Beadle's Boys Library No. 54 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

8 “Tf twas I’m in for it. ‘‘Well, well! I’ve seen old Injuns and squaws, “young Injuns and pappopse Injuns along the sides, but this is where the high- toned bucks camp out. “ Guess they are all big warriors in here,” and in spite of his assumed fright, he glanced coolly around upon the scaffolds with their weight of dead, and saw by the robes, neck- laces, feathers, bonnets and weapons that there the head men only bad found burial, such’ lurial as it was. “T guess this must be where Kit Carson ’ aries his dead Injuns,” said Joe, and then’ he added grimly: ‘Ive started in putty well myself in the killin’ line, and I may have a graveyard as big as Kit’s, when I get to be away in years, “But if I don’t get out of this, i’ll have only @ grave.” He saw that the smoke went up over. his head, just where he was standing, and a cre. vice was visible in the vaulted roof. Placing his torch some: uistance off -he then returned and looked upward. To his delight be saw the stars, and he knew that there was an opening there large enough for him to pass through. It seemed round, and about the size of a well, and could not be less than a hundred feet to the top. But how was he to get there? That he soon dscided upon, for he set to work building a fire and soon had a bright blaze. By its light he saw that there was a natural chimney-like opening in the roof, and remem- bering the hight of the hill, he knew that it must be many feet to the top. , Measuring the width with his eye; he saw that it was just wide enough for him to reach «ich side, by stretching bis legs far apart, and isis bands too. ‘-]’vp been down a well and up again, and I guess I can make it, if the sides ain’t smooth- as glass,’ he said. ‘¢ Wow to ase something I can climb upon. “Tnjuns, Im sorry to disturb your rest, but I think mors of myself living than I do of vou all dead. “So here goes! He jerked one of the scaffolding poles out as he spoke, and with a crash and heavy:thuds, a score of dead bodies came down to the rocky” flooring. doe sprung aside to escape being buried, while he cried: ‘¢ It’s raining corpses, bard.” But the bodies were not exactly what he was after, though he made use of some of them tor props for the poles, Selecting three of the longest poles, he tied the tops together, and then stood them up like Gipsy camp-sticks, the center being directly in the opening in the vaulted roof, which they just reached. The bodies at ‘the base kept the poles from . slipping, and throwing aside the pack on his back, he climbed up one of the uprights as simbly as a cat could have done. Standing on the tops, he glanced upward, and whe his eyes became accustomed to the darkness, he saw to his delight, that the well- like opening continued about the same size all the way through, and that its sides were so uneven and rough that he could manage to make his way to the surface by stretching his feet and hands across it, and thus working bis way along. Descending once more, he tied his lariat to his rifle and belt of arms, ‘and then attached to that a longer line, made from strips he cut from the buffalo and bear robes he found with the dead warriors. Two long lines he thus made, one for his weapons, the other for his blankets and traps, and then he fastened them to his waist. But he did notintend to help the red-skins tind him, and about the base of each pole he luilt a large pile which met in the center, so | : hat it would make one grand fire when he got yeady to ignite it. ‘ ‘California Joe, the Mysterious Plainsman. ae Taking some light sticks for kindling, he | fastened them to his pack, and then started upon his ascent of the poles, having divested himself of his huge boots, as he knew he could not climb with them on. Reaching the top of the poles,he spread himself so to speak, across the well-like open- ing, and found that he could cling there. ‘*Tt’s going to bea tough job,” he said, real- izing fully the great strain it would be upon him, ” that a false step would burl bim back to He kx knew too, should his strength fail him, back he must, fall. But the Indians would visit upon him a worse fate, he well Knew, so up he started. Slowly, first one band, and then a foot, and so on he went. The strain now began to tell on him, and in places he had only the rough rocky side for a footing or hold, instead of as in other places a slight projection, and in each instance it took all his strength to keep trom falling. The smoke too, came up about him, nearly blinding him, and that with the foul air of the huge tomb were suffocating in she extreme. But on be went, slowly, surely, the sweat dropping from him in great beads, his feet and hands blistering, and the nails of his toes tearing to the quick as he clung to the rough rocks. Nearer and nearer the top he drew, and a the way seemed interminable, No resting-place, his muscles strained raw sore, his blistered hands and feet wearing and and ’ploody, and his weight seeming to be hun- dreds of pounds. But Joe had a will of iron, and a‘nerve not | to be subdued, and with shut teeth, and blinded eyes, for the smoke made it impossible for him to see, he struggled on upward. At last he put bis hand out as usual, and he nearly fell, for it met no resistance. Quickly he felf around him, and knew that be was aé the top. . Then he made a violent effort and drew him- self over the ledge. He was safe, but so worn out that he could not move, and lay where he had dragged him- self. He was so blinded that he could not see; but he was content to wait. The cool air soon revived him, the smoke- blinded eyes were soon able to look about, and he found himself upon a high ridge, overgrown with dwarfed trees.. The stars were shining brightly, fand the : was chill, after his experience -in the cavern. But be shook himself together, and seizing the line that was fastened to his arms, lay down upon the rock and glanced below. The foul air and smoke almost stifled bim, and he wondered how he could have hved through it. Slowly he drew on the line and up came his weapons to the top. He could bardly repress a shout of joy when he grasped them. Then the blanket-pack was drawn up, and laid beside the rifle, and Joe gathered the fag- ots, which were like tinder, lighted them, and lowered them quickly to the pile below. | Instantly they blazed up, and a hot roaring fire was the result. ‘‘Ratheg hard on the dead Injuns, I guess,” he said, with some sym- pathy for those in the tomb. Ever and anon he looked down, and saw that the fire was creeping up the poles and that they would soon be consumed, and all below present no appearance how an escape ‘had been made from the cavern, Joe was foot-sore, weary, in fact utterly worn out, but he felt it incumbent upon him to place as much distance as possible between him and his foes by morning, sohe drew on his | over-large boots, wincing with the pain it gave him, and then started upon bis way. © But each step was agony to him, and at last he knew he must rest, be the consequences what they might to bim. 2 ee a er a a a CHAPTER XIV. JON’S REVENGE. A Faw moments’ rest'served tomake Joefeel — s0 much better that he' decided to move on. Shouldering his pack and rifle once more he z did so. But the effort was most painful, and he soon — came toa halt, It was evident that some bright idea had flashed through his mind, for he stood % ap in- — stant in deep thought. Then he said: “‘T guess I might as well ride, for there are a hundred ponies over yonder,” and he nodded in the direction of the Indian camp, which was about a mile from where he then stood. Whether the pain was forgotten in the thought of carrying out his plot, he bardly knew, himself: but he managed to hobble down the ridge, gain the valley and make round to the timber in front of the canyon, where he bad so nearly Jost his life, He had been forced to rest several times, but he smiled grimly, when he came in sight of the camp-fires, It was almost dawn he knew, and he was anxious to lose no time, as darkness was his only hope. His knowledge of Indian life made him pitch at once “yon the loculity where they would be most likely to leave their ponies, and thither he went. It was upon the sidé of a hill, where the grass was plenty, and not a hundred yards from the camp-fires, around which he cculd see groups of warriors squatted, some of them too anxious about what had been seen in the cavern to go to bed. It was evident that they did not suspect dan- ger, or believed that there were any foes near, other than the one, or those in the cavern, for they could not account for the several rapid shots fired, unless there were more men than Joe there. Joe reconnoitered carefully, and he selected in his own mind just about where the Indian guards were stationed over the ponies, He saw that the vale in which they were had steep sides, and narrowed toward a canyon which he knew led out upon the prairie some tew. miles beyond, for once before he had pas ed through that way. The guards, therefore, would naturally be toward the canyon, as none were needed cn | the steep sides of the vale, or toward the camp. ‘This helps me immense, and I guess if my legs hold out, I'll just revenge myself a little,” he said in a whisper to himself. Taking from his pack a buckskin bag of red paint, he sméared it over his face. Then be drew out a war-bonnet of feathers, quite a gorgeous affair, and dropping a blanket about his shoulders, most cautiously began to go down the steep side of the hill. He came near the first pony, and saw by him the saddle of packed. meat. To what he needed he coolly helped him- self, Then he cut the lariat that held him to the stake and passed on to the next, repeating the same trick he had with the herd upon the prairie. The ponies did not know they were free, anl in this was his safety. From wustang to mustang he went, util he drew near the end of the herd, and he dared not go further, as he was aware the guards were near, asleep though they might be. Then he crept back to the upper end, and saw that dawn would be upon him in less © than half an bour. Selecting the pony of the herd, which in the darkness suited him best, he put upon it tha Indian saddle and bridle that was near, and mounting, begun to slowly drive those that were nearest him down the valley toward the canvon. . Slowly they’went at first, then in a trot, tin- til feeling that the stampede was started, Jue bn RAT,