silently by his side peering about him. The
first gray light of coming dawn was visnble over the
tops ol‘ the tall pines that lined the mountain side.
Twice before had the tragper been called up by the
notions of his horse, whic bespoke dan er at hand,
and both times he had made a. corefu reconnois-
ance of the place without discovering any signs of
one

u C“ ’ he inuttorod, glancing sharply about.
“ Must be he smells .surhiu‘ or he wouldn‘t act so.
911688 [‘11 watch a hit, an’ see."

He glided along a few steps, and halted in the deep

adow. Grayer and grayer grew the dawn till ob-
jects began!) to be quite distinct to the view.

Old A was just about to move from his past,
when the ragid tram p of hoofs sounded and a mo-
ment after t e sharp detonation of a. revolver, fol-
;gilvgdlby a quick cryI unmistakably a woman's call

e p:

In an instant old Abe was in the saddle and spur-
rin in the direction of the sound. A dozen bounds
0! 5 horse, and he was in full view of an exciting
, scene.

. . i A stalwart savage. mounted on a snorting mus-
tang, was: in the act of lifting a woman to the saddle
before him. It was Mad 8 'Lennox!

Old Abe lot out a yoif; not unlike the ro'r of _an
“EU grizzly. and raised his rifle. But the action
came too late. for, quick as he had been. the savage
,  had been quieker. and his mustang. with a single

-* bound. had carried him beyond the trapper-‘3 new.

And simultaneously came a. crushing in the under-
growth at the hnntrr‘s right, and before he could
- turn his head. Flo. with her hair loose and falling in
‘ a shower behind. and her face pole and terror-

stljcken burst into view.

Obi 139319 Abe. they have carried her off i" she
gaggficltedlfi “Go quick! don’t mind me. Oh.

i'l oh. .

I Perdition, here i" elled the tro per. ex"
“Wily- “Jump up here with me—no, t ar's her
boss! That‘s it! Now come on."

F0? MIKE’S horse had suddenly centered into the
Open Space, and the next instant Flo was on

In~

my.
rlus',

 

 

 

5301‘, and ii ng after the trapper like the wind. A-

. r dozen boun and Ned had carried her up even with
. the fitter. l dd
' ' ‘ ere they go!" exclaimed the tra per. 8“ en'

‘ I ; and Flo. looking, saw the savage.p still holding

finite. ust disappearing around a clump of 00950-
wood a. undred unis ahead. -

The next mom nt they had passed over the spot.
and the next drew a quick rein to escape “whim:
into a small stream that suddenly barred their way.

It had a swift current with a grovelly bed. and
five Ereclous minutes passed before Abe Anderson
ooul determine positively which course the savage
had taken after entering it. -

"He‘s went u troam." he unnouncod. 89H:an

Again to the saddle. And they were gallop“ 0'":
mumult as fast as the splashing water won d Per-

  
   

 

  

" ,- Meanwhile the boys were putting as much distance
g $325331: between them and the scene oftheir late

u'I’nck foundit handler to commence
With anemia shore oumwdeneefi "

bung Rarity, in a diaconaolote coke m, “ and! com-
* ' ’1‘ ' ‘

 

  
 

 

 

 

   
   

 
 

The Boy 11%..

 

87

 

menced that way, but it‘s all as eflectually one u

the last meal I eat. Just to reflect that we ven‘t
had a blessed mouthful of an thing since six o'clock
this morning! It‘s a daru’d a me. and I'll say it if
it don‘t sound well! The exigency of the case de-
mands it!"

“ Hope on. hope ever; bad luck never can last
forever. Cheer up. my son Rondo] hi If that pas-
sage isn’t exactl like the origina it will do in the
present case. E ?“ and Will poked his elbow affec»

ionately into Ronty‘s ribs.

“You look out 1‘ returned Ranty.
right up present] ."

" Boys!" calle out Albert. stop in suddenly.
"daylight will soon be on hand. It 1‘; afieady grow-
ing gray in the east and—"

‘ M advice would be to sic and cook our break-
fast, if we had the wherewi ." interrupted Fred.
“ There will be more danger when the daylight
comes, but there's no other way but to wait."

They went on down the stream. Now and then
it spread out on some little tint, makin a small space
of still water. covered with reeds and es As soon
as dawn appeared all four commenced scullnirg
these spots in search of ducks. The soon espied a
couple which a single shot brough down. These
were cooked and made a most welcome breakfast to
the four nearly-famished fugitives.

They were now in a well-timbered, somewhat
rocky country. and Albert thought it hest‘to leave
the stream, which the had been followmg, and
strike directl into it. hey would. no doubt. soon
flnfd a suitob e place, where they could rest and be
an e.

The sun was but a short distance above the tree-
tops when they halted in a spot well-sheltered. and
in which they determined to stay a few hours. Al-
bert volunteered to keep guard. and in five minutes
the three tired boy-hunters were fast aslee .

Arlington roamed hither and {on about t e gainer.
but everything was quiet, and t seemed“ t ough
tlfie deep solitude had never been broken by the voice
0 man. -
But sudden) there were other sounds than those
made by the 9. They grow louder and louder,
till Arlington plainly distinguished them as made by
a horse ridden rapidly through the forest. But. be-
fore it could stir, t burst into view.

It was a powerful mustang, and on his back was a

painted savage holding Madge Lennox before him in
such a manner that her arms were pinioned to her
sides. Albert recognized her at once.
' The mustang was within a dozen feet of him be-
fore its riders saw him. With a tremendous bound,
he caught the bridle-rein with his left hand. while his
right held a revolver. which covered the breast of the
astonished warrior. \

With a ell of terror. the savage released his hold
on the p soner. and slid to the ground on the oppo«
ite side of his horse, and springing into the woods,
disap in an instant!

go sprung to the und and held out her
hand. Her face was fine ed with excitement“ her
wavy, nut-brown hair was unconfined. and. Aibert
thought he had never seen such a vision of loveliness
as Flreeted him when he raised his eyes to her face.

‘ undoubtedly owe In life to you," she said. in
her soft musicnl voice. ‘ I never can pay the debt,
but. be] ve me, I am any grateful l" *

“I beg your pardon but it is I. instead of you.
who should be grateful. You saved myself and
companions while on the river, and this is only the
first installment, of the debt. But you hi a com-

mon—where in she!" 4 -

A smile was dawning on Mndge‘s lipl. but it died
w, and a look of deep concern aprend‘ovprhor

“ Safe. I trust—I do not know—but look!"

He looked where she pointed. Some
away. end for above, their late enemy woo jun dic-
appearing arounda circular ledge o’ rocks.

before Albert could reply, a hubbub arose from

“ I’ll eat you

 

The Boy Rifles.

 

the direction in which he had left his companions,
followed by the whip-like crack of a rifle.

“ My friends are in troublel" exclaimed Arlington
hurriedly. “Seorete yourself here, while I go to
their re at. I will return for you!"

He bounded toward the spot, and reached it a
moment after, to find half a dozen horses held fast
by this three companions. But not an enemy was in
s t

‘ There wasn‘t only one Indian, and be pretty
near run over us!" exclaimed Will, as Albert came
11 . “Ranty popped away at him, and he slid oi!
his horse and dc arted, ‘ where the woodbine twin-
eth "I guess. He lo l”

He broke of]! sudden] , for there stood Madge, and
behind her, F10 and oi Abel
" By Nero's fiddle, boys, I’m struck all of a beapl
I’m stonishcd like blazes. Oh, Lorgé, ain‘t I
though? This are better nor roast- b er-hump.
How did ye all git here?"

“Walked,” responded Rarity, laconically.

Old Abe removed the glazed cap that adorned his
head. and ran his rough, horny fingers throu h his
grizzly locks. He had suddenly rcmembere that
some sort of introduction was expected, for the
boys stood gazing at his two fair companions un-
able to kee their gaze from them.

“ Boys," e said at last. “ this ‘ere big girl is Miss
Mad 9 Lennox, nn‘ this t‘other little one is Florrie
Stan y. Gals, this chap here is Albert Arlington, 3
dern‘d [good bog. an’ captain of this ’ere band, an'
these three t’et or ones is his subjects," and the
trapper namei over the three blushing oun
hunters. “Now. that ain‘t ’cordin’ to regulations,
s’pose, but it’s the best old Abe can do, so go at it
an’ git acquainted." and the trapper replaced his
cap and stared at them as if for a wager.

"' Not a hard thing to do," responded Albert.
“ But I am anxious to know of your adventures. I
just had the good fortune to rescue Miss Lenuox,
and would like to know howshe fell into the savage’s
hands." '

“ I am almost ashamed to tell, it was done so fool-
ishly," replied Madge. "We were both under the
protection of Uncle Abe—as he has re nested us to
call him —and this morning at just day ht I awoke
and found him gone. I or course know 6 was not
far away, and us Flo was asleep, I thought I would
walk about a little, and while doing so this savage
sprung and caught 'me before I saw him. I had
taken the precaution to pocket my revolvers, and
when he was carrying me to his horse I fired at
him, but he struck my hand away a I missed:
Then I called for help thinking Uncle Abe wouil

: hear me. He fortunatei did, but too late to rescue
me. For that I am inde d to Mr. Arlington."

Old Abe was listening intently to Mad e and had
not even glanced toward the horses. W t was his
surprise when he did, to see Flo. with her arms
about the neck of on s, and to hear her call it “Bes-
sie,” while R'mty was standing by talking and ex-

’ plaining as voiubly‘ as though he had been acquaint-
ed for years, instead of minutes. And then as the
trapper‘s eyes wandered over the rest of the horse
group, an exclamation of surprise escaped his li .
They were the identical ones he was taking to e
{gun hunters when he first discovered Madge and

o it will be remembered that he had taken them
to a spot, intending to leave them till after he should
guide the girls to their destination. It was on this
spot that they had camped the night before.

“fibers were only two of the ndians, I think,"
said Madge, “ At least. I saw only one besides the
one who capturel me. He had" all the horses but
mine, and was attempting to got him, when my cap-
tor called to him to desist." ‘

A “council of war " was immediately held by the
male members of the band, while Madge and Flo sst
n’ear the horses on the roots of a sh y tree. Half
an hour after. the the come ovor where they were.

“ We've concluded tor move right away." explain
ed the old hunter. “Them two p'ison val-mints ’ill

\

 

n... _. -_..-

spread the news 0' us all over, 1111' then \ve‘.l find' _
warmer times thanwe‘ll want. We‘ve all got horses ' '
now, an’ we can eat going along. They‘s pervision .
’nough in the saddle‘bags. So we‘ll git ready to ‘1
onc‘t. ‘ ‘

And fifteen minutes after they were on the march.
under old Abe’s guidance. And then fingerlean
were exchanged and adventures reooun , as they
rode along under the hazy sky.

/ - CHAPTER XX.
nous AGAml
“ Tus‘r no use to fret. We’re caaed up. Maybe
we can git out in two days. an‘ magbe in two weeks; .
that is pervidin’ we keep shady. I we don't, moro'n
likely we won‘t git out at all.’ * ,
.And after delivering himself of this, old Abe An- .
derson settled down upon the juttin corner of a ,.
bowlder and, with his rifle across his noes, quietly
regard the disma ed faces before him. ' ‘
his was the thir day since the events last record- .-
ed. The Indians were now thoroughly awake to the ’ ' '
fact that a considerable party of whites were two . .
passing on their dominions, and parties were scour- .
ng in every direction. They had narrow esca 7.
some of these, and that morning while boy were ‘
looking for a shelter from a coming storm, which I
had been brewing for the past two da s, they ran g
unexpectedly upon, and had a sharp fig t with one '
of times parties. 'They had come out con uerors,’ '
but some of the, Indians had escaped, an these
would of course spread the news of their where- \
abouts to their companions. _ .
Taking this view of the case Abe Anderson, as
“captain,” at once led the party to one of his re-
treats in the mountains It was a dark, secluded '
ravine, with rocky banks, in which were numerous ‘
cafves and grottoes, in one of which they had taken
re uge, ,
The three days of companionship and danger. had - «
acquainted the young people as much as months of ‘
ordinary intercourse. ‘
The horses which the trapper had taken so much
pains to secure for our young hunters had been ac-
cepted without any qualms of conscience, for old
Abe assured them that they were not of as much
value as the furs. traps and horses which the Indians
had stolen from him at different times. .
After the information imparted by the old trap- 1‘
per, eve one was silent for a full minute. Albert '
was the t to speak.
‘ ‘ 1 can be content here for an indefinite
he said. glancing at Madge who sat near.

rind,” ;
'I'don’t 1
know what the opinion or the rest is concerning the ‘
matter.” . 
“Humph,”muttered Rantyf. in an aside to Flo. ,

“He looks right at Madge as
there was here." '
Madge heard the low-spoken words, and hereheeks f
were suflused with blushes. not so much it must be ‘
confessed at them. as at her hero‘s ardent gaze. ~—
“ It’s raining like suds,“announced Will‘Macdonald.
utting his head out the cave entrance an instant.‘

‘ It's my humble opinion they won’t track us very
much. Andin view thereof, with plenty to oaths a
proviso, I’ll be contented for a month if necessary
rather than de rt while the ander-jibba-ways, in-
habit thls immediate vicinity." . - , _

“ He means the aboriginals." eXplained Fred, am.-
ogeticall glancing at the rest. “‘HIB education
been sad y neglect-1d.“ _ p f
“You keep still,“ admonished Will, from a dark '
corner of the room. ' ~
"Wal," said old ,Abe, risin and stretchhnifi him-
self. “I'm oin‘ out tar see thehosses is  3V
fer the air: t. and Ikin eat a pound slice of _
bug? ‘lifitié°“‘°ii‘i‘iai£ h filed WI: ' ‘7 ll '
n w gen e e oraw
entrance,to the thick bashes that m, 
where he tooled long survey of the
But nothing met his eye save the long
lines of rain and the dripping bought]

she was all the one ~_ ’

 

The Boy Rifles.‘

;

 

’It was growi quite dusk when he reached the
spot where the arses were. It was Well sheltered
from observation from all points and containeda
plentiful supply of grass for several days.

The trapper passed anion them, giving each a
word or pet. and after see ng that they were all
secure. returned to the cave.

The appetizing odor of roasting meat greeted him
at the entrance, and despite thi'il‘ surrounding dan-
ggrl it was a happy com any that gathered about
t; E‘large, flat bow der t iey had improvised as a

a e.

Nothing happened worthy of record during the
next three days. it ruined the greaterpart oi' the
time, and none ventured any distance outside, except
old Abe, and he only ver early in the morning or
just at night. On this 135 day he came in quite late,
£21331“ they had all gathered about their supper.

' “ Wal, boys and gals. the promised time liez come.
I ve diskivered sum’thin‘, aii‘ ter-morrer we'll
move.“

All were anxious to hear what the “suin’thin‘”
was. and the trapper went on:

I run right spat enter that Warner an’ a lot of
reds to-iiigut. The were confabin' under some
rocks, an, so I Cl'ilW ed up an’ listened. Aii‘ then one
says to‘ tether, ‘Tlionlght I heard su’thin‘,‘ an' then
they all listened. but kept stiller’n a scart coyote;
an presently Warner roes on ter say that lie idn‘t
believe we s anywhar ' out here, ’cos wh . a red had

come from i'urtheru the river, an hed see'd
some Whites up thor tha he were poot sure wai-
us. An then they pulled u stakes and s id out. an'
the las thing I heerd war t at they‘s goin‘ ter start
“fly in the mornin' for these other tellers, so all
maggot ter do is to pack up our duds an’ emi-

It was welcome news, and at daylight the ‘0“0W‘
int}; morning they were astir.
We want to go by the cave. and Wt 0"" thingsv

don’t we?" Rantykasked, as he strapped his blanket

to‘liis horse‘s bac .
es,‘ answered Albert. “We shall robahly
{fleetth it we don‘t. We are all agreedpthat W5
ve had enough dventure, and have voted on a,
return to the s ments, and thence home. Who
knows whether we will ever be in these parts 8331"?
as: {31161 Sgfietgack. though. He says it is his hinteng
( e ' '
leave them for hlgl‘z'ymn m trapping. so w y no

“ Oh, Lord-Vi boySI-J be an the old trapper, in an
exmmlatmg tone. But Elbei'i's idea struck such a
responsive chord in his companions. that they over-
ruled the old hiinter‘s objections before he could 11in
W them, and [the traps, furs and sec utermenils
left in the cavern up the river were w edunani-

‘ mOUSIY '50 him “to have and hold forevermore."
gnth last clause of course emanated from Ranty‘s
ngue.

' So was settled; and the arty took up their line
’ ' .mM'ch. Old Abe and tge“captain ‘took the
W, Mad e and F10 came next,1§,nd Rarity, Fred
‘- “4 Wm l‘C'ui‘zht up the r on ut the day was
dark and lowergag, and along toward noon the warn-
, mi dl‘OdPS PI‘OV that their three days' rain was not

» ye en ed

“1 hate this putterln‘ 'round in the dust." ’3'

marked old Abe. as they went into camp an hour

‘ ter and be commenced “clawing " about among

the dripping undergrowth in a search for some-

‘ thing dry With whlcli.to start a fire. “If it would
only mm a little t ) kinder dampen thin 3 up."

‘ I would willingly part with some 0 the surplus

moisture lisngirg about me " laughed Albert. as he

Madge to slight. “‘But it is slacking up and

, the clouds are breaking. Who knows but what the

balance of the as m be one?
 "filo “mmved, aid than n ht tell they I!“ Put
‘ w between gem their noon camp.
“ % boy ' e old “3pm- the nextmorn-
My“ , egoodbck, reeds:le to-dsy
l O

 

we'll strike Kib ‘s tradin‘—post., How does that
make the gals fee ?" '

“Encouraged at least " answered Madge. “But I
believe, in her heart Fo wishes we could have a
little brush with the ludians again!“

“ We may before night whether I wish it or not,"
Flo answered, rudely.

At ten c’clnc Abe Anderson, who was a little in
advance, rode back and said:

“We can’t go any further this way, he s. They's
more’n fifty reds cam ed right over t a hill, an‘
Warner's among ’em. hey won’t be no peace for
narly; a white till that cuss is put out of the way." ‘

T ere was nothing for it but to make auetmlr.
But before they had gone a quarter of a mile, the
sharp detonatious of a score of rifles burst on the
air, followed h wild yells and more shots; all in
the direction o the savages.

“Som’thin's run n-foul of them by mighty!“ ex-
claimed Abe. " An‘ the whole hizness is movin'
tlii way. sure's ‘er born. Git under cover quick!"

He forced his muse into the thick undergrowth.
followed closely by the rest. And an instant after
a large party of terrified liidians came dashing past V
some mounted. others on foot but all fleeing at
their to most speed. And behind cameascore or
more 0 mounted whites, firing as they ran. But V
just as they came opposite where our friends were.
a/loud, commanding voice halted them: and the
trapr ‘and his companions rode forth. .

“ hi who have we here?" exclaimed the com.
mander. And then as he caughtaplainer view of
the trapper, he continued: “ By my soul, if it ain’t
old Abe Anderson!" and he hastened forward to *
shake the grizzled hunter by the hand.

It was a cordial meeting. for the two were old
friends. And then Abe introduced his companions.

“We are now on our way to Kibby‘s post. and,
very lad of your company we shall be," said Cap-
tain ravers. “ We were not as cautious as we
should have been, for the Indians altacked us beJ
fore we saw them. ‘However. we kille some of
their number and put the rest to flight Without any
loss ourselves."

The returned to the Scene of the attack and the
ca ta 11 ordered the men to bury the dead indians.

Look-a-hcrel" suddenl exclauned Rantv. who
was poking about among t e dead bodies. ” if here
isn’t that seamp, V\ arner, dead enough too, I‘ll war-
ranti’ ‘
They rolled him over: his limbs were already
'1‘!

an .

“ He’s no deader'n he on ht ier be." avowed Abe.
“ He’s done mischief ‘iiou , nn‘ it’s a good thin ."

They buried him with t e rest and then the w ole
party continued on their course. and while the sun
was some distance above the horizon the walls of
Kibby’s post came in sight.

“ It seems good to see a civilized habitation again,“
confessed Madge, as they alighied at the gates.

The inmates gave them a warm welcome, and
several days passed leassntl under its root. Our
company was alone 11 one o the rooms one morn-
ing when old Abe came in.

‘Yer all sate an‘ sound now." he remarked, seat-
ing himself on a camp-stool. “ an‘ I‘ve about made
up my mind ter 0 back to the hunting-grounds."

A moment’s si ence followed.

“1‘ want a little conversation with you.“ said Al-
bert, rising, “and I think Ican persuade you from
the notion of returning new."

The two went out together, but in five mi utes
they were back. but {get before they reach the
door our party beard t e trapper say:

“Wal, y thunder! I'm ‘mazed all to pieces, an‘ I
can't git overit.” . .

And he did certainly look mystified as he came . i
in. but he went str ht nip to Madge, and shook .
hands as heartin as t on: he hadn t seenher in
months. ad for an instant Madge‘s nwo- was
 with the tell-tale blood till it was a vivid ‘

0 ' l . ' v '

 

rev mgr».   . Mm. _ ,. a

The Boy Rifles.

  
 

/

 

 

“Oh, Lord !" exclaimed Abe. as he saw it. “I
couldn't blus like that if 1 war oin'ter get married

forty times! Yo ste " cont nued the old hunter,
wavmg his ca , an ad saint? society in general,
" youngsters, 0:: got an invite to a weddin‘, an‘ it‘s

the fu‘st one this 'coon ever had, an' I’ll kicka toeat

it it [don‘t catch a beaver fer a~ygar. Oh, Lordy!
jest to think! But I tell you, it’s the most ’tonishiu'
thins!"

“l'sbould think it was," returned antv, in an in-
jured tone. “ Here, we've campa gned together
among the Indians, and run numberless chances of
not getting eat up. and now he's been getting ready
to get married, and that too, Without saying a
word of his intentions to his bosom friends and fel-
lows"in distress! V I never heard of such a proceed-

E I told Madge," plead Albert in a penitent tone.
This raised a general laugh, in which blushing
Madge joined.

“Home at last! Oh, how good it seems i" *

It was Madge Lenuox who uttered the words, as
she looked at A'bert, who rode by her. side. And
close behind them Ranty, Will, Fred. Flo, and the
old trapm.

They halted in' front of a large, beautiful
house surrounded by spacious reunds. and a mo-
ment after were dismounting at ts gates.

I will sldp the joyous meeting that followed. And
.Mrs. Lennox listened with bate breath while Madge
related their adventures, and thanked Heaven in her
heart that her darling had come through them un-
scathed. The two weeks that followed were filled
with contentment for the whole company, and espo~

 

 

  
  
   
 
    
  
  
   
   
  
   
  
    
  
 
   
   
   
   
     
 

cially so to Albert and Madge who dreamed awe
the bright, sun): da s in ‘perfect happiness. Olfi
Abe had been t en a ban by our young hunters
before reaching the mansion, and he now walked
aboutpleanly s aven. his hair trimmed and a “civii
lized' suit of clothes, in place of his trapper-cos-
ume. -

The weddin of Albert and Madge which followed
took place at ier own home in presence of the family
and afew guests. Old Abe participated in the y-
ousness of the occasion, and danced with the bi do.
pfittmg in a variety of steps, to the amusement of a
a . ‘ '

But the time for parting came. Old Abe must go I
back to the frontier, but before he went, our four ,
boy-hunters purchased a rifle and side-arms of the
most apgroved attem, and presented them to the V
surprise and de ighted old trapper. amid an impos- -,
lug ceremony, and a speech from Albert.

“But it‘s only lent, on know," Rant said, while '
the good-byes were 1) g spoken. “A hert‘s mar-
ried, to be sure, but we three ain't and by and by ,
we are coming out there to trap and hunt again. and j '
Flo is coming out to get lost, and you will have tobe .
guide again to get her back safe—with us to help. of ‘
course, and I intend to be the hero at thewindingup
of the afl'air!"

Which caused a general is h of course. and also
caused Flo to blush v pret l in her confusion. r

Will Macdonald, Ran y, and ed returned to their »’
respective homes, Albert and Madge settled downin- ,
to a hap y, contented married pair, and old Abe re- V
turned the plains to follow his old vocation of
trapme and hunting. And thus to each and all we

say -by.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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.IS'S III/JD E VER Y WEDNJJSDA 17.

I. l Deadwood Dick, the, Prince of the
Road. By Edward L. Wheeler.
2 Kansas King; or The Red Right
Hand. ' By Bufialo Bill.
3 The Flying Vankee; or, The Ocean
‘ Outcast. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham.
4 The Double Daggers. By Edward

L. Wheeler.
5 The "l1‘{\vo Detectives.

W. A1 en. *

6 The Prnlrle Pilot ° or, The Phantom
Spy. By Bufl'alo Bilf.

By Albert

7 The Bilfl‘alo Demon; or. The Bor- .
der Vulturest By Edward L. Wheeler. ‘

8 Antelope Abe, the Boy Guide. By

Oll Cuomes.

9 Ned Wvlde,the Boy Scout. By “ Texas .

Jack" (J. B. Omohundru).

l 0 Buffalo Be II, the Prince of the Pistol.
By Edward L. Wheeler.

1 1 Ralph Roy the Boy Buccaneer.
Col. Premise ingrahnm.

By

12 Nick 0’ the Night?) or. The Boy Spy .

of ’76. By T. C. Har

13 Yellow-tone Jack.
Badger. .

14 Wild Ivan, the Boy Claude Duval.
By Edward L. Wheeler.

15 Dianiond Dirk; or. The Mystery of
the Yellowstone. By Col. lugraham.

16 Keen-Knife, Prince of the Prairies.
By 0]] ('oomes.

1'1 Oregon .30] ;‘ or. Nick Whil’fles's Boy
Spy. By Capt. J. F. C. Adams.

18 Death-Pace the Detective.
ward L. Whee er.

l9 Lasso J ack, the Young Mustahger.
By Oil Coomes.

20 Rearing na'lph Rofk“'nod, the
Reckless Ranger. By Harry St. George.

21 The Buy Clown; or. The Queen of
the Arena. By Frank S. Finn.

augh.
By Joseph E.

By Ed-

22 The Phantom Miner. By Edward
..- Whee er.

‘ 23 The Sea Cat; or, The Witch of Dil‘

I rien. By Capt. Fred. Whittaker.

! 24 The Dumb Spy. By 011 Conmes.

} 25 Battling Rube; or, The NightHawks

. of Kentucky. By Harry St. George.

‘ 26 Old Avalanche the Great Annihila

j. tor. By Edward L. Wheeler. 7

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1‘ West. y Capt. J. F. 0. Adams.

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29 Dick Darling, the Pony Express
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30 Bob Woolf the Border Ruffian. By
Edward L. V hem-hr

81 Nightingale Nm' or. The Forest
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32 Black John. the Road Agent.
Joseph E. Badger, Jr.

33 Omaha 0“ the Masked Terror.
Edward L. Wheeler.

34 Burt Bunker, the Trapper.
George E. Lasalle. ‘

35 The Boy Blflen.\ By Archie’ C.
Irons. ~

36 The White Bufl‘alo. By Geo. E.
Lasalle.

By
By
By

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Wheeler.
38 Ned Hazel By
Capt. J. F.  A! ems.
89 Deadly Eye, the U .knuwn Scout. By
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F. C. Adams. V
~11 Dotuhvood Dick’s Eagles.
. Edward L. Wheeler.
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43 Old Hickory. By Harry St. George.

£44 The White Indian. By Capt. J
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th’e Boy Trapper.

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