THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB SERIES. 
 
 THE 
 
 SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 
 
 BY HARRY CASTLEMON, 
 
 AUTHOR OF "THE GUNBOAT SERIES," "GO AHEAD SERIES," 
 ROCKY MOUNTAIN SERIES," ETC. 
 
 PHILADELPHIA : 
 
 PORTER & CO ATES, 
 
 822 Chestnut Street. 
 
 CINCINNATI : 
 R. W. CARROLL & CO. 
 
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1874, by 
 
 11. W. CARROLL & CO., 
 In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. 
 
 MEAKS & DUSENBERY, SHERMAN & Co., 
 
 Stereotypers. Printers. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 Some old Friends ........ Page 5 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 The Invitation ....... 20 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 Archie s Strategy ..... .38 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 A Surprise ....... ,59 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 The Bear-Hunt 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 All together ..... 95 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 Uncle Dick s Secret ....... , 114 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 The Voyage commenced ...... 136 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 Suspicious Visitors . ..... 150 
 
iy CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 What they did Page 170 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 " Chinny Billy" 19 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 The Man in Irons 2U 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 Frank steals a Horse 238 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 Dick Lewis springs his Trap 267 
 
THE 
 
 SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 SOME OLD FRIENDS. 
 
 "I T is the night of the 15th of December 18 , and 
 once more we find all the members of the 
 Sportsman s Club seated around a blazing fire, in 
 the same room in which they were congregated when 
 we first made their acquaintance. Just two weeks 
 have passed since we introduced them to our readers, 
 and what a memorable two weeks they have been, 
 to be sure ! What surprising adventures have been 
 crowded into that short space of time ! First, there 
 was the panther hunt, which was the beginning of 
 all their troubles, for it was then that the Club in 
 curred the lasting enmity of Bayard Bell and some 
 of his crowd of fellows. After that came the wild- 
 
6 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 hog hunt, during which Perk and Eugene nearly lost 
 their lives, and Featherweight was made a prisoner 
 by the smugglers. Then followed the voyage to 
 Lost Island, the capture by the revenue cutter, the 
 interview with the smugglers, during which the Club 
 were completely outwitted, the fight with the de 
 serters, the voyage across the Gulf, the loss and 
 recovery of the yacht, the narrow escape from the 
 Spanish frigate, the fortnight s excitements winding 
 up at last by the rescue of Fred Craven, the reunion 
 of the Club and their safe voyage homeward. 
 
 The boys look back to all these perils and exploits 
 as to a startling dream from which they have but 
 just awakened. Everybody calls them heroes, but 
 they can hardly believe that they deserve the honor. 
 Walter is the lion of the Club, and his friends are 
 all willing that he should be such, for it was he who 
 took the yacht to Cuba and brought her safely back. 
 The gallant little vessel holds a higher place than 
 ever in the estimation of her young commander ; 
 the members of the Columbia Yacht Club go into 
 ecstasies over her ; and every one, young and old, 
 who comes to the mansion to call upon her crew and 
 congratulate them on their safe return, makes it a 
 point to visit the schooner. She now lies at her old 
 
AMONG- THE TRAPPERS. 7 
 
 moorings in the bayou, effectually protected from 
 the fury of the winter storms ; and if you could see 
 how gracefully she rides the swells, and how energeti 
 cally she pulls at her fastenings, you would believe, 
 with the Club, that she knows what she has done 
 and is proud of it. 
 
 There was great excitement in the neighborhood 
 when it became known that Mr. Bell was the leader 
 of the smugglers, and that he had carried Feather 
 weight to Cuba with him ; but that has all died away, 
 and now the questions that everybody is asking 
 everybody else are : What have the Spaniards done 
 with the crew of the Stella ? What has become of 
 Mr. Bell s family? and, Where in the world is 
 Chase ? Nobody is able to reply to a single one 
 of these inquiries. The Sportsman s Club have not 
 heard from Mr. Bell since they left Cuba, and 
 neither have they the slightest idea what has be 
 come of Bayard and his mother. All they know is 
 that the house they once lived in looks more like a 
 ruin than it ever did, and that it is entirely deserted. 
 Even the negroes who tilled the plantation have 
 moved away, the horses, cows and mules have be 
 come scattered, and there is not a living thing to be 
 seen on the premises, with the exception of a lonely 
 
8 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 dog, which has been observed occasionally standing 
 on the porch howling lustily, as if he were greatly 
 depressed by the desolate appearance of things. In 
 regard to Chase they are quite as much in the dark. 
 He has not yet appeared, and neither has he been 
 heard from ; and the people in the neighborhood 
 have finally settled down in the belief that, in his 
 eagerness to escape from Cuba, he shipped on the 
 first vessel he could find, which, instead of bringing 
 him to the States, carried him off in another direc 
 tion, and that he will some day turn up all right. 
 Wilson is very anxious about him. He has not the 
 slightest suspicion that Chase deliberately, and in 
 the most cowardly manner, deserted him when he 
 was in trouble. If he knew this he might not be 
 quite so solicitous concerning his welfare. 
 
 On this particular evening, the Club are passing 
 the time in much the same manner as when we first 
 met them. Walter and Featherweight are busy 
 with their books, Perk and Bab are deeply interested 
 in a hotly-contested game of backgammon, while 
 Eugene is seated at a desk upon which is a pile of 
 letters the correspondence that has accumulated 
 during the Club s absence. They have just reached 
 home after a day s exciting sport at fox-hunting; 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 9 
 
 and having removed all the powder-stains and 
 splashes of mud from their hands and faces, and ex 
 changed their heavy top-boots for slippers, are wait 
 ing with as much patience as hungry boys can for 
 tho ringing of the supper-bell. Before they heard 
 t the door opened, admitting Uncle Dick, who car 
 ried a bundle of letters in his hand. 
 
 "I can t stop now, said the old sailor, declining 
 the easy chair which Walter drew in front of the 
 fire, and placing the letters on the desk before his 
 nephew. " Sam has just returned from the post- 
 office, and I came up to bring your mail. As most 
 of the letters are addressed to you, Eugene, I sup 
 pose they are the answers to the invitations you 
 have sent out. By the way, I hope you did not 
 neglect to tell all your friends that something a 
 little out of the usual line is coming off during the 
 holidays, or very soon afterward?" 
 
 "No, indeed, I did not neglect it," replied Eugene, 
 earnestly, while all the Club became interested at 
 once. " But don t keep us in suspense any longer, 
 Mncle. Please tell us what it is ?" 
 
 The old sailor, with a very mysterious expression 
 on his face, bent his head close to his nephew s, and 
 opened his lips as if about to speak. The other 
 
10 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 boys observing these movements, hastily arose from 
 their chairs, and gathering about him, held their 
 breaths to listen ; for this " something a little out 
 of the usual line," that was to come off during the 
 holidays, had been kept constantly before their 
 minds for a long time past, and now they thought 
 they were going to hear what it was. Uncle Dick 
 cleared his throat, and while the Club, with their 
 curiosity and impatience worked up to the highest 
 pitch, were listening intently, he suddenly straight 
 ened up, and frowning fiercely upon Eugene, poked 
 him in the ribs with his finger, winked knowingly 
 at the rest of the boys, and left the room without 
 saying a word. The amazed arid disappointed 
 youngsters stood silent and motionless for a few 
 seconds, staring blankly at one another, and then 
 slowly returned to their seats by the fire, while 
 Eugene began to sort out the mail. 
 
 "Now, if anybody but Uncle Dick had played 
 that trick on us, I should say it was downright pro 
 voking," said the latter, who was the first to find 
 his tongue. u What in the world does he mean by 
 it?" 
 
 "There s something going on," said Feather 
 weight, shaking his head and looking very wise. 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 11 
 
 " You know that when the Academy was burned, 
 and we were wishing that it would be immediately 
 rebuilt so that we could go back, Uncle Dick said 
 it would be a long time before any of us would see 
 the inside of it as scholars !" 
 
 "Yes, I remember," said Walter, picking up his 
 book. 
 
 " And I remember another thing he once told 
 me," remarked Eugene; "and that is, that he is 
 one of the best hands in the world to keep a secret ; 
 so we may as well possess our souls in patience , 
 and await developments. He ll not tell us until he 
 gets ready." 
 
 Eugene having by this time looked over the mail, 
 now handed each of his companions the correspon 
 dence and papers addressed to him, and for the next 
 ten minutes the silence was unbroken, save by the 
 rustling of the letters as the readers turned the sheets. 
 At the end of that time, an exclamation from 
 Eugene drew the attention of all. " Here s a dis 
 appointment, fellows !" he exclaimed. " George 
 says he can t come." 
 
 "Now, that s too bad!" cried all the boys, in a 
 breath. 
 
 "A better fellow than George never existed," 
 
12 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 continued Featherweight. " I wish he lived about 
 here, so that he could be one of us." 
 
 " He must have some good reasons for declining," 
 observed Walter, in a disappointed tone. " What 
 does he say ?" 
 
 Eugene turned to his desk and began to overhaul 
 the letters upon it. While he is thus engaged we 
 will seize the opportunity to put in just a word of 
 explanation. 
 
 Mr. Gaylord, and his brother, Uncle Dick, like 
 many other wealthy men all over the world, and 
 particularly in the South, keep open house the year 
 round; and especially do they make it a point to 
 have the old mansion, during the holidays, filled to 
 its utmost capacity with their friends and relatives. 
 As early as the first of December invitations are 
 sent in all directions, a goodly number of them 
 being written by Walter and Eugene, who have the 
 privilege of inviting as many of their young ac- 
 quaintanances as they please, to assist in carrying 
 out the plans that have been formed for their amuse 
 ment. And their visitors never find the time hang 
 heavily on their hands, for each day has something 
 exciting or interesting set apart for it. For ex 
 ample, there is a game-dinner to be furnished for 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 18 
 
 the guests and all the servants, and every one who 
 can ride a horse or handle a rifle or shot-gun, is 
 expected to take part ; the men finding the deer 
 and bear meat, and the boys confining themselves 
 to turkeys, ducks, geese and other small game. 
 Enough hunts on a smaller scale, shooting-matches, 
 rides and masquerades are planned to fill up the 
 rest of the time. Mr. Gaylord had made extensive 
 preparations for this particular Christmas, for he 
 intended that it should be one long to be remem 
 bered by the younger portion of his family, at least, 
 and so did Uncle Dick, who said, with a very know 
 ing air, that there was no telling where they would 
 all be when another Christmas came around, and 
 kept constantly hinting at that mysterious " some 
 thing" that was certainly coming off a subject, by 
 the way, which he seemed to find unbounded satis 
 faction in talking about. 
 
 Eugene continued for some moments to pull over 
 the numerous letters on his desk. The most of 
 them were answers to the invitations he and Walter 
 had sent out some gladly accepting and telling the 
 Club when they might expect the writers at the 
 mansion, others regretting that different arrange 
 ments had already been made. At last Eugene 
 found the letter he wanted and read as follows : 
 
]4 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 u You will believe me, I know, when I say that I 
 am very sorry indeed that I cannot accept your 
 kind invitation. Under ordinary circumstances I 
 should think twice before declining, for I have not 
 forgotten the fine rides and hunts I had with you 
 and the Club last year ; but these are not ordinary 
 circumstances. I am expecting a couple of friends 
 from the North to spend the holidays at our house : 
 so you see I must stay at home." 
 
 " That is all he says about that," continued 
 Eugene. " The rest of the letter is taken up with 
 the description of a grand deer-hunt in which he 
 engaged a few days ago." 
 
 "Well," said Walter, "that s no excuse, and we 
 can t accept it as one. He needn t stay at home 
 because he is going to have company. They must 
 be the right sort, or George would not class them 
 among his friends. Tell him that our party will 
 not be complete without him, and ask him to come 
 by all means and bring his guests with him. We 
 shall be glad to see them, and the old house is plenty 
 large enough to hold them." 
 
 "And make the invitation as cordial as you know 
 how," suggested Featherweight. 
 
 Eugene picked up his pen, and the others once 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 15 
 
 more turned to their correspondence. In a few 
 minutes the long-expected summons to supper camei 
 Eugene s letter was finished by that time, and he 
 took it down stairs and dropped it into the mail box 
 in the hall. " To whom are you writing?" asked 
 Uncle Dick, who happened to pass by just then. 
 
 " To George," was the reply. " He says he can t 
 come." 
 
 " He shall come !" exclaimed the old sailor. 
 
 " He is expecting some friends from the North." 
 
 " No matter if he expects an elephant from the 
 North. Tell him to come and bring it along." 
 
 " That s just what I did tell him ; or, rather, I 
 told him to bring his friends." 
 
 " You didn t forget to say that something a little 
 out of the usual line is coming off, did you ?" 
 
 "No sir, I did not." 
 
 Eugene went into the supper room and Uncle 
 Dick turned into the library. When the latter 
 came out a quarter of an hour afterward, he carried 
 in his hand a letter bearing the same address as the 
 one his nephew had just put into the box. It was 
 plain that the absent George was popular with the 
 Gaylord family, and that they were determined that 
 he should make one of their party of guests, if 
 writing could accomplish their object. 
 
^Q THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 The next morning these two letters were taken 
 out of the box by old Sam, the negro, and sent off 
 by the mail-coach. They took their way first to 
 New Orleans, thence by boat up Red River as far 
 as the Washita, and finally stopped for a few hours 
 in the post-office at a place we will call Gibb s Land 
 ing, from which they found their way into the hands 
 of the person to whom they were addressed a tall, 
 pale, studious-looking youth, who, after placing them 
 carefully away in one pocket, drew from another a 
 well-filled envelope which he dropped into the box. 
 We are interested in this last-mentioned letter, for 
 it has considerable to do with our story ; or, rather 
 those for whom it was destined have ; so we will see 
 where it went and what sort of a reception it met. 
 
 It had a long journey to make fifteen hundred 
 miles, at least, if it could have travelled in a straight 
 line. It went by boat to Memphis, thence by rail 
 through New York, Boston arid Portland, and at 
 last brought up in Augusta, the capital of Maine. 
 There it was transferred to a stage coach, and in a few 
 hours more reached its journey s end, being depos- 
 ited, in company with several others, in a box in the 
 Lawrence post-office, waiting to be taken out bj 
 somebody. Nor was it destined to wait long 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 17 
 
 Shortly after the mail was opened a dashing young 
 fellow, in heavy overcoat, arctic shoes, and beaver 
 muffler and gloves, hurried into the office, took out 
 the letters, and after glancing at the address of each, 
 put them all into his pocket and hurried out again. 
 He sprang into a light Portland cutter, to which 
 was attached a large, stylish iron-gray horse, and 
 after tucking the wolf robes carefully about him, 
 picked up the reins and was off like the wind. He 
 went through the village at a reckless pace, bowing 
 right and left to those he met, and passing all the 
 cutters on the road as easily and quickly as if they 
 had been standing still on past the Academy, and 
 along the bank of the creek, where crowds of sturdy 
 boys and rosy- cheeked girls were disporting them 
 selves on the ice, and was finally whirled through an 
 open gate, and up to the back verandah of a neat 
 little cottage, where an honest looking Irishman, who 
 had heard the jingling of the bells, was waiting to 
 receive him. 
 
 "Roderick is lively to-day, intirely," said the 
 man, catching the ribbons as the driver threw them 
 out, and glancing at the impatient steed, which 
 pranced about and pawed the snow as if unable to 
 stand still even for an instant. 
 2 
 
18 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 " Lively ! That s no name for it, Uncle Mike. 
 Look there," said the new-comer, pulling off his glove 
 and showing his hand, which bore the marks of the 
 rein that had been wrapped around it, " He s al 
 together two much for me. I haven t got muscle 
 enough to hold him. His mouth is like iron." 
 
 The speaker went into the house and made his 
 way along the hall into the sitting room, the occu 
 pants of which were an elderly lady, and a hand, 
 some young girl. The former he addressed as Auir 
 Mary, and the other he called Cousin Julia. Aftei 
 giving them the letters and papers that were ad 
 dressed to them, he went out again, crossed the hall 
 and entered a room which seemed to have been fit 
 ted up as a well, it is hard to tell whether it wa 
 intended for a bed-room, library or curiosity-shop 
 for it looked like all three. Its only occupant wa 
 a tall, broad-shouldered young fellow, in dressing 
 gown and slippers, who was seated at a table covere 
 with books and papers. He was gazing thoughl 
 fully out at the window, one hand holding a per 
 arid the other being employed in stroking somethin 
 on his upper lip, which promised, with a few year: 
 care and cultivation, to develope into a thrivin 
 moustache. 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 19 
 
 The new-comer, without saying a word, kicked off 
 his arctic shoes, and divested himself of his over 
 coat and muffler, revealing, when all these opera 
 tions were completed, a slender little figure, and a 
 jolly, good-natured face, which, if once seen, could 
 never be forgotten. Indeed, we venture the asser 
 tion that those of our readers who have met this 
 young gentleman before, know by this time who 
 he is. He seated himself in an easy chair, thrust 
 his feet out toward the glowing bed of coals in the 
 grate, and drawing a letter from his pocket slowly 
 read aloud the superscription : 
 
 " Captain Frank Nelson, 
 Lawrence, 
 
 Somerset Co., Me. 
 
 " Your old navy title clings to you yet, doesn t it ? 
 I wonder that rny correspondents don t pay me the 
 same respect. They ought to address me as Pay 
 master Winters. I consider myself slighted. It is 
 from George Le Dell," he added, tossing the letter 
 to his companion. 
 
20 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 THE INVITATION. 
 
 AFTER a long separation we once more find our 
 selves in the presence of these two old and 
 valued friends, Frank Nelson and his cousin, Archie 
 Winters.* Those who have met them before will 
 not need an introduction, for Frank and Archie 
 never forget the friends they have once taken by 
 the hand ; and to those who have not, we are cer 
 tain that all we need to say is that they are excel 
 lent fellows ; and we believe that by the time our 
 story is ended, they will be willing to endorse our 
 recommendation. 
 
 The last time we saw Frank and Archie was in 
 this very room. They had then just received their 
 leaves of absence from the navy, in which they had 
 served with honor for nearly four years, and bad 
 come home to enjoy themselves. That w r as three 
 years ago ; so Frank is nearly twenty-three years 
 
 *The heroes of the "Gunboat" and "Rocky Mountain" 
 Series. 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 21 
 
 of age, and Archie a few months younger. These 
 three years have been spent by our old friends in 
 good hard study and work. Archie is fitting him 
 self for a civil engineer (he has already spent some 
 months in assisting to lay out a railroad, and the 
 letter of recommendation given him by his chief 
 declares that as a leveller he has few superiors), 
 while Frank is well, he has not yet given his oc 
 cupation any name ; he intends to wait until he has 
 made a reputation. But he has written some very 
 readable stories, on subjects that are always in 
 teresting to the "Boy Public," and perhaps some 
 of you have seen them. He has changed, of course, 
 in some respects. He has grown stronger and taller 
 Archie can easily stand erect under his out 
 stretched arm talks in a deep bass voice, and 
 spends more time in his study with his books and 
 papers, than he does in sailing the Speedwell or 
 whipping the trout streams. But when the time for 
 recreation comes he is as much of a boy as ever. 
 Archie is the same young fellow we met five years 
 ago he doesn t look or act any differently. He 
 never will change. He will always be " spindle- 
 shanked," rattle-brained Archie Winters. 
 
 Frank s room, or the study, as it is generally 
 
22 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 called, looks just as it did the last time we saw it. 
 The bed occupies its old corner; at its foot is the 
 "sporting cabinet," which, however, looks more like 
 an armory, for, in addition to the boys double bar 
 rels, fishing-rods and baskets, it contains the revolvers 
 and swords they wore during the war, the rifles they 
 carried in the Far West, as well as the bowie-knives, 
 spears, bows and arrows, lassoes and fire-arms of 
 every description which came into their possession 
 while they were on the prairie and in the service. 
 The two relics of revolutionary times are still to be 
 seen over the book-case ; the model of the fore-and- 
 aft schooner and the box enclosing the " scene at 
 sea," occupy their old positions on the bureau; and 
 the same pictures adorn the walls. Among them 
 is the one that formerly occupied a prominent place 
 in their room in Uncle James s rancho the same 
 that Pierre Costello took down from its nail in order 
 that he might hang Frank with his lasso. The boys 
 will never part with any of these relics. There are 
 too many interesting and exciting associations con 
 nected with them. 
 
 The museum, which you know is located in that 
 long, low building at the rear of the cottage, has 
 lost none of its attractions. There is the wild-cat. 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 23 
 
 looking just as he did on the morning when our 
 Young Naturalists first saw him in the woods ; the 
 buck that capsized the skiff, and turned him and 
 Archie into the lake ; the white deer they rescued 
 from the wolves only to have him killed by a panther ; 
 the moose whose sharp hoofs and antlers so nearly 
 made an end of Frank ; the grizzly bears (among 
 them the famous " Old Davy"), elk and prong-horns 
 they brought with them from the Rocky Mountains 
 they are ail there, in good condition, and looking 
 as life-like as possible. The pets, however, of which 
 Frank once thought so much the squirrels, otter, 
 raccoons and king-birds, have disappeared. A few 
 of them died, and the rest strayed off into the woods 
 and became wild. " Daw," the crow, is the only one 
 left. He is as familiar and full of fight as ever. 
 Now that his old enemies, the king-birds, are not 
 there to interfere with his arrangements, he has 
 things all his own way about the orchard. Brave 
 is left, and so are Marrnion, Roderick and King 
 James. The two dogs are still fast friends, and as 
 faithful to their master as of old. Brave, when not 
 off in company with Frank, is always to be found 
 in his kennel at the back porch, while Marmion 
 looks out for matters about the barn. Roderick, 
 
24 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 the gray king of the drove, has lost none of his 
 lightness of foot, and although he is still able to 
 beat King James, the gallant little black never falls 
 behind without giving him a long race. Both horses 
 have been broken to harness, and there is not a 
 handsomer or more stylish team about the village. 
 Uncle Mike, the same whom we once saw assisting 
 Frank to remove his scow from the creek to his 
 shop, has been employed to take care of them, and 
 the spirited animals give the jolly old Irishman as 
 much trouble as ever the young bears did, that were 
 once confined in his smoke-house. 
 
 .There have been some changes made about the 
 place during the last three years. An elegant 
 gothic cottage now stands in the upper corner of the 
 orchard, and in it Archie s father and mother reside. 
 Archie, about once a week, looks in upon them for 
 half an hour, and that is all they see of him unless 
 they go over to Mrs. Nelson s. The cousins are 
 very much attached to each other, and Archie thinks 
 so much more of Frank s study than he does of his 
 room at home, that he has taken up his permanent 
 abode there. 
 
 One word with regard to the writer of the letter 
 which Archie has just handed to Frank. It is from 
 
-AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 25 
 
 George Le Dell, another old acquaintance of ours. 
 It will be remembered that George s parents, who 
 live in the South, were rebels, and that when the 
 war broke out, George, being a thorough Unionist, 
 was driven from his home ; that he enlisted in the 
 gunboat service, was captured and taken to Tyler, 
 Texas; that he effected his escape, and while on 
 his way to the Mississippi, he met Frank, also an 
 escaped prisoner, who, in company with Major 
 Williams and Captain Schmidt, two Federal army 
 officers, was making the best of his way toward the 
 nearest Union post ; that George joined their party ; 
 that they, at his urgent request, very imprudently 
 consented to accompany him to his old home on the 
 banks of the Washita, which was but a few miles 
 distant ; and that while they were in the house, 
 General Le Dell and .his rebel sons came in. It 
 will be recollected, too, that their entrance was the 
 signal for a scene the like of which Frank had never 
 witnessed. George and Frank afterward became 
 messmates and bosom friends ; and when the war 
 was over, and they parted, one to return to his quiet, 
 happy little home at the North, the other to wander 
 he knew not whither, since no roof was waiting to 
 welcome him, and no mother and sister were im- 
 
26 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 patiently counting the hours that must elapse before 
 his arrival, George had said, with tears in his eyes : 
 
 "Write to me often, old fellow, for I have no 
 friend but you now. But better times are in store 
 for me, I know. Mark my prediction : this thing 
 will be settled one of these days, and when it is, 
 I will write to you, and I want you and your cousin 
 to pay me a visit at my old home. Promise me 
 faithfully that you will." 
 
 Frank and Archie readily gave the required 
 promise, and hoped from the bottom of their hearts 
 that affairs would turn out as their friend wished ; 
 but when he was out of hearing they told one an 
 other that their prediction was that George would 
 be an outcast as long as he lived. The letter which 
 now demands our attention will show who was right. 
 
 For a few minutes after his cousin handed him 
 the letter Frank sat in his chair, gazing fixedly at 
 the superscription, his thoughts wandering away 
 down to the sunny clime from which the missive had 
 just arrived. Captain Nelson ! He had been so 
 addressed but once since he left the navy, and that 
 was more than a year ago, when George wrote to 
 him from Memphis, telling him that he was employed 
 as bookkeeper in the office of a cotton factor there, 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 27 
 
 and that he bad never heard from home except 
 through one or two persons he had chanced to meet 
 on the street, and whom he had known in better 
 lays. What a multitude of recollections, what 
 hrilling scenes and hair-breadth escapes did the title 
 onjure up ! The struggle between the lines, the 
 imely rescue from the guerrillas, his capture and 
 aptivity among the rebels, the fight with the bat- 
 ery in Red River, the destruction of the first boat 
 ic commanded, his long swim from the burning 
 rreck, the glow of pride he felt when the admiral 
 irst placed his commission in his hands he lived 
 hem all over again in a minute s time. And what 
 . host of memories came thronging back upon him at 
 he sight of the familiar writing on the envelope ! 
 le went back in imagination to the night on which 
 e had first met George ; when the latter, in obedi 
 ence to the major s command : " Whoever you are 
 tehind that fence, whether a friend or an enemy to 
 he Union, come out immediately or you are a dead 
 nan," arose from his place of concealment and 
 lame toward them. Once more he listened to the 
 orrowful story as George told it to himself and 
 Companions on the morning they camped in the for- 
 ?st, to wait until it should grow dark, so that they 
 
28 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 might continue their journey. Again he crossed the 
 wide field that lay between the woods and the plan 
 tation house, and stood upon the porch and listened, 
 while the major told the servant who answered his 
 knock at the door, that he and his companions were 
 Confederate soldiers, out on a scout, and in need of 
 provisions. He saw everything in General Le 
 Dell s parlor as plainly as he did on the night he 
 was there, and remarked the calm, indifferent manner 
 in which George, whose heart he knew was almost 
 bursting, returned the curious glances which his 
 mother and sisters directed toward him. Then the 
 clatter of horses hoofs fell upon his startled ear, he 
 heard the heavy footsteps in the hall, saw three rebel 
 soldiers, George s father and brothers, enter the 
 room, and listened like one in a dream to the stern 
 words : " You here, you young traitor ? I thought 
 you were safe in the prison at Tyler again by this 
 time." In short, so vividly was every little inci 
 dent connected with that memorable night recalled 
 to his mind, that Frank really thought he was living 
 it over again ; and he looked, felt and acted exactly 
 as he had done on that occasion. 
 
 Well I say ! None of that, please. I assure you 
 that I have no hostile intentions none whatever." 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 29 
 
 These words recalled Frank to his senses. He 
 was not in General Le Dell s parlor, after all, but 
 in his own quiet little study, standing erect in front 
 of his chair, with his hand on his side, where he had 
 worn his revolver when circumstances made it ne 
 cessary that he should carry one, and his cousin 
 was gazing up at him with a face full of wonder. 
 
 " I don t want to fight," continued Archie, who 
 knew that Frank had been wandering among mem 
 ories of the past. " The war is over, and I have 
 given up the trade. It is so trying to one s consti 
 tution." 
 
 "Poor George!" said Frank, who could not yet 
 confine his thoughts and attention to things about 
 him. " I shall never forget how he looked on 
 the night he went into that house with us. He was 
 dying for a kind word, but there was no one to 
 speak it." 
 
 " Where is he now ?" inquired Archie ; " still in 
 Memphis?" 
 
 "Let me see," replied his cousin, closely exam 
 ining the envelope. " It is post-marked Gibb s 
 Landing," he added, in an astonished tone; "and 
 that is only four miles from George s old home." 
 
 " I declare !" exclaimed Archie, excitedly. " His 
 
30 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 prediction has been verified; I know it has, and I 
 am glad of it. Wouldn t it be a good plan to read 
 the letter and fiu d out ?" 
 
 Frank thought it would. He tore open the en 
 velope and took out three short letters. The first 
 was from George, and ran as follows : 
 
 CATAIIOOLA PARISH, 
 
 Dec. 10th 18. 
 
 MY DEAR FRANK : 
 
 It is a lono- time since I have heard from you, 
 
 O 
 
 and longer since I have written more than a year ; 
 but it does not seem so long, for I have passed 
 through it like one in a dream. Wish me joy, old 
 fellow I know you do; things have turned out 
 just as I told you they would. I am at home again, 
 and am beginning to feel that I belong here. Indeed 
 it could not be otherwise, for all old differences are 
 forgotten, and my father and mother, and all my 
 brothers and sisters, treat me with as much kind 
 ness and consideration as though nothing had ever 
 come between us. We are all here, a united, happy 
 family ; how happy you will never know until you 
 have seen us. Come down here, and I will tell you 
 just how it was brought about. You must come,, 
 for you know that the last time I saw you and your 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 31 
 
 Cousin Archie, you both promised that if my father 
 ever relented and received me as his son again, and 
 I informed you of the fact, you would pay me a 
 visit. I shall expect you both to spend the holidays 
 at our house. Don t disappoint me, for I have set 
 my heart upon having you here, and have already 
 declined two invitations to visit my friends. Tell 
 me when you will leave home, so that I can be on 
 the lookout, Take a Washita river boat from Mem 
 phis and it will land you within a stone s throw of 
 our door. 
 
 In order that you may know that I am not the 
 only one who wants you, I enclose invitations from 
 two gentlemen you met in this section during the 
 war. 
 
 You read the papers, I suppose, and have per 
 haps got an idea from them that Union men are 
 still detested at the South. Don t let that trouble 
 you, for I assure you that the fact that you are 
 Northern men, will not once be brought to your 
 recollection by anything an ex-rebel may say to you. 
 The better class of Southerners and you will have 
 to do with no others have accepted the issues of 
 the conflict, and, instead of striving to keep up old 
 feurls and .differences, are minding their own bus;- 
 
82 
 
 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 ness working hard to repair the damage they and 
 their property received during the war. Do promise 
 me that. you will be on hand at the earliest possible 
 moment, or else tell me that you want nothing 
 further to do with 
 
 Your old friend and messmate, 
 
 GEORGE LE DELL. 
 
 "Hurrah for George!" exclaimed Archie, who 
 had listened eagerly to every word. 
 
 " That s the best news I have heard in a long 
 time," said Frank, really delighted. 
 
 " You will accept, of course ?" 
 
 u That depends," replied Frank, picking up the 
 second letter which ran thus : 
 
 MY YOUNG FRIEND : 
 
 I have never had the pleasure of making your 
 acquaintance in the regular way, but you will per 
 haps remember that I met you, on one occasion, 
 under very peculiar circumstances. The interview 
 was rather hurried, and I am not certain that I 
 should be able to recognise you again, were it not 
 for the fact that I have heard George speak so often 
 of you, that I have at last come to believe that I 
 have always known you. I should be delighted to 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 33 
 
 have you visit us, that I may thank you personally 
 for your kindness to George, and see if the real 
 Captain Nelson equals my ideal. I add my own 
 and Mrs. Le Dell s earnest invitation to my son s, 
 and sincerely hope you and your cousin may find it 
 convenient to accept it. I assure you that we shall 
 do all in our power to make your stay among us 
 agreeable. 
 
 Your obd t serv t, 
 
 EDWARD LE DELL. 
 
 "Why, that s from the General," said Frank, 
 greatly surprised. 
 
 " He is cordial enough, certainly," said Archie, 
 who had already made up his mind that the invita 
 tions should be accepted ; " and I know he is a jolly 
 old gentleman, if he was a rebel. Are you going ?" 
 
 " I will talk to you about that in a minute. 
 Here s another letter." 
 
 It ran as follows : 
 
 i 
 
 DEAR CAPTAIN : 
 
 George wants me to add just a word, hoping 
 that if you are not already satisfied that we really 
 want you here during the holidays, you and that 
 3 
 
34 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 cousin of yours, I may say something that will con 
 vince you of the fact. I have never seen Mr. 
 Winters, but I have met you, and you have in your 
 possession a suit of clothes you borrowed of me one 
 night borrowed it too at the muzzle of my own 
 revolver, if you remember. But perhaps the cir 
 cumstance is so trifling that it has escaped your 
 memory. Come down, and we will talk over those 
 old times. We can afford to laugh at them now. I 
 have a plantation about a mile from the General s, 
 and when you are tired of visiting with George, you 
 can ride over and see me. You know you once told 
 me that you liked hunting better than anything else 
 in the world. I will furnish you with a good 
 horse and gun at any time, and agree to show you a 
 bear in less than half an hour after we leave the 
 house. Isn t that an inducement? I know it is, 
 so pack your knapsacks and come on. We shall 
 be glad to see you. 
 
 Your friend, and once your captive, 
 
 RICHARD HENRY SOMERS. 
 
 "Lieutenant Somers !" exclaimed Frank, more 
 surprised than ever. " I don t think I have forgotten 
 the trifling circumstance to which he alludes, nor 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 35 
 
 shall I ever forget how quickly he came out of his 
 rebel uniform when he saw his own revolver levelled 
 at his head. But he is a splendid fellow. He and I 
 whiled away many a pleasant, hour while he was our 
 prisoner " 
 
 a Well !" interrupted Archie, as his cousin folded 
 up the three letters and replaced them in the envel 
 ope, "speak out." 
 
 Frank stroked his moustache meditatively, and 
 looked at the pile of manuscript on the (able at his 
 side. 
 
 u 0, now I know what you are thinking about," 
 cried Archie, " but that need not stand in your way. 
 Your literary engagements are not so very numerous 
 or pressing that you must forego a pleasant visit for 
 the sake of them. Leave off boring the public for 
 a while, and give it a rest. If any of your numerous 
 admirers want to know what has become of you, no 
 doubt the Lawrence Patriot will inform them. I 
 expect that when the editor sees us going away he 
 will rush into his office and dash oif something like 
 the following : 
 
 " Our young fellow townsman Frank Nelson, the 
 popular juvenile author, accompanied by his cousin, 
 Archibald Winters, late Paymaster in the United 
 
36 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 States navy, has this day taken leave of his friends, 
 preparatory to a journey to Louisiana. Mr. Nelson 
 goes in search of items ; and we can assure his le 
 gions of readers that what he sees and hears will be 
 served up for their entertainment, in his most ac 
 ceptable style, in the new series of books upon which 
 he is at present engaged. 
 
 Frank laughed heartily, and Archie pulled on 
 his overshoes, threw his coat over his shoulder and 
 bolted out of the room. When he returned two 
 hours afterwards, Frank had had a long conversation 
 with his mother, and was engaged in packing his 
 books and papers away in his desk. 
 
 " Aha !" exclaimed Archie. 
 
 "Well?" replied his cousin. 
 
 " I knew you were going." 
 
 "Are you?" 
 
 " Of course. Mother thought at first that she 
 would rather have us at home during the holidays, 
 but as we have already had one grand family reunion 
 since the war, and father readily gave his consent, 
 she did not raise any serious objections. When 
 shall we start?" 
 
 " Let me see ; this is Wednesday. Suppose we 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 37 
 
 write to George to-night, and tell him that we will 
 start on Monday." 
 
 Archie agreed to the proposition, and the day 
 Frank named was set for their departure. We need 
 not dwell upon the arrangements they made for the 
 journey. It will be sufficient to say that, remem 
 bering the bears of which one of their correspondents 
 had spoken, each packed away in his trunk a hunt 
 ing-knife, a Smith & Wesson revolver and a Maynard 
 rifle. When Monday arrived Uncle Mike hitched 
 Roderick and King James to the bob-sleigh, and 
 took them and their luggage to Lawrence. 
 
38 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 ARCHIE S STRATEGY. 
 
 rill-IE swift horses made short work of the half a 
 mile that lay between the cottage and the vil 
 lage, and in less than fifteen minutes after leaving 
 home the cousins, well wrapped up in furs and heavy 
 coats, Avere perched upon the box beside the driver 
 of the stage-coach (in summer the little steamer 
 Julia Burton takes the place of the stage), bound 
 for Augusta, at which place they purchased tickets 
 for Memphis. In due time they arrived at Cairo, 
 where they found the transfer-boat, Underwriter, 
 which was to take them to Columbus. Before the 
 boat started, they had ample time to look about 
 them. 
 
 "Is this the Cairo we knew during the war?" 
 asked Frank. 
 
 "I can hardly believe it is," answered Archie. 
 " I don t see a single gunboat." 
 
 "There s where the receiving-ship used to lie," 
 continued Frank, pointing out the exact spot. "I 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 39 
 
 shall never forget how homesick I was on the morn 
 ing we first boarded her, or the look of astonish 
 ment your face wore when the officer who mustered 
 us appointed you cook of our mess. A nice cook 
 you made, didn t you?" 
 
 " Humph ! That wasn t as bad as the scrape you 
 got into," retorted Archie. " You were punished 
 in less than a week after you entered the service, 
 and I was in four years and never received a repri 
 mand. In less than two hours after you went 
 aboard the receiving-ship, you had to wipe up the 
 water you spilled on deck, and then go about the 
 vessel trailing a swab behind you. If I hadn t taken 
 pity on you, you might have been carrying that 
 swab yet. But were not those excellent pies that 
 we stole from that galley ?" 
 
 " Ours were ; but I wonder how that boatswain s 
 mate liked his the one that contained the dose of 
 jalap?" 
 
 The cousins conversed in this way until the 
 steamer moved off into the river, and then they 
 went into the cabin and sat down by the fire. At 
 nine o clock they reached Columbus, and seated 
 themselves in the cars bound for Memphis. There 
 they took passage on a Washita river boat, and one 
 
40 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 morning, while fast asleep in their berths, were 
 aroused by the steward, who informed them that 
 their destination was not more than a mile ahead. 
 By the time they were dressed, the pilot blew tho 
 whistle, rang the signal for landing, and ten minutes 
 afterward Frank and Archie were standing on the 
 bank beside their trunks, gazing alternately at 
 the plantation-house, which was about two hundred 
 yards away, and at the steamer which was rapidly 
 moving up the river. 
 
 Things did not look much here in Louisiana as 
 they did in the state they had just left. There the 
 thermometer stood fifteen degrees below zero on the 
 morning they began their journey, and on the way 
 from the cottage to Lawrence, they passed along a 
 road which had been shovelled through snow-drifts 
 eight feet deep. On the sides, at intervals of a 
 hundred yards or so, were excavations into which 
 a sleigh might turn to allow another to pass ; and 
 all the way to the village Uncle Mike was obliged 
 to stand upright on his seat, so that he could look 
 over the top of the drifts and thus avoid meeting a 
 team in the narrow part of the road. When they 
 got into the stage it moved out on the river, on 
 which the ice was nearly two feet thick, and using 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 41 
 
 it as a highway, followed it clear to Augusta, a dis 
 tance of a hundred miles. But here in Louisiana 
 there was not the least sign of snow or ice. The 
 morning was so warm that the boys carried their 
 overcoats across their arms, the grass was green 
 and fresh, and now and then a blue-bird chirped 
 merrily among the boughs overhead. 
 
 The old plantation-house looked just as it did on 
 the night that Frank and his fellow-fugitives had 
 first seen it. There was the barn in which they 
 had stopped to hold their consultation, the fence, 
 under a corner of which Lieutenant Somers had 
 been laid away, bound and helpless, to await their 
 return, and Frank could show Archie^the very spots 
 on which he and George had stationed their men on 
 the day they were ordered ashore to burn the house. 
 While he was pointing out the familiar objects that 
 met his gaze on every side, the door of the house 
 was slammed violently, and a figure bounded down 
 the steps and came towards them at a rapid run. 
 It was George Le Dell. They knew him at a glance. 
 His face wore an expression of unbounded delight, 
 and when he reached the boys he threw his arms 
 about them and actually hugged them. 
 
 "Why, you monster!" he exclaimed, holding 
 
42 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 Frank off at arm s length and looking him all over; 
 " are you never going to stop running up towards 
 the clouds and swelling out about the shoulders? 
 But it is you, isn t it ? And Archie, too, looking as 
 natural as life. So glad to see you ! I have been 
 looking for you every day since your letter arrived, 
 and when I heard that boat whistle I knew you 
 were close at hand. Come right into the house, and 
 never mind the trunks. I ll send a man after them 
 directly." 
 
 Without giving his visitors time to return his 
 cordial greeting, George linked his arms through 
 theirs and conducted them toward the plantation- 
 house, talking rapidly all the while. He led them 
 directly to his room, and through it into a second 
 cosy apartment, where a negro was engaged in 
 building a fire in the grate ; although of what use 
 a fire could be on so warm a morning the cousins 
 were at loss to determine. 
 
 " Here we are," said George ; " and in the same 
 old house, too, that you and I were once ordered 
 ashore to burn over the heads of my mother and 
 sisters. You haven t forgotten it, I know. While 
 you remain with us, which will be as long as I can 
 keep you, just consider this room your own, and 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 48 
 
 make yourselves as free in it as you would at home. 
 If you want anything, at any hour of the day or 
 night, a pull at that bell-rope will bring one of the 
 darkies up in short order. Make haste there, 
 Stephen, and go down to the landing and bring up 
 those trunks." 
 
 Thus discoursing, George relieved his friends of 
 their hats and overcoats, pushed them into easy- 
 chairs in front of the fire, and depositing himself in 
 another, began staring at them as if he had not quite 
 made up his mind whether he was awake or dream 
 ing. But the conversation did not flag, for there 
 were too many questions to be asked and answered 
 on both sides. Frank and Archie described how 
 they had passed the three years of their separation, 
 and George related his experience in the cotton-fac 
 tor s office in Memphis, and told how that when he 
 was one day hurrying to his desk after dinner, he 
 felt himself suddenly seized, and looked up to find 
 himself confronted by his father and one of his 
 brothers, on whose faces was an expression very 
 different from that which they had worn the last 
 time he gazed into them. The stern old soldier, un 
 able to endure the separation longer, had come to 
 Memphis to find his son, and take him back to his 
 
44 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 old home. He was ready to forgive and be forgiven, 
 and so was George ; and from that hour the world 
 had gone smoothly with him. He occupied the po T 
 sition in the affection of his relatives he had held 
 before the war came to break up their happy family. 
 It took George half an hour to tell his story, for he 
 dwelt long upon all the little incidents (we hurry 
 over them because we have matters more interesting 
 to talk about) ; and Frank and Archie, who could 
 not have been more interested in his affairs, or sym 
 pathized with him more deeply if they had been in 
 the same situation themselves, listened eagerly to 
 every word. 
 
 Just as George concluded his story some one 
 knocked at the door, and came in without waiting 
 for an invitation. Frank knew who he was, even be 
 fore the introduction, " Captain Nelson, my brother 
 Edward," was gone through. He was one of the 
 rebels the young gunboat officer had encountered in 
 the parlor on that long- to-be-remembered night. 
 One by one George s brothers came in and were 
 presented to the visitors ; and by the time Stephen 
 entered to announce that breakfast was ready, the 
 six young men, who had once been in arms against 
 each other, were talking and laughing together with 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 45 
 
 as little constraint as though they had been acquaint 
 ances and fast friends from their earliest recollection. 
 When they descended to the parlor they found the 
 General, a courtly, dignified old gentleman, his wife 
 arid three daughters who received them with the 
 same cordiality the other members of the family had 
 exhibited. Before breakfast was over the cousins 
 w--re on excellent terms with every one about the 
 table ; and that was not to be wondered at, for their 
 host and his family, with true Southern hospitality 
 and courtesy, strove to the utmost to make them 
 feel that they were among friends. 
 
 After breakfast the cousins were again conducted 
 to the parlor, and the time was passed most agreeably 
 in social converse. So quickly did the hours fly 
 by, that when the little clock on the mantel chimed 
 the hour of four, the boys were surprised, and won 
 dered where the day could have gone. Then the 
 family began to separate the General to his office, 
 Mrs. Le Dell to the kitchen to superintend the 
 preparations for dinner, three of his sons to see to 
 affairs about the plantation, George to ride to the 
 house of Lieutenant Somers to inform him that the 
 expected guests had arrived ; and Frank and Archie 
 were left alone with three as handsome young ladies 
 
46 - THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 as one could find in a month s travel. Archie was 
 glad it was so ; for, if the truth must be told, he 
 had discovered that there was something particularly 
 interesting in George s youngest sister. Whether 
 it was her black, curly hair, her mischievous eyes, or 
 her lively, witty conversation, it is hard to tell; but 
 it was something, and the way the young lady looked 
 at him now and then, made him believe that the in 
 terest was not confined entirely to himself. Conse 
 quently when Annie that was her name seated 
 herself at the piano, and after running her fingers over 
 the keys, sang a portion of an old and familiar song, 
 and Frank arose from his seat and took his stand 
 beside her to listen, Archie was not very well 
 pleased. For the first time in his life he was pos 
 sessed with a feeling of jealousy, which grew stronger 
 every moment, until finally he wished to goodness 
 that Frank was off bear hunting with somebody 
 that he was back in Lawrence, or in Guinea in 
 fact anywhere, so that he could not talk to Annie. 
 
 " Hurrah! hurrah ! for Southern rights, hurrah ! 
 Hurrah, for the bonnie blue flag 
 That bears the single star ! 
 
 So sang the young lady. u Have you ever heard 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 47 
 
 that before, Captain?" she asked, looking up into 
 the face of the handsome young Hercules at her 
 side, with an expression that Archie could not bear 
 to see. 
 
 "I have," replied Frank; and, glancing out at 
 the window, he continued : " The first time I heard 
 you sing that chorus, I was standing out there beside 
 that evergreen. You did not know that you had 
 an interested and admiring audience of runaway 
 prisoners, did you ? Will you oblige me by sing 
 ing the song through ?" 
 
 Annie would and did. When the song was fin 
 ished Frank did not immediately return to his seat/ 
 as his cousin hoped he would, but stood at the piano 
 talking over those old times, recollections of which 
 the song had brought back to them. And while 
 Archie listened and tried to laugh when they did, he 
 heartily wished it had been he instead of Frank who 
 had had all those adventures. The young officer 
 talked so smoothly arid easily, and was so enter 
 taining, and his fair auditor listened so eagerly while 
 he told of his wonderful escape from the prison at 
 Shreveport, and described his battle with the blood 
 hounds that had been following his trail ! Archie 
 was disgusted. The hours dragged heavily with 
 
48 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 him after that, but darkness came at last, and with 
 it Dick Somers, Frank s old prisoner, who was as 
 friendly as one could be. Although there was a 
 multitude of subjects to be talked over, the company 
 separated at an early hour, for the Lieutenant 
 brought the information that a party of the settlers 
 had made arrangements for a bear hunt on the fol 
 lowing day, and also an invitation for George and 
 .his guests to participate, which was of course ac 
 cepted. The hounds were to be afield at daybreak, 
 and every hunter was to be at his post by sunrise. 
 There was one of the party who told himself over 
 and over again that he wouldn t go, and that was 
 Archie. Bears were at a discount with him now. 
 He would have a splitting headache, the toothache, 
 a lame finger anything that would furnish him 
 with an excuse to stay at home. 
 
 Although the party separated early, they did not 
 all retire early. It was nearly midnight before the 
 cousins went to bed. They sat down in George s 
 room for "just a moment s chat," but one subject of 
 conversation led to another, and three hours flew 
 away before they were aware of it. The first thing 
 Frank and Archie did when they went up stairs 
 was to prepare for the morning s sport by taking 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 49 
 
 out their hunting rigs, consisting among other things 
 of weapons, heavy top boots, slouch hats and suits 
 of gray corduroy. The sight of the Maynard rifles 
 excited George s interest and curiosity at once, for 
 they were something he had never seen before. 
 They were neat, handy little weapons, provided 
 with globe sights that could be raised or lowered in 
 an instant ; and, although very light and so small 
 that they could be packed away in travelling-bags, 
 they nevertheless carried a ball sufficiently heavy to 
 knock over the largest game. George went into 
 ecstasies over them. 
 
 " They shoot just as well as they look," said 
 Frank ; " and their range is something to wonder 
 at. At a distance of a hundred yards I can put 
 ten shots, one after the other, into a paper four 
 inches square, with open sights ; and with the globe 
 sights I -can do almost as well at two hundred. 
 Archie has done even better. But that is not the 
 only beauty of this weapon," continued Frank, as 
 he began rummaging about in his trunk. "See here. 
 Here s a barrel that shoots shot. If we want to 
 hunt small game, all we have to do is to take this 
 rifle-barrel out of the stock and that is but a 
 second s work," he added, suiting the action to the 
 4 
 
50 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 word " and put the shot-gun barrel in. There you 
 are, and that s as fine a bird gun as there is in the 
 parish, I ll warrant. I can kill quail on the wing 
 with it at eighty yards, and have done it often." 
 
 When George had examined the Maynards to hi? 
 satisfaction, he exhibited his own weapons, and from 
 them he went to the curiosities in his room. Finally 
 he brought out his album and some of his books. 
 
 " Here s a little work I found in New Orleans 
 the other day," said he, handing Frank a volume 
 neatly bound in brown and gold. " It is entitled 
 the Guilford Highflyers. The title attracted my 
 attention, and I bought it just to see what it meant. 
 It is a juvenile work, but I became deeply interested 
 in it, and never laid it down until I had finished it." 
 
 "Why," shouted Archie, throwing up his hands, 
 and laying back his head preparatory to indulging 
 in a hearty laugh ; " that is one of my worthy " 
 
 When he had gone thus far, he caught Frank s 
 eye, and the expression in it told him that he had 
 said quite enough. 
 
 u One of your worthy what?" asked George. 
 
 u Why, one of let me see," replied Archie, 
 placing his finger on his forehead ; " I thought I 
 could recall the name of the author. Guilford 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 51 
 
 Highflyers !" he added, reading the title of the 
 book, and bending low to conceal his features from 
 George, while Frank, whose face was scarlet, seemed 
 to be very much interested in a picture in the album ; 
 "What were they?" 
 
 " Why, that was the name given to a lot of 
 horses and hounds that a party of boys used to 
 hunt with ; and they were highflyers indeed, es 
 pecially the horses, which thought no more of taking 
 a ten-rail fence, or a fifteen-foot ditch, than they 
 did of eating their regular rations of oats. There 
 are to be two more volumes in the series, and as 
 soon as they appear I am going to write for them. 
 It is entitled the Buckhorn Lodge series, and " 
 
 " I say, George," interrupted Frank, who, for 
 some reason or other, seemed very anxious to turn 
 the conversation into another channel; "who are 
 these ?" 
 
 As he spoke, he handed the album to his friend, 
 and pointed to the picture that had attracted his at 
 tention. It was a photograph of a boat s crew in 
 costume, four oarsman and a coxswain, sitting in 
 their shell. The oarsman sat with their bodies bent 
 forward, and their oars thrown back, looking at the 
 coxswain as if waiting for the word to go. The 
 
52 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 picture was an excellent one, and the features of 
 each of the crew were so clearly portrayed that one 
 who had ever seen them would readily recognise 
 them. 
 
 " Those fellows," replied George, "comprise the 
 Sportsman s Club. They are old friends and school 
 mates of mine, and five better boys one never took 
 by the hand. They live on the Gulf coast in this 
 State, about two hundred miles from here. This 
 one," he added, placing his finger on the stroke, 
 " is Walter Gaylord, the president." 
 
 " Walter Gaylord!" repeated Frank ; " you were 
 speaking of him this afternoon. Now look here," 
 he continued, suddenly recalling to mind some 
 scraps of the conversation that had followed the 
 mention of Walter s name ; " you remarked inci 
 dentally that you had received a very pressing invi 
 tation to spend the holidays at his house, and the 
 tone in which you said it made me believe that you 
 are disappointed in not being able to accept it. 1 
 am afraid our presence here interferes with your ar 
 rangements." 
 
 "No, it doesn t," returned George, quickly and 
 emphatically. " Your presence here just completes 
 my arrangements ; and you are well enough ac- 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 53 
 
 quainted with me to know that if I hadn t wanted 
 you, I should not have asked you to come. But 
 since you have brought up the subject, I will tell 
 you what I was thinking of. I thought I was 
 talking with mother to day, and she thought of " 
 
 " Well?" said Frank, when George hesitated. 
 " Well, the invitation includes you both of 
 you." 
 
 " Us !" exclaimed Archie. " Why, we have never 
 seen the Sportsman s Club, or even heard of them 
 before." 
 
 " No matter, they have heard of you. Now, if 
 it doesn t make any very particular difference to you 
 where you spend the holidays, I was thinking 
 mother says there would be no impropriety in it " 
 
 " I don t think there would either," said Archie, 
 when George stammered and stopped. " We ll do 
 it, if you say so. What is it?" 
 
 " I will tell you after I have shown you the invi 
 tation," said George. "If it is not as cordial as 
 you could wish, why there s an end of the matter." 
 
 The cousins could not imagine what their friend 
 wag trying to get at, but they found out when he 
 placed Eugene s letter and Uncle Dick s in their 
 hands. Then they learned that the Gaylords, young 
 
54 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 and old, were very anxious that George should make 
 one of their party, and that no matter how many 
 visitors he was expecting, he must come and bring 
 them with him, for the house was large enough to 
 hold them ; and the fact that they were George s 
 friends, would be enough to insure them a warm 
 welcome from the Club. Eugene s letter was as 
 cordial as Featherweight could have wished it, and 
 when Archie had read it, he made up his mind that 
 if he knew the writer he should like him. Uncle 
 Dick s was a novelty in its way, and made both the 
 cousins laugh ; for it was nothing less than a positive 
 order for George to report himself, in company with 
 his friends, at the mansion with the least possible 
 delay, and was expressed in language which would 
 have appeared ridiculous had it come from any one 
 besides the bluff old sailor. 
 
 "They certainly want you," said Archie, "and 
 you need not deprive yourself of the pleasure of 
 their society on our account." 
 
 " Of course not," assented Frank. 
 
 "Will you go ?" asked George, joyfully. 
 
 " Being your guests, we are under your direc 
 tions." 
 
 " Then it is settled," returned George, and the 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 55 
 
 cousins knew by the way he said it that he was im 
 mensely delighted. " We will go, and I can assure 
 you that you will enjoy yourselves to your hearts 
 content. But I declare, fellows, it is twelve o clock. 
 I could talk all night, but you had better get a wink 
 of sleep ; for, take my word for it, if you intend to 
 follow Dick Somers to-morrow you may make up 
 your minds to have a hard time of it. He is a ter 
 rible rider, and would almost as soon ruin the best 
 horse he s got, as to miss being in at the death." 
 
 Frank, taking the lamp George handed him, 
 started at once for his room, and Archie, who during 
 the last few minutes had been growing very pensive, 
 followed slowly after, holding one v hand to his face, 
 and looking as miserable and forlorn as can well be 
 imagined. The mention of the hunt that was to 
 come off on the morrow, recalled to his mind the 
 strategy of which he had determined to make use. 
 He told himself that if he intended to have any 
 thing the matter with him, so that he could find an 
 excuse for staying at home, it was time he was up 
 and doing. He could suffer nicely all night, and be 
 so much worse in the morning that he could not 
 possibly mount a horse. 
 
56 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 " Hallo ! What s the matter with you ?" demand 
 ed Frank. 
 
 " Toothache ?" asked George, in a tone of great 
 sympathy and concern. 
 
 Archie mumbled out something which the boys 
 took for an answer in the affirmative. " I never 
 knew him to have it before," said Frank with a mis 
 chievous twinkle in his eye. 
 
 " Well, I know by experience that there is no 
 fun in it," said George. " Does it generally last 
 long with you ?" 
 
 Archie muttered another indistinct reply, which 
 George, as before, thought he understood. 
 
 " It lasts for days and weeks, does it? That s 
 unfortunate. But I hope it will leave off before 
 morning, for if it doesn t you ll be on the sick list. 
 Of course you can t ride with the toothache, and 
 after passing a sleepless night, too. But I ll stay 
 at home to keep you company." 
 
 " no !" replied Archie, speaking plainly enough 
 this time. " I wouldn t have ycru miss the hunt on 
 my account." 
 
 "Perhaps I can relieve you," continued George. 
 " I always keep a remedy on hand. Sit down." 
 
 Archie threw himself heavily into the- nearest 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 57 
 
 chair, and George pulled out one of the drawers of 
 his bureau, and began overhauling the contents. 
 Presently he brought out a small vial, tightly corked 
 up, and when the cork was removed, the odor of 
 kreosote filled the room. George found a pin, wrap 
 ped a small piece of cotton around the point, dipped 
 the cotton into the liquid again and again until it 
 was thoroughly saturated, and advanced toward 
 Archie. "Now then," said he, "throw back your 
 head and show me the cavity in your tooth." 
 
 This was something Archie could not do, simply 
 because there was no cavity to show. A sounder 
 set of teeth than those he carried in his head could 
 not be found in Louisiana. "No, no!" he cried 
 "Let me put it in." 
 
 Archie knew very well that he did not need any 
 medicine, and he knew too that he could not well 
 refuse to use it, for he must keep up appearances. 
 He seized the pin, and being entirely ignorant of 
 the nature of the remedy he was about to apply, 
 and disregarding George s emphatic injunctions to 
 be very careful, he recklessly thrust the cotton be 
 tween the gum and his upper lip. In an instant 
 more he was doubled up in his chair writhing in 
 agony no sham about it this time. The powerful 
 
58 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 irritant ran all through his mouth and over his chin, 
 and everywhere it touched it scorched like a red-hot 
 iron. 
 
 "Feel any better?" asked George. 
 
 "No!" shouted Archie. "You must have had 
 the concentrated extract of three or four volcanoes 
 on that cotton." 
 
 "Keep it there," said George encouragingly. 
 "It always helps me." 
 
 Archie, whose mouth was like the inside of a fur 
 nace seven times heated, could make no reply. 
 Wishing his friend good-night in a very faint and 
 indistinct tone of voice, he staggered to his feet and 
 went into his room, followed by Frank, who closed 
 the door after him. 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 59 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 A SURPRISE. 
 
 ~|~T is hard to tell who was the more astonished at 
 the result of this piece of strategy, Archie or his 
 cousin. The former seated himself in front of the 
 fire, and after spitefully ejecting the cotton, which felt 
 like a piece of red-hot iron, leaned his head on his 
 hands, and looked the very picture of misery ; while 
 Frank, who understood the whole matter as well as 
 if Archie had consulted him beforehand, rolled on 
 the bed, convulsed with laughter which he could 
 scarcely restrain. In all his life he had never before 
 known Archie to be guilty of an act of deception, 
 and he told himself that he richly deserved the pun 
 ishment he had received. But he did not spend as 
 much thought on this, as he did on another feature 
 of the case. It is an ill wind that blows nobody 
 good, and Frank believed he saw a way to profit by 
 what had just taken place, or at least to secure relief 
 from a species of annoyance to which he had been 
 subjected for some time past. 
 
60 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 Perhaps some of our readers will remember that 
 a few years ago a strange sort of epidemic (by the 
 way it has not yet wholly subsided) of which no 
 mention is made in medical works, swept through the 
 country. Its attacks were principally confined to 
 the juvenile portion of the community, and although 
 never fatal, except in so far as the hopes of some of 
 its victims were concerned, its symptoms were 
 alarming. It manifested itself mostly through the 
 press, and amateur papers sprang up on all sides, 
 like mushrooms on a drizzly morning, and books 
 written by boys appeared by the dozen. Among 
 the host of youngsters attacked by this epidemic 
 were our two friends, Frank and Archie. The latter 
 especially was taken very badly, although he was 
 soon over it. He conceived a sudden and violent 
 dislike for engineering, and wondered why he had 
 been so stupid as to bother his head with so laborious 
 a profession, while this easy road to fame and fortune 
 had been open to him all the while. If other boys 
 could write for the press, so could he ; and to prove 
 the fact he chose a subject and went to work at once. 
 lie wrote hard all one day, and late in the evening 
 a story of fifteen pages, entitled " The Old Guide s 
 Escape," addressed to the publishers of a popular 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 61 
 
 weekly paper, was sent to the post-office through Un 
 cle Mike ; the newly-fledged author soon afterward 
 tumbling into bed, as tired as he would have been 
 if he had followed a trout stream all day, and fully 
 assured in his own mind that he would some fine 
 morning awake to find himself rich and famous. 
 From that time he neglected his books, and spent 
 two hours every day after breakfast in roaming 
 about the woods and fields, planning stories, and the 
 rest of the day in writing them. He watched the 
 post-office closely, but at the end of two w r eeks noth 
 ing had been heard from the publishers concerning 
 the story that was to take everybody by surprise, 
 and Archie began to lose confidence. Another 
 week passed and still another, and finally when he 
 one day bought a copy of the paper at the news 
 dealer s, almost the first thing his eyes rested on as 
 he opened it was " The Old Guide s Escape " among 
 the " respectfully declined." That was enough for 
 Archie. Indignant and discouraged, he bundled all 
 his manuscripts into the fire, declaring angrily that 
 there wasn t a publisher in the world who knew a 
 good thing when he saw it. 
 
 " It s no use, Frank," said he, dolefully. " There 
 are too many in the profession already ; and a new 
 
62 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 writer, no matter how interesting he may be, has no 
 show." 
 
 " There s always plenty of room at the top," 
 replied Frank. 
 
 " Yes ; but you and I will never get there. What 
 was the fate of your manuscript ?" 
 
 " I haven t sent off any yet." 
 
 " When you do, let me know, will you ?" 
 
 " Perhaps so." 
 
 Frank set about his work with the same dogged 
 determination to succeed that he would have ex 
 hibited while in command of the Boxer, had Cap 
 tain Wilson ordered him to whip out a battery. 
 None of his friends could tell how many manuscripts 
 he sent away, or whether they were accepted or 
 declined. All they knew was, that Frank went 
 regularly to the office every morning (he was then 
 studying law with a prominent attorney in the 
 village) ; that when he returned home at three 
 o clock, he took an hour for a gallop on Roderick ; 
 and that after supper he went to his desk, and seldom 
 arose from it before eleven o clock. Archie, amazed 
 at his cousin s perseverance and industry, watched 
 and questioned, but without learning anything. He 
 wanted Frank to succeed in the end, but misery 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 63 
 
 loves company, and if he would only fail once or 
 twice in the beginning, so that he could laugh at 
 him, what a comfort it would be ! He had a good 
 deal to say in Frank s hearing about the "Boy 
 writers," " Amateur papers" and " Rejected manu 
 scripts," and always spoke of him as "My cousin, 
 the popular juvenile author." 
 
 This state of aifairs continued for more than a 
 year, and at last the results of Frank s patient 
 labor made themselves manifest. One day, while 
 he was out for his exercise, Archie entered the study, 
 and found on the table three beautifully bound and 
 illustrated juvenile books. He knew who the author 
 was, for he recognised his cousin s style at once; 
 and in the margin of one of the volumes were 
 several pencil marks, where Frank had noted the 
 mistakes made by the printer. It is hard to tell 
 whether Archie was the more amazed or gratified. 
 He certainly was not envious, although one would 
 have thought so from his behavior. He criticised 
 the books most unmercifully, and had more than 
 ever to say about " boring the public" and Frank s 
 " diseased propensity for writing." If his cousin 
 had not been one of the best-natured fellows in the 
 world he could scarcely have endured it, for Archie 
 
64 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 never allowed an opportunity to torment him to 
 slip by unimproved ; but he made no remark, know 
 ing that there was but one-way to put a stop to the 
 annoyance. He had waited patiently for a year, 
 and now the opportunity to "get even" was pre 
 sented when he least expected it. 
 
 " Well, my young boy, how do you feel by this 
 time ?" asked Frank, as soon as he had choked 
 down his laughter, so that he could speak. " Does 
 your tooth ache very badly?" 
 
 "My mouth is on fire. It hurts awfully," was 
 the faint reply. 
 
 " There is no sham about it now, is there?" 
 
 " Sham ?" repeated Archie, looking over his 
 shoulder at his cousin. 
 
 " You must have been taken very suddenly, 
 seeing that you have not been in the house twenty- 
 four hours and never saw her before." 
 
 "Her! Who?" 
 
 " 0, I don t suppose you have the least idea what 
 I mean, but I must say that you are rather red in 
 the face for an innocent boy. You came very near 
 telling George that I wrote that book." 
 
 " I ll never do it again," said Archie, who knew 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 65 
 
 very well what his cousin was coming to. " I spoke 
 before I thought." 
 
 " All right ; but don t repeat the offence, for if 
 you do, or if you so much as hint at what you call 
 my itch for scribbling, I shall be obliged to say in 
 self-defence that you had the toothache in order 
 that you might remain at home with a very hand 
 some and interesting " 
 
 " That s enough !" exclaimed Archie, hastily. 
 " It s a bargain. I ll never speak of it again." 
 
 " All right," replied Frank again. " Good-night. 
 Thank goodness I am square with him at last," he 
 added, mentally, and with something that sounded 
 like a sigh of relief. u From this time forward I 
 shall have a little peace." 
 
 So saying, Frank, who had been leisurely divest 
 ing himself of his clothing while he was talking, 
 tumbled into bed and hid his head under the quilts 
 to smother his laughter, leaving Archie sitting by 
 the fire in no enviable frame of mind. The latter 
 would have given his horse to any one who would 
 accept him, if he could only have wiped out the 
 events of the last hour. The secret of his tooth 
 ache was known to Frank the very one of all 
 others from whom he had most wished to keep it 
 5 
 
66 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 hidden. He despised himself for the deception of 
 which he had been guilty ; and what if George and 
 his brothers, and the rest of the family should find 
 it out ! Wouldn t they despise him, too ! Archie 
 sat revolving such disagreeable questions as these in 
 his mind, until a gentle snore, coming from Frank s 
 direction, aroused him. 
 
 "I ought to be asleep, too," thought he; "If I 
 intend to go on that bear hunt to-morrow. And I 
 do intend to go, if I have to hire some of the Gene 
 ral s darkies to carry me on a litter. I ve learned 
 a lesson to-night that I shall not soon forget. I ll 
 never tell a falsehood, or act one again, the longest 
 day I live." 
 
 With this praiseworthy resolution, Archie went 
 to bed. How long he was kept awake by the pain 
 of his burning mouth he did not know; but he 
 went off into the land of dreams at last, and, it 
 seemed to him had not slept more than five minutes, 
 when he was aroused by a noise in the room, and 
 started up to see Stephen placing a lamp on the 
 table. 
 
 44 Wake up dar, gemmen," said the negro. 
 Breakfas am all ready, an de bosses at de door. 
 Marse Archie, Marse George say how you feel 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. - 67 
 
 dis fine mornin ? an if you wants some more of 
 dat sote?" 
 
 " Some more of that what? asked Archie. 
 
 " Some more of dat sote, what you put in your 
 tooth las night." 
 
 "No," answered Archie, emphatically; while a 
 smothered laugh coming from the front side of the 
 bed, showed that there was at least one amused and 
 interested listener. " Tell him that I am very 
 much obliged to him. I wonder if George suspects 
 anything!" he added, to himself. "If I thought 
 he did, I would be on my way home before night. 
 If every boy in the world who had done a mean 
 act, feels as sneaking after it as I do this morning, 
 [ wonder he is ever guilty of the like a second time. 
 What are you looking at, Frank ? You needn t 
 go to laughing again. You thought I didn t hear 
 you last night, but I did. Do you see anything 
 strange about me that you stare at me so ?" 
 
 " Go and look in the glass," replied Frank. 
 
 Archie went, and was almost overwhelmed with 
 surprise and mortification to find that the powerful 
 medicine he had used for his toothache, had ex 
 pended a good share of its strength on his face. His 
 shin looked as if it had come in contact with a hot 
 
68 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 stove. It was painful, too, and would not wash off 
 with all his scrubbing. 
 
 " Now, that s a nice-looking countenance for one 
 to carry to the breakfast-table, and among strangers, 
 too," said Archie, ruefully. " Frank, I wish you 
 would stop your laughing." 
 
 u dear !" exclaimed his cousin, holding his side 
 with one hand and wiping his eyes with the other; 
 " I am afraid this will be the death of me I am, 
 really." 
 
 Just then there was a knock at the door, and 
 George came in. Seeing Archie standing before 
 the glass with his handkerchief over his mouth, his 
 face at once assumed an expression of great concern. 
 Archie looked him squarely in the eye, intent on 
 discovering, if he could, any signs that George sus 
 pected him ; but to his great relief, he saw nothing 
 to indicate it. 
 
 "How is that miserable tooth this morning?" 
 asked George. 
 
 " It is all right but look there," replied Archie, 
 removing his handkerchief and exhibiting his chin. 
 
 "Well, I declare!" exclaimed George, greatly 
 astonished, and more than half inclined to laugh 
 outright. " I didn t tell you to put that stuff on 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 69 
 
 your face, did I? But never mind. It cured the 
 toothache, as I knew it would, and that mark will 
 wear off in a day or too. Now, if you are all ready, 
 will go down to breakfast." 
 " I I don t believe I care for any," said 
 Archie. 
 
 " Nonsense. You can t ride all day without some- 
 ;hing to eat, and you ll see no one at table besides 
 ather and my brothers." 
 
 Archie was greatly relieved to hear this, and 
 ifter a little argument allowed himself to be per- 
 iuaded to accompany George and Frank to the 
 >reakfast-room. The General and his older sons, 
 ho were waiting for them, looked at Archie in as 
 tonishment ; and the words of sympathy they 
 uttered after listening to George s explanation, made 
 him feel meaner than ever. But Annie was not 
 there to laugh at him, and he told himself that by 
 the time night came he would not be ashamed to 
 meet her, for he was resolved to distinguish himself 
 during the day in some way or other. 
 
 Breakfast being over, the cousins went back to 
 their room for their hats, boots and weapons ; and 
 when they returned found their friends standing on 
 the porch. They were all armed with heavy double- 
 
70 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 barrel shot-guns, and carried buuting-horns over 
 their shoulders. In front of the house were seven 
 horses, one for each of the party, held by three or 
 four negro grooms, and a dozen hounds were walkii-g 
 restlessly about among them, waiting for the word to 
 start. 
 
 "Now then, young gentlemen," said the General, 
 while the party were adjusting their spurs and pull 
 ing on their gloves, "this is new business to you, 
 isn t it?" 
 
 "Yes, sir," replied Frank. "We have never 
 had much experience in following the hounds, or in 
 bear-hunting either." 
 
 As he said this he thought of the memorable day 
 on which he had followed a wounded bear to her den 
 and captured her cubs, and of the morning when he 
 stood single-handed and alone, facing an enraged 
 grizzly and covering the retreat of his terrified 
 companions. If Frank s new friends had been ac 
 quainted with these incidents in his life, they might 
 have had a different opinion of his abilities as a 
 hunter. 
 
 "Which of you is the better rider?" continued 
 the General. " There s a steady old hack that any 
 body can ride," said he, pointing to a large gray 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 71 
 
 horse which reminded Frank of his favorite at home, 
 "and he s got plenty of speed in him too ; but that 
 bay mare is a vixen, both by name and in disposition." 
 
 "Let me have her, please/ exclaimed Archie. 
 " One who has backed such a horse as King James 
 need not be afraid of that mare," he added, to him 
 self. "If I don t get a chance to shoot the bear, I 
 will at least show them that I can ride. I will sur 
 prise some of them before night." 
 
 " You ll have your hands full, Archie, if you take 
 her," said George. " She has thrown all the best 
 riders among the negroes." 
 
 " I d like to see what I can do with her. If I 
 can t manage her I will turn her over to Frank." 
 
 " Take her, then," said the General, " and Frank 
 shall have the gray. Now we are off." 
 
 The party quickly sprang into their saddle and 
 started down the road at a rapid trot, followed by 
 the hounds. Archie made good his boast that he 
 would surprise his friends before he had gone half 
 a mile. He was perfectly at his ease, talking and 
 laughing with those nearest him, while the fiery 
 little animal on which he was mounted pranced and 
 plunged, reared and went sideways, and he never 
 attempted to control or subdue her. He rather en- 
 
T2 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 joyed her antics. Half an hour s ride brought them 
 to the place of meeting a little open glade in the 
 outskirts of a dense canebrake and there they 
 found Dick Somers and several settlers waiting for 
 them. They were lying around in various attitudes 
 under the trees, and their horses were hitched close 
 by. They were all dressed for the woods, and in 
 their tattered and patched hunting-suits of butternut 
 and blue jeans, presented quite a contrast to our 
 heroes in their natty, well -fitting corduroys and 
 bright top-boots. They all arose from their recum 
 bent positions as the General and his companions 
 came up, and Somers hurried forward to greet the 
 cousins. "Ah! here you are," he exclaimed. 
 "Come along, and let me make you acquainted 
 with my friends. Colonel Harrison, allow me to 
 present Captain Nelson. Colonel Harrison, Mr. 
 Winters." 
 
 Who the rest of the company were the boys could 
 not have told, for they went through the ceremony of 
 introduction in a state of bewilderment and surprise 
 that can scarcely be described. They heard Somers 
 pronounce several names, and knew that they shook 
 hands with some of the settlers and touched their 
 hats to others ; and that was all they did know. 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 73 
 
 Colonel Harrison, the commander of the redoubtable 
 Louisiana Wild Cats ! How well Frank remembered 
 the time when he had trembled and turned pale at 
 the simple mention of his name ! He had little 
 dreamed of seeing him again, and how the unex 
 pected meeing startled him ? As soon as the oppor 
 tunity presented itself the cousins turned to look at 
 the Colonel. He had changed considerably since 
 they last saw him, but they thought they would have 
 recognised him anywhere. 
 
 "It is he, as sure as I live," whispered Archie. 
 " The last time I saw him he carried his arm in a 
 sling. I am glad he has got well, but I ll warrant 
 that he can show the mark of the bullet to this day. 
 What would he say to me if he knew it was I who 
 lifted him out of his saddle, on a certain morning 
 when the Wild Cats fired into our boat ?" 
 
 " And what would he say if he knew it was you 
 who set fire to that plantation-house and broke up 
 his guerrilla station?" said Frank. 
 
 "I hope he won t mention the war. I intend to 
 keep as far away from him as I can." 
 
 A general movement among the settlers, who un 
 hitched their horses, sprang into their saddles and 
 rode off in different directions through the woods in 
 
74 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 companies of twos and threes, and a call from Somers, 
 interrupted their conversation. "Now then," said 
 he, " everything is arranged. The General will 
 take charge of you, and place you where you will be 
 almost certain to get a shot. If the hounds drive 
 the bear to you, be careful that you don t let him go 
 by. If you do you will lose your reputations." 
 
 " We haven t earned any yet," said Frank. 
 
 " Will you not let me go with you ?" asked Archie, 
 who, remembering what George had said the night 
 before about Somers s hard riding, thought it a fine 
 opportunity to try his own mettle. 
 
 " Of course I will," replied Somers, with a laugh ; 
 " and I shall be very glad of your company as long 
 as you can keep up with me. But as I am going in 
 the drive and this is new business to you, you had 
 better let the General station you on a runway. 
 I shall have to ride very fast, and over rough ground 
 too." 
 
 "Is my horse swift enough to keep up with 
 yours ?" 
 
 Yes. She can beat any thing in the parish 
 running and jumping." 
 
 " That s all I want to know ; I am going with 
 you," said Archie. And he added mentally, " Look 
 
AMONG THE TKAPPERrf. 75 
 
 to jour laurels, Dick Somers. Wouldn t I give 
 something if I had King James or Roderick here ?" 
 
 The few settlers who remained, arid who were 
 gathered about the General, listened with no little 
 surprise to this conversation ; arid the remarks they 
 made, after Archie and Somers had ridden out of 
 hearing, almost made Frank believe that his am 
 bitious cousin had undertaken more than he could 
 accomplish. 
 
 " He s made of the right stuff, if he is little," said 
 one ; " but I ll allow that he don t know much about 
 bear-hunting. He would have had a heap easier 
 time of it if he had taken a station." 
 
 " Yes, and a better chance for a shot," observed 
 another. 
 
 " If he don t mind what he is about he ll get lost 
 in the cane," said a third. u Dick is an awful 
 rider, and he will leave him clear out of sight before 
 he has gone three hundred yards." 
 
 " I wish I had given him another horse to ride, 
 for I am afraid Vixen will throw him," said the 
 General, in a tone of great anxiety. "I have half 
 a mind to call him back." 
 
 Frank said nothing. He was better acquainted 
 
76 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 with his cousin than anybody else, and he knew that 
 he was abundantly able to take care of himself. 
 
 Archie hoped that by going in the drive with 
 Soiners he would escape the company of Colonel 
 Harrison, but in this he was disappointed ; for be 
 fore he was fairly out of the glade the Colonel gal 
 loped up beside him. He was going in the drive 
 himself. He looked curiously at Archie, and the 
 latter waited with no little uneasiness for him to 
 speak, believing from the expression on his face that 
 he would have something unpleasant to say. The 
 incidents that happened on the night when the 
 guerrilla station was broken up were constantly run 
 ning through his mind, and he was afraid that they 
 would be brought up for discussion. But he was 
 wide of the mark. The Colonel little dreamed that 
 the good-natured, laughing little fellow who rode 
 beside him, had had anything to do with an under 
 taking so desperate, much less that he was one of 
 the principal actors in it. He was admiring Archie s 
 horsemanship, and at the same time wondering that 
 a boy like him, who had never run with the hounds, 
 should have the impudence to follow such riders as 
 himself and Dick Somers. But the Colonel did not 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 77 
 
 know that Archie, in his time, had faced things 
 much more to be dreaded than fallen logs, brush- 
 heaps and rail-fences ; and, more than that, he was 
 entirely unacquainted with the motives with which 
 the boy had undertaken the hunt. 
 
78 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 THE BEAR-HUNT. 
 
 /COLONEL," said Archie, when he and his com 
 panions had ridden through a narrow strip of 
 woodland, and out into an open field ; " I see that 
 you have a hunting-horn with you, and that Mr. 
 Somers has, too. What do you use them for?" 
 
 " To call the dogs," was the reply. 
 
 "Why don t you whistle to them, or call them by 
 name ?" 
 
 " Because they sometimes get so far away that 
 we can t make them hear us." 
 
 "Where are the dogs now?" inquired Archie, 
 running his eyes over the field in all directions. 
 " I don t see a single one." 
 
 " 0, they re roaming about in the woods some 
 where," said Somers; u but we ll soon make them 
 show themselves." 
 
 As he said this, he raised one of his horns to his 
 lips and blew a long, loud blast. Scarcely had the 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 79 
 
 sound ceased, when from the woods behind them 
 arose a chorus of whines and bays and growls that 
 would have done credit to a small menagerie, and a 
 dozen hounds appeared and came toward them at 
 full speed. A blast from the other horn he carried 
 was answered by another chorus, and brought into 
 view as many more hounds. After that the Colonel 
 blew his, and another body of dogs appeared ; and 
 then there were forty fine sleek animals bounding 
 along in front of the horses, all snuffing the air, and 
 whining and baying together. 
 
 " You don t quite understand that, do you?" said 
 the Colonel, noticing the look of surprise on Archie s 
 face. 
 
 " No, sir, I do not. I don t see why all the dogs 
 didn t come when the first horn was blown." 
 
 "The reason is because they belong to different 
 men. You see there are three packs of hounds here 
 the General s, Somers s and mine ; and every one 
 of them is so well trained, that he can recognise the 
 sound of his master s horn as far as he can hear it, 
 and will come to it ; but he will pay attention to no 
 other. Men who own hounds usually go in the 
 drive themselves ; but as the General is getting a 
 little too far along in years for reckless riding, he 
 
80 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 lets Somers manage his pack. Now, all these dogs, 
 as I told you, will obey the sound of their master s 
 horn as far as they can hear it, no matter what 
 they are doing. If they are eating, or following 
 a bear or deer, you can call them to you. When 
 they are searching for a trail, they sometimes scatter 
 out over a wide space of country. When one strikes 
 the scent, we know it at once by the peculiar kind 
 of bay he utters, and a blast on these horns will 
 bring the rest of the dogs up so that they can all 
 get off on the trial together. Do you understand?" 
 
 " Yes, sir. And what is the duty of those who 
 go in the drive?" 
 
 " They generally try to keep as close to the 
 hounds as possible. Sometimes the trail is lost, and 
 the dogs scatter out to find it. When one strikes 
 the scent again he tells us of it, and we bring them 
 all up together and give them a fresh start. Then, 
 if a bear runs a course different from that which 
 we think he will follow, or if he takes to a tree, a 
 blow at a horn will give our friends notice of the 
 fact." 
 
 " Where do you expect to find a bear this morn- 
 ing?" 
 
 " We may strike a trail anywhere along here for 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 81 
 
 the next mile," replied Somers. "The varmints 
 pass through this field every night or two. If we 
 don t find here, we certainly will at my fodder- 
 stacks. The bears come there regularly to steal 
 my corn. Let s go slower and give the dogs a 
 chance. We ll have enough fast riding directly. 
 Whoop-la, boys ! Hunt him up !" 
 
 Another chorus of deep-toned bays answered the 
 order, and the hounds separating, ran in all direc 
 tions. In less than five minutes half of them were 
 out of sight in the woods, and the rest were scattered 
 all over the field. Archie now saw where the hunt 
 ing-horns would come into play if a trail was found. 
 The pack were spread out over a tract of country 
 at least a mile in width. The dog on the extreme 
 right was out of hearing of the dog on the extreme 
 left, and both were beyond the reach of their 
 masters voices. Consequently, if one struck a 
 scent, the only way of conveying the inte ligence 
 to the others was by means of the hunting-horns. 
 
 For half an hour the hounds worked faithfully, 
 and for the same length of time the three com 
 panions rode along the edge of the woods, chatting 
 pleasantly on various topics connected with riding 
 and hunting- Archie listened attentively to what 
 
82 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 his friends had to say, and they, believing him to 
 be entirely inexperienced, gave him all the infor 
 mation in their power. More than once, while they 
 were relating stories of their hunting expeditions, 
 was Archie on the point of telling them that he had 
 seen bears and shot at them long before he had ever 
 heard of the canebrakes of Louisiana ; but he was 
 afraid that if he did, his companions would expect 
 more of him than he could accomplish. So he held 
 his peace, preferring to let his merits as a hunter 
 and rider be judged by his actions rather than his 
 words. 
 
 u There s where I live," said Somers, at length, 
 directing Archie s attention to a plantation-house 
 that stood about half a mile to the right. " I shall 
 expect you and Frank and George to take dinner 
 with me to-morrow. Hallo ! Did you hear that?" 
 
 Archie had heard it. It was a long, mournful 
 howl, which seemed to come from among the negro 
 quarters close in front of them. 
 
 " That s a find," said the Colonel. 
 
 " A find?" repeated Archie. 
 
 " Yes. That s Bose, and he has struck a trail. 
 He s at the fodder-stacks. I knew we d find there." 
 
 Archie was all excitement now. He expected 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 83 
 
 that his companions would at once set off at the 
 top of their speed, and knowing that in a race a 
 good deal sometimes depends on getting a good start, 
 he pulled his hat lower over his forehead and tight 
 ened his grasp on the reins, fully determined that 
 he would not be beaten without a desperate struggle. 
 Bat to his surprise, his friends took the matter very 
 coolly. They both stopped their horses, and dis 
 mounting, began to tighten their saddle-girths ; 
 after which the Colonel shortened the strap with 
 which his heavy double-barrel was slung over his 
 shoulder, and Somers kneeled down to fix his spur. 
 Knowing by these signs that the tug of war was not 
 far distant, Archie thought it best to follow the 
 example thus set him. He pulled his saddle-cloth 
 a little farther forward, adjusted the saddle anew 
 and buckled it tightly, looked to his bridle and 
 curb, and having taken every possible precaution 
 against accident during the* wild ride that was to 
 follow, mounted again and accompanied his friends 
 toward the negro quarters. Presently they came 
 within sight of the fodder-stacks of which Somers 
 had spoken, and there they saw a large tan-colored 
 hound running swiftly back and forth, stopping now 
 
84 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 and then to raise his head and utter a dismal howl. 
 There was not another dog in sight. 
 
 " Listen to Bose !" shouted Somers, encouragingly. 
 " It s a find, sure enough, for that hound never 
 makes a mistake. Isn t he a splendid animal, Archie ? 
 He belongs to the General, who wouldn t take five 
 hundred dollars for him." 
 
 " What makes him so valuable ?" 
 
 " Why, he saved his master s life by pulling down 
 a wounded bear that was just on the point of seizing 
 him." 
 
 A loud blast from the Colonel s hunting-horn in 
 terrupted the conversation. The result was be 
 wildering to Archie, for before the echoes had fairly 
 died away, a dozen hounds made their appearance 
 as suddenly as if they had popped up out of the 
 ground. Somers sounded his horns, one after the 
 other, and in less than five minutes all the mem 
 bers of the different packs were running about the 
 fodder-stacks in a state of great excitement. Now 
 and then a deep-toned bay from some well-known 
 and reliable favorite would ring out on the air, and 
 Somers, who seemed to know every one of them by 
 name, would shout out some such expressions as 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 85 
 
 these, which, as he afterward explained to Archie, 
 were intended to encourage the hounds : 
 
 "Hark to Carlo! Hear Bogus! There goes 
 Prince ! Sing out again, Hector ! Listen to all 
 of them !" he yelled at last, when the whole pack 
 broke out into a deafening clamor. " Now, my 
 boy," he added, extending one hand to Archie, 
 while with the other he vainly endeavored to control 
 his impatient horse, " Good-bye." 
 
 "Why good-bye?" inquired Archie, holding a 
 tight rein on the skittish little Vixen, who showed a 
 disposition to stand first on her head and then on 
 her hind feet. " Where are you going ?" 
 
 " The hunt begins now, and I am going to leave 
 you out of sight in less than five minutes." 
 
 " 0, is that it? Well, good-bye; but be careful 
 you are not the one left out of sight." 
 
 "Whoop-la! whoop-la !" shouted Somers, as he 
 lifted his hat from his head and swung it wildly in 
 the air. " Hie on, boys ! Hunt him up." 
 
 Before the words had fairly left his lips the hunt 
 and the race began. 
 
 The fodder-stacks, where the trail was found, were 
 situated in one corner of a field which was perhaps 
 a mile and a quarter wide ; and this was a point 
 
86 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 upon which Archie congratulated himself, for itgave 
 him an opportunity to see something he had never 
 witnessed before a pack of well-trained hounds 
 going at full speed. It was a sight worth seeing. 
 The dogs, led by the infallible Bose, who was as 
 fleet as the wind as well as courageous, ran so closely 
 together that it seemed as if one could not have 
 placed a ramrod between any two of them, their 
 black, glossy coats glistening like satin in the rays 
 of the sun, and the echoes awakened by their bugle- 
 like notes sounding far and near. They acted as 
 if they were almost beside themselves with excite 
 ment, and so did the horses and men who were fol 
 lowing them. The gallant nags, without a touch from 
 the spurs or a word of encouragement, ran at the top 
 of their speed, while their riders swung their slouch 
 hats in the air, and yelled like so many boys just 
 turned loose from school. And Archie was ahead. 
 
 u Be careful what you are about now," shouted 
 Somers. " There s a bad fence just before us, with 
 a bayou on the other side. The hounds are running 
 that way too. I declare, Colonel, that boy is going 
 to break his neck. Hold up, Archie." 
 
 But Archie was past holding up for anybody or 
 anything. He had set out in the morning to follow 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 87 
 
 Souiers, and now Somers was following him ; and he 
 was resolved that he should keep on following him as 
 long as the chase continued. But he heard the words 
 of caution, and prepared himself bj placing his hat 
 firmly on his head, settling into a firm seat in the 
 saddle, and taking a rein in each hand with one 
 finger on the curb, so that if necessary it could be 
 brought into instant use. He saw the hounds 
 scramble over the fence, and he remarked that when 
 they came into view again every one of them was 
 dripping wet. He saw, too, that there was a beech- 
 tree with very low, drooping branches standing close 
 beside the fence ; but the fence was lower there than 
 anywhere else, and toward that point he directed his 
 course without once slackening his speed. He heard 
 exclamations of surprise and alarm behind him, 
 followed by earnest entreaties to " hold up," and 
 then he felt himself sailing through the air like a 
 bird on the wing, heard the branches of the tree 
 crashing about his ears, felt two or three stinging 
 blows in his face, and in another second was on solid 
 ground once more and going ahead as fast as ever. 
 Vixen had taken both fence and bayou in a flying leap 
 and got over in safety, but at some cost to her rider. 
 His hat was gone, there was a wide gash in his 
 
88 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 cheek, and his unlucky chin had come in for two or 
 three deep scratches. " But I don t care for them," 
 thought Archie. " I ll be the first to see that bear, 
 or I ll have worse wounds than these by the time 
 the hunt is ended. That s rather a better jump than 
 I made in the ravine on the morning that grizzly 
 was after us. Now, Mr. Somers, let s see you do 
 it." 
 
 Archie swept his eyes rapidly over the ground in 
 front of him, and seeing that the way was clear for 
 the next few rods, he faced about in his saddle to 
 watch the movements of his companions. They gave 
 the beech-tree a wide berth, and although the fence 
 was higher the bayou was narrower, and they got 
 across without a scratch. But they were still be 
 hind, and, what was more, were losing ground every 
 moment ; for Vixen now began to warm to her 
 work, and made headway at a rate that would have 
 done credit to Roderk 1 : himself. 
 
 Archie had not the faintest idea how long that 
 wild ride continued. At the moment he crossed the 
 fence the dogs disappeared among the trees in front 
 of him, and from that point the chase led through 
 woods and canebrakes, over ground strewn with logs 
 and briers, across low bottom lands covered with 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 89 
 
 water and thickly studded with cypress knees, arid 
 his attention was so fully occupied in guiding his 
 horse and listening to the baying of the hounds, that 
 he took no note of time. At length he noticed 
 that the music of the pack, which during the last 
 few minutes had been growing fainter and fainter 
 until it was almost inaudible, began to ring out 
 louder and clearer. When he had ridden a short 
 distance farther he told himself that if they had not 
 already treed the bear, they were close upon him, 
 for they no longer uttered the long-drawn bays with 
 which they awoke the echoes at starting, but barked 
 fierce and sharp ; and more than that, the noise 
 seemed to come from one particular point in the 
 swamp, as if the hounds had suddenly become sta 
 tionary. Archie faced about in his saddle and 
 looked behind him. His friends were not in sight. 
 
 " I m the fellow who is going to bear off the 
 honors !" thought he, with great satisfaction. " I 
 shall find and shoot that bear before the others come 
 up, for the hounds have got him sure." 
 
 The farther Archie rode, the more thoroughly was 
 he convinced of this fact ; and when at last he came 
 suddenly out of a dense canebrake, through which 
 his horse had with difficulty worked her way, and 
 
90 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 found the game fairly before him, his joy knew no 
 bounds. The bear was perched in the top of a huge 
 poplar, moving his head slowly from side to side, 
 and glaring down at the dogs which were seated in 
 a circle about the foot of the tree glaring back at 
 him. When Archie came into view they ceased 
 their baying, and looked first at him and then at the 
 bear, as if they knew they had done all they could, 
 and that he must finish the business. 
 
 "Now, my fine fellow, this little difficulty will 
 soon be settled," said the young hunter, as he 
 swung himself from the saddle. "If you have any 
 messages to send to your friends, you d best be 
 making them known." 
 
 Remembering that the General had told him in 
 the morning that the mare would not stand fire, 
 Archie s first care was to tie her securely to a sap 
 ling close at hand. Then he unslung his Maynard, 
 slipped a cartridge into the barrel, and began walk 
 ing around the tree to get a fair chance at the bear s 
 head. Having found a favorable position, he raised 
 his gun, and for the first time discovered that one 
 who had been under the most intense excitement for 
 a full hour and a half, and whose pulse was beating 
 at a hundred and ten, was not in just the right trim 
 
ARCHY TREES THE BEAU. 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 91 
 
 to meddle uith so dangerous an antagonist as a full- 
 grown bear. His hand trembled, his gun waved 
 about in the most unsteady manner, and he could 
 not cover the bear s head. He must make sure 
 work of him, for to bring him down wounded, would 
 be to insure the destruction of half the dogs in the 
 pack ; and what if Bose, the one the General valued 
 so highly, should be among the number ? He would 
 not run the risk. 
 
 "I must have a little rest first," said Archie, 
 throwing himself at full length under the tree. " And 
 this is a queer way to quiet one s nerves too," he 
 added, after a moment s reflection "lying here on 
 the ground with a bear hanging over me, and forty 
 impatient, yelping dogs around! 
 
 But it was the only method to which Archie could 
 resort, and it had the desired effect too. At the end 
 of five minutes he arose from the ground, and plac-. 
 ing a cartridge in his left hand, so that he could 
 have it ready for instant use in case the first shot 
 should not prove fatal, he once more raised his rifle 
 to his shoulder, and covered one of the bear s eyes 
 with the sight. This time his hand was as steady 
 as a rock. The bullet went straight to the mark, 
 and with a quiver and a shake the huge animal left 
 
92 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 his perch and tumbled down among the dogs, which 
 sprang upon him in a body the moment he touched 
 the ground. But there was no resistance to their 
 fierce attack. The bear was limp and motionless, 
 and the dogs, after giving him a bite or two apiece, 
 drew off and lay down in a circle around him to rest 
 after their long run all except Bose, who came 
 toward Archie, wagging his tail familiarly, and 
 looking up at him as if expecting a word of praise. 
 
 " There," said the young hunter, after he had ex 
 amined the game to his satisfaction ; " I ve done 
 what I intended to do when I left the house this 
 morning, and now I am not afraid to meet somebody 
 at the General s table, even if my chin is all burned 
 with kreosote. My face must be pretty well bat 
 tered up it feels as if it was but I don t care for 
 that. I came by these wounds honestly." 
 
 "Who whoop !" shouted a voice away off in the 
 woods. 
 
 Who -whoop !" yelled Archie in reply. " This 
 way, Mr. Somers !" 
 
 The approaching horsemen, for there appeared to 
 be two of them, continued to call out at intervals, 
 and Archie as often answered their calls in order 
 to guide them to the place where he was standing. 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 93 
 
 In a few minutes he heard a crashing in the cane, 
 and presently Colonel Harrison and Somers dashed 
 into view, pulling up their horses in amazement when 
 they saw the bear lying dead at the foot of the tree, 
 and Archie with tattered garments and bloody face, 
 standing over him leaning on his rifle. 
 
 " I say, my boy, you ve done it, haven t you ?" 
 exclaimed Somers, springing from his saddle and 
 seizing the young hunter by the hand. "It is a 
 fair, square and honest beat, and I acknowledge it. 
 But look here, are you hurt ? Where s your hat ?" 
 
 " I am not hurt, beyond a few scratches, and my 
 hat is back there in the bayou where we crossed the 
 fence." 
 
 " Your first bear too, and shot plump in the eye." 
 said the Colonel, after he had taken a look at the 
 game. 
 
 " no," replied Archie. " I ve shot bears before 
 to-day." 
 
 "Where?" asked both his companions, in sur 
 prise. 
 
 " In California. Not black bears either, but 
 grizzlies." 
 
 "Well, now, I thought you didn t ride like an 
 inexperienced hand," said the Colonel. " Wait 
 
94 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 until I call up the others, and then sit down here 
 and tell us all about it." 
 
 The music of a hunting-horn, which just then 
 echoed through the swamp, followed by two or three 
 more blasts, all coming from different directions, 
 indicated that some of the party had heard the bay 
 ing of the hounds and the report of Archie s rifle, 
 and were hurrying up to the scene of the conflict. 
 The Colonel sounded his horn, to direct their course, 
 and then seating himself on the ground beside 
 Archie, informed him that he was ready to listen to 
 a bear story. The boy accordingly, very briefly 
 related the particulars of the chase after " Old 
 Davy," the famous grizzly, which had so long been 
 a terror to the settlers in the vicinity of Uncle 
 James s rancho. When he described their desperate 
 flight through the woods, with the grizzly close at 
 their heels, and told of the accident that befell him 
 at the tree which had fallen across the ravine 
 how his horse in attempting to leap over the obstruc-. 
 tion, struck his feet against it and dashed him sense 
 less to the ground his auditors became greatly in 
 terested and excited. When he told of the gallant 
 manner in which Frank had awaited the onslaught 
 of the enraged animal and accomplished his de- 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 
 
 struction, they were amazed as well as interested ; 
 and Archie knew by the comments that were made 
 when his story was ended, that his cousin had risen 
 considerably in the estimation of his auditors. 
 
96 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 ALL TOGETHER. 
 
 UIDED by the sound of the Colonel s horn, 
 which was blown at intervals, the hunters came 
 up one by one, and each had something to say about 
 the unexpected result of the chase. The simple 
 killing of the bear was no great exploit in their 
 eyes any one who could shoot a rifle at all, could 
 stand under a tree and bring an animal the size of 
 a yearling out of it but riding a horse that had 
 thrown four of the General s negroes as fast as they 
 could mount her, and beating Dick Somers in a 
 fair race through the woods, was a different matter 
 altogether, and one well calculated to excite remark. 
 When the hunters had all come in, and the work 
 of skinning and cutting up the bear was completed, 
 the party mounted and rode homeward. On account 
 of his dilapidated garments and battered face, 
 Archie declined a very pressing invitation to dine 
 with his vanquished rival, being anxious to reach 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 97 
 
 home with the least possible delay, and make some 
 improvements in his appearance. He was proud of 
 his victory, and during the next few days had op 
 portunity given him to learn that it was the talk of 
 the settlement. By some process of reasoning, he 
 reached the happy conclusion that, by what he had 
 done, he had made ample amends for the act of de 
 ception of which he had been guilty. We do not 
 pretend to understand the arguments he used to 
 convince himself of this fact, but he understood 
 them perfectly, and was in the best of spirits. He 
 was pretty well bruised and scratched, but he re 
 covered from that in due time the marks of the 
 kreosote wore off, and Archie was himself again. 
 
 Nothing else that is worthy of note transpired 
 while the boys remained at the General s. In 
 riding, visiting and following the hounds, they 
 passed every one of their waking hours. The time 
 of their stay was short, and those in the settlement 
 with whom they were acquainted, especially Somers 
 and Colonel Harrison, strove by every means in 
 their power to render their sojourn as pleasant as 
 possible. On the evening of the day of the bear- 
 hunt, George had held another long conversation 
 with the cousins, and. after compelling them to 
 
98 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 promise over and over again, that when the visit to 
 the Sportsman s Club was ended, they would return 
 with him and spend at least a week at his house, 
 before their departure for the North, he wrote to 
 Eugene, accepting his invitation for the holidays, 
 and telling him when to look for his arrival. On 
 the following Monday, the boys packed their trunks 
 and stepped on hoard a steamer bound for New Or 
 leans. One of them seemed to regret very much that 
 the parting time had come, and that was Archie, 
 who, as long as the boat was in sight of the plan 
 tation-house, remained on the hurricane-deck ex 
 changing handkerchief signals with some one who 
 stood on the porch. He was very sober and thought 
 ful after that, and not until the steamer landed at 
 the levee in front of New Orleans did he recover 
 his usual spirits. 
 
 George conducted his companions to a hotel which 
 was a sort of headquarters for all the stage-coaches 
 that ran out of the city, and after an excellent 
 supper, they stepped into the rickety four-horse 
 vehicle that was to take them to the hospitable Gay- 
 lord mansion. It rained in torrents all night; the 
 roads were in a horrible condition, and the passen 
 gers were bumped and jolted about at such a rate 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 99 
 
 that all efforts to obtain a wink of sleep were use 
 less. But the morning broke bright and clear, and 
 just as the sun was rising, the stage suddenly left 
 the muddy road, and after a short and rapid drive 
 over a gravelled carriage-way, drew up before Mr. 
 Gay lord s porch. Scarcely had the vehicle come to 
 a stand-still when the door was jerked open, and 
 Walter Gaylord s head thrust in. 
 
 " Why, George !" he exclaimed, seizing his friend s 
 hand and almost dragging him to the ground ; " what 
 did you mean by telling us that you couldn t come ? 
 We are all up in arms against you. Ah ! Mr. Nel 
 son, I am Well, what shall I call him then ? 
 Frank ! Glad to see you, Frank. Archie, I am 
 happy to make your acquaintance. George has 
 spoken of you so often in his letters to us, that 
 none of our fellows look upon you as strangers. 
 Come in. We were expecting you this morning." 
 
 Walter led the way through the hall, and up the 
 wide stairs to the room that had been prepared for 
 them, and after giving the three friends to under 
 stand that they would be quartered together, and 
 asking them to come to his room as soon as conve 
 nient, he :shut the door and left them to themselves. 
 
 Daring the next few minutes, Frank and Archie 
 
100 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 gained some idea of the estimation in which their 
 friend George was held by the people among whom 
 they now found themselves. No sooner had Walter 
 entered his room, and conveyed to the boys there 
 assembled the information that the expected guests 
 had arrived, than a great hubbub arose. When it 
 had subsided in some measure, a voice in the hall 
 cried out : 
 
 " George, we can t go much longer without seeing 
 you. Hurry up, or "we ll be into that room after 
 
 you." 
 
 "That s Eugene, Walter s brother," said George. 
 " He will be good company for Archie ; but, on the 
 whole, I would advise Mrs. Gaylord to keep them 
 apart, or there will be no living in the house with 
 them." 
 
 " I say, George !" exclaimed somebody else, in 
 shrill, piping tones ; " please bear in mind that we 
 boys haven t had any breakfast yet. We ve been 
 waiting for you, and we are as hungry as bears !" 
 
 " That s Fred Craven Featherweight, he is gen 
 erally called," said George; "another good com 
 panion for Archie." 
 
 u On deck, there !" shouted a stentorian voice. 
 "What s the matter?" 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 101 
 
 " That s Uncle Dick," said George. 
 
 "They ve come," replied three or four voices in 
 concert. 
 
 u George," shouted the old sailor, " get through 
 with those youngsters below there as quickly as you 
 can, and come into the cabin. Do you hear ?" 
 
 " Yes, sir," replied George. 
 
 " The cabin !" repeated Frank. " What s that ?" 
 
 " The queerest place you were ever in, as you 
 will say when you have seen it." 
 
 When the boys had made a hasty toilet, George, 
 who was as much at home here as he was in his own 
 father s house, led the cousins along the hall to a 
 door at the farther end, which he opened without 
 ceremony. The apartment into which it led reminded 
 Frank and Archie of their room at home; the 
 stuffed birds and the revolutionary relics were the 
 only things lacking. It was filled with boys there 
 were probably a dozen or fifteen of them in all who 
 arose as the door opened, and with a general shout 
 of welcome crowded about George, all eager to shake 
 him by the hand. Walter at once came up, and 
 drawing Frank s arm and Archie s through his own, 
 proceeded to perform the ceremony of introduction. 
 The last one to whom Archie was presented was 
 
102 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 Featherweight. The two little fellows looked into 
 each other s eyes for a moment, and then Fred took 
 Archie by the arm and led him away. 
 
 " You and I are going to be fast friends I know," 
 said he. " We ll leave those giants," he added, 
 nodding his head toward the corner where Frank, 
 Walter, Bab and Perk stood engaged in conversation, 
 " to take care of themselves; and sit down here I 
 want to talk to you." 
 
 " I say," whispered Leonard Wilson, who had but 
 ton-holed George and pulled him into another corner ; 
 "I think that Frank Nelson is the right sort." 
 
 " And the longer you know him the more firmly 
 you will be convinced of that fact," replied George. 
 
 " Can he pull an oar?" 
 
 u Yes, indeed. He has handled an oar ever since 
 he was large enough to lift one ; and his cousin too. 
 I believe Bab is the champion sculler, isn t he? I d 
 like to see him and Frank pull a race." 
 
 "Well, the thing can be easily brought about if 
 your friend will consent. Anything for fun, you 
 know, and I tell you we are bound to see plenty of 
 it durin^ the next week. That s what Walter and 
 
 o 
 
 Eugene invited us here for, and Mrs. Gaylord lets 
 us make as much noise as we please. Isn t she 
 

 AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 103 
 
 splendid ? But what I was going to say is this : 
 You knew that Mr. Bell was a smuggler, didn t 
 you ?" 
 
 " Yes. Walter told me something about it in one 
 of his letters. You must have had rather a rough 
 time crossing the Gulf, by all accounts." 
 
 "Ah! didn t we though! You re right. The 
 deserters, the storm, the smugglers, and the Span 
 iards and Cubans, all combined, made things lively 
 for us, I tell you. If I had to go through with it 
 all again, I would rather be with somebody besides 
 Walter Gay lord." 
 
 " Why what s the matter with him? I thought 
 he was a good fellow and a capital sailor." 
 
 " So he is. No one knows that better than I do; 
 but he is just a trifle too persevering. If he once 
 makes up his mind to a thing he s going ahead with 
 it, no matter how many obstacles he may find in his 
 way. I was going to say that Mr. Bell s property 
 has been confiscated and sold for the benefit of the 
 government, and at the auction my father bought 
 Bayard s four-oared shell, the Emma, and gave 
 her to me for a Christmas present. She s down in 
 Walter s boat-house now, and she is the prettiest 
 thing you ever laid your eyes on ; looks as though 
 
104 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 she ought to run like a scared deer without any oars 
 at all. Now I want to make up a first class crew 
 if I can, and challenge the Sportsman s Club to a 
 trial of speed." 
 
 " You couldn t find two better fellows than Frank 
 and his cousin. Archie would make a good coxswain 
 or bow oar." 
 
 " Well, if they consent to help me, that will make 
 three of us. I want two more. Perhaps Sam Nes- 
 bit and Dick Randolph are the best I could find. 
 But that isn t all. Mr. Gaylord has purchased 
 Bayard s yacht, the Three Bells, and presented her 
 to Eugene. She s the swiftest boat about the village 
 next to Bab s, and perhaps with a fellow in com 
 mand who understood his business could beat even 
 her. What do you suppose Bayard would say if 
 he should come back here now and find how his 
 things have been scattered about ? But none of us 
 expect to see him again." 
 
 " What have you been doing to amuse yourselves 
 since you have been here?" asked George, when 
 his companion paused. 
 
 " I only came yesterday. There s nothing been 
 done yet, for Walter wanted to wait until all the 
 boys arrived. We re all here now you and your 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 105 
 
 friends were the last and to-morrow we are to be 
 gin operations. First comes the grand hunt for 
 the game-dinner. By the way, do your friends ride 
 or shoot ?" 
 
 - Rather," replied George, with a laugh. " Give 
 him a good horse and gun, and there s none of you 
 can beat that little fellow." 
 
 Wilson, who was sometimes given to boasting of 
 his accomplishments in this line, looked over his 
 shoulder at Archie, who was conversing with Eugene 
 and Featherweight, and took his measure. He did 
 not look like such a very formidable fellow, and 
 Wilson made the mental resolution that if he ever 
 met him in the field he would see what he was made 
 of. 
 
 u To-morrow the hunt comes off," Wilson went 
 on. u The next day is Christmas, so we can t do 
 anything but eat and have fun about the house. 
 Next day come the trials of speed between the sin 
 gle sculls and four-oared boats, arid on the next 
 there is to be a yacht race and a picnic on Lost 
 Island. That will not be so grand an affair as we 
 should like to make it, for it is rather out of season, 
 you know, and besides we can raise only eight boats. 
 The most of the Columbia Yacht Club are off visit- 
 
L06 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 ing their friends. The next day will be Sunday, 
 and the next is Uncle Dick s day." 
 
 " Uncle Dick s day ?" 
 
 Wilson nodded his head. 
 
 " What is he going to do ?" 
 
 " Haven t even the shadow of an idea. He de 
 clares that we must all obey his orders, and that s 
 all we know about it." 
 
 " Boys, breakfast is ready," interrupted Walter. 
 " Go down with Eugene and make yourselves at 
 home, while I take George and our new friends to 
 see father and the rest." 
 
 Frank and Archie were as much pleased with 
 Walter s parents as they had been with the General 
 and his family, and the welcome extended to them 
 was as cordial as they could have desired. They 
 were somewhat surprised at the hilarity that pre 
 vailed among the guests to whom they were intro 
 duced. The house was filled with gentlemen and 
 ladies, boys and girls, and as each enjoyed himself 
 in his own way, and without the least restraint, the 
 noise and hubbub that sometimes arose, especially 
 when such fellows as Eugene and Featherweight 
 joined in the sports, were bewildening. 
 
 " Mr. Gaylord seems to be the youngest one here," 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS 107 
 
 said Frank to his friend, as Walter led the way to 
 the breakfast room. 
 
 " 0, wait until you see Uncle Dick play Blind 
 Man s Buff," replied George. "Then you ll hear 
 noise." 
 
 Frank and his cousin already hegan to feel quite 
 at home among their new acquaintances. They 
 joined heartily in the fun and merriment that pre 
 vailed about the breakfast table, and when the meal 
 AVUS finished were taken in charge by Walter, while 
 the rest of the boys strolled out to look at the horses, 
 hounds and yachts. 
 
 Walter had told the cousins that he was about to 
 take them into the cabin to see Uncle Dick ; and as 
 they had no idea where the cabin was situated, we 
 can imagine how great was their surprise when they 
 found themselves on the roof of the house. They 
 looked up into the tops of the elms that surrounded 
 the mansion, and wondered if Walter was going to 
 ask them to follow him up among the branches. 
 u No!" said the latter, who easily read what was 
 passing in their minds ; " we are not going up any 
 higher. This is the way." 
 
 As he spoke, he threw open a door disclosing to 
 view a ladder which ran down under the roof. When 
 
108 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 they descended they found themselves in the presence 
 of a portly old gentleman in immense collar and 
 neck-tie, who sat at a table engaged in writing. 
 
 Their first interview with the old sailor was one 
 that the cousins long remembered. They had never 
 met a pleasanter or more amusing companion, and 
 they almost envied Walter the possession of such an 
 uncle. He exhibited great interest in all the plans 
 his nephews had determined upon for the amusement 
 of themselves and friends, and talked about them 
 with as much enthusiasm as if he had been a boy him 
 self. One thing that seemed very strange to Frank 
 and Archie was to hear arrangements discussed 
 for boat races, picnics and regattas to come off in 
 the middle of winter. Regattas might have been 
 held on the Kennebec if ice-boats were plenty, but 
 not otherwise. 
 
 "By the way," exclaimed Uncle Dick, suddenly 
 turning to Frank, " do you know anything about a 
 vessel, Mr. Nelson?" 
 
 " Very little, sir," replied Frank. 
 
 " Humph !" said George. "I should think he 
 ought to know more than a little, seeing that he was 
 the captain of a gunboat during the war." 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 109 
 
 " The captain of a gunboat !" cried the old sailor, 
 in surprise. 
 
 " Yes, sir ; and he did good fighting too, and was 
 complimented for it by the admiral himself. Archie 
 here, was Paymaster in the Navy." 
 
 That was enough for Uncle Dick. He himself 
 had been commander of one of our blockading 
 squadron, and now for the first time since the war 
 he had found s-ome one who could sympathize with 
 him, and converse with him on familiar subjects. 
 From that time forth he devoted himself entirely to 
 Frank. He talked to him about the duties of offi 
 cers, the stationing of guns crews, the management 
 of vessels, the best way to secure a gun that had 
 taken charge of the deck,* and tested Frank s 
 knowledge of nautical matters in every possible 
 way. So interested did those present become in 
 
 * It sometimes happens on board men-of-war that, during 
 a gale, a gun, being improperly secured, breaks loose from 
 its fastenings, and by the pitching and rolling of the vessel 
 is thrown about in the most fearful manner, endangering 
 not only the safety of the ship, but the limbs and lives of 
 her company. The gun is then said to " have charge of the 
 deck." Perhaps nothing, except shipwreck, causes so great 
 excitement and consternation among the crew. 
 
HO THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 listening to the conversation, that they remained in 
 the cabin until four o clock, at which time old Bob 
 thrust his woolly head down the companion-way and 
 announced that dinner was ready. While they 
 were at the table Uncle Dick paid Frank every at 
 tention, and excited considerable interest among the 
 guests, and drew towards him many curious glances, 
 by addressing him by his old navy title. When 
 dinner was over he took him to the stables to show 
 him the horses, thence to the kennels to look at the 
 hounds, and lastly to the jetty to examine the 
 yachts. There were eight of them, mostly schooners, 
 anchored in the bay, and they were a portion of the 
 fleet belonging to the Columbia Yacht Club. There 
 was Bab s rakish little Coquette, the swiftest boat 
 of them all ; the Sunshine, which belonged to 
 Featherweight ; the Three Bells, which Mr. Gaylord 
 had just presented to Eugene; and the gallant little 
 Banner, Walter s flagship. Frank opened his eyes 
 with surprise as he listened to the recital of the 
 thrilling adventures through which the schooner and 
 her crew had just passed, and Uncle Dick, finding 
 that he had an interested auditor, related the story 
 of the voyage to Cuba at some length. When they 
 returned to the house he took Frank to the cabin, 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. Ill 
 
 and might have kept him there all night, had not 
 Mr. Gaylord about eight o clock sent up word by old 
 Bob that it was high time they were making some 
 arrangements for the hunt that was to come off the 
 next day. 
 
 "Here you are!" exclaimed Eugene, who seized 
 Frank as he entered the parlor in company with 
 Uncle Dick. "Walter sent me to find you and 
 bring you up stairs. I ve scarcely had a chance to 
 speak to you since breakfast. That s the way 
 Uncle Dick always does. If he takes a fancy to 
 any one, he will not let anybody else look at him 
 if he can help it. Where are you going with him ?" 
 
 "I don t know that I am going anywhere," re 
 plied Frank. 
 
 "Why, I heard him tell father to-night that he 
 was going to take you and Archie with him." 
 
 "He hasn t said a word to me about it." 
 
 "0, that isn t his way of doing business. He 
 never consults anybody. We all have to do just as 
 he says. He s got some plan in his head for your 
 amusement. We have been making up our minds 
 what we are going to do to-morrow. You see we 
 little fellows are expected to find the small game for 
 
112 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 the table, while the men shoot the deer and bears. 
 Come in." 
 
 So saying, Eugene opened a door and ushered 
 Frank into the Club s room. The boys he had met 
 in the morning were all there, and an animated dis 
 cussion was going on. 
 
 " Perhaps, Archie, you will see more sport if you 
 go with the men," said Walter, as Frank entered 
 and took the chair Eugene placed for him in front 
 of the fire. 
 
 "0, no," replied Archie. "I d rather go with 
 Eugene and Featherweight." 
 
 " Why, after one has killed a bear, and beaten 
 the best rider in Catahoola parish, he won t see 
 much fun in tramping around all day on foot after 
 such small game as snipe. That will be quite a 
 come-down." 
 
 This made it evident that Walter had heard the 
 particulars of his recent exploits, and the loud clap 
 ping of hands that followed showed that the rest of 
 the boys in the room had heard of them too. 
 Archie was so confused that for a moment he did 
 not know what to say. 
 
 " I don t think it will be so much of a come-down 
 after all," he replied, as soon as he found his 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 113 
 
 tongue. " It requires much more skill to stop a 
 snipe on the wing than it does to bring a bear out 
 of a tree." 
 
 " Well then, it is settled that you and Feather 
 weight and Eugene are to find the snipe," said 
 Walter. "If you are fond of shooting on the wing 
 I can promise you fine sport, for the birds are very 
 abundant in the marshes, and we own a brace of the 
 best setters that ever a gun was pointed over. Now, 
 Frank, would you like to go down the bay with 
 Perk and me after wild-geese ?" 
 
 Frank replied that he would be delighted, and 
 thus the arrangements were all made, as Bab, Nes- 
 bit and Randolph had agreed to go up the bayou 
 after ducks, and George and the rest were to ride 
 over to Beach Ridge early in the morning to shoot 
 wild-turkeys. After a little more conversation, the 
 boys separated, and went to their rooms to dream of 
 the fine sport they expected on the morrow. 
 
114 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 UNCLE DICK S SECRET. 
 
 A SINGLE glance at the horses and hounds in 
 Mr. Gaylord s stables and kennels, and a peep 
 at the interior of his storehouse, about four o clock 
 on the afternoon of the following day, would have 
 been enough to satisfy any one that the deer and 
 bear hunters had ridden long and rapidly, and that 
 they, as well as those who visited the bay, bayou 
 and marshes, had enjoyed the best of sport. The 
 walls of the storehouse were literally lined with 
 game ; three bears, twice as many deer, nine wild- 
 turkeys, twenty-three brace of snipe, forty wild- 
 geese and as many mallards and canvas-backs, com 
 prising the proceeds of the hunt. The members 
 of the different parties had been successful beyond 
 their expectations, and where all had done so well, 
 it is hard to tell who had done the best. Perhaps 
 Eugene and his two companions felt the results of 
 the hunt more sensibly than the rest, for they had 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 115 
 
 been on foot since daybreak, tramping about the 
 marshes, and they were glad indeed to find them 
 selves at home once more. 
 
 The hunters were all fn at four o clock, and supper 
 was not long delayed. When it was over, the entire 
 company, led by Uncle Dick, adjourned to the 
 parlors, and then ensued a scene that was seldom 
 witnessed in any house except the one of which we 
 write. It was Christmas eve, and everybody ought 
 to be happy, declared the old sailor, who was the 
 life of the party. Music, dancing, singing, Blind 
 Man s Buff, Puss in the Corner, Snap Dragon, and 
 other games, in which old and young joined with 
 boisterous merriment, followed one another; and at 
 last when the party were all tired out, and the hands 
 of the old clock in the hall pointed to eleven, 
 Featherweight s little sister was perched upon an 
 ottoman in the middle of the room, and recited to 
 admiring listeners that old poem, which will never 
 be forgotten as long as St. Nick is remembered, 
 beginning : 
 
 " ? Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the 
 
 house, 
 Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse." 
 
116 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 Then, after Featherweight had sung one of his 
 sailor songs, and the Club had given a hunting 
 chorus, the guests bade one another good-night and 
 separated. 
 
 Wilson had declared that there was nothing to be 
 done on Christmas except to eat and have fun about 
 the house, but he must have changed his mind ; for 
 the first thing he did after breakfast, was to assemble 
 the crew he had selected for his shell and lead them 
 to the boat-house. The races were to come off on 
 the following day, and he wanted to find out what 
 his men could do before he challenged the Sports 
 man s Club to a trial of speed. His object was to 
 slip away from the other boys, for he did not want 
 them to see his crew at work ; but when he and his 
 companions reached the boat-house, what was their 
 surprise to find the Club all there, stripping their 
 shell of her covering and getting her into the water. 
 
 " Why, what in the world are you fellows doing 
 here?" inquired Wilson. "You surely are not 
 going out to row on Christmas?" 
 
 " Now, Innocence !" exclaimed Eugene. " What 
 are you doing here ?" 
 
 "You have caught us in the very act, haven t you?" 
 said Walter, with a laugh. " We certainly are going 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 117 
 
 out for a short pull. We want to stretch our 
 muscles." 
 
 " That s just what we came for, but, to tell the 
 truth, we didn t want you to know it. Here, fellows, 
 let s put the Emma into the water. If the Club 
 want their muscles stretched we ll da it for them." 
 
 The facts of the case were that Walter, having 
 heard that Frank had consented to pull in Wilson s 
 boat, had become a little uneasy. Frank was expe 
 rienced, for he had rowed more than one race, and 
 his broad shoulders and long arms looked as though 
 they ought to have plenty of muscle in them. 
 Wilson had also secured the services of Nesbit and 
 Randolph, two capital oarsmen, and as he was a 
 host in himself, the Emma had a strong force to back 
 her. More than that, Frank had promised, after a 
 good deal of urging, to pull a single scull race against 
 Bab ; and that young gentleman, after taking a 
 good look at his muscular opponent, thought it best 
 to put himself in training. Each party was afraid 
 of the other, and there was but one way to test their 
 respective merits and decide the question of superi 
 ority. 
 
 Wilson and his crew went to work as soon as the 
 Club pulled out of the boat-house, and in a few 
 
118 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 minutes had their shell in the water. She was 
 indeed a beauty, arid looked, as her happy owner 
 declared, "as if she ought to run without any oars 
 at all." 
 
 " I was badly beaten in this same boat last sum 
 mer," said Wilson, as he and his companions pulled 
 off their coats and vests and rolled up their shirt 
 sleeves, " but then she didn t have the crew she s got 
 now. Here, Archie, you shall steer for us. Frank, 
 please take the stroke oar. I ll sit next, Nesbit next, 
 and Randolph in the bow. Now then, coxswain." 
 
 Archie was about to give the order to shove off, 
 when the Spray dashed by on her way down the 
 bay. She went like the wind, her crew pulling a 
 strong, even stroke, and feathering their oars like 
 practised sailors. She had lost none of her speed 
 during the three months she had lain idle in the 
 boat-house, and neither had the champions lost any 
 of their strength and skill. 
 
 " There s no use in going out there, fellows," said 
 Archie, gazing with surprise and admiration at the 
 flying boat, which skimmed over the water so lightly 
 that she scarcely seemed to touch it. "We re 
 beaten if we do." 
 
 " That remains to be seen," replied Wilson. " If 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 119 
 
 we are, it will be the Club s training that does it. 
 They have pulled together for years. All ready. * 
 
 "Shove off!" commanded Archie. "Let fall! 
 Give way together !" he added, as soon as the Emma 
 was clear of the boat-house. 
 
 The Club saw their old rival approaching, and 
 resting on their oars waited for her to come up ; but 
 Archie had no intention of meeting them until his 
 crew had had at least a little exercise together, so he 
 made a long turn and stood up the bay. 
 
 If Wilson and his men had admired the rowing 
 of the Club, the movements of the crew of the Emma 
 were equally admired by Walter and his friends, who 
 watched them closely and with critical eyes as they 
 flew along. Frank pulled the long man-of-war 
 stroke, and when he and his companions laid out 
 their strength on ,the oars, the boat seemed to be 
 lifted fairly out of the water. After a sharp pull of 
 half a mile Wilson expressed himself satisfied, and 
 requested Archie to turn about and go down to meet 
 the Club. The latter seeing them approach, rounded 
 to and waited for them to come alongside. 
 
 " Now then, if you want your muscles stretched, 
 come on," said Wilson. 
 
 "Back water a little until we get even," replied 
 
120 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 Walter. " That s about square, I think. Now, 
 when I count three, go. Are you ready ?" 
 
 " All ready," answered Frank. 
 
 One two three /" 
 
 The eight oars struck the water at the same in 
 stant, and the boats shot ahead like arrows. The 
 rowers strained every nerve to the utmost, the cox 
 swains yelled and bent their bodies back and forth 
 as if by that means they could increase the speed of 
 their respective crafts, and the race was exciting 
 indeed. On they went past the boat-house, and 
 although they did not raise their eyes, they knew 
 by the shouts that reached their ears that a goodly 
 number of spectators were assembled on the jetty. 
 "That s it, Frank!" "Good for you, "Wilson!" 
 " Work hard, Nesbit !" " Well pulled, Randolph !" 
 shouted several voices in concert, but not a word of 
 encouragement was addressed to Walter and his crew. 
 If any of the boys on the jetty wanted their new 
 friends beaten, they did not say so. 
 
 For half a mile the rival boats remained side by 
 side, and neither could gain the advantage; then 
 the training of Walter s crew began to be made ap 
 parent, as Wilson had feared, and the Spray gradu 
 ally drew ahead. She not only kept the lead but 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 121 
 
 increased it every moment ; and Archie seeing that 
 further exertion was useless, cried " way enough," 
 and gave up the contest. "Never mind," said 
 Wilson, encouragingly, " we re not beaten yet. This 
 is the first time we ever pulled together, you know. 
 They can t do that to-morrow. What do you think 
 of us now, Walter?" he asked, as the Spray came 
 alongside, and the two boats moved slowly up the 
 bay toward home. 
 
 " I think that if you pull faster than we do, you 
 will reach the jetty first," was the reply. 
 
 The challenge was promptly accepted, and an 
 other spirited race ensued, which was so well con 
 tested that when the Spray reached the jetty, the 
 Emma was not more than a length behind. Nu 
 merous were the congratulations both crews received 
 from the boys gathered on the wharf, as they stepped 
 out of their shells and pulled on their coats, but 
 they were not dwelt upon, for a matter of unusual 
 interest was occupying the minds of their young 
 friends. " Don t I wish I stood in your boots just 
 now, Walter Gaylord?" cried one. 
 
 " Why ?" asked Walter. " They gave us all we 
 could do. and we didn t beat them very badly." 
 
 " 0, I wasn t thinking about the race. I had 
 
122 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 reference to a different matter altogether. You re a 
 lucky fellow." 
 
 "Your uncle is the best man in the world," said 
 another. 
 
 " And so is your father !" exclaimed a third. 
 
 " I always knew that ; but what have they been 
 doing now ?" 
 
 " I say, Walter," chimed in a fourth, "you and 
 Eugene just think of me sometimes, will you?" 
 
 " Why, what do you mean? I don t know what 
 you are trying to get at." 
 
 " Marse Walter," cried old Bob, hastily elbowing 
 his way through the crowd of excited boys ; " de 
 cap n say whar you been dat you don t come in de 
 cabin when he tol you ? He say all de Club, an 
 dem young gemmen what come here yesterday, go 
 dar right quick." 
 
 "That s a summons not to be disregarded," said 
 Walter, walking rapidly toward the house. " Come 
 on, Frank. He sent for you and Archie, too." 
 
 " I wonder what he wants with us ?" said Archie. 
 
 " There s no knowing." 
 
 " It is possible that he wants to tell us about that 
 mysterious something, that is to come off some 
 time between this and New Year s," said Eugene. 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 123 
 
 The Club were full of speculations, and as they 
 hurried along, suggested to one another a dozen 
 different subjects that Uncle Dick wanted to talk 
 to them about. When they entered the cabin, they 
 found George Le Dell in earnest conversation with 
 the old sailor, and heard him declare in gleeful 
 tones : " It is the very thing of all others I have 
 long wished to do, Uncle Dick, and I will certainly 
 go. I shall never forget your kindness." 
 
 "Yes, yes, that s all understood!" exclaimed 
 Uncle Dick, hastily. " Sit down, boys," he added, 
 assuming a fierce frown. " What do you mean by 
 going off to row boat-races when I wanted you 
 here ?" 
 
 " Why, uncle, we didn t know you wanted us." 
 "Well, you have come at last, and I I " The 
 old sailor finished his sentence by scowling savagely 
 at Featherweight, and winking his right eye at 
 George, who seemed to be very much pleased about 
 something. The Club, although they could scarcely 
 restrain their curiosity and impatience, knew very 
 well that it would be useless to attempt to hurry 
 Uncle Dick, so they settled back in their chairs and 
 waited for him to speak. 
 
 " When he opens his mouth, the secret, whatever 
 
124 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 it is, will come out all at once," said Perk to Frank, 
 and so it proved ; for after Uncle Dick bad frowned 
 upon each member of the Club in succession, and 
 winked first one eye and then the other at Frank, 
 be exclaimed : 
 
 " Boys, what do you say to a voyage around the 
 world ? I am going, and who wants to go with me? 
 Silence, sir, sit down," he added, turning abruptly 
 upon Eugene, w r ho, as soon as he fairly comprehended 
 the question, sprang up and uttered a wild hurrah. 
 
 "I want to go, for one," said the boy, scarcely 
 able to restrain himself. 
 
 " Is this the something that you have been con 
 stantly referring to for several weeks past ?" inquired 
 Walter. " Please explain." 
 
 " That s a sensible request," said the old sailor, 
 dropping his bantering tone and speaking seriously. 
 "Your parents and I have often talked this matter 
 over, and remember now, that I am not talking to 
 Walter and Eugene, but to the Club." 
 
 " Why, have you spoken to my parents about it?" 
 asked Bab, in surprise. 
 
 ^Now just listen to me a minute, and I ll ask 
 you a question," chimed in Perk. " Did you speak 
 to mine, too?" 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 125 
 
 u Yes, and to Fred s also, and they have all given 
 their consent. They want you to see something of 
 foreign countries, and I want to see more of them 
 myself. I am tired of staying ashore. I want to 
 make just one more voyage, and I must do it pretty 
 soon, for I am getting to be an old man. I don t 
 know of any companions I would rather have during 
 a voyage of a year and a half than you. My 
 brother and I have talked the matter over, made all 
 necessary arrangements ; and among other things, 
 we have concluded that it will be best to make the trip 
 in our own craft. Then we can go where we please, 
 and stay as long as we feel like it. We have been 
 engaged for the last six months in building a vessel 
 which will be ready for launching on Monday. We 
 are going to New Orleans, all of us, to see her 
 safely in the water, and as soon as she can be fitted 
 up. we re off." 
 
 "Where are we going, Uncle Dick?" asked 
 Featherweight. 
 
 " Well, in the first place, we ll go around the 
 Horn to San Francisco. The vessel will stop there 
 while we make a trip into the interior to look at the 
 big trees and the Yo Semite; and it is very likely 
 that we shall cross the mountains into the Indian 
 
126 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 country. They are fighting out there, you know, 
 and perhaps you would like to see how Indian war 
 fare is carried on. When we have seen all we can 
 there, we will run up the coast to Alaska, if we so 
 decide, and if not, we ll go across to the Sandwich 
 Islands, visit China and Japan, and then go down 
 to Ceylon, where you boys will have a chance to try 
 you skill on big game lions, tigers and so on." 
 
 " Hurrah !" shouted Eugene. 
 
 " Silence !" roared Uncle Dick, with another 
 fierce frown. " But the best part of the whole ex 
 pedition that is, the one from which I expect the 
 most pleasure and sport will be a journey into the 
 interior of Africa. We ll stop at Natal, buy oxen, 
 horses, wagons and other things we may need, and 
 perhaps follow the route travelled by Gumming and 
 Baldwin some years ago." 
 
 " Hur ahem !" exclaimed Eugene, w r hile the 
 rest of the Club looked at one another in a doubt 
 ful kind of way, as if they could hardly persuade 
 themselves that their ears were not deceiving them. 
 
 "Be careful, sir," cautioned Uncle Dick. "I 
 visited that country a. few years ago, and killed the 
 elephant which carried that ivory," he added, point 
 ing to a pair of huge tusks in his book-case. " That 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 127 
 
 is as far as our route has been marked out, and even 
 that may be changed. Whenever we can t make 
 up our minds where we want to go, we will put the 
 matter to a vote, and the majority shall rule." 
 
 "But, uncle, who are going ?" asked Walter. 
 
 " I am, for one, and all the Club, and our friend 
 George Le Dell. So many we are sure of, if nothing 
 happens." 
 
 The exclamations of delight that arose on all 
 sides, proved that the last-named young gentleman 
 would be a most acceptable companion to the Club ; 
 and as for George himself, he looked as pleased and 
 happy as a boy could. 
 
 " And I hope to be able to add two more to our 
 party," continued Uncle Dick, scowling at Eugene 
 just in time to check another shout. " I know you 
 have been acquainted with them but a short time, 
 but from what George says of them, and from what 
 I have seen of them myself, I am led to believe that 
 they would prove very agreeable fellow-voyagers. 
 I mean the Captain and his cousin." 
 
 " There," whispered Eugene, turning to Frank. 
 " That s what Uncle Djck meant when he told father 
 that he was going to take you with him. Now don t 
 say you can t go." 
 
128 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 " Captain, we want you and Archie to join our 
 party. Will you accept the invitation?" asked the 
 old sailor. 
 
 Frank and his cousin, who had listened atten 
 tively to this conversation, almost disposed to envy 
 their friends their good fortune, were too amazed at 
 first to make an intelligible reply to this question 
 so abruptly asked. They could only stammer forth 
 their thanks, and tell Uncle Dick that the folks at 
 home must be consulted before they could give a de 
 cided answer. 
 
 "Very well, take your time and think it over," 
 said the old sailor, good-naturedly. " There s no 
 hurry, for we shall not start under two or three 
 months." 
 
 "And just bear in mind that such a chance 
 does nt happen more than once in a lifetime," said 
 Walter. " If you don t go I hope you will always 
 be sorry for it. But, Uncle Dick, who is to com 
 mand the vessel ?" 
 
 " I am, of course." 
 
 " And are we boys to be the crew ?" asked 
 Featherweight. 
 
 " No, sir. You are to be passengers, and you are 
 expected to behave yourselves too." 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 129 
 
 " What sort of a looking craft is your new vessel ? 
 What is her name ?" 
 
 "You will know more about her when you have 
 seen her. There ! I can t talk to you any longer, 
 for I must get ready for dinner. Go on deck, all 
 of you." 
 
 The boys, who had not even yet fully made up 
 their minds that the interview through which they 
 had just passed was not all a dream, scrambled up 
 the ladder and slammed the door behind them. 
 Little besides the proposed voyage was talked about 
 at the dinner-table, and many were the hearty wishes 
 expressed by the guests that the party might enjoy 
 a pleasant cruise, have plenty of sport and a safe 
 voyage homeward. At every opportunity the mem 
 bers of the Club urged Frank and Archie to say 
 that they would go, and even Mr. and Mrs. Gaylord 
 united with them in pressing the cousins to accept 
 the invitation. It is scarcely necessary to say that 
 had the boys consulted their own inclinations, a 
 favorable response would have been promptly re 
 turned ; but knowing that if they went they would 
 be separated from home at least a year and a half, 
 arid perhaps even twice as long, they did not feel at 
 liberty to decide until they heard what their relatives 
 9 
 
130 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 had to say about it. In order that the matter might 
 be settled as quickly as possible, Frank wrote a long 
 letter to Archie s father that very night, containing 
 all the particulars of the proposed voyage as far as 
 he had heard them, asking his advice concerning the 
 acceptance of the invitation, and requesting him to 
 address his reply to Gibbs s Landing. 
 
 If space would permit, we might tell of many 
 interesting incidents that happened at the mansion 
 during the next two days ; but our book is almost 
 half written, and not a word has yet been said about 
 the Club s adventures among the trappers ; so we 
 must hasten on, with only a passing glance at the 
 principal events. 
 
 The clerk of the weather must have been favorably 
 disposed towards Mr. Gaylord s guests, for they had 
 a splendid day for the races. The morning dawned 
 bright and warm, and there was not even a breath 
 of air to ruffle the bay, which was as smooth as the 
 surface of a mirror. Some time was spent in select 
 ing judges and starters, and in marking out a 
 course ; but at ten o clock the arrangements were all 
 completed, and the trials of muscle and endurance 
 began. The first, and the great race of the day, was 
 between the two rivals, the Spray and the Emma. 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 131 
 
 At its conclusion but one opinion prevailed among 
 the spectators, and that was, that if Wilson and his 
 crew could spend a week or two in practice, the 
 champions would be compelled to take back seats. 
 The Spray came in first, of course ; but when she 
 passed the judges boat, after a two mile race, the 
 Emma s bow was even with the seat on which Feath 
 erweight sat. After that the spectators went to lunch, 
 and came out again an hour afterwards to witness 
 a trial of speed between Frank and Bab. The latter 
 sat in his own shell, a beautiful little affair that had 
 more than once carried him past the judges stand 
 in advance of all the best oarsmen at the Academy, 
 and Frank was to pull a boat that Walter provided 
 for him. 
 
 Two finer specimens of health and strength could 
 not have been found in that crowd of boys than 
 these two competitors. Bab s record was a clear 
 one, but Frank had shown by his recent performances 
 that he knew how to handle an ear, and he was pro 
 nounced the winner before the race commenced. 
 The result was just what the majority of the specta 
 tors expected. Frank took the lead at the start, 
 nnd came in more than three lengths ahead. The 
 next was a race between the two featherweights. 
 
132 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 Fred Craven and Archie Winters, which ended in 
 another victory for the Sportsman s Club ; for al 
 though Archie did wonders, seeing that he had not 
 handled an oar for years, Fred easily beat him. 
 Many other races came off during the afternoon 
 one between Uncle Dick and Mr. Gay lord that was 
 loudly applauded and when the company separated 
 at night "they declared that the day had been most 
 agreeably spent. 
 
 The next morning the boys were all up at four 
 o clock and at work upon the yachts ; for this was 
 the day set for the picnic on Lost Island, in which 
 all the guests were to participate. The whole matter 
 was under the management of the owners of the 
 yachts, who were to act as captains, their fathers 
 and older brothers performing the duties of foremast 
 hands. The fleet, of course, was under the command 
 of the Commodore, Walter Gaylord. Frank met 
 with another surprise this morning ; for as he was 
 walking on the jetty in company with Walter, the 
 latter pointed out the Three Bells and asked him to 
 take command of her; adding that he had detailed 
 Nesbit, Randolph and two other boys to act as his 
 crew. Frank was on the point of declining the 
 honor : but seeing the alacrity and promptness with 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 133 
 
 which the other boys obeyed the orders of the Com 
 modore, he thought better of it, mustered his crew, 
 and went to work to get the little vessel in readiness 
 to receive her load of guests. One by one the yachts 
 were towed alongside the jetty by a skiff manned by 
 two negroes, the decks were holystoned, the sails 
 hoisted, the cabins open, and when all the necessary 
 preparations had been made for the voyage, the 
 young sailors went to breakfast. When they re 
 turned they were accompanied by the guests, who 
 without any delay went on board the yachts with 
 their baskets of provisions, and proceeded to make 
 themselves comfortable. Frank s passengers were 
 twelve in number, and among them were Mr. and 
 Mrs. Gaylord. Just as the order was given to cast 
 off, Uncle Dick came over the side, and touching 
 his cap to Frank, informed him that he had the honor 
 to report himself on board a proceeding that 
 brought a peal of laughter from all the passengers, 
 and caused the young captain no little embarrass 
 ment. 
 
 It was understood that the voyage to Lost Island 
 was to be a race, and that it was to begin the 
 moment the lines were let go/" When the passengers 
 were all on board, Walter walked up and down the 
 
134 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 jetty to make sure that nothing had been left 
 undone, and hoisted the signal to fill away. A very 
 fair start was made, all the yachts getting the wind 
 at about the same moment : but the Coquette quickly 
 drew ahead, and close behind her came the saury 
 little Sunshine, covered with canvas from deck to 
 truck. 
 
 "Good-bye, Frank !" shouted Bab, as his vessel 
 dashed on, leaving the Three Bells behind ; " you 
 beat me yesterday, but I ll show you a pretty pair 
 of heels to-day." 
 
 "I say, Frank !" exclaimed Featherweight, who 
 was standing beside Archie on the deck of the Sun 
 shine. " If you will catch this line we will tow 
 you." 
 
 The run to the island was made in a little less 
 than four hours, and the first boat to enter the cove 
 was the Three Bells, which was piloted in by Nes- 
 bit. The next was the Sunshine, the third was the 
 Banner, and Bab came in near the last, having 
 learned to his satisfaction that the race is not always 
 to the swift, and that skill sometimes wins the day 
 where speed fails. Eugene (who, during the voyage, 
 assisted his brother in sailing the Banner,) was de 
 lighted with the victory his vessel had gained, and 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 135 
 
 complimented Frank s seamanship in no measured 
 terms. And Frank was proud of it, too. Although 
 he understood the theory of navigation, he had 
 never had an opportunity to reduce it to practice; 
 and this being the first time he had ever laid a 
 course by the compass, he was not a little elated at 
 his success. 
 
 A picnic party could not possibly have enjoyed 
 themselves more than our friends did on this occa 
 sion. There was a multitude of exciting associations 
 connected with the Cove, and the Club found many 
 interested listeners none more so than Frank and 
 Archie to the stories they told of the thrilling 
 events that had happened there but a few days 
 before. At five o clock in the afternoon, the fleet 
 was again under way, arid at ten both passengers 
 and crews were once more in their rooms at the 
 mansion, sleeping soundly. 
 
136 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 THE VOYAGE COMMENCED. 
 
 rPHE next day but one was Uncle Dick s day. 
 The clerk of the weather was still good- 
 natured, and a little after sunrise, a long procession 
 of carriages, accompanied by a goodly number of 
 men and boys on horseback, left Mr. Gaylord s 
 grounds and moved along the road to New Orleans, 
 to witness the launching of the vessel in which the 
 Club were to begin their voyage around the world. 
 The journey was accomplished in a little more than 
 three hours, and at ten o clock the procession drew 
 up in front of the gates of the ship-yard. The 
 ladies got out of their carriages, the men and boys 
 dismounted from their horses, and leaving them in 
 the care of some of Mr. Gaylord s negroes, followed 
 Uncle Dick toward the vessel which was the first 
 object their eyes rested upon when they entered the 
 yard. She was gayly dressed with flags, a large 
 force of men was at work in the wilderness of beams 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 137 
 
 and braces by which she was supported, and there 
 was a great hammering and pounding going on. 
 The proprietor of the yard advanced to meet the 
 company, and conducted them up the long gang-, 
 plank which led from the ground to the vessel s deck. 
 Of course the Club and their young friends were 
 the first to board her, and of course, too, before 
 five minutes passed they had been all over her 
 through the cabin, galley, forecastle and down into 
 the hold, peering into every locker they found on 
 the way and in that short time they saw enough 
 of the new craft to warrant them in passing judg 
 ment upon her. 
 
 " She is just splendid, isn t she?" cried Feather 
 weight, turning to Archie, from whom he was now 
 scarcely ever separated, even for a moment. 
 
 "I confess that I am not seaman enough to say," 
 was the reply. " If I could see her with her masts 
 in her and her sails spread, I could tell whether or 
 not she is handsome." 
 
 " 0, she must be ; she can t help it. She was 
 built by Uncle Dick, you know. Didn t you notice 
 how sharp her bow is, and what a bearing she has ? 
 I ll warrant she s a trotter. I declare," he added, 
 seating himself on a nail-keg in the forecastle and 
 
138 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 looking about him with great interest ; " I can 
 hardly realize that we are to spend so many months 
 on board this little craft, and that she is to take us 
 out of sight of land, and thousands of miles from 
 our homes. I wonder if she will meet any of those 
 terrific storms I have heard Uncle Dick tell about, 
 and if she will bring us safely back !" 
 
 The boys were silent for a few moments after 
 this, Archie wondering if he was destined to make 
 one of the happy company of passengers, and 
 Featherweight following out the train of reflection 
 that had been aroused in his mind by his last 
 question. What if the two friends had been able 
 to look forward to a scene that was presented to 
 their gaze a few months later a little topsail 
 schooner, called the Stranger, drifting unmanageable 
 in the trough of an angry sea, the waves making 
 a clean breach over her, the sails blown from the 
 bolt-ropes, a gloomy and inhospitable island sur 
 rounded by coral reefs looming close up under her 
 lee, the beach lined with a crowd of savage Malays, 
 who brandished their weapons, shouted and danced, 
 and waited impatiently for her to strike ! It is pos 
 sible that, eager arid enthusiastic as they were, the 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 139 
 
 prospect of such a termination to their cruise would 
 have dampened their ardor. 
 
 For an hour the hammering and pounding among 
 the beams and braces below was kept up by the 
 workmen, and for the same length of time the Club, 
 for want of something better to do, hurried back and 
 forth through the vessel, finding, with every journey 
 they made, something new to examine and wonder 
 at. Finally the noise of the workmen ceased, and 
 a hoarse voice shouting through the hatchway "All 
 hands on deck !" told those below that the event of 
 the day was about to come off. When the boys 
 obeyed the call they found the guests collected in a 
 group in the waist, and a band of musicians standing 
 on the quarter-deck with their instruments in their 
 hands. The proprietor of the yard was leaning over 
 the rail, keeping one eye on the men below, and the 
 other on Uncle Dick. That gentleman stood in the 
 bow with one arm supporting Featherweight s sister 
 Dora, who held in her hands a bottle filled with 
 wine. 
 
 "All ready, Captain !" said the ship-builder, at 
 length. 
 
 " Let her go then !" replied Uncle Dick. " Play 
 up, musicians !" 
 
140 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 The ship-builder raised his hand, the timid ones 
 among the guests caught at whatever was within 
 their reach, as if preparing for a shock of some kind, 
 the band struck up a lively tune, and with a quiver 
 and ajar the vessel slid smoothly down the ways into 
 the river. The moment she was fairly afloat Dora 
 Craven broke the bottle of wine over her bow, and 
 christened her the "Stranger." Then the crowd 
 on the levee cheered and nourished their hats, the 
 guests cheered in return and waved their handker 
 chiefs, and a tug which was waiting in the river to 
 receive the schooner took charge of her, and towed 
 her to the floating dock, beside which she was to 
 lie until completed and ready for her voyage. After 
 that refreshments were served up in the cabin, and 
 in an hour more the guests were on their way back 
 to the Gaylord mansion. 
 
 It was singular what a change this Monday s events 
 made in the feelings of the Club. They rode, hunted, 
 raced their boats and laid numerous plans for the 
 amusement of themselves and their friends, but they 
 did not seem to enter into the sport with their usual 
 interest. What were foxes, deer, wild turkeys and 
 even panthers to boys who expected some day to 
 tramp through the jungles of India in search of lions. 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 141 
 
 tigers and elephants ? Even their yachts fell in their 
 estimation, and they did not care to talk about any 
 thing smaller than a two-hundred-ton topsail schooner. 
 The winter storms which sprung up occasionally and 
 lashed the bay into fury, were, to quote from the 
 Club, " merely sailing winds just enough to try a 
 fellow s pluck and skill ;" and they recklessly braved 
 them, and strained their little vessels, and carried 
 away their topmasts, and pretended to think nothing 
 of it. Their favorite books now were tales of travel 
 and adventure in the countries they expected to visit. 
 They talked learnedly about tsetse (a species of 
 poisonous fly which infests certain portions of Africa), 
 harrisbucks, hartebeests and Kaffirs, and Eugene 
 confidently declared that when they reached Natal, 
 he could, take charge of the expedition and conduct 
 it to Lake Ngami or the falls of the Zambesi without 
 a guide. Science, two, as well as geography and 
 natural history came in for a share of their atten 
 tion. Every day an interested and enthusiastic 
 party under charge of Archie Winters, might have 
 been seen with an old engineer s transit which they 
 had found in the garret, busily engaged in measur 
 ing the distances across the bay at different points, 
 and calculating the height of all the hills and 
 
142 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 trees in the neighborhood ; while the rest of the 
 Club visited the cabin at every opportunity, and 
 spent an hour or two with Uncle Dick in brushing 
 up their navigation. 
 
 The week passed in this way, New Year s day 
 came and went, and the guests began to separate to 
 their own homes. Among the last to take their 
 leave were George, Frank and Archie, the cousins 
 being obliged to promise over and over again that 
 they would correspond regularly with their new 
 friends, and that they would join them in their pro 
 posed excursion, if they could by any possibility 
 make arrangements to do so. In due time they ar 
 rived at George s home, and Frank was handed a let 
 ter, which proved to be an answer to the one he had 
 written to Archie s father. Mr. Winters had but 
 little to say concerning the subject nearest the boys 
 hearts, and that was : u Come home when you have 
 finished your visit, and we will talk the matter 
 over." 
 
 " That s enough for me," exclaimed Archie, 
 gleefully. "We are going, Frank, you may depend 
 upon it. Do you know that the pleasantest part of 
 the whole journey to me, would be the visit to Cali 
 fornia and a ride across the plains? Wouldn t it 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 143 
 
 be glorious if we could travel over our old hunting- 
 grounds again if we could see the old bear s hole, 
 the ruins of Fort Stockton, and visit the valley in 
 which the Indian village stood?" 
 
 u That would be very pleasant," replied Frank; 
 " but I would much rather see Dick Lewis and old 
 Bob Kelly." 
 
 According to promise the cousins spent a week 
 at the General s and then started for home. George, 
 who seemed very unwilling to part from them, ac 
 companied them as far as Memphis, and from that 
 point the boys continued their journey alone. 
 Archie, as before, was sober and thoughtful, and for 
 a time felt as though he were leaving behind him 
 everything on earth that was worth living for. Even 
 the voyage around the world lost all interest for him. 
 But somebody had promised to answer all the letters 
 he could find time to write, and the remembrance 
 of this fact finally restored him to his usual spirits. 
 
 The cousins had much to talk about when they 
 reached home, but so eager were they to have the 
 question of the cruise with Uncle Dick and the Club 
 decided, that the matter was brought up for discus 
 sion on the same evening of their arrival. Frank, 
 who did all the talking, must have proved an able 
 
144 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 advocate, for at the end of an hour Archie jumped 
 from his chair with a loud hurrah, and rushing 
 frantically into the study seized a pet), and dashed 
 off a few hurried lines to Featherweight, telling him 
 that he and his cousin had decided to accompany 
 the Club in their wanderings, and that, they would 
 hold themselves in readiness to leave Lawrence as 
 soon as they received word that the Stranger was 
 ready to sail. Frank, although equally delighted 
 with the result of the interview, took matters more 
 coolly ; but still he did not go to sleep until he had 
 conveyed the same information to his old messmate, 
 George Le Dell. 
 
 After that letters passed rapidly between Lawrence 
 and Bellville, and the cottage was the scene of great 
 bustle and preparation. When their trunks had been 
 packed with everything needful for the journey, the 
 cousins settled down into the dull routine of every-day 
 life, and waited as patiently as they could for the 
 word to start. We ought to say, however, that the 
 patience was all exhibited by Frank. He wrote 
 and studied as usual, while Archie made flying trips 
 from the cottage to the post-office every night and 
 morning, and filled up the rest of the time by wan 
 dering about the house and grounds as ui.easy as a 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 145 
 
 fish oat of water. The long-expected letter came 
 at last, and ten days afterward Frank and Archie 
 landed from a steamer at New Orleans, and found 
 George Le Dell waiting for them. Then followed 
 another tedious ride in the rickety stage-coach, and 
 early the next morning our heroes were once more 
 together. Walter took charge of Frank and George, 
 while Archie was seized by Eugene and Feather 
 weight directly he touched the ground. 
 
 " Here we are again !" exclaimed Eugene, almost 
 beside himself with delight. " Breakfast is waiting, 
 but you are not hungry, are you, Archie?" 
 
 " No," replied the latter, who knew by the man 
 ner in which Eugene spoke and the eager look in 
 his face, that he had something of great importance 
 to communicate, " I couldn t eat a mouthful if I 
 should try." 
 
 " I thought not," chimed in Featherweight. 
 " Come with us. You know you told me on the 
 day the Stranger was launched," he added, as he 
 and Eugene took Archie s arm and led him down 
 
 o 
 
 the carriage-way toward the jetty, " that if you 
 could see her in the water, you would be able tc 
 pass judgment upon her. Well, look there !" 
 Archie looked, and when his eye caught the 
 10 
 
146 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 object pointed out to him, he did not wonder that 
 his friends were enthusiastic. He began to feel 
 that way himself. The Stranger lay at her anchor 
 age in front of the jetty, and although Archie did 
 not pretend to know much about a vessel, he was 
 sailor enough to see many fine points about her. 
 
 " We ve made half a dozen trial trips in her," 
 said Eugene, " and she sails just as well as she looks. 
 All her stores are aboard, to the last biscuit and 
 quart of water." 
 
 "When do we start?" asked Archie. 
 
 " Have you and Frank got everything you want ?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 " Then we ll not be here forty-eight hours longer. 
 Now that everything is ready, Uncle Dick is as 
 anxious to be off as we boys are." 
 
 " Hurrah !" shouted Archie. 
 
 The three friends clambered down into a skiff 
 that lay alongside the jetty, and a few strokes of the 
 oars brought them to the schooner. Archie was 
 delighted with her. She was as neat and trim as a 
 little man-of-war, and indeed she looked like one. 
 The crew had just finished their morning s work, 
 and were seated around their mess-chest in the fore 
 castle eating their breakfast. There were fifteen 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 147 
 
 of them broad-shouldered, weather-beaten fellows, 
 able seamen every one of them, and they wore the 
 uniform of the United States navy. Two men 
 dressed in blue, were standing on the quarter-deck 
 conversing. They came up to welcome the boys as 
 they clambered over the side, and were introduced 
 to Archie as the first and second mates. They ac 
 companied the three friends over the vessel, showing 
 the new-comer all there was to be seen, and explain 
 ing everything he did not understand. The first 
 objects that took Archie s eye were the guns with 
 which the schooner was provided. She mounted 
 three of them a twenty-four pounder on her fore 
 castle, another on the quarter-deck, and a Long 
 Tom, in the shape of a thirty-pounder Parrott, 
 amidships. She was also supplied with an abundance 
 of pikes, cutlasses, pistols and muskets, which were 
 stowed away in brackets on the berth-deck, just as 
 Archie had seen them on board the Boxer. 
 
 " What do you intend to do with these guns ?" he 
 asked. " Do you expect to run by any more Span 
 ish forts ?" 
 
 " Not if we can help it," answered Eugene ; " but 
 there s no telling what sort of company we may fall 
 in with before our cruise is ended. Another thing. 
 
148 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 we are going in style, you know, and we may want 
 to fire salutes." 
 
 It was ten o clock by the time the visitor had 
 been shown over the vessel, and then Eugene thought 
 it would be a good plan to go to breakfast. Archie 
 seated himself at the table, but he had no appetite. 
 He was impatient to take possession of the neat little 
 stateroom which he and Featherweight were to oc 
 cupy in company, and to see the Stranger bounding 
 over the blue water with all her canvas spread. 
 Nor was he obliged to wait long. His luggage and 
 Frank s was taken on board the vessel that very 
 day, and when the Club and their friends separated 
 at bed-time, they told one another that that was 
 their last night ashore until they arrived in San 
 Francisco. 
 
 At an early hour the next morning the Club had 
 everyone in the house astir, and as soon as breakfast 
 was despatched, the dingy and the captain s gig 
 came ashore to convey the happy youngsters and 
 the parents of the Club on board the schooner. 
 Everything was ready for the start, the sails being 
 hoisted and the anchor hove to a short stay, and in 
 ten minutes more the Stranger was flying toward 
 the Gulf, and the boys were taking a last lingering 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 149 
 
 look at the old mansion under whose roof they had 
 passed so many happy hours, and which they were 
 now leaving behind, perhaps for ever. When they 
 arrived within sight of the village, the tug John 
 Basset steamed out from the wharf, and coming 
 alongside the schooner, deposited upon her deck a 
 band of musicians and a gay party of people, young 
 and old, who had been invited to see the boys off. 
 They accompanied the schooner into the Gulf, and 
 when they had made about twenty miles from shore, 
 the farewells were said, the guests returned on board 
 the steamer, and amid enlivening strains of music 
 from the band, the cheering of the crews, the wav 
 ing of handkerchiefs and the dipping of flags, the 
 two vessels separated one to return to the village 
 and the other to begin her lonely voyage. 
 
150 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 SUSPICIOUS VISITORS. 
 
 T~F time would allow, we might describe many 
 interesting, and at least one thrilling event that 
 occurred during the voyage to San Francisco. We 
 might tell of the incidents that happened at Port 
 Platte, where the Club (when we speak of the Club 
 hereafter we include all our heroes) remained two 
 days visiting the Spanish fort, the creek where the 
 Banner had been hidden, the cove which had been 
 the scene of the adventure with the frigate, and 
 many other places about the village which were 
 associated in their minds with some exciting event 
 connected with their late cruise. We might relate 
 the particulars of a laughable incident that hap 
 pened a few days afterwards how one morning a 
 hoarse voice, which seemed to come from the depths 
 of the ocean, hailed the schooner, and a sailor 
 dressed to represent old Neptune, and dripping with 
 salt water as if he had just arisen from the sea, 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 151 
 
 came over the side and shaved the darkey cook, who 
 had never before "crossed the line," with a piece 
 of rusty iron hoop, and made him swallow a pill 
 of tar as large as the end of one s thumb. This 
 novel and disagreeable method of initiating a " green 
 hand," used to be very common among sailors in 
 the olden time, but most shipmasters have put a 
 stop to it, on account of the hard feelings it some 
 times engenders among the crew. The Club had 
 never witnessed the ceremony, and that was the 
 reason Uncle Dick permitted it. 
 
 Not long after this happened the thrilling scene 
 of which we have spoken. One bright day, while 
 the Stranger was scudding along under all the 
 canvas she could carry, the startling cry arose from 
 the forecastle, "Man overboard!" In an instant 
 Frank, without stopping to see who the man was, or 
 wasting time in asking how the accident happened, 
 caught up a small life-buoy that was near at hand, 
 and rushed to the side. Seeing somebody s head 
 rising above the waves a short distance astern, he 
 threw the buoy toward it with all his strength, and 
 had the satisfaction of seeing the swimmer, after a few 
 rapid strokes, seize the ropes and hold fast to them. 
 
 "I am all right !" he shouted, shaking the water 
 
152 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 from his face, and waving his hand to the terror- 
 stricken boys who were crowded about the man at 
 the wheel. 
 
 u Eugene !" was all the Club could say. 
 
 Uncle Dick heard the cry, and came up the com 
 panion-ladder in two jumps. His face was whiter 
 than it had ever been in the presence of any danger 
 that threatened himself, but he issued his orders 
 with his usual calmness and deliberation. The 
 schooner came quickly about, a boat manned by a 
 sturdy crew dropped into the water, and in half an 
 hour more the rescued boy, dressed in a dry suit, 
 was standing among his fellows talking over his 
 escape with the same indifference he would have 
 exhibited, had the subject of the conversation been 
 a hunting or fishing excursion. Frank s presence of 
 mind had saved him, and from that hour our old hero 
 took a higher stand than ever in the estimation of 
 the Club. 
 
 After that came the passage around Cape Horn, 
 during which the boys saw higher waves and felt 
 harder winds than they had ever dreamed of; then 
 a run of a hundred miles or more through fields 
 of ice which threatened every instant to crush 
 in the sides of their frail craft; but under Uncle 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 153 
 
 Dick s skilful management the Stranger came safely 
 through all these dangers, and finally dropped her 
 anchor in the harbor of San Francisco. By this 
 time the Club had seen quite enough of salt water 
 for awhile, and were fierce and eager for the new 
 sights and new adventures that awaited them on 
 shore. Leaving the schooner in the harbor under 
 charge of the first mate, they set out on their wan 
 derings. They travelled through the Yo Semite, 
 took a good look at the big trees, spent a week in 
 Salt Lake City, and so pleased were they with all 
 they saw, and so delighted with the wild life they 
 were leading, that, the matter being put to a vote, 
 it was unanimously agreed to extend their journey 
 across the mountains. Uncle Dick, who was quite 
 as eager for the fun as the youngest of them, pur 
 chased a wagon and a span of mules ; each boy 
 provided himself with a horse, and whatever else he 
 thought he might stand in need of; and when their 
 
 O o 7 
 
 arrangements were all completed, they took the old 
 emigrant road for Bridger s Pass. 
 
 For two weeks the little cavalcade pursued its 
 journey without meeting with any adventures. The 
 change from their cramped quarters on board the 
 schooner, to the freedom of the mountains, was a 
 
154 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 most agreeable one, and the Club were in the best 
 of spirits. There seemed to be no prospect that 
 they would ever grow tired of their new mode of 
 life. On the contrary, had the matter been brought 
 up for discussion, at least half the boys would have 
 been in favor of abandoning the idea of a voyage 
 around the world, and of spending the eighteen 
 months or two years they expected to be gone on the 
 prairie. Previous to their arrival at Salt Lake City 
 they had travelled altogether by stage-coach ; but 
 now that they had their own horses and wagon 
 they were able to prosecute their journey as rapidly 
 or as leisurely as their inclination or convenience 
 dictated. They could take to the road, or spend 
 the day in hunting and visiting places of interest 
 along their route. They camped out every night, 
 even when there was a town and a good hotel close 
 by, depended principally upon their rifles to supply 
 their table, and soon began to consider themselves 
 accomplished backwoodsmen. Indeed, before they 
 had left Salt Lake City many days journey 
 behind them, they began to look and act as though 
 they had never been accustomed to civilized life. 
 They were all dressed in buckskin except Walter, 
 who wore a military-looking suit of gray jeans, 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 155 
 
 high-top boots and a slouch hat. His horse was 
 a stylish, high-stepping animal, and as he had pur 
 chased an army bridle and saddle the latter pro 
 vided with a pair of bear-skin holsters in which he 
 carried his revolvers he might easily have been 
 mistaken for a young cavalry lieutenant. With the 
 exception of Frank and Archie, who carried their 
 trusty Maynards, the company were all armed with 
 Henry rifles. 
 
 "I say, Frank, where are those grizzlies you 
 promised to show us ?" demanded Featherweight one 
 day, after they had been travelling through the 
 mountains for about two weeks. u I have become a 
 passably good marksman with this new shooting- 
 iron, and I should like to draw a bead on one." 
 
 " If you consult the wishes of the rest of us, you 
 will waste no valuable time in looking for grizzlies," 
 said Bab. "I, for one, don t want to see any. 
 Show us the old bear s hole where you smoked 
 out that panther, and Adam Brent had his adventure 
 with Black Bill and his party." 
 
 " Now just listen to me a minute and I ll tell you 
 what s a fact," said Perk. "I d rather see the 
 brook in which you caught those fine trout you were 
 telling us about. I would rather try my skill on 
 
156 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 them than grizzly bears. I ve got flies, lines and 
 hooks in abundance." 
 
 " I would like to see that gully across which you 
 jumped when you had the fight with the Black Fox," 
 observed George. 
 
 " I am sorry to say, fellows, that I am not woods 
 man enough to lead you to a single one of the local 
 ities you have mentioned," replied Frank. " If we 
 should be lucky enough to fall in with Dick Lewis 
 or Bob Kelly, they would take you anywhere you 
 want to go." 
 
 ic I wish they were here," said Walter. "I d 
 rather see a live trapper than anything else." 
 
 Walter s wish was gratified before many hours 
 had passed that very night, in fact and he was 
 destined during the next few days to see more of 
 the class of men he most wished to meet, than was 
 agreeable to him. This was the way it came about. 
 
 At sunset they made their camp in a little grove 
 of cotton-wood trees at the eastern base of the 
 Rocky Mountains, and in full view of the prairie. 
 They were now almost in the heart of the western 
 wilds, and had not seen a human face, except those 
 of their own party, for more than a week. An 
 exploit they had that day performed, had put them 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 157 
 
 in the best of humor. After the hardest kind of 
 stalking over the roughest ground imaginable, they 
 had succeeded in getting within gunshot of, and 
 almost surrounding a flock of bighorns. Every one 
 of the party, except Uncle Dick, who remained with 
 the wagon, had a pull at them, arid together they 
 bagged three of the finest of the flock. It was hard 
 to tell whose bullets did the work, as every one of 
 the stricken animals had run a hundred yards or 
 more before falling ; but each of the boys laughingly 
 insisted that he was one of the lucky ones, and -was 
 happy accordingly. The preparations for the night 
 were all completed, supper had been disposed of, 
 and the boys lay around the fire in various attitudes, 
 listening to Uncle Dick, who was relating one of his 
 interesting tales of the sea, when they were sudden 
 ly startled by the sound of horses hoofs on the road. 
 The interruption was so sudden and unlocked for 
 that it created a great commotion and not a lit.tle 
 alarm in the camp. Uncle Dick brought his story 
 to a close and some of the old members of the Club, 
 in order to be prepared for any emergency, jumped 
 to their feet and took their rifles down from the 
 branches on which they bad hung them. Their first 
 thought was of hostile Indians. They had heard 
 
158 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 from those they met along the road that there were 
 rumors of a general uprising of the savages, and 
 some of the emigrants said that they had been ad 
 vised by the officers of the different forts to turn 
 back in order to avoid trouble. But others had 
 contradicted the report, and made light of the 
 matter; so Uncle Dick arid his party had kept on, 
 and perhaps had run directly into danger. Nearer 
 and nearer came the sound of the hoofs, and pre 
 sently two horsemen galloped suddenly around the 
 Jbase of the hill behind which the fire was built, and 
 pulling up their horses with a jerk, gazed in astonish 
 ment at the scene unexpecedly presented to their 
 view. The boys drew a long breath of relief, and 
 replaced their rifles on the branches from which they 
 had taken them. The new-comers were white men. 
 Walter had his wish now. Here were two trap 
 pers fairly before him, and he thought they were 
 splendid specimens of their class. They were power 
 ful-looking men, dressed in buckskin from head to 
 foot, and were armed with long, heavy rifles, which 
 they carried across the horns of their saddles, and 
 bowie-knives, which were thrust into their belts. 
 There were two things, however, which Walter 
 thought they ought to have, that he looked for in 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 159 
 
 vain. He had never yet read of a trapper who did 
 not have a coonskin cap on his head, with the tail 
 hanging down behind for a plume, and an Indian 
 tomahawk stowed away somewhere about his person. 
 These men had neither ; but after all they looked 
 just as he thought trappers ought to look. 
 
 "How do, strangers !" said one of the intruders, 
 as soon as he had somewhat recovered himself. 
 
 "Good-evening," replied Uncle Dick. "Will 
 you alight and sit by our fire ?" 
 
 The men were not as prompt in responding to 
 this invitation as the boys had hoped they would be. 
 They wanted them to spend the night in their 
 camp. They wanted to get close to them to take 
 hold of them. "If the men belonged on the prairie 
 and their dress and language indicated that they did 
 they must have seen a world of excitement and 
 adventure, and could tell tales of fights and escapes 
 that would make one s hair stand on end. The boys 
 wanted to shake the hands that had perhaps closed in 
 the death-grapple with more than one Indian, and 
 examine the rifles that had doubtless bowled over 
 scores of grizzly bears in the mountains. But for a 
 time they were afraid that the men did not want 
 them to become more intimately acquainted. Their 
 
160 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 actions indicated that they were suspicious of some 
 thing. 
 
 " Whar mought you be a travellin to. strangers ?" 
 asked the one who had already spoken. 
 
 " Nowhere in particular," replied Uncle Dick. 
 " We have a roving commission." 
 
 " Which ?" exclaimed the trapper, who did not 
 understand the old sailor s nautical phrase. 
 
 " I mean that we are going wherever our fancy 
 leads us." 
 
 " You be ! Then I reckon you re soldiers out on 
 a scout, haint you?" 
 
 " No, indeed. We are citizens of the States, 
 and we came out here to hunt and see the country. 
 If you will get down we will give you a good 
 supper." 
 
 To the great delight of the Club, the men no 
 longer hesitated to accept the invitation. They dis 
 mounted at once, and while they were removing 
 their saddles, and hobbling their horses so that they 
 might graze with the others which were picketed on 
 the prairie, the boys bustled about to prepare a 
 supper for them. One brought out the coffee-pot ; 
 another hurried off to the stream that flowed close 
 by to fill the camp-kettle ; a third produced the 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 161 
 
 cornbread and dishes ; and Walter and Frank went 
 to cut a steak from one of the big-horns. The 
 former noticed that his friend was not very favor 
 ably impressed with their visitors at least he did 
 not seem to be as glad to have them in the camp as 
 the rest of the boys were, and Walter supposed that 
 the reason was because he had seen so many trap 
 pers that he did not care to see any more. But in 
 this he was mistaken. Frank had some weighty 
 reasons for wishing that the men had never come 
 near them, and they would have astonished his 
 friend could he have known what they were. 
 
 " Well, Walter," said he ; " there are a couple 
 of trappers the first you have ever seen. What 
 do you think of them ?" 
 
 " I haven t had a chance to take a good look at 
 them yet, but I intend to do so as soon as I go back 
 to the fire. What s your opinion ?" 
 
 "I don t know that I have any to give you," 
 replied Frank. " But I have a most decided opinion 
 to express to your uncle at the very first oppor 
 tunity," he added, mentally. 
 
 " They look rather rough, don t they?" 
 
 " You can t expect men who spend their lives out 
 of doors, having all sorts of weather, to look other- 
 
162 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 wise. But I have known many a kind heart to beat 
 under a tattered buckskin hunting-shirt." 
 
 When the boys had cut all the steaks they thought 
 their visitors could comfortably dispose of, they went 
 back to the fire. Walter laid them on the coals and 
 turned to take a good survey of the men. After a 
 single glance he told himself that if they were fail- 
 specimens of backwoodsmen, he had no desire to meet 
 any more of them. Professional hunters and trap 
 pers fell a long way in his estimation directly; 
 and notwithstanding the many stories which Frank 
 and Archie had related to him of the fidelity and 
 integrity of Dick Lewis and Bob Kelly, he declared 
 mentally that if those noted trappers looked like 
 these men, he did not see how any one could admire 
 them or dare to trust himself alone in the moun 
 tains with them. He did not believe that men could 
 be as untidy as these visitors were in dress and 
 person arid remain long honest. Their suits of 
 buckskin were ragged, and dingy with long wear 
 and hard service. Their hands and faces looked as 
 though they had never seen water, and their hail 
 and whiskers had certainly never been made ac 
 quainted with a comb. Walter did not want t< 
 shake hands with them now, and neither did he can 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 163 
 
 how many Indians and grizzly bears they had rubbed 
 out. 
 
 And now something happened that caused the boy 
 not a little astonishment. When he turned to look 
 at the men after placing the meat on the coals, he 
 found that they were both regarding him very 
 sharply. As soon as they got a fair view of his face 
 they started as if they had seen something frightful, 
 placed one hand behind them on the ground in 
 readiness to spring to their feet, and laying the 
 other on the handle of their knives, waited as if 
 expecting him to address them. But Walter had 
 nothing to say. Rendered a little uneasy by their 
 actions, he drew a step or two nearer his companions, 
 and stared at the trappers in return. For a mo 
 ment they appeared to be utterly confounded ; then 
 they slowly turned their heads until their eyes met. 
 They looked inquiringly at one another, exchanged 
 quick glances of intelligence, and a smile of satis 
 faction overspread their faces. Walter saw all these 
 movements, and wondered what could be the mean 
 ing of them. It was plain that there was some 
 thing about him that interested the trappers so 
 much so, in fact, that they seemed to forget that 
 
164 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 there was any body besides himself in the camp 
 but what could it be ? 
 
 The men quickly recovered from their surprise, 
 and after looking all around to satisfy themselves 
 that no one had witnessed their strange behavior, 
 they settled back on their blankets again, one open 
 ing a conversation with Uncle Dick, and the other 
 addressing himself to Walter. They were both ill 
 at ease, and Walter noticed that the one who was 
 talking to Uncle Dick, listened to all that passed 
 between his companion and himself. 
 
 "Got any friends in these parts?" asked the 
 trapper. 
 
 "No," answer Walter. "None nearer than 
 
 Louisiana." 
 
 " Whar s that ? In the States, I reckon." 
 "Yes; and about fifteen hundred miles from 
 
 here." 
 
 " Whar have you come from ; Fort Bolton ?" 
 
 "No. We re just from Salt Lake." 
 
 "What did you come out here fur, anyhow?" 
 
 "Just for some fun and excitement." 
 
 " Got a pap ?" 
 
 "Yes, my father is living." 
 
 " Ever been a soldier?" 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 165 
 
 44 Yes." 
 
 " They call him Colonel, don t they ?" 
 
 " Sometimes." 
 
 "Name Gay lord ?" 
 
 "Yes," exclaimed Walter, greatly surprised. He 
 had thus far good-naturedly answered the trapper s 
 questions, which he believed to be prompted merely 
 by a spirit of curiosity, paying more attention to the 
 language in which they were propounded, than to 
 the questions themselves ; but now he began to be 
 interested. " My father s name is Gaylord, but 
 how did you find it out ?" 
 
 "I was sartin of it," continued the trapper. 
 " I ve seed your pap often ; know a heap about 
 him." 
 
 "You do?" cried Walter. He was greatly de 
 lighted now, for he believed that he had met one of 
 his father s old comrades in arms, and that he could 
 tell him of the battles fought in Mexico by the 
 American army against such overwhelming odds a 
 subject that he never grew tired of talking about. 
 " Where did you ever see him ?" 
 
 " Sartin I know him," answered the trapper, 
 " an a braver man never stretched shoe leather. 
 
166 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 You re a chip of the old block, I reckon ; haint 
 YOU ?" 
 
 " I am afraid not. I can scarcely hope to be as 
 good a man in every respect as my father is. But 
 I d like to have you answer my question. Where 
 did you ever meet him ?" 
 
 " Walter," shouted Frank from the wagon at this 
 moment, "you ll be in a pretty predicament in the 
 morning, if you don t come out here and catch your 
 horse. He s loose, arid won t let me go near him." 
 
 Walter hurried out to secure his refractory steed, 
 and thus his conversation with the trapper was in 
 terrupted. He spent half an hour in pursuit of his 
 charger, and before he succeeded in capturing him 
 was obliged to call all the Club out to his assistance. 
 The unruly brute had by some means slipped the 
 lariat with which he was picketed over his head, and 
 was galloping off over the prairie as if he had made 
 up his mind to start for St. Joseph on his own hook. 
 After considerable manceuvering the Club got him 
 surrounded, and then he allowed Walter to catch 
 him. The boy fastened him securely this time, and 
 with his companions hurried back to the camp, in 
 tending to resume his conversation with the trapper; 
 but, to the surprise of all, the men were gone. Af- 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 167 
 
 ter eating the supper prepared for them, they had 
 saddled their horses and rode off, without saying a 
 word to anybody. 
 
 "Now that s too bad," said Eugene, in a disap 
 pointed tone. " I wanted them to tell us some 
 stories before they went." 
 
 " I think they might at least have thanked us for 
 the supper we gave them," observed Bab. 
 
 "Ha! ha!" laughed Archie; " the people out here 
 don t do business that way. They take everything 
 as a matter of course. If you should thank a trapper 
 for his hospitality, he wouldn t know what you 
 meant." 
 
 " Uncle Dick," said Walter, "did you notice 
 that man who was talking with me?" 
 
 " I did. I took a good look at him, and a more 
 villanous face I never saw on a human being." 
 
 " Did he say anything about me while I was 
 gone?" 
 
 " Not a word." 
 
 " Well, how do you suppose he knew me ? He 
 told me that my name is Gaylord, and that father 
 used to be a colonel." 
 
 The Club, who had been so busy with their prepa 
 rations for supper that they had not overheard any 
 
168 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 of the conversation between Walter and the trapper, 
 expressed unbounded astonishment at this piece of 
 news, and even the old sailor opened his eyes in sur 
 prise. Presently Eugene, who was the first to speak, 
 cried out 
 
 " I believe I can see through it. You know that 
 during the Mexican war father was one of General 
 Scott s cavalry commanders, and no doubt this man 
 met him there. Perhaps he belonged to father s 
 regiment." 
 
 "That may all be," returned Walter; "but it 
 doesn t explain how he came to recognise me so 
 readily, does it ? Why didn t he call you by name ? 
 Uncle Dick was father s major ; why didn t he 
 recognise him ?" 
 
 These were questions that Eugene could not an 
 swer. While he was thinking them over, Uncle 
 Dick arose from his blanket, saying as he did so : 
 
 " Frank, let s take a look at the horses before we 
 go to sleep. The rest of you boys stay here." 
 
 " Ah ha !" whispered Eugene, excitedly, " there s 
 something up. Uncle is going to consult with 
 Frank, and I shouldn t wonder if it was about those 
 trappers. Who knows but that they are outlaws, 
 and that we shall have a fight with them before 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 169 
 
 morning ? I wonder how I would behave if I should 
 hear bullets whistling about rny ears ? It wouldn t 
 frighten you, would it, George?" 
 
 "Not much," replied George, with a smile. "I 
 am used to it." 
 
 The boys were all highly excited. They knew 
 that what Uncle Dick had said about looking at the 
 horses was merely an excuse ; but they could not 
 understand why, if he had anything to say to Frank, 
 he did not say it in the presence of them all. They 
 discussed the matter thoroughly during the next 
 few minutes, and the only conclusion they could 
 come to was, that Uiere was "something up." 
 
170 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 WHAT THEY DID. 
 
 TT^RANK," said the sailor, as soon as he and his 
 young companion were out of earshot of the 
 boys at the fire ; " what do you think of our late 
 visitors ?" 
 
 " I think they look too much like Black Bill to 
 be honest," was the reply. 
 
 "It is rather singular that that man should call 
 Walter by name and tell him that his father used to 
 be a colonel, isn t it ? He surely did not recognise 
 the boy, for he never saw him before. How do you 
 account for that ?" 
 
 " He must have taken him for another person." 
 
 " That is my idea. But it is a matter of no im 
 portance, and so we will not waste time in specu 
 lating about it. What I wanted to say to you is 
 this : you know that some of the emigrants we met 
 on the road, told us that they were obliged to watch 
 their stock continually to keep it from being stolen, 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 171 
 
 and that the would-be thieves were all white men. 
 Now it has struck me that these visitors of ours 
 would not be above a thing like that." 
 
 " I don t believe they would either," said Frank, 
 seeing that the old sailor paused and looked at him, 
 as if waiting to hear what he thought about it. 
 " I wouldn t trust them." 
 
 " Neither would I. I have had considerable ex 
 perience with such characters, first and last, and I 
 noticed that these men looked at our horses very 
 closely. We had better put out guards, and then 
 we shall be safe. If you will take charge of the 
 matter and look out for things until midnight, I will 
 relieve you." 
 
 Of course Frank jumped at the proposal. This 
 looking out for danger, and taking measures to 
 guard against it, suited him exactly, for it reminded 
 him of by-gone days. He was like an old cavalry 
 horse which hears the sound of the bugle for the 
 first time in many years. The spirit of old times 
 came back to him, and as far as he was individually 
 concerned, he would not have cared a straw if their 
 late visitors had, at that very moment, made a dash 
 into the camp, accompanied by half a dozen more 
 of the same stamp as themselves. He almost hoped 
 
172 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 they would do it before morning. He spent a fev 
 minutes more in talking the matter over with Unch 
 Dick, and then returned with him to the camp. Ii 
 a few hurried words the old sailor repeated to th< 
 excited and impatient boys the conversation he hac 
 just held with Frank, and explained the plans the} 
 had determined upon; and if one might judge bj 
 the exclamations that arose on all sides, and the 
 general rush that was made for rifles and revolvers, 
 the Club were animated by a spirit very nearly akir 
 to that which had taken possession of Frank. 
 
 "I m one of the guards!" exclaimed Eugene, 
 buckling on his six-shooter. " Who is with me ?" 
 
 "I am," cried Featherweight. 
 
 "So am I!" shouted Bab. 
 
 "Now just listen to me a minute arid I ll tell you 
 something," chimed in Perk. " I am with you, 
 too." 
 
 " Avast there, boys !" exclaimed Uncle Dick. 
 " We don t want more than two, one on each side 
 of the camp, and Frank will select them. They 
 will be under his instructions until twelve o clock, 
 when he will call me arid I will select two more, 
 who will watch with me until daylight. Pick your 
 men, Frank." 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 173 
 
 Walter and Bab were chosen, and the others, al 
 though greatly disappointed, good-naturedly sub 
 mitted and hung up their weapons. While the 
 lucky ones were examining their revolvers and buck 
 ling them OH, Uncle Dick directed the others to 
 bring in all the horses and fasten them securely to 
 the wagon ; and after that had been done to turn in 
 and go to sleep. 
 
 When the guards were ready Frank shouldered 
 his Maynard, and set off with them up the road 
 toward the mountains. About a hundred yards from 
 the camp he halted in the mouth of a narrow ravine 
 through which the road ran, and turning to his com 
 panions, said : " Now, fellows, here s the place for 
 one of you." 
 
 "I ll take it," said Bab. 
 
 " All right. Now all you have to do is to stop 
 any one who may come along this road from the 
 mountains, and make him give an account of him 
 self. If I hear you challenge I will come out. 
 The sides of this ravine are too steep to be scaled, 
 consequently no one can pass you without being seen. 
 Good-night." 
 
 Accompanied by Walter, Frank went back down 
 the road, through the camp and out on the prairie. 
 
174 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 Walter was stationed about as far on this side of the 
 fire as Bab was on the other. After repeating the 
 instructions he had given the latter, and cautioning 
 him to keep a sharp watch over the horses, Frank 
 said abruptly : 
 
 " Did you ever hear of Indians sneaking upon a 
 camp disguised with a buffalo robe or wolf-skin ? 
 Well, some of these white men out here are a good 
 deal like Indians, when they are bent on mischief, 
 and one must be constantly on the alert to guard 
 against them. Keep your eyes on the grass, and if 
 you see anything creeping toward you, bang away. 
 Shoot to hit, too. Let nothing, man or beast, come 
 within twenty yards of you. Perhaps I ought not 
 to have said so much to him," thought Frank, as 
 he retraced his steps toward the camp, " but some 
 how I couldn t help it. As Dick Lewis used to 
 say, < there s danger in the air ; I feel it in my bones. 
 But, after all, Walter is no coward, if he is green as 
 far as prairie life is concerned, and no doubt it was 
 well to put him on his guard." 
 
 Walter stood gazing after Frank s retreating form 
 until it disappeared around the hill behind which 
 the camp was located, and then shouldering his rifle 
 began pacing his beat. Frank had aroused his 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 175 
 
 suspicions not so much by the words of which he 
 had made use, as by the earnestness of his manner. 
 What did he mean by telling him so emphatically to 
 allow neither man nor beast to approach him ; and 
 why had he not given Bab the same instructions? 
 He believed his friend was keeping something from 
 him, and the thought made him feel far from com 
 fortable. He was not afraid, for he could discover 
 nothing to be afraid of, and it required the actual 
 presence of peril to excite fear in Walter Gaylord s 
 breast. More than that, the camp was but a short 
 distance away. He could see the fire shining through 
 the trees in the grove, the wagon with its white 
 cover and the horses hitched about it standing a little 
 farther off, and he knew that if danger approached 
 a few rapid bounds would take him to a. place of 
 comparative safety ; yet he could not have felt more 
 lonely if he had known that there was not a single 
 human being nearer than St. Joseph or Sari Fran 
 cisco. The dismal howling of the prairie wolves 
 seemed to have a wonderful effect upon his spirits, 
 which for some reason or other were already greatly 
 depressed. He began to tremble as he walked, and 
 once or twice he stopped suddenly arid drew back 
 the hammer of his rifle, under the impression that 
 
176 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 he saw some dark object creeping toward him through 
 the tall grass. At last the creation of his fancy 
 became a reality. There was certainly something 
 approaching, but it was not creeping through the 
 grass it was coming along the road. As it drew 
 nearer he saw that there were two objects instead 
 of one, and they gradually grew more distinct in 
 outline, until he made out that they were two mounted 
 men. They were coming up at a rapid walk, and, 
 what seemed very strange to Walter, they were 
 keeping their horses in the grass on the side of the 
 road, so that the animals hoofs gave out no sound. 
 In an instant the boy s rifle was at his shoulder and 
 his finger on the trigger. " Who comes there ?" he 
 demanded. 
 
 " Hist !" replied a voice, in low and cautious 
 tones. " You needn t be skeared ; we re friends." 
 
 " Halt !" said Walter, almost involuntarily low 
 ering his own voice. " Dismount, both of you. 
 Advance one friend and give an account of your 
 self." 
 
 The men readily obeyed the command, and one 
 held the horses while the other walked quickly 
 towards Walter, turning and looking behind him 
 now and then as if he were afraid that there was 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 177 
 
 something following him. As he came up Walter 
 recognised him as one of the trappers who had eaten 
 supper at the Club s camp-fire. He noticed, too, 
 that he had left his rifle with his companion ; but 
 remembering that he had been placed there to guard 
 the camp against these very men, he did not let him 
 approach two near. " Stand where you are," he 
 commanded. " Now what have you to say for 
 yourself?" 
 
 The man stopped, and turning half around and 
 gazing over his shoulder intently, as if trying to 
 pierce through the darkness that shrouded the 
 prairie, held up his finger warningly and said in a 
 ow whisper : " Listen ! Don t you hear nothing?" 
 
 Yes, Walter did hear something a faint, far off 
 moan, which sounded like the wash of the surf on the 
 each ; but he had heard that sound ever since he 
 lad been on guard, and he thought it was the sighing 
 )f the wind through the trees in the grove. " What 
 s it ?" he asked, in a voice that trembled in spite of 
 iimself. 
 
 " That s them," replied the trapper, in a still 
 ower whisper. 
 
 "They! Who?" 
 
 "Injuns!" 
 12 
 
178 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 "Indians !" cried Walter, alarmed by the simple 
 mention of the word; ".hostile Indians?" 
 
 " In course. Thar aint no other kind on the 
 prairy. That noise is the sound of their hosses feet. 
 They re comin nigher every minute. We jest did 
 get away from them an that was all me an Tony 
 did. Listen! Don ~t you hear em ?" 
 
 To Walter s excited imagination the sound seemed 
 to increase in volume. It no longer resembled the 
 wash of the surf, but was like the rush of a squadron of 
 cavalry ; and Walter even thought he could distin 
 guish the strokes of the hoofs. There was an army 
 of enemies approaching. To say that he was fright 
 ened would not half express his feelings. He was 
 so nearly overcome with terror that he could not 
 speak. Forgetting Frank s emphatic instructions, 
 his prudence and everything else but that there was 
 danger near, he lowered the hammer of his rifle, 
 dropped the butt of the weapon to the ground, and 
 stood trembling in every limb. When the trapper 
 came up and took his stand beside him, and his 
 companion approached with the horses, Wai ten 
 raised no objections. He saw that the men appeared 
 to be greatly excited about something, and that! 
 added to his terror. 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 179 
 
 "We beared em comin me an Tony did," con 
 tinued the trapper who had first spoken, " an rid 
 back to tell you. My ole colonel s boy is in that 
 camp but you re him now, haint you?" he added, 
 peering sharply into Walter s face. 
 
 " Yes, my name is Gaylord." 
 
 " I thought so. Your pap would never forgive me 
 if I should let harm come to you. We must get 
 them fellers into the saddle to onst, an run for it." 
 
 Walter was ready to "run for it " then, and he 
 did. He faced about and started for the camp at 
 the top of his speed ; but before he had made many 
 steps his heels flew up, his gun went whirling out 
 of his hands, and he was sent headlong through the 
 air as if he had been thrown from a catapult. He 
 was so badly stunned that he could not recover his 
 feet, and neither could Jie tell exactly what was 
 going on around him. He had a vague idea, how 
 ever, that he was roughly seized, that a brawny 
 hand was pressed tightly over his mouth, that his 
 arms were tied behind his back, and that then he was 
 lifted from the ground and carried through the air 
 with lightning speed. He thought he was dreaming, 
 and tried to arouse himself, but could neither move 
 nor speak. He must have remained for hours in 
 
180 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 this half unconscious state, for when he came to 
 himself it was broad daylight. He was lying un 
 bound on a blanket in a little grove of cotton-woods, 
 similar to the one in which the Club had made their 
 camp, a fire was burning brightly at his feet, and 
 several slices of bacon were broiling on the coals. 
 Close at his side lay one of the trappers Tony, he 
 had heard him called slumbering heavily ; and in 
 front of the fire sat his companion, watching the 
 bacon, and now and then nodding his head as if he 
 were on the point of falling asleep. In an instant 
 the events of the previous night came back to Walter, 
 accompanied by the disheartening conviction that 
 he was a prisoner. Almost involuntarily he started 
 to a sitting posture, but his head grew dizzy as soon 
 as he raised it from the ground, and he was glad to 
 lie down again. The movement attracted the at 
 tention of the man at the fire, who turned and 
 looked at him with a triumphant leer on his face. 
 
 " Wai, my young cub," said he ; " you come out 
 here to see some fun, you told me last night. Seed 
 any yet ?" 
 
 "Where are my friends?" asked Walter, in a 
 faint voice. " Did the Indians attack thorn ?" 
 
 " Injuns !" repeated the trapper, with a grin. 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 181 
 
 " I hain t seed any about here, nor heared of em 
 nuther. Tears to me like you have been on the 
 prairy long enough to tell the difference atween the 
 sound of hosses feet, a-n the sighin of the wind 
 through the trees. You see we were bound to have 
 you, me an Tony were, an I told you that story 
 about the Injuns to help us along. It tuk you back 
 so bad that you forgot to make us keep our distance, 
 an when we onst got within reach of you, it wasn t 
 no trouble to knock you down an tie you hard and 
 fast. But I didn t think to take you so easy; an 
 Tony didn t, nuther." 
 
 Walter was greatly relieved to hear this, and he 
 was amazed, too. Had the trapper really worked 
 upon his fears until he had made him believe that 
 the moaning of the wind through the trees was the 
 sound of horses hoofs ? It did not seem possible, 
 but in the absence of evidence to the contrary he 
 was obliged to believe it. If that was the case his 
 friends were safe. That was a most encouraging 
 thought, and the satisfaction it gave him must have 
 showed itself in his face, for the trapper, who was 
 watching him, closely hastened to say : 
 
 " You needn t count on gettin no help from y- ar 
 
182 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 pardners, cause we re far enough from em now. 
 We have been travellin our level best all night." 
 
 Walter made no reply. He had all faith in his 
 friends, and he knew that they would do what mor 
 tals could do to find him and effect his release. He 
 had recovered his usual courage by this time, and 
 leaning his head on his hand, and resting his elbow on 
 the ground, he watched the trapper as he turned the 
 slices of bacon, and tried to settle it in his mind why 
 the men had made a prisoner of him, and what they 
 intended to do with him. There was but one answer 
 that suggested itself to him. The man by the fire 
 had told him that he had known his father while he 
 was a soldier. No doubt, as Eugene thought, he 
 had belonged to his regiment, for he had spoken of 
 him as " my old colonel." Doubtless he had been 
 guilty of some offence for which his officer had 
 punished him. Perhaps, too, he had sworn to 
 have revenge he looked like a man who would 
 follow another to the ends of the earth to satisfy a 
 grudge against him arid as it was out of his power 
 to punish the colonel, he had resolved to wreak his 
 vengeance on his son. But there were one or two 
 
 o 
 
 flaws in this explanation of the trappers conduct : 
 How could a man, who had never seen Walter before, 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 183 
 
 know tha t his name was Gaylord, and that his father 
 had been a colonel ? And if he had served under 
 Mr. Gaylord in Mexico, why had he not recognised 
 Uncle Dick, who was major in the same regiment? 
 These were questions the boy could not answer. 
 
 u You was mighty innercent when I spoke to you 
 last night, wasn t you now?" continued the trapper. 
 " You thought you was playin a monstrous sharp 
 game when you told us that story about your bein 
 from the States, an not havin no friends nigher 
 than fifteen hundred mile, didn t you? But we 
 knowed you the minute we sot eyes onto you, me 
 and Tony did, an we knowed who your pardners 
 were, too. They re soldiers ; and that ole chap in 
 the gray whiskers is the colonel. We knowed him 
 if he did have buckskin on, cause we ve seed him 
 at the fort often." 
 
 " You are mistaken, said Walter. " You never 
 saw him at any fort about here in your life. He 
 isn t a soldier; he s a sailor." 
 
 " Hold your grip, now. You can t tell me nothing 
 about it, cause I know, an so does Tony. As I 
 was goin to say, thar ain t much for you to do in 
 the way of scoutiri now, cause the Injuns here 
 abouts are kinder quiet, so you puts yourselves into 
 
184 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 huntin shirts an moccasins an comes out to hunt up 
 fellers like me an Tony ; an you calls it fun. 1 
 reckon you ll see how much fun thar is in it afore 
 we are done with you." 
 
 This speech gave Walter a hint of the situation 
 of affairs. It was plain enough to him now that 
 the trappers had made a prisoner of him under the 
 impression that he was somebody else. They had 
 committed a blunder equal to that the revenue cap 
 tain had made when he arrested the crew of the 
 Banner as smugglers, only it promised to end much 
 more disagreeably. 
 
 "Look here," said he, suddenly; "what s your 
 name ?" 
 
 "Wai, I ve got a good many a dozen mebbe. 
 The one I am travellin under now, if it will do you 
 any good to know it, is Tom Reed. That feller 
 over thar is Tony Parks. You re Wat Gaylord, 
 Colonel Gaylord s son." 
 
 "I am aware of that fact," replied Walter, more 
 astonished than ever to hear the trapper so readily 
 pronounce the name by which he had been familiarly 
 known in his younger days, " but how did you find 
 it out?" 
 
 "Now jest look a here ; do you take us fur born 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 185 
 
 fools ? Did you think you could cut up sich shines 
 as you have been a doin in this country fur the last 
 two months, an nobody would find it out ? We all 
 know that you are at the bottom of the guv nor s 
 trouble, an we ve all swore to have you, dead or 
 alive. That ain t no news to you, nuther." 
 
 "You don t know what you are talking about," 
 replied Walter. " I am not the man you have been 
 looking for. I have never been in this western 
 country before in my life." 
 
 " Now look a here, my cub," said the trapper, 
 picking up a stick that happened to be lying near 
 him on the ground, " that s the second time you 
 have corisputed me. Now don t do it agin, cause I 
 won t bar it. I ll whack you. I know who you 
 be, an what you ve been a doin , an I won t listen 
 to no words. If it wasn t fur swappin you off for 
 the guv nor, you d a been a gone leftenant afore 
 this time." 
 
 " But let me say just a word," urged Walter. 
 " I can convince you in one minute that you have 
 got hold of the wrong man." 
 
 u Nary squeak, I tell you ; not a one. Keep mum 
 an say nothing now ; that s the best thing you can 
 do. Wake up, Tony. It s time we were travellin." 
 
186 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 Tony arose at the word, as if he had merely been 
 keeping up an appearance of sleep, on purpose to be 
 ready to move the instant his companion spoke to 
 him. He looked triumphantly at Walter as he 
 passed, but said nothing. Seating himself in front 
 of the fire he seized one of the slices of bacon, and 
 devoured it as if he had been fasting for a week, 
 while his companion passed a piece over to Walter 
 on the point of his bowie-knife. The boy was hun 
 gry, and although he did not quite like the appear 
 ance of the bacon, which was coated with ashes, he 
 accepted it, not knowing how long it might be before 
 he would obtain another mouthful ; and while he 
 was eating it he watched the movements of the 
 trappers, and thought over his situation. He wished 
 they would let him talk to them a few minutes 
 longer, for he had learned one or two things and 
 wanted to learn more. He knew that there was 
 another Wat Gaylord on the prairie, that he was a 
 lieutenant in the army, and that he had done some 
 thing to bring upon him the displeasure of an organ 
 ized band of outlaws, of which the two men who now 
 had him in custody were members. But what had 
 he done? Who was the "governor" for whom 
 these men intended to exchange him ; and what 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 187 
 
 ould they do when they found out that he was i.ot 
 le man they wanted ? These were the questions that 
 Valter would have liked to have had answered, but 
 
 wholesome fear of Torn Reed s stick, with which he 
 ad threatened to " whack " him if he spoke again, 
 ept him silent. " Frank, Archie and Feather- 
 eight have been in situations similar to this and 
 ome safely out of them," thought Walter, as he 
 rushed the ashes off the piece of bacon, " and if 
 icy could endure separation from their friends, I 
 an. Fred often tried to make me understand how 
 e felt, while he was kept a prisoner among the 
 mugglers, but I never fully sympathized with him 
 ntil this moment. He didn t get discouraged and 
 low the white feather, and neither will I." 
 
 It did not take the trappers long to dispose of 
 leir breakfast. They were doubtless accustomed 
 o eating in a hurry, and in five minutes time the 
 aeon, which was sufficient in quantity to furnish a 
 aeal for four ordinary men, had all disappeared, 
 ony then went to bring up the horses, which were 
 eeding close by on the prairie, while Reed put out 
 he fire and rolled up the blankets. When Walter 
 aw the horses, he did not doubt the truth of the 
 ;atement that they had " travelled their level 
 
188 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 best all night," for the animals looked completely 
 jaded. 
 
 " Now then, leftenant," said Reed, as he swung 
 his heavy form into the saddle, " the critters can t 
 stand it to carry double no longer, so you ll have to 
 toddle along on foot the rest of the way. It s a 
 right smart step we ve got to go, too ; but you ve a 
 good pair of legs, an it won t hurt you. F oiler 
 me." 
 
 Reed rode off as he spoke, and Walter, in obedi 
 ence to his command fell in behind him, Tony bring 
 ing up the rear. In this order they travelled all 
 day, stopping only twice for water, and once at noon 
 to eat a slice of bacon, and long before night came 
 Walter began to feel the effects of his journey very 
 sensibly. If his muscles had not been hardened by 
 the training to which he had subjected himself from 
 his earliest boyhood, he must have given out by the 
 way. He kept up a light heart in spite of his fa 
 tigue, constantly cheered by the hope that he might 
 fall in with some one upon whom he could throw 
 himself for protection ; but the prairie seemed de 
 serted by every living thing except a few scattering 
 herds of antelopes, which gazed at them from the 
 summit of distant hills, and then fled like the wind. 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 189 
 
 As they progressed the long, regular swells gave 
 place to high bluffs, intersected with deep and al 
 most impassable ravines, through which they threaded 
 their way for a dozen miles or more, arriving at 
 last at the door of a dilapidated-looking ranche, 
 which was so snugly hidden among the cliffs that 
 
 O t/ O 
 
 one might have passed by without noticing it. 
 Several rough-looking men in ragged buckskin suits 
 were lounging about in front of the door, and these 
 no sooner discovered Walter and his captors than 
 they sprang to their feet in great excitement. They 
 crowded about them as they came up, and one great 
 bearded giant, after regarding the prisoner a moment 
 with an expression of mingled amazement and de 
 light on his face, exclaimed in a stentorian voice : 
 
 " If this here ain t the best luck that s ever fell 
 to our share, I m an Injun ! Fellers, it s him ! 
 How do, Leftenant Gaylord ? We re monstrous glad 
 to see you !" 
 
 Walter was not glad to see him or any of his com 
 panions. He glanced at the villanous faces that 
 were looking down into his, and his heart sank with 
 in him. 
 
190 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 " CIIIXNY BILLY." 
 
 rilHE reception our hero met with from the men 
 assembled at the door of the rancho, was the 
 death-blow to his hopes. He believed that some 
 among them would see, at a glance, that he was not 
 the person Reed and Parks supposed him to be, but 
 as they gathered about him every one of them pro 
 nounced his name, prefixing the title of lieutenant, 
 and at last Walter became so amazed and perplexed 
 that he was almost ready to doubt his own identity. 
 Knowing, by the experience he had already had, 
 that it would be useless to attempt to reason with 
 the matter with these brutes in human form, and 
 fearing that it might arouse their anger, he held his 
 peace, and leaning against the wall of the rancho, 
 waited with no little anxiety to hear what was to be 
 done with him. His silence was mistaken for dog 
 ged courage and defiance, and he rose accordingly 
 in the estimation of the trappers. They gazed at 
 
THE TRAPPERS. 191 
 
 him with great curiosity, and the longer they gazed 
 the more their astonishment seemed to increase. 
 
 " Who d a thought this yere little feller could 
 kick up sich a rumpus?" exclaimed the giant. 
 " Why, he s nothing but a boy ! I could pick him 
 up and fling him over the house." 
 
 "You d best not try it," said another. "If he 
 is little, you know fur yourself that he s lightning. 
 You ve got a hole in your arm to prove it !" 
 
 " I don t bar him no ill-will," continued the giant, 
 " cause it was fairly done ; but if it was nt fur 
 tradin him fur the guv nor, I d show you all how 
 easy I could get away with him." 
 
 The trappers conversed in this way for several min 
 utes, and Walter listened with all his ears, hoping to 
 learn something ; for as yet he had not the remotest 
 idea what he was accused of. He was satisfied, from 
 a few hints he received, that no harm would be done 
 him, at least for the present, arid that was all he did 
 learn ; for not a word was dropped that afforded him 
 the slightest cue to the offence with which he was 
 charged. When the trappers had gazed at him to 
 their satisfaction, three of their number, who seemed 
 to exercise some authority over the others, drew off 
 on one side to hold a consultation. Among them 
 
192 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 was the giant, who answered to the name of Potter, 
 and who, as Walter afterwards learned, was the 
 owner of the rancho. As the consultation progressed 
 it became evident that there was a difference of 
 opinion among the three, for they talked earnestly, 
 stamped their feet on the ground, shook their fists 
 in the air to give emphasis to their words, and Walter 
 knew by the glances that were occasionally directed 
 toward him, that he was the subject of their conver 
 sation. At last the matter seemed to have been 
 decided, for they approached the place where the 
 prisoner was standing, and Potter said to one of his 
 captors, 
 
 " Reed, take that cub o your n into the house out 
 of sight. Be sure an have an eye on him all the 
 while, or he ll slip away from you afore you know 
 it, like he did last time. We ll keep him here to 
 night, an if Brazzel don t come afore mornin , I ll 
 take the matter into my own hands. I ve got some 
 thing to say, I reckon. An now listen to me, all 
 of you. If he gets away, it ain t no fault of mine. 
 If I could have my gay, I d pack him off among the 
 Injuns afore he was an hour older. He d be safe 
 thar ; but Mason and Samson won t hear to it. If 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 193 
 
 anything happens blame them an not- me. Take 
 him away, Reed." 
 
 In obedience to a sign from his captor Walter 
 entered the house. " Set down thar on that bench," 
 said the trapper, " an bar one thing in mind. If 
 you behave yourself you re all right : but if you try 
 to come any more of your slippery soldier games 
 over us, I ll put a ball into you as soon as I d look 
 t you !" 
 
 The apartment into which Walter was conducted 
 vas as dark as a dungeon, the lantern which was 
 uspended from a beam overhead giving out but a 
 ickly light, and only serving to render the gloom 
 risible. With some difficulty he groped his way to 
 he bench, and as soon as he could discern the ob 
 jects in the room, began to look about him. The 
 irst thing he noticed was that there were no win 
 dows in the apartment all the light that entered 
 )eing admitted through half a dozen loopholes in 
 ;he walls, and the next that it was used both as a 
 dining-hall and sleeping-room. The walls, were 
 :hickly hung with weapons, saddles and bridles : 
 Blankets and pouches were scattered about over the 
 loor ; two men were sleeping soundly in one corner ; 
 and at the opposite end of the room was a rough 
 13 
 
194 TIIK SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 table covered with tin dishes and broken crockery- 
 ware. A savory smell coming from an adjoining 
 room told him that preparations for supper were 
 going on ; and presently the door opened, admitting 
 a negro, who carried a large platter of fried bacon 
 in his hands. He stopped suddenly when his eyes 
 rested on Walter s face, gazed at him a moment as 
 if he could scarcely believe his eyes, and then broke 
 out into a hearty laugh. 
 
 "Fore Moses if dar ain t Marse Gaylord !" he 
 exclaimed, gleefully. Depositing the platter of 
 bacon on the table he approached close in front of 
 the prisoner and looked at him long and earnestly. 
 
 "You see now that you have made a mistake in 
 the man, don t you, Uncle?" asked Walter. 
 * " Tears to me like you s growed littler since dis 
 ole nigger las seed you," was the reply. " But I 
 knows you, boy, an I se got de bump on my old head 
 yet whar you hit me dat crack with yer pistol, de 
 night you run away from us." 
 
 " I never struck you in my life. More than that, 
 I never saw you until this moment." 
 
 " 0, hush yer noise, boy ! Does you think you 
 you can fool yer ole Uncle Toby ? No, sar. I se a 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 195 
 
 heap of spec fur courage, I has, an I ll get you a 
 good supper to pay fur dat lick you struck me." 
 
 The negro hurried away, and in a few seconds re 
 turned with a tin plate arid a quart cup, which he 
 deposited on one end of the table. When after 
 drawing up a couple of long benches to serve in place 
 of chairs, he opened the door that led into the hall 
 and shouted 
 
 "Grub!" 
 
 Judging by the prompt response the trappers gave 
 to this invitation, they were hungry. They entered 
 in a body, and not being obliged to go through the 
 ceremony of washing their hands and faces, seated 
 themselves around the table and went to work im- 
 -mediately. No one paid the least attention to Wal 
 ter except the negro. At a sign from him the boy 
 took his seat on one of the benches and fell to with 
 the rest. Toby was a passable cook, and although 
 the coffee was strong and the dishes none of the 
 cleanest, Walter made a hearty meal. He noticed 
 that Reed did not come to the table, but kept his 
 seat by the door with his rifle lying beside him on 
 the bench. The trapper who first finished his sup 
 per took his place, and also laid his weapons within 
 easy reach. Walter could not repress a smile when 
 
196 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 he witnessed these precautions. Did the trappers 
 take him for a desperado or a lunatic ? Probably 
 the latter ; for the idea that any one of his years, 
 arid in his sober senses, would attempt to cope with 
 half a score of armed men, was ridiculous. It sat 
 isfied him of one thing, and that was, that Lieuten 
 ant Gaylord, whoever he might be, had given these 
 very men a lesson they did not intend to forget. 
 
 As soon as supper was over Toby came in to clear 
 away the dishes, while the majority of the trappers 
 spread their blankets on the benches and on the 
 floor, and after smoking their pipes, prepared to go 
 to sleep. Potter held another consultation with 
 some of his men, and taking a long rope down from 
 a peg in the Avail, approached his prisoner, saying: 
 " Stand up, Leftenant ! I ve hearn tell that you 
 have a way of turnin yourself loose whenever you 
 feel like it ; but I ll allow that I can tie you so you 
 can t get away." 
 
 As he said this he pulled Walter s arms behind his 
 back, passed one end of the rope around them, draw 
 ing it so tight that the pain almost brought tears to 
 his eyes, and wrapping the other about his ankles. 
 So careful was he to make every knot secure, that 
 he spent a good deal of time in the operation, and 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 197 
 
 when it was completed he looked at his captive with 
 a smile of satisfaction, declaring that if he could get 
 out of that rope he was a " hoss." 
 
 " Now then, ketch hold of him, some of you, and 
 tote him back into the lumber-room," continued 
 Potter. " An Mason, you stay thar an watch him 
 a couple of hours, and then call somebody else." 
 
 In obedience to these orders two of the trappers 
 raised Walter in their arms, and after carrying him 
 along a wide hall, deposited him on the floor of the 
 lumber-room. Mason, the guard, came in soon 
 afterward, bringing a lantern and a nail-keg. The 
 lantern he hung upon a hook in the ceiling, and the 
 nail-keg he placed beside the door and seated himself 
 upon it, leaning his head against the wall and 
 watching his prisoner closely, as if he feared that 
 he might contrive some way to slip out of his bonds 
 before he knew it. Walter tried to open a conver 
 sation with him, but the man gruffly replied that he 
 had been sent there to watch him, not to answer 
 questions, and that was all he could induce him to say. 
 Soon afterward, being almost overcome with fatigue, 
 the captive dropped into an uneasy slumber. 
 
 The next day was a long one to Walter. He 
 was unbound at daylight and allowed the freedom 
 
198 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 of the living-room, but was always under the eye 
 of a guard. All his efforts to induce the trappers 
 to talk with him were unsuccessful. Potter, the 
 only one among them who was in the least commu 
 nicative, was absent all day, and Walter did not 
 see him until supper time. The first words be 
 uttered as he entered the rancho were : " Has 
 Brazell comeback yet?" Being answered in the 
 negative, he expressed considerable astonishment, 
 declared that he had waited long enough, and that 
 he was going to take the matter into his own hands. 
 The prisoner pricked up his ears when he heard 
 this, and believing that he was in some way inter 
 ested, watched the movements of the giant with 
 anxious eyes, and waited impatiently to see what he 
 was going to do. He was not kept long in suspense. 
 As soon as the supper dishes had been cleared away. 
 Potter produced a bottle of ink, a pen and a sheet 
 of blue note-paper ; and after taking the lantern 
 down from its nail overhead, turned to his prisoner. 
 " Now, Leftenant," said he, "draw up an write 
 a letter to the Colonel. Tell him that we have got 
 hold of you agin, an that, although you had oughter 
 stretch hemp to onst, to pay fur what you have 
 done, we will keep you safe an sound fur one week, 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 199 
 
 If by the end of that time your pap will give the 
 guv rior up to us, without a hair of his head hurt, 
 we ll turn you loose an you can go whar you please ; 
 but if he don t do it, he ll never set eyes on you 
 agin. Draw up, I say, an tell him that." 
 
 "Will you let me say just a word before I write 
 that letter ?" asked Walter. 
 
 " Wai, that depends. W r e won t bar no sass or 
 foolin ." 
 
 " I am not going to be impertinent, and this is 
 much too serious a matter for fooling. I can prove 
 every word I am about to say to you, if you will 
 only give me a chance. I tell you, as I told Reed 
 and Parks when they first made a prisoner of me, 
 that you have got hold of the wrong man. I am 
 not Lieutenant Gaylord. More than that, I " 
 
 The expression that came upon Potter s face as 
 Walter uttered these words checked him. He 
 looked perfectly savage. He glared at the boy a 
 moment like some wild animal, and bringing his 
 huge fist down upon the table, with a force that 
 fairly made the room echo, roared out 
 
 " Do you mean to tell me that your name ain t 
 Gaylord?" 
 
200 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 " No ; I do not mean to tell you anything of the 
 kind. What I do mean to say is " 
 
 " Ain t your pap s name Gaylord, too, and ain t 
 he a Colonel?" 
 
 " My father s name is Gaylord, of course ; but 
 he is not " 
 
 " Then draw up to this yere table an write that 
 there letter without no more words, or " 
 
 Potter finished the sentence with so many oaths 
 and threats that Walter made all haste to obey, 
 .fearing that if he hesitated longer the trapper would 
 do him some bodily injury. He seated himself at 
 the table, drew the writing-materials toward him, and 
 with considerable difficulty, for his hand trembled 
 so violently that he could scarcely hold the pen, 
 succeeded in placing upon the sheet of blue note- 
 paper what the trapper had told him to write, as 
 nearly as he could recall it. He did not know who 
 Colonel Gaylord was, or which way the letter would 
 have to go to reach him ; but he did know that 
 he was a stranger, so he began the letter with 
 " Sir," and when he had finished, handed it to 
 Potter to read. 
 
 " Let s hear what you have writ," said the latter. 
 " I can t make any sense outen them turkey tracks." 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 201 
 
 Walter took the letter from his hand and complied. 
 u Sir !" he began. 
 
 " Stop right thar !" exclaimed Potter, quickly. 
 " Is that the way you write to your own kin folks ? 
 Scratch that Sir out, an put Dear Pap thar. 
 This thing has got to be done up in style; an you 
 might as well do it without no more foolin ." 
 
 Seeing by the expression in the trapper s eye that 
 it would be dangerous to hesitate, Walter drew his 
 pen through the word " Sir" and addressed as 
 " Dear Father," a man whom he had never seen, 
 and whom he never expected to see. What would 
 his own father, away off in the States, have thought 
 of such a proceeding ? When the correction had 
 been made, he finished reading the letter and once 
 more handed it to Potter, who turned and addressed 
 himself to his companions. " We ve got a varmint 
 to deal with here," said he, glancing at Walter, 
 " an p raps he ain t read what he s writ. Mebbe 
 he s told his pap whar we are, an axed him to bring 
 the soldiers down on us. Can any of you read 
 this?" 
 
 " I reckon Chinny Billy can," observed one of 
 the trappers. " He s up to a most everything, I ve 
 heared em say." 
 
202 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 " Chinny Billy," repeated Potter. " Is he here ?" 
 " I hain t no whar else, boss." replied a voice that 
 the prisoner was certain he had heard before. 
 
 The trappers who were crowded about the table 
 made way for the speaker, and when he came into 
 view Walter almost jumped from his seat, so great 
 was his amazement. Could he believe his eyes ? 
 He rubbed them to make sure that he was not 
 dreaming, and looked again. There stood Chinny 
 Billy, as he had been called, the finest specimen of 
 a young backwoodsman he had ever seen. He was 
 a few years older than Walter, considerably taller, 
 and was as straight as an arrow. He had evidently 
 just come out of some trader s store, for his clothing 
 was all new, and looked as though it had never seen 
 an hour s service. It consisted of a green hunting- 
 shirt reaching almost to his knees, buckskin leggings 
 and trowsers of the same material, both ornamented 
 in the most elaborate fashion. The collar of his 
 hunting-shirt was thrown back, revealing a neck arid 
 throat as brown as any Indian s. A black slouch 
 hat wa,s set jauntily over his long, curly hair, and 
 on his feet he wore a pair of light shoes instead of 
 moccasins. Walter took in all the details of his 
 costume at a glance, and fastening his eyes upon 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 203 
 
 the face of the new comer, waited for him to turn it 
 towards the light ; for thus far he had obtained but 
 a partial view of it. 
 
 u Chirmy Billy, give us a shake," said Potter, 
 extending his hand. " We ve often heard of you 
 in these parts, but never seed you afore. You re 
 welcome to my rancho. Did you ever have any 
 sclioolin ?" 
 
 " Mebbe I can read it, boss," replied Chinny 
 Billy. " Let s have a look at it." 
 
 When he began to read the letter, Walter s amaze 
 ment and agitation increased a thousand fold. He 
 knew the clear, ringing tones of that voice. It 
 could belong to but one person in the world, and 
 that was Frank Nelson. But how came he there ? 
 Walter asked himself. He was utterly confounded, 
 and began to think he was taking leave of his senses. 
 He listened to the reading of the letter like one in 
 a dream, and waited with no little anxiety and im 
 patience for the youth to turn his face toward him. 
 
 " It s all right, boss," said Chinny Billy, at 
 length. " He writ just what you told him, and 
 didn t say nothing to his pap about bringin the 
 soldiers here." 
 
 " I was afeared he had," returned Potter. " Now, 
 
204 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 Chinny, do the folks up to the fort know who you 
 be?" 
 
 " They ve seed me, but they don t know nothing 
 about me." 
 
 " Then you could take this letter an give it to 
 the Colonel, without nobody s sayin a word to you, 
 couldn t you ?" 
 
 " I reckon." 
 
 " If you ll do it, I ll give you the next good hoss 
 I steal ; what do you say ?" 
 
 " Talk enough. I don t know no easier way to 
 earn a hoss." 
 
 Potter folded the letter very awkwardly and 
 handed it to Chinny Billy, who put it away in the 
 crown of his hat, and then for the first time turned 
 his face toward Walter. It was Frank Nelson if 
 he ever saw him ; but there was no sign of recog 
 nition in his countenance. He gave the prisoner 
 a cold, impudent stare and said to Potter : 
 
 " So this yere s Leftenarit Gay lord, the spy you ve 
 been a huntin fur so long ! I reckon you ll hold 
 fast to him this time." 
 
 "We ain t a goin to do nothing else," answered 
 the trapper. "I know how to keep him safe. 
 Stand up, my cub, an be tied agin !" 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 205 
 
 Walter s mind was in such confusion that he 
 scarcely knew what happened during the next few 
 minutes. When he recovered himself, so that he 
 was able to take note of the things ahout him, he 
 was lying on the floor of the lumber-room, and one 
 of the trappers, whom he had heard addressed as 
 Samson, was keeping guard over him. Instantly 
 the bewildering events that had happened in the 
 living-room came back to him. Who was Chinny 
 Billy ? was the question he asked himself over and 
 over again. If he was Frank Nelson and Wal 
 ter was positive he could be no other why had 
 he acted so strangely ? Why had he not given him 
 some sign a wink, a nod, or even a look, to show 
 that he recognised him ? Could it be possible that 
 I he was an enemy instead of a friend ? A suspicion 
 like this did cross Walter s mind, and before the 
 night was over the suspicion became belief. 
 
 Walter was almost overcome with terror and 
 anxiety, and for a long time he could not sleep. 
 The pain occasioned by his bonds was almost unbear 
 able, and he rolled about from one side of the room 
 to the other, trying in vain to find an easy position, 
 or a plank soft enough to serve him for a bed. He 
 must have slept, however, during the latter part of 
 
206 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 the night, for once when he opened his eyes and 
 glanced toward his guard, he saw that Samson was 
 gone, and that his place was occupied by Tony 
 Parks, who sat on the nail-keg watching him as 
 closely as his predecessor had done. While Walter 
 lay looking at him, he heard stealthy footsteps in 
 the hall. A moment afterward the door was cau 
 tiously opened, and Tom Reed s head appeared. 
 
 " It s all right," said he, in a scarcely audible 
 whisper. "Now s our time. Come on!" 
 
 Upon hearing these words Tony Parks arose to 
 his feet and stepped carefully toward his prisoner, 
 carrying his bowie-knife in his hand. Before Wal 
 ter could tell what he was going to do, he had cut the 
 rope with which he was bound, and after freeing his 
 hands and feet assisted him to rise. " Mum s the 
 word," said he, seeing that the boy was about to 
 speak. " If you do as you re told, an ax no ques 
 tions, you shant be hurt. Go on, now, an step 
 light," 
 
 Walter walked out of the room as noiselessly as 
 he could, and followed Reed along the hall, Parks 
 bringing up the rear, arid keeping close at his heels. 
 The trappers were very stealthy in their movements, 
 around them with evident uneasiness, arid 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 207 
 
 istening at every door they passed, and Walter saw 
 hat they carried their weapons ready for instant 
 use. From this he knew that they were engaged in 
 ome business they did not want their friends in the 
 Adjoining room to know anything about. Arriving 
 it the outside door Reed paused long and warily 
 >efore venturing out. Having satisfied himself that 
 he coast was clear, he moved on, Walter and Parks 
 olio wing as before ; but they had not made many 
 teps when a figure, which seemed to rise out of the 
 jround, suddenly appeared in their path, and stood 
 confronting them with a revolver in each hand. 
 
 " Don t move, nary one o you," it said, in savage 
 ones. "Drop them shootin irons !" 
 
 " Chinny Billy !" ejaculated both the trappers, 
 recoilino- before the muzzles of the revolvers. 
 
 o 
 
 u Did you hear what I said about droppin them 
 we pons ?" asked Billy, arid this time Walter recog 
 nised his voice Frank Nelson s voice. 
 
 The trappers had no alternative, for Billy held 
 ;hem completely in his power. Without a word of 
 remonstrance they dropped their rifles to the ground. 
 Walter s heart beat high with hope. Billy had 
 things his own way now, and if he were a friend all 
 ic had to do was to make himself known. Walter 
 
208 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 almost believed that he would do so; but while he 
 was waiting with bated breath to hear his name pro 
 nounced, and to receive the assurance that he was 
 once more at liberty, two men suddenly emerged from 
 the shadow of the bluif and approached at a rapid 
 run. "What s to do here?" they both asked at 
 once. 
 
 " If you have any right to know, you can come 
 into the house an find out," replied Billy, gruffly. 
 " Now then," he added, addressing himself to Wal 
 ter and his captors, "you jest face about an walk 
 back into that rancho, quicker n you came out! 
 
 Utterly discouraged and sick at heart Walter 
 obeyed the order. He opened the door of the living, 
 room, and nearly fell over the prostrate form of 
 Potter who lay in his path. " Who s that?" cried 
 the giant, starting up. " Speak quick," and the 
 command was followed by the ominous click of the 
 lock of his revolver. 
 
 " It s me," replied Chinny Billy ; "me an Leften- 
 ant Gaylord. Wake up, here ! I ve got a funny 
 story to tell you." 
 
 Potter was not long in springing to his feet, and 
 neither were the rest of the trappers, who had been 
 aroused by his voice. One of them trimmed the 
 

 AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 209 
 
 lantern which had nearly gone out, and when they 
 saw Walter standing before them with his hands and 
 feet at liberty, their astonishment knew no bounds, 
 
 " Who done it, Chinny ? Did he turn himself 
 loose? Whar did you find him?" were the questions 
 that arose on all sides. 
 
 " You d best talk to them as knows more about it 
 than I do," replied Billy, moving his hand toward 
 Reed and Parks. " They turned him loose, an were 
 goin to steal him away, but I stopped em. I 
 reckon they thought that if they tuk him, the Colonel 
 would be willin to give a thousand or two to get 
 him back. Ax em." 
 
 These words made the matter perfectly clear to 
 Walter. His captors had laid a plan to run him off 
 to the mountains, in order to demand a ransom for 
 him from a man supposed to be his father. The 
 howls of rage that filled the room showed that the 
 trappers understood it too. For a few seconds a 
 great uproar prevailed. A general rush was made 
 for the two traitors, weapons were flourished in the 
 air, and Walter, hastily escaping from the crowd of 
 excited, struggling men, turned his face to the wall 
 in order that he might not witness the scene which 
 14 
 
210 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 he was sure was about to take place. But Potter s 
 voice checked the tumult. 
 
 " Stand back, the hul on ye !" he roared. " Don 1 
 lay a finger on nary one on em. We ll keep em 
 fur the guv nor to deal with when he conies out. 
 Say, my cub," he added, arousing Walter by a heav^ 
 slap on the shoulder, " tell us all about it. What s 
 been a goin on here ?" 
 
 Walter s story fully confirmed Chinny Billy s, 
 and if further evidence had been needed the rifles 
 that were found outside the door, the pieces of rope 
 that were brought from the lumber-room, as well as 
 the statement of the two men who had just arrived, 
 would have been sufficient. The traitors were tried 
 and condemned in five minutes time. In obedience 
 to Potter s orders they were bound hand and foot, 
 and stowed away in Walter s prison with a guard 
 over them. When this had been done the excitement 
 began to abate. 
 
 " Chinny Billy," said Potter, " we owe you one 
 fur this." 
 
 " An you can pay me now, if you like," was the 
 prompt response. 
 
 " What do you want ? Speak out." 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 211 
 
 " The boss I seed you ridin to-day, the black 
 one." 
 
 " He s your n. When the guv nor comes out an 
 I tell him what has happened, he ll do better than 
 that by you. You see he s in limbo the colonel s 
 got him in irons in the fort an the only way we 
 can get him out is to trade this leftenant fur him. 
 We ll get him too, cause it ain t no ways likely that 
 a father will see harm come to his own son. Them 
 cowardly sneaks would have filled their own pockets 
 an left the guv nor to be hung ; but you have saved 
 him, an had oughter have something handsome fur 
 it. This leftenant shan t stay here no longer, how- 
 somever. If thar s two traitor s among us, thar may 
 be more fur all I know. I m goin to pack him off 
 among the Injuns this very night. I wanted to do 
 it the minute he came here, but the rest of the fellers 
 talked agin it, an now they see what s happened. 
 We might have lost him easy, if it hadn t been fur 
 you, Chinny Billy. Samson, come out here." 
 
 The man addressed followed Potter from the room, 
 and Walter seated himself on one of the benches and 
 waited to see what was going to happen next. Nor 
 was he obliged to wait long. Before two minutes 
 
212 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 had passed, agreat hubbub arose outside the door. 
 Hoarse voices uttered ejaculations of wonder and 
 alarm, and hasty footsteps sounded in the hall. 
 Presently the door was dashed violently open, and 
 Potter and Samson entered, accompanied by a tall, 
 broad-shouldered trapper, and a stalwart, bare 
 headed youth, who seemed to be terribly excited and 
 enraged about something. 
 
 " That s him !" exclaimed the latter, as soon as 
 he entered the room, and his eyes fell upon Chinny 
 Billy. u He s the feller who stole my hoss an my 
 name, too ; an now he comes here an passes him 
 self off for me. He s a spy !" 
 
 Chinny Billy started as if he had been shot. He 
 stood for an instant looking about him as if seeking 
 some way of escape, and then with one swift bound 
 he reached the table, and catching up the lantern 
 dashed it upon the floor, extinguishing the light, 
 and leaving the room shrouded in total darkness. 
 
 " Sing out, Dick !" he shouted. 
 
 A wild Indian yell, so loud and piercing that it 
 seemed to come from a score of throats, echoed 
 through the room, and at the same instant Walter 
 was lifted bodily from the bench on which he was 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 218 
 
 sitting and thrown under the table, next to the 
 wall. An answering yell arose outside the house, 
 the door was burst open again, lights flashed into 
 the room, and a company of cavalrymen, with 
 sabres and revolvers in their hands, came charg- 
 
214 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 THE MAN IN IRONS. 
 
 O LEEP does not come at call to a lot of healthy 
 boys when there is anything exciting going on, 
 and consequently the Club could not strictly obey 
 Uncle Dick s order. They brought the horses in 
 from the prairie, and after fastening them securely 
 to the wagon, rolled themselves up in their blankets 
 and lay down about the fire ; but they did not close 
 their eyes. Their senses were all on the alert, and 
 they were ready at any unusual sound to spring up 
 and grasp their weapons. The precautions that had 
 been taken to guard the camp were enough to keep 
 them wide awake, for it was something that had 
 never been done before during their journey. 
 When Frank came in after placing Walter on his 
 station, he found the Club conversing earnestly in 
 whispers, for fear of disturbing Uncle Dick, who 
 was already snoring lustily, and consulting their 
 watches every few minutes with a great show of 
 impatience. 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 215 
 
 " Did you see anything more of the trappers ?" 
 asked Eugene, eagerly. 
 
 "0 no," answered Frank, with a laugh. "If 
 they come back here at all, they will probably take 
 good care not to show themselves." 
 
 " How do you think they will operate, anyhow ?" 
 continued Eugene. " Tell me all about it, for 1 
 am going on guard at midnight if I can induce 
 Uncle Dick to let me, and I want to be prepared 
 for any tricks." 
 
 "Why, they will most likely come for our horses. 
 They will creep up to the wagon through the grass, 
 and after they have cut the lariats with which the 
 animals are secured, they ll raise a yell to stampede 
 them. During the confusion that will be sure to 
 follow, they will take themselves safe off." 
 
 " They will, eh ?" exclaimed Eugene, excitedly. 
 " I just hope they ll try it while I am on guard, 
 and that I ll catch em at it." 
 
 " Ah ! that s the thing. The mischief will all 
 be done before we know what is going on." 
 
 Frank spent an hour in conversation with his 
 friends, relating stories of adventures with Indians 
 and outlaws which he had heard from the lips of 
 Dick Lewis and Bob Kelly, and at the end of that 
 
216 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 time fatigue began to tell upon his auditors in spite 
 of their excitement, and one after the other they 
 dropped asleep. Frank piled more wood on the 
 fire, looked at the fastenings of the horses, and went 
 out to visit the guards. He found Bab alert and 
 watchful, and wishing, like Eugene, that if the 
 trappers intended to make a demonstration against 
 the stock, they would do it while he was on guard. 
 Frank kept him company for a few minutes, and 
 went out to see how Walter was getting on. 
 Greatly to his surprise he could not find him. He 
 looked up and down the road, and over the prairie 
 in every direction, but his friend was nowhere in 
 sight. 
 
 "Walter!" he cried, "where are you? Speak 
 up!" 
 
 There was no response. Filled with amazement 
 and alarm, Frank hurried along the road toward the 
 place where Walter had been stationed, and on the 
 way struck his foot against something on the ground. 
 He stooped to examine the object, and the feelings 
 he experienced when his hand came in contact with 
 a Henry rifle, may be imagined, but we cannot des 
 cribe them. Without waiting to prosecute his search 
 further, he slung his Maynard over one shoulder, 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 217 
 
 took his friend s gun on the other, and set out for 
 camp at the top of his speed. He found Uncle 
 Dick sitting up on his blanket, filling his pipe pre 
 paratory to a smoke. Frank attracted his attention 
 by a cough, and beckoned him to approach. 
 
 " Any signs of our friends, the trappers !" asked 
 the old sailor, as he came up. " Why, what s the 
 matter ?" he added, quickly, seeing that Frank was 
 very pale and trembling violently in every limb. 
 
 " Walter-is gone," was the almost inaudible reply. 
 
 "Gone!" exclaimed Uncle Dick. 
 
 "Yes, sir; here s his rifle," said Frank, display 
 ing the weapon which bore the letters W. Gr. neatly 
 carved in the stock. " That s all there is left of 
 him." 
 
 " G-one !" repeated the old sailor, as if he could 
 not quite understand the meaning of the word ; 
 "where ?" 
 
 " That is a question I am not able to answer. 
 Those trappers know all about it." 
 
 Uncle Dick stood for an instant as if paralyzed, 
 and then hurried up the road, Frank following. 
 He searched frantically about in the grass, and 
 shouted Walter s name with all the power of his 
 lungs, but no answer was returned. 
 
218 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 " Gone !" he kept saying to himself. " It was 1 
 who brought him out here, and what shall I say to 
 his father and mother when I go home ? Little did 
 I think that our excursion would end in this way." 
 
 "We ll never go home without him," said Frank. 
 " It was I who put him out here on the prairie to 
 be captured, and I ll find him or I ll never see Law 
 rence again." 
 
 "Don t reproach yourself," said Uncle Dick. 
 " You are in no way to blame. But how do you 
 explain his disappearance ?" 
 
 " I can t explain it. I only know that those two 
 men who ate supper at our camp-fire have taken 
 him away." 
 
 " What makes you think so ?" 
 
 " In the first place the conversation one of them 
 had with Walter was enough to excite my suspicions, 
 and I told him to be careful and not allow any one 
 to approach him. We can find no signs that he had 
 been killed, he would not voluntarily throw down 
 his rifle and leave his post, consequently he must 
 have been taken away by force. Now, who could 
 have had any object in making a prisoner of him 
 except those visitors of ours ?" 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 219 
 
 : And what object could they possibly have ? 
 They never saw Walter before." 
 
 " I know that ; but they took him for somebody 
 se some one, too, whom they have reason to fear ; 
 r you know Walter said that when they first saw 
 an, they put their hands on their weapons as if 
 xpecting an attack from them. Don t you remem- 
 3r?" 
 
 " Yes, I recall the circumstance. But what shall 
 e do?" 
 
 " I think our best plan would be to start without 
 
 minute s delay for Fort Bolton. You know the 
 
 ast emigrants we met told us that the fort is only a 
 
 undred miles from the foot of the mountains. We 
 
 an easily travel that distance in twenty-four hours." 
 
 " And what shall we do when we get there ?" 
 
 " We ll tell the commanding officer what has 
 appened, and ask his advice and assistance. He 
 nay be able to recognise these men from the de- 
 cription we will give him, and tell us where to look 
 or them." 
 
 This was exactly the course the old sailor had 
 Iready resolved upon. His ideas concerning his 
 lephew s disappearance corresponded with Frank s 
 n every particular. The only cue the two had was 
 
220 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 the conduct of the trappers at their camp-fire. From 
 this they reasoned, and reached conclusions which 
 we know to be correct. Together they returned to 
 the camp, and while Frank harnessed the mules and 
 hitched them to the wagon, Uncle Dick called in 
 Bab and aroused the Club, telling them in a few 
 hurried words what had happened. Of course the 
 greatest consternation prevailed, but no time was 
 wasted in asking questions. Each boy sprang to 
 his horse, and in five minutes time their camp be 
 hind the hill was deserted, and the little cavalcade, 
 led by Frank and Archie, was travelling at the rate 
 of ten miles an hour along the road in the direction 
 of Fort Bolton. 
 
 " I can t see into the matter any farther than I 
 have already explained it to you," said Frank, in 
 reply to a question from his cousin, " but this much 
 I am certain of : If I had not put Walter out there 
 on the prairie, he would not have been captured; 
 consequently the fault lies at my door, and I ll make 
 amends for it sooner or later." 
 
 Frank said this very quietly in much the same 
 tone of voice that he would have remarked, " I hope 
 it will be a cloudy day to-morrow so that we can go 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 221 
 
 trout-fishing " but Archie knew that there was a 
 volume of meaning in it. 
 
 During the journey nothing was talked about but 
 the subject uppermost in their minds , and but little 
 was said about that ; for no one had any suggestions 
 to make, or any new explanations to offer. They 
 could only wonder exceedingly and wait for some 
 thing to turn up. Besides, during the halts, which 
 were frequent but short, they all improved the time 
 in trying to obtain a wink of sleep ; and while they 
 were on the road Frank, who was always in advance, 
 and whose muscles never seemed to tire, led the way 
 at such a rate that continued conversation was im 
 possible. Once during the next day Archie did 
 manage to find a few moments in which to relate to 
 his particular friend, Featherweight, the story of his 
 " Wild Ride" from the mountains to Fort Benton, 
 on the night the Indians attacked the emigrant train, 
 and Mr. Brecker came so near being robbed of his 
 money. The journey they were now making was 
 well calculated to recall to his mind the thrilling in 
 cidents connected with that night of excitement and 
 peril. 
 
 Our travellers were two days on the road instead 
 of one. On the first, while the boy of whom they 
 
222 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 were in search, was journeying with his captors from 
 the camp in the cottonwoods to Potter s rancho 
 among the hills, they were riding post haste toward 
 the fort. On the second, while Walter was confined 
 in the living-room of the rancho, waiting with no 
 little anxiety to learn what was to be done with him, 
 his friends were wandering about over the prairie, 
 having lost their way during the previous night. 
 Long before this time Uncle Dick and his party 
 began to feel the eifects of their ride. The old 
 sailor, who always drove the wagon, had swung his 
 heavy whip until every muscle in his brawny arm 
 ached with fatigue, while the boys, almost ready to 
 drop, twisted about in their saddles, rode sideways, 
 and even dismounted now and then and ran along 
 beside their horses to rest themselves. Their foot 
 sore and jaded animals moved slower and slower 
 with every weary mile they covered, Frank s alone 
 excepted. The scraggy, ill-conditioned Indian pony, 
 as tireless as the rider he bore, went ahead as will 
 ingly as ever, and the boys were obliged to use 
 whip and spur continually in order to keep him in 
 sight. He checked his pace for no obstacle. About 
 nine o clock that night, while the travellers were 
 crossing a deep and rapid stream, Frank s saddle 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 223 
 
 girth broke, and he was thrown headlong into th<& 
 water ; but he did not stop to repair damages, or to 
 recover his hat which floated off with the current. 
 He clung to his horse, and when the opposite shore 
 was reached, pitched his weapons and saddle into 
 the wagon, and rode the remainder of the journey 
 bare-back. But they had not much farther to go. 
 By the time they were fairly under way again, they 
 were brought to a stand-still by a voice in front of 
 them. " Halt !" was the command. "Who comes 
 there?" 
 
 " We ve found the fort at last!" exclaimed the 
 Club, one and all, drawing a long breath of relief. 
 
 " Talk to him, Frank," said Uncle Dick. 
 
 Frank shouted out the word " Excursionists ;" 
 whereupon the voice commanded them to dismount, 
 and one excursionist to advance and make known 
 his business. They all obeyed the first part of the 
 order, and Frank hurried up the road to comply 
 with the second. When he had gone a few yards 
 he found himself confronted by a bayonet, which 
 was pointed straight at his breast. There was light 
 enough for him to see that the man who held the 
 weapon was dressed in Uncle Sam s blue. " Now, 
 
224 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 then," said the sentry, "who are you, and where 
 are you going in such a hurry at this time of night ?" 
 
 " As I told you, we are excursionists. We came 
 out here to hunt and see the country, and are now 
 trying to find Fort Bolton. Is that it?" asked 
 Frank, pointing to something on the summit of a 
 hill close by, which looked to him like a stockade. 
 The sentry replied that it was. 
 
 " Well, we have important business with the com 
 mander, and must see him at once. We are in 
 trouble." 
 
 "Corporal of the guard, number five!" shouted 
 the soldier. 
 
 In a few minutes the corporal made his appearance, 
 and after inquiring how many men there were in 
 Frank s party, and listening to what he had already 
 told the sentry, informed him that he and his friends 
 might drive up to the gate, where they would find 
 the officer of the day, who would take their case in 
 hand. Frank hurried back to his impatient com 
 panions, and in ten minutes more the wagon was 
 drawn up under the walls of the fort, and its tired 
 escort were rolling about on the grass trying to find 
 an easy position for their aching limbs all except 
 Frank. He seized the opportunity to make somo 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 225 
 
 hurried improvements in his dress, exchanging his 
 wet clothing for a suit he had never worn before, 
 and replacing his lost hat by another which he had 
 provided for just such an emergency. While he 
 was thus engaged Uncle Dick had explained to the 
 officer of the day as much of their circumstances as 
 he thought it necessary he should know, and the 
 latter had departed to lay the matter before the 
 Colonel. Presently he returned with the request that 
 Uncle Dick would follow him to the commandant s 
 quarters. As the old sailor moved away with the 
 officer he beckoned to Frank, who fell in behind, and 
 the two were conducted through the gate and into a 
 comfortable apartment, where they found a tall gen 
 tleman with side whiskers and mustache, who placed 
 chairs for them as they entered, and politely asked 
 how he could serve them. 
 
 " I shall give you my story in the fewest possible 
 words," said Uncle Dick, " for time is precious. In 
 the first place I should like to know if there is a 
 gentleman in this region known as Colonel Gaylord." 
 
 u There is," replied the commandant. " I am the 
 man." 
 
 " Then, sir, I wish most heartily that you had been 
 called Smith or Jones, or else that I had, for the 
 15 
 
226 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 name we both bear has got me and one of my 
 nephews into serious difficulty," said Uncle Dick ; 
 and without heeding the; look of astonishment on the 
 Colonel s face, he went on to tell who he and his 
 young companions were, where they had come from, 
 where they intended to go, described the two trap 
 pers who had visited their camp in the mountains, 
 repeated the questions they had propounded to 
 Walter, and related the particulars of the latter s 
 sudden disappearance. 
 
 fc Of this much I am positive," said the old sailor, 
 in conclusion, "and that is, that those men made a 
 prisoner of my nephew under the impression that he 
 was somebody else ; but beyond that all is dark to 
 me. Who the men were, who they thought Walter 
 was, why they captured him and what they intend 
 to do with him, are questions I cannot answer." 
 
 The commandant listended attentively to every 
 word Uncle Dick had to say, and as the story pro 
 gressed his face gradually assumed an expression 
 which said as plainly as words that some of the things 
 which seem so mysterious to Uncle Dick, could be 
 easily explained. When the latter concluded he 
 expressed his surprise and gratification at meeting 
 with one who bore the same name as himself, prom- 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 227 
 
 ised to do all in his power to assist him in finding 
 the missing boy, and ended by calling out : " Or 
 derly, tell Wallace I want to see him." 
 
 The orderly slammed the door which, however, 
 was almost immediately opened again, admitting a 
 military-looking fellow in high boots and gray jeans 
 suit, who, as he entered, removed from his head a 
 wide-brimmed felt hat. 
 
 " Captain Gaylord, this is my son, Lieutenant 
 Wallace Gaylord ; Wat, we call him, for short. 
 Can you see any resemblance between him and 
 your lost nephew ?" 
 
 "Not the slightest," answered Uncle Dick, after 
 he had returned the young soldier s greeting and 
 presented Frank to him. " He is considerably 
 taller and stronger, at least a dozen years older, 
 and looks altogether about as much like Walter as 
 a sloop-of-war looks like a jolly-boat." 
 
 The Lieutenant helping himself to a chair, looked 
 first at his father and then at the visitors, as if to 
 say that he would be glad to know what they were 
 talking about, while a puzzled and disappointed ex 
 pression settled on the Colonel s face. With a few 
 rapid words he made his son acquainted with the 
 circumstances which had brought L T ricle Dick and 
 
228 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 his friends to the fort, adding : " I was sure I could 
 explain everything, but it seems I can t. I thought 
 it probable that this missing boy had been mistaken 
 for you. Their names are nearly alike, you know, 
 captain." 
 
 "Yes, but they don t look alike," said Uncle 
 Dick. " One who had seen the Lieutenant could 
 never mistake my nephew for him." 
 
 " Mr. Gaylord," said Frank, suddenly, an idea 
 striking him, " may I be so bold as to ask if you 
 have done anything to render yourself obnoxious to 
 a certain class of men about here?" 
 
 "I certainly have," replied the Lieutenant, with 
 a smile. " I can boast of more enemies than any 
 other fellow in the fort." 
 
 "You see," chimed in the Colonel, by way of 
 explanation ; " we have been having considerable 
 trouble with an organized band of men who call 
 themselves trappers and buffalo hunters, but who are 
 in reality rascals of the very worst description. They 
 not only rob coaches and emigrants at every oppor 
 tunity, but they are continually spreading dissatis 
 faction among the Indians. We can t keep peace 
 on the frontier so long as these men exist, nnd we 
 are doing our best to get rid of them. We ve made 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 229 
 
 a beginning by capturing their leader. Wat did it, 
 and of course the band are highly enraged at him." 
 
 " Now," continued Frank, following up his point : 
 " do these men know you personally ? Would they 
 recognise you anywhere ?" 
 
 " Yes, every one of them would ; especially if I 
 had these clothes on." 
 
 " That is just what I wanted to get at," said 
 Frank. " My friend, the night he disappeared, was 
 dressed exactly as you are now, hat, boots and all. 
 If you and he had purchased your outfits at the same 
 place and at the same time, they could not have been 
 nearer alike." 
 
 " Then the matter is not so difficult of explanation 
 after all," said the commandant. u The opinion I 
 first formed was the right one. The suspicions of 
 your visitors were first aroused by the sight of your 
 nephew s clothes ; and when they found that his name 
 is Gaylord, and that his father sometimes answers to 
 the title of Colonel, their suspicions were confirmed. 
 When they made off with him, they did it believing 
 that they had secured my son." 
 
 " I understand the matter now," said Uncle Dick, 
 " and it was very stupid in me not to see through it 
 before. Frank, your head is worth two of mine. 
 
230 THE SPORTSMAN S OLUB 
 
 Do you recognise the men from the description I 
 have given of them ?" 
 
 U I do not," replied the Colonel, "and even if I 
 did, I could not assist you. These rascals hang out 
 somewhere, but where I don t know; and with all 
 the help I ve got, I have not yet boon able to find 
 out. They may be hidden among the hills within 
 five miles of the fort, and they may be a hundred 
 miles away. But I can offer you a word of encour 
 agement. Your nephew has doubtless been taken 
 to the head-quarters of the band, to be held as a hos 
 tage for their leader, whom I have here in the fort 
 under guard. If that is the ease, no harm will be 
 done him. More than that, I shall hear from him 
 in a day or two, and then I will see what can be 
 done." 
 
 " Is this all you have to say to me ? cried Uncle 
 Dick. u The idea of hearing nothing from Walter 
 for even a day or two is more than I can endure. 
 Can you do nothing for him at once to-night ?" 
 
 Nothing whatever. If my own son was in his 
 situation, I could not lift a finger for him. If you 
 will tell me where those men have taken him, I will 
 have a squad of cavalry after them in less than five 
 minutes." 
 
AMONU TI1K TRAPPKRK. 
 
 " I Buppose you would have no difficulty in recog 
 nising the men who captured your nephew," said 
 the Lieutenant. 
 
 "None in the world," answered Uncle Dick. " I 
 could pick them out among a thousand." 
 
 " Well, now, it in barely possible that our new 
 prisoner may be one of the guilty ones," continued 
 the Lieutenant. " A couple of these buffalo hunters 
 have been skirmishing about the fort all day, with 
 out any apparent object in view, and just before 
 dark the herders took after them and gobbled one 
 Brazeli, he calls himself but his companion escaped. 
 It wouldn t do any harm for the gentlemen to go 
 out and take a look at him, would it, father ?" 
 
 " None at all. You can go with them." 
 
 Uncle Dick and Frank followed the young officer 
 from the room, and presently found themselves in 
 front of a small, dilapidated-looking building which 
 stood in one corner of the fort. Frank looked at it 
 in astonishment, and wondered if it could be possi 
 ble that this tumble-down structure W* iwed as the 
 guard-house. It was built of rough boards, which 
 had been warped and twisted by the sun, until the 
 cracks between them were almost wide enough to 
 allow of the passage of an ordinary-sized man. 
 
232 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 More than that, there was not a sentry in sight 
 of it. 
 
 "Humph!" exclaimed Uncle Dick ; " you don t 
 intend to keep your prisoners long, I should say." 
 
 " Yes, we do !" replied the Lieutenant, quickly. 
 " We ve never had any escape us yet. There s only 
 one in here, and when you see him you ll think we 
 mean to keep him safe, for he s in irons and chained 
 to the floor. That s the guard-house," he added, 
 pointing to a cabin built of heavy logs and provided 
 with grated windows, "but we ve got Allen in there, 
 and as we did not think it quite safe to confine two 
 such characters together, we put Brazell in here." 
 
 The Lieutenant found a lantern and opened the 
 door, ushering his companions into the house, which 
 contained but one room. In the middle of the floor 
 was a rude couch, consisting of a pile of straw with 
 a blanket spread over it. Beside the bed was a box, 
 and on it sat a man of herculean frame, with irons 
 on his wrists and ankles. Attached to these irons 
 were two heavy chains, which were made fast to a 
 staple driven into the floor. The prisoner look de 
 fiantly at his visitors as they entered. 
 
 " This is Brazell," said the Lieutenant, raising 
 his lantern, and allowing its rays to fall full on the 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 233 
 
 man s face and figure. " Was he one of your 
 visitors ?" 
 
 " No," replied Uncle Dick, at once. " They were 
 villains on the face or them ; but this is an honest- 
 looking fellow, too much so to have anything to do 
 with outlaws." 
 
 " By all accounts he s one of the worst of the lot," 
 said the young officer. " We made a lucky haul 
 when we caught him and Allen." 
 
 Frank said nothing. At that moment he could 
 not have uttered a word to save his life. There was 
 something about the prisoner that riveted his gaze 
 and excited his astonishment the moment he caught 
 sight of him ; and the nearer he approached to him 
 the more astounded he became. He had seen the 
 man before. The buckskin shirt which covered his 
 massive shoulders, his leggins, moccasins, and even 
 the belt that encircled his waist, were all of the same 
 pattern as those he had seen worn by one whom he 
 never could forget. The steel-gray eye which looked 
 squarely into his own and lost its defiant glitter the 
 [moment it rested on him, was the same too ; and 
 |not a line or wrinkle had been added to the bronzed 
 and weather-beaten face during the six years and 
 more that had elapsed since he and Archie stood on 
 
234 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 the deck of the steamer in the harbor of San Diego, 
 and bade this same man good-bye, previous to their 
 departure for the States. He was certain he could 
 not be mistaken. The prisoner was none other than 
 his old friend, Dick Lewis, the trapper. The recog 
 nition was mutual. Dick jumped to his feet, his 
 chains clanking as he arose, and stared hard at 
 Frank, who fell back a step or two and leaned 
 against the wall for support. " I didn t think to 
 meet you agin, youngster," said the trapper, at 
 length. 
 
 " I had hoped to meet you, Dick," was the reply, 
 "but not in a situation like this." 
 
 " What !" exclaimed the old sailor, greatly amazed. 
 "Do you know this outlaw, Frank? It can t be 
 possible that this is the renowned Dick Lewis, your 
 model of integrity and honesty !" 
 
 "Yes, it is," answered Frank, arousing himself 
 and advancing with outstretched hand toward the 
 trapper ; " and he s no outlaw, either. You re the 
 same Dick Lewis I used to know, are you not ? You 
 don t belong to this band of robbers, do you?" 
 
 " Why, he s the second in authority among them !" 
 exclaimed the Lieutenant. 
 
 " You may have been told so. but it is false," re- 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 235 
 
 urned Frank, with energy. "I ll never believe it 
 mtil you say so, Dick. Speak out. I know you 
 vill tell me nothing but the truth !" 
 
 The trapper took his young friend s sturdy hand 
 n his horny palm, arid his fingers closed over it 
 vith almost crushing force. For a moment the two 
 >tood gazing into each other s eyes, and Uncle Dick 
 ind the Lieutenant looked first at them and then at 
 toi.jme another, and waited and wondered. 
 al j "Ah, youngster," said the prisoner, shaking his 
 ipead slowly ; " you don t know what s been agoin 
 yln in this yere country since you left it. Them 
 railroads have come through here, jest as I told you 
 llhey would; folks from the States have come flockin 
 bean, an settlin , an killin the buifaler by thousands, 
 iAn now thar ain t elbow-room fur sich fellers as 
 jme, nor grub nuther." 
 
 if ;j " That s no reason why you should turn Indian 
 l|ind fight men of your own race, is it ?" demanded 
 ! Frank. " Are you a member of this band ? That s 
 i jvhat I want you to tell me." 
 
 1 "I spect I am," was the astounding reply. 
 . 
 "Now, I hope you are satisfied, Frank," said 
 
 Uncle Dick. "Let s go. I ve been here long 
 mough." 
 
236 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 Frank had not another word to say. He turnei 
 on his heel and was about to move off with his com 
 panions, when the trapper stopped them. 
 
 "Say, Leftenant!" he exclaimed, " I d like t< 
 have you leave that youngster here fur a few minutes 
 I ve got a word to say in his ear that 11 do some 
 body some good, mebbe." 
 
 " You ll have to speak to the Colonel about that, 
 replied the young officer, shortly. 
 
 " Wai now, jest look a here : how can I speak to 
 the Colonel without goin whar he is ; an how can I 
 do that while you keep me chained fast to the floor ?" 
 
 " I ll speak to him, Dick," said Frank. 
 
 " It will be of no use, Mr. Nelson," returned the 
 Lieutenant. "You know yourself that it wouldn t 
 be just the thing to allow a stranger to have a private 
 interview with a man like this." 
 
 " I don t care ; I ll ask the Colonel, anyhow.; 
 He can t do more than refuse me." 
 
 Without the faintest hope that his request would 
 be granted, Frank hurried at once to the presence 
 of the commander and made known his wishes. 
 That officer seemed somewhat surprised at his 
 request, but he took the matter very coolly, and 
 listened with a good-humored smile on his face whilq 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 237 
 
 Frank made known his reasons for asking the 
 favor. 
 
 " He may have been an honest fellow once," said 
 fthe Colonel, when Frank ceased speaking ; " but 
 pehas been keeping bad company of late." 
 
 " It is a hard matter for one to think ill of a man 
 Jvho has saved his life and befriended him on a 
 thousand occasions," returned Frank. " I will give 
 tarn this promise : I will use every means in my 
 (bower to induce him to tell me all he knows of his 
 Irnnd, and any information he may give me I will 
 repeat to you." 
 
 " Very good. Wallace," said the Colonel, address- 
 ng his son, who came in at that moment, " Mr. 
 kelson has permission to spend half an hour with 
 3razell." 
 
 The young officer was plainly very much surprised, 
 mt he made no remark. He conducted Frank 
 >ack to the house in which the trapper was confined, 
 rave him the lantern and locked him in. 
 
238 -2HE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 FRANK STEALS A HORSE. 
 
 T7RANK was surprised at the change that had 
 come over the trapper during the last few min 
 utes. He was the old Dick Lewis now. His face 
 was all wrinkled up with smiles, and he looked as 
 jolly and happy as Frank had ever seen him. The 
 first words he uttered surprised him still more. 
 " Youngster," he exclaimed, holding his visitor fasl 
 with one hand and slapping him on the shoulder 
 with the other. " I knowed you d come back if you 
 told the Colonel I wanted to see you. He ll do any 
 thing I ask him." 
 
 " He will ?" exclaimed Frank. 
 
 " In course, cause I m workin fur him. It does 
 me a power of good to see you. It seems like ok 
 times. You ve growcd monstrous, hain t you! 
 You re a most as big as I am. Are you as lively 
 on your legs as ever? I hain t forgot, the way you 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 239 
 
 tuk the shine out of that young Injun the day you 
 an him run that foot-race." 
 
 " I haven t forgotten it either, Dick," answered 
 Frank, " or the long string of exciting events that 
 grew out of it. But I don t want to talk about such 
 things now. How came you here?" 
 
 " You never thought to see your ole friend chained 
 up like a wild beast, or to larn that the man who 
 had slept at the same camp-fire with you an the 
 leetle un an Uncle Jeemes, an tramped with you 
 fur so many days through the mountains, would come 
 to this, did you ?" 
 
 " No, I didn t ; and I don t understand it at all." 
 
 " It done me proud to hear you tell the Leftenai.t 
 an that ole chap who came in with you a while ago 
 that you knowed I wasn t an outlaw, cause it showed 
 that you couldn t think hard of me. Wai, don t let 
 it worry you. I hain t no more a pris ner here nor 
 you be!" 
 
 "You re not?" exclaimed Frank. 
 
 " Sartin I hain t. Do you spose that if I was 
 the kind of fellow the soldiers think I be, the Colonel 
 would let you come in here an talk to me, or that 
 he would put me in sich a place as this ? I could 
 get out an not half try. See here !" 
 
240 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 As the trapper said this he seized his chains with 
 both hands, drew in a long breath, squared himself 
 for a strong pull, and exerting all the strength for 
 which he was so noted, tore the staple with which 
 the chains were made fast to the floor, out of the 
 yielding planks with a single wrench. 
 
 " Now," he added, smiling at the look of aston 
 ishment on Frank s face, and shaking himself like a 
 Newfoundland dog just emerging from the water, 
 " I m a free man. See them two winders ? they re 
 fastened with nothing but hasps. Couldn t I easy 
 open one of em an cl ar myself? An sposin thar 
 wasn t no winders in the house ! I could bust down 
 that door with one kick, an afore them soldiers out 
 thar could tell what was goin on, I could be out of 
 the gate an a hundred yards away. I can run jest 
 as fast as I ever could." 
 
 " But even if you succeeded in escaping, you 
 would still have the irons about your wrists and 
 ankles," said Frank. 
 
 "Would I?" exclaimed Dick, putting his hand 
 into his pocket and pulling out a key ; " I reckon 
 not. Here s the thing that unlocks these irons, an 
 mebbe you ll open your eyes when I tell you that 
 the Colonel give it to me himself." 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 241 
 
 Frank did open his eyes and his mouth, too. 
 
 " The Colonel!" he repeated. 
 
 " In course ; nobody else. When the soldiers 
 brought me here an chained me to the floor, the 
 Colonel comes in an whispers to me : Have you 
 learnt anythin yet, Dick ? i Yes, says I, i I ve 
 learnt all I want to know; but I hain t quite ready 
 fur business yet. All right, says he, here s the 
 key to turn yourself loose with. When you git 
 tired of stayin here, cl ar yourself, an don t be 
 ketched agin. 
 
 "Dick!" exclaimed Frank, "I can t make head 
 or tail of what you are saying." 
 
 u Easy ! easy ! You want to hear my story, don t 
 you ? Wai, I can t tell it in one word, so you must 
 give me time. But it s hard work talkin without 
 a pipe, so I ll blow a cloud if you ll lend me your 
 knife. The soldiers tuk mine away from me." 
 
 As Frank handed out his knife, Dick produced 
 a plug of tobacco from the capacious pocket of 
 his hunting-shirt, and while cutting off enough to 
 fill his pipe, began his story. 
 
 " As I told you when you fust come in, youngster, 
 things ain t as they used to be out here," said he. 
 !i Thar was bad men enough on the prairy years ago, 
 16 
 
242 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 but it s wusser now that the railroads have come in. 
 They brought with em a good many things I never 
 heern tell on afore, an among others a lot of the 
 meanest men in the world. They call themselves 
 bullaler hunters. They live in dugouts, an spend 
 all their " 
 
 " Dugouts !" interrupted Frank. " Canoes ?" 
 " No, houses built mostly under ground. You 
 see these buffaler hunters are a lazy, shiftless set 
 you couldn t expect nothing else of men who 
 foller sich business an don t care how they live. 
 I never seed an Injun teepee look so mean as the 
 inside of their dugouts. They re a hard lot, too, 
 an wouldn t think no more of way lay in you if they 
 knowed you had a dollar in your pocket, than they 
 would of knockin over an antelope fur breakfast. 
 Durin the last year thar s been a settlement of em 
 about forty miles from the fort, an the piles of hides 
 an bones they used to bring into Sargent station 
 was a caution to sich fellers as me an ole Bob, 
 They shoot the buffaler at all times of the year, 
 no difference whether the critter is fat or lean, strip 
 off the hide, leave the meat to the wolves, an when 
 the bones are picked clean, they go round an gather 
 em up. The hides they sell to the traders, an the 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 243 
 
 bones they ship off to the States on the railroad. 
 Now hain t that a purty way to do business ? If 
 they keep on, it won t be long afore buffaler will 
 be as hard to find on the prairy as wild-grouse are 
 in the streets of Frisco. They don t make nothing 
 at the business nuther. A dollar apiece fur the 
 hides, an a dollar fur a ton of bones, is all they git, 
 an that don t do em no good, cause they spend the 
 last cent of it in drinkin an gamblin ; an then 
 quarrel an fight among themselves until two or 
 three, or a half a dozen of em mebbe, are rubbed 
 out, an the rest go back to their dugouts an begin 
 work agin. It wouldn t be so bad if they would 
 only keep their meanness to themselves, cause arter 
 a while they would be cleaned off the face of the 
 arth, just as they are tryin to do with the buffaler, 
 which would be a blessin ; but they won t do it. 
 They can t rest easy without botherin them as minds 
 their own business an tries to arn an honest livin. 
 
 " The head man of the settlement I was a speakin 
 of was Bob Allen. He wasn t makin money by 
 killin buffaler fast enough to suit him, so he an his 
 men began robbin stage coaches. They were so sly 
 an cunnin about it that they couldn t be ketched, 
 an nobody couldn t tell who they were, cause they 
 
244 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 allers did their badness on the darkest o nights. 
 Finally, arter the Colonel had done everything he 
 could think of to break up their business, Leftenant 
 Gaylord, his son, thought he would try his hand at 
 it ; so he put himself into buckskin an went out to 
 see what he could see. Suspectin these yere buifaler 
 hunters from the fust, he went among em, worked 
 with em, lived in their dugouts, an even helped em 
 to rob a stage or two. He was a layin his plans all 
 the while, an when he thought he had got everything 
 fixed jest as he wanted it, he sprung his trap. But 
 the Leftenant is young an a trifle foolish yet he ll 
 know more when he s twenty years older an in 
 stead of baggin the hull lot, as he thought to do, he 
 ketched only one. But that one was Bob Allen, who, 
 the fust thing he knowed, found himself chucked 
 into the guard-house, with soldiers watchin him 
 night an day. I can talk no more till I fire up." 
 
 Frank passed the lantern over to the trapper, and 
 while the latter was lighting his pipe he kept his 
 eyes fastened on the face of his young companion. 
 He was overjoyed to meet him once more. He had 
 not much to say about it, of course, for the rough 
 backwoodsman w T as one who was not given to senti 
 ment ; but had Frank been in danger, or in need of 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 245 
 
 any assistance that Dick could possibly render, his 
 regard for him would have shown itself at once. 
 The friend who submitted so tamely to his captivity 
 would have proved a perfect lion in his defence. 
 The wonderful strength the boy had just seen exhi 
 bited, would have been exerted in his behalf, backed 
 up by courage that had never yet been daunted by 
 any physical dangers. Reflections something like 
 these must have been passing through the trapper s 
 mind, for after he had lighted his pipe, and taken a 
 few long pulls to make sure that it was fairly started, 
 he said : 
 
 " Youngster, I ll allow that I wouldn t see you in 
 trouble without doin my level best to help you out, 
 an I reckon you ll do the same by me, won t you ? 
 I ve got something to ask of you, an I speak of it 
 now afore I finish my story, cause thar s no tellin* 
 how soon the Leftenant will be back here to take 
 you out." 
 
 " The favor is granted," said Frank. 
 
 " I was sartin of it. If I could see ole Bob fur 
 about two minutes I wouldn t ask it of you, cause 
 thar s danger in it. But I ve seed enough of you 
 to know that you don t mind that not if you re as 
 keerless as you used to be. I m a goin to get out 
 
246 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 o here as soon as you go away, an I want my boss. 
 The soldiers tuk him when they gobbled me, an I 
 reckon they staked him out with the critters b long- 
 in to the fort. You ll have to find him an steal him 
 fur me. Hoss thieves are plenty, an the herders 
 have orders to shoot anybody they ketch foolin 
 about the stock o nights." 
 
 The trapper paused and looked earnestly into his 
 companion s face, but saw no signs of alarm or hesi- 
 itation there. " Very good," said Frank ; u describe 
 the horse." 
 
 " That thar boss is a dark chestnut a most 
 black !" said Dick, "with long white mane an tail. 
 His mane reaches to his knees, an his tail sweeps 
 the ground. He s got one white fore-foot the left 
 un an a blazed face. You can pick him out 
 among a hundred, cause thar ain t another like him 
 in the country. He s a most as good as Roderick, 
 an rnebbe mind I don t say he could do it, cause 
 I don t want to hurt your feelin s mebbe he could 
 beat him in a fair race. I stole him from the Injuns 
 about two year ago. When you see sich a boss call 
 him Jack ; an if he answers with a whinny, he s the 
 feller you re lookin fur. If you can oust get up 
 to him an turn him loose, you re all right. It won t 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 247 
 
 make no difference then if the herders do see you, 
 cause all you will have to do will be to throw one 
 leg over his back, put your arm around his neck an 
 lay alongside him Injun fashion, an he ll take you 
 out of reach of the soldiers bullets in the shake of a 
 buck s tail." 
 
 u But what shall I do with him when I get him ?" 
 
 " I m comiri to that now. Jest turn his head as 
 straight south from the fort as you can . get it, an 
 he ll do the rest. He ll take you over the prairy 
 fur about a mile, an then he ll come to a deep ravine 
 with lots of little gullies runnin into it. He ll carry 
 you in thar, turn into the fust gully he comes to, 
 an you can hitch him to the bushes an leave him. 
 I ve hid him thar more n onst ; an if you ll jest 
 give him his head, he ll know what to do." 
 
 " But, Dick, I don t yet understand your situa 
 tion," said Frank. " You have shown me that you 
 need not remain a prisoner here any longer than 
 you please, and, at the same time, you give me to 
 understand that you want to get away without any 
 body s knowledge. How is that ? There s some 
 thing wrong somewhere." 
 
 " Not a thing, youngster ; not a thing. Hain t 
 I told you that I m a government scout ? 
 
248 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 " No, you haven t." 
 
 " Then it s cause you won t let me tell my story 
 in my own way. I hain t got much more to say, 
 an when I get through I want to. know what brought 
 you out on the prairie agin, what you ve been a 
 doin since I last seed you, whar the leetle un an 
 Uncle Jeemes are, an all about it. I was tellin 
 you about the Leftenant capturin Bob Allen, wasn t 
 I ? Wai, when these buffaler hunters found out that 
 their chief was gone, they were the maddest lot of 
 fellers you ever seed. They knew then who the 
 Leftenant was ; an when they remembered that he 
 had been livin with em fur more n a month as one 
 of the band eatin with em, hunt-in with em, 
 helpin em rob coaches, an all the while tryin to 
 spy out things so that he could lead the soldiers agin 
 em, they didn t feel very jolly over it. They sot 
 to work to onst to get hold of the Leftenant, in- 
 tendin to offer to trade him off fur Allen the 
 guv nor, they call him; an if the Colonel wouldn t 
 trade, then they d hang the Leftenant for a spy. 
 They loafed around the fort at all hours of the day 
 an night, an at last they did get hold of him, while 
 he was actin as officer of the guard, an tuk him to 
 the camp. But somehow they didn t sarch him very 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 249 
 
 clost for we poris, or tie him very tight, an nuther 
 did they watch him as sharp, as they had oughter done 
 if they wanted to keep him ; fur, afore he had been 
 in the camp two minutes he slipped his hands loose, 
 pulled a pistol from one of his long boots, a knife 
 from the other, an in less time nor it takes to tell 
 it, he knocked the nigger cook over the head, stuck 
 his knife into Potter s arm, an although thar were 
 a dozen men in camp, he tuk himself safe away. 
 I ve heern Potter tell about it many a time, an he 
 thinks the Leftenant must be something more n 
 human to slip out of their hands as easy as he did. 
 The minute he got back to the fort, he an the Major 
 tuk a squad of hossmen an rid fur dear life back to 
 the camp, lookin fur nothing else than to bag the 
 last one of them thar buifaler hunters ; but they 
 was just a leetle too late. The fellers wasn t thar. 
 They weren t sich fools as to stay in that camp arter 
 what had happened. They pulled up stakes to onst 
 an settled down in a new place ; an they re hid 
 now whar the Colonel would never think of lookin 
 fur em. They still kept on tryin to make a pris ner 
 of the Leftenant, but he was too sharp to let them 
 get hold of him agin: an as they wanted to do 
 something for the guv nor without losin no time 
 
250 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 you see they were afeared the Colonel might hang 
 him, instead of sendin him off to be dealt with 
 cordin to law they went to work among the In 
 juns. They wanted to get em onto the war trail, 
 hopin that they would attack the fort, an so give 
 em a chance to rescue Allen. They first made the 
 Injuns find fault with their annooities. You know 
 everything about books an figgers, youngster, an 
 mebbe you can tell me how much money it takes 
 every year to keep these lazy heathen in powder, 
 lead, blankets, hatchets an so on." 
 
 " Seven millions of dollars," replied Frank. 
 " Is that more n a thousand ?" 
 "Yes, seven thousand times a thousand." 
 " Human natur !" exclaimed the trapper. " That s 
 a powerful lot. It goes through a good many hands, 
 I ve heern tell, an by the time it gets out here in 
 the shape of supplies, thar ain t much left fur the 
 Injuns to brag on. Them buffaler hunters knowed 
 all about this, an made the most of it. They told 
 the Injuns that they didn t get all that was comin 
 to them, that they were a bad abused lot, that the 
 white settlers were gettin so thick that it wouldn t 
 be long afore thar wouldn t be no room on the 
 prairy fur their race, and the fust thing the Colonel 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 251 
 
 knowed thar was a nice little fuss on hand, an the 
 fort was full of men, women an children that had 
 been drove from their homes. That set the ole 
 feller to bilin . He sent out his cavalry an made 
 short work with the Injuns, drivin them into the 
 hills an soon bringiri them to their senses; but 
 thar was one thing he couldn t do, an that was to 
 get hold of the white men who were at the bottom 
 of all the trouble. They were a trifle too sharp 
 for the ole Colonel, an were hid away safe an snug 
 whar the soldiers couldn t find em. 
 
 " About this time me an ole Bob come in from 
 the mountains, whar we had been huntin an trap- 
 pin . We beared what was goin on, an thought 
 we d take a hand in the fuss ; so arter a leetle 
 ialkin atweeri ourselves, we went to the Colonel an 
 made him lock the door afore we would tell him our 
 )usiness, an then we talked to him only in whispers. 
 Colonel, says I, me an my chum here are ole 
 mountain men, an honest ones, too, as anybody can 
 tell who knows us. We ve lived in this country 
 ever since we were knee-high to ducks, an mebbe 
 we know these people better n you do. We ll 
 promise to find the fellers who have been kickin up 
 all this rumpus among the Injuns, an give em into 
 
252 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 your hands ; but thar s one thing we want to say 
 an that you must bar in mind: \ve don t want any 
 body, not even your best friend, to know that we 
 are in your service ; cause why, thar s somebody 
 ibout this yere fort who carries news to them fel 
 lers, an keeps em posted in all that s goin on. 
 We don t know who it is it may be one of your 
 soldiers or teamsters for all we can say an the only 
 way to keep this yere bargain we are makin from 
 his ears, is fur you to say nothing to nobody about 
 it. Wai, the Colonel knowed jest what we meant, 
 an wasn t afeared to trust us. When me an ole 
 Bob went into his quarters we wasn t nothing more n 
 plain trappers, but when we come out we were 
 drawin pay as government scouts. The Colonel 
 oifered us a pass that would take us by the pickets 
 at any hour of the day or night, but we told him 
 that wasn t the way we were goin to do business; 
 We intended to jine in with them fellers, help em in 
 doin meanness, an run our risk of bein killed by 
 the soldiers, jest as if we had been real outlaws-; 
 only if we got ketched the Colonel was to help us 
 get away so that we could finish our work. 
 
 16 The fust thing we did was to change our names 
 in course we had to do that, cause a most every- 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 253 
 
 body on the prairy had heern tell of Dick Lewis an 
 Bob Kelly an the next was to ride down to the old 
 camp of the buffaler hunters the one to which they 
 had tuk the Lef tenant when they captured him. 
 We found only two fellers thar, an they had a 
 couple of ponies an carts, an were pickin up 
 buffaler bones to tote to Sargent station. They 
 didn t look or act like they were glad to see us, an 
 it didn t trouble em none to tell us that our room 
 would suit em better n our company ; but me an 
 ole Bob, bein used to rough words an rough men, 
 didn t listen to em, but settled down thar in the 
 camp, lived in their dirty dugout, an helped em 
 pick up buffa.ler bones. We stayed thar with em a 
 month an better, talkin agin the soldiers an set 
 tlers, an wishin the Injuns would clean out the 
 last one of em, an in that way we got around them 
 fellers so that they told us all we wanted to know. 
 They b longed to the band, jest as we thought they 
 did, an this is the way they did business : One of 
 em Chinny Billy is his name, an you d know 
 what he is arter you d tuk one good look at his 
 face used to go down to the station every day the 
 coach was due thar. While they were changin 
 Losses he would talk to the passengers, find out if 
 
254 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 thar were any miners among em miners in thes< 
 days have a most allers got a leetle money, yoi 
 know an if thar were, he d come back to camp 
 an Mike, the other feller, would jump on his boss 
 an come down here to the fort. He d tell one of 
 the herders (you see I was right when I told the 
 Colonel that mebbe somebody about the fort b longed 
 to the band), the news about the coach, an he d 
 watch his chance, -slip down to Potter s rancho whai 
 the most of the band are hid away, tell them what 
 he had beared, an they would go out an rob the 
 coach. These two fellers, Chinny Billy an Mike, 
 act as scouts for the band, an this bone business of 
 theirs is only a blind. They hang about the 
 station to pick up news, but at the same time they 
 must make b lieve they are doin something to am 
 an honest livin , or folks would begin to suspect 
 them. The fellers that do the robbin are hid away 
 in Potter s rancho, an never show themselves in the 
 daytime. Chinny Billy and Mike never go thar, 
 an don t have nothin to do with the other fellers, 
 so nobody suspects them of b longin to the band. 
 If the Colonel knowed as much about em as I do, 
 he d chuck em both in irons the next time they 
 come to the fort. 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 255 
 
 " Arter that things worked smooth fur me an ole 
 Bob, an if you could have seed us among them fel 
 lers you d a thought we were outlaws sure enough. 
 Mebbe you won t like to b lieve it, youngster, but it s 
 a fact, that I ve helped rob more n one coach, an so 
 has ole Bob. But we ve kept everything that fell in 
 our share, an the owners will get it agin some day. 
 I soon got to be a chief in the band, an while the 
 guv nor is in prison I m the head man of the hull mean 
 business. Everybody knows me as Bill Brazell, an 
 thinks I m the wust feller in the world ; but the 
 Colonel knows better, an he s kept his promise too, 
 cause he hain t even told his own son of our bargin." 
 
 " Who is this Potter you were speaking of?" asked 
 Frank. 
 
 "He s the owner of the rancho whar the band 
 make their head-quarters, an the boss of the fellers 
 next to me. His house is only about four miles from 
 here. If you should go straight down the ravine 
 whar I told you to hide my hoss, you d find it a 
 leetle stone cabin, stowed away under the bluffs on 
 the right-hand side. But mebbe I hadn t oughter 
 told you that, cause you ll go foolin about thar, 
 jest as you did about Don Carlos s rancho." 
 
 " I have no intention of going near it," replied 
 
256 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 Frank, with a smile. But he did do it, after all. 
 He did not go of his own free will, but simply be 
 cause he could not help himself. " If you know 
 where these fellows are, why don t you capture 
 them?" he added. 
 
 " Cause things hain t worked jest to our likin : 
 that s why. You see it won t do to make a move 
 until we are sure of every one of em. If we gobble 
 some, the rest ll make off, an mebbe we ll never see 
 em agin. The Leftenant spilt everything by bein 
 in a hurry, but me an Bob are too ole fur that. 
 Some of the fellers, an the wust ones in the lot too, 
 have been off in the mountains fur three months, 
 sarchin fur a gold-mine they heern tell on. We re 
 lookin fur em back now, an when they come some 
 body must be here at the fort to show em the way 
 to Potter s, cause the band have changed their 
 hidin -place since they went away. That s what me 
 an ole Bob come up fur to-day, an that s the way 
 I got captured. The herders seed us loafin about, 
 an thinkin we was watchin a chance to steal some 
 of the stock, tuk arter us. I could have got away 
 from em as easy as fallin off a log, but I couldn t a 
 done it without rubbin out two or three soldiers, an 
 that s agin natur , you know. When they gobbled 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 257 
 
 me, an saw I was Bill Brazell, wasn t they a happy 
 lot though ? Them fellers will be back from the 
 mountains in two or three days, an then me an 
 Bob ll spring our trap. We ll have em all in the 
 ranch o some night, an the soldiers will be ready to 
 rush in an ketch the last one." 
 
 " I wish you d make haste and do it," said Frank, 
 with so much earnestness that the trapper looked at 
 him in surprise. " Say, Dick," he continued, " we 
 had two visitors at our camp night before last. One 
 of them was a tall, round-shouldered man with red 
 whiskers and mustache, and he wore a black hat 
 without any brim." 
 
 u That s Parks," said Dick. " I know him." 
 
 " The other was a short, thick-set fellow, and 
 might have passed for Black Bill if he had been a 
 little darker." 
 
 " That s Reed, another of the band. Them two 
 are allers together. What mischief did they do afore 
 you seed the last of em ?" 
 
 Frank replied that they had done a great deal of 
 mischief; and then went on to tell a story which was 
 quite as interesting to Dick, as the latter s story had 
 been to him. In order that the trapper might fully 
 understand it, he began with his first meeting with 
 17 
 
258 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 the Sportsman s Club, told how he and Archie had 
 been made acquainted with them, related the inci 
 dents connected with the commencement of their 
 voyage around the world, and described minutely all 
 the events that had happened on the night of Wal 
 ter s disappearance. The trapper listened so atten 
 tively that he allowed his pipe to go out, and when 
 Frank concluded hastened to assure him that there 
 was not the slightest cause for apprehension that 
 his- friend had been taken to Potter s rancho under 
 the mistaken idea that he was Lieutenant Gaylord, 
 and that he would see him that very night and give 
 him his promise of protection. 
 
 " Thar shan t a bar of his head be hurt," said he. 
 " I have been lookin all along fur the band to make 
 a pris ner of the Leftenant, an I was afeared that 
 if they did, they might do him some harm ; so I 
 told em all that if one of em laid an ugly hand on 
 him they d have to answer to me fur it. That s 
 enough to keep the wust one among em straight, 
 cause I have a quick way of dealin with em when 
 they don t obey orders an walk turkey. I ve jest 
 had to keep em under that way, an it s been the 
 means of savin more n one poor feller s life while 
 we ve been robbin the coaches." 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 259 
 
 " You don t know what a load of anxiety you 
 have removed from my mind !" said Frank, grate 
 fully. "When you see Walter, just tell him that 
 you are Dick Lewis. That will be enough. He ll 
 feel perfectly safe as long as you are in sight. I 
 may relieve Uncle Dick s fears by repeating what 
 you have told me, may I not? He ll keep your 
 secret." 
 
 " Sartin ; only don t stop fur that till you get my 
 hoss fur me. Do that the very fust thing. You 
 see I don t expect to get out of the fort without bein 
 diskivered, cause thar s guards both inside an out 
 side. They ll be arter me sure, an if I have to 
 stop to hunt fur my hoss they ll kotch me agin." 
 
 Frank promised faithfully to attend to all the 
 trapper s instructions, and then in compliance with 
 his request proceeded to give him a rapid account 
 of the principal events of his life and Archie s since 
 their last meeting. When he related his experience 
 in the navy, told how he had enlisted as a foremast 
 hand and held one post of honor and trust after 
 another, until he had at last risen to the command 
 of a fine vessel, the trapper expressed his astonish 
 ment and delight by uttering a volley of ejaculations 
 and slapping him heartily on the shoulder. In the 
 
260 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 midst of his story a key rattled in the lock. Dick 
 had just time to replace the staple which he had 
 pulled out of the floor and drive it into its socket by 
 a stamp with his foot, when the door opened, and 
 the officer of the day thrust his head into the room. 
 " Time s up, Mr. Nelson," said he. 
 
 " All right," was the reply. " I am ready." 
 
 With a parting nod to Dick, Frank went out, and 
 the officer, after bestowing a sharp glance upon the 
 prisoner to assure himself that he was still securely 
 ironed, said, as he locked the door : 
 
 " The Colonel desires me to say that he is busy 
 at present receiving the reports of some scouts, and 
 that he will see you directly." 
 
 " Very good. I ll be on hand when he wants me," 
 said Frank ; " although to tell the truth," he added, 
 mentally, "I don t know what to say to him, for he 
 knows as much about Dick and his band as I do. 
 No doubt he will see me, just to keep up appearances." 
 
 We can easily imagine that our hero carried away 
 from his friend s prison a much lighter heart than 
 he had brought into it. If he had consulted his 
 own feelings, he would have lost no time in finding 
 Uncle Dick and communicating to him the result 
 of the interview. Not only was he impatient to 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 261 
 
 assure him bf Walter s safety, and tell him what a 
 powerful friend he had interested in behalf of the 
 missing boy, but he wanted to correct the wrong 
 impression the old sailor had received concerning the 
 prisoner. He could not bear that any one should 
 think ill of Dick Lewis. But he had a matter of 
 importance to attend to before he could see Uncle 
 Dick, and that was to secure the horse. The fact 
 that there was danger in the undertaking, and that 
 without the exercise of the greatest caution he would 
 be almost certain to become the target for the rifles 
 of the herders, did not trouble him in the least. 
 His only fear was that he might make some mistake. 
 If he failed in his efforts to steal away the horse, and 
 the trapper in consequence of his failure, was over 
 taken and recaptured after escaping from the fort, it 
 would be a misfortune indeed. He wanted Dick to 
 see Walter and assure him of his protection ; and he 
 was willing to run any risks in order to bring about 
 a meeting between them. 
 
 Thrusting his hands into his pockets, and throw 
 ing as much coolness and indifference into his gait 
 and manner as he could in view of the exciting and 
 perilous experiment he was about to make, Frank 
 sauntered leisurely out of the fort. The sentry at 
 
262 TUE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 the gate scarcely looked at him, arid neither did he 
 offer any opposition to the egress of the person who 
 followed a short distance behind Frank, and watched 
 every move he made. He was a tall, ungainly 
 youth, dressed in a ragged red shirt and coarse 
 trowsers, the latter being thrust into a pair of heavy 
 boots. He wore a tattered felt hat on his head, 
 from under the brim of which appeared a shock of 
 uncombed black hair. He slouched along in a half- 
 crouching attitude, looking suspiciously from one 
 side to the other, as if fearful of attracting the at 
 tention of somebody. He followed Frank at a re 
 spectful distance, just keeping him in sight in the 
 darkness, and finally disappeared with him around 
 an angle of the stockade. 
 
 Frank s first care was to ascertain where the 
 horses belonging to the garrison were picketed, and 
 this was a matter of no difficulty, for he had noticed 
 the animals feeding on the prairie when he and his 
 companions first drove up to the fort. As soon as he 
 was out of sight of the sentry at the gate, he 
 stretched himself upon the ground and worked his 
 way through the grass toward the bottom of the 
 hill. When he rose to his feet again he was among 
 the horses. There were a good many of them, and 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 263 
 
 lie knew it would require both time and patience to 
 find the one he wanted. He moved about very cau 
 tiously for fear of frightening the animals. Some 
 of them merely raised their heads and looked at 
 him, while others shied at his approach, and spring 
 ing away the length of their lariats, stood and 
 snorted at him in a way Frank did not like. 
 
 " This will never do," said he to himself, after he 
 had spent a quarter of an hour in fruitless search ; 
 " these fellows make too much noise. I must go 
 away and come back again when they have had 
 time to quiet down a little. I declare, they ve 
 aroused the guard, for I can hear voices. Ah ! 
 what s this ?" he added, as something white caught 
 his eye. " Jack, old boy ! Jack !" 
 
 He had found the right one at last, and riot a 
 moment too soon. The animal looked at him, an 
 swered to his name, and approached him as near as 
 his lariat would allow. As Frank went up to him 
 the voices sounded close at hand. The herders were 
 hurrying up to see what had disturbed the horses. 
 
 " Whoa, Bess ! Keep still, Tom !" said one. 
 " What s the matter with you, anyhow ? See any 
 thing over that way, Jones?" 
 
 " No ; but there s something here, and I ll bet 
 
264 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 heavy on it," replied another voice. " They don t 
 dance around this way for nothing. Selivn, if you 
 kick me, I ll wallop you." 
 
 The guards, and there proved to be as many as a 
 half a dozen of them, walked about among the 
 animals, patting one and speaking soothingly to 
 another, and instead of getting further away from 
 Frank, as he hoped they would, they drew nearer 
 to him with every step. To remain there longer 
 was to be discovered and captured. Something 
 must be done, and that without a minute s delay. 
 As quick as thought he pulled out his knife, arid 
 cutting the lasso with which Jack was secured, led 
 him slowly away, hoping that he might. escape with 
 him without attracting the attention of the guard. 
 But he had allowed them fco approach too near for 
 that. One of them saw the horse in motion, and 
 not discovering Frank, who was walking half bent 
 on the opposite side of the animal, ran forward 
 shouting to his companions : 
 
 " Look out, boys ! That chestnut with the white 
 mane and tail is loose and going off. Head him. 
 there!" 
 
 But the herders were not quick enough to head 
 him. Seeing that further concealment was impos- 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 265 
 
 sible, Frank threw one foot over Jack s back, clasped 
 both arms around his neck, and on the instant the 
 horse bounded off like the wind, carrying him, with 
 a few jumps, safely out of the drove to the open 
 prairie. To Frank s surprise, and to his great relief, 
 not a shot was fired at him, and the reason was be 
 cause he was so completely hidden behind the body 
 of the horse that the guards had not seen him. Had 
 he mounted in the usual manner, he might have got 
 off the horse s back in much less time than it took 
 him to get on ; for the herders were too close to him 
 to miss a mark the size of his body, dark as it was. 
 Having seen no rider, they believed that the animal 
 had accidentally got loose, and contented themselves 
 with the reflection that it would be an easy matter 
 to find him in the morning. 
 
 After allowing Jack to run until he was sure that 
 all danger of pursuit had passed, Frank climbed 
 upon his back, and by pulling gently uporr the rem 
 nant of the lasso which was still around the animal s 
 neck, succeeded in subduing his gait to a rapid walk. 
 The horse went ahead willingly as if he knew where 
 he was going, and the result proved that he did. 
 He entered the ravine of which the trapper had 
 spoken, arid after picking his way carefully for a 
 
zbb THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 short distance over the rough stones, turned into a 
 smaller ravine which ran at right angles with the 
 first, and stopped. Frank at once dismounted, and 
 making the lasso fast to a sapling that grew at the 
 foot of the bluff, and giving Jack an approving slap 
 on the back, turned to retrace his steps to the fort. 
 He had done his work, accomplished another exploit 
 to be proud of, and was now at liberty to perform a 
 pleasing duty, which was to inform Uncle Dick that 
 Walter was as safe under the roof of the outlaws as 
 he would have been at the fort. While he was 
 hurrying along, completely absorbed in his reflec 
 tions, he suddenly encountered an obstacle in his 
 path. It was a horseman who was standing so close 
 to him that three steps more would have brought 
 Frank in contact with him. 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 267 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 DICK LEWIS SPRINGS HIS TRAP. 
 
 T7RANK fell back a step or two and looked at the 
 horseman. He was a member of the band be 
 yond a doubt, for no other would be likely to be 
 loitering about in that ravine at that time of night, 
 and so near Potter s rancho. Almost involuntarily 
 Frank placed his hand at his side, but his revolvers 
 were not there. At the time of his accident in 
 crossing the stream, he had thrown them into the 
 wagon, and not thinking that he would have use for 
 them so near the fort, he had not put them on again. 
 While he was wondering what he ought to do, the 
 horseman spoke. "Don t shoot!" said he, "I m 
 Chinny Billy. They calls nue that cause I wags 
 my chin so much an so easy. Who be you ? I 
 thought you was the right sort the minute I looked 
 at you ; an you must be all hunky-dory with the 
 Colonel too, cause I seed you goin an talk to 
 Brazell. I seed you when you stole his hoss an run 
 
268 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 off with him, an then I knowed sartin that you wag 
 one of us, so I follered you, thinkin mebbe you was 
 goin to Potter s. He sent me word to come down 
 to-night cause he had something particular fur me 
 to do, an said he would have a man at the fort to 
 meet me an show me the way. You re him, hain t 
 you? Who be you ?" 
 
 While the horseman was speaking (and he made 
 good his name, rattling off his speech so rapidly that 
 his listener could not have crowded a word in ed^e- 
 
 o 
 
 wise if he had tried) Frank had time to recover 
 somewhat from the alarm occasioned by their sudden 
 meeting, and to think the situation over calmly 
 that is, as calmly as one could while he stood facing 
 a robber. He was surprised to find that the service 
 he had performed for Dick Lewis was known, and 
 that it had won for him the confidence of an outlaw. 
 It was a most disagreeable surprise too, for it had 
 been the means of getting him into a scrape from 
 which he could see no way of extricating himself. 
 He was expected to show Chinny Billy the way to 
 Potter s rancho, and that was a service he had no 
 intention of performing. To escape it, two courses 
 of action were open to him : One was to take to his 
 heels, and the other to carry out the deception, and 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 269 
 
 try to induce Billy to remain in the ravine for 
 an hour or so, while he went back to the fort on some 
 imaginary business for the band. Both were dan 
 gerous. If he tried the first, a bullet from the 
 horseman s pistol might stop him before he could 
 , reach the bushes ; and, if he attempted the second, 
 he might say or do something to excite Chinny 
 Billy s suspicions, which would be quite as bad. 
 
 " You needn t be afeared to speak," continued 
 the horseman, " cause you ve beared of me, an you 
 know I m all right. I hangs around the station, 
 finds out about the coaches an sends the news to 
 ;the other fellers. I ve been in the band a most ever 
 since it was started. Mike brought me in. I know 
 jyou hain t never seed me, cause I stays in the camp 
 !all the while when I ain t at the station. You re 
 ione of Potter s fellers, an I ve never been thar. 
 JBut I m Chinny Billy ! who be you ?" 
 
 " I m Colorado Johnny !" replied Frank, giving 
 the first name that came into his mind. " They call 
 me that cause I come from Colorado. I reckon 
 you re true blue, an I m glad to see you. Give us 
 your flipper ! How s times ?" 
 
 "Frank moved up close to the horseman and ex 
 tended his hand, which the latter seized and shook 
 
270 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 cordially. Then he saw and he was not a littl 
 surprised thereat that the man who was at th 
 bottom of all the robberies that had been committei 
 in that section during the last year, was not a man 
 but a boy a youth a few years younger than him 
 self. He was a sturdy fellow, carried weapons ii 
 his belt, and looked altogether like an ugly cus 
 tomer ; but that did not deter Frank from carrying 
 out a bold resolve he had suddenly formed. Theri 
 was another way out of his difficulty, and that wa 
 to make a prisoner of the outlaw. 
 
 " Times hain t as lively as they used to be," an 
 swered Chiriny Billy. " The miners ain t doin mucl 
 now, an them as travels ain t wuth the trouble i 
 takes to stop a coach. That s what the fellers say 
 You know I don t help in the business. I stays iii 
 the camp while it is goin on, an keeps out of sight 
 An atween you an me, Brazell ain t the feller thi 
 guv nor is. He s too chicken-hearted. I ve been 
 tell of him knockin a man endways, jest cause h 
 shot at the driver of a coach when he wouldn t pill 
 up. I m ready to go on now, if you be. Wha 
 do you reckon Potter wants of me ? Hold on, Co" 
 orado ! What you doin ?" 
 
 Chinny Billy was not long in finding out wha 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 271 
 
 Frank was doing. He had purposely kept a firm 
 hold of the young horseman s hand, and watching 
 his opportunity and throwing all his strength into 
 the effort, he jerked him out of his saddle and threw 
 him flat among the boulders. It was a perilous 
 I undertaking, but it was so easily accomplished that 
 Frank s confidence was greatly increased. 
 
 " I ll show you the way to the fort and to the 
 guard-house !" he exclaimed. " There s where you 
 1 belong. You re one of the men the Colonel has 
 been looking for." 
 
 Frank s attack was so sudden and determined that 
 his antagonist was overpowered before he had time 
 i to move a finger. Frank quickly unbuckled the 
 j belt containing his knife and revolver, and throwing 
 |it aside, and rolling his captive over on his face, he 
 j pulled his arms behind his back arid tied them firmly 
 (with a handkerchief which he drew from his pocket. 
 Then he picked up the belt again, removed the 
 weapons, and after drawing off Billy s boots, pro- 
 l.ceeded to confine his ankles, which he did by wrap 
 ping the belt about them and buckling it tightly. 
 This much being done, he lifted his prisoner in his 
 arms, and carrying him into the gully where he had 
 left the horse, laid him beside the bush to which Jack 
 
272 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 was tied. His first thought had been to take him 
 to the fort ; but on reflection he decided that it 
 would not be quite safe to attempt it. Chinny 
 Billy was almost as large, and perhaps fully as strong 
 and active as himself; and if, during the ride, he 
 should by any chance succeed in freeing himself 
 from his bonds, Frank might not be able to master 
 him. He had no desire to engage in a fair contest 
 with him. 
 
 " Who be you, anyhow ?" demanded Chinny 
 Billy, who had not spoken during the whole pro 
 ceeding. 
 
 " I am one who is down on all such fellows as you 
 are," replied Frank. "You stay here and don t 
 open your head. If I hear a squeak out of you I ll 
 bo back here with a club !" 
 
 Having satisfied himself that he had left his- 
 prisoner where Dick would be sure to see him when he 
 came for his horse, Frank hurried out into the ravine 
 again. He found Chinny Billy s nag where he had 
 left him, and swinging himself upon his back set outi 
 in a full gallop for the fort. But that ravine seemed 
 to be an unlucky place for him. His adventures there 
 were not yet ended. Before he reached the prairie* 
 he was brought to a halt by another horseman. 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 273 
 
 This one was prepared for any emergency, for he 
 held his rifle at his shoulder, and the muzzle was 
 pointed at Frank s head. 
 
 "Now, then," said he, "don t be long in" 
 speakin !" 
 
 " I m Chinny Billy," replied Frank, uttering the 
 name almost before he knew what he was doing. 
 
 "That s all "right," said the man, lowering his 
 rifle. "You re jest the feller I m huntin fur. 
 Potter sent me to find you an show you the way 
 down. I ve been up to the fort, but I didn t see 
 nobody thar who looked like I thought you had 
 oughter look, an I had a most give you up. Potter 
 wants to see you particular. Come on." 
 
 Frank s heart sank within him. Here was a 
 scrape worse than the one he had just got out of. 
 This was the man for Avhom he had been mistaken 
 I the one Potter had sent to conduct Chinny Billy to 
 his rancho. He could not accompany him of course, 
 if there were any way to avoid it, arid to refuse 
 would be dangerous. This was no boy to be taken 
 by surprise and overcome after a few seconds strug 
 gle, but a grown man, as he knew by the tones of his 
 voice. Frank did not know how to act, and neither 
 was he allowed time to consider the matter ; for 
 
274 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 the man becoming impatient at his silence exclaimed : 
 " Turn round an come on. Potter s waitin fur 
 you." 
 
 " I can t jest now," answered Frank. " I m goin 
 to the fort. I ve got business thar." 
 
 " You have, have you ?" said the horseman ; " you 
 can see to that arterwards. I was told to fetch you 
 to the rancho, an I know too much of Erazell an 
 Potter to go back thar without you, now that I have 
 found you. You must go ; I ll make you. Turn 
 round, I say !" 
 
 Frank had no alternative. The horseman s rifle 
 was at his shoulder and the hammer was raised. An 
 attempt at escape under such circumstances would 
 have been sheer folly. Without saying a word he 
 wheeled his horse and started down the ravine. 
 Now another fear assailed him. He and his com 
 panion would be obliged to pass within a few rods of 
 the place where he had left the real Chinny Billy and 
 the trapper s horse ; and what if one or the other 
 should reveal his whereabouts? What if Jack, 
 knowing that there were others of his species close 
 by, should call to them, or Chinny Billy, hearing the 
 sound of the hoofs, should raise a yell to attract at 
 tention? Franlt held himself in readiness for sucb 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 275 
 
 an emergency, being resolved to brave the bullet in 
 the horseman s rifle and take to his heels ; but for 
 tunately he was not obliged to put this plan into ex 
 ecution. Jack s training and the threat he had 
 made before leaving Chinny Billy kept them both 
 quiet. 
 
 But little was said during the ride down the ravine. 
 Frank s companion was talkative enough, being de 
 sirous of learning all that was going on at the station 
 and in the camp of the buffalo hunters topics upon 
 which Frank was as little posted as he was ; so for 
 fear of exposing himself he maintained a sullen 
 silence. After a tedious ride of three miles, over the 
 roughest road Frank had ever travelled, the man 
 announced that they were at their journey s end, and 
 dismounting, hitched his horse to some bushes at the 
 foot of the bin ft*. Frank followed his example, but 
 his hands trembled as he made the knot; fast, and his 
 heart beat so loudly that he was almost sure his com 
 panion could hear it. It was a trying ordeal that 
 he was about to pass through, but he consoled him 
 self with the thought that if he were detected, none 
 of the band would dare to harm him until Dick had 
 been consulted. The latter, if he succeeded in mak 
 ing his escape from the fort, would soon arrive, and 
 
276 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 then he would be as safe as though he were sur 
 rounded by the bayonets of Colonel Gaylord s gar 
 rison. But even the knowledge of this fact did not 
 altogether allay his fears. Walking like one in a 
 dream he followed his conductor, and in a few seconds 
 was ushered into the rancho. To his great relief 
 his entrance was scarcely noticed. The occupants 
 of the room were gathered about a rough table, seem 
 ingly very much interested in something that was 
 going on. Conspicuous among them stood a tall, 
 heavy man almost as large as Dick, who was talking 
 loudly, and emphasizing his remarks by repeated 
 blows upon the table. " Then draw up," Frank 
 heard him say, " and write that letter without no 
 more foolin , or " The sentence was finished with 
 a volley of oaths and threats that were enough to 
 make one tremble. 
 
 Frank at once became as much interested as the 
 outlaws were. He moved about among them until 
 he could look over some of the brawny shoulders 
 interposed between him and the table, and finally 
 caught sight of what proved to be the centre of at 
 traction. It was his missing friend, Walter Gaylord, 
 who sat with a pen in his hand and a sheet of blue 
 note-paper before him. His face was as pale as a 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 277 
 
 sheet, but he was as cool and collected as a boy 
 could be under the circumstances. Frank stood 
 around in silence with the others while Walter was 
 writing the letter, arid for want of something better 
 to do, occupied the time in taking a surrey of his 
 surroundings, bestowing his attention principally 
 upon the outlaws. He counted an even dozen of 
 them, fierce-looking fellows, dressed in various styles, 
 and all carrying weapons in their belts. As his 
 eyes rested on the twelfth man he started, and for 
 getting for the moment where he was, was almost on 
 the point of advancing to meet him. This one was 
 a very old man, with long white hair and whiskers, 
 who stood with folded arms leaning against the wall 
 at the foot of the table. It was Bob Kelly, Dick s 
 faithful friend and companion. Frank knew him 
 on the instant, but there was nothing in the old 
 trapper s countenance to indicate that he recognised 
 Frank. He stared coldly at him and looked another 
 way. 
 
 By this time Walter had finished his letter. 
 Frank listened to the reading of it, and was not a 
 little alarmed when he was called upon to read it 
 over after him. He was still more alarmed when he 
 found himself standing in front of Potter. He had 
 
278 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 seen that same man but a few hours before. Just 
 after sunset, while he and his companions were wan 
 dering about over the prairie looking for the fort, 
 they met a horseman, who, in response to their in 
 quiries, gruffly directed them to their destination. 
 That man was Potter. Frank would not have looked 
 twice at him, had it not been for the fact that he 
 rode a magnificent coal-black horse which attracted 
 his attention at once. Frank s hand trembled as 
 he took the letter, and he expected every instant to 
 hear Potter refer to their previous meeting. But 
 nothing of the kind happened. Perhaps the man 
 did not know him in his new suit. 
 
 By the exercise of all his self-control Frank suc 
 ceeded in acting his part to perfection, and as we have 
 seen, agreed to perform the service that had been 
 expected of the real Chinny Billy, which was to 
 carry the letter to the Colonel. He saw Walter 
 staring at him, and knew by the expression of un 
 bounded surprise on his face that he recognised him. 
 How he longed to give him just one encouraging 
 look ! But knowing that the eyes of all the outlaws 
 were upon him, he affected an indifference he was 
 far from feeling, and finally went out, leaving Walter 
 lost in a maze of bewilderment. His movements 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 279 
 
 were very deliberate as long as he remained within 
 sight of the rancho ; but the moment a bend in the 
 ravine hid it from view, he put Chinny Billy s horse 
 into a full gallop, which he never slackened until he 
 reached the gully in which he had left his captive 
 and the trapper s horse. He found them both safe, 
 and that was evidence that Dick had not yet been 
 there ; but he was on the way, as Frank found before 
 he had gone much farther, for just as he emerged 
 from the ravine he discovered some one running to 
 ward him. The man must have possessed remarkable 
 powers of vision, for as soon as he saw Frank he 
 pronounced his name, adding : 
 
 " You keerless feller, you ve been a doin of some 
 thing you had no business to do. Whar did you 
 get that hoss ?" 
 
 " Is that you, Dick ?" exclaimed Frank. 
 
 " I reckon. I got out jest as I told you I would 
 unlocked my irons, opened the winder, jumped 
 over the stockade an cl ared myself. I had two 
 ehots fired at me, but here I am, safe an sound. 
 Whar you been?" 
 
 " I ve been in Potter s rancho, have seen Walter 
 Gaylord and old Bob, and made a prisoner of Chinny 
 Billy besides." 
 
280 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 " I knowed it !" exclaimed the trapper, profound 
 ly astonished. " Of all the keerless fellers I ever 
 seed in my life, you re the beat." 
 
 " I assure you that I didn t go because I wanted 
 to. I couldn t help it." 
 
 " Couldn t ! Tell us all about it, to onst." 
 
 Frank began his story but did not finish it, for in 
 two minutes the trapper had heard as much as he 
 wanted to listen to just then. 
 
 "You say thar were twelve men in the rancho ?" 
 he interrupted. " Then the fellers must have got 
 back from the mountains. Thar ain t but fourteen of 
 us, not countin the fellers that live in the camp, an 
 the two that are missin must be down to the station. 
 They ll be back afore long, an if they ain t we can 
 easy find em. Thar s no thin fur me to do now 
 but spring my trap, an that I ll do in less n two 
 hours. I ll gobble up them fellers at Potter s, ketch 
 them two at the station, then go up to the camp 
 arter Mike. He s the only one thar, now that 
 Chinny Billy is captured. Come on, youngster." 
 
 Dick faced about and started in the direction of 
 the fort at such a pace that Frank was obliged to 
 put his horse into a gallop to keep up with him. 
 When they came within sight of the stockade, they 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 281 
 
 encountered a squad of cavalrymen who were just 
 setting out in pursuit of the trapper. 
 
 " Halt, here !" cried the officer in command, and 
 who proved to be no other than Lieutenant Gay- 
 lord ; " where are you going in such a hurry ?" 
 
 " To the fort to see the Colonel !" replied Dick. 
 
 "Brazell !" exclaimed the Lieutenant, recognising 
 his voice. " Now, this is lucky." 
 
 The mention of that well-known name brought a 
 dozen revolvers to light, and in a second Frank and 
 his companion were covered by the weapons. 
 
 "Dismount and search him, a couple of you," 
 commanded the officer. "Who is this?" he added, 
 riding up to Frank and peering sharply into his 
 face. "Mr. Nelson!" 
 
 "At your service," replied Frank. 
 
 " Well now, young man, it seems to me that you 
 might be in better business than assisting outlaws to 
 escape. You ll be likely to suffer for this." 
 
 " Keep your breath, Leftenant," said Dick, whose 
 clothing was being thoroughly overhauled by the 
 soldiers ; " you ll need it to cool your coffee in the 
 mornin . If you don t tell me in less n half an hour 
 that you re the wust fooled man that ever tracked 
 
282 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 this jere prairy, I ll give you my boss, an he s 
 better n your n any day." 
 
 In obedience to the Lieutenant s command, the 
 soldiers closed about their prisoners on all sides, and 
 still holding their revolvers in their hands in readi 
 ness to resist any attempt at escape, escorted them 
 to the fort and through the gate. The first man 
 they saw was the Colonel, who was standing in the 
 door of his quarters. He was greatly surprised 
 to see Frank in company with the trapper, but had 
 nothing to say to him. He listened to his son s ac 
 count of their capture, and astonished him by order 
 ing him to remain outside with his men, and con 
 ducting the prisoners into his quarters. 
 
 "Now, Lewis/ said he, u have you anything to 
 tell me?" 
 
 " I ve no explainin to do jest now, Colonel," 
 was the reply, " cause I ve got lots of work afore 
 me, an little time to do it in. My trap is ready to 
 be sprung now. If you will give me them twenty- 
 five soldiers you promised me, I will gobble the 
 last outlaw on the prairy afore inornin ." 
 
 The Colonel s actions showed Frank how much 
 confidence he had in Dick. Without asking a single 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 283 
 
 question or making any comments, he opened the 
 door again and called to his son. 
 
 u Wallace," said he, as the young officer entered; 
 " YOU will detail twenty-five dismounted cavalrymen 
 at once, and hold yourself and them in readiness to 
 obey this man s orders." 
 
 The Lieutenant was too amazed to speak. He 
 opened his mouth and eyes, and looked from his 
 father to the trapper as if he did not quite under 
 stand the order. 
 
 " Didn t I say you was the wust fooled man in 
 the world?" exclaimed Dick, with a laugh. 
 
 " I may tell you something now that I have been 
 obliged to keep a secret from you for months," con 
 tinued the Colonel. " This man, it is true, is the 
 second in command of the outlaws who have been 
 doing so much mischief, but he is a government scout. 
 His name is Lewis. He has got these men at last 
 just where he wants them, and he promises to cap 
 ture them all to-night." 
 
 The Lieutenant s astonishment was unbounded. 
 He hardly knew what to say. He stammered out 
 some apology to Frank for having treated him as an 
 outlaw, and hurried from the room. While he was 
 gone, Frank, at Dick s request, gave the Colonel a 
 
284 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 rapid account of the adventures that had befallen 
 him since their last interview, beginning with the 
 stealing of the trapper s horse, and ending with the 
 incidents that had happened in Potter s rancho. He 
 handed out Walter s letter, and when the Colonel 
 had read it and complimented Frank s courage, he 
 declared that if his son were in Walter s place, and 
 there was no prospect of rescuing him, he would 
 not know what to do. It would be hard to leave 
 bin i among the outlaws to be hanged or shot, but at 
 the same time his convictions of duty would not per 
 mit him to release their leader. It would be a dis 
 tressing situation for a father and a soldier to be 
 placed in. 
 
 In a few minutes the Lieutenant entered to report 
 that the men were ready. After the Colonel had 
 promised to write a note to Uncle Dick, assuring him 
 of the speedy return of his nephew, and had seen 
 Frank and the trapper provided with weapons, he 
 wished them success in their undertaking, and the 
 expedition set out for Potter s rancho. The first 
 mile was accomplished almost before they knew it, 
 for of course the Lieutenant wanted everything ex 
 plained to him, and when one is engaged in relating 
 or listening to an exciting story, he has little thought 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 285 
 
 for anything else. Frank, who did the talking, had 
 not finished all he had to say by the time they reached 
 the ravine, but there his narrative was interrupted 
 by the trapper, who began to assert his authority as 
 commander of the forces. At his request the Lieu 
 tenant halted the men, and Dick proceeded to give 
 them their instructions in a manner peculiar to him 
 self. u Now, then," said he, " we ve got hot work 
 afore us. If thar s one among you who can t look 
 into the muzzle of a cocked revolver without changin 
 color, let him step out of the ranks an go back to 
 the fort, cause he won t be of no arthly\use to us." 
 
 The trapper paused, but not a man among the sol 
 diers moved. The Lieutenant looked at Frank. 
 "Mr. Nelson," said he, "wouldn t it be better for 
 you to return and leave this business to those who 
 are accustomed to it ? You ll be safer at the fort." 
 
 " Now, Leftenant, you re fooled agin," said the 
 trapper. " I know that boy better n you do (I ask 
 his parding ; he s a man in years an size, but I 
 can t help thinkin of him as a boy, cause I ve 
 knowed him so long), an if all of you will stand up 
 to the rack as long as he will, we shan t have no 
 trouble. A feller who can steal a boss out from 
 under the noses of a dozen herders, an go into Pot- 
 
286 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 ter s rancho among them rascals without flinchin , 
 can be depended on. As I was goin on to say," 
 he added, turning to the soldiers, " from this place 
 we must go in Injun file, an step as though we were 
 treadin on eggs. Mind you, too, no talkin , not 
 even in a whisper. Them fellers have got ears like 
 painters. When we reach the house I ll show each 
 one of you whar to stand, an then I ll go in ; cause 
 thar s two fellers thar that I want to get out of harm s 
 way, if I can. One of em is an ole chap with white 
 hair an whiskers, an the other is a boy dressed jest 
 as the Leftenant is dressed now. When you hear 
 me give an Injun yell come in, an don t waste no 
 time in doin it nuther. Holler like thar was a 
 million of you the more noise you make the better ; 
 but if you have to use your shootin irons, an I 
 reckon you will, fur them fellers are a desperate lot, 
 mind whar you throw your bullets, an don t hurt 
 them two I was a tellin you of. That s all. Start 
 em up, Leftenant!" 
 
 Dick struck into the path leading down the 
 ravine, Frank followed close at his heels, the Lieu 
 tenant came next, and the soldiers brought up the 
 rear, marching in single file. The three miles that 
 lay between Potter s and the prairie seemed to have 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 287 
 
 grown into six since Frank last passed that way. 
 The trapper moved with a caution and deliberation 
 that seemed entirely unnecessary, and Frank s 
 eagerness finally became impatience, which increased 
 with every step of the way. At last, however, the 
 raucho was reached. How our hero wished he had 
 the old crew of the Boxer to back him up ! He 
 would have ordered an immediate charge upon the 
 house, and overpowered its inmates before they had 
 time to think twice. Although he had every confi 
 dence in the trapper, he did not like his slow and 
 cautious way of doing business. He was all the 
 while thinking of Walter. He was sure that there 
 would be a fight in the house, and he was afraid 
 that during its progress his friend might be struck 
 by a stray bullet, or injured in some other way. 
 Frank would have tried to prevent that by an im 
 mediate attack. 
 
 " Youngster," whispered the trapper, breaking 
 in upon his meditations, " see that rock over thar ? 
 Hide behind it an watch the house. If you see 
 anybody come out, take notice which way he goes, 
 and tell me when I come back. Don t go to bein 
 keerless now." 
 
 Frank, throwing himself on his hands and knees, 
 
288 THE SPOETSMAN S CLUB 
 
 crept off to his station, while Dick proceeded to post 
 his men. So quietly was every movement executed 
 that Frank did not hear even a leaf rustle. He 
 remained in his concealment for a quarter of an hour, 
 and then began to grow impatient again. " I am too 
 far away from the house," he thought. " If Dick 
 should make the attack now, the fight would be 
 over before I could get there. I am going up 
 nearer." 
 
 Suiting the action to the word, Frank crept slowly 
 forward, and finally stopped behind another boulder 
 within twenty feet of the door. He might have 
 approached even nearer, had he not heard voices 
 close by. He looked over the top of the rock, and 
 running his eye along the bluif above the house, dis 
 covered two men standing there. They were talking 
 earnestly in low tones, but Frank heard enough to 
 excite him greatly. " Thar s danger in it," one of 
 the men said ; " an besides, Potter an Brazell want 
 to trade him off fur the guv nor." 
 
 "No odds to us whether they do or not," said the 
 other. "We don t care fur the guv nor. We want 
 money, an this is an easy way to get it. You go in 
 now an relieve the feller who is guardin the Lef- 
 tenant. I ll stay about, an when everything is still 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 289 
 
 an I know the coast is cl ar, I ll come in an tell 
 you. We ll take him to the mountains, an make 
 him write a letter to the Colonel, tellin him that 
 if he will fork over a thousand apiece, we ll give 
 him up. We ll get it sure, cause the Colonel s got 
 money, an he won t stand on a couple of thousand 
 while his son s life is in danger." 
 
 This was all Frank caught of the conversation, 
 for after that it was carried on in a lower tone, and 
 in a few minutes the men went into the rancho. 
 When they disappeared, Frank settled down behind 
 the rock to think the matter over. There was only 
 one man he knew of who was a Lieutenant and 
 whose father was a Colonel, and that was Mr. Gay- 
 lord. He was not a prisoner in the rancho he was 
 one of Frank s party ; consequently the men must 
 have been talking about Walter. Frank hoped they 
 were. If they brought him out intending to carry 
 him away, he would teach them something. Elated 
 with the daring resolution he had formed, Frank 
 waited impatiently to see what was going to happen. 
 Another quarter of an hour passed, and he began 
 to fear that the men had given up their project, or 
 that something had happened to prevent them from 
 carrying it into execution, when he saw the door of 
 
290 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 the rancho partly opened and a head thrust cau 
 tiously out. A few seconds later the door swung 
 wide open, and three persons appeared. One of them 
 was Walter, and the others were the men who had 
 eaten supper at the Club s camp-fire. They came 
 directly toward the rock behind which Frank was 
 concealed, and as they were about to pass it, he 
 jumped up with a revolver in each hand. The out 
 laws, astonished and alarmed, dropped their weapons 
 at his command, and Frank was about to reveal him 
 self to Walter, and had even taken a step forward 
 intending to hand him one of his revolvers, when 
 two men suddenly appeared and asked what was the 
 matter. Frank looked sharply at them. They did 
 not belong to his own party, for they were not sol 
 diers, and neither did he remember to have seen 
 them in the rancho. Beyond a doubt they were the 
 men Dick expected to find at the station. Of course 
 their arrival put a stop to his plan for the liberation 
 of his friend. Disappointed and indignant, he re 
 plied gruffly to their question, and ordered Walter 
 and his captors to face about and march back into 
 the rancho. We know what happened after that. 
 The conversation he had overheard between the plot 
 ters enabled Frank to explain matters to Potter, 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 291 
 
 who, in return for the service our hero had rendered 
 the band, presented him with his fine horse. 
 
 While this was going on, Dick was busily engaged 
 in stationing his men. Having disposed of them 
 to his satisfaction, he returned to the place where he 
 had left Frank, but was not much surprised at not 
 finding him there. He knew very well where he 
 was. He had placed him there to keep him out of 
 danger, and the " keerless feller " had run squarely 
 into it. As he was about to start toward the rancho, 
 he discovered somebody crouching behind a rock a 
 little distance away. 
 
 " Who s that?" he demanded. 
 
 " I m Chinny Billy," was the reply. "Is that 
 you, Brazell?" 
 
 " Yes. Come out o that," said the trapper, not 
 a little surprised to see him there. 
 
 " I m a lookin fur Potter s," continued Chinny 
 Billy. " While I was a comin down, I met somebody 
 who jerked me off n my hoss, tied me hand an foot, 
 an left me in the bushes up thar. But as soon as 
 he went away I put in, an by workin my arms up 
 an down fur bout two hours, got myself loose. I 
 beared fellers comin down the gully, so I come too, 
 
292 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 thinkin mebbe it would lead me to Potter s. I am 
 all right now that I have found you." 
 
 "Yes," said the trapper, "you re all right now. 
 Come in an tell us all about it." 
 
 When Dick and his companion reached the house 
 they found Potter standing in front of the door talk 
 ing with one of his men. They both greeted the 
 trapper with great cordiality, but looked suspiciously 
 at the bare-headed youth beside him. " You needn t 
 scowl at me so," said the boy, " I m Chinny Billy. 
 I ve been treated bad, /have, all along of bein sent 
 fur to come down here." 
 
 "You!" exclaimed Potter, in great amazement; 
 "you hain t nuther. Chinny Billy s in the house 
 now." 
 
 " I say he hain t. He s out of the house now, an 
 I m the feller. Hain t I, Brazell?" 
 
 The trapper nodded assent, and Chinny Billy went 
 on to give a rapid and greatly exaggerated account 
 of his meeting with Frank, to which Potter and his 
 man listened with unbounded surprise, now and then 
 interrupting him with loud ejaculations. When he 
 concluded Potter threw open the door in a great 
 rage, declaring that there was an enemy in the camp, 
 and that he would make short work with him. 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 293 
 
 Chinny Billy followed close at his heels as he en 
 tered the house, and the moment he saw Frank he 
 recognised him. " That s the feller !" he shouted. 
 " He stole my hoss an my name too, an now he 
 comes here an passes hisself off fur me. He s a 
 spy!" 
 
 A deathlike stillness followed this astounding an 
 nouncement. For a moment the outlaws stood 
 speechless, looking alternately at Frank and Chinny 
 Billy, and then a growl of rage arose on all sides 
 and a dozen hands moved toward as many revolvers. 
 Frank saw and realized his danger. In a minute 
 more the bullets would begin to fly, and he was 
 standing close beside the bench on which Walter was 
 sitting. One or the other, and perhaps both of them, 
 would certainly be struck. Springing forward as 
 quick as a flash he extinguished the light, and seiz 
 ing his friend threw him upon the floor, at the same 
 time calling upon Dick to give the signal for the 
 attack. The trapper obeyed. His wild Indian yell 
 was answered by a score of hoarse voices. Before 
 one could think twice the room was filled with sol 
 diers, led by the Lieutenant, who carried a lighted 
 lantern in his hand, and the outlaws, borne back by 
 overwhelming numbers, were forced into one corner, 
 
294 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB 
 
 where they stood cowering like frightened sheep. 
 By the time they recovered from their astonishment 
 they were powerless for mischief, each being seized 
 by two or three soldiers, one of whom disarmed him 
 while the other slipped a pair of irons upon his 
 wrists. It was all over in two minutes, and not a 
 blow was struck or a shot fired. The surprise was 
 complete. 
 
 We need not pause to tell how amazed the outlaws 
 were when they learned that their capture had been 
 brought about by one of their most trusted men, or 
 to describe the incidents that happened during the 
 few minutes our friends remained at the rancho. 
 Their adventures were ended for a time, and our 
 story must end with them. It will be enough to 
 say that Walter was speedily made acquainted with 
 the Lieutenant and the trappers, and that between 
 him and the former an intimacy at once sprung up 
 which continued as long as the Club remained at the 
 fort; that after all the horses belonging to the out 
 laws had been collected, the boys and some of the 
 soldiers mounted them and escorted their prisoners 
 to the fort, Frank riding the black he so much ad 
 mired ; and that as soon as the captives had been 
 turned over to the Colonel, a corporal s guard went 
 
AMONG THE TRAPPERS. 295 
 
 to the quarters of the herders and arrested Chinny 
 Billy s accomplice in his bunk, while the Lieutenant 
 and the trappers once more mounted their horses 
 and set off for the camp of the buffalo hunters to se 
 cure Mike, who was the only one of the band now 
 at large. Frank and Walter would gladly have ac 
 companied them,but the latter knew that he ought 
 first to see his uncle, and Frank of course would not 
 go without him. 
 
 Great was the joy, and loud the exclamations of 
 delight that arose when Frank and Walter walked 
 into the camp of their friends. The Club were pretty 
 well acquainted with some of the adventures that 
 had befallen them, for the Colonel, according to 
 promise, had sent a note to the old sailor, correcting 
 the wrong opinion he had formed of Dick Lewis and 
 describing Frank s exploits ; but they were none the 
 less eager to have the story repeated. There was 
 little sleeping done in their camp that night. 
 
 The next day Dick and old Bob, having secured 
 the last outlaw and received their discharges as scouts, 
 joined Uncle Dick s little train, and were cordially 
 welcomed by every member of it. The Club s ex 
 perience with frontiersmen had not thus far been 
 altogether to their liking, but their subsequent asso- 
 
296 THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB AMONG THE TRAPPERS 
 
 ciation with them, which did not end in one weel 
 or one month, proved both agreeable and pleasant. 
 
 With the promise that we shall have something 
 to say about it at no distant day in a New Series. 
 and that we will then take up the history of the for 
 tunes of Henry Chase, of whom we have for some 
 time lost sight, we will for the present bid good-by< 
 to THE SPORTSMAN S CLUB. 
 
 THE END. 
 
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 Kenilworth. Dangerous. 
 
 Chronicles of the Canongate. 
 
 This is the best edition for the library or for general use published. Its 
 convenient size, the extreme legibility of the type, which is larger than is 
 used in any other edition, either English or American, its spirited illustra 
 tions, quality of the paper and binding, and the general execution of the 
 presswork, must comnieiid it at once to every one. 
 
 TALES OP A GRANDFATHER. Uniform with the "Waverley 
 
 Novels." Illustrated. 4 vols. Toned paper. Price per vol., 
 
 Globe Edition: cloth extra, $1.25; half calf, gilt, $2.75. Standard 
 
 Library Edition: cloth extra, gilt tops, bev. boards, $1.50; half 
 
 morocco, gilt tops, $3.00; halt calf, gilt, $3.50. 
 
 The only edition containing the Fourth Series, " Tales from French His 
 tory." 
 
 IVANHOE. A Romance. Youth s Favorite Edition. Illustrated. 
 Crown 8vo. $1.50. 
 
 LADY OF THE LAKE. With twenty-five engravings on wood, 
 from designs by Birket Foster and John Gilbert. IGmo. Bev. 
 boards, $U50 ; half calf, gilt, S3.00-; full Turkey.inor. antique, $4.00. 
 
 LIFE OF SIR WALTER SCOTT, with remarks upon his Wri 
 tings, by Francis Turner Palgrave ; an Essay on Scott, by David 
 Massoii, M.A., and Dryburgh Abbey ; a Poem, by Charles Swain. 
 12mo. Illuminated cover, 30 cents. With fine portrait on steel, 
 cloth, extra, 60 cents. 
 
 " Relates the events in the life of the illustrious novelist in an agreeable 
 style, with an unpretending, but singularly acute, criticism of his writings. 
 New York Tribune. 
 
 " A centennial offering of large worth. The biography is brief bat com 
 prehensive, while the remarks upon his writings which crop out every here 
 and there, are marked by great judgment and keen appreciation." Phila- 
 
 "One of the ablest reviews of 80tt s life and works that has ever been 
 written. It is very able and very just." New York Evening Mail. 
 
 THE BEAUTIES OF WAVERLEY. Selections of the most 
 striking passages from the Waverley Novels. With forty-five 
 fine steel engravings. Elegantly printed on fine paper, and 
 bound in the most tasty style. A new and perennial gift book. 
 One volume, crown 8vo. Cloth, full gilt, extra, $5.00; morocco, 
 bevelled boards, antique, $8.00. 
 
RUFUS W. GRISWOLD, D.D. 
 
 THE PROSE WRITERS OF AMERICA. With a Survey of th 
 Intellectual History, Condition, and Prospects of the Country 
 New edition, thoroughly revised and completed to the presen 
 time, with a supplementary Essay on the Present Iritellectua 
 Condition and Prospects of the Country. By Prof. JOHN H 
 DILLINGIIAM, A.M. With seven portraits on steel and vignett 
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 full Turkey morocco, $10.00. 
 
 "We are glad to possess, in this form, portions of many authors whos 
 entire works we should never own, and if we did should probably never iin< 
 time to read. We confess our obligations to the author for the personal in 
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 to their writings. These are written in a manner creditable to the research 
 ability, and kindness of the author." iniUarn OulUn Uryant. 
 
 An important and interesting contribution to our national literature 
 The range of authors is very wide; the biographical notices full and inter 
 esting. lam surprised that the author has been able to collect KO man] 
 p irticulars in this way. The selections appear to me to be made with dis 
 crimination, and the criticisms show a sound taste and a correct uppreci 
 ation of the qualities of the writers, as well as I can judge." William H 
 Prescolt, the Historian. 
 
 " Can be cordially recommended for its sterling qualities, and the hand 
 some style in which it has been gotten up by the publishers makes it pai 
 ticularly worthy of the notice of those who wish to make a ChristKia 
 present that will be appreciated by the recipient." Philadelphia Evenin* 
 Telegraph. 
 
 Is really a desirable acquisition to any library, and, indeed, a librar 
 could scarcely be called complete without it." Marshall (Mich.) Times. 
 
 GEMS FROM THE AMERICAN POETS. With brief biographi 
 cal notices. With a fine engraving on steel. 32mo, cloth 
 CO cents ; illuminated sides, 90 cents ; Turkey mor., extra, $1.50 
 
 FREDERIC H. HEDGE, D.D. 
 
 THE PROSE WRITERS OF GERMANY. With Introductions 
 
 Biographical Notices, and Translations. With six portraits 01 
 
 steel and engraved title. Imperial Svo. Cloth, extra, gilt top 
 
 bevelled boards, $5.00; sheep, marbled edges, library style 
 
 $0.00 ; half calf, gilt, 7.50 ; full Turkey morocco, $10.00. * 
 
 There is no book accessible to the English or American reader whicl 
 
 can furnish so comprehensive and symmetrical a view of German literaturi 
 
 to the unitiatcd: and those already conversant with some of the Gcrir.ai 
 
 classics will iind here valuable and edifying extracts from works to vrhid 
 
 very low in this country can gain &ccess."Froj .A.2 J .J > eat>ody,uil\rortl 
 
 American 2evit.w. 
 
 " It is universally recognised as one of the best collections of specimens o: 
 German literature in the English language. It has been prepared on tin 
 plan of giving a limited selection of authors, with large extracts from theii 
 works. The translations from the editor s own peri are singularly vigo 
 rous, and in the accomplishment of his task, he has had the co-operation oi 
 several American scholars." New York Tribune. 
 
 "A new and beautiful edition of a work of sterling merit. Compilations 
 are good even in our own language, for so great is the multitude of books 
 that few have leisure to read a tithe of them. But to the great stores of lit 
 erature in foreign tongues, only those skilled in them have access. The 
 treasures of German literature are inaccessible to most American readers, 
 It is, therefore, no common addition to our information and pleasure, to 
 have put before us well selected passages of the best works of the most cele 
 brated German authors. This is done with the most excellent judgment in 
 this volume. The reader of it will here form some acquaintance with the 
 principal German classics, and that acquaintance he may improve by a 
 lurther perusal of those which he finds most to his taste. Enough, however, 
 s given to furnish an ample specimen of the style and method of each 
 writer. Many complete pieces are furnisbed. Among those to whom con 
 siderable space is accorded, are Kant, Lossing, Herder, Goethe, Schiller, the 
 Benlcgels, Kichter, Heiue ; with these are many others of celebrity." Age, 
 
PORTER & COATES PUBLICATIONS. 
 
 HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW. 
 
 THE POETS AND POETRY OF EUROPE. A New and Revised 
 Edition, with the addition of 137 pages of entirely new matter, 
 never before published, making it one of the most elegant and 
 complete works extant. with Introduction. Biographical 
 Notices, and Translations, from the earliest period to the pres 
 ent time. By Prof. HENRY WADSWOKTH LONGFELLOW. Illus 
 trated with engravings on steel and engraved title. Imperial 
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 edges, library style, $7.50; half calf, gilt, $9; Turkey morocco, 
 
 " In all this there is great clearness and precision ; the details dear to the 
 Student of a particular literature or literary epoch, but, confusing to the 
 average culture, are sacrificed to the fullness with which the principal and 
 important features are brought out. Whenever it is possible, the criticism 
 is lounded upon the opinions of each writer s countrymen, and in all cases 
 it appears to us that the best authorities are consulted ; and one of the best 
 is Mr. Longfellow himself, who speaks his own mind only too sparingly. 
 His work is often merely that of an editor, but he does it with that taste, 
 sympathy and good sense, which his whole literary life embodies in such 
 degree, that we feel anything else to be impossible with him, and gives it 
 thus the finest value of original production. The labor involved in the 
 preparation of such a volume as this, will by no means appear to the 
 general reader it delights, and to whom we venture to suggest grateful con 
 sideration of the vast acquaintance with authors and authorities, the tacit 
 service of comparison and selection implied by the abundance and the 
 succinctness with which every topic is treated. We will not say that here is 
 all the general reader need know of the poets and poetry of Europe, but we 
 assure him that he cannot do better than possess himself of all the infor 
 mation here given, and that he could no where else find it so availably 
 and so agreeably presented, and with so little that he need not know. 
 To this new edition Mr. Longfellow has added a supplement of 137 
 pages, devoted to such poets as have recently won distinction, and to the 
 poets whom recent study has brought into n9tice anew. The poems in this 
 supplement are marked by that greater fidelity and regard to the originals 
 Which no one has done half so much to urge upon translators as Mr. Long 
 fellow himself, in the high example of his Dante." Here are his own ex 
 quisite translations from German, French, Italian, and Spanish ; here is one 
 version, most sympathetically tender and spirited, by Mr. Lowell ; here is a 
 part of Faust in Bayard Taylor s conscientious and admirable English ; here 
 are some songs from Heine, by Leland; here are Mrs. Wister s charming 
 pieces from De Musset; here are Bryant s Specimens of modern Spanish, 
 poetry ; here are Bosetti s beautiful versions from the earliest Italian poets, 
 and here are abundant extracts from the latest. The supplement, in fact, 
 lays before the reader the freshest and best poetry of all Europe, and wor 
 thily completes the work. It is not easy to give a just idea of its merits and 
 graces, but those who already know it will not need a lecture from us upon 
 it, and to those who do not we can but heartily commend it." Atlantic 
 Monthly, January, 1871. 
 
 " This edition has been revised and enlarged by the author, and contains 
 his best touches and corrections to his labors. But they have stood the test 
 of criticism. Their accuracy and felicity have been acknowledged by the 
 best scholars in Europe. The attainments of Mr. Longfellow as a linguist 
 have been recognized by those best qualified to judge them in each sphere 
 of his labors. . . . In it is giyen, in a convenient form, a summary of the 
 poetic literature of Europe which is not to be found elsewhere." The Age, 
 Philadelphia. 
 
 "It is now a better book than ever, the Professor having added an ap 
 pendix and supplement, the latter dated 1870, containing a very precious 
 list of newer poetical translations. . . . The supplement is very choice 
 and interesting, and absolutely rejuvenates the work. Here we have speci- 
 
 L -at received In corn- 
 Daughter, &c., <fec. 
 
 mens from Bayard Taylor s translation of Faust, not yet received in com 
 plete book form, a charming passage from King Rene s Daughter, &c., <fcc. 
 The whole volume is an acquisition to our letters, and to that disposition of 
 literary curiosity, an honorable distinction of the American people, which 
 has made such a difficult work, so well done, necessary." TM Evening 
 Bulletin^ Philadelphia. 
 
PORTER & COATES PUBLICATIONS. 
 
 DEAN STANLEY. 
 
 SERMONS PREACHED during his Tour in the East. Wit 
 Notices of some of the Localities visited. Published by arrangi 
 ment with the author. New edition. With plan and diagram 
 12mo, cloth extra, $1.50. 
 
 Dean Stanley s Sermons are famous, as finished specimens of pulpit or 
 tory, and the fourteen comprised in this volume are pre-eminently chara 
 teristic of their distinguished author. They are specially interesting for tl 
 very graphic description of the various localities visited during the tour : 
 \e course of which they were delivered. 
 
 Three of these sermons were preached in Egypt, on the Nile, and in tl 
 ^reat hall of the Temple of Karnak ; four were preached in Palestine, i 
 the harbor of Jaffa, at Jacob s Well, at Nazareth, and by the Sea of Galile* 
 three more were preached in Syria, on Mt. Hermon, in the Temple of Baa 
 bee, and under the cedars of Lebanon ; three were preached upon the Med 
 terranean, with the fresh impressions of Ephesus, Patmos, and Malta, & 
 These circumstances of composition and delivery would give interest eve 
 to ordinary discourses. But these are not ordinary. The thought is simpl 
 but very free and vsry wide. It is not merely illustrative of the scenes ar 
 the history, but it is excellent counsel, both practical and spiritual, to tl 
 principal listeners." 3forth American Review for July, 1863. 
 
 REV. TREADWELL WALDEN. 
 
 THE HISTORY OF OUR ENGLISH BIBLE AND ITS SEVE] 
 ANCESTORS. An Historical Plea for Revision. 16mo, tinte 
 paper. Cloth extra, &1.25. 
 
 " In itself a story of profound interest, the ripe and elegant scholarship < 
 the author gives it many additional charms ; and it is specially welcome no\ 
 when our version of the Holy Book is to take another step forward, and a 
 Bume that additional completeness necessary for a new age." Christie 
 Union (Rev. Henry Ward Beecher, Editor). 
 
 w We cordially commend it to the attention of our students and minister 
 as a summary of useful and highly interesting information, even if they d 
 not agree with the author on every point." United Presbyterian, Pittsburgi 
 
 "In this neatly printed little volume, Mr. Walden has gathered informatio 
 concerning our English Bible, which everybody ought to possess, but whic 
 is not easy of access." Old School Presbyterian, St. Louis. 
 
 "The book is extremely interesting, and will not fail to carry fresh info: 
 mation to very many readers." Watchman and Reflector (Baptist). 
 
 " The work exhibits great research and scholarship, and is written in a cles 
 and graceful style." Lutheran Observer. 
 
 " A very Christian and scholarly effort." Methodist Protestant, Baltimore 
 
 "An admirable popular account of the successive steps in the growth of th 
 English version of the Bible, from the first attempt by Wickliffe down totfc 
 final revision in the reign of King James." Sunday-School Times. 
 
 THOMAS A KEMPIS. 
 
 OF THE IMITATION OF CHRIST. Four books. New Editior 
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PORTER & COATES PUBLICATIONS. 
 
 WILLIAM SHAKSPEARE. 
 
 COMPLETE WORKS. Dramatic and Poetical, with the "Epistle 
 Dedicatorie," and the Address prefixed to the edition of 1G23, a 
 Sketch of the Life of the Poet, by ALEXANDER CHALMERS, 
 A.M., and Glossarial and other Notes and References. Edited 
 by GEORGE Lo^a DUYCKINK. With nine full-page steel Illus 
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 Imperial 8vo. Cloth, extra, gilt back, $3.75 ; sheep, library style, 
 
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 J. PAYNK COLLIER, A.M., Shakspeare s Will, critical and his 
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 POEMS AND SONNETS. With a fine engraving on steel. 32mo. 
 Cloth, 60 cts.; illuminated side, 90 cts.; Turkey morocco, $1.50. 
 
 THOMAS PERCY, D.D., Bishop of Dromore. 
 
 KELIQUES OP ANCIENT ENGLISH POETRY: consisting of 
 Old Heroic Ballads, Songs, and other pieces of the earlier poets 
 with some of later date, not included in any other edition. 
 To which is now added a Supplement of many Curious His 
 torical and Narrative Ballads, reprinted from rare copies 
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 the above. 558pp. Imperial 8yo. Two steel plates. Fine cloth 
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 morocco, $10.00. 
 
 "But, above all, I then first became acquainted with Bishop Percy s 
 Reliques of Ancient Poetry ..... I remember well the spot where I 
 read these volumes for the first time. It was beneath a huge plautanus 
 tree, in the ruins of what had been intended for an old-fashioned arbor, in 
 the garden I have mentioned. The suaimor day sped around so fast, that 
 notwithstanding the sharp appetite of thirteen, I lorgct the hour of din 
 ner, was sought for with anxiety, and was still iound entranced in my 
 Intellectual banquet. To read and to remember was in this instance the 
 same tiling, and henceforth I overwhelmed my schoolfellows, and all who 
 would hearken to me, with tragical recitations from the ballads of Bishop 
 Percy. The first time I could scrape a few shillings together, which were 
 not common occurrences with me, I bought unto myself a copy of these 
 beloved volumes, nor do I believe I ever read a book half so frequently, or 
 with half the enthusiasm." Memoirs of his early Life, by Sir Walter Scott 
 prefixed to Lockhart s Lije of Scott. 
 
 LORD BYRON. 
 
 COMPLETE WORKS. Prose and Poetry. With five engravings 
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 "If the finest poetry be that which leaves the deepest impression on the 
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 Byron, we think, must be allowed to take precedence of all his distinguished 
 contemporaries. Words that breathe, and thoughts that burn, are not 
 merely ornaments, but the common staple of his poetry; and he is not in- 
 Bpired or impressive only in some happy passages, but through the whole 
 body and tissue of his composition." Lord Jeffrey, Edinburgh Review. 
 
 THE MORAL AND BEAUTIFUL IN THE POEMS OF LORD 
 BYRON. Edited by REV. WALTER COI/TON. 32mo. Cloth, GO 
 cts.; illuminated side, 90 cts.; Turkey morocco, $1.50. 
 
PORTER & COATES* PUBLICATIONS. 
 
 THOMAS HOOD. 
 
 COMPLETE WORKS. Prose and Poetry. Illustrated. 5 vols., 
 crown 8vo, tinted paper. Cloth, extra, per vol., $1.75; half calf 
 gilt, per vol., $3.50; half morocco, antique, per vol., $3.25. 
 
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 this country." The Press, Philadelphia. 
 
 POETICAL WORKS. 2 vols., crown 8vo, tinted paper. Cloth, extra 
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 SELECT POETICAL WORKS. With a fine engraving on steel 
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 " Hood s verse, whether serious or comic, whether serene, like a cloud 
 less autumn evening, or sparkling With puns like a frosty January midnighi 
 
 with stars, was ever pregnant with materials for thought Lik< 
 
 every author distinguished for true comic humor, there was a deep vein 01 
 melancholy pathos running through his mirth; and even when his sur 
 shone brightly, its light seemed often reflected as if only over the rim of t 
 cloud. D. M. Mbir. 
 
 UP THE RHINE. Crown 8vo, tinted paper. Cloth, extra, $1.75 
 half calf, gilt, $3.50; half morocco, antique, $3.25. 
 
 HOOD S COMICALITIES. A Series of Comical Pictures fronc 
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 quarto. Half morocco, extra, $4.00. 
 
 JOHN MILTON. 
 
 COMPLETE WORKS. Standard Edition. With a Life of th( 
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 tinted paper, largest type, $4.00. Library edition, with engra 
 vings on steel, 1 vol., 8vo, sheep, library style, $4.50 ; Turkej 
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 ROBERT BURNS. 
 
 COTTER S SATURDAY NIGHT. Elegantly illustrated with flft: 
 engravings from drawings by Chapman. Engraved by Filmei 
 Beautifully printed by Ashmead, on the finest tinted plat 
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 antique, $9.00. 
 
 This noblest poem of "the greatest poet that ever sprang from the boson 
 of the people" until the issue of this edition had never been detached fron 
 the collected works of Burns, to receive the adornments of art which hav< 
 been so bountifully and lovingly bestowed on Gray s " Elegy," Goldsmith 
 "Deserted Village." Coleridge s "Ancient Mariner," Thomson s "Seasons, 1 
 and other kindred treasures of English verse. The poem itself is a classic 
 and the beauty and appropriateness of the illustrations to be found in thi 
 edition, place it far ahead of any other. 
 
PORTER & COATES PUBLICATIONS. 
 
 EDWARD, EARL OF DERBY. 
 
 THE ILIAD OF HOMER RENDERED INTO ENGLISH BLANK 
 VERSE. From the ninth London edition, with all the author s 
 latest revisions and corrections. With a Biographical Sketch 
 of Lord Derby, by R. SHELTON MACKENZIE, D.C.L., LL.D. Two 
 volumes, crown 8vo, on laid and tinted paper, gilt top, beveled 
 boards, cloth extra, $4.00. 
 
 "It must equally be considered a splendid performance; and for the 
 present we have no hesitation in saying that it i.s by far the best representa 
 tion of Homer s Iliad in the English language." -London Times. 
 
 " The merits of Lord Derby s translation may be summed up it one word; 
 It is eminently attractive : it is instinct with life ; it may be read with fer 
 vent interest ; it is immeasurably nearer than Pope to the text of the origi 
 nal. . . . It will not only be read, but read over again and again 
 
 Lord Derby has given to England a version far more closely allied to the 
 original, and superior to any that has yet been attempted in the blank verse 
 of our language." Edinburg Review. 
 
 " As often as we return from even the best of them (other translations) to 
 the translation before us, we find ourselves in a purer atmosphere of taste. 
 We find more spirit, more tact in avoiding either trivial or conceited 
 phrases, and, altogether, a presence of merits, and an absence of defects, 
 which continues, as we read, to lengthen more and more the distance be 
 tween Lord Derby and the foremost of his competitors." London Quarterly 
 
 "While the versification of Lord Derby is such as Pope himself would 
 have admired, his Iliad is in all other essentials superior to that of kis great 
 rival. It is the Iliad we would place in the hands of English readers as the 
 truest counterpart of the original, the nearest existing approach to a repro 
 duction of that original s matchless feature." London Saturday Review. 
 
 REV. JOHN KEBLE. 
 
 THE CHRISTIAN YEAR: Thoughts in verse for the Sundays 
 and Holidays throughout the Year. IGmo, (Jlotk, red line, 
 beautifully printed, $1.50; Turkey morocco, antique, gilt 
 edges, $3.50. 
 
 11 In this volume old Herbert would have recognized a kindred spirit, and 
 Walton would have gone on a pilgrimage to make acquaintance with the 
 author." -London Quarterly Review. 
 
 " These and many other thoughts and feelings concerning the vision and 
 the faculty divine, when employed on divine subjects, have arisen in our 
 hearts, on reading which we have often done with delight The Christian 
 Year, so full of Christian poetry of the purest character. Mr. Keble is a 
 (poet whom Cowper himself would have loved; for in him piety inspires 
 jgenius, and fancy and feeling are celestialized by religion. We peruse his 
 [book in a tone and temper ot spirit similar to that which is breathed on us 
 by some calm day in spring, when 
 
 1 Heaven and earth do make one imagery, 
 
 land all that imagery is serene and still, cheerful in the main, yet with a 
 touch and tinge of melancholy which makes all the blended bliss and beauty 
 tot once more endearing and profound. We should no more think of criti- 
 jCizing such pootry than criticizing the clear blue skies, the soft green earth, 
 the liquid lapse of an unpolluted stream, that 
 
 Doth make sweet music with the enamell d stones, 
 Giving a gentle kiss to every flower 
 It overtaketh on its pilgrimage. 
 
 iBeauty Is there, purity and peace : as we look and listen we partake of the 
 finiversal calm, and feel in nature the presence of Him from whom it 
 terminated." Recreations of Christopher North, (John Wilson). 
 
10 PORTER & COATES PUBLICATIONS. 
 
 CHARLES FENNO HOFFMAN. 
 
 COMPLETE POETICAL WORKS. Edited by his nephew, ED 
 WARD FENNO HOFFMAN. New Library Edition, coiitainim 
 several poems never before published. With a new portrai 
 on steel by Whiteclmrch, from a painting by Inman. Beautl 
 fully printed on laid and tinted paper. 16mo, cloth, extra, bev 
 eled boards, gilt top, $1.75. 
 
 CUMMINOTON, MASS., Aug. 5, 1873. 
 
 MY DEAR SIR : I congratulate you on the completion of the task whicl 
 you have undertaken of collecting the poetical productions of your unclt 
 Charles Fenno Hoffman, whom, while he lived in New York, I was prom 
 to reckon among my friends, and whose kindly and generous temper am 
 genial manners won the attachment of all who knew him. His poems bea 
 the impress of his noble character. They are the thoughts of a man of eml 
 nent poetic sensibilities, who delights to sing of whatever moves the humai 
 heart the domestic affections, patriotic reminiscences, the traditions o 
 ancient loves and wars, and the ties of nature and friendship. Thes< 
 thoughts are expressed in musical versification with the embellishments o 
 a ready fancy. The friends of your uncle have reason to thank you for pre 
 sonting thorn in this manner the moral and intellectual image of him whoa 
 they have had such reason to esteem. 
 
 I am, sir, very truly yours, 
 
 WM. CULLEN BRYANT. 
 
 MRS. ELIZABETH F. ELLET. 
 
 PIONEER WOMEN OF THE WEST. One volume, 12mo, pp. 43 
 Illustrated, cloth extra, $1.50. 
 
 The history of the wives and mothers who ventured into the Wester 
 wilds, and bore their part in the struggles and labors t-f the early pioneer 
 is sketched in this work. The materials were collected from the records < 
 private families, and the recollections of individuals who passed throug 
 the experiences of frontier and forest life. Descriptions of the domestic lii 
 and manners of the pioneers, and illustrative anecdotes, have been wove 
 into the memoirs of prominent women, and notice has bejn taken of sue 
 political events as had an influence on the condition of the country. 
 
 "The biographies contain fine descriptions, enlivened with anecdotes < 
 the domestic life and manners of those pioneer matrons, and are worthy < 
 a perusal." The Watchman and Reflector (Baptist). 
 
 "This volume is devoted to the history of the wives and mothers wh 
 bore a part in the struggles of the early pioneers in the Western wilds. Mr 
 Ellet is familiar with this branch of the American annals. She has give 
 much time to research on this subject. Her inquiries have been attende 
 with remarkable success. Gathering a rich fund of local anecdote an 
 tradition, furnished with interesting details by the descendants and tt 
 acquaintances of her subjects, and in many cases visiting the scenes of the 
 adventures, she has obtained abundant materials for an attractive worl 
 and has wrought them up with evident ability and good taste. Her volum 
 though full of interest to all classes of readers, is especially adapted lor ci 
 culation at the Great West." Harper s Magazine,. 
 
 AGNES STRICKLAND. 
 
 STORIES FROM HISTORY. 12mo, illustrated, cloth extra, Mac 
 
 and gold. Price, $1.25. 
 TRUE STORIES FROM ANCIENT HISTORY. Chronologicall 
 
 arranged from the Creation of the World to the Death of (Jharlt 
 
 magne. 12mo, illustrated, cloth extra, black and gold. $1.25. 
 STORIES FROM MODERN HISTORY. 12mo, illustrated, clot 
 
 extra, black and gold. $1.25. 
 STORIES FROM ENGLISH HISTORY. 12mo, illustrated, clot 
 
 extra, black and gold. $1.25. 
 
 " Miss Strickland has performed her task with taste and ability." Londo 
 Atteneum. 
 
PORTER & CO AXES PUBLICATIONS. 11 
 
 FHE LEADERS OP FRANCE; OK, THE MEN OF THE THIKD"RE- 
 PUBLIC. Biographical, Historical and Character {Sketches. 
 12mo, satin clotn, black and gold, $1.75. 
 
 CONTENTS. M. Thiers: Marshal MacMahon; M. Gambetta; 
 M. Grevy; M. Barthelemy St. Hilaire; M. Rouher- The Due do 
 Broglie; M. Dufaure; M. Alexandre Dumas; The Due D Audi- 
 fir et Pasquier; M. Ernest Picard; General Faidherbe; Bishop 
 Dupanloup; M. Louis Veuillot; The Due D Aumale; M. Ernile 
 de Girardin; Father Hyacinthe; M. M. Erckmann-Chatrian ; 
 M. Henri Rochefort; M. Edmond About; M. Casimir Pericr; 
 M. Jules Simon; M. V ictorien Sardou; Admiral Pothuau ; M. 
 Louis Blanc ; M. Victor Hugo. 
 
 " These essays are the work of no prentice hand. They show not only a 
 nastery of analytic and picturesque description, but an intimate acquaint- 
 ince with the literature, the politics, and even the gossip of France and 
 England during the past half century. * * * * Whoever wants instruc- 
 iion in the living politics and letters of France, cannot get it under a more 
 ational or fascinating tutor than the unknown author of The Men of the 
 Third Republic." The Christian Union, N. Y. 
 
 "A collected republication of the very brilliant and well informed sketches 
 nrhich excited much attention and speculation on their appearance in the 
 Daily News, and led men to ask whether there could be on the English press 
 rwo men with opportunity and ability like those of the author of " The 
 MEembor for Paris." Here are h ve-and-twenty sketches of notabilities who. 
 Ince Sedan, have been prominent in French affairs, from M. Thiers and 
 rules Simon to Alexandre Dumas, Louis Blanc, and Victor Hugo ; while the 
 iccount of such less-known politicians as Gambetta, Grevy, liouher, Du- 
 ure, Ilochefort, Girardin, will be interesting from the freshness of their 
 .nformation. Huch brilliant and sagacious sketches as those of Thiers, Louis 
 Blanc, and Jules Simon will be read very eagerly. So with the characteriza- 
 ;lons of literary celebrities like Dumas, M. M. Erckmann-Chatrian, Ed- 
 aaond About, and Victor Hugo. The charm and value of most of these 
 iketches are, that they are histories as well as portraits. It argues well for 
 France that novels like those of M. M. Erckmann-Chatrian are superseding 
 ihose of Dumas and Paul DeKock, and penetrating every village." British 
 Quarterly Review (the highest authority in England). 
 
 Rev. WM. BACON STEVENS, Bishop of Penna. 
 
 SUNDAY AT HOME. A Manual of Home Service, intended for 
 those who are occasionally hindered from attending the House 
 of God. With Sermons and a Selection of Hymns. 12mo, cloth, 
 
 * extra, $1.50; cloth, extra, beveled boards, red edges, $2.00. 
 
 HOUSEHOLD WORSHIP. Partly responsive. A book of Family 
 Prayers. By a Layman With an Introduction by REV. DAN 
 IEL MARCH, author of " Night Scenes in the Bible," &c. 12mo, 
 cloth, extra, $1.25; cloth, extra, beveled boards, red edges, $1.75. 
 
 JOHN BUNYAN. 
 
 FHE PILGRIM S PROGRESS, FROM THIS WORLD TO THAT 
 WHICH IS TO COME. With four beautiful illustrations, 
 printed in colors. Large type. IGmo. Cloth, extra, $1.25; 
 morocco, $3.00 ; Turkey, antique, $4.00. 
 
 " There is no book in our literature on which we could so readily stake the 
 lame of the old unpolluted English language; no book which shows so well 
 TOW rich that language is in its own proper wealth, and how little it has 
 
 een improved byY,H that it has borrowed We are not afraid to 
 
 ay that, though there were many clever men in England during the latter 
 uilf of the seventeenth century, there were only two great creative minds. 
 )ne of these minds produced the Paradise Lost, the other, the Pilgrim s 
 ^regress." Lord Macaulay. 
 
12 PORTER & COATES PUBLICATIONS. 
 
 JANE R. SOMMERS. 
 
 HEAVENWARD LED; or, The Two Bequests. 12mo, paper, $1.21 
 Cloth extra, $1.75. 
 
 " It is really an excellent work." Germantown Telegraph. 
 
 " This story is one of good society, is graphically told, and a sound mori 
 is inculcated." Rutland Herald. 
 
 " Artless in style and simple in plot, it is a pure and beautiful story, an 
 richly merits a place in every Sunday-school library in the country." Tolec 
 Commercial. 
 
 "After a careful perusal we strongly recommend the work as one worth 
 of a place on the centre-table of every Christian family in the land. Th 
 story is well written, couched in beautiful language, and shows how muc 
 good may be done by those who take an interest in religious matters." J3w 
 nerofthe Church, Atlanta, Ga. 
 
 LOUIS ENAULT. 
 
 THE PUPIL OF THE LEGION OF HONOR, Translated froi 
 the French by Mrs. Charles Pendleton Tutt. 8vo, paper, $1.01 
 cloth, $1.50. 
 
 " This is a translation from the French of a very fresh, quietly written, at 
 interesting story, as unlike the average modern French novel as any thii 
 can well be. There is perhaps somewhat more sentiment than America] 
 will care for, but the skill with which the story is told will more than atoi 
 for that." San Francisco Daily Record. 
 
 "A very clear and natural, though rather un-Gallican story. A nov 
 without a hero, unless M. De Verteins, who puts in a tardy appearance 
 time to marry Jeanne Derville, say at page one hundred and fifty, or ther 
 abouts, it is a remarkably fresh, vivid story, nevertheless the more vivi 
 perhaps, from the fact that, with the exception of Miss Derville herse 
 who is a sort of female John Halifax, it is not at all overwrought, and b; 
 none of the spectacularity so common in modern Gallic romance. Bi 
 graphical in tone, and written in the manner of John Halifax, it detai 
 the struggles of a young girl, Miss Derville, with exceeding minuteness, ai 
 considerable subjective power. The translation is well executed." Hoi. 
 Journal, New York. 
 
 OLIVER GOLDSMITH. 
 
 THE DESERTED VILLAGE. A Poem. Exquisitely illustrate 
 with thirty designs by George Thomas and Birket Foste 
 Elegantly printed in square IGmo, 011 the finest calendere 
 tper. Cloth, gilt, extra, $1.50; morocco, antique, gilt edge 
 
 pa 
 
 $^, 
 
 " There is no poem *n the English language more universally populi 
 than the Deserted Village. Its best passages arc learned in youth, ar 
 never quit the memory." Chambers s Encyclopedia of JSnylish Literature. 
 
 " The Deserted Village has an endearing locality, and introduces us ; 
 beings with whom the imagination contracts an intimate friendship. Fictic 
 in poetry is not the reverse of truth, but her soit and enchanted rcsemblanci 
 and this ideal beauty of nature has been seldom united with so much sobi 
 fidelity, as in the groups and scenery of the Deserted Village. "Thorn 
 Campbell. 
 
 GEORGE CRUIKSHANK. 
 
 THE LOVING BALLAD OF LORD BATEMAN. Humorousl 
 
 illustrated by George Cruikshank. Sq. 16mo, boards, 25 cents 
 
 YE BOOK OF SENSE. A new comic book. A companion to Boo 
 of Nonsense. With thirty-two illustrations. Oblong 8v< 
 boards, 50 cents ; cloth, with plates colored, gilt, 1.00. 
 
PORTER & COATES* PUBLICATIONS. 13 
 
 CHARLES KNIGHT. 
 
 HALF HOURS IVI ra THE BEST AUTHORS. With Short Bio 
 graphical aiui Critical Notices. Elegantly printed on the iiiiest 
 paper, witti fine steel portraits. 6 vols., crown 8vo. cloth, bev. 
 boards, gilt tops, $9.00; half calf, gilt, $18.00; half morocco giit 
 tops, $18,00; or bound in 3 vols., thick crown 8vo, tine English 
 cloth, bev. boards, gilt tops, per set, $7.50; half calf, gilt, $12.00. 
 Selecting some choice passage of the best standard authors, of sufficient 
 length to occupy half an hour in its perusal, there is here food for thouj ht 
 for every day in tie year; so thatif the purchaser will devote but one half- 
 hour ouch day to its appropriate selection, he will read through these six 
 ; .volumes in one :/ear, and in such a leisurely manner that the noblest 
 thoughts of many of the greatest minds will be tirmly implanted in his mind 
 forever. For every Sunday there is a suitable selection from some of the 
 most eminent wriiers in sacred literature. We venture to say, if the editor s 
 Idea is carried out, the reader will possess more information and a better 
 knowledge of the English classics at the end of the year than he would by 
 five years of desultory reading. The variety of reading is so great that no 
 one will ever tire of these volumes. It is a library iu itself. 
 
 MISS JANE PORTER. 
 
 The two following are new stereotype editions, in large, clear type, with 
 initial letters, head and tail pieces, &c. The illustrations were designed 
 expressly for this edition, and engraved in the highest style of art. 
 
 THE SCOTTISH CHIEFS. Illustrated by F. O. C. Barley. Crown 
 8vo,748pp. Fine English cloth, gilt. Price, $1.50; half calf, 
 gilt, $3.50. 
 
 "Sir Walter Scott, in a conversation with King George IV, in the library 
 at Carlton IIou.se, admitted that The Scottish Chiefs suggested his 
 Waverly Novels. "Allibone s dictionary of Authors. 
 
 "This is a new and by 1 ar the best edition of a national romance which 
 has been as much read and admired as almost any of Scott s or Dickens 
 :Hovels. It is low-priced, well printed, and handsomely bound. Thousands 
 of readers will be glad to go over this stirring tale once more." Philadel 
 phia Press. 
 
 REGINA MARIA ROCHE. 
 
 THE CHILDREN OF THE ABBEY. Illustrated by F. O. C. BAR- 
 LEY. Uniform with "The Scottish Chiefs." Crown 8vo, G4G pp. 
 Fine English cloth, gilt. Price, $1.50; half calf, gilt, $3.50. 
 "This classic is more neatly published In the new edition than we have 
 ever seen it. It was long a standard, and had more favor than Thaddeus 
 of Warsaw, and it deserved better. It takes a new lease of existence now, 
 and we almost envy those who read it for the first time." North American, 
 Philadelphia. 
 
 ROBERT McCLURE, M.D., V.S. 
 
 THE AMERICAN GENTLEMAN S STABLE GUIBE. Contain 
 ing a Familiar Description of the American Stable ; the most 
 approved Method of Feeding, Grooming, and General Manage 
 ment of Horses; together with Directions for the Care of 
 Carriages, Harness, &c. Expressly adapted for the owners of 
 equipages and line horses. Cloth extra, illustrated. $1.50. 
 A handy manual, giving to the owner of a horse just the information of 
 a practical nature that he often feels the need of, and by an author who 
 thoroughly understands what he is writing about, and what is needed by 
 every gentlema i. 
 
 "Such a treat! ;e has been needed for years, and we think this volume will 
 pply the want. The illustrations are very good and timely." Pittsburgh 
 " Gazette, 
 
14 POUTER & COATES* rUKLTCATIOXS. 
 
 JOHN J. THOMAS. 
 
 THE AMERICAN FRUIT CULTURIST. Containing Practical 
 Directions lor the Propagation and Culture of Fruit Trees in 
 the Nursery, Orchard, and Garden. With Descriptions of the 
 Principal American and Foreign Varieties cultivated in the 
 United States. Second edition. Illustrated with 4 SO accurate 
 figures. Crown 8vo. Cloth extra, bev. bds., gilt back. $3.00. 
 We have read hundreds of criticisms on this book, and they unanimously 
 
 vronounce itthe most tfwrough, practical, and coJNprc/imsf wwork published. 
 
 The engravings are not copies of old cuts from other books, but are mainly 
 
 original with the author. 
 
 J. H. WALSH, F.R.C.S. ("Stonehenge.") 
 
 THE HORSE IN THE STABLE AND THE FIELD; his Manage 
 ment in Health and Disease. From the last London edition, 
 with copious Notes and Additions, by ROBEKT MCCLURE, M.D.. 
 V.S., author of "Diseases in the American Stable, Field, and 
 Farm-yard," with an Essay on the American Trotting Horse, 
 and suggestions on the Breeding and Training of Trotters, by 
 ELLWOOD HAIIVEY, M.D. With 80 engravings, and full-page 
 engravings from photographs from life. Crown 8vo. Cloth, 
 extra, bev. bds. $2.50. 
 
 "This Americanizing of Stonehenge gives us the best piece of Horse 
 Literature of the season. Old horsemen need not be told who Stonehenge 
 is in the British Books, or that he is the highest authority in turf and veteri 
 nary affairs. Add to these the labors of such American writers as Dr. 
 McClure and Dr. Harvey, with new portraits of some of our most popular 
 living horses, and we have a book that no American horseman can afford 
 to be without." Ohio Farmer, Cleveland, April 24, 1809. 
 
 " It sustains its claim to be the only work which has brought together in a 
 single volume, and in clear, concise, and comprehensive language, adequate 
 information on the various subjects of which it treats." Harper s Magazine, 
 July, 18G9. 
 
 THADDEUS MORRIS. 
 
 AMERICAN FISH CULTURE. Giving all the details of Artificial 
 Breeding and Rearing of Trout, Salmon, Shad, and other 
 Fishes. 12mo, illustrated. $1.75. 
 
 " Norris s American Fish Culture published in this city by Porter & 
 Coates, is passing around the world as a standard, Mr. Norris s authority 
 will be quoted beside the tributaries of the Ganges, as already by those of 
 the Hudson, the number, and the Thames. The English publishers of the 
 book are Sampson Low, Son tfe Co. ; and a late number of the Athenazum, 
 after an attentive review of Mr. Norris s methods, concludes thus: Mr. 
 Norris has rendered good service to the important subject offish-culture by 
 the present publication; and, although his book goes over ground (or water 
 rather) occupied to a great extent by English writers on fish culture, it con 
 tains several particulars respecting this art as practised in the United 
 States, which are valuable, and may be turned to profitable account by our 
 pisciculturists. "Philadelphia Evening Bulletin. 
 
 THE AMERICAN ANGLER S BOOK. Embracing the Natural 
 History of Sporting Fish ? and the Art of Taking Them. "Vy ith 
 Instructions in Fly Fishing, Fly Making, and Rod Making; 
 and Directions for Fish Breeding. To which is added Dies Pis 
 catorial; describing noted fishing places, and the pleasure of 
 solitary fly fishing. New edition, with a supplement, contain 
 ing a Description of Salmon Rivers, Inland Trout Fishing, &c. 
 Illustrated with eighty engravings. 8vo, cloth extra. $5.50. 
 "Mr. Norris has produced the best book on Angling that has been pub 
 lished incur time. If other authors would follow Mr. Norris s example, 
 and not write upon a subject until they had practically mastered it, we 
 should have fewer and better works. His volume will live. It is thoroughly 
 instructive, good-tempered, and genial." Philadelphia l^ress. 
 
PUBLICATIONS. 15 
 
 HIRAM WOODRUFF. 
 
 HIRAM WOODRUFF ON THE TROTTING-HORSE OF AME 
 RICA: How TO TRAIN AND DRIVE HIM. With Reminiscences 
 of the Trotting-Turf. The Results of the Author s Forty Years 
 Experience and Unequalled Skill in Training and Driving, to 
 gether with a Store of interesting Matter concerning Celebrated 
 American Horses. Edited by CHARLES J. FOSTER, of " Wilkes s 
 Spirit of the Times." New edition, with Supplement, bring 
 ing it down to 1873. Illustrated with Steel-plate portrait of 
 HIRAM WOODRUFF, and full page engravings from Photographs 
 from Life, and Sketches of "Lady Thorne," "Goldsmith Maid," 
 " Mac," " Flora Temple," &c., &c. 12mo, cloth, extra, $2.25 ; half 
 calf, gilt, $4.00. 
 
 " The estimation in which we hold it Is well known to our readers. We be 
 lieve it to be the most practical and instructive book that ever was published con 
 cerning the trotting horse; and those who own or take care of horses of other 
 descriptions may buy and read it with a great deal of profit." Wilkes s Spirit 
 Of the Times. 
 
 " Hiram Woodruff was the great trainer of his day: but, by his unsullied in 
 tegrity and unequalled capacity, he rose above his profession. No man 
 could ever say of him that he had his price. Indeed, it is the universal tes 
 timony of all who knew him, friends and foes, that his integrity was ab 
 solutely unassailable. It is a book for which every man who owns a horse 
 ought to subscribe. The information which it contains is worth ten times its cost." 
 Mr. Banner s New York Ledger. 
 
 " This is a masterly treatise by the master of his profession, the ripened pro 
 duct of forty years experience in handling, training, riding, and driving the 
 trotting horse. There is no book like it in any language on the subject of 
 Which it treats. It is accepted as authority by the ownersof racing trotters, 
 and of fasc roadsters. Its publication has been hailed by gentlemen as criti 
 cally appreciative as Bobert Bonner, and by trainers and drivers as disting 
 uished as Sam Hoagland, Dan Mace, and Dan Pilfer. The book is unques 
 tionably one of great value. For in America and England the development 
 of the horse has long been considered second only in importance to the de 
 velopment of man. This work contains the results of forty years uninter 
 rupted labor in bringing the trotter up to the highest speed and greatest 
 endurance of which he is capable. Before we read it we had seen with curi 
 ous surprise very hearty commendation of it and eulogy of its author in the 
 leading Presbyterian, Baptist, and Methodist journals. No wonder, for 
 Hiram Woodruff s system is based on the law of love." New York Tribune. 
 " We have a decided distaste for everything connected with horse-racing, 
 and when the "Trotting Horse of America" was put into our hands the 
 book dropped of its own weight on to the table. Ashamed of this prejudice, 
 we took it up, and soon found ourselves reading at full pace about the way 
 colts should be raised, and horses trained, and racers cared for, and the breed 
 Improved In reading the book we were struck with the analogy be 
 tween the scientific treatment of the horse and the best treatment of the 
 
 human being What a pity parents and teachers would not learn wis- 
 
 4om from the horse-trainer !" The (.2V. Y.) Liberal Christian ( Unitarian). 
 
 "One may read and study this book with profit, for it was written by a man 
 who loved the horse, knew his peculiarities, and from the experience of 
 years utters words of wisdom as to the best way of training and driving the 
 noblest animal ever given to man for service. The advice, the suggestions, the 
 rules given in the book are invaluable. If we owned a "stable," we would 
 make our grooms study it; if we were a Vermont farmer, each son should 
 have a copy, for, while it is specially devoted to trotting horses, the work 
 contains valuable in formation for every man who owns or drives a horse." 
 Boston Watchman and Reflector, (Baptist). 
 
 "The rec9rd of his experience and suggestions constitutes, therefore, a valu 
 able accession to our knowledge, and will prove to be of standard authority 
 among the most skilful. The graphic style of his descriptions, the vivid pic 
 tures lie draws of the breeding and education of his favorites, and the remi 
 niscences he recalls of incidents on the turf, form a work of great merit. . . . 
 Those who are desirous to form an accurate idea of the characteristics of the 
 trotting horse, for their benefit as riders or drivers, cannot find any other 
 work in our language so replete withusffulinformation, interesting hints, and 
 readable anecdotes. Hiram Woodruff is now dead, and it will be many a 
 year before we shall look upon nis equal in his line of business." The 
 ffation. 
 
16 PORTER & COATES PUBLICATIONS. 
 
 THE INSTRUCTIVE GAME OF MYTHOLOGY, with descriptii 
 and biographical sketches on every card. Price, 50 centsT 
 
 THE INSTRUCTIVE GAME OP POPULAR QUOTATIONS wit 
 Descriptive, biographical and character sketches on every can 
 
 , uniforr with " The Instructive Games of Authors ar 
 ear. They are printed on the finest card-boar. 
 
 either a handsome cloto case or 
 
 J. R. SYPHER. 
 
 THE YOUNG AMERICA SPEAKER. Designed for the use of tl 
 younger classes in Schools, Lyceums, Temperance Societic 
 &c. Containing selections in Prose, Poetry and Dialogue : 
 style, sentiment and expression, suited to the minds ar 
 spirits of the youth of the present day. ICmo, half bound 
 cents. 
 
 " This little volume contains unexceptional selections of Prose, Poetry ai 
 Dialogue. The selections evidence extensive reading, good taste and sor 
 experience with the predelictions of young declaimers." New Orlea 
 Picayune. 
 
 " An important and interesting addition to our school literature. T 
 pieces presented in the work are well selected, and they have this adva 
 tage each piece is short, and will not^oo seriously strain the faculties 
 any student. Being short, a greater variety is presented than in me 
 speakers now before the public." Banner of the Church, Atlanta, 6a. 
 
 THE AMERICAN POPULAR SPEAKER. Designed for the U! 
 of Schools, Lyceums, Temperance Societies, &c., <fec. 12mi 
 half bound, 384 pp., $1.50. 
 
 " Admirably adapted to the purposes of declamation. "We recognize mar 
 of the old standard pieces which boys have declaimed since our reinei 
 brance, with many also which we have not found in other similar compil 
 tions. The book is not encumbered with a multiplicity of rules and dir 
 tions which serve to confuse and hinder the students rather than to lie 
 them; but a few, simple, practical directions are given which are admirab; 
 and all that are needed. We commend the volume to the attention 
 teachers and students as one of high merit." Portland Evening Aryus. 
 
 " Excellent selections of prose and poetry and dialogues. The subjeo 
 embrace every conceivable want for school declamations with conci 
 practical instructions for the speaker." New Bedford Evening Standard. 
 
 MME. MARIE SOPHIE SCHWARTZ. 
 
 THE SON OF THE ORGAN GRINDER. A Novel. Translate 
 
 from the Swedish by SELMA BORG and MARIE A. BROW: 
 
 "With a portrait and sketch of Mme. Schwartz.. 1 vol., 12m 
 
 Cloth, $1.50; paper, 81. 
 
 This volume recommences the publication of the works of this brillia; 
 
 and popular writer, and is considered equal .to the best of her works y 
 
 translated. 
 
 MME. EMILE DE GIRARDIN, MM. TKEOPHILE GAUTIEF 
 JULES SANDEAU, and MERY. 
 
 THE CROSS OF BERNY; OR, IRENE S LOVKRS. A Novel. Tran 
 lated from the French. 1 vol., 12mo. Cloth, $1.50; paper, $1. 
 "The Cross of Berny" is a brilliant literary tourney of four famq 
 writers, and is pronounced by a former literary editor of The. Clirixtian Unit 
 to be the most powerful, witty, and interesting foreign novel translated sur 
 " On the Heights." 
 
PORTER & G OATES PUBLICATIONS. 17 
 
 HENRY T. COATES. 
 
 THE COMPREHENSIVE SPEAKER. Designed for the use of 
 Schools, Academies, Lyceums, <fec. Carefully selected from the 
 best authors, with Notes. Large 12mo, 672 pages, half bound, 
 cloth sides, $1.75. 
 
 PHILADELPHIA, April 18, 1872. 
 
 I consider your " Comprehensive Speaker" to be one of the most valuable 
 contributions to the literary apparatus of schools, academies, and lyceums 
 ever published. But its usefulness is not limited to these institutions : it is 
 an excellent family-table book, and should be in every private as well as in 
 every public collection. 
 
 In carrying your readers through various departments of literature, from 
 "gay to grave, from lively to severe," you have evinced much taste and 
 judgment, as well as great industry. That the sale of so good a book should 
 be large I should be sorry to doubt. 
 
 S. AUSTIN ALLIBONE, 
 Author of Allibone s Dictionary of Authors. 
 
 It contains a judicious selection of pieces from the best authors, omitting 
 all of doubtful morality, of a sectarian or political character, and of trans- 
 lent literary value. Great care has been taken in the selection of extracts 
 to give the genuine text of the author without the errors in quotation 
 and punctuation which are such a frequent blemish in this class of school 
 D9oks. A large proportion of the contents are from American authors, fur 
 nishing the materials for a comparative survey of our native literature." 
 The New York Daily Tribune. 
 
 " It is an excellent selection of pieces for declamation and reading." The 
 Nation, New York. 
 
 " On careful examination, we do not hesitate to characterize it as the BEST 
 compilation of its class that has ever come under our notice. The merits of 
 this large and varied collection are numerous. Hackneyed pieces have 
 been carefully excluded, and political and sectarian pieces are not to be 
 jfound in its pages. There are, of course, some humorous passages, in prose 
 jand verse, but none that are immoral or vulgar." The Philadelphia Press. 
 
 " We cannot too highly commend the felicitous manner in which the com 
 piler has accomplished his work. It is valuable as a volume for general 
 reading as well. It seems to us wholly good, with nothing to add or change 
 a difficult achievement in view of the number of "Speakers" already In 
 existence." Ohio State Journal, Columbus, Ohio. 
 
 I "The instructions are simple and practical, most admirably adapted to 
 [the student -s use. Mr. Coates has shown in the preparation of this work a 
 jwide range of scholarship and rare good taste. The book is worthy of a 
 grand success." Watchman and Reflector , Boston, (Baptist). 
 ! " We np ed only say of this book that it is a remarkably rich collection of 
 
 irpts from the very best specimens of English prose and poetry, selected 
 ilwith singularly good taste and judgment. Its influence, an a fa 
 [book, cannot be but very elevating." The Advance, Chicago. 
 
 THE LATEST AND MOST IMPROVED GAMES. 
 
 (THE INSTRUCTIVE GAME OF AUTHORS. Containing on each 
 card the leading characters in the books named, the history 
 of the author or the leading events mentioned In the books 
 named, thus familiarizing one with each writer, by attracting 
 the attention to some special persons or prominent incidents. 
 Also, containing short biographical notices, in handsome 
 cloth case. 50 cents. 
 
 ITHE INSTRUCTIVE GAME OF POETS, uniform with the above 
 
 in style. Cloth case. 50 cents. 
 
IS PORTER & COATES PUBLICATIONS. 
 
 JAMES HOGG, the Ettrick Shepherd. 
 
 THE MOUNTAIN BAUD AND FOREST MINSTREL. Lcgendj 
 
 Songs and Ballads. With two line engravings on steel. 32a 
 
 clotli, GO cents ; illuminated side, 90 cents ; Turkey mor., $!.{ 
 
 " He is a poet, in the highest acceptation of the name." Lord Jeffrey. 
 
 PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY. 
 
 POETICAL WORKS. With a fine engraving on steel. 32r 
 cloth, GO cents ; illuminated side, 90 cents ; Turkey mor., $1.C 
 
 ROBERT BLOOMFIELD. 
 
 THE FARMER S BOY, and other Poems. Illustrated with a fl 
 engraving on steel. 32mo, cloth, GO cents; illuminated sii 
 90 cents ; Turkey morocco, $1.50. 
 
 " Pew compositions in the English language have been so generally 
 mired as the Farmer s Boy. Those who agreed in but little else in literi 
 matters, were unanimous in the commendation of the poetical powers < 
 played by the peasant and journeyman mechanic." Mlibone s IHctitm 
 Authors. 
 
 ROBERT BURNS. 
 
 POETICAL WORKS. With a fine engraving on steel. 32n 
 cloth, 60 cents ; illuminated side, 90 cents; Turkey mor., $1.5 
 
 " Burns is by far the greatest poet that ever sprang from the bosom of 1 
 people, and lived and died in an humble condition. Indeed, no country 
 the world but Scotland could have produced such a man ; and he will 
 forever regarded as the glorious representative of the genius of his count 
 He was born a poet if ever man was." Prof. Wilson s Essay on Burns. 
 
 WILLIAM DODD, LL.D. 
 
 THE BEAUTIES OF SHAKSPEARE. From the last Lond 
 edition, with large additions, and the author s latest corr< 
 tions. With two fine engravings on steel. Fine edition, - 
 toned paper, with carmine border. Square 24mo. Cloth, g 
 edges, $1.50 ; Turkey, $3.00; 32mo, cloth, 60 cts. ; illuminated si( 
 90 cts. ; Turkey morocco, $1.50. 
 This republication of a book so universally and deservedly popular 
 
 Dodd s Beauties, makes it peculiarly valuable as a gift book. 
 
 THOMAS HOOD. 
 
 POETICAL WORKS. With a fine engraving on steel. 32m 
 
 Cloth, 60 cts.; illuminated side, 90 cts.; Turkey morocco, $1.50 
 
 "Hood s verse, whether serious or comic, whether serene, like a clot 
 
 less autumn evening, or sparkling with puns like a frosty January midnig 
 
 with stars, was ever pregnant with materials for thought Li 
 
 every author distinguished for true comic humor, there was a deep vein 
 melancholy pathos running through his mirth ; and even when his si 
 shone brightly, its light seemed often reflected as if only over the rim o: 
 cloud. -2). M. Moir. 
 
 THOMAS MOORE. 
 
 THE MORAL AND BEAUTIFUL FROM THE POEMS 
 
 Edited by REV. WALTEII COLTOX, author of " Deck and Port 
 
 &c., &c. With a fine engraving on steel. 32mo. Cloth, 60 cti 
 
 illuminated sides, 90 cts.; Turkey morocco, $1.50. 
 
 "The combinations of his wit are wonderful. Quick, subtle, and varit 
 
 ever suggesting new thoughts or images, or unexpected turns of expressl< 
 
 now drawing resources from classical literature or of the ancient father. 
 
 now diving into the human heart, and nowskimming the fields of fancy tl 
 
 wit or imagination of Mooro (lor they are compounded together), is a tr 
 
 Ariel, a creature of the elements, that is ever buoyant and full of life ai 
 
 spirit." Chamber s s Hag. Lit, 
 
PORTER & COATES PUBLICATIONS. 19 
 
 ALFRED HOWARD. 
 
 TIE BEAUTIES OF CHESTERFIELD. Consisting of Selections 
 from the Works of Lord Chesterfield. 18nio, illustrated. Cloth 
 extra, black and gold, $1.25. 
 
 CHARLES CALEB COLTON. 
 
 ,ACON ; or, Many Things in Few Words Addressed to Those Who 
 Think. Revised edition, with a life of the author. Globe edition, 
 16ino, cloth extra, $1.25. 
 It is one of the most excellent collections of apothegms in the lan- 
 
 raage." AUibone s Dictionary of Authors. 
 
 COL. GEORGE CHESNEY. 
 
 !:HE BATTLE OF DORKING, AND GERMAN CONQUEST OF 
 
 ENGLAND IN 1875; or, Reminiscences of a Volunteer. By an 
 Eyewitness, in 1925. Reprinted from Blackwood s Magazine. 
 | 12mo, 64 pp., 30 cents ; cloth, 50 cents. 
 
 Ijj "Everybody is talking about it, and everybody is quite right. We do not 
 ctnow that we ever saw anything better in any magazine, or any better ex- 
 Pnple of the wai&emblance which a skilled artist can produce by a variety 
 i: f minute touches. ***** The writer of this paper, living about 
 1925, gives his son an account of his adventures as a Volunteer during the 
 invasion of England fifty years before, and so powerful is the narrative, so 
 intensely real the impression it produces, that the coolest disbeliever in 
 ianies cannot read it without a flush of annoyance, or close it without the 
 jjpought that after all, as the world now stands, some such day of humilia- 
 lon For England is at least possible. The suggested condition precedent of 
 Evasion, the destruction ef the fleet by torpedoes attached by a new inven- 
 i|pn to our ships, has attracted many minds ; and with the destruction of the 
 jegulars, the helplessness of the brave but half organized Volunteers, and 
 pe absence of arrangement, make up a picture which, fanciful as it is, we 
 feem, as we read it, almost to have seen. It describes so exactly what we 
 iffll feel that, under the circumstances, Englishmen, if refused time to organ 
 ic, would probably do." Spectator (London.) 
 
 |" The extraordinary force and naturalness of the picture of the calamity 
 feelf, its consistency throughout, from the bits of the last Times leader, read 
 Jy the unhappy volunteer in the City, to the description of the conduct of 
 pe Germans in the fatal Battle of Dorking, and in the occupation of the 
 English homes which follows, seem to us as natural in its touches as can 
 fell be conceived." Pall Mall Gazette. 
 
 3 "The Britons are stirred up by it as they have been by no one magazine 
 IrMcle of this generation. The Fight at Dame Europa s School did not 
 Jit the bull s eye of English feeling more squarely than this clever shot from. 
 
 pd Maga The verisimilitude is wonderful. We have rend nothing 
 
 ~ e it outside of Bobinson Crusoe." Journal of Commerce (New York.) 
 
 SECOND ARMADA. A Chapter of Future History. Being 
 a Reply to the AbovB. 12mo, paper covers. 10 cents. 
 
 The story of the German Conquest has produced a sensation both in 
 Lmerica and England, having run into eight editions in this country in less 
 ftanone month. The "London Times" of June 22d contained their version 
 i the famous battle, with a totally different result however, and also had a 
 bng editorial on the two versions. This is given also with the reply. 
 I" An intensely interesting little book, and must be read to be appreci- 
 L ~ J ," Providence Gazette. 
 
 
20 PORTER & COATES PUBLICATIONS 
 
 OLIVER BUNCE. 
 
 ROMANCE OF THE REVOLUTION. Being true Stories of th4 
 Thrilling Adventures, Romantic Incidents, Halr-brecuH 
 Escapes and Heroic Exploits of the Days of 76. Laid paper 
 with six illustrations. 16mo, cloth, extra, $1.50. 
 
 While the principal events of the history of our glorious Revolution are 
 known to every intelligent American, much remains to be disclosed of th 
 inner history of the war, and the motives and patriotism of the r/eoDle. 
 There were deeds of individual daring, heroism worthy of the proudest days 
 or Greece and Home, dashing and hazardous enterprises, and hardships 
 bravely borne, performed by subalterns and private soldiers in the grand 
 army of heroes, which should never bo forgotten. To collect and preserve 
 the sketches of these almost forgotten passages of the war, as they originally 
 appeared in the newspapers and private letters of that stirring period and 
 tho stories told by scarred veterans round the blazing hearth-stone- these 
 legends of the past; has been the object of this work, and the publishers 
 are confident that none will rise from its perusal without acknowledging 
 that " Truth is stranger than fiction," and with a deeper feeling of reverenoi 
 for the heroes of the days of 76 
 
 "A collection of anecdotes and traditions relating to the War of Inde 
 pendence, which presents in a brilliant light chivalrous adventures called 
 forth by the struggles of the early patriots for the freedom of their country. 
 It some of the incidents here recorded have rather an apocryphal air, they 
 yet serve to illustrate the spirit of the time, and present the truth more 
 vividly to the imagination than the more formal pages of history. The 
 volume is eminently adapted to popular reading." Harper s Magazine. 
 
 CECIL B. HARTLEY. 
 
 LIFE OF THE EMPRESS JOSEPHINE, Wife of Napoleon L 
 With a fine Portrait on Steel. IGmo. Printed on line laid paper. 
 Cloth, extra, $1.50. 
 
 41 Her career and her character were alike remarkable; surrounded by 
 the demoralizations of the French Court, she \yas a lloman matron iu stern 
 rectitude, with a pre-eminent fidelity to a sensitive conscience; and blended 
 comprehensive genius with a warm heart and a noble personal presence. 
 She was the peer of Napoleon, and in some respects his superior. Her exe 
 cutive force was less, but her foresight was greater. It is to her that the 
 index finger of history points, as an example of female grandeur. .Napoleon 
 got a divorce from her because he wished his seed to inherit the French 
 Orown. The son born of his Hapsburg marriage died crownless, while the 
 
 , 
 
 grandson of Josephine now wears the purple of France this is more than 
 poetic justice. * * * In the book before us, the story of her life ig told in 
 a simple, classic style, and possesses a fascination rarely met with in bio 
 
 MRS. ANNA JAMESON. 
 
 LIVES OF CELEBRATED FEMALE SOVEREIGNS AND IL 
 LUSTRIOUS WOMEN. Edited by Mary E. Hewitt, With 
 four portraits on steel. 16mo, beautifully printed on laid paper. 
 Cloth, extra, $1.50. 
 
 The celebrated Mrs. Jameson, who wields a powerful, ready, and pleasant 
 pen, has taken hold of some of tho leading events iu the brilliant lives of 
 some of the most world-noted women, and depicted them in very attractive 
 colors. It is a lovely book for young ladies, and will give them a teste for 
 history. 
 
PORTER & COATES PUBLICATIONS. 21 
 
 W. S. GILBERT. 
 
 FHE BAB BALLADS; or, Much. Sound and Little Sense. Vv 7 ith 
 113 illustrations by the author. Square 12mo., cloth, bev. gilt 
 edges, $1.75. 
 
 These Ballads, first published in periodicals, rapidly achieved a whim- 
 leal popularity, which soon demanded their publication in a collected 
 orm. Much of this is due to the series of inexpressibly funny drawings 
 >y the author, who is happy in being artist enough to interpret his own 
 lumor in these admirable sketches: we pity the man who cannot 
 jpreciate and enjoy them. The Ballads will rank with the best of 
 ?hackeray, Bon Gaultier, or Ingoldsby. Let every one who in these dull 
 inies has the blues, procure a copy as the cheapest remedy. While it is a 
 learly perfect/oe simile of the English copy, it is only half the price. 
 " Everybody likes, occasionally, a little sensible nonsense. Mother Goose* 
 I enjoyed in childhood, and something similar, but more advanced, is 
 ceded to provoke a smile on a wearied face in later years. This volume of 
 :omic poems answers such a purpose ; some of them have a sly moral, while 
 others are simply amusing from their supreme absurdity. The mirth is 
 Jaidod by the author s original cots, which are quite in keeping with the 
 Ipoetry." Advance, Chicago, the Great Keligious Weekly. 
 
 C. M. METZ. 
 
 DRAWING-BOOK OF THE HUMAN FIGURE. With many Ex 
 amples from the best Studies of the Old Masters, beautifully 
 engraved in the first style of the art. Folio, half morocco, an 
 tique, $7.50. 
 
 H. B. STAUNTON. 
 
 THE AMERICAN CHESS PLAYER S HANDBOOK. Teaching 
 the Rudiments of the Game, and giving an analysis of all the 
 recognized openings, amplified by appropriate games actually 
 played by Morphy, Horwitz, Anderssen, Staunton, Paulson, 
 Montgomery, Meek, and others. From the work of Staunton. 
 Illustrated. 16mo, cloth, extra, bev. bds. $1.25. 
 Among the great wants of students of this noble game of chess has been 
 a handbook which should occupy a middle ground between the large and 
 expensive work of Staunton and the ten cent guides with which the country 
 is flooded. This want is happily supplied by the present volume. It is an 
 abridgment of Staunton s work, and contains full accounts and descriptions 
 of the common openings and defences, besides a large number ef illustra 
 tive games and several endings and problems. It is a book which will be 
 decidedly useful to all beginners in the game, and interesting to those wlio 
 arc? already proficient in it." Peoria Transcript. 
 
 "Will prove an invaluable guide for the admirers of the great and strate 
 gic game of chess. It should be in the hands of every chess-player." 
 dtalfsburg Republican. 
 
 " It is the best manual for the beginner with which we are acquainted, 
 exceedingly clear and intelligible." .A ew Orleans Picayune. 
 
 SARAH E. SCOTT. 
 
 KVERY-DAY COOKERY, FOR EVERY FAMILY. Containing 
 nearly 1000 Receipts adapted to moderate incomes, and com 
 prising the best and most economical methods of roasting, 
 boiling, broiling and stewing all kinds of meat, fish, poultry, 
 game and vegetables j simple and inexpensive instructions 
 for making pies, puddings, tarts, and all other pastry; how to 
 pickle and preserve fruits and vegetables; suitable cookery 
 for invalids and children; food in season, and how to choose 
 it; the best ways to make domestic wines and syrups, and 
 ample receipts for bread, cake, soups, gravies, sauces, desserts, 
 jellies, brandied fruits, soaps, perfumes, &c., &c., and full direc 
 tions for carving. Illustrated. IGrno., cloth. Price, $1,25. 
 
22 PORTER & OOATES PUBLICATIONS. 
 
 OTTO MULLER. 
 
 CHARLOTTE ACKERMAN. A Theatrical Romance, founded 
 upon interesting facts in the life of a young artist of the last 
 century. Translated from the German, by Mrs. Chapman 
 Coleman and her Daughters, the translators of the Mulbach 
 Novels. Paper, $1.00; cloth, $1.50. 
 
 ".The author of this romance has acquired a solid reputation in Ger 
 many, and it is evident, from this translation, that it is deserved." San 
 Francisco Daily Eecord. 
 
 T. S. ARTHUR. 
 
 IDLE HANDS, AND OTHER STORIES. A new volume by this 
 popular author. With six exquisite full-page cuts, engraved 
 by Lauderbach. Square 8vo. Cloth, full gilt, $2.00. 
 
 "The most popular of all our American writers on domestic subjects." 
 Godey s Lady s Book. 
 
 " In the princely mansions of the Atlantic merchants, and in the rude log 
 cabins of the backwoodsmen, the name of Arthur is equally known and 
 cherished as a friend of virtue." Graham s Magazine. 
 
 " As a writer of short moral stories and sketches, Mr. Arthur has probably 
 no superior iu this country. There is no mistaking the lesson intended to 
 be taught. Thousands of young readers will hail the advent of thie book 
 with genuine joy." Indianapolis Evening News. 
 
 " The name of T. S. Arthur is so well known as a charming writer for 
 Juveniles as well as for adults, that to commend this selection of beautiful 
 and instructive stories, so tastefully gotten up by the enterprising publish 
 ers, would be but to put pencil and paint to finished work." Central Baptist, 
 St. Louis. 
 
 "The paper and printing are superb, and the binding, which allows the 
 margin to be wide, is in the best style of green and gold. It is a book for the 
 holidays." Worcester (Mass.) Daily Spy. 
 
 FRIENDLY HANDS AND KINDLY WORDS. Stories illustra 
 tive of the Law of Kindness, the Power of Perseverance, and 
 the Advantages of Little Helps. Eight fine illustrations by 
 H. K. Browne, John Absolom, and the brothers Dalziel. 16mo, 
 cloth, extra, 75 cents. 
 
 SMALL BEGINNINGS; OR, THE WAY TO GET ON. Beauti 
 fully illustrated with eight fine drawings by H. K. Browne, 
 John Absolom and the brothers Dalziel. 16mo, cloth, extra, 
 75 cents. 
 
 THE ART OF DOING OUR BEST: As seen In the Lives and 
 Stories ofs ome thorough Workers. Eight fine illustrations by 
 H. K. Browne, John Absolom, and the brothers Dalziel. IGmo, 
 eloth, extra, 75 cents. 
 
 YE BOOK OF SENSE. A new oomic book. A Companion to 
 Lear s celebrated Book of Nonsense. With thirty- two illus 
 trations, brightly colored, Oblong 8vo, boards, $1.00; cloth, 
 extra gilt, 81.50. 
 
23 
 
 MiS3 H. B. McKEEVER, 
 
 Author of "The Flounced Robe, and What it Cost," Edith s Ministry," 
 Woodclifle," "Silver Threads," &c., &c. 
 
 These stories have the merit of being entertaining, instructive, and really 
 much superior to the common run of Juveniles. The Springfield Republican, 
 which is competent authority, prmiouiices them the best and handsomest 
 Juvenile Books of the season." Lyons Republican. 
 
 " Miss McKeever always writes with point and meaning, and in a manner 
 to gain and hold the attention." /Sunday-School Timet. 
 
 ELEANOR S THREE BIRTHDAYS. " Charity seeketh not her 
 own." Illustrated. IGmo., 295 pp., $1.00. 
 
 MARY LESLIE S TRIALS. "Is not easily provoked." Illus 
 trated. IGmo., $1.00. 
 
 LUCY FORRESTER S TRIUMPHS. "Thinketh no evil, beHcv- 
 eth all things, hopeth all things." Illustrated. 16mo. Price, 
 
 R. M. BALLANTYNE. 
 
 New and beautiful editions of these world-renowned books, second only 
 to those of Cooper and Marryatt, and better than those of Mayne lleid, 
 In the pictures presented to the reader of wild lii e among the Indians, the 
 hairbreadth escapes and fierce delights of a hunters life, and the perils of 
 "Life on the Ocean Wave." Ballantyne s name is well known to every 
 intelligent boy of spirit. Leading the reader into the jungles and forests 
 of Africa, sweeping ver the vast expanse of our western prairies, " fast in 
 the ice" of the Polar regions, or coasting the shores of sunny climes, he 
 ever presents new and enchanting pictures of adventure or beauty to 
 enchain the attention), absorb the interest, excite the feelings, and always 
 at the same time instructing the reader. 
 
 THE GORILLA HUNTERS. A Tale of the Wilds of Africa. IGmo, 
 
 illustrated, cloth, extra, $1.25. 
 
 "Thoroughly at home on subjects of adventure. Like all his stories for 
 boys, thrilling in interest and abounding in incidents of every kind." The 
 Quiver, London. 
 
 THE DOQ CRUSOE. A Tale of the Western Prairies. 16mo, illus 
 trated, cloth, extra, $1.25. 
 
 "This is another of Mr. Ballantyne s excellent stories for the young. 
 They are all well written, full of romantic incidents, and are of no doubt 
 ful moral tendency; on the contrary, they are invariably found to embody 
 sentiments of true piety, manliness and virtue." Inverness Advertiser. 
 
 GASCOYNE. THE SANDAL- WOOD TRADER. A Tale of the 
 
 Pacific. 16mo, illustrated, cloth, extra, $1.25. 
 
 " Gascoyne will rivet the attention of every one, whether old or young, 
 Who pursues it." Edinburgh Courant. 
 
 FREAKS ON THE FELLS ; or, Three Months Rustication. And 
 why I did not become a Sailor. Illustrated, IGmo, cloth, extra, 
 $1.25. 
 "Mr. Ballantyne s name on the title-page of a book, has for some years 
 
 been a guaranty to buj-ers that the volume is cheap at its price." London 
 
 Athenaeum. 
 
 THE WILD MAN OF THE WEST. A Tale of the Rocky Moun 
 tains. 16mo. Illustrated, cloth, extra, $1.25. 
 
 This is generally considered the best of Mr. Ballantyne s famous narra 
 tives of Indian warfare and border life. In this field he is second only to 
 Cooper. 
 
 SHIFTING WINDS. A Story of the Sea. Cloth, extra, illustrated. 
 $1.25. 
 
24 PORTER & COATES PUBLICATIONS. 
 
 R. M. BALLANTYNE Second Series. 
 
 " Indulgent fathers and good uncles will look a long time before they wtll 
 find books more interesting or instructive for boys tuan these. In the four 
 volumes the author introduces his young readers 10 the wonders of the Arctic 
 regions, the wild hunting-grounds ot tlie Hudson s Bay Company, the rugged 
 coast and midnight sun of Norway, and the exciting chase of the monsters 
 of the deep on the pathless fields of the oce*an. He is quite at home among 
 the scenes he describes, and has the faculty of taking the boys along with 
 him in his narrative, and making them feel at home in his company. His 
 object is to give information and to inculcate sound principles of virtue, and 
 he mingles en -.ugh of fancy with the fact and the moral lesson to make both 
 more impressive and the more sure to be remembered. The boy who reads 
 these volumes at the time when his mind is most susceptible to the stirring 
 scenes of peril and adventure, will cultivate a taste for more complete and 
 elaborate works of travel and discovery, in mature years." cv. Daniel 
 March, D.D. 
 
 FIGHTING THE "WHALES ; or, Doings and Dangers on a Eishing 
 Cruise. With four lull-page Illustrations. 18ino., Illustrated, 
 75 cents. 
 
 AWAY IN THE WILDERNESS; or, Life Among the Red In 
 dians and Fur-Traders of North America. 18mo., Illustrated, 
 Cloth, extra, 75 cents. 
 
 It is one of the most delightful books this famed author has written. 
 Whilst describing the exciting adventures of Indian life, he conveys new 
 and attractive information about the far north portion of our continent. 
 
 Seldom, if ever, has there been a better description of life in the lands of 
 the Hudson s Bay Company, than is found in this little work. 
 
 FAST IN THE ICE ; or, Adventures in the Polar Regions. ISmo. 
 
 Illustrated. Cloth, extra, 75 cents. 
 
 "Is attractive and useful. There is no more practical way of communi 
 cating elementary information than that which has been adopted in this 
 series. When we see contained in 141 small pages, as in "Fast in the Ice," 
 such information as men of fair education should possess about icebergs, 
 Northern lights, Esquimaux, musk-oxen, bears, walruses, etc., together 
 with all the ordinary incidents of an Arctic voyage, woven into a clear con 
 nected narrative, we must admit that a good work has been done, and that 
 the author deserves the gratitude of young people of all classes." London 
 AUienceum. 
 
 CHASING THE SUN; or, Rambles in Norway. ISmo. Illustrated. 
 Cloth, extra, 75 cents. 
 
 Describing a country almost new to us, the author tells of many strange 
 natural curiosities, of the manners and customs of the people, and the 
 curious modes of travel and conveyance. 
 
 ANNE BOWMAN. 
 
 THE BEAR HUNTERS OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS. IGmo. 
 Illustrated. Cloth, extra, $1.25. 
 
 A story of trapper life in the Bocky Mountains. A better insight of real 
 life in these uncivilized wilds is gained from books like this than from scores 
 of the dry details of travellers. 
 
 ADVENTURES IN CANADA; or, Life in the Woods. 16mo. 
 
 Illustrated. Cloth, $1.25. 
 
 This is not aj&ere work of fiction, but the true narrative of a bright boy who 
 roughed itinWehush when Canada, the home of adventure and sporting, 
 was much wilder than it is now. The boys, especially, wil I be charmed with 
 the adventures with Indians, bears, and wolves, tne racoon hunts and duck 
 shooting; while the older class of readers will be drawn to it by its charm 
 ing description of the scenery, and condition of what may, before long, be 
 come a part of the United States. 
 
POUTER & COATES PUBLICATIONS. 25 
 
 FOSTER S TRANSLATION. 
 
 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS ; or. The Arabian Nights 
 Entertainment. A new edition. With eight full-page illustra 
 tions. Large 12mo, cloth, extra, $1.50. 
 
 "More widely diffused among the nations of the earth than any other 
 product of the human mind. While it is read or recited to crowds of eager 
 hoteliers in the Arab coffee-houses of Asia and Africa, it is just as eagerly 
 j>prnsed on the banks of the Tagus, the Tiber, the Seine, the Thames, the 
 Hudson, the Mississippi, and the Ganges. , . . While there are children 
 on earth to love, so long ^vill the Arabian Nights be loved." Appleton a 
 American Encyclopedia, article " Arabian Nights." 
 
 D. W. BELISLE. 
 
 THE AMERICAN FAMILY ROBINSON; or. The Adventures o^ 
 a Family lost in the Great Desert of the West. IGmo. Illus 
 trated. Cloth, extra, $1.25. 
 
 DANIEL DE FOE. 
 
 THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. In 
 cluding a Memoir of the Author, and an Essay on his Writings. 
 Large 12mo. Illustrated. Cloth, extra. Price, $1.50. 
 
 Carefully printed from new stereotype plates, with large, clear, open type, 
 this is the best, as well as the cheapest, edition of this charming work pub 
 lished. 
 
 " Perhaps there exists no work, either of instruction or entertainment, in 
 the English language, which has been more generally read and more uni 
 versally admired, than The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe. It 
 is difficult to say in what the charm consists, by which persons of all classes 
 and denominations are thus fascinated; yet the majority of readers will re 
 collect it as among the first works that awakened and interested their youth 
 ful attention, and feel, even in advanced life and in the maturity of their 
 understanding, that there are still associated with Robinson Crusoe the sen 
 timents peculiar to that period, when all is bright, which the experience of 
 after-life tends only to darken and destroy." Sir Walter Scott. 
 
 JEAN RODOLPKE WYSS. 
 
 THE SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON; or, The Adventures of a 
 Father, Mother, and four Sons, on a Desert Island. Two parts, 
 complete in one volume, illustrated. Large 12mo. Cloth, extra, 
 Price, $1.50. 
 
 GRIMM. 
 
 POPULAR GERMAN TALES AND HOUSEHOLD STORIES. 
 Collected by the Brothers Grimm. With nearly 200 illustra 
 tions by Edward II. Wehnert. Complete in one volume. New 
 edition. Fine English cloth, bev. bds., full gilt back and side 
 stamp, $2.50 ; half calf, gilt, $1.50. 
 The stories in these volumes are world-renowned, and they will continue 
 
 to be read, as they long have been, in different languages, and to charm and 
 
 delight not only the yonng, but many readers in mature life who love the 
 
 recollections of childhood and its innocent diversions. 
 
 COUNTESS DE SEGUR. 
 
 FRENCH FAIRY TALES. Translated by Mrs. Coleman and her 
 daughters. AVith ten full-page illustrations, by Gustave Dore 
 and Jules Didier. IGmo, price, $1.50. 
 
 The Countess de Segur, the authoress of this charming work, and the 
 mother of the wife of the French ambassador at Florence-, the brilliant Ba 
 roness Malaret, is a Russian lady, and a daughter of the heroic Frince 
 Rostopchin, who ordered the burning of Moscow, when Napoleon captured 
 that devoted citv. 
 
 " Not many of the fairy stories written for children are so admirably con 
 trived or so charmingly written as these." Worcester Daily Spy. 
 
26 PORTER & COATES PUBLICATIONS. 
 
 HARRY CASTLEMON. 
 
 THE SPORTMAN S CLUB IN THE SADDLE. This is the first 
 of the new Series of Six. The new volumes of this series will 
 follow from time to time as rapidly as possible. Illustrated, 
 16mo, cloth, extra, black and gold, $1.25. 
 
 "The Sportsman s Club in the Saddle is a splendid book for boys." Daily 
 Journal, Ncwburgh, N. Y. 
 
 This story, we are quite certain, will please the boys immensely ; it is full 
 of amusing and exciting incidents." Worcester Daily Spy. 
 
 "This is the first of the Sportman s Club Series by one of the most popu 
 lar authors of Juvenile books. The boys who love dogs and guns will enjoy 
 this volunie." Democrat, St. Louis. 
 
 "A delightful writer is Castlemon. Has seen everything and remembers 
 what he has seen. Describes scenes with great spirit, while all his volume s 
 are full of incident and excitement. The author has a nice sense of the 
 wants of boyhood, and produces such stories as give entire satisfaction to 
 the future rulers of the republic." Albany Evening Post. 
 
 " Mr. Castlemon is the author of several series of fascinating books for 
 boys, and the present volume but adds to its reputation." Morning Herald, 
 Utica. N. Y. 
 
 " A spirited and lively sketch of the huntsman s sports. It is replete with 
 exciting adventure wrought into the form of an animated story, and the 
 young will follow its entertaining pages with unflagging interest. * Albany 
 Evening Journal. 
 
 THE GUNBOAT SERIES. 6 vols., IGmo, illustrated. Cloth, black 
 and gold, $7.50. 
 
 Frank the Young Naturalist. Frank on a Gunboat. 
 
 Frank in the Woods. Frank before Vicksburg. 
 
 Frank on the Lower Mississippi. Frank on the Prairie. 
 
 THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN SERIES. 3 vols., IGmo, illustrated. 
 Cloth, black and gold, $3.75. 
 
 Frank among the Kancheros. Frank at Don Carlos Rancho. 
 Frank in the Mountains. 
 
 THE GO-AHEAD SERIES. 3 vols., 16mo, illustrated. Cloth, 
 black and gold, $4.50. 
 
 Go Ahead ; or, The Fisher Boy s Motto. 
 
 No Moss ; or, The Career of a Rolling Stone. 
 
 Tom Newcombe 
 
 JULIA McNAIR WRIGHT. 
 
 A MILLION TOO MUCH. A Temperance Tale. By Mrs. Julia 
 McNair Wright, author of " Priest and Nun," " Almost a Nun," 
 "New York Ned," "John and Demijohn," &c. 12mo. Fine 
 cloth, $1.50. 
 
 " It is a valuable acquisition to the temperance literature of the day, pro 
 bably the best work of the kind ever published, as it deals with absolute 
 facts. It is really a wonderful book, and those who would work effectively 
 in staying the tide of intemperance, would do well to circulate it." liloom- 
 ington Daily leader. 
 
 " It is infinitely better than stories of the kind generally are." Philadel 
 phia Inquirer. 
 
 " This story is one of the best pieces of temperance advocacy we have seen. 
 Its scenes are graphic; its progress only too natural, and its conclusion a 
 powerful warning. It is less of a tract than many of the same kind of tales, 
 and merits attention for the freshness and force of its delineations." The 
 Age, Philadelphia. 
 
 " A first class temperance story. The career of one born with appetite for 
 drink and with the means to gratify every wish is depicted with vigorous 
 and rapid strokes in a well told story. * * We recommend this book for 
 Sunday-school libraries." " The Pacific," San Francisco. 
 
pe 
 Ch 
 
 PORTER & COATES PUBLICATIONS. 27 
 
 MARGARET HOSMER. 
 
 Author of "Cherry, the Missionary," "Grandma Merritt s Stories," "The 
 Voyage of the White Falcon," &c., &c. 
 
 LITTLE ROSIE S FIRST PLAY DAYS. Illustrated. ISmo., 160 
 pp., 75 cents. 
 
 LITTLE ROSIE S CHRISTMAS TIMES. Illustrated. ISmo., 160 
 pp., 75 cents. 
 
 LITTLE ROSIE IN THE COUNTRY. Illustrated. 18mo., 160 pp. 
 75 cents. 
 
 " Very nice children s books, indeed, and we only wish that we had more 
 space to say so, and more tisae to say it in. Any present-giving fathers, 
 mothers, uncles, aunts, brothers, or sisters, who have a care for the little 
 
 eople, may safely order these for home consumption." The Hartford 
 urchman. 
 
 " A charming series of stories for the younger class of readers, full of in 
 teresting incidents and good moral and religious instruction, brought down 
 to the comprehension of a child in such a way as to produce a salutary im 
 pression. They are calculated also to teach parents how to keep children 
 employed in what is pleasant and useful, thus superseding the necessity of 
 imposing so many restraints to keep them from evil. This is apt to be the 
 great fault in the management of children. They are given nothing inno 
 cent and useful with which to employ their active, restless minds, and then 
 parents wonder that they need be always in mischief. Ilosie s mother better 
 comprehended the wants of a child, and forestalled temptations to end by 
 incentives to good,"Springfleld Daily Union. 
 
 UNDER THE HOLLY- or Christmas at Hopeton Grange. A 
 Book for Girls. By MRS. HOSMER and Miss - . 12mo. Illus 
 trated. Cloth, extra, $1.50. 
 
 " And this we can and do most confidently recommend to parents who are 
 faithfully striving to provide only wholesome food for the intellectual appe 
 tite of their children. The tone of the book is pure and healthful, the style 
 easy and graceful, and the incidents are such as to give pleasure without at 
 all kindling the passion for exciting fiction, which is so rampant among the 
 young people of our day." Maryland Church Record. 
 
 " This is entitled, A Book for Girls, but it would interest the youth of 
 either sex. It is a succession of tales told at the Christmas season. We can 
 recommend them all for their interest and moral. It is for children of a 
 larger growth, not a mere story-book for the little ones." Philadelphia 
 Daily Age, 
 
 LENNY, THE ORPHAN; or, Trials and Triumphs. Illustrated, 
 byFaber. 16mo. Price, $1.25. 
 
 " A story book of an orphan boy, who is thrown loose upon the world by 
 a conflagration, in which his mother and only surviving parent is burnt. 
 The varieties of experience, both sorrowful and happy, through which the 
 boy passes, are wrought up into a story of no little power, and yet are such 
 as often occur in actual life. The religious teachings of the book are good, 
 and penetrate the entire structure of the story. We recommend it cor 
 dially to a place in the Sunday-school library." Sunday-School Times, Phila 
 delphia. 
 
 "The author of this book has written some of the best Sunday-school 
 books which have recently been issued from the press of the American Sun 
 day School Union. The volume before us portrays the trials of a little boy, 
 who loses his mother in early life, and is subjected to the intrigues of a de 
 signing person, from which he obtains a happy deliverance. The story is 
 well planned and written, and its moral and religious lessocft ure good." 
 Weekly Freedman, New Brunswick, N. J. 
 
28 PORTER & COATES PUBLICATIONS. 
 
 BARONESS MARTINEAU DES CHESNEZ. 
 
 LADY GREEN SATIN", AISTD HER MAID ROSETTE. Translated 
 from, the French. Illustrated. 1 vol., 12mo. Cloth, black and 
 gold, $1.50. 
 
 _ This will be one of the most charming juveniles published this fall, both 
 inside and outside. 
 
 HECTOR MALOT. 
 
 ROMAIN KALBRIS: His ADVENTURES ON" SEA AND SHORE. 
 Translated from the French by Mrs. JULIA McNAiR WRIGHT, 
 authoress of "Priest and Nun," "A Million Too Much " etc. 
 Illustrated with 47 original French designs, by Emile Bayard, 
 engraved in the handsomest style. 1 vol., 12mo. Cloth, black 
 and gold, $2.50. 
 
 This will be the handsomest juvenile of the season, and is confidently re 
 commended to the trade. 
 
 CAROLINE H. B. LAING. 
 
 THE SEVEN KINGS OF THE SEVEN HILLS. A Popular 
 Ancient History of Rome, designed for Children. 16mo, illus 
 trated, $1. 
 
 " A very attractive and well-told rendering of the fables of early Roman 
 history. Everybody needs to know tbese stories, and this book will serve a 
 good end in introducing them to children." The Nation. New York. 
 
 " The early history of Rome is treated by the accomplished authoress of 
 this work in a manner adapted to the comprehension and tastes of juvenile 
 readers, without attempting to draw too sharp a Hno between the results of 
 critical research and legendary fictions. Her little volume is highly enter 
 taining, the language is chaste and graphic, and the narrative abounds with 
 striking incidents." New York Tribune. 
 
 THE HEROES OP THE SEVEN HILLS. A sequel to "The 
 Seven Kings of the Seven Hills." A Child s History of Ancient 
 Rome. 1 vol., IGmo. Illustrated. Cloth, black and gold, $1. 
 This little book, and the one to which it is a sequel, supply a want which 
 has long been felt. The reception accorded the first one guarantees popu 
 larity to the coming volume. 
 
 MRS. S. C. HALLOWELL. 
 
 EEC S BEDTIME, and other Stories from The Christian Union. 
 1 vol., 12rno. Illustrated. Cloth, black and gold, $1.50. 
 
 Mrs. Hallowell is well known as one of the most popular contributors to 
 The Christian Union, and as a writer for children has a high standing. 
 
 VICTOR HUGO. 
 
 GAVROCHE, THE GAMIN OF PARIS. From " Les Miserables, ? 
 by Victor Hugo. Translated and adapted by M. C. PYX.E. A 
 charming story. 16mo, cloth, black and gilt, $1. 
 " This story is a charming episode in Victor Hugo s famous book, Les 
 Miserables. It is a very touching and strongly drawn picture of Parisian 
 life. The hero is a Gamin, or street boy of Paris, who lives a vagabond 
 life, and takes a precocious part in events of the great capital." The Age, 
 Philadelphia. 
 
PORTER & COATES PUBLICATIONS, 29 
 
 PAUL KONEWKA. 
 
 THE CATASTROPHE OF THE HALL. Illustrated with original 
 drawings in Silhouette by the late Paul Konewka, in his most 
 characteristic manner. Beautifully printed on tinted paper. 
 Quarto. Boards, $1.00; 
 
 " A rhymed tale about three kittens, Beauty, Monkey and Dot, illustrated 
 with silhouettes, by the late Paul Konewka, so spirited and so funny, that 
 the children who read will be apt to agree with the boy on the title-page in. 
 being particularly glad that God did cats. "New York Daily Tribune. 
 
 MISCELLANEOUS. 
 
 THE LIBRARY ; or, What Kooks to Read, and How to Buy them. 
 
 A few practical hints, by an old Bookbuyer. IGmo, paper cover, 
 
 10 cents per copy ; $8.00 per hundred. 
 
 Everybody has felt the want of a reliable guide in selecting books for their 
 library. In this little manual, the author has endeavored first, in a prelimi 
 nary essay, to point out how to read books to the best advantage, and how 
 to buy them; second, what books to buy, by giving lists of some fifteen 
 hundred volumes of standard works, such as are necessary to every well- 
 selected library; these are given with the number of volumes, the best and 
 different editions, and the prices. It thus forms a complete and intelligent 
 guide, as to what is best to buy first, such as every person of any pretensions 
 to literary taste should possess. 
 
 THOUGHTS OF PEACE ; or, Strong Hope and Consolation for the 
 Bearer of the Cross. From the last London edition. Beauti 
 fully printed on tinted paper, with carmine border. Square 
 16mo. Fine English cloth, bevelled boards, red edges, $1.50. 
 
 "Remarkable as the assertion is, that very many of the best works are 
 the product of the chastened and afflicted in society, it is nevertheless true 
 that the world is greatly enriched by the presence of invalid gifted minds in 
 all ages. This delightful little volume is the product of one who has felt the 
 acuteness of disease, and it illustrates the experience of one who has long 
 been an invalid. The Scriptural texts, and poetic suggestions, evince a rich 
 acquaintance with the scriptures and the poets. The book is beautifully 
 printed on tinted paper, red line border, and richly bound. Many would 
 prize it as a gift book." fittsburg Gazette. 
 
 " This is a reprint from the latest London edition, and Is a beautiful little 
 work, both in style of typography and binding, and in the sentiments judi 
 ciously selected and collated from the Sacred Scriptures and poets. It com 
 prises three hundred and sixty-five of the most soul-comforting and inspiring 
 texts of the Bible one for each day of the year. Following each text is a 
 short selection from some hymn, or sacred poem of corresponding senti 
 ment. No better souvenir could be given to one having experienced some 
 of life s sorrows and who has not! and who has learned to look for con 
 solation to Holy Writ." Mauch Chunk Gazette, 
 
 PAPA S BOOK OF ANIMALS. Wild and Tame. Chiefly from 
 the writings of Rev. J. G. WOOD and THOS. BINGLEY. With 
 sixteen large and .spirited drawings, by H. C. Bispham. Small 
 4to., fine English cloth, gilt, bev. bds. Price, $1.25. 
 
 SLOVENLY PETER; or, Cheerful Stories and Funny Pictures for 
 
 Good Little Folks. With nearly two hundred engravings. 
 
 Beautifully colored. Printed on heavy paper. Large 4to, 
 
 Cloth, bevelled boards, extra, $1.75. 
 
 A new edition of this charming book, a standard among juveniles. Surely 
 
 lessons of stern morality and humanity were never more pleasantly and 
 
 effectually tuught than m this book. 
 
30 PORTER & COATES* PUBLICATIONS. 
 
 NORTHERN LIGHTS. Tales from Swedish and Finnish authors. 
 Collected and translated by SEI^IA BORG and MARIR A. BROWN, 
 the translators of the Schwartz Novels. 1 vol., 12mo. Illus 
 trated. Cloth, black and gold, $1.50. 
 
 This collection of Northern Tales is full of beauty, and for imagination 
 and poetic expression excels the far-famed tales o f Hans Christian An 
 dersen. 
 
 STANDARD FAIRY TALES. Containing Aladdin, Cinderella, 
 Beauty and the Beast, Jack the Giant Killer, Red Riding Hood, 
 Tom Thumb, Puss in Boots, and numerous other Favorites of 
 the Nursery. Beautifully illustrated with eight full page engra 
 vings after designs by GUSTAV DORS and GKORGE CRUIK- 
 SHANK. 12mo, cloth, extra, black and gold, $1.50. 
 
 ADVENTURES BY LAND AND SEA. Perils, Hardships, and 
 Escapes ; taken from the most famous travels. 1 vol. Small 4to. 
 Profusely illustrated. Cloth, black and gold, and illuminated 
 side. $2. 
 
 PERILOUS INCIDENTS IN THE LIVES OF SAILORS AND 
 TRAVELLERS. Small 4to. Profusely illustrated. Cloth, black 
 and gold, and illuminated side. $2. 
 
 These are companion volumes, and will be great favorites for the holiday 
 season. 
 
 M. C. PYLE. 
 
 MINNA IN WONDERLAND, AND ROLAND AND HIS 
 FRIENDS. A charming new juvenile. Beautifully illus 
 trated. Cloth, black and gold, 75 cents. 
 
 ROSE VALLEY LIBRARY. 6 vols. 32mo. Illustrated. In neat 
 box. Per vol., 25 cents. 
 
 Kobinson Crusoe. Discontented Tom. 
 
 Eva Bruen. Edith Locke. 
 
 Willie and Ned.. Ben Benson. 
 
 ALADDIN; or, The Wonderful Lamp. With fifteen large and 
 beautiful illustrations, by F. O. C. Darley. Small 4to, fine Eng 
 lish cloth, gilt, bev. bds., $1.50. 
 
 THE HAPPY CHILD S PICTURES OF ANIMALS AND BIRDS. 
 
 4to. Illustrated with large colored pictures from drawings of 
 animals and birds, by Harrison Wier. Fancy boards. Price 
 43 cents. 
 
 MOTHER GOOSE S COMPLETE EDITION OF HER RHYMES, 
 CHIMES, AND MELODIES. 128 pp., profusely illustrated, 
 colored, square 12mo. Fancy boards, 00 cents; cloth, gilt, 75 cts. 
 
 LETTER WRITERS. 
 
 THE GENTLEMAN S LETTER-WRITER. Bound in boards, 
 cloth back. 13D pp. Price, 35 cents. 
 
 THE LADY S LETTER- WRITER. Bound in boards, cloth back. 
 139 pp. Price, 35 cents, 
 
 THE COMPLETE LETTER- WRITER. For the use of Ladies 
 and Gentlemen: containing botl; the above bound in one vol 
 ume. 273 pp. Cloth, gilt. Price, 75 cents.