Adventure Magazine Cover — page 71: what you’re looking at

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

bk 8 THE day was drowsily warm. A squir- £4 rel ran down a tree and “froze” on be- holding the figure by the log. The puppy thrust his head from the ranger’s shirt and on seeing the squirrel yapped ecstatically. Growling beneath his. breath, Putnam thrust the puppy back. The squirrel ran up the tree, and, vibrating mightily, began shrilly pro- claiming to all forest folks that an enemy was near. With a grunt of disgust Putnam slipped from his ambush and retreated farther down the slope. This time he was careful to keep the puppy inside his shirt. He could not see the birch he had intended to use as a range-finder, but he could see the log he had abandoned. Perhaps it was well he shifted his position, for as he watched a scalp-lock, then a painted face, suddenly showed above the log. This tracker saw the ‘spot where Putnam had crouched, read the story of the fugitive’s with- drawal, then darted his gaze down the slope. Instinct warned him he_was trapped. He started to jerk his head below the log, but was not quick enough; and the explosion of the smooth-bore was his death sentence, the heavy ball catching him between the eyes. — “Tf they was Ottawas or Menominees the third man might quit till help come along,” muttered Putnam, lying on his side and dex- terously reloading. “But being a Abnaki the third man’ll stick just like he was a Mohawk.” This time he rammed home several buckshot in addition to the ball. He could visualize what was going on be- tween the mountain and Ticonderoga. Long since the alarm had been given and the dead body of Captain Pean identified. In a terrible rage the French soldiery were being thrown about the mountain, with all available Indians being sent up the slopes to kill or drive the lone scout into the open. Had it been night Putnam would have con- sidered his chances most excellent, but to evade the horde of red trailers soon to be hot on his heels and at the same time break through the cordon of soldiers sure to-be thrown between him and Lake George would call for all his . cunning and more than an average amount of good luck. He could not afford to tolerate any avoidable handicap; and the puppy with his whimpering and yapping was a great source of danger. Yet, ‘so stubborn was the ranger’s spirit, and so enduring were the qualities of kindness and mercy which ever characterized his gallant soul, he never thought to abandon the squirming bunch for the wild creatures of the mountainside. Also he believed the puppy had done him good service in the hay-bam. Loyalty im- pelled him to save the dog. This decision precluded his indulging in hide and seek, a game at which he was the past eee, | The Bushfighters 61 master. Speed was imperative. He could not wait to pick off the third Abnaki. It was a race between him and the men sent to en- circle the mountain. Tightening his belt, he resumed his flight down the slope, and it was not until he neared the foot of the slant that he found it necessary to lessen his speed. Peculiarly enough it was.a squirrel that warned him. When he heard the indignant chattering on his right he knew he must stop and reconnoiter although Death was tagging his steps. He crawled under the low hanging boughs of | a dwarf spruce and stared tently toward the evergreen where the squirrel was raging. A crow left the top of a ragged pine and flopped heavily toward the fort. His cunning eyes had noted an intrusion: near the foot of ‘his lofty perch. Putnam waited a full minute and on ob- serving nothing shifted his gaze to examine the cover between him and the lake. He had no ee of venturing into the Carrying-Place A slight movement in some bushes a dozen feet away caused him to whirl and glare along the brown gun-barrel. The agitation instantly ceased, then was repeated a bit farther away. For a moment he was greatly puzzled. Then a low oath slipped through his clinched teeth as he realized the bosom of his shirt was quiet. The puppy had tumbled or crawled out and was questing forth for adventures. “Dern his fat little hide! He’s killed his- self,” murmured Putnam, watching anxiously the progress of the runaway by noting the occasional disturbance of ae and the low branches. But now was eréated a new focus for his attention. From some silver birch just below him and squarely in his path to the lake emerged the naked and freshly oiled figure of an Indian. Behind him followed another, and then another. ‘The three of them had detected the slight rustling in the undergrowth and fancied that they had located their victim. Two of them were armed with bows and. — arrows. The third trailed a gun, and Putnam put him down for a Caughnawaga Lroquois and his companions for being from some Western tribe. The puppy, busily exploring the tiny en- trance to the home of a woods mouse, gave an excellent imitation of big game in hiding. The agitation of the bushes was very slight. Up the slope crept the Indians, their course taking them north of Putnam’s hiding-place. The puppy, tired of that particular clump of bushes, made his way to another; and again the telltale movement of a branch betrayed his advance. The red men interpreted it as being the white man’s effort to retreat up the mountain. CORMIC OOO S (E@