On the Trail of Geronimo — page 137: what you’re looking at

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

ON THE TRAIL OF GERONIMO. 127 “ Twenty five; Pll make an offer of fifty thou- sand—that’s one half, and it will leave enough to satisfy any reasonable man.” Now, as it may strike the reader that Lieutenant Whitcomb was indulging in a profitless business, it must be stated at this point (though in view of what has already been said, the statement ought not to be necessary), and the young officer had not the least hope that any agreement could be reached, for he had resolved from the first that every dollar of the amount should be recovered. But peering from behind the rock, where he was sheltered, he could plainly see Josh Joggins grin- ning and nodding his head by way of encourage- ment. The New Englander felt that Dick had caught on to his scheme, and was doing his part well. It was manifest that the scout wished his friends to keep the attention of the outlaw engaged, so as to leave him freer to carry out his own design. He was not laggard in his movements, either, for while he was nodding and smiling, he was care fully creeping along the ground to the right, with a view of approaching the rocks from a different point, without being noticed by the man. CoOMmilcoooks (C(O)