Beadle's Boys Library No. 54 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

California Joe, the Mysterious Plainsman. Y ae AE Ry TiN ate Le dita = ae ew * ed m c ose * eee ey Mastic « se Aes t ae nf - ce > -~ — ~ ote > ee CHAPTER V. JOE MAKES A GRAND CAPTURE, From Captain Reynolds down to the smallest child in the train, all were pleased with their camp, when dayli ht came to show them its natural strength of position. The appearances of having scaled the bluff were all removed before dawn, so that any In- dian’s watchful eye that might be upon them, could not detect that any extraordinory efforts for caution and defense had been made by the emigrants, and during the day the hunters went off as far as they dared in pursuit of game. Yet there was a feeling of anxiety meshing upon all, for none knew what the nigkt woul bring forth. One young hunter had detected afar off, over a roll of the prairie, a head peering at him, ap- parently, ane he had noticed that it was a red- skin, and be reported it to Captain Reynolds, upon his return to camp; but this was all that ‘was seen in the slightest degree suspicious, As tor Joe, he was nowhere visible during the day; but the captain had perfect confidence in the strange youth, and felt that he was some-_ where about, and on the watch. At last the shadows of night began to fall, the cattle were driven in to the corral of wagons, and nearly all the force set-to work with a will, Preperies for the work before them. — @ wagons were ditched, so that they could not be easily moved, and dirt and boxes were piled against them, as much as possible to shield the animals from the shots, and to prevent their breaking out of the inclosure in their fright, when the fight begau. Dummies representing human . beings were scattered here and there about the fires, having the appearance of men asleep, and the rope ladder being placed so that the trees kept the firelight from revealing it; the women and children were taken up to the bluff and placed in a secure retreat a few yards back in the tim- r. By degrees the men, acting for the benefit of any watching red-skin eye that might be upon them, would throw themselves down upon the blanket heds about the fires and then crawl away in the darkness to gain the rope ladder leading to the bluff. At last Captain Reynolds and a few others not wishing to delay longer, threw more woo upon the fires and retired to the few tents, to crawl out from the rear of them and seek safety upon the bluff. Then not an eye, other than those of the smaller children, was closed in sleep. The boys of twelve even had been brought forward to aid in the first volley, and so had a number of the women. All the fire-arms—and there was a large sup- ply in the train—had been Jaid along upon the edge of the bluff ready for use. Soon all was as quiet as the oan the camp and none would have believed but that peaceful slumber reigned supreme. Slowly the hours dragged along, and then the watchers upon the bluff saw a dark form glide | | row in me; but they’re afraid of me. through the line of wagons into the inciosure. Then another and another, until several dogs, | aroused by their presence, and which none of the emigrants aaa thouyht to ec rry upon the bluff with them, began to bark furiously and to fly at the intruders. Then arose a wild, thrilling war-cry, and a hundred savage throats answered it, as the red- skins sent a cloud of arrows flying into the camp at the supposed sleepers and into the tents, and rushed forward to begin the red work for which they had come. The burning fires showed their buckskin-clad forms, painted faces, and gaudily bedecked heads, and as théy reached the first line of blan- kets, yelling like demons, Captain Reynolds shouted: 2 ‘‘ All together! Fire!” Two-score rifles were discharged as one wea- pon, almost, and full half as many red-skins dropped dead in their tracks. ben the line of the bluff seemed to be on fire, so constant were the rattling of the emi- grants’ rifles and revolvers, and the women and doys reloading, there was kept up a continual discharge upon the surprised red-skins, who, meeting no foe to grapple with and falling by the dozen under the merciless bullets of the pale- faces, broke and ran at ail quarters, ‘“You men follow me!” cried Captain Rey- nolds,”“as be descended the rope ladder and crossed the fallen tree-bridge to the camp. ‘Quickly he was obeyed, and dashing over the dead and dying Indians lying kere and there, he gvined the wagon line of breastworks and poure i a hot fire upon their flying focs, who | seemed utterly panic-stricken at the terrific punishment they had met with, where they had expected an easy victory, plenty. of scalps and quantities of booty. But afar off on the prairie was seen the flash of a rifle, then other flashes and reports, as though coming from revolvers, and then came to the ears of the emigrants a rumbling sound like distant thunder. The flying red-skins heard it too, and there were wild yells of fury, that proved something had gone wrong, and the next instant, along the trail leading by the camp, dashed a large drove of mustangs, saddled and bridled, but riderless, | And in their rear rushed a snow-white steed, with a rider upon his back, hooting and yelling like mad as he sped along. Away past the camp rushed the drove, and as the single rider in their midst went by, he shouted: ‘‘T’m Joe, and I’ve captured their whole outfit of posies. ‘* Look sharp, for they may be back on you, and I'll return in a couple of days to guide you to Sunset Settlement.” Ana on he passed, out of sight, driving the mustangs at full speed, and having by his grand capture dismounted old Bad Blood and his en- tire band. CHAPTER VI. JOE'S LITTLE: GAME, JOE, whatever time he had been upon the border, or whatever scenes he had passed through, before meeting with the Reynolds’ emigrant train, bad certainly been able to be- come a thorough prairieman. He could match Indian cunning any time, was able to take care of himself, and seemed to rather enjoy the thought that he was regarded as a spook, or evil spirit. Though wholly uncommunicative re ing the past, and one, young as he was, who cer- tainly bad some mysterious history, some strange story to tell, would he but tell it, he ‘was yet not taciturn, for once his lips were un- socked upon ordinary matters, he had plenty say. ._After having warned the train of their threatened ae and guided them to a place of safety atthe Bluff camp, he had ridden off at a gallop, as though the kiss given him by little Maggie Reynolds had réopened wounds he had thought were healed. He bad not gone very far from the camp be- fore he saw a dark form suddenly spring from the grass before him. Then another and another, until two mus- tangs, which had been lying down by the side of their masters, were fiying away at all speed, and upon their backs were their riders. But Joe did not hesitate ai sight of them, but, on the contrary, let his horse increase his speed. ‘‘They are Bad Blood’s spies, and they know just who I am,” he muttered. After a while, as he | dae rapidly upon the flying red-skins, he said: ‘If I was anybody else, I’d have pot an ar- Urging his white horse to a still greater speed, which the splendid animal seemed readily capable of, he soon drew within close pistol range of the two red-skins. “Tt don’t seem exactly right to shoot ‘em, when they won't shoot back, thinking I’m a spook; but they’ll report mighty soon that I was coming from the pale-face camp, and tben they. won’t believe I’m an evil spirit, so I guess I'd better kill’em.” With this, Joe threw his hand forward quick- ly, and it held a revolver, a weapon at that time almost unknown upon the plains, Instantly followed two sharp reports, and the two riders fell from their saddles without a cry, for Joe’s aim was deadly. Although relieved of their weight, the ponies were no match for the white animal Joe rode, who was alongside of them in a minute’s time, and both were quickly caught. Then back to where the Indians lay went the boy, and he found them just as he knew he would, dead. It. was but the work of a few minutes to place them upon the backs of their mustangs and make them fast, after which Joe started off on the course he had been going when he saw the red-skins. : A ride of several miles brought him to a range of hills and through them ran a swift stream, with high banks. ? Here the boy halted. turned his own horse loose, with perfect confidence that he would not. , leave him, and staking out the ponies, relieved : them of their ghastly loads. To remove the two scalp-locks, with a dex-- terity that:showed he had bad practice in the art of scalping, was but an instant’s-work with Joe, after which he took their weapons and robes, and threw the Bodies into the stream. The current carried them swiftly away, and” then the strange boy built a small fire in a ra- vine, cooked some dried meat upon the coals, and spreading the rches of his slain foes dewn upon the ground, 1olled his blankets arovr./ him and was almost instantly asleep. T e coming of dawn did not seem to disturl him in the least, but when the sun arose, be got up, cooked his breakfast, and, leading his two. captured ponies, started on up into the hills. At last be gained a point of. otservation from whence he could:see the distant Lluff gnd camp - of the emigrants, and, after a close observation of the surrounding country, he again settled - himself down to. rest. When the sun drew near the western borizon, he mounted his horse, and, leading the ponies, started to descend to the prairie once.more. ~ It was dark when he gained the level lands, and, as though resolved upon his course, he. went off at a lope in the direction of the emi grant camp. A‘ride of several miles brought him in sight. of the camp-fires, and then he went along at a slower pace.. Drawing nearer, he at length came to a halt and looked ahead of him for a long time in silence. : “They’re coming!” He uttered the words in a wmatter-of-fact. kind of tone, and, dismounting, at once ordered his horse to lie down. The intelligent and faithful animal at once obeyed, and then Joe went to one of the ponies and ordered him down too. Whatever the brute might have done for his red-skin master, he certainly would not for his pale-face captor. But in an instant he was hoppled and thrown upon his side in a, manner that prcyed to nim. he had a master in this youth. Then Joe took something from a pouch and besmeared his face with it, and next put upon. his head the feather bonnet of one of the dead Indians, and about his shoulders a blanket. “We'll go now, pony,” he said, at the same time throwing himself upon the back of the other mustang. Leaving his own horse lying flat down in the e mustang boppled, long prairie , and | Joe sie on directly teward the emigrant camp, : the fires of which were burning brightly, not two miles distant. After riding considerably nearer, he halted and wai With the same patiencathat would have been shown by an Indian, Joe sat upon the mustang watching and waiting a = Suddenly he saw forms pass between him and the light of the fires, and he knew that Bad Blood and his warriors were preparing for the attack, Slowly he drew nearer, and he saw that the: warriors had dismounted, and, as he had felt assured, were approaching the camp on foot. Then Joe turned to the right-about and went rapidly back to where he had left his horse and, the epb led mustdng. Quickly he got them both up, and hiding the white animal under robes and blankets, he mounted him and rode toward the camp once more. Passing the spot where he had before halted, he continued on until he could hear the snort- ing and stamping of the red-skins’ mustangs, and again he stopped and staked out the three horses. At a run on foot he ayecatnes the herd, and gained their midst without attracting the at- tention of any of the guards, who were little dreaming of danger from that point, and were taken up wholly in watching and waiting for the attack of their comrades, which was toa bring them scalps and plunder. : From horse to horse Joe glided, his sharp knife severing the lariat near their necks, and in a few moments’ time he had set free the lot, excepting the few. near the guards, who, five in number, were grouped together waiting to hear the sound of conflict begin. The Indians had left their horses over a mile from the camp, so that no neigh or sound should alarm the guards, and this distance they had to go on foot, and moving with the greatest cau- tion, it gave Joe nearly an hour in which to perfect his little game. At last the ringing war-cry, for the charge - upon the emigrant camp, broke on the air, and immediately after came the terrific yells of the | ®@ « *