Adventure Magazine Cover — page 63: what you’re looking at

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

The Bushfighters | ° chance to kill Putnam. To slay so famous a\ woods. scout as Putnam would count as a big coup. , The canoe to his own. “He figured I was on to his , game when I showed up at his heels instead of going round t’other way. He didn’t dare risk coming back to explain why he was in the canoe making for the light. And he believed he could drop me. “Well, well. Even if we get Pean it won’t stop Montcalm from learning Lord Loudoun’s plans. Pean has told every Frenchman and Caughnawaga red that he’s met. Still, the news won’t do them any good once we send word back to Winslow that Montcalm knows all about our game.” There was a chance of course that Pean might be among those camping on the islet, and if so it might be possible to make a master- stroke. Opposed to this thought was the knowledge that Dilly had no idea Pean was there, else there would have been no need to shout out the message he could not deliver in person. And who was more likely to know of Pean’s plans than Dilly? Putnam weighed the pros and cons as he paddled toward the middle of the lake, towing the captured canoe. Second -thought con- vinced him that his little force of four men could scarcely cope with the enemy. There was at least one bateau. And he had no doubts. as to. the red allies. They were sure to be with the French, scouting ahead and on all sides in their canoes. .. He had covered half the distance between Sloop Island and the western shore when he heard oars ahead of him. He whistled softly and was answered by several guns clicking. “Who comes?”’ demanded: a low voice. “The king and the provinces.” With that he dashed alongside the boat. “We thought we heard a gun, cap’n. And here is Dilly?” [ Vou heard a gun. Should have heard two. ou were using your oars carelessly. There is one or more bateaux south of Sloop, and the Lord only knows how many Indians. Muffle your oars! - “John Dilly is dead on Sloop Island. Shot by me after he tried to kill me. He was a spy for the French. He helped Pean escape. “Hereisa paper. Randall will take this extra canoe and will hustle it down to Major Rogers. If Rogers pie ’t there give it to General Winslow. _ “Say I!took it from Dilly’s body as he was trying to deliver it to the enemy. I suggest he sends a strong force in bateaux and canoes, armed with several wall-pieces, to capture those fellows back of Sloop. “The rest of you work your boat along Pa ! shore and make North West Bay if you If you’re chased hide the boat and take to the-- traitor!” gritted Putnam as he dumped the body on the shore and hitched the © ~ pursuit he would rather enjoy that. 93 Unless pressed too hard stay hidden near shore so you can take the boat to the bay. “T’m off to finish my errand. If I don’t find you at the bay I’ll know you had to return to the fort. But if you have to do that, take more boats and come right back to meet me. I may have a prisoner.’ “You'll find us there, or else some of Mont- calm’s barbers will be dancing our hair,” was the grim assurance. “Don’t run foolish risks just to prove you're brave. Every one knows Rogers’ men don’t mind a fuss.” WITH that they parted and Putnam * end of Sloop Island. While his major purpose was to find Pean and capture or kill him, and although he no longer believed that Pean could be tarrying back of the island, he could not resist the temptation to spy a bit further upon this band of the enemy. So long as he did not run into an ambush he did not consider himself to be in much danger. There was no light except what filtered down from the stars, but this was sufficient for him to detect any craft in motion by the time gun-fire would be dangerous. As to -It would be confined to the Indians in their canoes, and he fancied he could discourage them unless they came in considerable numbers. Yet he was a cautious man and frequently ceased paddling to check up his surroundings. As his canoe danced in toward the north end of the island he could discover nothing that suggested an enemy’s presence. When some thirty rods from the shore he stayed his. advance. The water lapped gently against the canoe. Half-way between him and shore an uprooted berry-bush lay half-submerged. es Putnam’s interest was in the woods fringing the shore. What was behind it? Were fierce eyes watching him and hoping he would draw within striking distance? He practised his keenest attention but failed to discern any sign or. sound that hinted at an enemy presence. Either they were at the lower end of the island, or else they had returned to their camp. The latter possibility was hard to entertain. Dilly’s wild outcry and the prompt response of the French did not square with the suggestion that the partizans would remain inactive so long as the mystery of Dilly’s death was unex- plained. Still, if they were at the southern end of the island they were deathly quiet. | ‘Just common sense tells me they ain’t down there where they found the body. They’re up here. They seemecoming. They’re watching me now,” he told himself. As he decided this point he gave a sudden - dip and propelled his birch backward to be safe €o) S MICLOOO 4 turned his canoe back toward the north > (E@)