Frank Reade Library, Vol. VIII, No. 191 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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13 down the pass at a breakneck pace at that mo- mont. FRANK READE, JR., IN ‘* Heavens!” he exclaimed. ‘It is pay dirt and the richest I have ever seean. 1'll wager Bat a sharp cry from one of the Vigilants! there is a fortune here. This is better than arrested the attention of all. ‘*Don’t be s0 sure that this isa blind can- yon!” hecried. ‘* Look here!” He leaped from bis horse and lifted a ret- work of vines which grew against the face of the cliff. A cave was revealed. It was an astonishing discovery, and at once created ‘a sensaticn. ‘A cave!” cried Jack Fair, with amazement. “*That ie queer.” * But that don’t stand for anything,” said Rollin, impatiently. ‘‘We have no time for the exploration of cavea. Let us be off.” ‘* Wait!” cried Jack, leaping from his horse. **Come, Jack, don’t delay us,” cried Rollin. ‘* But it is necessary to investigate this mat- ter.” declared Jack. ** Pshaw, it is only a cave!’’ “That is true!” “It has nothing to do with our work. Come along.” **f think you are wrong, Mr. Rollio.” ** How so?” ‘This cave may be the meana of entrance to the robbers’ retreat.” ‘“*Pshaw! [ don’t believe a word of it. You ean find no trail leading Into it.” * Yet the robbers may have just emerge on it This sort of ground does not show a trail. ** Well, I witl not say that you are wrong,” sald Rollin, dismounting ‘If you really think so let us investigate.” “‘T think it worth while!” The two leaders of the Vigilants approached the entrance to the cave. All was dark as Erebas within. A lantern, however, was produced. Lighting this, Jack Rollin followed him. Pomp was anxious to do the same, but he could not very well leavethe Steam Man. Upon entering the cava the two men were impressed with one fact. Thies was that the place eeemel musty and undisturbed, as if no human being, had ever enterei it. Its formation was most peculiar. The floor of the cave was of a peculiar auri- ferous earth. The walls and roof were of quarts. Jack ewept the place with his lantern. This revealed the presence of a number of leading into the mountain. If the cave were to be explored it was hard to tell which of these to take. But in the beginning Jack saw the u:ter fatility of such a move. He wes eatistied at once that this was not the entrance to the robbers’ stronghold: Ae this was what he was looking for, he could see no reason for wasting further time here. entered the place. ‘¢ No use, Roillo,” be cried, ‘‘ we are ou the wrong scent.” **So I thought!” declared the other. ** Well, I am satisfied. Let us be off!” Jack bad turned to leave the cave, when he saw a carious bit of brightness at his feet in| bea the biack dirt. He reached down, and picked up what looked to him to be a large an weighty pebble. It was really a small nuavet of gold. At sight of it, and realizing its true natare, Jack Fair felt o strange thrill. ““By Jovel” he gasped, ‘‘ look here, Mr. Rol- lin. See what I have foun.” Rollin took the ougzet in his hand. “Gold!” he exclaimed, in a tense voice. *¢ My soul, this is a big «discovery, Jack.” “It may be that there is more about the cave!” ** No doubt of it. Let us look!” Nothing was sald to the other members of the Vigilan: party. Jack and Rollin examined the dirt on the cavern floor closely. The shining particles in it did not deceive Jack, who some experience in gold seek- dog. raising stock, Mr. Rollin.” Rollin was quite pale with excitement. * It meuns that our fortcnes are made!” he muttered. ‘* My soul, Jack, we are rich.’ Jack flashed his lantern ugainst the quartz walls of the cuve's si-jes. He gave an exclumation as Le did so. Something glittering was in the quartz. It was gold, aud o heavy vein of it extended through the quurtz. The place was u ixeral gold mine. It was u dud which for a moment caused them to forget their duties and the real object of their mission hither. For a time they discussed the subject in the eatest of excitement. It was somewhile be- ore Jack was suddenly brought back to a real- ization of the present. ‘* My soul!” he gasped. ‘‘ We are wasting time here. What is all this wealth to us now that Katie Is in the hands of that wretcb, Mike Mosely?’ ‘* Right!” cried Rollin, springing up. ‘We must rescue Katie first. Pray Heaven tha’ we may.” They rushed out of the cavern. The Vigilant band was waiting for them on the outside. Neither took the pains to tell of their mighty discovery: They sprang to saddle, and Rollir cried: ‘“‘Come on. Let us hunt Mosely and hia gang to the death!” The Vigilants, with a cheer, dasbed away down the canyon, fullowing their two leaders. Pomp, with the Steam Man, followed them. “Golly!” mattered the «larky, *‘I jee’ wish I could tind dat ar pass wif dem ghosteses, I jus’ tink Maree Frank an’ Barney hab jua’ been carried off by dem fings. Hah! don’t want nuffin’ to do wif ghosteses.” He sent the Steam Man along after the Vig- Hlants at a rattling pace. Down the canyon they went. Suddenly Pomp closed the throttle with an exclamation. Some sort of a raction was in progress below. It seemed that a party of train robbers had been lving in wait at the mouth of the pass for the Vigilante and bad attacked them. The crack of rifles and the yells of the con- testants burst upon the air. CHAPTER XII. POMP'S FIGHT WITH THE BEARS. Poxp was for a moment very much in doubt what to do. He knew that the Vigilants were having some sort of a raction at the mouth of the pass with the train robbera, The darky’s natural impulse was to go to'the assiatance of his friends. He had even mode up his mind to do this, when a strange thing happened. Suddenly there was a savage roar and a great fall of stone into the canyon. Then, upon a shelf of rock just above him, Pomp was horrified to see a monster grizzly r. It would have seemed foolish for the darky to have felt fear, protected as he was Dy the wire cage. Bat to one familiar with the grizzly bear and Its tremendous power cf muscle this would not have seemed so strange. The grizzly was a monster of its species. It clung to the ledge of rock, and regarded vhe Steam Man in an aggressive manner. To the bear this was an Invader of his stronghold, and it irritated him. A deep, hoarse grow! came from the brute's mouth. It was so deep and fearfal that it seemed almost to make the ground tremble. Pomp could have opened the throttle and sent the Man down the pass and out of the way. Wby he did not do so he could never after- wards explain. He really did what was the most foolish thing for him to do. TEXAS. oe to take hts rifle and fire at (he rule. The ballet strack the bear upon the thick part of the skall. Of course it glanced off without doing any barm otber than that of scruping the skia from the bone. It had the effect of maddening the big brate. Too late Pomp saw his mistake. ‘*Golly!” he muttered. ‘‘1’se jes’ fraid I’se done de wrong fing. Dat bear kin make it troublous fo’ me.” He sprang to the throttle to open it, but the bear had leaped down from his perch and was advancing up the canyon on his hiod legs. Straight for the Steam Man the bear came like a whirlwind. The next moment there was a collision. The bear's huge form struck the Man fall force and his arms encircled the Man’s body. It ie a bear’s first impulse to hag, and this svecimen of the shaggy tribe was no exception. He threw both forelegs aboat tie Steam Man. Pomp did not dare to open the throttle for fear that the rerietance might strain or in- jare some of the delicate machinery. Bat the darky knew what the result of the hug would be. Of course the Steam Mao’s body was bot as steam anda hot furnace could make it. In an Instant the air was fall of the aroma of burning hair and bear meat. For a few moments the big bratestood it and tried to crush his iron adversary. Then he suddenly sickened of his bargaia. With a how! of pain and anger he relaxed bis hold. That bear was a sight to see. The heir was completely singed from his be!ly and breast and bis forearms. Tn many places the flesh had been literally cooked by the heat. It was a sorry experience for the bear. Pomp roared with laughter. In upite of the danger of the moment the darky had to give way to the ludicrousness of the situation. It was too fanny for anything. At least so thought the darky. Bnt the next moment the matter took a more serious shape. Big bruin suddenly made a blow at his fiery antagonist with his paw. It was a tertitic one, auch as an eight hun- dred pound bear can give and with full force. It struck the Steam Man just above the steam cheat. For a moment there was a straining of the bolts and the su:iden rush of steam. and Pomp in his terror fancied that .-he Man was about to blow ap. He opened the escape valve and sent a ter- rifle jet of steam fall in the bear’s faee. Then, with quick wit, he pulled the whistle valve. The shriek which went up on the air was a fearful one, and staggered the hear. But at that moment the culamity was inten- sified tn a thrilling manner. Saddenly, upon the same ledge above. ar.other bear appeared. And now Pomp saw, just behind the big brute, that there was atill another bear. There seemed to be a cave in the side of the hill at this point, and it was from this, evi- dently, that the monster brutes hal come. Pomp now experienced genuine alarm. He saw that the position was one of great peril. ‘*Golly!” he mattered. ‘‘ Whatam dis chile gwine to do? I jes’ tink dem big bears will break de Steam Man ail to pieces.” The darky saw that the scorched bear was coming again to the attack, and he realized that another blow from the brate’s big paw might do great harm. Pomp did not mean that this should come If he could help it. But what was to be done? This was a serious Ya Bat In face of a dilemma Pomp was ever ready and quick to act. He sxrasped the brevis valve firmly and turned the Man square ut. comicdooks (SO)