itiifii?“ Copyrighted. 1885, by Bunu AND Amus. Entered at the Poet cake a! New York, . Y.. as Second Class Mall Manor. Feb. 16, 1889. 2.50 Published Weekl b Beadle and Adams N0. nsYear. No_ 93 wxufmysrr" NEW YORK. , “5,331”. XX. 4:19:11 HE FELT THAT HE W‘s BEING EURLED DOWN INTO AN ABYSB 0F UNFATEOKABLE DEPTEB. l , ask me somedings as you 2 Crafty Crazy Slack. Crafty Crazy Slack; THE FRENCH FUGITIVE. BY HARRY HAZARD, AUTHOR. or “LONE sran’s some snor," “THE RANGER DETECTIVE,” "run GIANT HUNTER,” ETO., 1:10., mo. CHAPTER, I. THE TWO canons. “ WELL, Fritz, what do you think of it, any- how? Do y ou believe that this feller, Slack, will meet us as he promised, or is it another of his craz tricks?” “ ou dink as how ve gids some rain yesder- day after do-morrow, eh, I guess nod?” . “ Baht Don’t be a fool, Fritz. How should I know that?” “ So. You dinks I vas peen schmarder as you vas. den?” . “ Confound your Dutch nonsense!" impatient- ly exclaimed the first speaker. “ I asked you a plain question, and why the deuce can’t you give me a straightforward answer?" “ Schusd vaid a leedle, Gubdain Motteau, vile I makes some dalks mid you,” said Fritz, in a calm tone, as be balanced his paddle across the light bark canoe, and wipe l the perspiration from his face with the sleeve of his hunting- shirt. “ You vearéma mighdy vine coed, mid IOllS ofe yallér sthu n id, and galls yourself a gabdaiu; bud maypc so you don’d peen mime gornander, eh. ain’d id?" “ Well. no, I don’t know as I am exactly your officer; but what has that got to do with the question I asked you? And what are you driv- ing at, anyhow?” returned the man called Cap tain Motteau. “ Yaw; I dolls you ofe ou don’d know. YOu now pedder like me unrl so I dolls you anodder; ven you gids ma und dalks schusd like you was peen ending rel: hopper vor tinner. Now I vas peen a quied man, und I don'd like do quarrel, bud I vas so pedder as you, und ofe you dalks like dot mid me some more dimes, den I shusd schlocks you ofer der Cepp der huddle mit. I does, py cra- cious.” . “ Well, this is a tempest in a teapot i” laughed Motteau. “ I shall be afraid to say my soul’s my owu, while I’m with you, Fritz.” “Fodder you didn‘t—he mighd nod like it,” muttered the Dutchman. “Who do vou mean by he, Gundelflnger?” “ Der tn ill; id's his.” “ Bah! ut honest, now, do you think we will meet this fellow, Slack?” “ Ole ve see him. I guess yaw-vote ve don’d, [ guess nix," quoth Fritz, as be filled and lighted his pipe; then pufling the fragrant vapor through his nostrils, he eyed the cap in keenly, but tur- tivelv, through the curling cloud of smoke. “ Do be serious for once, Fritz, and give me good advice. You know the commandante or- ered you to accompany and assist me. Now will on do it?” “ aw. I peen villing. Sdade der case." “ Well, then, you know there isanedict against selling whisky or any description of liquor to the Indians, and that any one so offending, con- victed u on good proof, will be sentenced to death. ut in spite of this there are men who make a business of selling the forbidden articles to the savages. Some of whom are already sus- pected, but the proof is lacking; as, of course, the Indians will not betray the ones who furnish them with the coveted li uor. “ One of those suspects men is called ‘ Crazy Sluck,’ and is, in truth, I believe, a little un- sound in the 11‘ per story.‘ But that does not matter now. t he has sense enough to sell liquor against the law, he has enough to abide the penalty. “ Well, I met this fellow at the post, and man- . aged to get him drunk. Then I said, after swearing him to secrecy. that I had a fine lot of brandy and whisky that I wished to dispose of to some man who would take and sell it to the savages, upon shares; as, if it should become known to lghemcommandante tlaatI I had it, the 1 nor wou confiscated an co r- tigled. ’ “ As I expected, he jumped at the offer, for he knew that after sharing equally with me,~his profits would be enormous, as the liquor was fur- nished to his hand, and he would only have to retail itfix ’ “ So I promised to meet him this evenin at the Black Rock, and bring with me a samp e of the liquor I had—which you see is in yonder ke ,” added Motteau, nodding toward a. ten~ ga ion keg that la in the center of the canoe. “ Sol” granted ritz, thoughtfully. “ Bud ofe he sees us both, ,vcn’d he gid vrighden’d und roon ayay, so ve don’d gatch him arder all?” “ Ah, I fixed that, too. I told him I had apart- ner who wanted to learn the way it was done, and that after this lot was disposed of, he would attend to that part of the business. So you see he will expect us both." “ Yaw, I see. Py shings, gahdain, I (links you vas peen a awful schmard veilerl Ole I don’d, den dot’s no madderl Bud dis tuyfli— ‘ Grazy Schlack ’—vat you do mit him, eh?" “ Let him go now. and then the next time he comes to the Post, they will attend to his case. Once we can get him to take the liquor, he is ours. And I don't mind telling you that it will be as good as fifty pounds apiece, in our pockets, if he is caught.” “Donner haegell led’s cadch him now 1" ex- claimed Gundelflnger. ‘ j‘ No, that will not answer. If he is what we think, before we could take him a mile the In- dians would be d0wn upon us, and than good-by to our fifty ounde—and for that matter, our scalps, too. ut now you know asmuch as I do, tell me what you think is our chance of success?” added Motteau. “ Veil, ofe he vas peen as you dink so, den you vill see him, vor sure. Ofe Egg dou’d, den dat’s no madderl He peen some y else und all on der uare. Dot’s what I dinks,” quoth Fritz. “ lieve you are right. But we are losing time. Do on know how muchfurther we have to go?” sai Motteau, again plying his paddles. “ Aboud vour miles, I guess,” reJoined Fritz, knocking the ashes from his pipe, and then Craflzy Crazy Slack. thrusting it into his pocket he resumed his pad- dle, melding it with a skill and ease that showed he was an adept in the art. As before stated, they were in a light canoe of birch bark, and were paddling along the edge of Lake Michigan, at perhaps a hundred yards from the shore. As they proceeded, they came to a narrow bay that extended for some distance into the land, although not over two hundred feet wide at its mouth. The two men did not enter this, but struck directly across it, pulling rapidly to make up for lost time. They were about the center, and could see the further extremity of the bay, when a series of wild yells and whoops rung out upon their startled hearing, and glancing toward the point from whence the sounds proceeded, the two voyagers beheld a large canoe dart out from the further and of the bay, its occupants apparently straining every nerve to overtake the adven- turers. “Pull, Fritz, pnlll” cried Mottéau, setting the example. “Those devils mean mischief!” “ Yaw, me dinks so nyder,”grunted the phleg— matio Dutchman, shading his eyes with his hands and gazing keenly at the savages, who still continued theiryells. “Storm und wetter! Dey vas peen Hurons, mid dot old tuyfll~pug Seuan- co, vor 6. leaterl Yaw, i l vas peen pull now, vor ofe dem veilers gids us, I guess ve’ll h‘at‘e do vear vigs, eh, ain’d it?” exclaimed Fritz, as be exerted all his strength and skill in order to in- crease the lead they already had. Motteau well understood his com panion’s allu« sion to Senanco, the Enron chief, and knew that it would be certain death, perhaps preceded by torture, to fall into his power. ‘or at the time in question, no savage was more to he dreaded than this same person; who was an Ishmaelite— his hand against every man, and every man’s hand against him. ‘ Once the head chief in his tribe, renowned alike for his skillful courage as a warrior, and his wisdom at the council—fires, the Huron was now an outcast from his tribe, degraded from his high rank, with the totem cut from his breast. For this he vowed bitter, unrelenting re— venge, and gathering together a small band of outlaws like himself, he soon gained a terri- ble name and reputation. It mattered little, whether white or red, nor of what tribe. He warred against all; and never yet had a prison— er escape from his power, to tell the tale of his sufferings. x . Such was Senanco, the Huron, who was now ursuit of the two men first introduced. hen the larger canoe had rounded the point, the foremost boat was i erhaps four hundred in yards in advance. and their rapidly-flashing , paddles told that they fully appreciated their danger. But could they malntain this vantage? That was yet to be determined, and as the fugi- tives sped on, they would ever and anon cast an anxious glance backward tonote if their relative positions were changed. In one thing the had the advantage. Their Weight was precise y adapted to the capacity of the canoe: there was no inert matter, while the pursuers had five supernumerary men he- sides the six at the paddles, and were somewhat overloaded in consequence. But the oarsmen were roficients in the art, and urged by their unitedaskill, the heavy canoe glided like a bird over the surface of the smooth, glassy lake: and if they did not gain, assuredly did not lose, in distance. The fugitives, one at least of Whom is destined to play a prominent part in our tale, were, as the reader knows, a Frenchman and a Dutch- man. The conversation recorded is sufficient to show their object in making the journey we find them upon. Emart Motteau was, as his uniform proclaim- ed him, a captain in the French army, and then under the orders of M. La Motte Cadillac, Com— mandante at Fort Buade, Michilimackinac. Of medium size, but very muscular and powerfully built, he was bold and daring to a fault, and in the way of duty, would hesitate at nothing, whether evil or good. In age he was about two—score. In features he was handsome, of a dark, swarthy type, but despite this, there was a eculiar sinister expres- sion about his eyes and ips, that a physiogno— mist would not fancy, but which a casual ob- server might not notice. His companion was but little taller, and of much the same build, with perhaps a trifle greater width of shoulders and depth of chest. His arms were unusually long and muscular. There was not even the suspicion of fatness about him, nor an ounce of superfluous flesh. All was muscle and bone. The dull, stolid look that he usually were had vanished, and the full black 0 es sparkled and glowed With excite- ment. ith the exception of a long, trowsy mustache, his face was clean~shaven. He acted as scent and spy for the garrison, _ and was highly trusted by Cadillac. He had been chosen upon the present occasion to assist the soldier, from his thorough knowledge of the surrounding country. . “ By our lady, Fritz, those red dogs are gain- ing upon us!” exclaimed Motteau, after a few moments’ paddling. “ Yaw, und boody soon dey’ll pegin to bark, I dinks so,” muttered Fritz, lancing over his shoulder. “ Vell. ofe id 1111185 peen so, I don’d dink dnt old Senanco vill die ofe old age, eh, ain’d id?" “Well, if he can be picked off before the capture us, there may be a chance. The devi s , will be mad for brandy, and perhaps will et drunk, and then we may escape. But the ch at is too sharp for that. He will kill us first, then riot afterward.” “Dot’s so. bud etc I god a shed von dimes; den he von’d. I guess nod !" and then they pad- dled on in silence. In truth, they were being rapidly overhauled, and if the present state (f affairs continued for an hour longer, there could be but one result. With their extra men the outlaws could easily pick off the fugitives, without their own speed being diminished. ' If the Whites should attempt a defense in re— turn, they would he overtaken ere a second shot could he fired, and then numbers must tell. Of a surety, their position was not to be envied. . “ ,The foul fiend take those savages! This 3 i 43' Crafty Crazy Slack. won’t do. Fritz. In ten minutes they will begin firing. e must land and take to the woods. It’s our only chancel" exclaimed the French- man. “Dot’s so. Bud bull vor your life now, und by dot dime ve’ll peen safe. I knowsa blacc dot ofe ve gids dcre, ve kin vool deni fclIers sohusd so easy, like nailing.” CHAPTER II. “ FROM THE FBYING-PAN INTO THE FIRE." Tim chase swept on, each man straining every nerve. The paddles rose and sunk with the regularity of pendulums. The, clear water parted before the sharp prows of the bark- canoes like a miniature fountain, and bubbled in a widening wake overthe smooth surface of the lake. They were speeding along within a hundred yards of the shore, the trees and bushes upon which seemed flying past with the velocity of race-horses. The perspiration ran in little rills over the faces of the fugitives, while their breaths came hot and heavy. Fritz, whil a plyingr his paddle with one hand, wiped the sweat from his face with the other, using a large scarlet handkerchief. When through he caught this by one end between his teeth, allowing the remainder to flutter over his shoulder like :1 pennon. it was a. curious freak, for it must have impeded his breath not a little, and that was now invaluable. The pursuers continued to gain rapidly, and in less than the designated time a. volley was dis- charged at the fugitives, who sped on uninjured, though sprinkled by the spray dashed up by the hissing bullets. The leading canoe now rounded a point, and Fritz fined his eyes with an anger gaze upon the shore forafew mo-nents. Then he exclaimed, ‘ the handkerchief flouting behind them as he opened his mouth; “Pully for us! Bull. gahduin, hull vor dot drec yonder by der greed rock, Lnnl Ve’ll vool ’em yed!” “ The dead oak?” “ Yaw. Bull like fun vile I gifes dot Senanco a pine bill vor sooberi” and as he spoke the Dutchmen dropped his paddle, caught up a long rifle that lay before him, and half-turning in his seat, fired at his pursuers with a quick. steady aim. ‘The chief at whom he had fired gave a wild yell of agony and fell back against one of the ’ rowers, the accident materially lessening their speed. Then Fritz resumed his puddle. The boat was headed for the shore where stood the “ Black Rock,” a noted landmark and place of rendezvous for both red-skin and white. “ What are you going to do? They’ll outrun us in the Woods.’ panted Einnrt, as the boat m )idly neared the shore. ‘ It Vas peen our only schaince,” gruntcd Fritz, “You schusd vollcr me, und n'mke dom locks dravle like a sdruddlc-pug, ofc you don‘d like ’bout giddiu’ vibed oud.’ Their canoe touched the strand, and grasping their weapons. they leaped from the boat into the shallow water. A wild yell of rage went up from their pursucrs, and n volley of bullets were sent hurtling after the fugitives. Fritz gave a. taunting shout of defiance and reached the woods uninJured, but Motteau ut— tered a halt—stifled cry of pain and staggered as if wounded. But then he emerged from the water and plunged into the thicket. His troubles were not yet ended, for he had not run twenty steps before he brought up against the naked form of a huge, brawny ln diun, whose arms closed around the fugitii'via body, giving him a. genuine “ bear-hug," most effectually preventing all outcry. Then, with u. sudden motion he was thrown to the ground, Ibo savage falling upon him with such force that he was deprived of sensibility. The pursuers little suspected the reception that awaited them, and intent only upon capturing their anticipated prey, paddled furiously ahead and touched the shore at the some in- stant the Frenchman was overpowered by the savag . Two of the Indians leaped into the empty canoe and held up the empty keg of precious “ fire-Wotan” with loud yells of exulln- tion. Such a prize was more than an ofi'set to the scalps they had expected to ain. The remainder of the outlaw Indians leaped to the ground and started swiftly upon the'trail left by the fugitives. The foremost one abrupt- ly pauses. Hiseye has caught the shape of a human form, and now the glint of a polished musket-barrel. The yell of surprise that arises to his lips is turned to the thrilling death-wail also report rings out, and from the little cloud of flame- tinged smoke, a bullet crashes through his brain. As If this was the preconcerted signal, the re- ports of a dozen mnskets ring through the woods, and when the thin veil of smoke lifts up- on the still eir, half that number of dead or wounded savages are lying upon the beach. Only one savage regains the boat where lay the wounded chief, Srnanco, besides the two who had remained at the canoe with the keg of brandy. ' The wild war-cry of the Ottawas rings out upon the air, resounding from point to point until the woods seemed filled with demons. Then nearly a score of paint-hednube-i red-skins ru