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DEVOTED TO BORDER LIFE

 

| Issued Weekly, By subscription $2.50 per year. Entered as 78 Second-class Matter at the N. Y. Post Office, by STREET & SMITH, 79-89 Solenth Ave. N°Y;
s Entered according to Act of Congress tn the year 1908, in the Office of the Ltbrarian of Congress, Washington, DG

{3s~ Beware of Wild West imitations of the Buffalo Bill Stories. They are about fictitious characters. The Buffalo :
Bill weekly is the only weekly containing the adventures of Buffalo Bill, (Col. W. F. Cody), who is known all

over the world as the king of scouts.

 

NEW YORK, February 8, 1908.

Price Five Cents.

 

UFFALO BILL ON DECK:

OR,

TUE SIRANGE PILOT .OF THE * RIVER Belle

 

By the author of “BUFFALO BILL.”

CHAPTER I,
PHE GLAND SWING.

A Kentucky thoroughbred, with legs as ane as a dans
er’s, and looking really too- slightly built to uphold his
| ler, if one did not know that the horse was made of

el springs and gristle—a beautiful chestnut with a
hite off forefoot and a star on his brow which marked

; princely pedigree—was stepping it lightly through

swamp road back of Dead Man’s Bluff.
attle had raped here once. There were Sadie

oken stubs, marking where Yankee shells from the

ot-far distant river had cut. the growing trees off as

ugh with Father Time’s scythe. This was when Grant
S besieging Vicksburg with his sixty thousand veterans,
ile forty-two thousand Confederates—a goodly portion

As,

hem boys in their teens—were defending it. But peo-

ple were trying to forget that awful time now, and cere
tainly the rider of the chestnut horse had no thought

for the war, ee he had borne an active and mo-

He was-a tall man, and a man good to-look upon.
He had ridden some miles from Colonel Marcus James’

plantation, and this was the colonel’s horse he was riding.

But neither the colonel’s horse, nor the man. himself,

showed much of the wear and tear of travel. The animal —
had ane in the vernacular, “turned a hair.” The man
was as spick and span as though he had stepped out of
a bandbox. |

His cavalry boots were well polished, and his breeches
fitted him about as ten-button gloves fit a present-day :

pretty girl’s arms. He wore a hunting-coat and a broad-

brimmed felt-hat, a sash about his waist through which”

 
 

 
    
   
  
  
   
  

i know!”

to: Q - _ THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES.

Were thrust a pair of Colt guns, while another pair
teposed in the holster of his saddle. He wote long, well-
kept hair, and his mustache and goatee were brown,
sprinkled lightly with gray. He was a handsome man,

Eh de the teres 8 though he were a part of that
equally handsome equine.

He had come through the swamp road—half-corduroy
and half-mud—without spattering the horse or his own
‘garments: yet he was riding for the most part in haste.
His business—and that of Federal importance—had been
done in this community, and he was bound to the great

tiver, and so northward on his return journey to more

familiar haunts. . : r

.. But soon he came to a spot where the road he had
been following entirely disappeared. ‘The swamp had
encroached upon the almost unused track, and a quag-
mire of considerable dimensions Be teaded bere the up-
raised and hesitating white foot of the chestnut. ‘
“Wait a bit, Morgan,” advised the rider, and the
_ pricked-forward ears of the hore quivered as though he
understood English quite as well as he did equine Le
‘ guage. I told ‘Kunnel’

Marcus Vd be mighty careful of you, and that muck

“We'll arbitrate this matter.

doesn’t look good to me. Ah! there’s a path.”

Up the steep side of the knoll, which, as it grew taller,
really became the hill, the river side of noich was known
as ‘Dead Man’ S Bluff, the keen eye of the rider had de-
tected a narrow foot- -trail——possibly a bridle-path.

He touched the horse’s flank and drew easily on the
rein. Morgan leaped the low hedge, scrambled up the
side-hill for a few feet, and stood firmly on the narrow
ledge which had been worn n_grassless by many passing
feet. oe ny ‘
“Forward! We'll at least reach. ae summit of this
hill and from there be able to see something of the coun-
: try. | “Kunnel’ Maren, declared I ought to get to the back
- of Bolding’s Landing before night, and that I should
| leave you ‘with the Hermit. »

The fact is, I was in such haste, and so was he, at the

Now,

_ who. or swhatithe! ‘Hermit’ is.1 declare’+o man I don’t

_ Moment, that I did not notice the term he used:

potep up, Morgan!”

 

must be some human habitation near.

       
   
   

   

Thus urged the chestnut began to climb the hill, keep-|

   

ing faithfully to the narrow path. The trees grew |

 
  

  

thick again. That he was still mounting the height, the

   
 

long-haired man knew; but the path was so twisted and |

   

winding that he was scarcely sure of the direction they

  

were making.

 
    

Morgan, however, seeming in his intelligent brain to ¥

 

: ‘ ° . Oa i
recognize all landmarks. He whinnied once, asa horse |

  

will when he nears a familiar spot—whinnied as thergh

  

he might expect to find a mate there; but there was no |

  

reply to his soft. bugle-call.

 
 

Finally they entered a little glen, hidden in the hill-

  

side, surrounded by thick woods, but near the summit of

 

the eminence. It was a little bowl-shaped place, grown,

  

thick to juicy grass, treeless, but quite guarded by the

  

forest, excepting at the place where the narrow patti:

  
  

entered. There was no other apparent exit or outlet to/|

the bowl. (

      
 

Morgan whinnied again, and stood still of his own:

     

ee His rider swept the scene with appreciative |

    

 

eyes.

 

Horses had been grazing here before—that was plain. Feat

And Morgan was used to doing the same. He stretched . cent
his neck now, champed the bit, and sniffed. at the succu- ‘

et he

lent grass. oe
“He's used to being left here,” murmured the rider,

slipping easily from the+saddle.

 

He removed the horse’s bit, hung it out of the way, |
and Morgan went to cropping joyfully. The man hesi- }emine

tated a moment, then removed the pair of large revolvers.

  

above

from the saddle-holsters, and stuck them. ‘into his. belt

 

along with the two already there. They. made : The

 

midable array. i ‘the lo
“He hhad a cloak, however, strapped to the saddle, It fore :
was therging into a cool evening, and the extra covering |} u ull, a
was grateful. He slung it over his shoulders—it was a |The :

cloak of military aa it well hid the Dae he wore

    
 

;

and. its accouterments.

 
    

at reckon, if Morgan is used to being left here, there i :
“The‘Henmit,” ene?
“I should be able to find

  

  

  

 
 

murmured the man reflectively.
     

 
   
  
  
 

. T

fany dwelling if there is one. Shall I hail this hermit

erson, or go on a still hunt for him?”

S grew

ht, the The latter suggestion appealed most strongly to him.

ted and 'He gathered the cloak about him, decided that the mys-

on they fp rious dwelling must be above, rather than below, this
glen, and struck immediately into the forest which seemed

0 cap the height of Dead Man’s Bluff.
rain to
Do iorse A.trackless wood had no terrors for this man. He was

 

ah
a i ‘ .
) He mounted the rise softly, too, because it was habitual

Hwith him to move silently in_strange places. Many, many

 
 

hand. Wild beasts and wilder men had oft and again

by the a
een on his trail. This long-haired frontiersman, whose
VW path : :
abitat was the Rockies, and the vast plains and deserts
utlet to at ;
f the far West, was not one to fall blindly into any
: mbush, even as near civilization as this edge of the great
is own eG ie
isSissippi.
ciative
» Not that he expected any enemy <0 be lurking here;
| nor did he have reason to look for trouble of any kind.
» plain. i Caution, however, is twin sister to bravery, and he was
ocd lessentially a courageous man.
succu- | .

{Therefore he could not fail to be a bit surprised, not

   
  

to say startled, when the late afternoon silence—a silence

rider, that had scarce been broken by a bird-cry for an hour—
‘was suddenly shattered by a fusillade of gunshots!
© way, | The sound echoed ‘and reechoed from the side of the

1 hesi- jeminence; yet the single sdjourner knew that it must be
olvers...}
is belt
a, for- These sounds did not-move toward the position of
: : he long-haired man, but rather away from him. There-
le. ‘It Hore ‘he hastened hrs steps, reached the summit of the
vering ‘hill, and found it an open clearing, ringed by thick trees.
was a The smell of powder smoke was-still in the air, and the
- wore Ishouts and noise of running feet rose from the other,
lor river, side of the hill. The men who had created the

there "disturbance had been on this spot when the riot broke
> oh?” fou, but had now gone. Had they left any memento of

‘ihe fight? = -

 

THE BUPFALO ‘BILE Soni

G2

The keen eyes of the frontiersman swept the ridge
again, his hand upon one of his Colts, ready for “the
draw.” No human being was in sight; but at one side
was a long, low log structure with glazed windows and a
door gaping wide. Across the threshold of this doorway
lay a yellow hound—an old and almost toothless. crea-

ture—its head dabbled in a pool of blood.
The fight had not been bloodless, even if the old dog

was the only present victim. The noise in the brush
had ceased; but the man at the edge of the clearing
made sure that both the belligerent parties had left the

scene before he ventured fully into the open.

Then he crossed the space quickly and stirred the dog
with his booted foot. The\animal was quite dead—shot
through the head with a load of buckshot that would have
killed a buffalo.

The investigator stepped over the body and peered
into the hut. It was a two-room affair, well furnished in
a rough way, with a good clay and slab chimney and
stone fireplace, and many. comforts which showed that it

A

had been occupied by a homely man for some years.

“Like enough the hermit’s diggings,” muttered the
stranger, and tiptoed beyond the door-sill, so that he

could see into the room beyond.

He only feared to find some fuman victim of the fight,
but there was none. The inner room was a chamber,
and evidently the scene of a reading-man’s labors. There
were rough shelves of time-worn books. The bed was

plain, but clean. aS,

Coming out into the main room, where the chimney

and hearth were, he noted—indeed, he could not fail to
see its prominence—a wide and well-glazed window in the
end wall of the log house, and through the window he
beheld a full sweep of the broad Mississippi, looking up-

stream.

The bluff-top was far above the water; the face of
the eminence was steep, though mostly forest-covered.
The vieW was a grand ohe from this window.

And before this wide window, with\its single pane of
clear glass in the lower sash, was a solid little stand of

rough workmanship, upholding a large kerosene-lamp.

 
   
 
 
   
      
 

 

a | | aoe THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES.

en The bhimney of the ae was polished till it shone; the

reflector behind it, was speckless,

“A regular lighthouse, I declare!” Weed the visitor,

“Odd kind of an arrangement. I wonder what it means,

And can the hermit whom Colonel James spoke of reside

here?. Was it an attack upon him that I overheard?

And was this dead dog his defender?”
inspired by

These questions, something more than

passing curiosity, remained unanswered at the moment,
however, for as the visitor came to the door there broke
out another fusillade of shots down the hillside—toward
the water’s edge.

“By thunder! have they got the dog’s owner as well
as the dog, this time?” muttered the military-looking man,
and he strode out to the edge of the bluff and tried to
look down to the point whereihe saw a blue haze of smoke
rising. This was powder smoke and denoted the situa-
tion of the antagonists who were firing at each other.

Or so he supposed. If it was a running fight, the
weaker party should certainly be armed and answering

the shots aimed at his life. The stranger in these parts

was anxious to understand the meaning of the battle.

He risked injury himself to view the happenings be-
low. Somebody might have looked up through the tree-
tops, spied him hanging over the bank, and potted him
_Itke a wild turkey.

This catastrophe did not occur, however, and before
many moments he beheld a movement in the brush be-
low. The branches were agitated, and out plunged a
fizure which, running diagonally, remained in sight some

minutes as it descended the steep face of the bluff.

The watcher beheld this apparition with breathless in-—

terest. Fear was apparent in the man’s action, for he ran
with head down, looking now and then over his shoulder
_ for pursuit, and-he crouched to make his body less vis-

ible.

The first peculiarity that struck the observer was the

fact that this fugitive was an old man. A gray and
He was hatless, and his

hair was so thin on top that he might almost be termed

heavy beard swept his breast.

(bald. But it was shaggy at the back and hung upon his
shoulders.

He seemed to be unarmed. ‘If he had had a shotgun
or rifle in the beginning of the fusillade, he had flung

it away now that it might not retard his pace.

The man above could see his activities clearly, He.

yond,

who meant exactly what he said.

saw him turn again and again to look behind him, b

he could not catch a clear glimpse of the face of th

runner. \
Suddenly there was a wild yell from a spot some dis
tance above the fugitive, but quite near the unsuspectec
watcher. It was, as: the latter well knew, the wil
and eery “rebel yell”—the fighting ery of the many thou
sand brave men of the Confederate Army as they
charged the Federal forces. ne
More plunging in the bushes followed,.and there shot]
into view a big man in a gray coat of a half-military. cut
a slouch-hat of broad brim, and with’ a heavy shoteuy
that he slung to his shoulder almost instantly. He had
sighted the old fellow scurrying through the brush be
low. Se
There was a sureness and deadly certainty about th
pose of the hunter that proclaimed him a finished shot
Another moment and the plunging, panting, fugitixg
would tumble in the dirt—perhaps roll the rest of the
way to the bottom of the bluff, a lifeless mass of broken

bones and bruised flesh.

Whatever had been the crime of the runner, or what
ever the moral or legal power of the big man-to shoot
the watcher above could not allow this murder to be com
mitted without interfering in behalf of the weaker party,
Involuntarily he had snatched one of his Colts from his
sash and its blue muzzle settled upon the holder of the

shotgun with unerring certainty.

“Hold!” he called, in a tone so well modulated that i
reached the big man’s ears’ cleatly, but went little be-

“Hold!” he repeated, seeing the latter start and half
Pit you press the
I’ve got thd

turn, thus breaking his own sight.
trigger of your gun, you are a dead man!
‘a @

Before he turned. far enough to see “Who it was: whd

drop on you!”

had spoken, the big man had lowered his gun- -muzzle

He had recognized the command as coming from one

a
came to the brink of a steep plunge sheer to the water.

Meanwhile the’ gray-haired man below ran on.

. It was thirty feet high if it was an. inch, and was covered

with boulders that jutted from the bank, and the bank

itself was loose shale—a treacherous footing indeed.

If he tried to run down that place he would end i

heap at the bottom. He would plunge into the water s ‘
hurt that he would be unable to help himself. That :

 
| enemies,

HE BUFPALO- BILE S1ORIES os

§ certain as the grave itself—near the edge of which his
years proclaimed him to be tottering.

Nevertheless, he was a sturdy old man, his mind vig-
prous as well as his body, as his next move showed.

: A willow drooped from the bank some feet above him.
Its 4runk was slanting. The fugitive ran up this trunk
ike a squirrel, disappeared for a second or two among the

eaves, and then suddenly his body shot out over the

At first the men above thought he had recklessly
jumped. The water, although being easily below him,
was shallow and such a plunge meant injury if not im-
mediate death.

- In an instant, however, they saw what he was about.
He had seized one of the tough, drooping branches of
the tree, and had swung himself out of it and over the

) water.

| His weight carried the branch down, down, until
| seemed as though it must be torn from its parent stem,
and the fugitive still be flung to death! :
_ It was a giant swing indeed, for like a pendulum the
man swayed clear across a deep gorge in the face of the
| bluff—an impassable gorge to his pursuers, unless they
followed in his reckless path.
The river made up here into\a little gut in the bank,
He swung clear over this and his feet struck a narrow
edge on the other wall of the gorge. ‘Whether this was
a ‘method of crossing the place that he had tried before,
or not, he lost no time, the instant his feet reached solid
ground, to let go of the branch, which snapped back,
and then the fugitive, without a glance around at his
! darted along the ledge and—suddenly disap-
peared!

CHAPTER IL.
BESIEGED.
- The man with the pistol, who had: all this time held
the big fellow’s life under his forefinger, had been unable
_ to see how, or where, the fugitive had disappeared after
Whether he had

darted up a cross-cutting in the wall of the bluff, or

his perilous swing across the gorge.

had crept into a cave, he did not know. Indéed, his had
been but a fleeting glimpse of the old man as he ran.

Dblis attention was particularly fixed upon the party
‘who was under the muzzle of his gun. When one man

“holds up” ue in mae fashion it behooves him to

. Big Tom Jennis.

be single-minded at least, for the time being. ‘Tt may be
a serious matter to have one’s attention turned the slight-
est, and this the long-haired frontiersman knew full well.

The big fellow still had his loaded shotgun in his
hands, and a little inattention on his enemy’s part would
doubtless bring a double charge of heavy buckshot in
the latter’s direction.

Now, indeed, the big fellow was staring sullenly at
the man who had gotten the drap on him, and he swore
a mighty oath.

Buffalo Bill, as | live!
left these parts long ago.”

“Well, well, Jennis!
and your hand out of splints?’ remarked’ the king of the

Blast you! I thought youd

I am glad to see you out again—

border easily.

This long-haired stranger was, indeed, William F.
Cody, better known at that day as Buffalo Bill. He had
recently left his mark on Big Tom Jennis, upon a very
interesting occasion, by shooting his gun out of the
giant’s hand,* and, as was natural, the big fellow did not
love the famous scout. - 3

The grimance with which he noticed Buffalo Bill's
remark about his wounded hand showed that the big
fellow was hit in a tender spot by his enemy’s raillery,
but all he said was:

“What the deuce are you butting into this for?’

39

“Curiosity,” returned the scout shortly.

“Curiosity has led many a man into trouble,” growled

“True enough. My curiosity seems to have got you
into trouble this time.” ;

“That remains to be seen.’

“And my curiosity is imanpeased: ” said Buffalo Bill.

‘What you so curious about, old hoss?”

‘Why were you going to shoot that old man?’’

“None of your business !”

NO

a OINiG att ain't! He and I had it in for each other

“And your friends below there in the brush?” sug-
gested the scout quietly.

“Heh?” exclaimed Big Tom, startled.

“What have they to. do with it?”

“Think I ain't alone, heh?”
There were more than two of
And I’m pretty sure’

“T know you're not.

you rampaging around down there.

*See No. 351, Burrato Bri STORIES,

-
1

 
6 or : THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES.

that you'd have no stomach even to hunt an old man
like that, unless there was a pack at your heels.”
Jennis grinned in a ghastly fashion.

“You think you’re a great little man, don’t you al id

like to get me han’s on you for a~minnit.”
«Weill try that‘later. Just now I’d like to know what
the fight was about.”
“Find out!”

“That’s not a nice way to talk,”
warningly. Pa

He had heard something that warned him his own

said Buffalo Bill

position was not secure. Somebody was coming up
through the bushes toward the spot where Jennis stood.
“Hi, “That old gray-headed
galoot got away!’ f ‘
“Keep away, Ed!” shouted the giant.

(2?

Tom!’ drawled a voice.
“He’s got the
drop on me!” ’

Buffalo Bill smiled.

“Throw. your gun up here, Tom!” he commanded cau-
_ tiously.

Big. Tom did not hesitate. The deadly Colts held him
enthralled, and he tossed the heavy double-barreled shot-
gun as far up the bank as he could.

“What th’ deuce is the matter, Tom?’ drawled the man
below. ‘Who's got the drop on yer?”

“Buffalo Bill,” yelled back Tom,

Meanwhile the latter-named gentleman slid down the
, bank and seized the gun. At no instant, however, was

Tom out from under his Colts. The scout seized the

heavier weapon and backed away to’the top of the cliff:

again.
The drawling. voice from below expressed its wonder
and surprise in a burst of profanity. Instantly it raised

itself in a loud whoop, too.

“Come on, boys! Here’s*work for us. Where is the
“measly coyote, Tom?”

“You'll find him in the cabin up here,” sang out Buffalo

Bill, with a laugh. “And he’ll be ready for the whole
pack of you.”
_ Already the scout had heard a crashing in the woods
: : behind the cabin. He was cut off from the shore of the
river, as well as from the glade in which he had left
-- Colonel Marcus James’ horse, Morgan. Not knowing for
sure how many his enemies numbered, Cody believed dis-
cretion to be the better part of valor, and he ran for
the cabin which he had so recently examined.

He ces the dead yelow hound from the threshold

_the law might not make him answerable fer it.

and darted within. A billet stung the lintel above the |
door as he slammed that heavy barrier into place.

The windows—eyen the big one before which the lan-
tern sat—were fitted with oak shutters in which were

narrow interstices for the use of the sharpshooter. The

glass would quickly be shattered by the besiegers; but

these inside shutters were as strong as the door itself.

‘And all, door, shutters, and walls, had to withstand an
onslaught in about sixty seconds. The enemy was reck-
less with lead, evidently feeling that there was “plenty,
and likewise that they had Buffalo Bill “on the hip.”

How many there were of these white savages, what
their business was on this lone bluff, who had been the
occupant of this shanty, and why the feud between the
besiegers without, and the fugitive he had spied, were
all questions unanswerable to Buffalo Bill at: this mo-
ment. :

The query of his own predicament was more easily.

answered.

Big Tom Jennis would: be only too glad to finislp the |
frontiersman—in a place and at a time when and where
Place

and time were opportune.

Buffalo Bill had butted in on this hayerys and the rage |)

of the gang of outlaws had shifted from the poor old
man, hunted like a rabbit through the brush, to one who |
was well used to fighting against odds. —

The long-haired scout had had no expectation of meet-
ing trouble on his journey to the Landing, where he
He had had no

idea that Big Tom Jennis or any of his comrades were

proposed to take a boat north again.

in the neighborhood.

Of course, the trouble between this cane and the oc- |
cupant of the cabin was none of Cody’s business. He
had saved the old man’s life, however, and felt a mighty
satisfaction in the fact that he had done so, thwarting

the villains now clamoring for his own blood.

“But why didn’t the old man shut up shop here, as.

_I have done, and hold the scoundrels off?” Buffalo Bill

‘ruminated, as he took a pot shot through a loophole, and

had the satisfaction of hearing one of the white savages ©
utter a mournful wail of agony, and Seely him dance an

maddened cancan.

When the scout had time, however, he searched the |
cabin and found no sign of either firearm, or powder,
or shot. The occupant of this-strange home on the hill

was evidently a man of peace. These scoundrels had

 
THE BUFFALO BUHL STORIES. | - 7

 
 
  
  
 
  
 
 
  
  

veale ne up against him with the idea, it was possible, of of the cheapest quality to be bought of the traders along

i : he
ing a defenseless man! the river and at the near-by hamlets. The whole affair

oe he reason for the feud ee cn in ae oo age was a deep mystery.

were Now dusk was falling, and the fact that he was be-

ae sieged in this place by the gang displeased Buffalo Bill

ae ~ much. An attack might be made after dark that he could |
Selita. :

ind an

not so easily beat off. Besides, as he had no vital interest

in the row. his delay irked him, too.

eck-
: y Cody was not a man who wasted ammunition. He did ~
ylenty,
aS y st merely for revenge, the scout did not know. not occasionally take a snapshot from some loophole to
Bo eee Hf , let the enemy know he was awake. He trusted to his

, might be possible that what the scoundrels had
e for was still in this cabin, and that was why they
made such a determined attack upon Cody himself,

keenly trained hearing to inform him if any of the vil-
lains drew near. And they respected him so much that
they evidently did not care to take chances.

The sacred circle was still drawn about the house,
although darkness had fallen, even here on the hilltop.

Of a sudden the scout’s ears did catch an untoward

%

sound. It was a scraping—a softly scratching sound ;
en and at first he could not tell from whence it came, inside
lp the | ne or outside the cabin.

where ea ae : He sat in the main room and in the darkness. There

|) Buffalo Bill’s first attention was given to the business |
Place @ was not a spark of light in the place, for he cared not

of assuring these men who had chased. him to cover, that Sa
to play target for any creeping desperado who might be

there was a certain mark past which it would be danger- :
more reckless than his comrades.

ous for them ‘to venture. How many men there were in

But of a sudden there was a faint gray light im the
“the gang he did not at once find out; but he wounded

room. He realized that the gloom was lightened from

two, besides the fellow who had danced the cancan be-
somewhere, and. by some-means. He seized: Big ‘Tom's

_ fore the villains learned just where this magic circle lay. : é :
shotgun—a most offensive, as well as defensive, weapon, »

| | Then they kept their healthy distance, and, aside from an ‘ ee
and arose from his chair.

occasional ot shot from either side, the forest and bluff
P He had been sitting beside the hearth. It came to him

settled down into its usual quietude. : ee
: eae re ae in a moment that it was near that hearth the light was
Then Buffalo Bill found an opportunity to look about growing. Indeed, the edge of the broad le dge.of smooth,
is oes ae Oe took a chance at the books rock did not seem to -meet. the hard-packed clay floor
fn FOO ieee and among them, and lying open on pow, It was slightly raised—indeed, it was rising stead-
the table where it seemed the honest occupant of the cabin ily!
must have been reading when disturbed, was an old Slowly the fue tipped up, pahal . some force
and ayeaher worn Bible, on the fly- leaf of which he beneath. And as it rose, the light grew in hs ce
ound written in faded characters: “Benjamin Hos- _ Buffalo Bill stepped softly back into the inner room and
| es i waited to see what might come of oo strange and un-

expected phenomenon.

2 7 A t ¥ - 4 = z
ily of a relic ious nature. Why the peaceful inhabi | CHAPTER IIL.

of this quiet cabin should have been set upon so
al the THE WAY OUT.
wder,
e hill ©

had

ly by: Jennis and his friends interested Buffalo Bill
ch. There was nothing inthe place that denoted the ‘Slowly the broad hearthstone rose higher, and finally
nit to be the possessor of much wealth. Every ar- there appeared a gleam of torchlight. The’ flickering

was either rudely fashioned in woodsman style, or blaze could be nothing’ less, and the torch was undoubtedly
 

Pe 2 _.. THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES.

in the hand of one who knew. a good deal more about
this cabin on Dead Man’s Bluff than did the chance visitor
to, it! -

Buffalo Bill Coy was astonished at the thing that
happened before his eyes; but after the first blush he
certainly was not startled.
and flowing beard of the man whose life he had saved
appeared at the opening caused by the lifting of the stone
was the scout amazed. Evidently the hermit occupant of
this cabin had more than one way of getting into, and
out of, his refuge!

Ne,

Buffalo Bill remained as close as a mouse in its hole
The head of this individual
whom, he was stire, had been called by his friend, Colonél

when the cat strolls by.

James, “the Hermit,” remained in view to: the neck for
. Some minutes without motion and without a sound.
Plainly, 1 he was listening to learn if his house was in
habited during his absence.

But the scout knew well how to make his breathing
noiseless; and as his scalp had many a time depended
upon his remaining moveless, he was not [ty on this
occasion to give his presence away.

The torch was next passed into the room, stuck up-
tight in a cranny near at hand, and then the entire
body of the old man crept into view, and the hearthstone
was returned noiselessly to its place; it seemed to swing
. back on pivots, and they were well greased at that!

u Cody, within the inner room, saw the hermit glance

sharply about the main apartment of the cabin, that was

now well revealed by the light of his torch. He evidently
saw signs of Oe apaney other than his own, and the fact
* that the shutters and door were barricaded must have told
him that there was already somebody in his camp.

His face, the watcher now saw, was very weather-
beaten, and heavily lined. There was a wild, uncertain.
manner about him—a changing expression and a flicker-
ing gaze that betrayed immediately that something was
wrong with his. brain- works! :

_ The fact that he lived alone here so eee that he
spent his time in reading and in tending this big lantern
that was evidently a beacon on the top of the bluff, added
to the peculiar character which the old fellow seemed
to bear. At least, Cody. was interested in this matter
even aside from the vital question as. to whether he
were going to get out of the au i. and fool Big
Tom Jennis and his crew. —

Not even when the gray head

_ All the virtues are not dead within me—no, no!

stepped lightly toward the door of the inner chamber

Evidently he expected that whoever had made the cabin |
secure against the gang without was likewise still within.
There could, indeed, be little doubt of that.

Cody, not knowing what.the man’s attitude might be,
waited around the door-jamb, his pistol in his hand. He
really did not know what attitude the old fellow might §
assume. He had proved his vigorous strength when he |
swung -himself across the gorge, and Cody did not care
to attack him barehanded. A half-maniac, as this man |
certainly was, would be a dangerous antagonist.

Of a sudden the old man’s voice—full and strong, with ’
a sonorance which was quite startling, te through ine
house.

“Mr. Cody!” he said, “Colonel ‘Marcus James will J
attack and drive the Philistines ere midnight; so he has
assured me. If you desire to leave before that hour, my

secret way is open to you.” Jf

Buffalo Bill was, to say the least, amazed, not more by
the man’s evident familiarity with his name and presenice,

than by his diction and words.

- “Colonel as James ?” queried os

prise me.

although I left him at his plantation this very morning.
How do you know M:

_ He had come out into the lighted apartment as he | Boon: 3
spoke. The old man’s furtive eye never caught his own. Poine
Fle murmured his words in an aside, though clearly, and!) “Go
it seemed as though his thoughts wandered even while :
he was speaking. , 7
saw you upon the edge of the bluff. ak saved | i
my life, sir, murmured the old man. “Men call me heart-{t ”
less—yes, heartless, but I can be grateful. I am grateful.
I saw
that you had held off my pe that. I niet ao =
with my life.”

a guess that’s right, old gentleman,”

admitted Cody,
“But how did the colonel-——”

The hermit meandered on, as Siough he heard nothing
but the sound of his own voice, still not looking at his
visitor. ;

Pihere is a cross- gulch foe where A leaped, .
know ‘this hill and shore—oh, yes! I hawe been | here
many, many years—waiting. Yes, waiting.’

“Waiting for what 2” queried the scout, in some vexa-

The old man ae nicked! up the torch again and ' tion, unable to make we old fellow out,

ees

 
THE BUPE ALO

once the latter raised his wandering gaze to Cody’s
His sight seemed to narrow and sharpen.
” he said eagerly.

Do

am waiting for him. He will come,

urse he will come. And he will forgive me.

99

eep the lamp burning every night——

turned to motion to the big lamp. The fact that

not lighted seemed for the first time to enter his

ed mind. He went directly to it and began | to
e with its mechanism.

hat’s all: richt, pop!” said Cody good-naturedly.

you'd better not create any more illumination just

Some of those scoundrels out there will

with

h the

This torch is quite light enough.”
You think so?”

And you were telling me, about Colonel

murmured the old man.

will
2 has |

*, my. |

97

“After you'd leaped from the tree?”

“Of course! I spied upon the ruffians. I saw you

riven up here by the men of Belial. Then I found
olonel Marcus James’ horse thaf¥ou had been riding,

ing. and hurried to the Landing.
there, he said. He was called suddenly after he parted

The colonel had business
rom you. a will bring a party to drive away these
1ine enemies.’

“Better wait before you light up,.-t say,” warned Cody.
f you will make a light in here [’'d just as soon get
if 39
VOU ,are, a

©Go in peace,” said the old man hastily.

thing tworthy man. Tell no soul of the passage I show
What is-all asks

here does it come out?”

it his 1

Some distance down the hill.”
On the river side?”

ye. And the spot is well hidden.”
ll make the attempt.

-I do not want to miss the

!

BILL STORIES. - ne “6

River Belle.

night and I have reason: for wishing to go up on her.\ So

She will make her first trip up-river to-

ll take you at your word, old gentleman.” ot
“You'll go now?”
glad of the riddance.

“Tf you are sure you'll be all right and that these ras-

asked the hermit eagerly, as though

cals:out here won't try to rush you.”
_“Colonel James will be here and beat them off before

midnight. Oh, yes! My light must be trimmed anu

shining then.”

The old man seemed so sure of his safety that Buffalo
Bill felt convinced his presence was no longer needed,
The hermit piqued his curiosity; but he had more im-
portant business on hand. So he prepared to descend
into the passage from which his peculiar host had re-
cently emerged.

At a-touch the hearthstone arose, revealing a square
Into this Buffalo Bill ee

and the old man handed him his torch.

“No difficulty will attend you, Mr. Cody,”
his wandering way.

hole under the fireplace.

he said, in
And
when you feel the breath of night blowing on you, put

“There are no cross-passages.

out the light that a exit may not be noted ee any
lurking enemy.”

Then, without a word of farewell, the old man dropped
the stone into place, and Cody was alone.

“Rather a queer old codger—and I hope the scoundrels
outside don’t get him,” muttered the scout as he ven-
tured into the timber-lined passage which led away from
the cellar of the cabin. |

“He wasn’t very communicative; otherwise I might
have asked him what the row was about, and why. Big
Tom wanted to pot him so. Hope-the “Kunnel’ comes

to his rescue. Otherwise Jennis may yet get the ancient

one.’
He

had some miles to travel afoot along the rough shore,

He had no time himself to waste now, however.

and the steamboat might be ahead of time. Those Missis-

sippl river craft did not always stick close to schedule.
In a few minutes, after descending the rather steep

passage, he felt what the hermit had called “the breath

He stamped out the torch

of night” upon his brow.

and groaped on to the end. The exit of the tunnel was
in a thick clump of brush on the sheer side of the bluff;
but when Cody peered out he could seé the river under
the stars, and there was sufficient light for him to make

his escape without any mishap.

 
 

ote | 7 €4— BURFALO BILL STORIES.

There was no sound from the bluff above.
at liberty to resume his journey, unmolested by the gang
that believed him still in the cabin on the bluff.

+

pees

CHAPTER IV.
DOWN TO BOLDING LANDING.

Ordinarily Buffalo Bill would not have stolen away
without giving his compliments finally to Big Tom Jennis
and his crew. He might have crept up. behind them and
given the whole crowd a trouncing. He left that joy,
however, to the coming Colonel James and his helpers,
knowing the character of the ‘Kunnel,’ and’ being sure
that he, would do the gang full justice.

“Therefore, once free of the tunnel front the hermit’s
cabin, the scout struck directly up the side of the bluff,
away from the vicinity of the ruction, and set out along
the verge of the height toward Bolding Landing.
Buffalo Bill had first left his riding-horse behind the
hermit’s hut because he knew that its owner had some
way of recovering the valuable animal from that spot.
. But it was still five miles to the Landing, and he heartily
wished now that he had some sort of a beast which he
might straddle.

It was dark, although the stars and an incipient moon
_in the west shone full on the broad, silently flowing river
below the bluff. The path up here, however, was only
Besides,

while he had no time to waste with the gang of villains

a makeshift one, and the going was rough.

who were besieging the hermit’s cabin, he did not like
to run afoul of them; and that necessitated his moving
forward with caution. He did not know how many of
these fellows there were, nor how far they were spread
out around the cabin.

Suddenly, however, he came, upon a wortn-eaten rail-
fence, beyond which was a road. The colonel had told
him of this road, and he knew it led by a long slant down
to the Landing. Buffalo Bill was glad to see it, and said
so!

Just as be leaped the fence, however, after looking up
-and down the old highway as far as he could see in the
shimmer of faint moonlight—for here the trees were scat-
tering—he heard a distant sound that made him crouch
He

It was the rat:

in the shadow once. more just outside the fence.
made that sound out better in a moment.
tle of wagon-wheels.. The vehicle was coming rapidly,

) and not from the direction cf the river.

 

He was

t

. The scout crouched and waited. He heard the hoof-
beats of the horses now—shod with iron, and, therefores
horses, not mules—and knew that there were two of ther),
and that they dragged a possibly empty wagon, .

“Tf the fellow is friendly, and traveling as light as 1

29.

sounds, I may get a lift to the Landing,” was the wai;
er’s thought. :
And then suddenly the

the night, followed by a rapid explosion of pistol-shot

“ping? of a rifle sounded it ‘
A human voice began to yell—evidently to the hors
The wagon-wheels thundered on, showing that at leas!
the horses were not injured,

There was no repetition of the fusillade up on the hill '
side.
drunk, and that they had shot at this wayfarer and hi

The scout figured that Big Tom’s men were mostl

outfit for “fun.” Strange tastes some people have in th
line of amusement. en
There was no pursuit of the wagon, at least no gun
shots followed the first outburst, and down came
heavy vehicle, full pelt.
He saw the outfit in a moment tearing around the bend
streaking it in the ee! the horses ae |

squealing,

Fails.

Luckily, the roadway was more than ordinarily smooth
for a river road; or else the driver was a better je ebay .
than he was fighter. He kept the horses on their . at t
and, usually, two wheels of the wagon on the ground!

In a few moments the turnout was almost upon sink
‘There mig!
be pursuit, of course, and he might become involved agait

with these desperadoes, who were making this. part +

and Buffalo Bill considered it time to act.

the country an unhappy climate for most peacefully

clined people. But he wanted to get on to the Landing)
saddle.

Buffalo, Bill leaped into bh middle of the. Me an
raised his hand in command.
(hee up!” he shouted.
' But it was the gleam of the moonlight upon his six)

shooter, and possibly a glimpse the man obtained of the

armament strapped around the buffalo king’s waist thal
made him obey the command. :

_He yelled again and flung his weight against the
horses’ bits, They settled back, snorting, and slid over

the rough trail almost on their haunches..
 
     

 
 

d . ‘the matter now? One party tells me to kite
aids me with a permiscuous lot o’ buckshot, an’

holds me up with a gun p’inted at my innards.

  
 
 
  
 
 
  
   

n, who held in the restive horses with difficulty.

ve right on, sir,” said the scout., “I want to get

  
 
 

from them as mych as you do?”

 

a < # : : : ’
uifferirig cats! -Ain’t you one of ’em?’

 
 
 
 
 
 
  

e to use it had he possessed one.

  

“What did they try to shoot you up for?” asked the

  
  
 

What did you hold me up for?’ ‘
I told you, didn’t 1? (I’m due at the Landing before
River Belle leaves for the North.”

 
   

“Well! Mebbe that’s a good reason for holding a man

 
 
  
 
 
 

“Nor who they were?’
MING? : d
599_.

“Never saw ’em before?

    

' An’ hope F never will again—that’s right, stranger!”
\ 2 > ? >

  

3

“Well, they're no friends of mine,’ said Cody, more

 

mfortably, as the horses were pulled down into a more

~

 
   
 
 

3

erunted the other. “This

  

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 

   

“Suffering cats! Net old Hoskins ?”,

 

r>“T reckon.”

  

| “The crazy old codger! And did they pot him >”

 

“Came near to doing it.”

 

 

 

   

 

BILL STORIES.

“Where is he now?”

“In his cabin, and they’re besieging him. But there
is help coming from the other direction, Hoskins says,
and he’s all right. He didn’t need my. help, so I came
away.”

“Well, well! He’s as peaceful as a day-dream,” de-
clared the native; “them fellers hadn’t no cal} to fight
him. We-uns call him a hermit.”

“I judge he is that. Lives there alone?”

“He does now.”

“Not always?”

"Oh. nog :

“Had a family there—eh ?”

‘Well, he had a son. Bill Hoskins.
river-pilot was Bill. But he wozld drink. This was *way
back ’fore war-time, ye know.”

“Well?”

“Old Hoskins allus was a crank, I reckon; crank on re-
Too much readin’

Mighty. smart

ligion. Went funny readin’, I guess.
ain’t good for folks,” declared this philosopher.

“Perhaps you're right,” admitted the Westerner.

“T know it. Well! Old man Hoskins an’ Bill. never
got along well; but Bill allus spent some time ‘twixt trips
with his dad. An’ Hoskins, he'd read an’ study them
books of his’n all, night sometimes.

I could allus see

his light from the river, that’s right!
“But he an’ Bill quarreled, an’ Bill skipped comin’
He was
He could

nigh erbout smell his way along this ole river. He fig-

home. He was pilot on the Mary Bowler then.

a good pilot, as I say, when he was sober.

gered by ev ry kind of landmark there was, day an’ night,
An’ the old man’s light up on the top of Dead Man's
Bluff was a good mark after dark. Not only he, but
most of the other pilots, steeréd by old Hoskins’ light.

“They say the old man knew it, dn’ when he an’ Bill
had their final falling out, he put out the lamp in the
window an’ the pilots lost their beacon.

“The very next trip the Mary Bowler struck a snag
just in sight of Dead Man’s Bluff, swung around hard
an’ fast on a bar, her boilers blew up, and she burned to
the water-line. Bill Hoskins was in her box at the time
she struck. “They say he was full of bug-juice and no
business to have had the wheel. An’ nobody ever saw
him after, although every other soul aboard the old scow
was saved. :

“Tf old Hoskins was crazy before, he went completely
off his head then. Never speaks now unless he has to,

 
THE BUFFALO

: Don’t look at you when he meets you. Lives entirely

‘alone, save for an old hound that Colonel James give

him, and he spends his time mostly readin’ the Bible

| and tendin’ a big lamp he’s got up in the ‘north winder.
Had that winder enlarged ‘purpose for it.

“Poor old duffer! 1 reckon he expects Bill to come
down the river again in the M ary Bowler, an’ he'll see
the lamp. Crazy—crazy as a bedbug, pardner !”

Just then the horses—they. were a strong team—took

fright at a shadow and began to run again, and the.
There was |

driver had his hands full holding them in.
‘not much chance for conversation before they reached
the Landing.

The River Belle was not in, although it was already
There was some bustle about the wharf, for

\

midnight.
she was expected, and a good deal of freight was waiting
for this popular boat. She had been built over and im-
proved since the fire which had occurred on her last
down-river trip. This was her first up trip since her
painting. ,

Buffalo Bill found plenty of men who had heard of
the trouble up on the bluft—at least, who had got wind
foro it: The. question, ran:
“What's happened to old man Hoskins? His lamp’s
out to-night.”

In an hour, however, they saw light suddenly blaze
from the end window of the distant log cabin. The siege
was certainly lifted. Colonel Marcus James, who was
likewise a marshal, had perhaps rounded up the gang
of cutthroats who had tried to “run out” the hermit.
least, he had driven them away. :

And what was it all about? Why was Hoskins be-

sieged by the ruffians? What was the basis of the feud?
‘These questions were not so freely answered. Some

men looked knowing; others attempted to deny any

knowledge of the reason which should set Big Tom Jen-.

nis and his crew against the peaceful hermit.

‘Buffalo Bill, with nothing but time on his hands at the
It was admitted fi-
nally that there was a large output for moonshine whisky

moment, was persistent, however.
from back in the woods. The distribution-point was

somewhere near Bolding Landing, and it was believed

that the hermit’s light had signaled information to the

revenue officers on more than one occasion.

_ Hoskins was known to be friendly with Colonel James,
if with no other man. Perhaps it was only suspicion,

but the Federal Government was very active against the

_ were,

At

Bil SLORIES.

in return, “

taxed spirits.

“They'll run out the old man—you can bet yotr pilg
on that,’ declared one fellow, with emphasis. “Guess ¢|
pilot-boys will hafto make another light comin’ in to th¢
Landing. Hello! there’s her whistle. The River Belle |
for her.”

Buffalo Bill was interested—more interested in ¢

ing of the steamer.

CHAPTER V.
THE ON BB aE DN AUN

Six months later the same River Belle, with steam up

like a horse champing his bit with eagerness to run t

race, lay at the St. Louis levee. Buffalo Bill was making E
a second trip south on a similar errand to that whic
had carried him in that direction before.

It was a season when the passenger traffic south
was. light : but the steamer, being one of the largest ply)
ing the Mississippi, was heavily laden with freight. |

And one group of freight was peculiar, even for 4
‘The Grea

which had spent a sum)

river-boat. A small aggregation known as
and Only Circus and Menagerie,’
mer in the Middle West, was venturing a winter cam
paign through the Southern States, and the River Bella
was to transport both the human and animal performers.
. The circus of those days was not what it is now.
men and women and a dozen cages of more or less wild
animals, with a couple of dozen horses and one mang);
looking elephant, was the entire SHEP of the ager
gation.

The fact that the River Belle was to carry such a co
pany kept some would-be passengers from embarking
But Captain Burger was getting a good price from t
manager of the show, and, as previously stated, the usual
passenger-list was not heavy. a |

The famous frontiersman was not especially inter
ested in the show, or the work of its being loaded ttpol
‘the steamer; he had come aboardsearly himself, howevet
and remained on the hurricane-deck late in the evenin
before the steamer lett, to watch the cages anv horse!
brought aboard.

 
 

riends |

; it was a, me curiosity on his ore until he sud-
overn- fi
f ly sighted a particular member of the circus crew
dt un-

tall, sandy man, with one eye, who seemed to be
s of the proceedings. He was, indeed, the boss rigger

he outfit, and, when the circus was on its travels, an

 
 
  
   
  
  
 
 
  
  
 
 
  
 
  
  
 
 
    
   
   
      

ortant man,

‘The scene on the levee was as lively as any Buffalo
ill had ever looked on. The flaming torches lighted up
e shining faces of the negro roustabouts and the sweat-
is countenances and bared arms of the white circus
pers. The then unfamiliar cry of “Hey, Rube!’ was
ist becoming general among tent-men and other circus
pers. The way the trained workers handled the heavy
vases, poles, and other paraphernalia made the old
vermen exclaim,

Finally, the wagons were run down, and they pre-
ed to hoist them aboard with a derrick rigged for-
rd on the steamboat. The chains were slung about
ie wagon-body, and that was lifted clear of the running-
ear, hoisted to the deck, and there deposited snugly. The
[ lank shutters of the cages were up, and only an occa-
sional growling objection from inside denoted that the
unfamiliar motion disturbed the animals.

_ The wagons were gotten aboard without mishap—all

Even the elephant, after trying the extraheavy

  

anking, a terrific roary and then a scream, issued from

  

ehind the closed cage.

i “What you got in there?” queried Captain Burger,
the one-eyed boss.

cA, pair of lionesses—as ugly as hell-cats!” returned
boss tent-man shortly,

 
 

‘Suppose they get out?” suggested the pompous, but
t particularly courageous, Burger. |

“Then you'd better climb your flagpole, cap,” re-

  

rned the one- eyed 1 man, and there was a guffaw from
. helpers.

  

The chains were adjusted and the donkey-engine that

  

nanaged the crane started. The wagon- body came hard;

  

eels and all rose into the air, bringing an extra strain

on the hawsers. Possibly, the rope was also worn from

    
   
  
  
  
  
 
  
   
   
    
  
  
 
   
 
     
 
   
  
 
   
 

ee BUFFALO BU el ORI S: . ee

much usage; at least, it came to the Sout re it was
ready to part.

The cage swung twenty feet above the dock, and was
just about to be guided in over the rail when—the haw-

ser snapped !

Down came the whole outfit ok a crash that shook

the wharf; the cage was broken and its sides collapsed.

In a second the pair of vicious brutes were free.

With savage roars they bounded from the wreck of
the cage, while the negroes fled, wildly shrieking. A
hundred people had been watching the performance; in
less than a hundred seconds there were not ten men in

sight—and they were mostly circus men!

The larger of the lionesses, with a savage roar, leaped

for the throat of the nearest horse of the pair that had
dragged the van down to the wharf.

Cody, from the upper deck of the steamboat, cole be
of no help in this emergency—unless he should shoot
at the enraged pair of felines. But at such long range
his pistol-balls would do little damage, and, in any case,
he might endanger the lives of the human actors in the

terrible drama.

Those men who did not run tackled the lionesses as
‘boldly as ever gladiators fought lions in the old Roman

:

arena!

Their leader was the one-eyed man. The instant she
saw the larger lioness upon the squealing, plunging
horse, he, too, leaped to the \horse’s back. He had seized
a short iron bar as he charged the combatants, and with
this he beat the feline fearfully.

But its hold could not be broken. The lioness was
tearing at the poor brute’s jugular, and would not let
go her hold, even to attack her human enemy.

Throwing aside the bar as useless in this emergency,
the one-eyed man pulled a pistol from his boot-leg-—a
muzzle-loading weapon of the old “derringer”

and fired both barrels into the huge cat. .

The horse, however, fell as well as the lioness. The '

man leaped away a few yards, and while the wounded
lioness crouched upon the dying horse, growling and
roaring her rage at the man, he deliberately stood and
reloaded his weapon, and then shot her dead!

Tt was as cool and calculating a piece of work as Buf-

- falo Bill had ever seen.

“That fellow is all right! he remarked to the sha- ~

king Burger.

ees

pattern,

     
       
      
   
     
       
      
    
    
      
       
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cele 6

(TA THE BUFFALO

But the doughty captain had no word in reply.
was stricken dumb by the fright of the moment.

The second lioness had. darted away toward the city;
but a crowd cornered it in a near-by cellar, where it
was wounded, and, finally, with the aid of the one- -eyed
boss, driven into another cage. %

Buffalo Bill made it his business to meet and make
the acquaintance of the one-eyed circus man, who, he
learned, was usually called “Husky,” or “One-eye,” by

his mates. But he was not a man who “warmed up”

easily. He was polite and pleasant-spoken enough; but |

he was not socially inclined.

The steamboat pulled out and started on her trip down

Just before Buf-
falo Bill turned in he passed the time of night with the

the river about four in the morning.

pilot on duty, and found One-eye in the pilot-box, too.
In fact, the circus man held the wheel, and seemed to
be familiar with the river and the business.

“Oh, he’s

“Know him? Nop.

an old-timer,’ explained the pilot to Cody.
Never seen him before.
betcher I know a real river man by the way he handles

them spokes!”

CHAPTER VI.
; Eee SHANTYVILLE FLOOD.

In truth,

mystery to Buffalo Bill’s mind during the next few days.

the one-eyed man became something of a

He was, in fact, the controlling element of the circus ag-
gregation—even the manager of that company acknowl-
edged One-eye’s ace He controlled men as well

_as beasts.

_ The circus men of that day were hard drinkers and
hard fighters. The period they were bound to be aboard
this steamboat looked like a time for roistering to them.
They had money, too, and Buffalo Bill saw that,~as
usual, there were plenty of members of the Mississippi

Tigers aboard—in other words, members of that associa-

tion of professional card-sharpers who at that day plied

their trade among the passengers on the steamboats of
the Seat river.

The gamblers were not numerous, but they managed
to stir up considerable trouble among the circus men.
These fellows stuck together, however, and the cry of
Piiey, Rube!’ would bring assistance to a circus em-.
ployee at any moment. : :

 

BILE STORIES.

He

But you.

yellow stream of the combined Mississippi and Missou

- around three sides of the hamlet, and—hoped for ‘tt tee

       
      
    
     
       
        
    
       
      
   

  

cheating, and beaten up badly, they were careful abou

  

handling the circus element. But the latter fellows would

  

quent ones into shape, which he proceeded to do ever)

  

time.

  

No husky fellow ever got the better of him, dg
spite the fact that he was handicapped by the loss of hig

  

left optic.

There were not many ladies aboard, which was a goo}
thing; only the few female performers belonging to thy,
circus. They kept closely to themselves, being a ver! i

decent lot, and under the manager’s eye at all times.

  

peaceful experience than Buffalo Bill had previously en¥
joyed when.he first made Captain Burger’s a¢quaintance.7,

The trip was not without excitement and some da

 

ger, however. The rainfall that season had been excessi

  

and: there were floods on either side of the big rive

   

: G ing m1
Levees had given way in many places and the pilots ‘ie ne
escen

some difficulty at times in finding old landmarks by

Wt can

which they had steered for years.

 
  
  

_ In that day there was a small hamlet not far below,
Cairo—which lies at the junction of the Mississippi :
the Ohio—called Shantyville. :
growth, this Shantyville, but it held some andl

It was not of very oll”

   
 
  
 
   
 

captais

among river hamlets of that day.
is doo
The town ‘was situated on.a plain. About a mile bac! people
from it were the foot-hills. Ten miles above the Ohi. “By

empties its terrific flood of Hos into the already swolle!”

This plain surrounding Shantyville was a rich di
trict, and back in the hills were many farms and som hh
salt-works that found outlet for their goods at the Shanty

ville docks. The citizens of the town had built a leve Me

   

best ! :
With the continued high water of this fall, howevel#
the levees were growing shaky: Some of the people

 
   
 

the town had already become frightened, and got out.

 
  

ie
eM

But, like the people of ancient Pompeii, and othej?!

   

suddenly destroyed habitations, the bulk of the peop iv

  

believed that, becatse the levee had withstood form@.

  

floods, it- would hold out against ‘this one.

    
      
 
   
   

The River Belle was the only steamboat in sight

the burg on the early morning when the catastrop

 
     

  
  

denness that was Shine. The watchmen on

oe oe not even warn the people, who were

 
  

The levee broke a ile above the town, and within
m minutes was more than half a mile in width!

The steamer had just come into view when the water
st spurted ee the dissolving wall. Buffalo Bill,

  
  
 
 
  

steamer’ s deck, and saw the break. Among these watch-
ie

s was oa nee or putas, and the on saw

   
   
   

| Cody

a | ee of the water on the town that he did not no-

sive itice what One-eye was about.
a t A stream of water, twelve to twenty feet deep, carry-
a bie much of the current of the flood-raised Mississippi,

5 hag
( descended on the village with fearful force and rapidity.

was so deeply interested in watching the terrible

 
 
 
  
  
 
 
  
 
  

at came down in a great rush like a tidal wave.
|) There was no slow rising of the waters to give warn-
Irs: When the Teale fevee gave way it dissolved

“Creat heavens !”’ ae Cody, standing beside the
ptain of the River Belle. “What a sight! The town
‘is doomed. Can’t we do sometHing to help those poor
ie “By thunder, man! I can’t risk the safety of the
‘Steamer in Vthere |!’ snaried= the skipper. «GC \Wed -be
ashed to flinders.”’ :

"Perhaps not. You'll pull in near enough to give some

 
 
 

Hi
jaid, won't you! a
anty ‘i 667?

level ) I'll save my own precious ene ine steamer !”’ de-

th i clared Burger, with an oath.

  
  

| Before’ Cody could say more the wave struck the
houses on the outskirts of the hamlet. They were lifted
ap and rolled over and over like thistle-down upon the

   
   
 

 
   
 

Ether inhabitants were drowned in them.. There was
escape, for the flood had smitten the town too sud-

   
 

  

Ited the onrush of the waters for a few moments, no-
ably the church, the-spire of which rose above every

 

THE (BURT ALO

other structure in the town.

pick up some of those oe unfortunates,”

 

BILL STORIES.

houses of the hamlet were lifted from their foundations
arid were floated out into the current of the river.
These drifting habitations crashed into each other
and splintered against each other with the noise of roll-
ing thunder in the hills.
take delight in hurling one frail box against another, and

The fierce current seemed to

so show presuming man how easy it was to destroy his

handiwork!

And with the destruction of these houses went hand in

hand an appalling loss of life. Men, women, and chil-

dren swarmed to the roafs.. Some of the smaller houses

turned over, deliberately dumping their human freight

into the flood. ) i
Within a very few minutes the spire of the brick

church was seen to wabble, and then it fell, and, as the

levee had melted, so melted the brick and mortar struc-

tures that had longest withstood the strain.

Many had fled to the church for refuge. Its crash

buried these victims beyond all hope of escape!

Now there were floating in the swift current upward

of two hundred houses, or parts of houses. Almost

every floating structure had people clinging to it.

The horror of their position was already, it would

seem, sufficient ; but now another peril was added.

One of the last houses to leave its foundation was 4
large, octagon-shaped dwelling, that had evidently be-
longed to some important man in the burg. It was
finally wrenched from its site in the northern part of the
hamlet and floated down-stream. And it caught on fire
from some overturned stove in its interior!

The appearance of this floating firebrand added im-

mensely to the terror of the villagers. Now and again

two houses would collide, and one be partially destroyed,

or turned over, to the death and injury of several. But
when this fiery ram sailed into the mass of drifting
houses and house stuff, the shrieks of the imperiled folk
were heartrending!

cl tell you, captain, we must do something!” ex-
claimed Cody.

“What can we do?’ whined the selfish old man.

“At least put out your boats, man them, and try to
declared
the angry scout. |

“The current’s too swiit, Mr. Cody. oe boats would

‘be swept into the crush, too.”
Then a ee saw that the River Belle yas

But all of two- thirds: of ine

       

      
   
THE BUFFALO

aimed straight for the break in the levee through which
the angry Mississippi was rushing!
“What the eternal.are you doing?” he roared, shaking

his fist at the pilot-house. “‘Sheer off! sheer off, I say! °

You want to ground this boat an’ ruin me?”

Instead of the pilot, the grim face of the one-eyed cir-.
cus man appeared at the pilot-box window. He held
the wheel with one strong hand, and in the other he
waved his big derringer.

“Shut up, you!” he drawled. “This ain't your pilot.
I’m runnin’ this old scow just now, and I’m going to
take her over the cellars of Shantyville. Understand?”

“Stop him! Shoot him! He'll have us wrecked! He'll
have us smashed to flinders over there!” roared Burger,

running up and down the deck like a wild man.

“Shut up your head!” commanded the one-eyed man’

severely. “You get your men an’ ropes ready. Stand
by to save those folks—or all we can reach of ’em. The
River Belle is going through that levee, or she’ll go to

the bottom! Make your bets on, that, gents! Me

CHAPTER VIL.

’

FORCIBLE MEASURES.

What had become of the pilot who was on duty when
One-eye ran to the box -Cody did not know, but, he
reckoned. that the proper holder of the steering-wheel
had not put up a very desperate fight against the circus

~..man taking practical control of the River Belle. ,

And the emergency behooved some man to take com-
mand who was unselfish enough to think of his brothers
in peril.

Shantyville had oa practically wiped off the map;
but in an awful jumble of creaking timbers, bumping
houses, and splintering roofs, the bulk of the village

structures were careening down-stream.

_ Into this mass of floating woodwork, spotted with hu-
‘man. beings clinging perilously to their frail support,
plunged the burning octagon house. Its zigzag course
left a wake of flames behind it, for other light structures
. caught afire |
From the roof of the octagon house come a vol-
-cano of flame, And these blazing brands and tongues
_pf pure fire quickly lapped the shingled roofs of other
_ floating houses, and so a dozen were ae. in as many
_ minutes!

BILL STORIES. -

It was a terrible scene under the pale light of the

early dawn. Above the low hills to the eastward the sun

was just rising; but his glory paled before the glare of
the conflagration that was spreading. fast among the

drifting dwellings.

from their insecure refuge by the flames.. The roof
would burn like tinder, and_ the helpless “people werl}
thrust overboard, and, if they could not climb upon som :
other. floating timber, ‘were either crushed or drowned
within a few seconds! .
It was an awful sight. It was a spectacle to make |
brave man shudder™ ‘wad: a weakling cower !
Captain Burger, however, was neither oe these. Hf

was, peta: an ak selfish man. ee a

fancy putting her into jeopardy.

She had already had her baptism of fire, This was
on the previous occasion, when Buffalo Bill had chancel
to descend the great river upon her. ,

Burger did not, propose to allow this -one-eyed circu
man, whoever he was, to take the steamboat through
the levee and into the midst of that tangle of crushe:
and flaming houses. The water flooding the Shantyville
plain might be deep enough to float the River Belle,
but ‘there was every likelihood of the steamboat running
her keel upon some underpinning or foundation, and s
come to grief.

Seeing that he was to get no help from the regula
pilot then supposed to be on duty, Captain Burger sprang

down to the engine-room hatch. He bawled to the eng!

‘neer to. shut off power instantly. With the paddle

wheels inactive, the boat would helplessly float down th
river, and Husky could not force her through the break
in the levee, which was somewhat out of her presen
course. co %

As the on dashed below on this ‘errand, Burfi

Bill moved smartly toward the pilot- -box. Instantly th

long derringer, and One-eye’s blazing orb, held him um
der fires a | 2

“Hold on, stranger!” Feowied the circus man.
is loaded. we

So 1 understand. But don't shoot your friends: wi

it 99

“Are you with me?” demanded the new pilot.

“With both feet!” declared the scout emphatically.
t

“Then corral that big balloon of a skipper and kee}

 
TA BUE

€ Whim quiet.
some good if he is kept still. losing head-

9

ray. :
“He's ordered the engines stopped!” exclaimed Cody.
“lt he

Hello! She’s

“Hang his carcass!” roared the one-eyed man.
ugets under range of my gun again ie
“Steady !” aevisen Cody, lll fix that.”
He followed the course taken by the captain. On the
“away he met the first officer of the River Belle.

“Will you and the crew do what you can to Save some
of these people tr queried the Westerner.

“Tf the captain doesn’t interfere.”
“Tl attend to the captain,” promised Cody.
And he was as good as his word. He caught Burger

still in the engine-room.

He stood guard in the Peorway, with a gun in either
hand, and thus he spoke to the engineer :

_ “Start up your engine, and take your orders from the
pilot- house—and from
stand?”

“But Captain Burger——”

“Do as you're told!” threatened Buffalo Bill.

“Til have you arrested for this, Colonel Cody!” roared

the pilot-house alone—under-

the River Beille’s skipper. :

“We'll take up that matter later.
Burger!

Sit down, Captain
Don’t you dare to go on deck till I give you

permission.”

“Why, sir! This is a high-handed outrage, sir!’ sput-

iy) tered Captain Burger.

| “Well, well! Don’t froth at the mouth over it.”
“Vl have you know, sir ee
wut tut!

Burger!” repeated the scout.

“Why get angry. Sit down, Captain

“How dare you e
“It doesn’t take much daring. You be quiet, or you'll
Engineer! Get busy there, as you
Bethe engineer was not sorry to obey the order.
‘He knew what the trouble was, and he was a man not
without bowels of compassion. He started the engines
gain, and the paddle-wheels began to revolve more rap-
dly.
By this time every soul aboard‘the River Belle was
wake and on deck. News of the awful catastrophe that

ad overtaken the river town—and at which the steam-

PALO) att

There are men enough aboard ta accomplish

SLORIES. |

Once more under the power of her engines, the River
The
one-eyed man in her wheel-house seemed to have the

Belle was aimed directly for the break in the levee. .

pilot under complete subjection. At. least, the latter was

out of sight, and the passengers who understood what

was going on believed that Husky had knocked him out.

The fact was, the licensed river man did not wish to

lose his job; but he was a very pacific prisoner under

One-eye’s guard, He was sitting on the bench, and

was lighting his pipe while the other whirled the wheel.
Husky

pilot-house by showing his derringer now and then; but

kept~ everybody else at a distance from the

his keen eye was mostly on the course ahead.

The wreckage of the once populous village was swept
down-stream by the current, over the former flatlands’
lying south of the site of Shantyville. All this plain
was flooded, clear to the foot-hills.

The first rush of that terrible tidal wave had not done
all the damage, however. When the water had. slack-
ened somewhat many houses were still standing; but it
was quickly seen that the frame ones were badly wrecked

and could not stand long.

In fact, the burning octagon house had knocked sev-
eral from their underpinnings in its course through the
town.

The fires now numbered a dozen. Men, women, and
children were forced to take to planks and bits of raft
te avoid the flames.

Some were still in their night-

clothes, and the morning air was keen, while the water

was as chill as death!

The blazing ram—the octagon house—was still con-
tinuing its course of destruction. Being so heavy and
so well put together, it was more dangerous than the
other burning buildings. It zigzagged through the crush
of flotsam, and smaller houses were fairly bowled over
like ninepins!

Meanwhile the few structures left standing on their
original sites were fast sinking into the flood. People
left behind now clambered out of attic windows and
dropped from roofs, to reach hastily constructed rafts,
which more fortunate citizens had secured.

These rescuers could do little, however. Again and
again, just. as the raft, or boat, almost reached a. totter-
ing house, the structuréwould: fall, and those whom they
had risked their lives to rescue would be swept away on

the breast of the already Sycrburdened flood!

In the higher streets of the town, where the flood rose

 
®

only waist or breast- high, after the first eo men and

women could be seen wading through mud and water
to reach shelter. Some carried children in their arms ;
- others were burdened with clothing or household treas-
paires. |

That the sun rose to usher in a glorious day, shining

gallantly overhead, and the morning wind set all the lit- :

tle waves to sparkling and dancing, made the Doct of
the scene all the more intense! :

The River Belle, on her errand of mercy, plowed
down upon the site of the stricken town, her paddle-
wheels swiftly beating the already churned and muddy
The first house she approached had an old man
Husky

brought the steamboat close to the wavering structure.

waters.
and a young girl clinging to the tottering roof.

It was dangerously near for the boat and for the
house! The disturbance made by the beating paddle-
wheels was too much for the little cohesion left in the
walls of the structure. Suddenly they crumpled, and
with a roar of falling timbers and mortar, the house col-
lapsed, and both the refugees were lost to sight beneath

the flood!

A terrible cry went up from those waiting and watch- |

ing to lend a helping hand to the afflicted. From the
pilot-house came a stream of profanity that would have
shocked the coarsest among them at another ‘time.
: to swear, and in his horror at what he had unintention-
ally done, he cursed “the best he knew’’

But the awful lesson was not needed a second time.
The next house they approached likewise stood in the
roaring flood. He kept her off, and a sailor flung a line

to one of the men imprisoned on the. housetop.

It was caught and fastened around the stb of the
oe and, as the steamboat paddles “backed water,”
the refugees scrambled along the rope to the willing
hands waiting to haul them over the rail. Only one
man dropped off, and a life-belt was thrown to him,
attached to which was a line by which he was dragged

aboard later.)

The strange, new a a the River Belle did not ae
| her through the center of the town, however. Those
_ structures that seemed to withstand the flood were left
) to one side, and she steamed down-stream after the float-
ing houses. | oe |
| Ao man and his wife were rescued from a _ burning

. hovel. . The steamer passed betvveen some : of the’ drifting

or by ramming them.

took place.

widely apart.

Per-.

haps Husky did not know how to pray; but he knew how © please with me,

said Buffalo Bill coolly,

THE ee Put STORIES:

houses, and at times the rescuers were busy upon eithe

side. ’ The steamer could not do much damage to thos

houses already floating, saving when they had passed

The pilot was so shrewd in hi

manipulation of the wheel that few of these collision

Half a hundred people were saved from the
wreckage in as many minutes. :

By this time the steamboat was back in the current 0
the river again, and. the wrecked houses were drifting
People from the highlands, in boats and
on rafts, were doing much to rescue the’ remainder of th

flood victims. And many, many of them were swep

away beyond the reach of human aid!

passive pilot, put up his derringer, and came out up
the deck. i

“Call that old mudlark, Burger, up and give him hi:
“he saidy

old scow again, “T’ve got through with it.”

CHAP FER wy iit,

THE MAN WHO HAD A GROUCH,

Somebody passed the word along to the engine-room
and Buffalo Bill sighed, and put up his guns.
“Now, Captain Burger, you are at liberty to do as you

9)

You have legal redress,” said the scou

sarcastically, “and you know my Boon.”

“This is outrageous!” sputtered the angry skipper
“Suppose the River Belle had.been sunk—with all these
people on board, too!’

“And the elephant,’ drawled Cody.

“Oh, I shall call that circus man to account. He is}
mainly at fault.”

“T assure you, I need nobody to shoulder my affairs,”
“Had I been able to pilot th
boat, I would have doné the same.” |

But Captain Burger knew Cody of old. He had n

desire to rub the fur of the famous scout the wrong way

He rushed off to the manager of the circus and mad
a/windy complaint against Husky, the boss.

“Oh, humbug!” “Co tell your|
troubles to somebody that can manage Husky—not to)

39

ic.

growled the manager.

“But you re the conitolt de 4 man in this business, and|
you hire Husky,” cried Burger. :
“Yep! manage the show; but I don’t manage that

 
n eithe

0 those

‘FEN o
Irifting

ats and

THE BUFFALO BILIe STORIES.

I’m hanged if he doesn’t manage me,

&

2

“T'll sue you for damages!
The manager advised’ him to sue and be blessed, and
ptain Burger, spitting venom and hard words, took

Mr. Husky kept modestly in the ee He was
io big a man to needlessly tantalize the captain; and,
sides, he’ desired to escape the gratitude of the rescued

At the first jandine the latter were sent ashore, and so
rger could make no kick over carrying “deadheads”
Besides, public opinion was against him, and he
is too big a coward to face public opinion for long.
One-eye kept down among the animals for the most
tt. There the outside passengers did not find him. He
bnobbéd with the beasts and with the rougher men,

d Buffalo Bill himself scarcely managed to get a word

Hout of him.

“sought him out.

ipper.
these

about fifteen minutes;

He kept out of the captain’s way, but the’ engineer
The engineer was a man after Burger’s
because he had been
but he held One-eye

wn heart. He was ‘dead sore’”’
eld at his post by Buffalo Bill;

Br redenelc the engineer, sought the circus man out,

1 therefore, and tried to pick a row. Husky stood for him

he was a patient’ man!

(| Then the quarrelsome engineer was suddenly seized

the embrace of a creature who seemed a cross between
ain lightning and a grizzly bear! The one-eyed cir-
S man never would have been suspected of holding

uch strength in his lean frame...
He carried the kicking Frederick bodily to the rail,
nd there held him over the black river—it was at night

and inquired in his usual a draw! if he cared to be

“Merciful heavens !
deck Again |

Let me up! Let me
I'll be champed to

No, no!
You murderer!

pieces by the paddle-wheels,” yelled Frederick.

“Then keep your trap closed—will you?”
usky, and set him gently back on the deck.
Frederick scurried away like a wet kitten.
His mates had
ughed at him. The circtis men guffawed when he ap-

suggested

But the engineer nursed his troubles.

roached. He was a stout fellow himself, looking to be.

he master of two such attenuated chaps as the circus

iss. So the incident galled the deeper.

“several

: Lid:

  
    

But the engineer was not cashed. This was. so,
for he hung about during his spare time trying to find
a chance to g@t even. :

The Great and Only eee rand Menagerie did not
number any too many helpers on this trip down the
river. Everybody, even the tent-men, had to turn to in
the care of the horses and wild animals. Husky did -
his share. |

In one strongly built cage was an enormous cinnatnon
bear—one of the very few that at that time had been
seen in captivity. It was no novelty to Buffalo Bill; he
had faced several in their native wilds, and knew. the.
ugly temper of the beasts. | i

This fellow was called Pedro, and was Husky’s espe-

cial care; but there was no love lost between the two.

When Husky entered the cage to clean it, or for any
other purpose, Pedro and he eyed each other like two
strange dogs with a fence between them; and the man
carried an iron-shod hook, which he had already used

times on Master Pedro—so the bear remem-

bered, it. i

Pedro’s little, piglike, wicked eyes would sparkle, and
he would growl in a low minor whenever he saw Husky.
He was a savage spectacle, and, although the big tent-
man showed no fear, it was evident that he did not relish

his present. job of animal-tender.

Indeed, he confessed as much to Buffalo -Bill one day
when the scout was looking on as Husky prepared to
enter the cage to clean it up.

“I'd ruther take my chance with ce two. lions we
had the row with when we took boat, than with this fel-
lev

such critters, anyhow.”

remarked Husky. “I didn’t hire out to dry-nuss

Thus grumbling, he opened the cage, stepped within,
and shut it quickly. Pedro uttered a snarling roar and

rose on his hind legs.

“Get over there, confound ye!” commanded Husky,
making a pass with his pole.

The big bear backed away till his shaggy back
squatted against the bars at the extreme end of the cage.
His hinder parts stuck prominently through the space
between the heavy iron uprights. .

Up came Frederick, the engineer, just then, and
He wished that the

circus man would be attacked by the bear—and the wish —

scowled at Husky in the bear’s den.

in his heart was father to the act of his hand!
“He held a splinter of wood in his hand which he had ~
DEE BUFRALO BILL STORIES.

een whittling to a point. Frederick was a Vankes and
he whittled as he talked. The opportunity to do some-

thing mean was too great for Frederick to, resist.

Suddenly the engineersstabbed the bear in the back with

the sharp stick. It wasn’t much of a prod, but it was
_ sufficient to blind old Pedro with rage!
Like the bulldog whose tail is stepped on, and whose

teeth involuntarily sink into the leg of the man nearest

his muzzle, so Pedro started to avenge himself for that

stab on the man in front*of him.

With a roar that seemed to fairly shake the forward
The
latter turned with 4 shout, and presented the iron hook

deck of the River Belle, Pedro sprang at Husky.

against the bear’s shaggy breast.

But he turned so aac ane: attack had been quite.

unexpected—that Husky missed his: footing. He slipped,
and the next moment lay full length under the awful
paws of the angry brute! |

CHAPTER IX.
SCR es Paes ey Dl a ate RR Ae

The man was down and the bear was upon him be-

fore Buffalo Bill could count ten. He had not under-

stood the reason for the attack, as he did not see Fred- :

erick jab the bear; but that Pedro had Husky on the

sround and was about to finish him there could be no
: , %, .
doubt.

The scout sprang forward to the cage and fumbled at
the snap-lock of the door. The mechanism was simple,
and he had it ajar. He had drawn his gun instantly;
but then the foolishness of attacking such a beast with
such a weapon struck home to him. Deadly as the gun
was in this marksman’s hand, unless he blinded Pedro
with a shot, or got the muzzle of the pistol down his
throat, no bullet would ever reach a vital spot in that

huge carcass !
In a twinkling Pedro had torn two vicious slits in
” Husky’s leg, roaring betimes as though rejoicing in his
— fill ” But the man did not lose his presence of mind,
‘Husky rolled over and clutched the cinnamon by his
shaggy throat before the fierce teeth could close upon

him, There began a fight for life, the like of which had.

‘ seldom been seen$ certainly not in Buffalo Bill’s expe-
“rience.
| ae Pedro sane to get the man into his embrace

£

it would instantly be “all up’ with Husky. The one
eyed one could not withstand the bone-cracking strengt
of Pedro’s forearms. aes

“Hey, Rube!’ yelled Buffalo Bill, Pe eeinc thes
circus men’s call, and he shouted this at the top of his
voice, again and again, as he foes into the oo to thef
assistance of the tent-man. ee

The latter was fighting like a madman to hold the bear}
at arm’s length. Pedro weighed fifteen hundred pounds,}

and Husky, though a giant in strength, weighed scarcely|

‘one hundred and fifty.

It was a most unequal contest in every way.
with his hands dug into the creature’s furry
Husky managed to tise to his feet, still keeping Pedroy.
at arm’s length. Husky’s arms were long and like iro
bars; the weight of the angry bear seemed unable
bend them. They swayed backward and forward in sill
den. It was so narrow a place that the bear had not

as good a chance as the man, after all. Out in the

- open he would have swung Husky from his feet, ee

him loose, and then killed him at his leisure.

Now he tore at Husky’s clothing, snarling and biting,
but never getting a grip or doing the mam serious dan
age. The'slits in the right leg first sustained by Husk
were, so far, his only serious wounds.

Buffalo Bill had rushed to the fray with little thought
as to how he could aid the cireus map. He realized that
to get in close enough to use his pistol to any effect
would be to court certain death. And.there was tio use
in two men aye when both might be saved by strat

egy! ,

So he put up his gun and prabbed the iron-shod pole
that Husky had dropped. With this he ran at the bear
using the pdle like a spear, and wounded him serious!)
under the forearm: oe |

With a roar Pedro tried to tear away from the at
cus man and strike at Buffalo. Bill. But desperate as
was his position, Husky would not let him go.

Indeed, he was like the man riding the bull.

He didn’t
want to be thrown off, and he dared not fall off! |

Buffalo Bill made another tremendous stab with the
iron, and Pedro roared again, and then whimpered. The

cinnamon hasn’t the sulky courage of the grizzly. He

was in pain, and he thought of the pain first, aoa off
vengeance, ‘

Buffalo Bill nad entered the death- -trap with. little

thought as to own peril. Nor lad he any sure knowl

 
 

 

 

JHE BUPLALOQ VB Ss FOnK as

of the way to save Husky’s life, The one-eyed man
fed to be down and out!

it chance had given him a weapon, and Heaven di-
d the blows he struck with it.

nant voice repeated again and again the battle-cry of

Meanwhile his

“circus men!

ederick, outside the cage, stood aghast at what
ad done.
do.
Je was unable to be of the slightest aid to the two

n in the cage.

The weak are ever fearful of the damage

But fortunately others heard and came
haste—men who lacked neither nerve nor the knowl-
e of what was needed in this emergency.

hey brought other irons and wooden bars.
ched through the bars at the enraged bear;

They
they

inst the charges of Pedro.

rederick slipped away while they worked over the
mseless Husky. The latter had the vitality of his
ass, however. He was weakened by loss of blood, but
knew them all in a few moments, and cursed himself
ir “dropping off’? in so childish a way, as he termed it.
‘There was a doctor aboard, and Husky was patched
He had no broken bones, but he would be stiff and

in his bunk, the physician a fOr the west of the

But the following morning he sent for him, and the
ntiersman responded, Husky was lying restlessly in
berth, his single ‘eye. rolling savagely, his lips white
h pain, but in an almost uncontrollable state of mind,
Cody saw. Something was working in the fellow,
whatever it might be, it was not good for him in

present state of bodily health.

‘He pulled out from beneath his blanket the sharp
ick that Frederick had been whittling at the
« fusky had entered the bear’s den the day before.
“Dye see this, Mr. Cody? fe ye harshly.

time

‘one-eyed

feeling against the engineer.

“Do you know where that was found?”

“Why—no.” s
See the p’int
An’ that’s bear’s

“Right down there He that bear-cage.
of it? That’s blood—bear’s blood.
hair stickin’ to it.”

TAN GLE queried the scout coolly.

“What do you think likely it was used for ?”

“T couldn't say.”

"Well canl®
"Vhat. stick

was punched. good and hard, too.

ced Husky, his eye glittering.
Pedro’s hide. It
It takes a right smart
blow with such a thing to git into a bear’s carcass.”
“Welle” asked Cody.
‘Am the skunk that: done) it

was punched inter ol

Ha! Vl have his
life for it!” growled the one-eyed man. ‘“That’s what
Warn’t that
Frederick right there when the fight begun?”

started old Pedro going. I know it was.
“He might have beens:
“Of course he was!’
“Then why ask me—if you know.”
“Don’t you fool with me, Bill Cody!” growled Husky,
half-rising, from his pillow, but dropping back again
with a groan. “I-know you give me a hand in a mighty

tight corner. I’m grateful. But, hang it! don’t you try

to rool me a know Frederick was there.”

SW ellie

“Ain't he always whittling—the blame’ Yank! That
He jabbed the bear an’ then

scuttled away. Ain’t that right?”

stick’s got his ear-marks.

“T don’t know that it is so,’

“But you believe he did ne
za haven't got to answer that question, Husky.”
cackied ‘they.
“That's

* said Cody slowly,

a9

“You've answered it enough for me,

man, with .an awiul grimace.

enough.”

CHAPTER Xx:
A DISAPPEAR AN CE

Buffalo Bill was in no mood to blame Husky for his
There was little doubt in
the scout’s mind but that Frederick had stabbed the
big bear, and had done it with the intention of setting
the beast upon the circus man.

Yet Cody had not seen the engineer in the act, al-
though he had noticed him lurking about the cage, and
knew that he had been there during the fight. Fred-—

 

 
. THE BUFFALO

/

_ erick had offered no assistance when Cody burst into
the den to save Husky from the bear. Perhaps he
had been too frightened to help; but that he had no
love for the circus man was a fact.

Cody, however, did not warn the engineer that Husky
Personally he felt no interest in Fred-
erick. The man had stood idle while Pedro, the bear,

_ was’on his trail.

- ighad endeavored to destroy both the circus man and him-

self; therefore it was only justice that Cody should re-
main neutral at this juncture.

Besides, from the shape in which Husky seemed to
be, Cody judged that the circus boss could do very little
toward wreaking his revenge on Frederick at present.
The Great and Only aggregation would leave the boat
above Vicksburg, and that would settle the feud, the
frontiersmen believed.

. Husky remained in his bunk, and Frederick kept
; away from that part of*the boat. Affairs remained as
calm as a summer sea for the following fewsdays. Then
other incidents served to erase, in a measure, from Buf-
falo Bill’s mind the idea that the circus man meant

vengeanice.

At a landing some hundred miles above Vicksburg,
the scout beheld a man coming aboard whom he had
not seen for six amonths. And the last time he had seen
his face, the circumstances were,

to say the least,
troubled.

“Old Hoskins, of you'can serve me with mint sauce!”
declared Buffalo Bill to himself. “The hermit of Dead

’ Man’s Bluff. And what-can he be doing away up here?
Given up the hermit game and keeping the lighted
lamp in the window biz. Odd!”

The old man looked just as wild as ever, and he»
walked about the boat, muttering and talking to him-
self. But as he paid his fare and behaved quietly, Cap-
tain Burger did not question his right to be aboard the
River Belle.

If the old man teroeuued Cody he gave no sign.
But the pilots knew old Hoskins, and from one of them
Buffalo Bill gained some recent information regarding
the queer old fellow.

The attack upon his cabin on the top of Dead Man’s

Bluff had been but the beginning. of trouble for the
_ old fellow. The gang of outlaws who were defying the

State as well as the Federal laws in that vicinity were -

not yet broken up. “Kunnel” Marcus James had done

his best as United States marshal; but he apparently

©

BILL STORIES

could not rid the community of Big Tom Jennis’ gang.
The hermit had been obliged to flee from his cabin
finally, for he refused to defend himself against the!
raiders with carnal weapons, and the colonel could noth
keep a guard on the bluff all the time.
“We river-men miss the~old codger’s light a who
Lot?
“T should think you would,” Cody observed.

said the pilot, in. conclusion.

“Yep. He kept it burnin’ for his son Bill, that was
blowed up the night the Mary Bowler sunk; but we 4
always steered into Bolding by it.
out way in.”

That the old man was worse in his mind than on the
occasion when Buffalo Bill had been besieged in his
He walked about the boat g
continually; never seemed to sleep, and did not appear

cabin seemed quite evident.

The crew and circus |
men chaffed him at first, and then pitied him.
free to come and go as he pleased.

at table when the passengers ate.

He was

This is how old Hoskins came down into the quar-|
ters occupied by the one-eyed circus man and his mates!
one evening when Buffalo Bill had gone there to in-|
quire for the injured man. |

Husky still lay in his berth, and the surgeon had re-
ported that,

should remain in a reclining posture for the rest of

although his wounds were healing, he |

the trip. And he didn’t look strong enough to get up,

anyway; though at his best Husky was a sallow-looking
fellow ; that was how He engineer had come to mistake
his caliber.

Old Hoskins blundered into the place while Cody was

talking with the sick man. The latter looked up ang
saw the bewhiskered ex-hermit, and he stopped abrupt-
ly in what he was saying to the scout.

“Who’s that?’ he snapped.

. Cody looked, and saw Hoskins.

The old man wes)
not looking at them; he was. looking at nobody, in oe
for his gaze seldom caught one’s eye.

“You mean the old man?”

“That’s the one.” __ ’ }
*-said Cody. ‘Harmless,’ and he
tapped his forehead so that Husky would understand.

“A new passenger,’

The circus man did not speak again, only to say
“Good night” when the scout left. And he watched the
old man as long as he remained in sight. Oe

It was just before Buffalo Bill retired that night
somewhere near the hour of midnight—that he was di

 
THE BUFFALO BILL STORIZS.

bed by hearing Captain Burger sputtering to his first
cer and the pilot on the. hurricane- deck.

"The fellow isn’t addicted to playing silly jokes He

2)

pe,” said the skipper, in answer to something his sec-
d in command offered, '“He’s not playing hide-and-
ek with us. If he is, he'll be tag ; |
hen I find him!” |
‘He must be somewhere about,”
‘Well, he
found. Something has happened to the silly ass!”

ged good and hard

said the pilot.
isn’t. It’s his trick below, but he can't

Cody was interested, and drew near.
rYou

dy?’ demanded Burger, recognizing the figure of the

haven't seen Frederick, have you, Colonel

He should be on duty
His first assistant is kicking,
y be found.”

| Last. seen at supper-time?” mused Buffalo.

but Frederick isn’t

“As you landsman would say, eight o'clock,”
ined the mate.

“One of the stewards saw him going forward to
loke his pipe. He was due to relieve his mate, you

w, and would not turn in at that hour.”

1

He’s not in his room, by thunder! explained the

Po) looked: myseliia

I can’t shed any light on the mystery, gentlemen,”
Cody seriously. |

ut he turned on his heel and sought the forward
of the, boat himself.
quarters occupied by the animals and the bulk of

And he went directly to

workmen in the pay of the manager of the Great
Only. | 5
een Frederick’ down here i he asked one ofthe
men who looked out for the animals at night.
e engineer? Nop. He don’t come here much
ow’s Husky ve
sleep.” ‘
tact, Cody could see the isuetles: fees in the
man’s. bunk, and he turned away, half-convinced
e thought which had brought him there was pre-

j

fin Wisaerop, cas ie -expressed: it.

He ‘went back and

There was no trace of them,

stepped softly to the berth which Husky had lain in for
three days or more.

_He stooped over the figtre hidden, under the lanka
It looked 7 though Husky had turned his face: aside
and had fallen into.a deep sleep.

But suddenly Cody uttered an exslaneion of a
gust, seized the corner of the blanket, and yanked it
away. . [here was nobody there at all—only a bundle of
clothing carefully rolled up and made to represent a
sleeping man! on,

as what's up?’ cried the watchman, running:
over. :

Several of the others were aroused and drew near.

“Where’s One-eye?” they demanded.

“Tsn’t that known to any of you?” asked Cody sternly.

pi i seen him.

99

The other circus men denied all as of the

Why, I thought he couldn’t move
declared the watchman.

one-eyed man’s whereabouts. And their surprise seemed
honest enough. It was thought that the injured man
really could not move.

“He’s gone, all right—and so’s somebody oe said
Cody, watching them closely.

“Any of you fellows seen Frederick, the engineer?”
queried the mate of the River Belle, at that moment
appearing on his search for the absent mechanic.

The ciréus men looked at each other.

“Then

you can bet that where he’s gone, Husky’s with him!’

“That engineer gone, too?’ one remarked.
And so it seemed, both men had utterly disappeared;

evidently the disappearance being prearranged on

Husky’s part. They searched the boat high and low.
nor had the River Belle
touched at a landing during the last. four hours.

The two men—deadly enemies as was well known—
had gone overboard, and the inference was that they

had gone together !

CHAPTER XI.
AN AG CED BE NBL

Besides. being a matter for. much ‘comment and. re-
mark, the disappearance of the two men—especially the
engineer of the River Belle—was the starting-point of
a series of serious events which ostin! the steamboat
within a few hours.

Frederick, despite his mean disposition, was a good

 

 
a _ workman.
aboard. Captain Burger” was so parsimonious an old

THE BUFFALO PBI. STORIES.

2

fellow that he! had only hired one licensed engineer ;
Frederick’s assistants were not worth much.

‘Frederick watched his engines, and nursed them Wie :

- the care of a hen a one chick. When he had gone,
With-
in two hours the engine was acting badly, and before

those in charge of the machinery made mistakes.

morning the big paddle-wheels of the steamboat were |

stilled, while the blunderers below were working over
a “hot box.” That was something that Frederick had
never had. | a

Captain Burger swore and dbmplenees ont he had
If Frederick had chanced to
fall sick, it would have been quite as bad. The mystery

only himsedf to thank.

of the man’s disappearance would never have cut deep
into Burger's soul had the engines continued to work
all right!

The breaking down of the machinery was. only a be-
ginning; the steamboat was near no landing where she
could tie up. The river was running full and swiftly,
as we have seen; and the pilots were unable to manage
her well when her paddle-wheels were still.

At a bend in the stream a cross-currerit seized the

Before any means could be taken to stop this drift she
was aground ona. sand-bar, and that sand-bar was cov-
ered with water-logged timber.
rudder,

They got her off the bar finally, by warping her: in

These snags fouled the
and there she was!

small boats: put it would have been better had the en-

gines been in repair first. Out in the middle of the

river again, she merely drifted down-stream with the

_ swift current, and passed a landing at which she was
‘booked to call.

‘This did not please certain of the passengers, nota-
bly the circus manager.
aggregation was to have gone ashore.
af show was to be at Vicksburg for a first performance,

he wanted to get his cattle ashore that they might be
limbered up for the entrance into the city.

days the circus-parade was half the show, and a good

_ impression on the town was eminently necessary.
With the tent-men to back him, the manager de-

: manded that his show ‘be put ashore. Captain Burger

saw mischief ahead of him, and he was not one to court .

trouble; but this time he was helpless.

He was, in fact, the only finished mechanic —

allt drive them ashore, horse,

big boat and swung her inshore—and sterfr first at that. the pilot.

It was the landing at which his
Although the

In those- ‘

_ Without Husky to boss them, the circus hands had
become rather obstreperous again. It didn't take much
to set them going. ,
It was far from the manager's. intention to create a
riot; but he was an unwise man, and his hands were
There had been plenty of. friction

Now, when

ready for a fight.
heretofore between them and the crew.
Burger called his crew to aid him a general fight was
begun, which filled the River Belle with uproar.

‘Some of the other passengers sided with the captair
and crew, and Buffalo Bill was among these. One o
two. men were badly hurt, for knives and revolvey
were used freely. The river boats were often the sg
of hard-fought battles; but this was as mean a fig!
the scout had ever seen on the Mississippi.

Although the crew managed to beat-back the ci
hands, and keep them off the upper deck, they cd
In the midst of the troubl

it was at night—the men puttering over the enginé

not control them below.

managed to get them to working slowly.

\?

“Put her into the nearest dock!” commanded Burger

By thunder!§

12

to the pilot) “Il let. them* go. ashore:

foot, and hay-wagon!

“Bolding’s the nearest place we can Jand, a objecte

“Well, what of it? Stop at Bolding.” \
“But I hate to do that in the dark and with the e1
gines so uncertain. We've got to guess at the chan

nel there. It’s as dark as sin to-night.”

“You take her in, confound you!” roared Captai

Burger. “And see that you don’t ground her again. [I
you do, I'll have your license taken away from you!”
With this threat he turned away. At the same mo
ment a wild hullabaloo arose from the lower deck again
The circus men had reformed their party, and the fight
was once more on. ? | of
Together with the shouts of the men came the roar§
ing of the caged animals. Many of the respectable pas
sengers believed some of the beasts had been freed, an

they shut themselves up in their staterooms. .

Buffalo Bill had done yeoman ’s service in keeping the
reckless and drunken circus hands’ under. subjection
He rushed once again into the fray, and chased two fel;

lows out upon deck to disarm them. He used his ow:

bare fists, not desiring to kill irresponsible men.

They had a pretty set-to there in the dark, and in ;

_ few seconds the plucky scout piled the two, one on tof

 
< THE BUPPALO

ie other, and both senseless, in the shadow of the
As he backed away for breath, a figure flitted by
and ran up the ladder to the hurricane-deck. He
not at once follow, however, believing that there
s more work for him below. But as he started down
“companiohway again he heard a shriek from above.
e hesitated, stepped back, and gazed up at the pilot-
e forward. Everything seemed all right there, yet
emed to him the cry had come from that diréction.
ery officer and eT of ue crew was oy.

sprang up the steps and ran swiftly Ds
bpear ‘ ht was so black that a spark of light on either

ATCUS

t Bolding’s’ Landing was near, the scout had no idea
ere it could be.

- Nor did he see how the pilot could
the course under these oe circumstances.

water on either hand. But the lights of no other

were in sight, either ahead or astern. The River
might have been sailing on the River Styx!
fluttering figure he had seen might have been
ke g anywhere in the shadows of this upper deck.
, Cody half-expected the man to spring upon him
moment. He drew a pistol and stole quickly to
miot-box. ——” | .
_when his eyes rose to a level with the sill of the
indow of the house, he was amazed by what he
But he immediately pushed the pistol back into

pilot was not at the wheel. Instead, he had been
with a rope and gagged, and now reclined on the
ed seat, in a not particularly. comfortable posi-

i

cry had not been repeated. He was a good-
an himself, and athletic ; ee he had been no
or ‘his Se

omenal strength and_agility Buffalo Bill knew
d he had made captive the as ot of the
lle with evident ease, —
the old man, his eyes glittering wildly, his hair

°

BILL STORIES.

the wheel, the man would know it to do!

flying, the great beard sweeping his breast, held the
spokes of the avheel as though he were used to. the
work. pA eee ee
And he may have heen in his youth; but that was
Buffalo Bill believed that
the crazy notion of the old man to pilot ‘this craft spelled
ruin: for her, and possible death to all hands aboard.

many, many years before.

What did the hermit know about the changing curs
rents, the shifting bars, and the hidden snags of the
dangerous Mississippi? A single turn of the wheel
might point the nose of the ‘big ae toward utter |

destruction ! !

CHAPTER XII.
HOW THE LANDING WAS MADE.

The situation was fraught with great peril, and Buf-
falo Bill well appreciated the fact.
perhaps, already off her course.

The steamer was,
For full five minutes
she had been under the management of the madman.

Strange pilot, indeed, was old Hoskins. Yet the old
fellow looked inspired as he stood there in the lamplight,
peering through the front windows of the house, and
gripping the spokes of the big wheel as mores nat
with the work of a pilot.

As for the scout,
diance of the boat’s

he could not see beyond the ra-
own lights. They might be ten
yards from the bank, or half a mile, for all he knew.
It was a situation. to make a cautious man hesitate.
The regular pilot had been deprived of his control of
the boat. In the scrimmage undoubtedly he had lost his

own sense of direction. It was doubtful if, restored to

What old Hoskins understood about the river and
about piloting Cody did not know: but it struck him
that the old man might possess that mysterious sense—
that almost dumb-brute instinct—that often inspires the’
acts of mad people. a

He might be guiding the ‘steamboat all right! Such
3 thing were possible, and, although Buffalo Bill had
crept to the door behind the strange pilot and was al-
ready crouched to spring upon his shoulders and bear
him to the floor, he hesitated to attack him!

He could not reach the signal-cord so as to communi-
cate with the engine- -room—not without. being discov- |
ered by the madman. And he looked for nothing but
a deadly battle, did old, Hoskins sight him.

 
THE BUFFALO

: 26

Suddenly the manner of the old man changed. His
_ face lit up, with some inward emotion,*his eyes seemed
“to glare, he stood more straight at the wheel. |
“Dead ahead! There is the landing!” Buffalo Bill
heard him mutter. “We have rounded the bend—ah,
yes! We are safe!’ ee
The old man brushed the long hair from his thea
He peered forward through the window.
“The light! where’s the light?” he cried. “Tt burns
Its red eye winks through the
Where is it

“every night for him.
gloom and shows him the course to steer.
_ to-night: et

Buffalo Bill well remembered the story he had heard
about the beacon on Dead Man’s Bluff that old Hoskins
had kept trimmed so many years for his son Bill. Were
they so near Bolding Landing now? And was the man
looking for the light which he himself had tended?

Unconsciously the scout raised his eyes to peer into
the upper darkness. He focused them upon a point
above the river which was about the height of the well-
remembered bluff and the cabin on its summit.

‘Suddenly—tike a dark lantern when the slide is pulled
open—a star of light appeared in the dense blackness
of what seemed to be a cloud-bank! oy

Or was it a headland?
which the old man had lived his hermit life for so Baik,

Was it the promontory on

years?
Almost instantly Hoskins saw it.
his sigh of satisfaction, and saw him change the course

of the steamboat a hair. Did he do it mechanically?

“There’s the light!
strange pilot.
Man's Bluff >”

He straightened up still more and whirled the wheel
Buffalo Bill knew that if yonder
was a light on the summit of*the bluff, the dock lights
and others of the hamlet about Bolding Landing must

There’s the light!" cried» ‘the

“Who said there was no beacon on Dead

with a surer hand.

: soon appear. They were hidden by the forest when the
boat was well out in the stream, for a wooded. ‘point
intervened. : ee

as the steamer

And sure “enough, in five minutes,

plowed on, the twinkling lights of the little settlement

_. shot into. view, with a great fire of fat-wood in an iron

6 anes at the ae of the dock to serve as a harbor light.

| ‘There was. a hurried step on the deck-boards behind
“the scout. He turned to see ‘Burger’s portly. form just

! ae in the east from the house. a /

BL

deuce are we?

COMEr.

Buffalo. Bilt heard :

just.ahead. . Take commantl of your crew, man!

aft, bawling to his mate to have the watch called up

STORIES:

‘Tello! hello!’ panted the skipper. “Where ¢
What's the matter with Maybrick?”
Maybrick was the pilot’s name. And naturally
brick did not answer. :
“They tell me there’s a landing sighted,” cried Bu
er. “Where the thunder are we, Cody—d’ye know?
Then he suddenly caught sight of the gray head
bent shoulders of the strange pilot in the house.
Who’s that,

the pilot?” yelled the captain, darting forw

‘What's the meaning of this?
Where's

He saw the regular pilot, bound and gagged, in
He opened his mouth for a yell, and was ab
to dart upon the old man, the wooden bar in his h
raised to strike. :

“Hold on!” commanded Buffalo Bill.

“Who is that fool?”

“Tet him alone., You'd better, man!” |
The scout caught the es, wrist and held

back.

-“Confound you, man! What are you about? D

- you know that man is loony?”

“He may be,” admitted Cody, still holding him

“Then stop him! Stop him! Do you want to wre
my boat?” |

“Vou may wreck it yourself if you trouble ny
‘Who'll steer if you at

He does not kr

Burger,” exclaimed Cody.
him? Maybrick?

where we are at this blessed minute, 2 venture to wage

Look at him!

“But the man is mad!”
“And so are you to terre
“Tet him be. There are the lights of Bolding Land

ee

rowed Buffalo

ready to make fast. Leave the old fellow to me, ¥

)
iA
4

you?” .
- The ‘scout atl Se arene that Burger
fain to drop back and, after a moment, obey. He

t

The fight below had dyatdied down to sporadic

hibitions of fisticuffs between certain members of

Other of the la
were either knocked out or were too drunk to take

crew and some of the circus men.

further active part in the ruction.

‘Cody stepped into the pilot-house, unmolested

“most unnoticed—by the. strange pilot; and untast

Maybrick’s bonds.
“Want that wheel: ” demanded the scout earnestly

“By Heaven, man! let me get my wits,” g aoe

 
THE BUFFALO

“He’s loony, sure enough, but don’t he jest know
Huh! Bill Hoskins himself wouldn't
brought us in cleaner, And the ol’ man was a
jong before his son-Bill ever held a spoke.”

o I presumed,” observed Buffalo Bill. “But watch

2”
°

hannel e

1¢ old man, who had doubtless been excited by the
and confusion of the fight below, began to waver

_ He passed a shaking hand across his forehead, he
d ahead as though straining his. eyes to see into

darkness. The nose of the steamboat began to
ff. :

aybrick, the regular pilot, ventured to signal the

je-room to slow down. Cody stood at the elbow
old man, and finally plucked his sleeve.

gskins turned and looked at him wonderingly.

me| away, pop,” said the scout. “You've played

eh with that wheel, ain’t you?’

eekly enough the old fellow gave up the spokes to
ick, and accompanied Buffalo Bill out of the pilot-

In a few minutes they made the landing, and

ew, with the help of all the \sober men the circus
er could gather, ran the wagons and other stuff

CHARTER: XT

THE BEACON-LIGHT.

Marcus James would always have a horse at
osal, he knew.

ined to go on to his old home on top of Dead

s Bluff that night, he accompanied him.

Pwas a long five miles, and they had to make it
‘The old man knew the path perfectly, however.
e seemed tireless. All the distance he was mut-

to himself, and the scout might have been a mile
as far as Hoskins seemed to consider hifr: a

e. He endured his companionship, but that was

ras past midnight when they reached the summit

~

\

BILE STORIES. : 27

of the bluff. The light of the big lamp still glared
through the end window of the cabin.

Remembering what had been told him about the lurk-
ing outlaws in this vicinity, Cody would have been cau-
tious about approaching the house; but Hoskins kept
on. He would not be held back, and his companion ac-
companied him perforce. —

Hoskins opened the door without a word, and abrupt-
ly entered the cabin. Cody, a gun in either hand, was
at his back; but there was nobody in the front room.

Some wet garments trailed upon the floor from one
of the chairs, as though they had been hung there to
dry. ‘There must be somebody in the apartment beyond.

Hoskins went at once to the lamp in the window and
adjusted its wick. That was all he was thinking of at
the moment. It had been the beacon-light that had
drawn him to his old home. as
But Cody seized a pine knot that was smoldering on |
With this he
stepped to the doorway of the inner room.

the hearth and waved it into a blaze.

On the wide berth lay a figure covered by a blanket;
but on the floor was stretched a second man, and his
white face was recognized by the scout with an. instant
cry of surprise.

His |

garments were wet, there was blood on the floor, evi-

It was that of One-eyed-Husky, the circus boss.

dently flowing from his old wotinds, and he looked to

—

be in a bad way.

Cody paid no further attention at the moment to the
man in the bed. He knelt over Husky and examined
the disarranged bandages which the surgeon had put -
on him.

An artery had broken again and must be attended to
at once. In three minutes the ready scout had arranged
a tournequet and stopped “the flow of blood. Then he
hoisted the man up ands carried him into the outer room.

Old Hoskins paid ret the slightest attention to them.

' Even after Buffaio Bill had administered stimulants to

the injured man, and he had revived enough to whisper
his story, the old man. did nothing but walk around
his

long and tend it.as a mother might a child in the cradle. .
§ : g

cherished lamp, from which he had been absent so.

“Close call, eh, Colonel Cody?’ whispered Husky,
when he knew the scout. : : .

“Tam amazed at finding you here,” admitted Cody.
“Didn’t think I’d make it. Dead Man’s Bluff, ain’t
ibe : 7 ,

 
MS

 

      

oa THE BUFFALO

“Ves. And the summit of it at that.”

“Thought I couldn’t have been mistaken,” whispered
Husky. “But I reckon I went off my head for a while.
“How’s the other ?’

“The other?” |

“Yes. Him that was with me?”

“IT don’t know.”

“Better look at him. He keeled over before we left
the water. Why, man! we've been paddling on a log
for a-day and two nights!” |

“For Heaven's sake! Who is it?” gasped Cody.

“Take a squint at him,’ returned Husky, and the
scout ran to do so. :

The man in the bunk was Frederick, the engineer of
the River Belle!

Frederick was sleeping the sleep of exhaustion; but

as far as Cody could discover he was in much better

shape than the one-eyed man. He went back, and so’

reported to the other.

“Funny!” whispered Husky again. “I had my mind
made up to finish that feller. I was foolin’ you all—the
sawbones, too. Yer can’t kill me SO easy.

“T sneaked out of my quarters and went on a still
hunt for Frederick. I know he done that trick the time
I was in Pedro’s cage. I was going to get hunk with
him.

“I caught him on deck smoking. We grabbed each
other, and somehow he h’isted me over the rail; but
yer bet he went with me!

“There we was a sozzlin’ around in the drink. Nice
perdicament. The old steamboat made a landin’ soon
after we went overboard, an’ we caught a log and come
straight down the middle of the river. Thunder! never
knew the stream ter be so lonesome before. We didn’t
sight a soul near enough to see us—or hear us, either!

“But a side current brought us into the foot of this
bluff. It was getting dark, but, I thought I knowed it.
Thunder! I had reason to know it, you bet!

“Frederick was done up. Why, colonel! I come

_ nigh to carryin’ him half-way up this hill—I did for a

fact! And when I got him in here I was bleedin’ into
my boots like a stuck pig. I had sense enough to git
him to bed. Then I keeled, I reckon!” coe ;

“Lucky you thought to light that big lamp,” said
Cody, after digesting this story. “It was all that got

_. the steamer in safe to Bolding to-night.”

 

he explained how the half-insane Hoskins had bro

his gang.

ee STORIES,

“t lit it without thinking much. It was han
Then I knowed it well. And the old man——?’
“The old man is a wonder!” exclaimed Cody,

the River Belle into the landing.

“The old man ain't forgot the river. Glory
couldn’t have done that myself,” muttered the one
man. “And I’d oughter know this part of the
too. I lost a boat off here on a bar one night.”

“You’re a pilot, then?’ asked Cody.

Then he suddenly had an inspiration.

“She was the Mary Bowler?” he exclaimed.

“That’s what! I was drunk. Last time ever |

  
  
   
  
  
   
     
  
   
   
    
     
 
 
  

I ain’t seen the big stream since that day—until | (On
aboard the River Belle at St. Lou.” i
“You're Bill Hoskins, the old man’s son,’ dec
Cody. . y
“You've said it, sir. An’ I reckon I'll hang arou
here and look after the old man. He needs somebd :
here, that’s sure. I hear there’s a passel of skunks b
tryin’ ter run him out. [ll fix them!’

And knowing what he did of the fellow’s prowess,

:

scout rather thought he would fix Big Tom Jennis|

In the morning he received a fuller account of]
Hoskins’ life and adventures since he had lett)

12.8
i

river. It was plain that the old man did not fully;
ognize his son; but he seemed contented to have §
about.

Frederick, the tamed engineer, went into Vicks§
with Buffalo Bill. The one-eyed man remarked as '
started :

“T was plannin’ to trim you up in good shape,
ornery scalawag! But I’ll hafter postpone that till
other time. When you come back this way on the }
scow look me up. T’ll be in shape to lick ye then.” I

History doesn’t state whether Mr. Frederick ever
cepted the challenge; but Buffalo Bill, knowing the
gineer for what he was, rather thought he wouldn’t !

The beacon on Dead Man’s Bluff shone for mai

year after that, and the river-men depended on i

they did on the government-established lights along
banks of the stream. ~

THE END.

The next number (353) will be “Buffalo Bill’s Br|
Busters; or, The Raid of Wolf Fang.”

   

 
 

 

 

 

 

NEW YORK, February 8, 1908.

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(Postage Free.)
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AROUND THE CAMP FIRE.

AN INDIAN DANCE.
ve eagle dance has been held for the last time among
pedians of southern oy ae according to a corre-
n. It was Pad only on

. old Cinon Duro, or to use his Indian name, Mata

ur, “hard rock,” the wealth of the traditions of the

hern California Indians was also buried, excepting for |

mentary records gathered by a few ethnologists. This
ent man had no son to whom he could intrust the sacred
ion; he was past 100, and had practically outlived his

1860 he had four sons. This in itself is an illustration
ivilizing influences, a fact which is further emphasized
€ spectacle of the dances, when the gap between the
group of eight or ten dancers, all past 90, wiry, athletic,
ess, and the lounging spectators of their own people,
ig fellows, none of them past 40, is especially noticeable.

to his people, coming accidentally through a fall from
Se. This was one year ago, and his burial rites were
nized both in the Catholic faith, which the Indian
usly observes, and the ancient nature-worship which is
eligion. None appreciated the tragedy of his race more
‘this ancient chief, whose last words were: “Mo-some!
méw-no-some!” (It is finished: the tribe is finished.)
le Catholic services were followed by the fiesta for the
, which lasted seven days and nights. Almost immedi-
preparations were begun for the eagle fiesta, the mark
nor to the last hereditary ruler of a people whose boast
d been that “when the hills were young they had played
‘their crests.” This fiesta was to be given in one year,
the brown September hills and turning oaks and wil-
would mark the anniversary of the old chief’s death.
celebration was the gift of the Duro clan, old Cinon’s

tainside and the strangers gather.

 

 

Bi SVORTES:
California. Its welcome also extended to the white visitors,
and a large number of these availed themselves of the oppor-
tunity for a closer study and recording of the customis of the
passing people. Five hundred Indians were present, repre-
senting the Pala, San Ysidro, Inaja, Rincon, Santa Ysabel,
Mission, and Agua Caliente tribes, coming from the seashore,
the desert edge, the fertile valleys to the north, and the far —
southern mountains. .
For fully a month before the last three as of the fiesta
practise dances were held in groups of three nights each
at the old rancherie, a large, square enclosure of brush-

‘built ramadas with an open plaza in the center, at one |

end of which was a carefully leveled circle of earth, beaten
hard by the tramping of many bare feet, the dancing floor
of the ancient Indian ceremonials.

As usual, the first two days and nights of the fiesta
were but forerunners, working up to the final pitch of the
last night. Then the sacred eagle would be killed with great
ceremony, mysteriously and without pain, and his freed
spirit would carry the last communication from the living
to the dead.

The solemnities of the night were prefaced during the
afternoon by the Tata Huila, or whirling dance—a dance —
really joyous in character and in contrast with the somber
fierceness and tragedy of the night ceremonies,
almost the comedy of dances. There is but one principal
performer, and an attendant, who resembles the funny.man
in a circus act, urging the dancer to fresh exploits.

This man enters the circle first, with smiling countenance,
trotting around the ring and rattling his clapping sticks.
Then, kneeling in the center of the circle, he strikes an
attitude of invocation, holding it immovably for perhaps five:
minutes, while the real dancer appears, clad only in eg
skirt and head-dress of eagle feathers.

He also carries two clapping sticks, and is elaborately
painted with markings of white and blue. He pauses and
bows before old Antonio, brother of the dead chief, who
beats time with a rattle, formerly made of dried deer-skin
enclosing deer toes, but now deteriorated to a baking-powder
can filled with pebbles.

Then the dance begins, a group of squaws intoning a low,
musical chant. Faster and faster he whirls, crouching, leap-
ing, side-stepping airily, his flying feather garment seem-
ingly buoying him up in the air. Under and over clap the
time-beating sticks, higher he leaps, whirling about several

times before touching the earth, an astonishing exhibition of

strength and agility.
Ever whirling, whirling, a veritable dervish, he passes

about the circle with a marvelous sureness of direction. All
this time, at intervals, the family of Cinon toss handfuls of
money and yards of calicoes upon the dancing-floor, which
are gifts eagerly gathered’ in “by their guests. For from
half to three-quarters of an hour the athlete, a man of some
fifty years, continues his strenuous exertions, and then at
their height stops suddenly, quietly, and walks steadily from
the circle—a performance not the least of his feats.

The purple dusk settles into the star-gemmed blackness
of the night. From far and near the people of the moun-
Cowboys in leather chaps -

and jingling spurs jostle alike their Indian comrades, gay

with cerise and green kerchiets, and poe city oy in 3

 

‘seeming *
 

 

 

 

a THE BUFFALO
: chal Matrons in calicoes, girls in white shirt-waist suits,
businesslike women with note-books, and Indian maidens
with scarlét ribbons in their glossy locks all have one com-
mon /interest.

An ethnolovist from a distant city stands by the adjusted

mechanism of his phonograph, which is to perpetuate the
existence of the quaint aboriginat chanting, the ancient
language from the primeval. Yuman stock, the heritage
despised and forsaken by the last of its possessors.
beside the restless, tethered ponies, autémobiles chug and
chir, a trange juxtaposition of extremes.

At the calling cry of the summoner, a line of/ancient
figures files in in full war-regalia. Standing before the
seaigd group of cantadoras, the women who had grown old
beside them, they begin q slow, shuffling step, grunting a
low, strongly accented “mh—m-m-hm!” with each heavy
thud of the bare feet. They are led by the centenarian,
Antonio, and his shrunken form and the pathetic dignity in
his drawn, parchmentlike face is the epitome of the whole
inexorable drama.

And now, mingling with the utter barbarism of the
dancers’ voices, comes a gentle underbreath of tone, droning,
almost inaudible, like insects on a midsummer afternoon.
It gathers in volume with a steady swelling rhythm, low,
musical, with slight minor inflections. The voices are -as
one voice, a full barytone quality that slides easily and accu-
rately through the many intricate changes of the theme.

Higher in the scale, louder and more intense, grows the
resonant melody, plaintive and heart-piercing in its weird
modulations of thirds and. fifths that is never cognized in
our modern system of notation, the primitive ery of the
nature people. Fiercer grows the movement of the dancers,
stamping, crouching, with outthrust arms and wild bursts of
guttural melody; and more passionately the swaying, climb-
ing cadences of the singers rise, in strange accents of twos
and threes, the essence of the elemental.

From the midst of the turning, twisting figures one be-

plumed dancer leaps, and with his staff scatters living coals

from the bed of the fire about the dancing-floor. The old
warriors circle about this central figure, back and forth,
their bare feet treading the glowing embers, occasionally
stooping to gather them in their hands and placing them
to their lips, a veritable fire-eating incantation.

Singers and dancers alike are wrought to a frenzy of
exaltation, and the scene is awe-inspiring even in this its
last expiring gasp, when on a stidden all ceases, a thick,
utter, motionless silence falls upon the entire scene. Then
the old men walk slowly about, uttering a peculiar, indrawn
neighing sound, and the war-dance is finished.

The spectators move cautiously about, looking at one an-
other with uncertain smiles and conversing in low tones,
while a huge oak log-fire is. being built in the center of the
beaten earth of the vacant circles. Then Antonio appears,
. marching with solemn tread about the blazing logs and keep-

oe ing time With his rattle to a plaintive, reiterated monotone

of chanting.

Gradually he is joined by groups of the relatives and
friends of the dead chief, all singing the mournful, low-
toned refrain, and moving in single file about the a with
a curious, twisting step, which throws the body far to one
side and then the other.

iS

Outside,

with exertion,

fire has burned all night.

Forty or *ifty ee join in the

BILL STORIES.

procession, young and old, gay gallants with brilliant nec
chiefs and their grandfathers in overalls, old women
girls, some of them bowed with grief, the tears stream
down their faces, and all with a settled solemnity of asp

With startling suddenness, a piercing wail rises from
side. It is Trinidad, only daughter of Cinon. Her g
rises high and shrilly, dominating the chanting chorf
Then, as the burden of this mourning becomes. unbearatf
it is all hushed at a signal, and the announcement is
that at the rising of the morning star the sacred eagle
be killed by magic, painlessly, by the Indian medicine-
who will thus show their superiority. ~over the white m
cine-men.

The bird is borne in ay the four hechiceros, or medicit
men, each of whom is hideously painted and garbed eld
orately in the feather skirts and head-dresses which are|
mark of rank in the tribe. The leading conjurer, Narco
a powerfully built. man, carries the eagle about the ing
circle, close to the flaring blaze of the fire.

The bird stares straight ahéad, with wide-open, cur'
beak and lolling tongue. It is, for some reason, strange
stupid. Its feet are bound together with cords, but it ma.
no movement to attack its captors with its powerful beak

Even when, with shrieking and. muttering incantatio
the medicine-men strike it with their feathered wands a
blow tobacco smoke into its eyes, it does not heed, but sta
inscrutably back into their contorted faces, perhaps beyot
‘into the vista of its fast-approaching destiny when it s
be traversing the star-strewn path of the milky way,
pathway of departing spirits,” on its mission.

The witch-doctors seemingly exhaust every effort in '
working of the charm; they breathe heavily, as though sp
grimacing, crouching. ‘With mystic pas:
they point their wizard wands at their helpless victim, ¢
at length, when more than one white spectator. has tt
away, the fine head suddenly lifts and is thrown back, |
though in a final struggle. for its swiftly departing life, sif
slowly from side to side, and then hangs limp upon |
feathered breast. The messenger has departed. —

.The dead body is cafff’ed in triumph by one and anotli§
during: the interminable figure of the dance. A raw ff
creeps into the air. The remaining spectators gather t
wraps more closely about them. The fire becomes a smold¢
ing heap of rapidly paling embers. %

Low on the'eastern horizon the long ew |
stars is paling before a_gray creeping tinge of light. © 7)
dancers halt. The head-men, the capitans, pluck the i
feathers from the bird for the making of the dancing-ski#

The denuded body is wrapped in red cloth, and a gr
is dug in the warm earth underneath the spot where.
Reverently the old men kneel ab
the tiny grave. Softly the yO chant as the bird}
lifted to the north, the south, the east, and the west.

Then, as the grave is filled and smoothed by the ald ha
of the kneeling men, the white-haired Antonio lifts his a
to the skies, a last high priest to an ancient rite speec
the departed messenger, pleading that sorrow, sickness, h
ger, and death might not visit the pueblo, and invok
the power of the great eagle god, who brought the pe
for many moons, from the far south across the mount 1

and the desert, whea the earth wds young.
_ And so has the fiesta of the eagle-dance passed.

 
THE BUPEFALO BILL ‘STORIES,

he Duel in the Mountains.

t

BY ROYAL LE DARE.

ut one day’s ride up the Missouri River, from the
Falls, is the Gate of the Mountains.

as in the month of leaves, many years ago, that a
ny of trappers, twenty in number, tethered their
and built their camp-fire at this spot one night, just
sun was sinking behind the frowning peaks of the
Mountains. They were on their way to the trap-
rounds, and another day’s journey would bring
o the haunts of the beaver and the otter.

s one of the party, and, having tethered my mule,
my rifle and walked down to the river-bank.

as about to divest myself of my clothes, for the
e of refreshing myself with a bath, when I was
d by a tall fellow, mounted on a mustang, with:

Ilo, stranger, what’s yer handle?”

which I replied:

yal le Dare. Who are you, and where do you

al, stranger, I goes by the name Ae Sam Bluff,
m just from the States. You belong to this com-
ip here, I take it?”
d him that I did, and asked iis to stop Ea take
with us, to which he assented, and we proceeded
camp, followed by his men, six as rough-looking
as are not often met with, even on the prairies.
ter eating supper, the strangers proposed to camp
us for the night, to which our captain agreed. And
hing ourselves beside the fire, we proceeded to
ur pipes and get acquainted.
appeared to be an educated, well-informed per-
d he was soon quite popular with our company.
for myself, having finished ‘my pipe, I wrapped
anket around me, and was soon in the land of
In my dreams I thought that, after a half-
bsence on the prairies, I had returned to my
n the Empire State. I stood on the banks of the
n, beneath the trysting-tree, where, on a summer's
'had exchanged the vows of love and constancy
fairest maiden that dwelt on the banks of the
I was waiting for her then, and, as my eye

on the well-known path that ran by the mossy |

I saw her hastening to meet me. I started for-
but as she caught sight of my weather-bronzed
y tangled locks streaming down to my shoulders,
y long and unkempt beard, she uttered a scream
ed. I thought I heard her shout as she disap-

: Diable! ‘a cheat!”

nging to my feet, I found Bluff oe our leader,
ards ih their hands, engaged in an angry alter-
and I soon found that the words I had heard in

_issue of the contest.

my dream had been spoken by our leader at the conclu-
sion of a game of bluff. ;

Ina few minutes they resumed their oe the stakes
were doubled, and a thousand dollars in glittering gold
lay on the blanket between them.

After the cards were dealt, Bluff added Bethe hun-
dred to the pile. Our leader added another hundred,
and called his opponent’s hand. Bluff threw down his
hand, and displayed four aces and the king of hearts.
‘His eyes gleamed maliciously, and a triumphant smile

was on his face as he swept the gold into his pockets and

extended his hand for the cards.’ But our leader was
too quick for him, and, grasping the pack, he strewed it
on the ground, revealing the four aces to the eyes ‘of
the astonished company. Bluff had had four aces be-
longing to another pack concealed in: his sleeve.
Scoundrel, give back my money, or I'll cut your
throat!’ shouted our enraged leader.
Bluff leaped onto his mustang’s back, but he was
quickly “dragged from the saddle, and then and there
ensued a fight such as the puny and debilitated denizens
of the East never witness. We gathered around them —
with torches in our hands, and in silence awaited the
They struggled like lions, and the

“blades of their bowie-knives flashed like lightning i in the
torchlight.
The struggle was of short duration.

The he hae
of our leader grasped the gambler’s throat—his knife
was raised, and then sank to the gambler’s heart.

As our leader rose to his feet, we discovered that
Bluff’s companions were gone, and that they had taken
six of our rifles and two of our best ee. with
them.

In less than two minutes ten of us were maunted and.
dashing over the moonlit prairie in pursuit.

As we ascended the bluffs a short distance back from
the river, we discovered the villains a mile ahead of us,
streaking it across the prairie. Plying our spurs, we
dashed on, ahd in twenty minutes we were within pistol-
shot of them. Firing our rifles, we drew our hatchets and
closed with them, Ss

Yells, oaths, shots, and crashing blows were (oie
mingled, and in a few minutes we were masters of the *
field, without the loss’of a single man and only three

wounded.

Leaving their carcasses for the wolves, -we returned
with horses, mules, and rifles, just as the gray light of
early dawn) was discernible in the east. Quickly des-
pane our ee we mounted and crossed the
river.

As our company disappeared in the woods hocadd. 7 |
checked my horse, and, looking back at the scene of the
midnight struggle by the camp- fire, 1 saw a huge, shaggy
wolf feasting on the corpse of the gambler and fugitive

| from justice, as papers found on his person proved him.
“to Be,

The wolf was beyond the range of my rifle, and
aiter watching him for a moment through my glass, LG
turned my impatient Oe and See oat a
companions,

 
  
    

 
  

  

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THE NICK

The best detective stories on earth. Wick Carter's exploits are read the world over.
HIGH ART COLORED COVERS. 82 BIG PAGES. PRICE 5 CENTS.

 

          

575—The Yellow Beryl; or, Patsy Brings a High Roller to Book. 580—An International Conspiracy ; ot, Nick Cartet’s Second As
dae Doe ore on the Roof; or, Nick Carter Clears an in a New Field,
aS onore ame. : Ma ‘ ati s
_ 977—A Double-Barreled Puzzle; or, Patsy’s Big Conundrum. ae ee oo ee
- $78—An Automobile Duel;-or, Nick Carter and His Best Friend it ae eee 4
Work Tovether. 582—Mlignon Duprez, the Female Spy; ot, Patsy’s Fight for Aq™

579—Jasper Ryan’s Counter Move; of, Patsy’s Remarkable Compact. | 583—A Mystery of High Society; or, Nick Cattet’s Tangled

For sale by all newsdealers, or will be sent to any address on receipt of. price, 5 cents per copy, inmeney or postage stam)
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_ TAKEN THE SAME AS MONEY, y send them to you by return mail, POSTAG

 

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BEAUTIFUL COLORED COVERS

ffalo Bill wins his way into the heart of every

one who reads the strong stories of stirring adventure on
the wide prairies of the West published in this weekly.
Boys, if you want tales of the West that are
drawn true to life, do not pass these by.
PRICE FIVE CENTS PER COPY

For sale by all tidwsdealers, or sent, by the publishers to any address upon receipt of price in money or postage stamps

 

 

HERE ARE ‘THE LATEST TITLES:

324—Buffalo Bill's Gold Hunters; or, the Clan of the
- Skull and Cross-bones.

325—Buffalo Bill in Old Mexico; or,. The Red Priests
of Zataclin.

326—Buffalo Bill’s Message From ae Dead or, Tlie
Mystery of the Dagger of Gold.

327—Buffalo Bill and the Wolf-master; or, The Wild
Dogs of the Hills.

328— Buffalo Bill’s Flying Wonder; or, Zamba, the King
of Hire:

329-—Buffalo Bill's Hidden Gold; or, Vhe Ruse: of the
Red Serpent. L

330—Buftalo Bill’s Outlaw trail; or, The Mystery of the
Teton Basin.

331—Buffalo Bill and the Indian Queen; or, The Ghost
Flower’s Mission.

332—Buffalo Bill and the Mad Marauder; or, A King
Bor a: foe.

333—Buffalo Bills’ bee Barricade; or, Vhe.Red. and
White Renegades of Powder River.

334—Buffalo Bill and the Robber Elk; or,
meekers of the Range...

335—Buffalo Bill’s Ghost Dance; or, The Thrall of the
Lichtning That Striles.

336—Buffalo Bill’s Peace Pipe; or, The Casket of Mys-
tery.

337—Buffalo Bill’s Red Nemesis; or, The White Captive
of the Sioux.

338—Buffalo Bill’s Enchanted Mesa; or, The Lost Prin-
cess of the Moquis.

3390—Buffalo Bill in the Desert of Death;
Secret of the Jasper 1

The Mail

or, Ehe

 

340—Buffalo Bill's Pay Streak; or; A Box Full of |
Trouble for the ’Paches.
341—Buffalo Bill on Detached Duty; or, The Break on
the ado Ax “Frail:
342—Buffalo Bill’s Army Mystery ;
Catamount Puzzle. |
343—Buffalo Bill’s Surprise Party; or, The Red Raiders |
of the Picketwire. /
344——Buffalo Bill’s Great Ride; or,
Handsome Elk.
345—Buffalo Bill’s Water Trail; o
Fort Totten.
346—Buffalo Bill’s Ordeal of Fire: yer. Trapped in the -
Coteaus. Sy xo
347—Buffalo Bill Among AN are -Eaters; or, The Mvys-
tery of Tiburon Island.
348—Buffalo Bill’s Casket of Pearls; or, The Lost Treas- |
ure of the Montezumas. re
349—Buffalo Bill’s Sky Pilot; or, The Fiesta Phage:
350—Buffalo Bill’s
the Yaquis.
351—Buffalo Bill’s Flat-boat Drift; or, Taming the Mis- |
sissippi Tigers. |
352—Buffalo Bill on Deck; or, * The Strange Pilot a the
‘River Belle.
353—Buffalo Bill and the Bronco Buster; or, The Raid
of Wolf Fang. v
354—Butffalo Bill’s Great Round- -up;or, Trailing the bes:
Red Cattle-rustlers.
355—Buffalo Bill’s Pledge; or,
Narrow Path.

or, The Rope-;and-

The Capture of |

, The ou ae at

‘The: Vultures..or tHe 3a

If you want any back numbers of this publication and cannot procure them from your news: |

dealer, they can be obtained from this office direct.

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STREET & SMITH, Publishers, 79 Seventh Avenue, NEW YORK CITY.

 

; “Totem”; or, The Jes Symbol of | -