The Boy Soldier; Or, Garibaldi's Young Captain — page 212: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

ee ll = . os ee 206 THE BOY SOLDIER; OR, GARIBALDI’s YOUNG CAPTAIN. ‘the rest are in ambush in the forest,. When the maniac gives the signal, however, you will soon see them run out into open ground, bent on mutr- dering us.’ “As he spoke, the Indian woman and her three followers crept on the ground, and approached near to the hammock in which the unconscious sleeper lay snoring. ‘““¢ That's him,’ said the maniac, pointing to the hammock, ‘that’s the one who carries “a ticking devil”? in his pocket. [Kill him first, and then I'll give the signal to the others, They have my two sons bound hand and foot in the cabin; we must be quick and sure, or else the white faces will scalp them,’ : a “As she spoke, her three companions approached the hammock, and were about to spring upon it, when our Indian friend said, ee **¢ Now’s your time—blaze away at the devils! I hate every one of their tribe. They are the blood- thirsty Blackfeet.’ , “On the instant we all, pulled trigger, and at the same moment the maniac woman and her three friends gave terrible shouts and fell dead upon the spot. “Our friend in the hammock jumped out, filled with alarm, though still half asleep. ‘Before he could reach the cabin door, however, a flight of arrows coursed through the air, and by a miracle he escaped the poisoned shafts of the other Indians concealed in the wood. “ Again and again they fired. ‘Our situation was now perilous in the extreme. “The Indians, like furious devils, rushed out of the dense forest, knife, tomahawk, and rifle in hand. 3 ‘They ran towards us at full speed, whooping and shouting like so many demons, ‘‘We barred the door as best we could, and for an hour fought our assailants with the ferocity of tigers. ‘No one among us fought half so hard or half so bravely as our friendly Indian did, but when we had beaten them off, we were about to raise a joyful shout, when our Indian uttered a fearful groan, and fell to the floor, ‘‘At the same instant the maniac woman’s two fons rose to their feet as if by magic, dashed past us with a wild yell, struck one of my companions a fearful blow on the head, and were about to escape, when my faithful dog leaped upon one of them, seized him by the throat, and before we could say a word, strangled the rascal. ‘‘The other one ran for his very life; but I levelled my rifle, and, ere he had gone eighty yards, I fired. “ Fle threw up his hands, and was dead. ‘“We now paid all the attention to our faithful Indian friend ; but he was fast dying. : “While we were fighting, it seems that the two sons picked up a hunting knife that had dropped on the floor, and, unseen by us, had cut the cords with which we had bound them. , ‘They fully expected that the Indians outside would have proved victorious; but when they found out their mistake, they hastily rose, stabbed my pieserver in the side, and would have escaped. ** But what brought you into the cabin at all?’ I asked. The Indian smiled, even while he was dying. ‘I did not burt my eye while shooting a racoon,’ said he, ‘I had yowed to have revenge on the chief of the tribe, to which that old maniac hag belonged, ‘ “ ‘Thad been on hie track for several days, and tim. | “«T drew my bow ; my arrow split and thwarted me. “ ¢But I am content to die now,’ said he. «‘¢ The old hag went to her tribe, and brought with her twelve ormore of its most famous wartiors. “ ¢ White Bull, my mortal foe, was among them. “ <T gaw him approaching, and took deadly aim with my rifle, and killed him. ‘© ¢My shout of joy at his death awoke the sus- picions of the maniac’s two sons, who then dis- covered I was not one of their tribe but a spy. ““¢This is the consequence,’ said he, pointing to hig wound; ‘but I die content and happy. Pale faces, run for your lives,’ said he. ‘ Ere morning, one thousand Indians will surround this hut, and burn it to'the ground.. Away ! away !’ “With these words he fell upon his expired ! ‘We did haste away, you may be sure,” said the old count, “‘and escaped; but if I were to live as old as Methusaleh, I shall never forget that terrible night fight with the villanous Blackfeet.” In less than a week after the old count’s story, the two ships, still in company, met with very rough weather, so much so that they were driven off their right course, and soon came in sight of the port of Galveston, Texas. They intended at first to land at some Mexican port; but as the French navy were guarding all the seaports with numerous powerful ironclad men- of-war, it was thought wise not to attempt any landing on Mexican territory in face of such powerful odds and opposition. ‘“ We had better land at Galveston,” said the old count, who was by common consent installed councillor in all difficult matters. ‘‘ We had better land at Galveston,” said he, ‘‘and march overland through the wild prairie country, and get into Mexico that way, for if we fall in with any French men-of-war, and they find we are going to fight against the Emperor Maximilian, whom they are trying to force upon the people against the popniar will, we shall‘all. be taken prisoners, and cast into loathsome dungeons at Vera Cruz, or some other hot and stifling hole. ' The count’s advice was followed, and the boy band of soldiers, leaving the ships under Captain Tom's command, set out upon their overland trip to Mexico, there to fight in the cause of the people for liberty against French aggression and tyranny. Arrangements were agreed upon between Frank and Tom to meet again shortly, and with rousing cheers, and much rejoicing, the boy band started with a long train of mule teams and ox teams, all feeling merry and hearty, and ripe for any mischief or adventure, True to his word, Captain Frank commenced from the first day of his march to keepa journal in which he intended to note down for the benefit of his boy friends and readers, all which might interest them ; and as the journal contains much that boys like to know, to heay, or to read about, we give Frank’s at last, while concealed in the bushes, I espied face and version of their journey in his own words, and without alteration of any kind, ee eee nm eee ECOmiEchboo (©)