Frank Reade Library No. 12: Frank Reade and His Steam Man of the Plains — page 23: what you’re looking at

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

THE STEAM MAN OF THE PLAINS. who could be pet easily be concealed in the huge clefts This was the horrible trap isto which the cruel Mutseer desired to drive the e t train. ste To accomplish this feat it was necessary to them from either to the right or to the le of the blind canyon, and this culty was got over by the band of men who now issued from rote trap, led oa by Captain Slasher and Sholum They filed away to the right and left, and took up their positions some distance from the defile, lust out of gunshot on either hund, thus holding prevent thz ready in equally sine pumbers to vent the emigrants from pass e trap. Onward came the swiftly-moving train. and berg barb camo the surging mass of scared animals rear. Straight for the trap dashed the foremost wagon of the train. J “6° Snap Carter’s eyes blazed as he noticed the band Gling out of the blind pass, and an anxious ex- pression crossed his face when they took up their ‘posi Harey Ha "who N in along at the sid e, who was lea o side of the guide, looked at him in Surprise. “What's the matter?” Carter pointed fo ee Paes and then to the men stationed on either hand of the rocky entrance. * That’s a blind pass,” he said. ‘I know it as well as I know myself, for I come very near cav- in’ in that about a year ago; them two spurs 0’ rock jine and rise up, and it’s a regular trap. If wre're forced in that hole we shall never out &:s'in without help from tho outside.” ** Let me charge them with my band of scream- ers,” cried Hale. ‘*- It would be a waste o’ life,” sternly said the de. “ While you was tackling them and fight- g for nothing, the buffaloes would force us in just the same, and you d lose men for nothing.” ‘Then we're trapped,” said Hale. “*8o it seems.” non don’t like to be snared without striking a ow.” “Neither doI,” said Snap. “TJ ain't that kind of a man, but the lives of these men and women are in my hands,and I mustn't throw ’em away. We must go in that trap, and trust to luck to get out again. This is a neat plan, nicely laid, and vert, well carried out; and we're in for it.” ey dashed along in moody silence, every man holding one hand upon his knife or pistol, ready to repel attack if the divided horde in front of them should pour down upon them. “This is horrible,” said Hale, looking back over his shoulders at the buffaloes. ‘How are we to ome them even now?” ** By the pass,” said Snap. “But won't they follow? “If they do it will be by climbing over the dead bodies of their brother beasts,” replied the guide. ** As soon as the train is fairly in ao pass, youand your men mast guard the mouth shoot down anything, man or beast, that comes within range.” he four Indians in the rear of the madly plunging buffaloes kept firing and yelling at the tened beasts, and cau them to continue on dn an undeviating line for the spurs of rock. On their horses sat the red and white men under command of Slasher and the grave Sholum Alarkum, motionless as statues, and as grim in ap ce. © pass was reached. Snap Carter swerved aside and allowed the fore- most wagons to drive rapidly into the defile. The wagons all dashed in at a rapid rate, and immediately after the last one of the long train had in, the rough-and- y rangers took up their position with cocked rifles, ready to de- fend the rocky entrance at any cost. The buffaloes rushed up at a terrific pace, and a volley crashed out in deadly tones. The leaders dropped dead before the steady aim of the western sh hooters, and then the vas? herd divided and coursed away to the right and jefe, causing the Brethren of the Plains to take to their heels. Just as this took place, there came a familiar eound ue ne ears of the strong, brave men who guarded the pass. The shrill whistle of the Terror of the West rang out, and the Steam Man dashed up to them ever the plains. CHAPTER XXVII. FIFTY MILES AN HOUR. Frank sat on the seat, guiding the huge man with practiced hands, while behind stood Gorse and Barney, gazing attentively upon the oT yuo Stoemn Man dashed straight up to the 8 where the wild markamen weee grouped betore comms toe halt, and then the power was shut off, and ,the long iron limbs came to a stand-still. Frank leaped to the ground, and as he did so his hand was grasped by the stout old guide, who him in the most hearty manner. “ ac to ne yous cried pe patent ara our hero's with vigor, and turning brother, he added : ** Bill, here's a thunderin’ littie screamer !” “Glad to know you,” said Bill Carter, and was about to grip Frank's hand in his usual bear-h style, when Augustus Fitznoodle, who was stand- ing near, ex ed : ** Please, Mr. Carter, don’t be quite 80 to see im h’as you were to see me, h’or the boy won't be h’able to get the kinks h’out bh’of ’is ‘and fora ** Ho—ho! ha—ha!” laughed the big westerner, who rempmpered Lad ae han e bbe the . “TIT shan © youngster. Here, my lad, kiver that.” e held out his huge paw. ** I'm afraid I can’t do it,” said Frank, look smilingly at the bearish paw extended to him, an then at his own slender, white hand ; “ but I'll put my hand in yours, and say that I am pl to meot ole ‘* That’s the ticket!” cried Bill. Lord, you've got jest such a handle as my gal.” Just as they were shaking ds the robbers, who had easwift detour on either side of thevherd of brutes, came circling back towards the wh around in large circles. “TI don’t see ’em all,” said Snap Carter, his fixed upon the horsemen who were circling around over the para ever keeping just outside of rifieshot. ‘I kin only see ut as Many as we are, and there was jest twice as many afore.” He was lacking just then in his customary keenness, or hs might have suspected the ruse that was being played upon him and his follow- ers by the daring and cunning Captain Slasher. He was correct in his estimate not more than half of the robber band were riding in view. While the trained horsemen were wheeling and pirouetting at a safe distance from the pass, their rethren were crawling very rapidly along the sides of the double spur of rocks, seeking to guin positions which would secure them from danger, while it afforded them opportoni to fire upon ne emigrants and drive them er up the e tra p. Of course the prancing company of horsemen in front were sent to their positions merely to en- gage the attention of the omigrants, while the crawling bandits gained the posts they desired. The ruse was a neat one, and succeeded. In a few moments a dozen shots out from the ends of the double spur, and two of the emi- grants fell dead. Others were wounded, and fell back in the arms of their surprised friends, gasping for breath. Snap Carter rocopnee too Jate the danger he might have avoided by a little prudent fore- thought, and he fairly ground his teeth with rage when he found how completely he had been duped by his enemy’s shallow trick. owever, he met the crisis with his usual cool authority, and showed that he was the man to wt Dash up th pt the wild “ up the grass, every man exce e rangers,” he shouted. “Rush lively, and carry the wounded men with you. Now, you scare- crows try to gain acover and shoot anything you see quiver.” The emigrants dashed up the pass as fast as possible, bearing their wounded with them. The Steam Man affored the best bulwark for the rangers, and they crouched behind it in aumbers, while others sought crevices in the rocky wall. But they were fired upon from above, and then from both sides, and many of the brave fellows were wounded without g able to fire back upon the hidden foes. Mutseer had indeed Griven them into a most terrible trap. It was useless to remain. They must retreat sooner or later. It was throwing lives away to stay, and reluctantly Snap Carter gave the order to run up the pass. k Reade knew that he would run 8 great risk in mounting his box, but the boy had g-own accustomed to danger, and did not shrink from it. Moreover, he was determined not to leave the Steam Man at the mercy of his foes, 80 he madea reckless leap, landed on the seat, and with a quick movement pulled on the reins. The man gave a bound. A doeen rifies cracked. The bullets whistled and sang around the brave boy, fyi ee cap was torn from his head y a fiying . The Steam Man tore up the blind pass, and in a moment Frank Reade was safe from his ene- mies. The steam was abmoet entirely shut off, and the scester proceeded ep tt hard road ate: beware 7 The spot was soon reached where all of the em!- events and plainsmen were clustered arvund & man. ‘* Hore’s a nice pickle,” said Harry Hale, his pitying eyes fixed ¥ pn the features of the man. ‘This r chap is a goner. There are more lying cold down the y, and several wound- ed, and for all this we are powerless to retaliate.” ‘“What can we do?” Snap Carter. ‘“ We are in the trap and we can’t leave it without bel from the outside. Put five hundred men in here; ive me ten marksman, and I'll engage to Id ‘em in check as long as the rations last.” “Then you must have help from the outside in order to escape?” said Fi ** Just so.” ‘‘And where’ll you get it from?” ver, t me nm hetseback. i sight get way never get out on ho em a by craelin’, and then he would oto temmare ** And if he away?” cried F his beginning to biase, ‘ What nee _ “What then?” said Snap Carter. “Why, he could go to Fort Tremont and bring a troop of cavalry here as fast as horses could rup. That's what.’ ** What's the distance?” “‘One hundred and fifty miles.” “Then, in four hours I shall be at Fort Tre- mont,” cried Frank Reade. “Half an hour to get ready for the long and fast run; half an hours rest on the road to cool my hot box, and the dis- tance to be covered in the three remaining hours.” ‘* What, fifty miles in an hour?” cried Mr. George A us Fitznoodle. ‘* Yes, sirree,” said the inventor of the Steam Man, walking op to his macbine and very rapide ly emptying the ashes from the knee- of the monster. ‘Fifty milesan hour, and I can do it But you can bet your loose change that he looked well to everything before he made the venture. His fire was raked out and a clear one of solid coal built. Water was supplied to the reservoir in plenty. Everything was screwed down to — jolting, and every crevice was carefally Cc * But,you'll be fired h’apon by those ‘eathenish men h’out there,” said rge Augustus to the ng boy. ** Let ‘om fire,” said Frank. ‘I shall be under a shirt of steel. Charley will go with me and crouch in the body of the wagon. I shall fly past them at such speed that they'll need to have good eyes to nee me. He completed his arrangements, and was in- formed as to the exact course necessary to be fol- lowed to reach the fort. ** And then they can't get here in leas nor da: afterto-morrow,’ said Snap. ‘‘ Well, we can hola out till then, and then the thing will wind up in the bi kind of a row. ‘*Och, and won't that be jist as illigant as can be?” cried Barney Shea. ‘They'll be here before that,” said Frank. ‘I shall there at noon, and if they start out at ey can reach here by nightfall to-morrow.” Our hero and Chariey Gorse partook of a sub- stantial meal, and then the team Man wasslowly turned around with his faceto the entrance of the P*Then Charley sank down in the box. Frank donned his steel shirt, and a tremendous head of steam was put on. The man sprang forward like a meteor, and went fairl Aying own the pass, the pebbles ris- ing in a cloud from his course. t of the trap, with the speed of the winter winds, sprang the Terror of the West, his b feet upurning the ground at a fearful rate, while the boy-driver sat grim) sage the seat, the breeze fairly humming through his ears as he whisked along at that terrific spued. A Tow shots rang out, but Frank was going toe fast for even sharpehooters. On sped the man, his long iron limbs shooting in and out like rockets. On with a speed that the prairie dentwens had never witnessed before, mile after mile gilding swiftly by under the monster's tireless strides. Ab! it was a grand ride, this swift, terrific pace that endangered life, and the bo enjoyed it keenly. Then a short rest was en allow the heated appara tus to cool, and in less than half an hour the pace was taken up, In just three hours and a half from the time of g, the Steam Man dashed up to the gates of Fort Tremont, and the commandant came for- ward words of welcome. In a few moments Frank told his story, end the officer pomediately leenec hie orders. In a half hour the Man was guiding & troop of cavalry to the rescue. COmiIcoooe GC SS o(CO)