Frank Reade Library No. 12: Frank Reade and His Steam Man of the Plains — page 2: what you’re looking at

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

2 THE STEAM MAN OF THE PLAINS. The subecri Pri f the F Reape LIBRaRY by the year is $2.50: $1.35 per six months, post-paid. Address FRANE = am ceo ° TOUSEY PUBLISHER, #4 and 96 N Box 2730. pal orth Moore Street. THE STEAM MAN OF THE PLAINS; OR, Tr THRROR OF THE WEST. By “NONAME,” Author of “Frank Reade, Jr’s Travels,” ‘‘ Frank Reade, Jr., and His Air-Ship,” etc., etc., etc. CHAPTER I. FRANK AND CHARLEY. “Faawx!” shouted Mrs. Reade, from the rear of her dwelling. “Here's your Cousin Charley, from Missouri. ** All right,” said a voice that seemed to come from a sort of woodshed at theend of a long The door of the outhouse was cautiously open- ed, and Reade slipped out, ully re- elosing the door. In & moment he was shaking hands with the tall, broad-shouldered western youth who had Gareee from Missouri to New York to pay him a In age the cousins were alike, both being six- teen, but while Frank, born and bred in New Yerk, and being of a studious nature, and quite a thinker, was pale, slim, and not over strong, the Missouri boy, breathing the free afr of the great prairies grown strong and robust in form, a splendid hunter, a dead shot, and a lover of wild adventure. The Reade family were well to do in the world, and Frank, the only child, had been permitted to @ave his way until he was pretty well spoiled. However, his greatest delight was to ind his épventive genius, and that full play. The moment that Mrs. Reade left the two boys alone, Frank grasped his cousin by the hand and “If I show you someting will you give me gour word fo keep your mouth shut about it?” “Certainly,” said Charley Gorse, wondering what was u “Then follow,” said the mysterious Frank, and he led the way to the wood-house. He cautiously opened the door a little, wave a ce at the windows of all the houses the ook, to see if anyone was looking, and then bolt- ed into the building and drew Charlie in m. **Thunderation !’ cried Charley, for there in front of him he suddenly beheld a huge figure, like one of the giants of old. The western boy was startled, and might have es out of the door, had mot Frank restrain m. ** Hold on,” he said, laughing at his cousin's svident alarm ; ‘you needn’t be afraid; it’s only | can it @ machine. »” whistled Charley. “ Fact.\” triumphantly cried Frank. “It’s one of the greatest inventions of the age. It’s asteam enan.” « And can it walk?” asked Charley. “Walk? yes, and run, too,’’ proudly replied Frank. “That's my invention, and nobody knows anything about it but you. If you can keep quiet over the thing you shal] see whether it can walk.” “I'm too surprised to say an »” said Chariey, and he walked up to the invention to examine it. The contrivance stood in the center of the floor. Ohariey Gorse beheld a metallic imitation of a man. The re was about twelve feet ry toe the bottom of the huge feet to the top of the pi hat which adorned the steam man’s head. enormous belly was required to accomodate tofier and steam chest, and this corpulency agreed after | Several days, and ed | ber. The steam gauge is m AS | das the well with the height of the metallic steam chap. To give full working room to the very delica’ machinery in his interior, the giant was made to convey a sort of knapsack upon his shoulders. The machine held its arms in the position taken by a man when he is drawing a carriage. There were numerous , doors, shafts and other contrivances which puzzled the western boy, and he turned inquiringly to Frank. *T’ll explain it to you,” said the enthusiastic inventor, ‘‘ Look at his face.” Charley gan up at the face of the monster and beheld a huge pair of glass eyes and an enormous mouth. ‘Now, then,” said Frank, ‘the lamp wiil be in | e his head, and his eyes will be the headlights. His mouth holds the steam whistle. Here, in his belly, we open adoor and put in fuel, and the ashes fall down into his legs and are emptied from the moveable knee-pan, and without injury to the oiled leg-shafts; for they are inclosed in s tube. That is why the fellow’s limbs are so large. Those wire cords increase the power in one leg, and cause that leg to go much faster, and in that manner we get a side movement and can turn around.” ‘*Go on,” said Charley, who was intensely ex- cited. ‘It's feet are spiked like a base-tall play- er’s are spiked, to prevent the machine from all pring under speed,” said Frank. ‘Then you notice its legs are very long, and very far apart, so as to give it balance. This stop-cock on the side will let on or shut off steam.” “‘Crawlin’ snakes !” muttered the Missouri boy. ** And will you ride on that kna k?” ‘*Oh, no,” laughed Frank. “I am making a low, b: , and very heavy n for the con- trivance, and it will be finished in a few da The aoe Eh man Lie aoe pt ef the wagon. e vehicle carry two or three per- sons and hold my fuel and water, sufficient for have made a tent-like cover- ing for the concern so that I could sleep in the n if I went on a journey. Here in the kna sack are my steam valves ; the top of the hat only a sieve, and the smoke will come out of Then there’s drafts and stops-off without num- pe ere in the fellew’s Cc sa bonase Pr’ said Charley Gorse; “‘how fast i ‘It can go fifty miles an hour,” replied Frank. ‘On a level I should not hesitate to run at thirty or thirty-five an hour.” «With & wagon and people in it?” “Yes,” said Frank. “ m is a wonderful power, you know.” ines did not make any reply, he was think- ee e es What s the matter?” asked Frank. ** Hold on,” excitedly returned gaia *T’ve got an idea for *you. are you go’ g to do with your machine when you act it comp eted ?” *“*T really hadn't thought about it,” sajd Frank. “111 tell you what to do,” cried Charley, ‘‘ come chine with you, Pll pay the bill and then you and chine u, e and then you an I'll go out pin the RF iains hunting and roving, around in style, and racing the reds to d for I am sure they dont know even whata steam engine is like. You see my dad has got a big farm, raises stock and lots of proe duce, and sends it to St. Louis, and as there's lota of money coming in all the while, I have everything my own way. But the reds, Sidux Injuns, bother me. Arourd the town they're pesctw’ enough, but f you get them out among he big game on the pixins they'll raise a rumpus. I had to travel a hundred miles by boat to get to the steam cars, and I guess the reds that live be- ond Clarksville don’t know much about steam pventions, X tell you we can have glorious un!’ The blood leaped to Frank’s cheeks while his cousin spoke, and an eager light danced in his 6g fe Wouldn't it be splendid?” he said. ‘The level plains would be just the for my man, and in time of danger we could of the apeod of the wind.’ He was greatly excited over the idea, and ‘he we3 doubtless as eager as moat boys wuuld be to- we the grcat west—the novelist’s great land of ry. “Will you do it?” asked Charley. “I've got enough money to see the whole thing put through in style. Will you go?” “I will!” hastily responded Frank. ** And do you think your folks will let you go?” ey. ‘“‘Not to carry out your idea,” said Frank. ‘* My steam man is know only to us two. We must keep the secret from everybody, and man- are to ship the affair off before we go. They Me pa ppose that Lem only going on an orninary 8 99 “* That’s the idea,” said Charley Gorse. ‘‘ But, I any does the chap take apart?” ae eB 99 ** And the wagon?” ‘‘The entire concern can be tasen apart and packer in a medium-sized case,” the in- ventor. ** Bully |” exclaimed Charivy. “Then wo can send it away a week or two before we go, aad when we get to Clarksville we can put it together and start out.” “Just so,” said Frank; “and if we do out on the Plains, I'll make your eyes open wone der. I've got about a dozen different inventions, that will make the red-skins belive that they’ve run across the devil at last. I have made a pair “ t "ra , wonde much at his com panion’s words; “What do you mean by nignt pistols?” ‘* Pistols that may be used in as dark a night es you have ever seen,” said the young pau: ‘And oo can bring down your e with them as well as you could in broad daylight.” The western cousin ed inventive genius with wonder and admiration. ** You're a smart little cuss,” said he. “ I'l: make the Sioux believe I am,” said Frank. “Just give me a chagee to use my little inven- tions among them, and if you don't see fun and wild adven , then me a fool. I could scare an Indian out of his wits.” * You'll have achance,” said Charley; and then the voice of Frank’s mother called them into the te by his inventor. = Oeine very seourely locked SSS SS=S====5 cComicooolkks (SO)